Goodbye autumn .. what a lovely season you were! Hello winter, not so lovely, but hey, I do enjoy wearing boots, jackets and jumpers.
Hubby does strange things from time to time – so do I btw as you will read. Last summer a potted passionfruit seedling appeared unannounced in my veg garden. I remember at the time thinking, why on earth would hubby buy something that is so ‘permanent’.
Well, the poor seedling stayed in the pot for awhile until I relented (which I knew I would) and yes it got planted! What made me plant it next to my bean trellis is beyond me? How bizarre. Mind you, the vine is particularly happy, clambering all over the trellis and sneakily grabbing space from the resident pea plants. Just as well it is sporting passionfruit.
All is well at our place. I have even poked garlic in the dirt again. First time in a couple of years and I’m particularly pleased. Let’s not talk about rust!
The sheep are being incredibly well behaved and staying within the confines of the electric fence. I recall saying to hubby one day, did he think the fence was working? He looked oddly at me, wondering I’m sure, if I meant for him to test it. As is usually the case though, one way or another, it is usually me that determines if it is working or not. Why I thought I could slide an empty bucket along the electric fence and not get a shock is beyond me. At least I had a good laugh at my own expense, and a good whack to go with it.
Our chickens are particularly well. I have no idea if they are enjoying winter or not, all I know is, winter means less daylight hours, which also means less eggs! Even our newbies aren’t laying. Shame on them.
My veg garden is nearly planted. The only seedlings waiting patiently now for the dirt are beetroot, spinach and rocket. And then, let the back patting begin.
All the brassicas have been planted and are happily ensconced within the confines of my two cloches. Broad beans are also in the dirt and sharing the bed with more garlic.
The quince preserving is finished and thankfully I managed to survive. My days preserving aren’t yet over though. Goodbye quince, hello citrus!
I hope you enjoy the jumble of autumn pics – my fav season without doubt. I promise next post (which hopefully won’t take so long) to provide some long overdue shots of my veg garden.
Thank you so much for all your lovely comments that you left on my last post ‘Grace’.
Happy gardening
You are starting winter and summer is underway here. Cherries are ripening, a cup of strawberries daily, tomatoes are blooming and so are the potatoes. My garlic is looking fine. Our fruit trees are loaded and our winter woodpile is huge!!!
How lovely to have summer underway! I can just imagine those cherries ripening and I’m very jealous about your strawberries and tomatoes! I have struggled for ages with garlic (rust) .. so good to hear that yours are looking fine! Oh well done with your woodpile! So nice to see you at Frog Pond 🙂
Such beautiful fall colors. Wonderful photos, Julie.
Sure is my fav season Tim … the colours were amazing this year! How I wish I had your lens! 😀 Always good to see you here …
You do great with the equipment you have, but you would love a Bazooka lens.
Don’t I know it!! 🙂
Gorgeous photos as usual Julie. Please stay away from that fence… though I suppose it provided Andrew with a good chuckle. Yes it’s working. I like the idea of the passionfruit in the vegetable garden, it will get lots of attention there and produce the best fruit too. I hope you do blog again soon as I love seeing your garden and reading your news, even though I forgot to comment last time about the passing of one of you beloved pets. My poor communication comes from reading your posts in bed. No excuse I know. Xx
Hi Francesca, I’ve missed you at Frog Pond! So nice to see you here. Yep fence is working .. LOL I still can’t believe I planted the passionfruit on my trellis, but you are absolutely right, it will love it there and get loads of TLC! Just don’t know where my beans will end up going … Promise to do another post again very soon – Nice to know I’m not the only one that reads posts in bed! Hugs xx
Julie you’ve captured the autumn colours and atmosphere beautifully yet again.
Hey Stephen … thank you! I really appreciate you commenting! 😀 Always great to see you here ..
Time flies, and at the same time the essence of what is familiar remains. I am quite happy to see you, Julie,. The reds, goldens and blues shine as bright as they do in the light there, specially the close up of the red leaves shining like a bright and dense constellation of red stars.. Wishing you a lovely days from the other side of the winter, Julie; here is my time for my leather jackets and wool globes, and an extra blanket : )
Hey Francis .. Great to see you at Frog Pond. I always enjoy your visits. I love autumn, it is such a beautiful season and my favourite. Wishing you lovely days too 🙂 I hope all is well for you my friend 🙂
Hi to you both, yes as I said woke up at usual time, and saw your blog. So once I’ve finished this, I have to get busy posting to all our friends.
Julie Joyce and I once did a fly drive in New England (U S A), the colours were stunning mile after mile. But your autumn colours are just so beautiful, and as stunning. Well passion fruit now to deal with, I remember how big those vines grow, so how much taller are you making your trellis go?
I really miss not being able to visit, but at least our daily face time keeps my memory alive. And at least I’m able to give you both your early morning alarm 🚨!
Just keep taking those Beautiful photos and sharing Frog Pond with us all.
Lots love ❤️ to you both and give my regards to all .
Bill,xxx
Hey Bill, glad you enjoyed the photos – I just love the colours of autumn, and Frog Pond Farm looked beautiful this year. I know, I can’t believe I have a passionfruit in my veg garden – where am I going to plant my beans 🙂 Miss your visits too Mr B, really looking forward to the day when you can return. It’s wonderful being able to share Frog Pond – thanks for all your hard work! Hugs xxxx
Looks amazing! Well done team frog pond 🐸
Hey Claire … great to see you at Frog Pond!
Wow, those autumn colours are spectacular! Our climate is just a tad too warm for the stunning colour shows of autumn, mind you it’s been nippier than usual so far this winter.
Just recently I made a slow cooked lamb shank meal with quince paste. It was my first experience cooking with quince, and now I’m hooked. As much as I love the flavour, I doubt we could grow quince here in the sub-tropics. Maggie Beer makes a great quince paste though. 🙂
Hi Joanne, aren’t autumn colours brilliant! I hadn’t thought about it being too warm for autumn displays … Quince is divine, I can just imagine how wonderful that lamb must have been with its addition. Not sure about growing in QLD .. wish you lived closer, I’d give you a box!
As you know I don’t like winter but seeing your beautiful photographs could maybe change my mind. Wonderful post, Julie!
Hey Herman, winter really is quite mild here, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind it at all 🙂Glad you enjoyed the post always lovely to see you at Frog Pond ..
Such an interesting post with well captured photos. Life on a farm is filled with chores and beauty unknown to those who call cities their home. That and New Zealand climate can certainly be most appealing. Thank you for letting us share vicariously Frog Pond Farm.
Oh you are so right, life on the land sure does have its chores .. I know how lucky we are living here though, especially after living in the city. And yes, the climate up our way is very appealing. Today is divine 🙂 Thank you for stopping by, I’m so pleased you enjoyed your visit.
Beautiful pictures as usual Jules and a wonderful narrative.
How lovely to hear from you … glad you enjoyed the visit Mr H! 🙂 xx
Loving the pictures as always, Julie. It’s always exciting when Bill sends on your blog. You give everyone such pleasure. Thank you! jo ward
Oh thank you so much Jo! Bill is amazing the way he forwards on the blog .. I’m so pleased you enjoy it 😀 Lovely to hear from you …
I love all your photos! Where you live is Devine! I could never plant a winter garden here so I am enjoying the excitement of you having a winter garden. How we test electric fences here (if you want to try it—where the two wires come together, place the blade of a pocket knife. Keep you feet firmly on the ground and don’t touch any part of the fence with your body. You will get a spark or two and no jolt to yourself. If no spark there is something not working on your line. 🙂 )
Just an F.Y.I for you 🙂
Hello Linda .. oh how wonderful to hear from you, it always is. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the photos – autumn this year was just gorgeous! And today a stunner – I’m busting to get out in my garden. Gosh, our electric fence is just a tape – I’m incredibly nervous of the wire ones. As we don’t have stock we don’t need one (thank goodness). You are amazing!
Where ever the tape connects you can test it with the pocket knife. 🙂
Ow thanks Miss! Brilliant I’ll get Andrew to test it 😁
Let me know.:)
Beautiful photos, Julie! All those bright hues and autumn light is always quite special. One of my favourite seasons of the year along with spring.
Thank you Peter … autumn light and the hues are superb. My fav season … although, spring comes a very close second! Great to see you at Frog Pond Farm 🙂
You afre welcome, Julie. I will be dipping in the pond to try and catch up some 🙂
Please do! 🙂💫
Beautiful photographs Julie and the autumn colours are so gorgeous! So lovely you can preserve the fruits from the garden and we wish you and yours happy days ahead 💛
Thank you so much 😀 As much as I grizzle, I’m sure I have inherited my parent’s love of preserving. There is something so special about being able to enjoy something that you have grown and preserved yourself. Yes we are so lucky! Always lovely seeing you here 🙂
This a wonderful celebration of life and nature. Best wishes to all especially my very good BBC friend and colleague Bill xxx
Oh thank you so much Albert – how lovely to see you here!
Such lovely colors of a beautiful season! Wishing you and all your loved ones a safe and happy autumn 🙂
Thank you! My favourite season showing off with those divine colours! Lovely to see you at Frog Pond Farm 🙂
It’s always a real joy to view your posts Julie ❤️ Sending warm wishes always from Japan.
Takami 🙂
You spoil me with your kindness! Thank you so much ❤️
Ah, you’ve captured the magic of Autumn and its brilliant colours well, Julie! What a delight to read what’s happening at frogpond… enjoy this beautiful season! 😀📸
Hi Iris … I’m so pleased that you enjoyed my post! It’s so good being able to share – especially the beautiful colours of autumn. Great to see you here! 😀
A peasure to visit, Julie! 😀Have a lovely week… enjoy the beauty of nature. 🌹
Gorgeous photos Julie, you’ve had a lovely colourful end to autumn, just as we head into summer.
How lovely heading into summer … I hope it’s a special one for you! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the photos – ah autumn, such a showoff! 😀
What lovely photos Julie . Such beautiful autumn colours,frog pond is looking stunning with all those different shades.well summer is here and the countryside is very green and the days are long ,I hope you and Andrew are well , thank you for sharing your pictures.
Best wishes
Martin
Hi Martin … How lovely to hear from you! I’m pleased that you enjoyed the photos – autumn sure is such a picturesque season. How nice to be enjoying summer – I can’t believe how long your days are! Imagine how much gardening I would be able to get in 😀 We are well thanks Martin, hope you and the family are too. Best wishes to you
Thanks for taking us along on your autumn ramble, dear Julie, your pics are simply gorgeous. You live in a little paradise, so precious, especially in times like these. Lovely autumn colours, I adore Liquidamber! I had already left a comment but it somehow didn’t work out. I’m glad you’ve had such a fine harvest. Now I’m looking forward to seeing pics of the veg garden – don’t let us wait too long 😘
Hey Miss, thanks for joining me! So pleased that you enjoyed the pics. I think we live in a little paradise too – we are so very lucky. I love liquidambar – it is one of the autumn beauties. Promise it won’t be too long and those pics of the veg garden will be up! Hugs xx
Frog Pond Farm looks beautiful in the Autumn in your photos, Julie. Still sounding busy as ever. I came across an electric fence on a farm in rural France – touched it accidentally. Very mild tingle only. So I deliberately touched it again. 🙂 🙂 🙂 It’s what I do. LOL
I hope you’re keeping well.
Hey Mr Draco .. Oh no, you touched it again! Bet it wasn’t a tingle – that’s the sort of thing I do too! LOL .. I’m really good, I find winter hard to get into though – might be something to do with the rain! Great to see you here – I miss your blog!
Thanks, Julie. We all need a break every now and then.
Hi dear Julie, what a beautiful colours… Autumn has another amazing view in there… Thank you, have a wonderful Autumn days, Love, nia
Hi dear Nia … so lovely to hear from you! Autumn is my favourite season – and it was a dry one for us too. Glad that you enjoyed the autumn colours .. winter has arrived, the leaves have dropped and days are damp. Big hugs to you
Good Morning and Have a nice day dear Julie, Big Hugs and Much Love, nia
Your place is simply picturesque, each photo as an artwork. The autumn landscapes with burning colors are also breathtaking. We get in Canada that bright colors, too, but it’s usually not in combination of bright green.
Loving garden work is very rewarding, although it can feel as duty here and there.
What a beautiful land you live in!
We will be having midsummer soon, that’s the best of summer. Fall is still quite far away, and I’m very happy about that.
Your winter most likely doesn’t resemble anything of our winter.
Loved seeing the new post! Good to know everything is well.
Such a lovely comment – thank you so much! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the photos. I’m sure you have gorgeous colours in Canada too. We do live in a beautiful land – we are so very lucky. Enjoy your ‘best’ of summer .. Great to see you at Frog Pond Farm
such beautiful scenery and all those beautiful autumn leaves. we don’t really get many of those here in queensland:) but they are gorgeous. stay warm!
Hey Sherry .. autumn sure is a ‘show off’ season. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by – I sure will stay warm!
So good to see an update from Frog Pond. Lovely fall colours! The dried weeds in the photo look likes dill. Wishing you luck with your winter garden. Cross your fingers for a good garlic harvest next season. Dare Andrew if he pees on the electric fence he will be okay as long as he is wearing rubber boots. Take care.
Hi Bob … great to see you at Frog Pond! I have my fingers and toes crossed for the garlic, but I seriously have my doubts .. mind you, I’m feeding them like mad. Ha ha, the electric fence is actually a tape! LOL I’m glad you enjoyed the fall colours ..
The magic and wonder you bring, Julie, in every single photo I do so love! Gardening is a lot of hard work as only one who does it knows. I don’t know you you and your hubby have time to do anything but gardening and taking care of all the critters you have. The passion and love you both have I take my hat off to for you are making this earth a more beautiful place with all your efforts. Thank you! Much love to you! xo
Hi Amy so good seeing you at our place! I do so agree about gardening being hard work – never ending hard work LOL .. I didn’t even finish my fruit tree pruning again this year, such a big job! Mind you, the figs, apples and pears aren’t going to get missed, I’ve warned them. 😀 Thank you so much for your kind words – we both are so passionate and love what we have here! We are so very lucky .. Much love right back at you xo
Your landscape looks wonderful – the sky too! The idea of being able to grow broad beans in winter made me smile.
Great to see you at Frog Pond! Autumn is so lovely here – although we have been having glorious winter days. Guessing it is too cold for you to grow broad beans in winter?
I’ve enjoyed all your autumn photos, Julie! I hope the winter season is going well, and you arrive safely in spring in a few months here. Up in our hemisphere, it is a pretty hot and dry start to summer. Can’t wait for fall to arrive!
Hey Lavinia .. glad you enjoyed the autumn pics! It’s always lovely to know that you stopped by. This winter has been amazing! We have had a few blustery days – but lately, it has been sunny and gorgeous. Mind you, Mr Frost has visited several times 🙂 Sorry to hear that it has been so hot and dry .. bring on fall!
Your garden and the landscape surrounding it are gorgeous. And you captured some lovely images. Personally, I love all the seasons and the changing from one to another, but I have no idea how the winter looks like in your place. I have this idea that winter is still warm in Australia, but I bet there are big local variations.
Hey Otto … so sorry for the late reply! So pleased you enjoyed our autumn – it’s such a lovely time of year. I too enjoy the seasons and winter is fairly mild in Auckland, we are lucky. The further south you go, the cooler it gets. Hope you are well and enjoying Iceland …
So you had no defence against the fence.
Ha ha some common sense might have prevailed!
From your wonderful photos, I can truly say that you had a splendid fall. I’m with you about the sweaters and boots during winter but alas that doesn’t happen often in our part of Florida. Look forward to seeing how your gardening is coming along.
Hi Karen so good to hear from you … sorry for the late reply 🙂 We sure did have a splendid fall .. but well into winter now! Thanks for stopping by
just lovely! though we are in summer heat!
Hello Cybele lovely to see you at Frog Pond Farm … I’m glad you enjoyed your visit! Oh to be in summer … 🙂
As we are in the heat of summer, these cool autumn pics are welcome–even if I’m not yet ready for autumn myself! I love that you have passionfruit now–think of all the yummy desserts and drinks yet to be made. And as usual, I so admire the beauty that you see every day–lucky duck!
I still can’t believe I have passionfruit growing … and yes, they are divine on desserts. I suspect ours are going to take some time ripening! I bet you aren’t ready for autumn yet – enjoy your summer Miss! Lovely to see you at Frog Pond Farm
Boy, am I late, but I sure do I enjoy the beautiful colors, Julie – and the farm news, always brought to us your inimitable, upbeat style. Next time get someone else to test the fence, OK? Sheesh!
Hi Lynn … I’m late replying! Sorry … So pleased that you enjoyed the colours and the farm news. Ha ha there won’t be a next time with that fence! LOL … Great to see you here as always 😀
Beautiful pix, Julie and I’m glad to hear all is well with you. I bet you missed Bill making preserves. Gorgeous red maple. I love the first part of fall too. It’s late fall and all of winter that I don’t like so much. Though I think I’d like your kind of winter more than my freezing, slushy kind here. Stay well!
Glad you enjoyed the pics Cynthia! I sure do miss Bill! Such a whizz in the kitchen and good company … I’m not a huge fan of winter much either, although today after a wet start is just gorgeous. We have been having a relatively mild winter in Auckland, certainly not freezing like yours. Great to see you at our place 🙂
Happy gardening … I left for a while to visit the little grandson on the coast so I’m reviling in summer … you know how long our winters in the north are so seeing the reds and beauty on your farm is delightful … here in BC we’re experiencing fires …the coast line is free of smoke for now … enjoy your days Julie and I’m sending you joy and all good things over the pond 🌞🙏❣️hugs hedy
Hello Miss Hedy! We are in the middle of winter now and today after a damp start is divine! Blue skies with those wonderful cloud puffs. So sorry to hear of the fires Hedy … hope that you are well away from them! Thanks for your kind words about my little kitty Grace … Love seeing you at our place – joy and lots of good things to you too! 🌹
Wonderful colours and I too like the cool and need for a jumper but our summer has been less hot than last year and so much more enjoyable when under 30. You inspire to start a winter garden and get some seeds underway. Love your cat too.
Hello … sorry for the late reply! Lovely to see you at Frog Pond Farm – I hope that you got your seed planting underway. All the best 🙂
Yes, indeed and some trees!
Hi dear Julie, Good Morning from here this morning… How is going life in there, I hope and wish you are all fine and having a nice Autumn days. Thank you for all your visits, Love, nia
Hello dear Nia … always lovely to hear from you. I have been thinking of you. It must have been wonderful to see your family. We are well thanks Nia and have been busy in the garden. I need to get another post done don’t I? They seem to be getting further apart … I’m looking forward to spring and some nice warm weather. Lots of love to you my friend xx