De-Cluttering Our Back Garden.

 A rather fun task.

Bob's work colleague was so kind as to leave his trailer ( five time the size of ours ) in our back garden, ready to be filled by cut branches and the like. What a darling, what a pleasure. It goes so much easier when I don't have to lug each branch to the front of our house, put it in our trailer and drive it to the collection site. All that takes time and effort, thus it almost is a breeze sorting out the garden when a big empty trailer is parked in it.

Each morning after having walked dog, cat and myself I take an hour or so and head up into our garden equipped with shears, secateurs and hand saw. A lot can be achieved in that time and I have found that if I do it in bite-sizes instead of the whole lot at once, I carry on doing it while actually enjoying it.

This morning I got a bit adventurous and used the hand saw to saw a huge branch. Used to be a pesky shrub once but time has made it morph into a big old tree contender, one that thought nothing of using our barn roof as a resting place. No, it had to go and this morning I felled half a tree. Rather proud of myself as using a saw isn't as easy as it looks. 

Little by little our garden is getting aired and next month the electrical company is coming to chop our big walnut tree down. It sadly is getting too close to the municipal wires and our roof is not happy either as the branches again are using it for support. It will feel strange to have an open space next to our barn, but it has to be done.

Isn't it funny how life works? For years we hardly touched our back garden ( always feel on display as the guests from next door look straight onto and into it ) and now, we do almost everything that needs to be done at once. Long my it last....

Biggi

Magical And Perhaps Medicinal Weeds.

Dandelion and co.

Dandelions came to my awareness today by the mere deed of having listened to a podcast about its wonderful versatility. Obviously I had been aware of dandelions for ages and mostly when I have tried to free our vegetable garden of it. Shouldn't have bothered. To think of all the goodness I have ripped from the ground!

The powerful benefits that a mere dandelion has makes sense when one considers that it has the strength to even push past the cracks in a concrete slab. I had heard of drinking dandelion tea and have done so but the eating of it in salads etc never crossed my mind. Until lunch today. Upon listening to the podcast, I went outside and snipped odd bits of dandelion from the lawn. Hope I snipped the right blades...our lawn is a bit woolly and wild.

The salad, which was a combination of brown rice, black beans, tofu, rocket, chard and dandelion tasted fantastic and now, an hour later I suddenly have more energy. Apparently the little dandelion has the ability to clear energy blockages and give us back our strength. The dandelion tasted bitter but in a pleasant nutty way and I can't wait to go and dig out a root of one tomorrow as that should even taste better. Worth a try.

In our current euphoria of trying to buy many a super-food, isn't it ironic that one is growing in most of our gardens free of charge? One that most of us have spent time and dare I say chemical help ( not us ) to get rid of it. We are a bit bizarre and I would love to find out when we as a society eschewed the use of herbs and spices to treat our various ailments? The nuns of yore used them successfully for centuries and who is to say if they or conventional modern medicine was more successful.

Dandelion / Myrrh: Dandelion was prescribed in Medieval times to treat colds, boils, ulcers, dental problems, itching, jaundice and gallstones.

Biggi

Chard, Banana & Blueberries.

The luck of a vegetable garden.

I was strolling through our garden yesterday and re-noticed our chard section in the vegetable garden. We only planted six little shoots ( given to us by a friend ) and these have developed into a veritable chard colony. Some are orange stemmed, some normal and some red stemmed. As it wasn't even close to lunchtime but I did want to eat a few stalks, I decided to make a smoothie.

How marvelously easy it was to step into the garden and cut several stalks, as well as a few strands of rocket, a handful of herbs from Bob's hanging herb collection and throw it all together into the smoothie mixer. An apple, a banana, a handful of frozen blueberries, a spoonful of flax seed, water and a few ice cubes made the most divine smoothie. Sweet enough not to taste of health although I absolutely love the ' healthy ' taste of vegetables.

The beauty of these types of smoothies is that one can smuggle in the oddest bits of healthy vegetables without it altering the taste too much. Ideal for stubborn kids who refuse to sample from the fruit and vegetables offerings without ever having tasted them. Okay, the green colour might be a clue but even that could be explained away by leaving a bottle of green food colouring next to the smoothie.

Bob explained to me how I should harvest ( cut ) the chard- a stalk or two from each plant - so that it continues to regrow. That it does as despite me robbing it of a few stalks most days, the plant has increased in size. Brilliant and a nice bit of salad and smoothie future ahead...

Biggi

Trims For Hedge And Bob.

Midweek madness indeed.

Two weeks ago I managed to trim one part of our hedge ( at least 50 meters in total ) and today I thought that the second half was in order. Finally we have got rid of the terrible storms and for the time being sultry summer weather has descended. Splendid for garden work. Once I had gotten back from my walk and had taken Miss Maus for hers, I started.

Wheelbarrow, shears and clippers in tow I got to work. Our hedge is natural, overgrown and not conformist and I aim to keep it like that by cutting it by hand. None of those lazy modern electrical sheers. Surely gardening should be a workout? Not that I haven't had many offers to use other people's, but I get a kick out of sculpting the hedge one meter at a time.

Never uniform, always individual and most certainly more interesting than the manicured property circlers that are favoured by everyone in the village. Two hours, one passer-by ( very important as my work effort will be retold! ) and plenty of bugs later, the hedge was done and I was finished! Felt quite nice to see the before and after side by side. I even outdid myself and cleaned the ground underneath it. Great workout, mentally and physically.

As for Bob, he has taken a liking to my ability to use the clippers on his hair ( otherwise he would wait for Albert to do it and sport long hair ) as well as realized that corona is still an issue when cutting hair and doesn't want to endanger Albert. Never mind, I am rather getting the hang of it and might branch out by creating a short style for my honey...

Biggi

Tales From Our Garden.

A medley of plants and more...

Tall stalks of beauty that are surely cousins of Les Daisies in front of the old pigsty, now home to one or other of our tomcats.

An overflowing barrel of purple potato leaves...let's hope that this year we will get to see a grown fruit from it. Decorative though!

A thirsty or reflective lavender? We have just had a morning of heavy rain, thus filling all of the rainwater barrels in our garden.

Another staple of and in our garden. One of our resident former feral cats in session. They both look so much alike that I can't tell you who is who or who has eaten once or ...again. Still vary of me.

Our lettuce is nice and comfortable in his new patch and spreading out...

Some watch grass grow, but we've taken to keeping an eye on our lettuce!

Biggi

A Spot Like Eden.

Our generous garden.

Often I forget or rather I take it for granted that our garden provides some fruit and vegetables yet, it is far from normal. Well normal when taking on board the full experience of living in rural bliss. But one still has to acclimatize to it. After years of buying everything at supermarkets it takes a change of mind to cultivate a vegetable garden and to use it.

Bob's chayote are taking over most of the garden ( literally even growing so far as invading the bushes adjacent to it ) and that makes me forget some of the treasures silently waiting in its shade. Eggplants, tomatoes, chilies, spinach, zucchini and my new favourite, basil.

Basil, how sweet it is. The type we planted is different in taste and texture to the ones sold everywhere, but it is the better for it. Prolific too, thankfully.

When I came home for lunch I had already mentally planned my meal in the smallest details and got stuck in our garden, picking a bunch of basil and one lone orange chili. A quick rinse and into the blender along with garlic and salt. Oh, if I could only describe the aromas wafting in our kitchen. Too delicious. Does anyone else dream of cooking food and eating all day long?

A pot for some wholewheat pasta and before long I mixed my pesto mix into the freshly cooked pasta. Heaven on a plate. Tangy, salty, spicy and minty all in one bite. So incredibly tasty that it might border on a new food addiction. Even now I am contemplating whipping up another batch of basil. Who knew that growing one's own herbs could be so much fun...

The sweet basil being overrun by Bob's chayote plant...

... and to think that this whole chayote bush started off in May with only one little fruit planted in the soil! Its runners have even reached our summer kitchen building and are starting to creep up it...

Biggi

A Bit Of Brightness.

The awesomeness of nature.

The other day I heard someone mention that we should embrace the ordinary because that's where we find our inner peace and soul's delight. How true. Mum gave me this lovely pot plant and it has brightened my day every time I walk past it. It is a mere flower but it holds abundant beauty.

The illuminati in our garden...little bits of happiness that most people won't get to see as they have chosen to mow them down before they even start to shine. Sad how much our need for conformity clouds over our inner soul.

Halfway into one of my morning routes I get cheered along by these beauties. Only a bunch of flower pots yet, they form part of those dots that when connected create fabulous and wonderful days.

Bob is thrilled that his one planted prickly chayote squash has grown into a virtual squash emporium right outside our front door, in our vegetable garden.

These lucky twins are pride of place atop the front part of the climbing wall. I can't wait to taste these vegetables for the first time. Bob and mum are great fans of them and hopefully I will be one too.

Biggi

Wilderness Outside.

A gardening experiment.

As you know we live in an area of over keen garden keepers. In fact, the lawns look like peas in a pod and like clockwork they get mowed one after the other as soon as the first lawn is under the knife. A case of the stepford lawns...

Lately there have been numerous articles and programs about the death of insects and how our love of neat gardens, commons and fields has been partly responsible. It isn't just about the lack of bees but most other insects too.

Well, I thought I would kill two birds with one stone and make a stand for insects while at the same time having to mow less often. But, my idea had to first get passed Bob and his love of a tidy lawn. How could I sell my vision to Bob?

A few days ago I had a brainwave. Mowing the main part of our lawn but leaving the sides uncut and thus luring insects back to basics. As I am not that handy with the brush-cutter these sides were already on the longish side and when I set my plan into motion even I couldn't believe how nice it looked.

When Bob came home later that day, I had all types of arguments at my fingertips but before I used them, he told me that it looked great. So, we are trying this experiment of our garden and so far Miss Mausi has enjoyed it beyond measure. For her it is akin to traversing a jungle and she pulls us there each and every evening on her walk.

The nicest bit is of course the loud chirping, buzzing and hovering of insects in this restaurant we have created for them. As they say, every bit counts and for me that is a great feeling...

So far so good. Let's see how this developes!

A happening hangout...

Biggi

Chayote And More.

Front row seats to nature's magic.

A friend gave us a chayote plant in April and Bob was over the moon. I, on the other hand didn't have a clue as to what this vegetable looked nor tasted like. Bob waited a few weeks and then strategically planted it. I say strategically because he hammered five huge wooden stakes ( over two meters tall ) into our kitchen garden and then spun wire to link them.

It is amazing to see this plant grow. Every day these tendrils grow upwards and search for leverage. Thus the wire. How does this plant create and grow with such precision? Look at these perfect cylindrical circles.

Next to the towering chayote this red pepper plant seems minute but pretty nonetheless. We potted this one about two weeks ago and look how it has borne fruit already. Nature is awesome.

My favourite tree in full summer plumage. This photo is taken about a hundred meters away, so you can imagine the sheer size of this original. Until two weeks ago there was an army tent pegged in front of it but thankfully they have moved on.

The chapel has received a new coat of paint. A rich Burgenland yellow which I must say is soothing to behold...

Nothing says summer more than seeing straw balls scattered over the fields. The wheat fields serve a duel purpose what with supplying our daily bread and giving nice bedding to our farm animal friends.

Biggi

Raindrops Everywhere.

Foliage brought back to life.

The soft foxtrot of raindrops hitting the roof began in the middle of the night and has yet to cease. Our garden with all its inhabitants was close to perishing and this bout of rain is more than welcome.

Throughout the day we had little gaps where the raindrops took a rest and it made for spectacular colours and scenery.

Tomatoes are plumping up again but I have to hurry to pick them ahead of the many slugs that have the run of the garden.

Our veranda is looking rather peachy...a green curtain of peach tree leaves.

As artistic as this shrub looks, it has to be unearthed. What was a handful of Jerusalem artichoke plants a few years ago, has developed into a forest of foliage.

This little fella chose to blend into the leaf and sat still until I had taken a couple of photos of him.

Biggi

Village Living.

Picking tomatoes and rocket.

I've acquired a routine in the afternoons. The three feline rascals outside get fed and cuddled, the garden gets watered and often a load of washing taken off the line. Usually just after five. Lately I've included searching for those little ripe cherry tomatoes.

We've chosen the oddest of colours which made me overlook a ripe yellow one thinking it still had to lap up plenty of sunlight to turn red. Bob chose reds, yellows and oranges for which I am thankful now because they taste of tomatoes, sweet and juicy. Nothing close to a cardboard taste of store bought ones.

So there I am leaning over our high-bed to hunt for ripe tomatoes ( we've let the plants grow wild ) when our new neighbour spotted me through the jungle of zucchinis and with a wave came over to shoot the breeze. Gosh, we stood at our gate for ages talking about this and that. They are also getting a couple of kittens this weekend and I am most certainly going over to have a peep at them.

Having lived in a small town in South Africa of about 600 000 residents it was a nice transition to move to a small village in Burgenland. Bob, the master of understated comedy used to tell his friends that we were immigrating to a small place in Burgenland of a about three hundred, to which his friends replied; three hundred thousand?...

Despite there being a couple of social circles ( ! ), one can get by without joining in the eternal quest of copying or outdoing the Joneses. Only this morning one of my walking friends said that one should spend, do and travel when young because the older one gets, the less inclination one has to go further than out to the garden, dress in anything but jeans and t-shirt or to participate in image enhancing...wise words indeed.

Biggi

Our Vegetable Garden Is Taking Shape.

I shouldn't call it ours as Bob has done all the work...chip off the old block!

What's a garden without herbs? A pot of rosemary is enjoying life here.

Parsley and tomatoes are in focus this season and I can't wait to taste them.

Bob's creativity knows no bounds...he planted a handful of seed potatoes inside an old wine barrel which should make for an interesting taste sensation.

After only a few weeks our first proper veg has appeared. A mini cucumber...

Another happy tomato plant sprouting high.

Let's see how these sweet potatoes take hold...much better to grow them here than to buy those shipped over from America.

Biggi

A Monday In Paradise.

Dull, grey and beautiful.

Despite the late afternoon flurry of snowflakes-gosh, I thought by now they'd have moved to Denmark and beyond-my thoughts are straying to spring and the new season of vegetables and flowers to be planted.

The other day I noticed in my calendar that the start of spring is mere moments away and for Bob it marks the end of winter. Time, hurrying away from us it seems. This morning the tide of icy weather had turned to a more sedate minus 3 and we're eager for each progressive day of the week. Saturday it might be a giddily hoped for plus 10...

But back to the much longed for gardening. Well, more the planting of vegetables. Last year's crop has stuck in my memory as our cherry tomatoes were divine despite some of them having developed those atrocious black spots. Not this year, I hope.

Thinking of what to plant is fun although also a little bit dicey. Finding the right balance ( last year we mistakenly created a marrow jungle ) is paramount and timing is everything. Coordinating the growth spurts is far from easy. One doesn't want to eat lettuce morning noon and night the one week and pizza the next. Well, some of us that is!

As for flowers, Bob and I want to create a red oasis of tulips along one side of our wall and the rest we plant as the muse takes us but always with ample feeding stations for our local bees. Lavender and rosemary are a definite must have in our and hopefully most gardens.

Good times ahead...

Biggi

The Mighty Walnut Tree Gets Its Revenge.

A leaf and nothing but a leaf.

As scrumptious as all those walnuts are that is if one bothers to pick them up off the ground, the revenge of their leaves leaves nothing to be desired. Good gracious me... how many can there be?

My mind had it all mapped out. After breakfast I took my rake ( no, not Bob ) and a big green gardening bag and drove to my rendezvous with a blanket of leaves. I had an inkling that the neighbours over there would have come knocking pretty soon. Any old wind tends to deposit many a leave in their gardens. They are so precise as it is and use scissors instead of a lawnmower.

Last year one of them demanded that Bob takes the leaves off the garage roof, a roof not safe to crawl on. No no, we drew the line and chose to drive the other way when we saw him. Luckily for us he has a personalized number plate and is easy to avoid.

I was sure that today would perhaps take two or three bag-runs. Stuff the bag to the rim and carry it about 100 meters to the compost heap in the back of the property. By the fifth time I took off my jacket and promised myself to stop after the eighth.

Who doesn't like to see another person labouring away? Various villagers drove past and they looked pretty happy that it wasn't them having to scrap those stubborn leaves about. One guy drove past a few times because he's never seen me work so hard! Jeez, what a workout. Eight trips to the compost heap turned into 14 and that's were I downed tools. I was finished after two hours of solid power gardening. Truth be told, a few more bags could easily be filled but enough is enough.

Gardening is serious business indeed. Even now, I can feel every muscle complaining and begging me not to go back too soon to do rest of the walnut leaves. Country living, what a blast...

Biggi

Flowers And Fruit.

A bountiful garden indeed.

The pink of this flower - or perhaps a weed - is so vibrant and alive that it almost looks photo-shopped...

A mere meter aloft these delightful apricots are dangling invitingly...they taste as sweet as they look.

We've planted beans and aren't they nice. So far we've had two meals with beans and last night I made a bean and red pepper macaroni cheese. Yum.

How green and scrumptious is this chilly? Bob seems to think that it is a green pepper but he isn't so sure as to eat it in one go...

Some of our tomatoes. Plum tomatoes which will be a fabulous addition to salads or sandwiches.

Tomatoes galore in our high-bed. Hold thumbs that they all turn out well.

A daily greeting from this mauve hydrangea befriended by lemon-mint and lavender is priceless and uplifting.

Biggi

What Can Be More Peachy Than Apricots?

The sweetness of Prunus Genus.

As you know our area abounds with fruit and not only fruit that tastes better once it's morphed into a liquid. Grapes are omnipresent but fruit trees are too.

Apricots, even though there are a few trees about are more of a rareness and when anyone offers for you to pick theirs, you don't say no. If not eaten as they are, making homemade apricot jam and doling it out liberally on buttered bread seems just fine.

These apricot trees were grown from pips buried in the ground about ten years ago. Left to their own devices, climes and circumstances, they are as organic as can be and surprisingly never befallen by any of bugs doing the social rounds. Oh, and by the way, the branches are bent over from the many apricots clinging to them.

Imagine a tree growing from a pip? After I heard this, I put those four pips I had managed to conjure up ( having tasted four apricots ) safely in my hand and I took care where to dispose them in our garden. With our usual welcome mat rolled out to all and any bees, I see good things ahead.

Reading up on the family connections of peaches and apricots I was amazed to learn that cherries are part of that family: Prunus Genus.. Makes sense when you consider their sweet taste.

Our local vineyards are littered with fruit trees at either the start of the vines or on the edges of them, which makes me wonder whether all those years ago, the men and women tending to the vineyards unwittingly planted their own fruit trees after lunch?

Along the one side of our house would be a fantastic place to start a mixed fruit yard...apricots, cherries and even though I know it sounds crazy, I'll try an avocado pip too. Avocados are my favourite fruit and as the temperature does get hotter and hotter every year, they might just like our neck of the woods and settle in.

The next few days will be a treat...

Biggi

The Flower Power Of Deutsch Schuetzen.

The garden committee excelled themselves.

Not forgetting the raison d'etre of our area the ladies of the 'Schützen garden committee outdid themselves yet again. I was waiting for someone outside the district office and had enough time to imbibe the beauty of their vibrant flower power display. Too beautiful.

Nice to think that this barrel of wine is still providing joy despite being cut in half.

Finding the ideal combination of flowers to make a harmonious whole isn't easy. Personally I love the vibrancy of the colours. So often flower displays tend to be muted and more suitable for funerals.

A view of our Hauptstrasse, a road peppered with a sprinkling of delightfully old farmsteads kept up and not ruthlessly exchanged for a modern edifice.

The whole picture...the seat of government in our village. Ah, if walls could talk!

Even driving through the village is a treat. Everyone makes such an effort with their front gardens.

The village in question from a distance. Taken this morning before the rain came.

Biggi