1. Mid-January, 2008 The garden is now “on.” There are starting to be enough ripe tomatoes, a few capsicums, even a feed of eggplant. The cucumbers are overwhelming and the first sweet corn is only a month away. I’m starting the autumn and winter crops now. Brussels sprouts went in a month ago; autumn cauliflower are sprouting, as are purple sprouting broccoli, kale and substantial areas of root crops.

2. The pumpkin vines (winter squash to you ‘mer’cans) a month ago... mid-December.

3. By now, mid-January, the vines completely cover the entire area allotted to them and are attempting to take over the other half of the garden. We are patrolling the surrounding paths and cutting off vines daily. Notice the new house going in nearby. One day probably soon there’ll be another one just across our driveway. Ugh!

4. This bit of west-facing garden is not fenced against wildlife; there are heaps of kangaroos visiting the place every night. So no food is grown here.

5. The north face of the house. There are only three runner bean plants covering this entire 3 metre long trellis.

6. The paths are only the width of a shovel’s blade; you have to be a bit of an acrobat to walk some of them. Good thing we yogistas do balancing exercises.

7. Anne has been selling surplus veg. The oldies living in the retirement village along our north boundary stroll this path and when the red flag is flying, buy stuff from the styrofoam box.

8. This lettuce is too big to fit in the styrofoam box!