Doing 'Stuff'

It was muggy and overcast today.  John was getting a bike ride in now that Pete has his bike back from being serviced.  I was spending time in the garden - the recent cold and windy snap has made the garden messy and with visitors beginning to arrive I want to get it looking tidier.  Today I was concentrating on the potting bench and taking a look at the plants which are in old hanging baskets to see if they can be encouraged to put on another show.   It maybe a bit early to be sure but having purchased a big bag of compost I thought there would be no harm cutting back and top dressing to see what happens.

This are is to be Joani's Spot.  It is too cold at the moment to remove the fleece from the passion fruit but it appears to have done its job as there is plenty of green growth behind where it is being protected.  Either side of the passion fruit there are two plants which I have also protected - these are bleeding heart vines, one red and white and one two shades of pink.  The pink one is now in its third year and survived its first winter (the very cold one last year) so should be fine, the red and white one is more delicate and it has been its first winter but having looked at them both, they look to be fine.  We are waiting for our new furniture to arrive.  We are in two minds as to whether or not to have these old chairs repaired.  Sadly the seat of the chair on the left has perished.  The frames are still good and they recline which makes them good for sunbathing so we plan to take one to Costas at Polis to ask how much it would cost.

I am quite excited about the pink flower bud in this rather sad looking plant.  The plant was given to me by Catherine Unsworth (Spice & Easy) and it is called a friendship plant, Billbergia nutans also known as Queens' Tears is a plant which is native to South America.  It is happy under watered, over watered, in the heat and the cold so perfect for our garden.  It has long green arching foliage which sadly got battered by the recent heavy hail so is looking tatty.  The flower will be a spectacular mix of pink, blue, green, yellow and purple and will emerge any time soon and when it does I will get a picture so that you can see what it is like.  Once my plant fills its pot I can divide it and pass on to someone a 'friendship plant' so that in due course they can do the same.

We have a busy time in April, John's cousin Karen and her partner Dip will be here and Dip's brother Kirt and his wife are coming to celebrate Kirt's 50th birthday.  My cousin Michelle is coming to stay and this will coincide with her friends Linda and Graham coming over to celebrate Graham's birthday and at the same time Lakis and Argy will be over - fortunately they will be here for some months so if we are busy in the first week or so with family we can make it up with them over the course of the summer.  I spent the afternoon making a gift - I had managed to nip into the little shop by Paphos Hospital the other day and get some white rice paper so that I could decorate a glass vase.  I haven't done any craft for ages.  I find it very therapeutic.

Whilst I was crafting John decided to use up the bananas that were looking less than great and make a banana loaf.  I have to say it was one of the best he has ever made even though he thought the top was a bit over done, it was actually lovely and crunchy, must have been the brown sugar he used.  

We had had a late breakfast so had early tea - the leftover pasta from last night's meal which I pimped up by adding cheesy breadcrumbs on top and baking.