Our lovely friend Jodi stayed in our guest room for four months, along with her big and boofy canine companion Zee. She created a wonderful green space with all her potted plants outside and fenced a small additional area for Zee's toileting purposes. We were rather sad when she departed back to the Big Smoke as we had enjoyed their company very much indeed.
We gradually added some of our plants to the guest room's courtyard on the eastern side of our house. However, we were left with the blank canvas of Zee's former ablutions spot, which only had Mister Squiggle, an elderly valve handle as a decorative feature.
How to beautify? I had visions of a few scattered pots, some hardy ground covers, a narrow central path and river stones to complete the effect of a more arid, rather than a lusciously very green garden. I eagerly discussed these plans with Michael.
Being ever practical, he pointed out that buying enough river stones would be very expensive. I immediately succumbed to a tanty, followed by a fit of the sulks. He was right of course, but I was just cranky that my fantasy had been scuttled so quickly.
Once over my pique, my brain raced about, imagining an acceptable alternative scenario. A substantial hillock of rocks had sat, mostly unmoved, just near my clothesline for the last year or so. Michael had envisaged using them to build a dry wall around the lemon tree, but had never quite started this project. I promptly decided that we had enough to share for both Michael's wall and my now rock garden.
Then came the actual work. My first wheelbarrow load was delivered, albeit with quite a lot of wobbling, from the pile, down the lane and up the driveway to the location. My second effort was not quite so successful. At the intersection of the driveway and Anzac Lane, the wheelbarrow tipped over and I followed immediately afterwards. My bum and dignity were both bruised, but I vowed to not let this mishap slow me down. Rather than try to straighten the wheelbarrow, I simply moved the boulders one by one into position. For the third load, I enlisted Michael's able and logical assistance so I wouldn't end up on my arse again.
A final load was completed the following morning. In the four pots, I planted a vinca seedling, two strawberry pups and the baby of a tree that was doing very well in the main courtyard. I took photos and admired my handiwork. Just as well, because over the following three days, the temperature moved steadily upwards to 44 degrees C (111 degrees F) and all but the vinca kicked the bucket, in spite of generous watering morning and evening. That'll teach me to get too cocky.
When we left yesterday afternoon, the remaining vinca and groundcovers were still alive. We'd endured a really nasty fourth day of heat with howling winds and very hot temperatures before a welcome change. However, several bushfires to the east and south of Beverley were still at a heightened level and we understand homes and buildings have been lost and a chap critically injured defending his house. We hope that the cooler conditions ease the threat and nobody else is hurt.
Having left Beverley with the temperature still well over 30 degrees, we were forced to dig out hastily added extra layers, when we arrived at Cal and Bron's home two hours later. The heat had gone, the rain had come and we were cold! A most interesting sensation after such a string of blast furnace days.
Good to remember.
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