We have some new arrivals to mark the height of Spring! 5 little chicks - 4 buttermilk colour and one black. They are absolutely adorable and keep us glued to the chook pen for long spans at a time. Mother Hen (Stormy) is being a wonderful mother looking after them beautifully.
Pics when my camera batteries are charged!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Beltane Bouquet!
I realised today that I have the garden I always wanted. I remember when we first started planting our native garden and other bits and pieces saying to hubby 'I just want a garden where I can go and pick a beautiful bouquet for the house, anytime of the year'. Well we've reached that point! And this weekend being the end of Winter/arrival of glorious SPRING was the perfect time to go out and do some A-Septembering!
The display you see is sitting in our entrance - what a lovely way to start Spring!
Now to go and do some more Spring cleaning and decluttering!
:)
Friday, August 1, 2008
There's treasure in dem der Hills!
Funny how things work out. We went garage sale hunting this morning - making a start on our christmas challenge (re-used, recycled, second-hand or home-made gifts). would you believe it we didn't find a single one.
In particular I've been looking for some of those wrought iron triangle thingies (iron lace?) that you find under the posts of old federation style homes. The plan is to make some bookshelves out of them for the wall in the hallway. Feeling rather disheartened we thought we'd stop in at a friend's place and ask where she found her 'goodies' (she has heaps of lovely recycled ornaments in her garden). As we were driving to her place we passed a lady who was writing a sign up on an easel. We thought, 'must look at that again when we go back' (being curious people!).
Well, we did - and it turns out she was having a garage sale! Hooray!
I asked if she had what we were looking for and she didn't but said she had bits of wrought iron, and kindly showed me through to her shed where we found THESE!
Please click on the image to see them in more detail. They are the sides of 2 seats. In retrospect I can't believe I hesitated all of 30 seconds thinking - gosh I'll have to do them up, worry worry - my woodwork skills are pretty shocking etc.
I didn't really look at them properly until I got home, and the detail on them is gorgeous. Nothing like the cheap nasty stuff you buy at Bunnings but pay a heap for. The lady had bought these back in the 70's. They are heavy and solid and beautiful and.... she sold them to me for $20 (for the 2 sets!). I am so very pleased - what a treasure and what a bargain.
I will have to drop round some tangelo butter or something to her as an extra thank you because I almost felt a little bad to take them for that price.
Hubby LOVED them and is excited about doing them up. We're starting tomorrow morning and using the old floorboards from our old place as the wood. Stay tuned for more pics in a couple of weeks when these hopefully will be transformed into beautiful garden furniture!
In particular I've been looking for some of those wrought iron triangle thingies (iron lace?) that you find under the posts of old federation style homes. The plan is to make some bookshelves out of them for the wall in the hallway. Feeling rather disheartened we thought we'd stop in at a friend's place and ask where she found her 'goodies' (she has heaps of lovely recycled ornaments in her garden). As we were driving to her place we passed a lady who was writing a sign up on an easel. We thought, 'must look at that again when we go back' (being curious people!).
Well, we did - and it turns out she was having a garage sale! Hooray!
I asked if she had what we were looking for and she didn't but said she had bits of wrought iron, and kindly showed me through to her shed where we found THESE!
Please click on the image to see them in more detail. They are the sides of 2 seats. In retrospect I can't believe I hesitated all of 30 seconds thinking - gosh I'll have to do them up, worry worry - my woodwork skills are pretty shocking etc.I didn't really look at them properly until I got home, and the detail on them is gorgeous. Nothing like the cheap nasty stuff you buy at Bunnings but pay a heap for. The lady had bought these back in the 70's. They are heavy and solid and beautiful and.... she sold them to me for $20 (for the 2 sets!). I am so very pleased - what a treasure and what a bargain.
I will have to drop round some tangelo butter or something to her as an extra thank you because I almost felt a little bad to take them for that price.
Hubby LOVED them and is excited about doing them up. We're starting tomorrow morning and using the old floorboards from our old place as the wood. Stay tuned for more pics in a couple of weeks when these hopefully will be transformed into beautiful garden furniture!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Tickly Throat Tea
Younger munchkin has been snuffly and coughing the last few days and it's been keeping him up at night. Last night I made him a tea that worked wonders and gave it to him again before bed tonight. He is sleeping soundly now as we speak.
I'd used honey and thyme before (both have weak antibacterial/antiseptic qualities) but I also read that yarrow was good for colds and sage was good for drying the mucous membranes (but warned to use it sparingly and not prolonged use).
So the tea was simply a teaspoon of honey, heaped teaspoon of thyme, 2 sage leaves, 1 yarrow leaf, and the juice from half a lemon. Steeped with a lid on for 8 minutes and Voila! Younger munchkin said it was delicious and has stopped coughing long enough to fall asleep and stay there. :)
With winter here there are a lot of snuffles going round. Why not try it out if they catch you!
I'd used honey and thyme before (both have weak antibacterial/antiseptic qualities) but I also read that yarrow was good for colds and sage was good for drying the mucous membranes (but warned to use it sparingly and not prolonged use).
So the tea was simply a teaspoon of honey, heaped teaspoon of thyme, 2 sage leaves, 1 yarrow leaf, and the juice from half a lemon. Steeped with a lid on for 8 minutes and Voila! Younger munchkin said it was delicious and has stopped coughing long enough to fall asleep and stay there. :)
With winter here there are a lot of snuffles going round. Why not try it out if they catch you!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Cwm What?!
My sister has been visiting tonight and said she really thinks I should make a mention of what 'Cwm Goch' means. It is Welsh and means 'Red Valley' (Cwm is Valley, Goch is Red).
We named our property Cwm Goch because Hywel's Grandfather was born and raised in Wales on a property of this name. It was named for the red poplars which grew there - Valley of the Red Trees.
Since we live in a Valley with Red Gum (Marri - see recent post) thought it was appropriate and a nice way to keep some family history alive too.
So there you have it. Cwm Goch explained!
We named our property Cwm Goch because Hywel's Grandfather was born and raised in Wales on a property of this name. It was named for the red poplars which grew there - Valley of the Red Trees.
Since we live in a Valley with Red Gum (Marri - see recent post) thought it was appropriate and a nice way to keep some family history alive too.
So there you have it. Cwm Goch explained!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Winter Solstice Warmer
Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice - shortest day/longest night of the year. We plan on enjoying a little bonfire with the kids to mark the night and it looks to be very cold!
So for those others of you who'll be out tomorrow night - or indeed anyone who likes a hot drink, I thought I'd share with you our very special hot chocolate recipe!
These amounts are for 4 people - the amounts are variable though. Mix and match to your taste preference.
Ingredients
4 cups Milk
About 100g good quality dark chocolate
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 heaped tablespoon of sugar (skip this if you like it bitter)
1 cardamom pod
1 tspn cinnamon (or a cinnamon scroll)
1 Vanilla pod (or 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract)
1/2 tspn nutmeg
2 cloves
A pinch of ground chilli (this is important!)
Method
Pour the milk in a saucepan. Grate in the dark chocolate. Add the cocoa and spices and gently simmer (don't boil) until its hot and the flavours have infused a little. I leave mine for about 10 minutes.
Pour into cups. Top with a bit if grated chocolate. YUM!
The flavours are divine and the chilli gives you a warm feeling in the back of your throat as you drink it. Perfect for a cold winter's night!
Hope you like it as much as we do. :)
So for those others of you who'll be out tomorrow night - or indeed anyone who likes a hot drink, I thought I'd share with you our very special hot chocolate recipe!
These amounts are for 4 people - the amounts are variable though. Mix and match to your taste preference.
Ingredients
4 cups Milk
About 100g good quality dark chocolate
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 heaped tablespoon of sugar (skip this if you like it bitter)
1 cardamom pod
1 tspn cinnamon (or a cinnamon scroll)
1 Vanilla pod (or 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract)
1/2 tspn nutmeg
2 cloves
A pinch of ground chilli (this is important!)
Method
Pour the milk in a saucepan. Grate in the dark chocolate. Add the cocoa and spices and gently simmer (don't boil) until its hot and the flavours have infused a little. I leave mine for about 10 minutes.
Pour into cups. Top with a bit if grated chocolate. YUM!
The flavours are divine and the chilli gives you a warm feeling in the back of your throat as you drink it. Perfect for a cold winter's night!
Hope you like it as much as we do. :)
Friday, June 13, 2008
Enjoying the Harvest
My friend from Albany came up today and left armed with seedlings, seeds and inspiration to start a 'serious' vegie garden! And you know what sold the idea? Lunch!
I very quickly threw together a Thai style soup. The only things from the cupboard were the fish, fish sauce and coconut milk. Other ingredients included Bok Choy, Beetroot leaves, silverbeet, spring onion, chives, parsley, chilli, lemon juice, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves, mustard greens, celery, snow peas and nasturtium leaves (basically anything green the kids found and wanted to throw in the basket).
It was actually rather divine - if I do say so myself! And she marvelled at the fact that her two young children happily munched their way through that many vegetables, besides the ones they'd eaten out in the garden. Hence the inspiration!
Here is a picture of the harvest for a salad a couple of weeks ago.
Are we making progress or what!!! Check out that proudly blemished capsicum - no pesticides here! Just need to plant more - lots more, so we can harvest more than once a week/two!
I very quickly threw together a Thai style soup. The only things from the cupboard were the fish, fish sauce and coconut milk. Other ingredients included Bok Choy, Beetroot leaves, silverbeet, spring onion, chives, parsley, chilli, lemon juice, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves, mustard greens, celery, snow peas and nasturtium leaves (basically anything green the kids found and wanted to throw in the basket).
It was actually rather divine - if I do say so myself! And she marvelled at the fact that her two young children happily munched their way through that many vegetables, besides the ones they'd eaten out in the garden. Hence the inspiration!
Here is a picture of the harvest for a salad a couple of weeks ago.
Are we making progress or what!!! Check out that proudly blemished capsicum - no pesticides here! Just need to plant more - lots more, so we can harvest more than once a week/two!
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