Fairweather and Friends

Greetings! This sight greeted me as I my made my way up the Mountain path to to the Melbourne Grove's Autumn Equinox ceremony on Saturday. Already the leaves are turning, but the Mountain is green & lush, due to a cool Summer & MUCH rain!
I am hoping you approve of the new picture I have put up so people can see what we look like. It was taken at Beltaine by my friend Lyn, who is a great champion for animal rights. She does Tarot readings at a minimal fee so that people can afford her service, & donates all the money to Animals Australia.


Some of you may be wondering how Mr Treadwell is settling into his role as my P.A.....
I am pleased to say he is beginning to grasp the subtleties of human behaviour, & seems to have been swatting up on Machhiavelli whilst I have been out, because he is now the perfect little Prince!
This is a photo or the veg. garden a couple of weeks ago. It is lush with leafy greens & not much else, although the flowers are lovely & I haven't had to water all summer. Hmmm parsley & walnut pesto made with the garlic I harvested earlier is delish! Sadly the rabbits ate all the green tomatoes, but the bushes remain healthy & robust. My beloved zucchinis were also munched, & some actually rotted on the plants, which have succumbed to powdery mildew due to so much rain this Summer.

This trio were regulars for seed last May. They are superb, but don't be fooled - they are very mercenary, & mostly just visit me when the cafe across the road is closed! Unfortunately, they don't wait until it opens, & prefer to raid my garden until it's coffee time....
But this year, I've had a little win! I discovered that Rosellas & King Parrots, who love eating the seeds of green peas & beans before anyone can pick them, can't see Purple King beans! I was surprised to discover some long pods hiding like dark jewels amongst the leaves yesterday. I had quite resigned myself to just enjoying the heliotrope-coloured flowers this year, but the birds seem to be less able to detect purple....has anyone else found this to be true?

Blessings of the Balance, blessings of Equinox, blessings of change,
with love,
Marigold & Treadwell