MICKEY’S BLOG
In the days before Instagram, Mickey kept a regular blog of snippets from Glenmore House.
You may enjoy looking back through them!
Great spears of aloe…..
I could swear these thrusting aloe spears were NOT there yesterday! Maybe I just didn't happen to walk past...but there are TWO of them! I always think they look like gigantic asparagus. They are truly splendid... To be honest, I hadn't actually meant for the...
Bucolic scene from my stand yesterday…..
What a lovely scene behind my stall at yesterday's Oaks Sport Horses open day....and WHAT a glorious day! The odd puddle is still around, but the landscape is almost luminous. This bucolic scene was the backdrop for an otherwise bustling day of horsey (and human)...
On the road again….Oaks Sport Horses Event tomorrow!
Well - the car is loaded to capacity once again, but this time I'm just popping up the road: Tomorrow, Sunday 11 March, is the Oaks Sport Horses Open Day. And among the rather splendid horses, will be a few small stalls, including me and some of my Essential Kit...
My friend Bumble….
As its such a ghastly afternoon, I thought I would suggest something quite delightful to distract you! Bumble's owners have decided to sell their positively divine house and garden in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Of course, we're all desperate about it BUT, they...
Thrill of the spillway…..
You may not think this the most spectacular of images, but this is the moment I've been waiting for.....it's several years since water has trickled over these embedded rocks that bake in the sun day after day, month after month, year after year.... I could show you...
Today’s Random Weaving Workshop…..
Just look at the WONDERFUL work completed by our Random Weaving Workshop participants at today's special event with Harriet Goodall. There was a sense of enthralment all day long, with great concentration and creativity amongst the great mounds of material Harriet...
Toast & fig jam for tea…
The delights of just made fig jam! Shhhhh, while no-one is looking - well SOMEONE has to eat the bits that won't fit into the jar!! And it's still warm!
Farewell soggy summer….hello figs!
They began a couple of weeks ago - first one fig, then two, and now, right on cue here they are - in overwhelming abundance! Those couple (only a couple???!!!!) of days of sunshine made all the difference. The ones we enjoyed at Friday's Kitchen Gardening...
All the goodness of summer….
Gazpacho.....all the goodness of a late summer harvest, chilled in a teacup! This was the treat we all enjoyed in the Kitchen Garden before lunch, at last Friday's Kitchen Gardening Day; while Linda explained all the delights of crop rotation, companion planting...
New moon harvest…..
What a divine way to begin the weekend - a colourful Friday evening harvest that really looks like summer - FINALLY! Did you see the new moon? You would have had to be quick!! Thank you to all today's Kitchen Gardening participants, for your contagious enthusiasm....
Homemade elderflower cordial….
Well - I don't believe I'll be putting any commercial operators out of business! But this WAS fun. Now I just need to make some brown card swing tags & attach them with string.....as early prep for Friday's Kitchen Gardening gets a wriggle on! And it smells...
Cumquat surprise….
What an unexpected surprise - a summer crop of cumquats! It's rare for me to fill the house with the scent of bubbling marmalade in summer, but this time I beat those sulphur crested cockatoos to my fruit!! Cumquat marmalade was the first jam I ever made. There...
Collecting Elderflowers…..
What a glorious Sunday morning it was......I decided to collect all the elderflowers I could before they burned off in what looked to become a steamy day (it proved to be an apt decision!). And so they have been steeping in water & lemon juice, ready to make...
‘Spot’ flowers…
It's when the garden isn't in the billowing froth of spring, that one can really enjoy each single bloom for its own great beauty. I like it best, to be honest, when I have what I call 'spot' flowers, amongst lots of different textured foliage. This is one of my...
Orange poppies….
I love this very simple Greek orange poppy for its feathery foliage & bright flower head, nodding on a tall stem in the breeze. It's usually in flower when nothing else is, and so stands out against varying textures and other greens in the garden....
Summer garden…
I enjoy this time when the garden has been pruned and we're back to the bones, with only 'spot' flowers. Much as I hope for and anticipate the build up towards (hopefully??) a full autumn garden; structure, texture and foliage look handsome and solid during...
Good job for a thundery afternoon….
Much as it would have been rather nice to curl up with a book on such a thundery Saturday afternoon, I knew there were jobs lurking that could well be done under cover.....and so a VERY satisfactory afternoon was had, tidying the potting shed, sorting all the good...
Wet summer harvest….
We honestly have had the wettest summer in years (though still our dams are not full - you will hear me shriek with excitement the moment water cascades over the spillway...)We could really, REALLY do with some sun! I'd hate to by trying to sell my tomatoes...
Summer beans….
They're nothing short of prolific! Although I've only had real success with one variety this year, I have more than enough to feed an army....with Purple King. The key with beans is to pick them small - best at the time they've JUST plumped up...
My two favourite gardens….
Up until a few weeks ago, I was very clear in my mind about my absolute favourite garden in the world: Le Prieure Notre Dame d'Orsan, made around what was a completely dilapidated monastery in the centre of France & rescued with great care and attention to...