King William Road

The weather is a bit strange today it keep on changing between sunny and shower. On the way back from the hospital we saw a flock of parrots picking on the bud that is about to bloom indicating spring is just around the corner. We were very happy looking at them its like God has just answered our prayers.

Why? While Rayyan had his appointment with the nutritionists, we had his nasal tube changed. Rayyan was not happy with that and what determination he showed us to resist the tube going through his nose to his stomach crying the whole time. I tried to make him stop struggling and crying by promising we will see big bird outside.

Voila! We saw not one but four beautiful parrots. This put a smile back on Rayyan so  serious face.

Walking on King William Road to the nearest tram station we also saw one of Adelaide icon which is the Black Swan eating grass ignoring buses or cars which passed them.

Before going home we did some shopping at Adelaide Central Market. One of the organic shops.

It was drizzling when we reached home TADAIMA…. Our bird friend was cold and wet when it came to greet us…OKAERI.

Reading Cath blog made me crave for young mango so luckily in one of the chinese shop in Adelaide Central Market has some. We made kerabu mangga for buka puasa.

Quickly harvested some chilies, broccoli shoot and a cauliflower when it was drizzling for hot tom yum.

No beginner luck with Wong Bok (白菜)

I sowed Wong Bok seeds in March, April and May (autumn). Germination was near 100% and grow very fast. So I thought that it was a suitable time to grow wong bok. After 3 months our wong bok did not show any sign of leaves developing firm compact head but the leaves were  lying flat towards the ground. We even tie the leaves together to make it shape like a barrel. All of them bolted. We have about 5 plants left growing in the patch which has not flower yet but I reckon it will bolt too.

This one the flower parts has even turn white in colour. Ilhan insist he carry that one for me and could see that Wong bok has grown very big.Wong Bok not into the wok but for compost.

This is one busy caterpillar found hiding in Wong Bok. It is difficult to detect any pest among the Wong Bok leaves.

This chili plant has survive Adelaide winter and produce fruit through the whole cold season as well. This chili plant is snuggle between broccoli plant that protected it from the cold harsh wind and growing in the patch that received the most sunlight in the day.

Will try again this spring with wong bok….

Any tips growing them?

Gardening in 1.5m X 1.5m space

After returning from the hospital, fed Rayyan & put him to sleep. Ilhan accompany me outside to do a little bit of gardening as a therapy of making me calm and release some stress. Less than 5 minutes, he goes and find something to do beside me and forget those just borrowed books from the local library.

Space 1>

I manured this veggie patch of us (about 1.5m X 1.5m) and planted some seed potatoes (nicola). We already harvested 3 curds of cauliflowers from this patch & there is still 3 cauliflower plant left which I reckon by end of this month will be harvested. In the front, parsley has been grown for almost a year now and we won’t be surprise as the day becomes longer, those parsley may start to flower. Near the wall 3 hollyhocks grown from seed. Hopefully by December those hollyhocks display some flowers.

I am thinking of planting some sunflower seeds near that parsley so that they provide shade from summer scorching sun because in summer this patch will received full sunlight after noon. In addidtion, I will sow maybe climbing beans or soy beans close to sunflower for support. To utilise this space, I will plant fast crop vegetable such as asian greens (maybe komatsuna I already have seedlings).

Space 2>

~Snow peas growing vertically to save space ~galangal~5 celeries ~2 cauliflowers~3 calendulas ~ 3 Chili plants~ 3 rows of leeks~ 2 rows of carrots~some pansies and violas ~ and some pyrethrum plants.

I never follow the rules for distance between each plant in those gardening books. Just using my own judgement and experience from trial and error. So far this space looks they all are doing fine.

Collecting more calendula seeds.

Harvest baby leeks. Mik remark that our baby leeks are much smaller than baby leeks sold in Central Market. I wanted to taste them so much it takes forever to wait for leek to grow big.

Carrots from thinning carrots thats why they look baby.

Big Bird nest?

Rayyan health is deteriorating. I am so worried it has been since last Saturday I have not been to lab. During the weekend I got to see his condition worsening made up my mind to be with him until I could bring him to the cardiologist to ascertain how long he has to cope until they plan for his next surgery. He is having many episode in a day when he has trouble breathing and he turns blue in his face. He has to throw up before he starts to breath normally again, well almost normally. I don’t think my brain could function normally if I am doing experiment in the lab- the body is there, but the mind and heart is with Rayyan at home. At the moment, my first priority is Rayyan and tomorrow I will bring him to Women and Children Hospital for the cardiologist to examine him. I hope surgery will be in the near future. We don’t mind celebrate Eid Mubarak in Melbourne Royal Children Hospital as long as baby Rayyan won’t have to go through a lot of this episode. I feel hopeless when I watch him suffering but there is nothing I could do to lessen the pain. A small heart that need to be fixed so it will function properly, like any other machines. Rayyan has 4 major defects in his heart and in medical term is known as ‘Tetralogy of Fallot’ a complex congenital heart defect condition.

Rayyan like to watch bird from the window they make him happy. If it is not that cold, I will take him outside to watch the birds. Our next door neighbour has many big tall trees in his backyard and many birds are flocking on them as the weather gets warmer. Mik found this interesting big shape nest like a pot without its handle (picture top right). From where we were standing it looks bigger than a coconut fruit sitting precariously on top of that branch. We wonder how can it stand not fall down from the strong wind without any shelter or protection and very high place.

We found another similar looking nest on a different tree. It looks like it is not made of small twig or stick. We don’t know what type of bird live in that kind of nest.

This bird has become very tame with us (Manja!!!) since Mik has been feeding this bird since last year. It follows us around the house when we are outside. Sometimes observing what we are doing inside the house too, Just looking at any window facing the front of the house and the bird will be near. Took this picture from inside the house with Rayyan looking at his favourite bird sunbathing near those calendulas.

Pray for us for tomorrow Rayyan check up.

Free Horse Manure

Robbe whom we met last week at the community fruit & veggie swap told us that we could get free horse manure in one of Adelaide racecourses. I decided to google and  find more information. Interestingly I found the information on where to get those free horse manure in Wikipedia. You can get free horse manure from nearby stable at Morphettville racecourse and it has already prepared in bags. You don’t have to scoop it yourself. Although we did bring same sack in case we have to do it ourselves.

We went there yesterday and took 3 bags because the car has no more space. We will definitely go there again when our horse manure supply run low. At first we thought that it will smell really bad on the way home but it was really not bad at all. In comparison, durian or fish smell much stronger.

Golden manure. Looks like mulch. Looks different from cow,sheep and chicken manure. This horse manure look promising with lots of nutrient. Race horse eat very high quality food.