suburban excursion

 

Saturday afternoon Bunnings trip with a tired Poet and Vampire Che (who wore a pirate flag but will have his very own cape & mask set come Christmas).

First stop is always the paint aisle where, on almost every visit, I hear the ubiquitous discussion about white paint. Usually the paint buyer is completely baffled by the fact that white doesn’t exist and then proceeds to explore the many options including, but not restricted to: eggshell, old lace, magnolia, ghost, porcelain, vanilla, snow, ricotta, marshmallow, ivory, lightbulb, cloud and my personal favourite ‘simply white’. Che always grabs a few colour cards (perfect for the craft cupboard) and then we make our way to the brooms, mops, bins, washing baskets and door mats while Daniel peruses the tool shed in peace.

We spend so long wandering the aisles that we stop in the outdoor furniture section for a snack break and then Che runs off to the park. From there we wander past the gnomes and odd looking cement figurines to the garden centre where I always get chatting to a sweet elderly couple about their vegetable garden triumphs and failures. I buy a few seedlings and remind Che that yes, he can choose a plant but it must be edible and he has to look after it.

Conversations on Saturday included a doddery old lady complaining about the fact that she’s always buying thyme. “I grow it and dry it out and then I can never remember where I put it.” Her husband’s response? “You can’t buy time, dear.”


We came home with a beautiful lemon verbena plant and a few strawberry seedlings. Che is dreaming of an abundant strawberry vine but somehow I don’t think he’ll grow quite enough fruit to whet his appetite (he’s a punnet-in-one-sitting kid).

Recent Posts
Showing 23 comments
  • Mother Down Under
    Reply

    I am always growing thyme too!
    And basil…I have the saddest ever basil twig…and big dreams of pestos and gremolatas.

    I absolutely love that photo of Poet.

    Good luck with the strawberries!

  • Tania
    Reply

    And then…(and this is the bit that really drives me nuts)…then you haul those cool-white-warm-white-not-white swatches OUT OF BUNNINGS and away from that particular kind of artificial light and they all look entirely not white. Only in an entirely different way. That lighting thing makes me feel like Poet does.

  • Princesspillar
    Reply

    you might be surprised by that healthy looking plant. keep the water up to it!

  • tea with lucy
    Reply

    Jodi, only you could take photos that make Bunnings look so dreamy and magic.

    {Aila hits the paint swatches every time we go to the hardware store too. They do look rather appealing all spread out like a big rainbow.}

    rachel xo

  • Sarah Humphreys
    Reply

    You made me want to go to bunnings! And i freekin HATE Bunnings! Ahahahaha.

  • Julie
    Reply

    Maybe he'll be happily surprised.. Strawberries can be quit the prolific plant. They set down roots and bounce back up again a few inches over. Good luck and enjoy your lovely spring.

  • emma
    Reply

    I always remain in the garden section with the kids while dad goes off to buy the hardware, but I alwyas find it so hard to remember what it is I want to buy…a problem I have in most shops!! Then we all congregate in the cafe where my mum works, if you had a coffee while you were there, she probably made it!

  • Rhiannon
    Reply

    It is true, only you could make Bunnings look beautiful, it is simply a shed with a concrete floor! haha, lovely photos x

  • dear olive
    Reply

    That first photo is that absolute best! Good luck with the strawberries, Che. I just bought Olive an udder cape and mask set for her birthday next week too. Kellie xx

  • A little bit Country
    Reply

    Even your photos of Bunnings are amazing! My boys would eat their weight in strawberries if I let them. We are planting them in their masses this year!

  • Pink Ronnie
    Reply

    How sweet that he chose strawberries. Smart boy. 🙂
    Love that he eats a whole punnet in one sitting – yay for strawberry season!
    Ronnie xo

  • Kylie Thévenau
    Reply

    Same-same thoughts about beautiful photos at Bunnings… there is a campaign in this I'm sure! Kylie x

  • Coryann
    Reply

    My daughter suffered today as I was out and about. She looked just like Poet in the cart haha : )

  • Misha
    Reply

    That first photo of Che is wonderful. For me, it juxtaposes the decisions of adults versus the decisions of children (paint color vs. capes) but not only that, it's a beautiful image of imagination.

    Your pictures are always so lovely and your posts are so well-written.:) Thanks for sharing these moments with us!

  • Reply

    I love the conversations that can be overheard.
    We are a huge fan of a trip to Bunnings (especially on weekends when there is usually a sausage sizzle to be found!).
    xx

  • Zara
    Reply

    A few paint chips always make their way home with me on each visit too. I love all the names of the colours as much as the shades themselves.
    Our strawberries are going great at the moment. I hope Che's plant is productive too.
    x

  • Laura
    Reply

    Oh your Bunnings adventures look and sound so peaceful and far, far quieter than mine. My son loves the place but mostly the running madly through each aisle lunging at things from the low shelves while his mamma chases him mildly panicked.

    Thyme is my only herb that hasn't died a slow, sad death at the mercy of my brown thumbs. The old ladies husband sounds sweet. I like him already.

    x Laura

  • MANDY
    Reply

    Always love a little Bunnings adventure myself …. and those paint samples were always my kids favorite things to collect when they were little, I remember lots of wonderful craft colours …..
    You have managed to make Bunnings look very picturesque Jodi !!!

  • Qewpid
    Reply

    I have a collection of these colour chart cards in my car & my handbag. They are perfect for keeping my lil one entertained. Thanks Bunnings xx

  • Qewpid
    Reply

    I have a collection of these colour chart cards in my car & my handbag. They are perfect for keeping my lil one entertained. Thanks Bunnings xx

  • marta
    Reply

    I´d love to have a little veggie patch in our place – very difficult living in Madrid city centre..

  • Sian
    Reply

    Love the first photo – there's style : )

  • Ellen Arthur
    Reply

    A girl after my own heart 🙂 I have a love affair with Bunnings and all things paint and plants 🙂 I end up having so many paint swatches at home as I love collecting beautiful colours for possible projects 🙂 xx

Leave a Comment