Red: Japan

These two photos are from my archives. They were taken in 1988 when the Japanese cultural group came to visit us in Auckland. My sister Helen had been to Japan as an English teacher. The young girl is my oldest daughter.

http://rubytuesdaytoo.blogspot.co.nz/

Crocosmia hybrid..

yellow flower among my hedge. Last year, there was one long spike, this year, there are 2 shorter spikes.
Crocosmia (/krɵˈkɒzmiə/; J. E. Planchon, 1851)^[2] (montbretia)^[3] is a small genus of flowering plants in the iris family, Iridaceae. It is native to the grasslands of southern and eastern Africa, ranging from South Africa to Sudan. One species is endemic to Madagascar.^[1]

 http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/

Memories of the poppy.

Macro Flowers: Poppy

I am a very practical person, and it is hard to believe myself that I was such a romantic at once stage of my life. I haven't told many people about this story except to a few fellow bloggers.

It was more than 30 years ago, I had finished my degree at the Auckland University and along with a couple of students we were doing our summer vacation job. 

I was also getting married just before Christmas.

I walked to work to save money, and on my way, I saw this clump of tall wild plants with orange flowers. I went to pick the flowers like Red Riding Hood. It wasn't easy, as the plants had those cutting hairs that hurt my hands. I got carried away, and arrived at work late.

The foreman was waiting at the clock-in and asked why I was late. I tried to hide my flowers and the rest of the full time girls saw me. They teased me if I was getting married. I was so embarrassed and quickly kept the flowers in the locker. The girls "dan dan dan dan" of the Wedding March..

After work, I retrieved my flowers. They had wilted. For all my trouble, I got a bunch of useless flowers.

The girls told me, "Poppies need water."

Here you are, whenever I see poppies, I remember that day.

My 13 year old son asks,"Are you allowed to pick flowers on the road side?"

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/

The Orbit, Sky Tower,

We had  dinner at the Observatory restaurant at the Sky Tower in Auckland. We were up at 192 metres, and the view was fantastic. The sun set was beautiful too, so was the food.

 A perfect place to share your perfect place to eat, right in Downtown Auckland.

Tansy

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant of the aster family, native to temperate Europe and Asia. It has been introduced to other parts of the world and in some areas has become invasive. It is also known as common tansy, bitter buttons, cow bitter, or golden buttons.

I got the sticks hoping to grow them as I was told would rerpel flies. But they didn't grow.

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/

Making fruit enzyme

In 2009, I visited Malaysia and Singapore and I was introduced to making a multi purpose cleanser. A friend whose husband is a university professor gave me some leaflets of information of how a Thai inventor had started this. I was naturally sceptical. What good can come out of a third world country like Thailand.

Recently, I was talking to my sister E who had just retired as a school principal. I was telling her about my over abundance of plums from my plum trees. We talked about Enzyme, and she was very happy with hers. She said her floor was very clean after using it. I felt convinced to give it a try.

Here it is.

The proportion is 1 part brown sugar, 3 parts fruit and/or vegetable waste, 10 parts of water.



Steps:

1: Mix sugar with water, add the fruit/veg, orange/lemon peels will give a nice citrus smell.

2: Fill in air tight plastic containers/bottles, leaving about 2 inches for fermentation.



Here it is.

The proportion is 1 part brown sugar, 3 parts fruit and/or vegetable waste, 10 parts of water.



Steps:

1: Mix sugar with water, add the fruit/veg, orange/lemon peels will

give a nice citrus smell.

2: Fill in air tight plastic containers/bottles, leaving about 2 inches for fermnetation.

3: Store in a cool, dry and well ventilated area.

4: Do not put it where there is direct sunlight.

5: After the first week, slowly open the cap to release gas, be sure not to shake the bottle.

6: Push the floating veg downward every once in a while.

7: Ferment for at least 3 months.

8: Filter and it is ready for use. You get a brownish fluid.

9: The solids can be put in the garden as fertiliser. Some people recycle this to restart a new batch.

10: Add about 1 tablespoon to your normal washing solution.

****************

I made my batch, and am using it. The dishes are less oily, but it could be psychological.

I asked my friends in Malaysia, one told me an interesting use, her husband sprays it in her bird cage, and gives the cage a good smell.

Some people make a lot of claims about being environmentally friendly and saving money. I don't know about saving money, because you spent quite a bit on the brown sugar. Environmentally friendly, perhaps, since you reduce the use of detergent. I am still experimenting, I have started a batch with my apples.

Please give me your opinion.


http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

snowflakes in my garden

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/