The "it's as cold as ferk" garden edition

There's not too much excitement from around the garden in winter. Some rose pruning, loads of weeds, lots of rain.

I mowed the lawns yesterday and let the chooks out for a scratch around. They haven't laid any eggs for the last couple of weeks, and I don't blame them. It has been ridiculously cold. It is winter after all.

I was in awe of the rainbow I was blessed with as I drove down the driveway after school drop almost two weeks ago. We are in our last week of school holidays and so excited because our banana tree flower has opened to reveal a heap of bananas. The flower actually came out about a month ago, right before a week of severe frosts and I dreaded that any thought of bananas had been dashed forever. The leaves are severely frost bitten. We'll see how they go, surely it is too cold for any hope of a ripe banana anytime soon. I have a few friends who have these cool climate bananas that have had successful crops, just have to be patient I suppose.

There isn't much colour in the garden besides the camellias, hellebores, jonquils and surprisingly some gardenias. Rosemary plants are flowering now, and the mint is making a comeback from it's frosty die down. 

It has been raining a lot at night, with mainly sunny, cold days. I am watching the snow reports wishing I could lay in the snow and shape snow angels and catch snow flakes in my wintery gloves. Pat snow balls into snow men and poke twigs for arms and small rocks for eyes. We went to the snow with my neighbours last year, and I wish we were headed there this year. Ironic as it is, I am not a fan of the cold. I am longing for short sleeves and three quarter pants of the warmer Spring weather. 

We're off the warmer weather in a month or so, to QLD for this years holiday, which I will love to defrost my bones. I wish it was to sit back and relax, but we're off to the Goldie, to punish ourselves with the theme parks. Praying I don't need a holiday, from our holiday with kids and a hubby who is a huge kid without a responsible bone in his body. Thankfully we are not staying in school holidays, which will make our visit easier.

Do you go on an annual family holiday? Got any good tips for surviving the Gold Coast theme parks? 

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