Delayed unveiling

Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal.  Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs.

~ Mario Andretti ~

Toby says, "Do I really have to sit here and wait till you're done???  You must be kidding!"

For anyone following the story of my first ever mosaic piece, it was my fervent intention to photograph my mirror today & upload the pictures on my blog.


Unfortunately, I was not able to do this.  The task of trying to clean all the grout off the mosaic proved a good deal more arduous and frustrating than I dreamt possible.  Yes, DREAMT - last night, I dreamed about my mirror but, unlike in my dream where its revelation was super easy, the reality today almost had me crying tears of disappointment.  I felt certain my mirror was going to be doomed to the recycling bin, as it simply would not reveal itself through all the hard, grey grouting (clearly, far too much had been applied!).

Please click on the read more button below to continue this post...
Fortunately, my absolute wonder of a husband stepped in to rescue me from myself (as he frequently does!) &, after patiently applying plenty of elbow grease & using some cunning tricks, he got the job done, NOT in no time at all - it took him quite some time too and that, to me, proves just how onerous the task was and that it was not simply a case of my being a great big baby!

Anyway, it now needs to be sealed, especially the board on which it is mounted, as it's going to be living outdoors in the garden & will need some protection against not only our hot sun...but any rain as well.

So, I'm sorry to disappoint anyone who may have been on tenterhooks waiting to see my mirror.  I'll do my best to satisfy your curiosity tomorrow! 

Yes, Toby!  I'm fully aware you've been waiting to play all day, but my dratted mirror was given preferential attention...I'll spend extra time playing with you, to make up for it!

For now, I can't let you, Dear Reader, leave without something uplifting, so herewith a couple of random pictures taken in the garden...

Little arrangement I did recently in the open courtyard before you get to the wetland garden.

This prayer plant is thriving in the wetland garden.

The beautiful seedhead of Elegia capensis (indigenous restio) also doing very well in the wetland garden.

Still no sign of any waterlily buds developing.  Azola (floating water fern) is regarded as an undesirable weed as it does so much harm to waterbodies.  This arrived with the water fern I bought from a reputable nursery and is flourishing!  I think it's so pretty provided it is not allowed to move through water courses - I'll harvest mine and add the excess growth to the compost heap, where it will have no chance of escaping from our property.

Some potted herbs overlooked by my pot man on the shelving outside the greenhouse.

This butterfly gets around - unlike the warthog, Pumba.  Young tomatoes and beans coming on in this raised bed.

I love being able to pick lettuce from the garden - it tastes so much nicer than store purchased.

One of my potted "patio" roses doing well here - I do not know the name.  Carnations are coming on nicely in the half barrel next to it. 

Wetland garden on the left looking down towards the gwenya tree and striking burgundy canna lilies.

View from my bathroom window, looking right, across the wetland garden.

 

In conclusion, Toby wanst to remind you all of the English proverb we humans probably all learnt at school...

Be it ever so humble,

There's no place like home!

Hope to see you soon, even if it's just because you're dying to see my mosaic mirror ;)