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| A passion flower. |
I had another busy week. I didn't realize how much work was required for an online course. It takes hours to prepare a single lesson plan. Hopefully it will be much easier next semester.
When I was not doing lesson plans, I was doing work around the home and crocheting, so I didn't spend much time reading blogs and the forum. I will catch up with my favorite blogs soon. 😊
Here's what I did this week.
After months of searching, I found a hutch for the dining area. It was at a thrift store, for $125. After a bit of negotiation, I paid approximately $98 including tax. For now it's in the living room. I want to paint it white.
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| New to me hutch. |
I did some work in the back yard. I weeded, added a border along one side, and planted asparagus beans and bitter gourd. Two long bean vines have black aphids, so I sprayed soapy water. I think the Serrano pepper plant has been completely destroyed by ants, because it's turning all brown. The good news is that katuk plants are thriving. I picked leaves several times and made mallung, a mix of greens with grated coconut.
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| Katuk & moringa leaves, serrano peppers, katuk berries, long beans and passion fruits. |
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| A bean flower. |
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| The new border made with free edging stones from a neighbor. |
In between lesson plans, I also spent some time crocheting. I made another dish cloth, and am making a beanie for a friend. I think her winter season is almost over, but she can use it next year. 😊
I deleted a bunch of books from my Amazon seller list. I don't know how other vendors make a profit by selling a book for $1 including shipping! I donated the books to a thrift store. A box of old dishes and a juicer went with the books. The spare room looks a bit more organized now.
I need to make changes to the monthly budget. Utilities went up, and I had a couple of expensive months. Lately I have been spending too much on groceries.
How was your week? What's growing in your yard?
This week's to-do list:
1) Mend a bathrobe. - Not done.
2)
3)
4)
Next week's to-do list:
1) Mend a bathrobe.
2) Make a new budget.
3) Iron clothes.
4) Make another border in the backyard.
XX
Nil
I'm glad Dorian has changed course - phew.
ReplyDeleteI love the kitchen hutch - it is timeless and will last you for ever.
Yes, Phil. I was relieved when Dorian changed its path.
DeleteSounds like you got a lot done even if you were busy. I did not know passion fruit would grow in the states. We are going to try our hand at some dwarf citrus in pots that can be moved inside when the temps drop to below freezing.
ReplyDeleteWe have warm weather here, Anne. So passion fruit grows here well.
DeleteI have several regular citrus plants in pots, but they are not dwarf type.
The dresser is lovely. I would love to have the room for one. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it is painted and displaying your crockery. X
ReplyDeleteIt will take sometime Jules. :) But I will definitely post photos after I paint the hutch.
DeleteYour garden is producing nice things, Nil. I LOVE that hutch! Well done.
ReplyDeleteI liked the hutch as soon as I saw it. I would have paid the full price (still it's a bargain), but I'm thrilled that I was able to get a lower price. :)
DeleteNil, I love that hutch. What a great buy. It already looks white though. Not much is growing here due to the ongoing drought.
ReplyDeleteChel, the hutch is painted in a shade of very light pink.
DeleteI hope you will get rain soon.
Sounds like you had a very busy week, Nil, and you got a lot done! I like your new hutch and that is a very good price! Well done on the decluttering, too. My week was good and there isn't much growing in my yard in this heat!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a good week ahead and accomplish all what you want to do.
Your decluttering efforts inspired me, Bless. :)
DeleteI hope you have a good week with your daughter.
Always enjoy hearing about your days, plans and the things ticked off your to-do list. Greens.....spinach and chinese cabbage .....and beans main things growing now. Quite hot and windy for early spring, and water shortages, so sadly the garden suffers.
ReplyDeleteI love spinach. I used to grow Malabar spinach, but at the moment I don't have any spinach. It's either drought or too much rain, isn't it? Some areas suffer from floods and others from droughts.
DeleteWhat a great price for your hutch, and I really like the beautiful clean lines. Love the harvests, too.
ReplyDeleteAre you a David the Good type gardener? He's now in the tropics but was in Florida at one time.
Love your blog as you have a cozy and intentional way of sharing. :)
I don't know who David the Good is, magnoliasntea. I will look him up. :)
DeleteOnline courses are a lot of work. Your crochet is looking good! Your stitches are nice and even - good job.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lady Locust. I think I'm addicted to crochet. Heheee
DeleteThe hutch looks very nice. What a bargain. Passion fruit flowers are so amazing. Our bell peppers started to turn brown and I thought they were being burned by the sun. A quick internet search later I learned it was a lack of calcium in the soil. I bought some calcium spray to get through this season and plan to up the amount of bone meal for the winter soil preparation.
ReplyDeleteYou are a very good gardener, Anita. I always forget to fertilize my plants. No wonder they are being attacked by ants and aphids. :)
DeleteThat's a lovely hutch! I hope the online class gets to be a bit less work, once you have everything set-up it should be better. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteYes Julie. It's going to be much easier next semester. I prefer face to face classes because I like seeing my students in person. But I think everyone wants to offer more and more online courses now. :)
DeleteNow I know what a passion flower is! Very nice gardening. The hutch is very nice...will make your room cozy. Andrea
ReplyDeleteAren't passion flowers beautiful? The vine is full of flowers so I hope at least half of them give me fruits. :)
DeleteBoth the passion flower and the bean flower, are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMmmm, this on-line course is being a lot more work, than expected. -sigh-
I don't understand selling on line. I just don't. To me, it's like garage sales... Both, too much work, to be worth whatever they bring in. Get rid of one's "stuff," in the least trouble way, one can. Donating books to that store, was so much easier. Good for you!
Lovely new to you hutch!!!
🍁🍂🍎🍂🍁
I know what you mean, Wisps. But some students prefer online courses because of their jobs. They work full time so some of these students can't attend traditional face to face classes.
DeleteYour plants look amazing, Nil. You have such a green thumb. I love that hutch so much. It's got so much charm and character. Great find.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I have a green thumb Stephanie. :) I'm fighting with ants, lubber grass hoppers and black aphids to save my plants, and it looks like they are winning.
DeleteAnother hutch lover here! The garden is looking prolific and those edging stones will save some weeding as they will delay the grass intrusion. I have some self sprouted silverbeet (replacement for spinach and hardier) that I need to do a blog post on. You have given me some ideas on inclusions to that post, thank you! Your crochet is more uniform so practice is making it more "perfect" :).
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your next post, Robyn. :)
DeleteThat is such a beautiful piece of furniture, it will be even prettier in white!☺
ReplyDeleteI hope so, Natalia. Pink is not my favorite color. :)
DeleteYou've been busy! I took an online course earlier this year and it took much more time that I had anticipated. I love your new hutch, great find!
ReplyDeleteI too think online courses can be harder for students, Dianna. But there are advantages too. :)
DeleteGlad you told us the current color of the hutch, Nil, and what a strange choice. White will be more cleaner. There’s nothing growing in our non-existent garden, but we will be going to the downtown famers market this Sunday to check out what the farmers have been growing and selling.
ReplyDeleteI love farmers markets, Beatrice. Unfortunately I don’t have one nearby. There are several small fruit and vegetable stalls , but what they sell are not local.
Delete