New beginnings

There's something to be said for moving into a new house. Yes, it was sad to move away from the wonderful friends we had made during the last six years and it was especially hard to leave the house we had bought and turned into our home. The home that we had brought two newborn babies home to. As hard a decision it was to make, I definitely feel it was the right one.

The decision to move was a lot easier for me than it was for Thunder Maker. Thunder Maker does not respond well to change. He was happy in his own corner of the world, in his own house. He had made friends, formed attachments and joined a band. Whilst it was hard for me, especially knowing Thunder Maker's feelings on the subject, the predominant emotion I experienced prior to the move was excitement.

For me, this move feels like I've travelled full circle. I was born up this way, lived in the area until I was about 4. My Dad, who I never got to see much of when I was growing up now lives a 40 minute drive away. I finally get to see more of my little sisters. My only regret is not being able to move up here when they were younger. Now they are on the cusp of puberty and I find myself not knowing how to connect with them.

I feel a much greater emotional attachment to where I'm living now than in our own house in Victoria. In honour of our move, I have started to grow some seedlings. I'm usually pretty crap at growing things - I usually either under water or over water things, either way ending up with dead plants or seeds that have failed to germinate.

However, I found myself wanting to try to grow something again. I usually prefer (to attempt) to grow plants that are useful, rather than ornamental plants. Mostly, I have stuck to growing edible plants this time, but I am also growing something especially for Thunder Maker. First up, I have planted some mini cucumber seeds. This is the result so far:

Freshly transplanted mini cucumber plants

I transplanted the seedlings from the seed container I started them in to the pot this afternoon. I snapped the roots off the one in the middle as I was trying to get it out of the original container, so I stuck it in the pot just in case it grows some new roots. I know it's not going to happen, but I figure there's no harm in trying anyway.

Last weekend I planted some herb seeds. Specifically basil, chives and flat leaf parsley. A couple of days ago, I was rewarded with this:

Basil and chive seedlings. Still waiting for the parsely.

The basil seedlings are to the left and the top of the left centre row. The rest of that row and the right centre row are chive seedlings. The parsley hasn't sprouted yet, but the packet the seeds came in leads me to believe that it takes longer for them to germinate than basil or chives.

Finally, I'm having yet another crack at growing a bonsai. I've tried a few times, both from seed and seedlings. In the case of seedlings, I have managed to kill them and the seeds I have planted have failed to germinate.

I actually bought a bonsai seed kit from National Geographic last year. However, I found out when I went to grow my seeds last June that my seeds are best grown when overnight temperatures are consistently above 15 degrees Celsius. So I put the kit away and waited. I decided a fortnight ago when I found the seed kit that we were now good to go.

I wasn't holding my breath, but a couple of days ago, I was pleasently surprised to find this:

Hooray! Green stuff!

There appears to be at least another two plants that are growing, but they haven't grown shoots tall enough to break the surface of the growing medium yet.

I am attempting to grow Thunder Maker a bonsai Jacaranda tree. They are his absolute favourite tree and he has always wanted one. About 18 months after we had bought and moved into our house in Victoria, we discovered when it flowered, that the spindly looking tree that the previous owners had planted smack up on the house in a garden bed was in fact a Jacaranda.

Thunder Maker was elated, but we had to move the tree out into the yard because it was going to end up causing massive problems if we left it where it was. My grandparents helped us move it just before Wombat was born and we all crossed our fingers and prayed that it would survive.

Fortunately, it did and it was looking very healthy when we moved out of the house. Moving away from his Jacaranda was just one more thing that Thunder Maker was upset about, so I'm hoping that I don't totally botch growing a bonsai. If I can actually pull this off, Thunder Maker will always have a Jacaranda, no matter where we go.

So yeah, if anyone has any tips on how not to kill my seedlings, especially the bonsai ones, feel free to share.