If you don’t eat your greens, you can’t have any pudding

After my post here about offering a very good bird resort for Tuis with full facilities on offer, I discover that my hospitality has been extending further.

The local sparrows who visit the garden in large numbers, some of whom are nesting in under the roof corrugations have been enjoying the” greens” I have growing in three tubs as well as the bread crumbs and titbits I toss out for them.

Pictured above: Male Sparrow (An introduced bird to New Zealand)
I had noticed sparrows pecking at the old silverbeet plants during the winter months and it would appear that they are even more partial to fresh new silverbeet and lettuce plants. The new plants have been pecked down rather dramatically.

Mother sparrows have obviously taught their children well about eating what is good for them before any treats are on offer.

There is no sign of slugs or snails and the size of some of the discarded plucked pieces would indicate something with more strength than a katydid has chomped on the leaves. If only the sparrows would eat the bounty of weeds, puha and dandelions that I have such an abundance of right now.
I have placed netting over the tubs in the hope that the poor plants will revive and provide us with fresh, organic greens.

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The Garden of wisdom

This piece was read out as part of a speech at our recent family wedding. There are many versions of it and different titles for it and the original source seems buried in the mists of time. But the advice is relevant and useful to all our relationships.

Plant Three Rows of peas:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul

Plant Four Rows of squash:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness

Plant Four Rows of Lettuce
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be patient
Lettuce really love one another

Plant Three Rows of Turnips
Turnip with a smile
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another

We must also have Thyme
Thyme for each other
Thyme for family
Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience and cultivate with affection. There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow!

The sound of summer

After weeks of grey skies, lots of drizzly rain and gale force winds yesterday was a bit brighter and warmer. I was visiting a friend who lives nearby and I was delighted to hear the sound of a cicada.

Cicadas herald summer here so perhaps come December 1st we will begin to enjoy a lovely, warm summer.

Cicadas are native to New Zealand and it is the male who makes the loud crackling song which ends in a click as he flicks his wings. On a hot summer’s day the air can be filled with the deafening songs of hundreds of cicadas singing loudly for their mate.

The Greek poet Xenarchus wrote: Happy are cicada’s lives, for they have only voiceless wives”.

The weather today has been even better with little wind and warm sunshine all day. The two cherry tomato plants which have been growing apace in my kitchen waiting for warmer and calmer weather are now planted outdoors and staked firmly to withstand the wind if it returns. We also planted another crop of lettuce.

Roll on summer!

Chorus cicada