Time for a Coffee?

On frosty winter mornings I love to take a stroll through our coffee plantation.  she jokes.

 

We do have some coffee trees.  About 12 or so I'd say. So it's more of a coffee grove than a plantation.  Nicely tucked away behind the garage and very nicely screening off our neighbours.

No I haven't made coffee. ... and no I'm not planning it at the moment.  Maybe one day in the foreseeable future.

I have investigated all the steps involved, and whilst it would be lovely to drink our own organic coffee ... at this point in time it just seems like a lot of effort for a small result.

However, I am very fond of the coffee trees.  Their lovely dark glossy green leaves, sweeping symmetrical branches bearing beautiful white flowers, and these lovely shiney red coffee beans.

One day too I might be very fond of the coffee they produce.

 

 

Linking up with Hazels' Winter Wednesdays.  Put the kettle on and hop on over.

Cheers for now - Wendy

My response to  previous comments -

Kim - it definitely isn't broccoli, but that's a good point about the cross plant.  Hadn't thought of that one.  Will keep you posted.  In the meantime it is still growing madly.

delia hornbook - that's all right Dee, we don't either!  Thanks for the comments on the holiday snaps.

saving for travel - thanks, Caloundra is lovely.  The gateway to the Sunshine Coast about 1.5 hours north of Brisbane.  Beautiful spot.

Yet Another Leafy Question

These three plants are thriving in our veggie patch at the moment.  Two have been positively identified and we use them quite a bit.  That would be the broccoli and ruffle leaf kale.

 

However, the third one has us baffled.  It appears to be of the brassica family.  The growth pattern is very similar, if somewhat larger. 

I haven't included a photo, but just imagine a large broccoli plant.  Except the leaves look like this.

 

 This one is Kale

 and this is the Broccoli

So the Unknown must be something we have knowingly bought as seedling and planted.  Kohl rabi?  Have checked the undercarriage and there doesn't appear to be anything growing from the base.  However, that is not a vegetable I use, so maybe I just bought one plant to try.  Maybe it is slow maturing.  I'm answering my own questions here, so over to you.  What do you think it is??  Oh and it's not cabbage or cauliflower either.

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Haven't posted for a wee while.  Here's a couple of shots from our weekend away a few weeks back.  Gorgeous Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast.  On a full moon.  Tres romantic.  Trey romantique.  Very nice weekend away with just the two of us.  Teenage son survived at home without any major catastrophes.  Hopefully we're not setting too many precedents here!

 

Cheers for now - Wendy 

My response to last comments - plus for those who are interested, I also found this link which answered a few questions about broccolini.

Gooseberry Jam - hah yes indeed when does Broccolini become Broccoli.  Quite right as it turns out.

veggiegobbler  - I'm sure that the little broccoli is good - and the bigger stuff  worth the wait.

little black cow blog - it seems it is just marketed differently.  Stir fries are always pretty good I think.

**Anne** - we love broccoli in any shape or form!

saving for travel  - I'm sure your broccoli will be great when you get around to harvesting it SFT.

muppy - I did too actually... and wondered why it was more expensive.

Judith - Apparently it's just marketing differently.  I ended up googling too.

When does Broccoli become Broccolini?

Just a question to ponder over the weekend.

This looks amazingly like the broccolini sold in bunches.

Note to self ....... Broccoli re-growth tastes pretty good too!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

===============

HAZEL - yes Hazel, sometimes that is the only decluttering that goes on around here!

Lyndel  - thanks for your kind comment. 

 **Anne** - thanks again - looks like the weather will be kind to us too. 

Fi - thanks too Fi.  Zoe was extra special indeed.  Dexter cute in his own way, but somehow not as devoted as Zoe...

Kim - thanks Kim- yes it was a great day and the photo will always be special too. aid...

muppy - I think it will be! 

Cheers for now - Wendy

Look who is looking pretty sharp

Dexter just had a trim!  He gets pretty wild and woolly and I succumb and send him off to the beauty salon about 3 times a year.  I used to clip him myself, but he is a bit fiddly being so small and someone who knows what they are doing creates a much better result. 

Look who else was looking pretty sharp back in the day.  Actually this was my day, in 1992.   Just look at my handsome partner lol.

Yes folks, this is me on my wedding day, 19 years ago today.  My husband does appear in other shots (don't worry about that) but this was always one of my favourites, and he had it framed and gave it to my on our first anniversary.  Which was kind of him, seeing the dog featured in it, not him! 

Zoe was my all time favourite dog (sorry Dexter and others).  I bought her from a pet shop.  Long before they were flash sort of establishments, this one was the type which had lots of different puppies and kittens and birds all over the place in assorted cages.

 

I felt sorry for her, she was so ugly as a pup I didn't think anyone else would buy her.  She survived Parvo virus and grew to be something like a jack russell/corgie/cattle dog combo, and was a wonderful companion to me every day of her 15 years.

In fact, when I married, my boss at the time penned an amazing little poem about Zoe being stuck at home when everyone else was out celebrating.  That wasn't quite the case, because she was at least included in the pre-wedding photos as you can see! 

Excuse the exceptionally poor (wedding) photography, but the frame is rather large and on the wall fairly high.  So I just took a lazy shot from ground level.  Hope you get the idea anyhow.

A great day, a great husband - and now 19 years have passed already.  Apparently I am being whisked away for the weekend and son is having his first weekend home alone.  Hmmm.

cheers for now - Wendy



Here are my replies to your comments in previous post:

Daffodil  - thanks Daff.  It is amazing how well our garden has been going this season with very little help from us.  The chooks however, have been bad and doing some damage the last few days!  Glad you like the chair.  Motivation is a bit low on the ground here too.

Ali - sweet potatoes continue to amaze me Ali.  They just keep on keeping on.  There are a few things sort of shabby/shabby chic here lol.

Lyndel - thanks!  The chair was purchased for $3 at a garage sale.  The sad part was I could have bought 4 of them, but they were all damaged in one way or another.  This was the best one.

**Anne** - yes they are all pretty good at the moment.  The peas are just wonderful - my favourite uncooked veg.

All in a days work

A little visit to the veggie garden and look what I've found.  Enough for a meal or two I think.

g

All posed very nicely on my very shabby / shabby chic chair which is just waiting for me to sand it down.  Too many other things to do I think!

 

 

 Have a nice weekend everyone!  

Cheers for now - Wendy