January 2026 Postcard (My Monthly Newsletter).

Hello,

Welcome back to Fairy Wren Cottage, it has been a while hasn’t it.

I’ve slowly but surely been working away at creating a new website and happy to say that it is now finished. It’s packed with all the things I had thought of sharing in a book.

It’s been a cool Summer here at Fairy Wren Cottage, not a complaint, just an observation. We have still had our fair share of bushfire worry, especially the bushfire occurring at the end of our road, less than 150 metres away. Grateful beyond words for our volunteer fire fighters and our neighbours who realised where the smoke was coming from.

With my injury stopping me from doing so much, the garden wouldn’t be what it is without Michael’s love and devotion and hard work. This month Michael has emptied all the compost bays around the garden and in the Hothouse. The deep litter systems from the Henhouses and Duck Houses have been piled onto these areas as well. The deep litter doesn’t smell, it is a rich organic growing medium that our fruit and veg thrives in. During the Spring months Michael also made two new garden areas. Honeybee the duck is fine, a little perturbed at the changes but she is adjusting to her bath being in a different area of the garden. Ducks really don’t like change.

Since I last sent you a Postcard we have welcomed Olive Pink and Liliana has purchased a flock of Silkies. The flock of Silkies have an interesting story and I’ll share more about them another time.

Let me introduce you to Olive Pink:

Lucky number 32 anyone? Lucky number 32?

Three separate incubator tries and out of 32 Indian Runner duck eggs, Miss Olive Pink, yes, that is right, first name Olive, surname Pink, was the only duckling to hatch. Her mother is Myrtle and her father is Ferdinand. This duckling was determined to come earth side. Olive Pink hatched two days early and pipped her egg like she was unzipping a zipper until she got too tired and needed some help. Olive Pink is named after the central Australian plantswoman I learnt about while visiting the Alice Springs Botanical Gardens 27 years ago. Just like her namesake, Olive Pink the duck is very determined and definitely knows her own mind. At first Olive Pink was hand raised by Michael, Liliana and myself then slowly introduced to Honeybee and Isabella (our very elderly duck) who shares Honeybee’s Duck House. Together, Honeybee and Isabella took Olive Pink under their wing (literally) from there it was slow steps to introduce Olive Pink into our small flock of Fawn and White Indian Runner ducks. Happy to report that Olive Pink has settled in and very much part of the Indian Runner Duck family. She still likes to visit Honeybee and Isabella and follow Michael, Liliana and I around the garden.

In the Garden:

Sweet Peas:

I’m growing 35 different Sweet Pea varieties this year. Yeh, I know, it seems like a little much. But 20 Sweet Pea varieties was my limit, then I got given some Sweet Pea seeds to try, then there were more Sweet Peas that I was eager to meet, then Michael my husband and Liliana our daughter encouraged me, then it got a bit more out of hand but manageable. Michael offered to build more trellising, and we decided to turn Honeybee’s Garden into a flower garden (read more Sweet Pea garden beds) since it is fenced off and the rabbits were eating everything and anything.

I’m calling it my Sweet Pea Trial year, trialling different varieties to meet (Spring Sunshine Nancy, Champagne, Peach and Cream), welcoming back favourite Sweet Pea varieties (Nimbus, Streamer Chocolate and High Scent I’m looking at you). It’s been an interesting Trial Year so far, and to date the biggest thing I’ve observed is that packets of Sweet Peas bought from large shops that have sausage sizzle stands out the front had the poorest strike rate. I ordered some Sweet Pea seeds from a grower in Queensland that arrived three plus weeks later meaning my planting window of opportunity was lost. The sweet pea seeds were wrapped in the meat section of the supermarket junk mail and at first I thought a friend had sent some kind of practical joke. I haven’t eaten meat since I was 15 so getting the meat specials was a bit of a surprise, I did have a chuckle to myself! (Yes, you read right, I don’t eat anything that could look me in the eye or have babies and I don’t judge other people for their food choices, you do you, I’ll do me). Anyway, back to the Sweet Peas. I did order Sweet Peas from a company that has a membership, the Sweet Pea seeds arrived with the plants that I also ordered, and the Sweet Pea seed packets were soggy, those soggy Sweet Pea seeds also didn’t have a good success rate. Yet again, Bec’s Sweet Pea seeds from veggieandflowergardenseeds.com.au had the best strike rate, arrived the fastest, and with the most environmentally friendly packaging.

We are about two weeks out from all the Sweet Peas being in full bloom and picking a handful every 2-3 days. North Shore is spectacular. Piggy Sue is Michael and Liliana’s favourite. Spencer Ice Cream is lovely. I’m already thinking about what Sweet Pea varieties I’ll be growing next year. With the website changes there is now a full page dedicated to my Sweet Peas and separate to that there is a Sweet Pea section on my Blog Journal.

Gardening is my gentle form of activism.

If you have been following Fairy Wren Cottage for awhile you most likely know that I garden with physical limits due to an accident I had. It’s been thirteen years now since the prong of the metal garden rake went completely through my hand and changed my life in seconds. I often get (well intentioned) messages saying that I live a dream life. Make no mistake, having someone cut up my food for me every meal and living day to day with a myriad of limitations because of my accident is no dream life. Not to mention the depression that sinks in if I don’t keep a strict eye out for the red flags and triggers. The sleepless nights due to the pain don’t help either.

I’m here for sharing the beauty that is also part of my days. Capturing a magical, fleeting moment. It helps me and I hope it helps you too. Letting the Light in. It is my form of activism against the darkness in the world. Gardening is my gentle form of activism. Growing flowers is my gentle form of activism. In Tenzin Palmo’s memoir A Cave in the Snow, she writes that she grew fruit and vegetables to nourish her body and flowers to nourish her soul. My hope is that my flowery photography does nourish your soul as much as it nourishes mine.

Reciprocity.

I ask you respectfully, instead of monetising my website and newsletter (due to my injury I can’t always guarantee when I can create and share content), if you see an Instagram post from me please don’t just scroll by, treasure this sacred little offering from me to you. Just because I haven’t monetised my offerings on social media doesn’t mean that they aren’t of value. Please like the Instagram post and leave an emoji or comment, re-share my posts if they especially take your fancy. It lets me know that you are there, that you value my offerings as much as I value you.