One of my favorite readers, Lisa from Tasmania is back! I love it when she sends over stories and pictures from her life in Australia. In the past, she’s shared amazing pictures of her garden, a yummy apple recipe and we even got to meet her adorable Aunt Ruby! She has an incredible garden and takes even more impressive pictures {and you know how OCD I am about pictures!}. I plan to someday travel to Tasmania to see her garden in person. Buckle up you guys, here’s what Lisa has been up to lately:
Having friends on the opposite sides of the world is great – I love following yours and other friends gardens during our winter. My first snow pea broke the surface of its potting mix! Silverbeet (the rainbow variety) were the next seeds to pop up, followed by basil, then today I noticed cucumber, zucchini and one tomato plant! Its all happening here! I am sure all the other seeds will follow suit soon…. (Well here’s hoping). I planted about 100 potatoes yesterday – still room for more in that bed, so I will have to get some more seed potatoes. (We are quite serious about our potatoes here! lol)
Lots of random blossoms and flowers keep appearing. Camera is kept busy!
Oh – Ruby turned 99 yesterday!!! Isn’t she photogenic??!!! (Her daughter Margaret with her)
I heard a dreadful noise outside last night around midnight. I guessed it was the local possums – although they do sound like a pack of angry zombies rather than these cute furry things! They were charging up and down the side veranda squabbling! I got a couple of dodgy shots and are they ever FAT! I wonder what they have been feasting on, since there is nothing on the fruit trees yet.
I also made a nice big batch of lemon cordial (concentrated fruit drink? lemonade?).
Instead of throwing away the lemon peels or composting them straight away, I put the lemon peels in a jar and poured white vinegar over the top to make a citrus cleaner and sealed the lid on and left it for a couple of weeks.
Then I strained the liquid into a spray bottle and voila! A lovely non-chemical all purpose spray cleaner that smells great. I really enjoy using it. You can use any citrus peel for the cleaner or the cordial, but Great Aunt Ruby’s lemon tree is laden right now, so lemon it is!
Cheers,
Lisa
Deborah from FL says
Wow! Aunt Ruby looks amazing!!
I really like how you use your lemon peels to make a cleaning solution!
I always like seeing what you’re doing over there in Tasmania! Thanks for so much for sharing, Lisa. 🙂
Ellen in Clackamas says
Always hearing from you Lisa…thanks for the great pictures..especially Aunt Ruby. I want to be like her!!!
Susan says
I love seeing Lisa’s great photos and especially hearing about Aunt Ruby! It’s like catching up with an
old friend. Always happy that Aunt Ruby is doing well 🙂
Tamara says
Ditto! Beautiful pics!
Lisa Millar says
Thank-you all!
I am collecting photos of Ruby and her garden so I can send Mavis another post sometime!
I am working in her garden but she doesn’t leave me a lot to do at times!! She’s amazing!
😀
diane @smartmoneysimplelife says
Thanks for the tip on making citrus cleaner! Next time I make lemon cordial that’s what I’ll be doing with the rinds.
Possums! That’s what I’d call one of the ‘hobnail boot’ variety. We have lovely little ringtails in our garden but they can still make a racket on the roof. 🙂
Lisa Millar says
Hobnails! You got that right!
I love the ringtails! We have had them here in the past and they are adorable!
I only just started making that citrus cleaner (last month) so its new to me, but I really like using it.
I want to make an orange one next – got to mix things up a little!
🙂
Mindy says
Ummmmmmm, that’s a possum!?!? I’m in Oregon and I’ve never seen a brown one, let alone one that fat!!!
Lisa Millar says
That made me laugh Mindy!
This is an Australian Brush Tailed Possum.
Its a marsupial – and yes – I think this one is fatter than normal.
Clearly is living the good life on our property!
🙂
Helen in Meridian says
Happy Birthday to Aunt Ruby from Idaho where we have lots of potatoes.