Praying

Mantis - sometimes even when you least expect it you can come across the most amazing things in your garden. Just recently whilst weeding and digging around my vegetables I came across this Praying Mantis. I love Praying Mantis, there are over 2,400 species and they camouflage themselves to the greenery around them.  The word "Praying" comes from the angle of their 2 prominent front legs.

Mantids can turn their heads 180 degrees to spot predators.

Juvenile Praying Mantis on Basil Leaf.

The adult one I had photographed several weeks ago and then yesterday whilst weeding and studying to see if my basil plants were bolting I noticed this tiny little one. Less than a cm in length but has the characteristic front legs.

More fun to be had exploring the garden looking for bugs.

2013 and beyond

will see many changes in our lives, we took the steps to close our business down as of the 1st January this year. It was not an easy choice to make, however we had always gone into everything putting ourselves and our relationship/family at the foreground of any decisions we made. Paul and I are both conscientious, passionate people about our environment, culture, lives and sometimes you are stronger to walk away than to let surroundings and others decisions eat away at you.

2010 and 2011 were tough personal years for us with my husband spending a lot of time overseas to look after his mom, something we are entirely grateful that we were able to do. Her passing at the end of 2011 brought a realisation to us of how hard it is to be with family and each other as well as run a business that relies on you being here 24/7.

The business was good, whales as most people know have been a passion of mine for most of my life and they will remain that. I will miss not being out on the water with them everyday, however it does not mean I will not be out there when I can. There are many other ways for me to work and be with the whales and hopefully continue my efforts to improve on the conservation and protection of them within a tourism industry.

Sometimes life hands you milk and you make butter? Is that the saying or is it you start with milk but life makes it sour cream!

So what will we be doing - not entirely sure yet. For the last 3 years I have worked a lot to get VEPA set up, and I will be continuing to volunteer and give my time for conservation projects.

I am looking forward to going home to England this year, my first time since 2006 (way too long!), and we are also looking forward to rekindling some of our old life passions, connections and dreams.

Worm Farm

here we go, I got the basic designs from this website, it was nice and simple and cost effective as you can use old pieces of wood and make the size to fit accordingly. The only cost was TOP2.00 for the nails and TOP12 for the mosquito net.

Getting there!

I drilled more holes in it than suggested as our climate is hotter, it is placed out of direct sun under a mango tree.

Am wondering if I should paint it?

The worms will share my kitchen compost waste just not from acidic or citrus families! And of course nothing happens now without my little helper Nikki, who kindly carried coconuts in case I needed them.

 I could not take photos of all stages as the wind was blowing everything around, after the newspaper I added some soil and compost as well as shredded cardboard and food. The newspaper was moistened for the worms comfort!

My gorgeous helper.

Newspaper with mosquito net bottom

Just hoping with Cyclone Evan lurking it remains in place and does not get blown away.



I love trying this projects as experiments to what and how we can do things here, they are great small ways to encourage sustainability and better gardening practices without using fertilisers and chemicals.

Quite a nice little area for a worm garden!

Again, I send my thoughts to those affected by the Cyclone in Samoa and for the Niuas and Fiji in the upcoming days. At present Vava'u will not be directly affected, but we are keeping a close eye on the way it changes.

Thanks to my husband as always for his support in my trials! xx