Caryl's birthday and our garden

Valentine's Day is Caryl's birthday and here is a pic of her at our evening get-together!

In our garden at this time of year, I always manage to get a good collection of 'naked ladies'!! These are Amaryllis bulbs which produce a skin-pink bloom before any foliage appears. Hence the name.  So far I have 25 of them. There is also a 'Bird of Paradise' plant, a sort of Boronia (native) and the beginnings of a bromeliad flower. I also included my semi-precious stone garden with parlour palms.

Recently I decided that my bike needed some tlc.

So I took it to the bike shop at Cronulla.

I could have bought a new one but that might get stolen, so I told the mechanic I would rather spend money on an Australian mechanic than a Chinese bike company (although the bike was originally made in China!) and he said he would see what he could do.

The result was two new wheels, new pedals, sprocket, chain, cables and some bits and pieces plus general oiling etc. It rides like a new bike again! I'm really amazed.

Near the end of this entry is a pic of a pencil portrait that Caryl has completed -taken from a photo of me when aged about 4!

Good, isn't it?

In addition, I have a ground cover plant which is the hardiest, most attractive border plant I have ever come across. Again it is pink and withstands air temperatures up to 40 Deg C, drought and being cut back. It smothers weeds and produces endless blooms all summer.

Today was packed--After  attending an excellent seminar on 'healthy ageing' at a local club, we rushed back to go kayaking -catching the tide out to our destination then the return tide back!. Then rushed off to our French conversation class with hilarious rôle plays on a 'visit to the doctor' --all in French--then home at last.

Finally, just before Christmas 2011, my lupins bloomed!!