Summer is a busy time of year, as I am collecting strappy plant fibre for basketry. In December I collected chasmanthe (Aunty Eliza), flax, cordyline stricta and jonquil leaves. In January I have been collecting iris, arum lily, combungi (bull rushes) and red and yellow hot poker. The leaves are in my shed drying on racks or in bunches hanging from the rafters. I check the leaves every couple of days, turning them to make sure they are not being damaged by mould or insects. There has been an amazing number of insects this year due to the wet and then warm weather. Luckily the damage by some insects has been curbed by the visit of many beneficial insects such as dragonflies and mantis.
Today I am off to collect straw, as the farmers have been harvesting the oat and rye seed crops over the last few days. I want to make sure I get access to a paddock or two to collect the agricultural stubble for making bee skeps before they let the cows in!
Jodie Goldring 
What a great newsy update Jodie you have been very busy and productive your shed and undercover areas must be getting packed !!
Well done 😀