Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Bundle of Bundles, 17th March 2009

I am participating in a project I read about on Seth Apter's blog, 'Bundle of Bundles'. Almost 100 people have joined and I asked if I could 'play' too, to help make it up to 100. Seth replied with a yes, so today I have had great fun sorting out things to go into my bundle, wrapping it in toilet paper, a 'gift' bag and finally, tying it with string. It is hanging proudly from one of the Nootka Cyprus trees on our vegetable patch. It has wonderful views, over the garden one way, to our house another, to Maghera, one of County Clare's hills and over our vegetable patch the other! What a lucky parcel it is. I took photos, of course!! Below is the 'brief' for making the parcel:

Hi BT! I would love to have you join in. It is definitely not too late. Basically you need to create a "bundle" out of paper and what ever other materials you want to use. You can see many examples on my blog. Wrap it up somehow and place it in nature. Hang it. Bury it. Submerge it. Lean it. Whatever you like. Then let Mother Nature be your collaborator. Take a photo of your bundle in its new home and post it on your blog. Then wait and watch. On May 1, all participants will then post an "after" picture on their blog. There will also be a part 2 to the project. I will send details to everybody soon. So happy you want to play!! Best, Seth

And here is my parcel:

Some of the items assembled. They include a toilet roll (for wrapping), some designer prints, 2 photos, some textured paper, some crepe paper, 3 cotton buds, 2 sticky fish, a lollipop stick, 3 different sorts of material, a Christmas card made from our pressed leaves, an ATC (Artist Trading Card) and a gift bag.











A closer shot













My 2 ATCs, material and other bits and bobs.











Jim did some of the string wrapping


















Here it is, hanging from the tree. It also has a bee hanging below it, courtesy of MacDonalds!




















































A more distant view






















These last 2 shots taken into the sunshine to show the lovely hillside view my parcel has









So there it hangs until May 1st. I do hope we get some good storms!



Our dog Buster is very odd. He is now quite large but that doesn't stop him trying to sit on your lap at times:

















What a baby. The dog's pretty daft too!










I have been working on digging one of Jim's allotment beds, the largest one. It's almost finished, but I was beaten by the dark today. This is how far I've dug:





Today Jim planted Broad Beans and some Gladioli bulbs up against his willow fence







Jim has been working on the bed next door, which is to become our fruit bed. So far it has rhubarb, strawberries and blueberries. We also have some raspberries, blackberries, tayberries and gooseberries to plant on this bed. It's not cleared yet, but the top end of the bed is, where the rhubarb and strawberries are.

















All the fruit bushes ready to plant












I couldn't resist taking a few flower photos! The primroses are fully out now.











The forsythia in front of the sleeping shed











It's been the warmest day of the year so far. Absolutely lovely with blue skies and a little breeze occasionally. We spent some time in the orchard this morning and Jim mowed the grass. It looks fabulous. Photos tomorrow.

Then we moved up to the vegetable plots as you can see. We sat outside mid afternoon and had coffee and biscuits and then had another coffee towards the end of the day as the sun shone low over the veg plots. It was still warm, then the sky became streaked with red. A day to make you feel good to be alive.






Gosh, I love this blogging lark!
In case anyone doesn't know, Jim now has a blog and does occasional postings about plants. The one he has just done is, most appropriately, the Shamrock. http://livingwithtwistedwillow.blogspot.com/ if you'd like to have a look.

21 comments:

Twisted willow said...

You omitted to point out the high-tech rhubarb forcing device with the blue top on the fruit plot! As I was brought up in the middle of the largest rhubarb growing area in the world (now there's a claim for you!) I just love rhubarb. Had a peek today and the sticks are about six inches long, so another week and we'll have enough for rhubarb crumble....ummmm

BT said...

Oh I can't wait. I LOVE your crumble, best in the world!
xxx

Renee said...

I love your outdoor package, I have seen a few and they are going to be so cool to look at.

Thanks for your comment today. xoxox

Jim looks like a very nice man that must sit and laugh and just enjoy you to pieces.

Love Renee xoxoxo

DK said...

what a lovely post!! Smashing parcel, can't wait to see the results (barking mad of course, but that's the fun).

The forsythia looks wonderful against the newly painted shed :-)

Seth said...

What a crafty bundle from a crafty gardener. And that bee is the perfect touch! Glad you are on board and I look forward to May 1!

Stampmaiden said...

MMMM...I'd like some of that rhubarb crumble!
As always, great photos of your garden. You are very fortunate to grow and enjoy the fruits of your labor. What a treat, huh?!
Linda
P.S. that wasn't my ATC in that parcel, was it? LOL!!

Rachel Green said...

Excellent! Good luck with the distressed paper packages.

Rhubarb! I thing my plants died.

Anonymous said...

Wow, loving the parcel in the tree, whats that about! lol

Look beautiful and sunny, helped by the tone of your post. Beautiful hear too, sun makes such a difference.

Thats a hellava lot of digging, be a few bars of chocolate burned off in that!
xx

The Weaver of Grass said...

Why is it a sleeping shed one asks?
I like the idea of the bundle - can anyone join in or does one have to be invited?
On the subject of rhubarb - we are trying to force some under an old bucket but now find that the rhubard we are not forcing is growing more quickly!

BT said...

Renee, thank you so much for calling. Glad you like my parcel. it's such fun! Jim IS a nice man and is very supportive of my art attempts!

Hi DK barking indeed! But fun. I hope it isn't too well wrapped that it doesn't desintegrate at all! The forsythia does look lovely in front of the new shed. Stands out so well.

Seth, so glad you like my bundle! I love it. Especially the dangly bee.

Oh Linda, you spotted it!!! Well, the ATC was another one that had been 'Bustered' and I wasn't very happy with it anyway!! I am all armed to make some more tonight!

Rachel, I'm sorry your rhubarb has died. When we come over, I'll have to bring some! Glad you like the parcel.

The parcel was something I spotted in another blog, so I asked if I could join. It's to see how much they disintegrate. As you do!! Should be fun. There's a 'Part 2' too, don't know what we have to do for that. It was a gorgeous day and today was even better! I hope this is the start of Summer.

Weaver, no, you can join, that would be lovely. Click on Seth above, it's his 'thing'. He's trying to get 100 and not there yet, so go for it. Sorry about the rhubarb!! As long as you have some. Ours is growing under the blue lidded tub.
xx

aims said...

Love your parcel Gina. And I got a huge giggle from Buster and Jim. What cute pics! The flowers - oh my. We have -5C today - so it's warmer but there's plenty of snow around.

I remember one year it snowed every single month of the year. I was astounded as I had just moved here from southern Ontario.

Arija said...

Such a lovely post and such paradisic conditions for planting a sustainable garden. Sometimes - well pretty often - I wish we were in a wetter area without droughts of biblical proportions.

BT said...

Oh aims, that's positively warm for you!! How cold you must be though and I would hate hate it! I hope my photos bring you some floral warmth. Glad you like my parcel. How stupid is Buster!!?

Arija, I feel guilty when I remember how badly you have suffered through drought. We complain because there is too much rain but I'd rather have that than drought. Thanks for dropping by.
xx

Ces Adorio said...

BT, I have tried several times to leave a comment here but was unsuccessful. I am on vacation but knowing it was St. Patrick's Day and you are Irish, well I know you are Irish - you have a green thumb!!! Have a great week!

BT said...

Thanks Ces, sorry you're having problems trying to leave a comment. I'm only 'pretend' Irish!! But I do have the green fingers!
x

Corrine said...

I love the look of your bundle. I have some too, and it is so much fun watching them change.
I adore the look of your garden. We are in harvest mode down here at the moment, that's the best part about a garden.

BT said...

Corinne, thanks for passing by. I have looked at your blog and it's marvellous. Your bundles put mine to shame. So many of them and in such fabulous places, including in a lake! I never thought of that one. I'll be back.

marianne said...

OMG what a lot of work you have there.......
This bundle is fun, no idea the exact purpose but not everything in life has to have a clear purpose I guess.
It is also letting go of some things.... Wonder how it will look in May.
Hoping for storms?! I really don´t like storms.....
The pictures of Buster are so nice, no matter how big a dog they all have the same qualities inside and all would like to sit on laps, I like that about them.
Gina hope to see you soon safe and sound back with lots of good memories from your trip!

Unknown said...

What a fun bundle you put together! And the bee, well the crowning touch, even though it hangs down!

Mrs Pretzel said...

Awesome bundle!! I look forward to seeing how it all comes together!!

BT said...

Thank you so much for your comment Rachel. Isn't it fun? Can't wait to take it down and re-assemble it!
Bt
x