Worms get a feed

I've had my Tumbleweed worm farm for about 2 months now and all seems to be going well. My husband loves to say to our friends - ' Indira has worms'.

The worms have settled in and are now usefully converting our kitchen scraps and garden cuttings into highly nutritious worm juice and castings.

They're fussy eaters though. Mine prefer potato and pumpkin peels, tea bags and egg shells. We can't dispose of all our kitchen waste through the farm but since we're only a two-person household we don't generate that much either.

Keeping them cool on a sunny balcony has been a challenge . Since the sun hits the farm most mornings I've erected an umbrella to provide added shade. I also give them a good wetting down with the hose every week to keep them damp. Worms enjoy a very moist environment.

Most importantly my balcony edibles have never looked so lush. The worm juice is boosting their resistance to pests and diseases and encouraging faster growth.

A happy little ecosystem.

Spring plantings at Wayside

Our dedicated group of Wayside Chapel gardening volunteers put in our spring plantings on Thursday. Chillies, tomatoes, basil, corn, sunflowers and lots of delicious compost and worm juice to give everything a kick start.

Urban Food Safari - Potts Point

Palm Beach - Frangipani Cottage

It's the first weekend of Spring and the outdoors is calling.

We're staying at Frangipani Cottage on Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach - the new accommodation

offering from the folks at Barrenjoey House a few doors down the road.

 



 

The two-bedroom cottage is perfect for two couples and a stone's throw from the ferry and beach.

 

The frangipani trees in the front garden aren't in flower yet. Now their branches look like huge chunks of underwater coral.

The cottage draws on similar design elements to the famous Barrenjoey Restaurant and Guesthouse.

.. light, space and air, textured collectibles all to be enjoyed from deep comfortable couches.

 



 It's a space to relax and unwind in..

 



.. and with a large flat screen television and foxtel for those who don't want to completely disconnect.

 



There are piles of books, magazines and travel guides to flip through

... although the outside is always beckoning.

 

your own private deck to daydream on..

The beds are extremely comfortable and covered with luxurious linens. It will be a sleep you'll always remember.

a dreamy space to dream in...



as the scented spring air sends dappled light across the room

 

 

the kitchen is functional with only a microwave oven an obvious omission.

but with Barrenjoey's excellent restaurant and a host of other eateries just around the corner you won't be spending much time doing the dishes.

 



The cottage only has one bathroom so the sharing couples need to know each other well. We did notice that the hot water was peetering towards the end of our two showers.

 



After an evening walk on the beach it's an early dinner at Barrenjoey restaurant. 

I've always admired the interesting decorating touches in this wonderful colonial-style space.

 

We begin with a plate of the most delicious briny oysters and then onto a crab pasta and a fillet

  steak - all cooked perfectly.

 

 

a sundowner and then a tipsy stroll back to our cottage for a deep, deep sleep surrounded by crisp fresh linen, soft pillows and that hypnotic sea breeze.

Saucy Onion stayed and dined as a guest of Barrenjoey House.