I've done a lot of walking since I became a breeder this last year. We don't really live in the most walking friendly area but I've done my best to make the most of it.
One thing that has made walking the extra kms easier has been podcasts. I've been a little late in coming to podcasts but now that I have they're great for walking.

Just one of the locals spotted on our walk today.

So our apple tree in the front yard bloomed with softly perfumed blossoms this Spring. I'm quietly optimistic that we'll get some fruit in Autumn.
When we bought the house in April there was one lone apple ripening. Each time we visited the house I checked the apple and looked forward to picking it when it was perfectly ripe.
One day in May I came home from work to notice the apple was missing! Mr blue-eyes swore he didn't pick it. I was furious and was all set to write a cranky note for the front gate decrying the dirty thieving apple stealer but calmer heads prevailed.
some time a little later one day I noticed a $5 note on the doorstep and thought it a bit odd. We figured it must have fallen out of Mr blue-eyes pocket when opening the door or something and thought nothing more of it. Then a couple of weeks on Mr blue-eyes was in the front yard when a middle aged woman stopped and asked him if he got the money? At first he asked what money and then she explained. Her adult daughter was going through a rough patch, some sort of marriage difficulties etc. She saw our ripe apple on the tree and in a moment of weakness she took it. Later she felt great remorse for her theft and left $5 on our doorstep.
I'm hoping by next Autumn she is feeling better...

I didn't participate in Melbourne Cup this year (April & I went for a walk) but I have been getting out on the blogs and winning.

So far in the last month i have won the following:
A copy of Holiday with Matthew Mead, a "book-azine" celebrating and offering inspiration for the Christmas holiday season from Curbly (this one is somewhere over the ocean on its way...).

This most awesome collection of goodies from Made590 that included Squirrel artwork, melamine fruit tray, hidden eloise framed print, heart cookie cutter, little red & wolf mug, heart containers, cake magnets, soap, heart mixing bowl, mushroom tins, mushu floral handbag, easter bunny bucket & bird and bunny wooden jigsaw set!

And just today arrived this very sweet brown paper package tied up in string from Myrtle & Eunice that includes some lovely critter cards that Mr Blue-eyes is sure to love, some nice material that i can see being made into something for April, a T towel, some red/white twine and some choccies - woot.

So do keep an eye out for when your favourite blogger is having a giveaway and have a go!

Mr Blue-eyes is away in Amsterdam at the moment so little miss and I are visiting my dad at Blackheath in the mountains. spring seems to spring with more colour up here. All the streets are lined with flowering cherries and rhododendrons.

I know there is a grevillia in the middle of my vege patch but it is flowering wonderfully at the moment and the wattle birds and noisy mynas love it so. I intend to try and transplant it out when it has finished flowering. I might even try the deep planting technique i saw on Gardening Australia last night.
So far i've planted some lettuce and habenero seedlings (for Mr Blue-eyes special harissa blend) and some spinach and pumpkin seeds.
In the rows by the fence i'm going to plant out some tomato seedlings that sprung out of my worm farm compost and plant some corn. Plus i've some bwarf snap bean seeds to plant in amongst it all.