Kakabeak seedling No. 1. Image: Su Leslie 2019
I just looked back over my past few Changing Seasons posts, and this will be the third consecutive month I’ve talked about how cold and rainy and windy it’s been.
Consequently, once again I haven’t strayed far from home, and have taken very few photos. The silver lining though is that I’ve spent time extra working on the horticulture course I’m taking and have passed the first paper.
If I had to sum October up, I’d say it’s been a growing month. Lots of the seeds I’ve planted have germinated — including a second kakabeak. New plants that we’ve been able to shelter are thriving and we should be able to pick the first tomatoes quite soon. My gardening knowledge has grown, and with it my confidence.
I’d still really like some sunshine soon though. Especially as I’m off to New Plymouth tomorrow to explore the Taranaki Garden Festival and Sustainable Backyard Trail.
So apologies in advance if I’m a little slow to update the Changing Seasons blogroll. With luck I’ll be filling my brain with free-range, sustainably grown, nutrient-dense ideas (and my tummy with yummy produce).
About The Changing Seasons
The Changing Seasons is a monthly challenge where bloggers around the world share what’s been happening in their month.
If you would like to join in, here are the guidelines:
The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic):
- Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
- Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
- Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them
The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):
- Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
- Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
- Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.
If you do a ping-back to this post, I can update it with links to all of yours.
Update
Pauline at Living in Paradise
Jude at Life at the Edge
Tish at Writer on the Edge
Joanne at My Life Lived Full
Tracy at Reflections of an Untidy Mind
Lani at Life, the Universe and Lani
Sarah at Art Expedition
Ju-Lyn at All Things Bright and Beautiful\
Donna at DJ Ranch
Brian at Bushboys World
And a huge welcome to …
Amy at The world in a Book
Tatiana at Travelways
Margaret at From Pyrenees to Penines
… all of whom are joining us for the first time this month.
Zimmerbitch 
what a lovely collection of (mostly macro) deli photos! My fave still is the hibiscus on the hand….
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Thank you so much
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Yep, that kind of month, Su. Have fun on your trip. Hope you get some sun.
I’m stuck mentally on mine but I will eventually get around to it.
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Thanks Tracy. I hope you get unstuck soon.
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Will do, Su.
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Pingback: Changing Seasons : October 2019 – Living in Paradise…
Well done with your garden activities, it is so exciting to see seeds germinating and then to nurse them along. Your horticulture course will be very useful. Enjoy New Plymouth, we lived there in the 1980’s and remember it as an attractive city. Hope you get some better weather soon. I’ve actually made it by the end of the month this time…https://retiredfromgypsylife.wordpress.com/2019/10/31/changing-seasons-october-2019/
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Thanks Pauline. When I look at yours and Jude’s garden photos, and Tish’s allotment I realise I have a long way to go, but am very much enjoying the journey.
Take care of yourself.
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Gardening is very addictive and the more you learn the more there is to learn.
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Ain’t that the truth!
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New growth on the fig tree….I so love seeing those new leaves come through. So small and such a lovely green.
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Me too. I love how they’re different to our other fruit trees.
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Sounds like a learning month – how rewarding. Have fun filling your brain with good stuff 🙂 And thanks again for hosting this challenge!
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Thanks; I will.
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Pingback: Changing Seasons – October 2019 – life at the edge
I realised when I looked at my last few months how I am always leaving it to the last minute to get to the garden walk I have been recording – usually because of the darn weather! Anyway this month I made it a little earlier due to a lovely sunny day that was too good to stay inside. Goodness knows how I’ll manage the next two months though!
https://wp.me/p79zFr-2p2
And nothing wrong with staying close to home. Your lovely photos are evidence of that. I rarely go anywhere and enjoy nothing more than spending time in my little garden.
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Hopefully it will be a mild winter.
I visited two really different gardens yesterday, and am feeling very inspired.
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I love this Changing Seasons series because I get to experience spring and the bounty of summer in the Southern Hemisphere while we are hunkering down for the long cold winter. Seeing the new shoots and delicate flowers reminds me that spring will come again.
Good luck with your horticultural course. I think you are going to be an amazing gardener!!
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Thanks Joanne. The more I learn, the more I realise how much I don’t know. Thankfully the gardeners I’m meeting seem to be very generous with their knowledge.
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Ditto to all this!
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Thanks so much Joanne.
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Pingback: The Changing Seasons – October 2019 – Little Pieces Of Me
Enjoy your trip. The plant are coming along lovely.
https://littlepiecesofme1.wordpress.com/2019/10/31/the-changing-seasons-october-2019/
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Your pictures show your love towards plants and flowers, Su! I think you have picked up a lot of inspiration from your horticulture course. Best wishes! Peter
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Thank you so much Peter.
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Here is mine, Su.
https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2019/10/31/changing-seasons-october-2019/
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Thanks so much Amy. I’m away at the moment, and will update the blogroll as soon as I can.
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Great idea for a challenge and beautiful photos! I got mine too in the last minute 🙂
http://www.travelways.com/changing-seasons-october-2019/
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Thank you for joining in. I’m on a road-trip for a few days, but will do the blogroll as soon as I get a chance.
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Pingback: Chihuly:Reflections on Nature – HorseAddict
The highlight of October for me was visiting the Chihuly exhibition at Kew Gardens. Here is a link to my post on that. https://horseaddict.net/2019/11/01/chihulyreflections-on-nature/
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Su, it’s truly amazing how much one can learn from nature, which definitely nourishes the human soul.
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I totally agree Sally.
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Pingback: The Changing Seasons ~ October In And Out Of The garden – Tish Farrell
Love all the signs of sprouting, blooming and fruiting here, Su. Hope you had a happy trip out and about.
https://tishfarrell.com/2019/11/01/the-changing-seasons-october-in-and-out-of-the-garden/
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Thanks Tish. The Big T has been left in charge of tending the garden and has Ben texting me updates. 24 hours into my garden tour and I’m totally buzzing.
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Congrats on passing your first paper! How exciting to learn and train in something new!
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Thank you so much. I am happiest when I’m learning.
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Pingback: The Changing Seasons – October 2019 | Art Expedition
Ooh! Your kakabead seedling is looking very well and thriving, Su! 😀 And I love the promise of fruit on your plum and fig tree! Can you believe that I didn’t eat any plums this year?! I somehow forgot to buy any and then the time was over. 😦 Would really love to have a small garden with fruit trees and vegetable beds one day. I know it’s lots of hard work but to be able to grow your own food – priceless! Hope you have a great trip to New Plymouth! xxxxx
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The biggest lesson I’m learning on this trip is how much food people can grow in very little space. I’ve seen a couple of tiny gardens that have mini-orchards, and vege beds. Do you have community gardens near you? I’ve seen that model work well in Melbourne and Auckland.
xxxx
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We do! And it’s always fascinating to watch what people can grow in such small places. Sadly applications are always useless as they seem to give away the plots for people who they already know, so I’ll have to be content with my window sills and balcony. 😊
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I hate when that happens — and it is so common!! Perhaps everyone who has been rejected needs to start guerrilla gardening https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_gardening
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Oh yes! We have that too! Like around trees that line our streets, people fence the little area off and then plant flowers as well. 😀
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Some people here planted fruit trees on the roadside so the community could share in the harvest, and the council made them chop them down 😠
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Pingback: The Changing Seasons: October 2019 – All things bright and beautiful
I am terribly envious of you Su – your gift in growing things. Such beautiful pictures you have taken of them.
Glad to hear the course is going well. I took a Horticulture course in High School and enjoyed it. But somehow managed to kill off the fern I was taking care of. That’s when I realised it wasn’t all about the science.
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I’m not sure I have much of a gift for growing (100% failure rate with beetroot seeds recently), but I am learning patience and observation, which I suspect may turn out to the real gift.
I wish horticulture was an option in schools here — or even just funding school gardens so that kids could learn the most fundamental of life skills: being part of the natural environment, and growing food.
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I hear you, Su! I think if we manage (growing, preparing) our food more, we would have a better appreciation & mindfulness when it comes to our meals.
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Yeah: there is nothing like wandering Round the garden looking for inspiration and ingredients. I’ve made some of my best food because I wanted to do justice to home-grown tomatoes, or lettuces or whatever.
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Great entry about the seedlings. Like to see more of this. I have planted lemon seeds, and grapefruit seeds but didn’t mark them. Do you know what a grapefruit seedling looks like? Do you have images of grapefruit seedlings? Thanks …either way.
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