The weather is still warm at our place.  The mornings and evenings are feeling like autumn but the afternoons feel like summer.  It is also very dry and the only plants surviving in my garden are those planted directly under an irrigation dripper.  In between my vegetable beds the earth resembles fine, red powder.

My pumpkin harvest may not see us right through winter but I am grateful for what I have here.

 

My thyme is happy and healthy and it is enjoying a revival in my kitchen.  Lately I have been scattering it over almost every vegetable that I cook as well as pizza and roast chicken.

Hardy, dependable kale continues to flourish. I feed some to my chooks and I feed some to my family.  I recently tucked a sneaky layer into a lasagne and received no complaints.

 

This 1952 Yates Garden Guide was a recent op-shop find for $2.00.  The basic gardening information hasn’t changed much but the trends from the 50s are entertaining to read.  For example, crazy paving was all the rage in the garden planning section.   The book also recommends the vegetable garden be situated away from the main garden, some distance from the house.  I think today most people like to keep their vegetables close to the kitchen, I know I do.

I have been lucky enough to have a self-sown  tromboncino pop up outside our actual garden, underneath a young apple tree.  When plants appear so willingly it feels like a bonus and I am happy to still be harvesting this versatile vegetable.

My lime tree is loaded with juicy fruit.  Anything that requires lemon in my cooking is now substituted with lime juice.  Do you have a favourite use for lime?

 

The fruit on my young Buddha’s Hand is turning from green to yellow.  Although the tree is small and not particularly lush it has produced around 8 of these fragrant but unusual fruits.  Fellow blogger Anna from The Littlest Anchovy has written an informative post about the Buddha’s Hand if you are interested in learning more.

My mother in law has a big garden full of interesting things.  When I spotted this autumn colour near the wood pile the camera just had to come out.

 

Are you gardening or cooking or taking photos at the moment?

Do you find comfort in your garden?  As life gets busier I find my vegetable garden one of the most calming places to be.