I live outdoors in the summer - latest verandah shots

I had the concrete sandblasted, painted and sealed. It's much better to sweep, and I think looks a lot cleaner. Not the perfect colour but it will do nicely for now.

Purchased the glass table and 4 wrought iron chairs today - they need the seat covers re-done,

but the price was a steal, and I quite like it where it now is.

The small wrought iron table and two chairs will eventually live under a tree, 

or in the shade around the back at some stage. 

I've just put them here for the time being.

Taffy relaxing. 

The wine is for me - I mowed all the lawns today, and swept all the surfaces. I deserve it. 

The wine, that is.

Heat affects

Took this one lazy afternoon when I was just home from work. Soo tired and did not even have the energy to put the basket of laundry away!

The girls were as hot and tired as I was - here they are all flaked out on the living room carpet, enjoying the breeze from the fan.

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Latest verandah piccies

It's by no means finished, and there is a mish-mash of stuff at the moment, but my verandah is looking and feeling better lately.
I had the concrete steam-cleaned, and sealed by Sam Prendergast (Ipswich) and he did a great job.

This process of getting it to look right is going to take some time, but that's ok.

Brother lends a hand!

Last Saturday I had more topsoil delivered from Sapar, in a bid to make the front lawn more even and less undulating and compacted. It's a bid to add some nutrition too, although with not having rain for so long, the ground is dry and cracked. I had no time at all on the weekend to do anything with it, but Anthony, visiting from Mt Isa, offered to do some 'spreading'. It was great to watch someone else toiling on my land, for me!

Another tree

There's another tree I spotted near where I work in Coorparoo. I don't know what it's called but I really like it, and the tree itself.

Here it is: some detective work now needed to find out what it is and where I can get one!

Cassia - yellow

I have wanted one of these trees for years. There was a large one spreading over my grandmother's garden when I was a kid, and I loved it, especially it's little leaves, and curled up snail-like yellow flowers. I would love to plant one in my garden. I'm looking for one, to watch when it seeds, and them to propagate it.

Oddly enough, it's called Chinese Cinnamon - and where have I spent many of my favourite years?!

Apparently it's classed as a weed now in Qld, and is difficult to get now, say from a nursery, in a pot.

Wikipedia has a nice entry about this plant.

I bought some seeds from Ebay - not exactly the same but I like the way the pictures of the future plant have those bifold leaves and little curly, snail-like flowers, and the seeds in this pic are like the ones I remember were on the tree in my Nan's garden, at 31 Hickory Street, Inala.