I think it's time to have another BBQ.
I sat down on my lawn and thought. Weather is right. Warm with cool breeze. Daylight saving. Flowers in bloom.
I also thought what if Dad didn't mow the lawn and just left it, save for a few pathways. Then I could have a meadow instead. It will be hard to convince him to not leave our yard looking like a cricket pitch but, why not? So what if nobody else lets their grass run wild. We can be the first. It will save gas.
Then the chickens can lay their eggs amongst the grass and the dogs wouldn't be able to find them so easily if they somehow jumped the fence.
But Dad is so ingrained in his lawn mowing habits. But at least he is composting the clippings. I just think that lawns are really only good if you have the appropriate garden surrounding them. They don't need to be huge and extend all the way around if they are not being used. And that would mean more room for plantings and wildlife and bees.
Anyway. I went for a drive around Auckland the other day over to the North Shore. Its only in places like St Mary's Bay and Freemans Bay, the rich areas that have lots of canopy of trees and hedges. Pt Chevalier is sunny and seems bare. Going over the bridge to Takapuna, are motley collections of 70's houses with a sunny aspect. Then Devonport has some old villas.
Where are the hidden gardens? When I read NZ Gardener they often feature private gardens and its usually a farmer's housewife who transforms a paddock into something wonderful. When they have the 'Heroic Garden Festival' they usually feature suburban gardens from Mt Eden and Remuera. These are the moneyed middle class folk. They also have rich volcanic soil to work with. I don't recall any gardens from Henderson making the grade.
If you go down Lincoln Road what was former vineyards is now Texas Chicken. They have put up more shopping developments where they used to make wine. Chicken seems very popular here. We have Southern fried chicken, Nandos, KFC, Oporto, Indian places serving Butter Chicken, Thai places serving Thai Green Curry Chicken, Chinese places serving Chicken Chow Mein, and Japanese places serving Teriyaki Chicken, Italians places serving Chicken Carbonara. There's even a Filipino restaurant called Chikos.
Not sure what to think of this sudden chicken invasion along Lincoln Road. But I am thinking BBQ chicken wings for my BBQ served with potato salad.
