The January Whip Around... !

I say it all the time...but I can't believe how fast time flies and January is already done and dusted...It's been busy especially the CWA volunteering on Australia Day....and preparations for the town's Ficifolia Festival.  CWA have a big weekend planned on 11th & 12th at the hall and I'm busy with recipe in a jar and preparations for the garage sale......AND... Zucchini's are everywhere at the moment ... followed closely by some early tomatoes...so bring on the bottling !!



Zucchini's all sliced up with onions ready to be pickled.

All pickled and in the jars.... !!

January also saw me continue on the mosaic which I haven't touched since before  we moved over 18 months ago....it was originally going to be for a covered external wall in our old house....wasn't sure where it would go here, but have decided we can hopefully waterproof it somehow and hang on the outside wall when it finally gets finished...it has been a very long project...like all my projects !!



Finally making some progress with the mosaic.

One of our small apple trees (an orange Blenheim) ... only been in a year produced about 10 apples...they were a bit scrappy but the birds decided to leave me these five and along with our rhubarb I managed to make an apple & rhubarb crumble...so excited to have fruit in the garden even if at this stage they are minimal.



Apples and rhubarb from our own garden...so exciting

Homemade crumble....it was surprisingly delicious ..!!

 The zucchini assault continued all of January.....this lot turned into Zucchini Relish ...even managed a few red capsicums from the garden as well....it's been a zucchini fest !

Zucchini and capsicums from our garden....onions, vinegar, sugar, turmeric etc.....equals relish.

Bottled up into jars....most of these get given away as gifts..... one can only eat so much zucchini !!

This month I discovered the local op-shop warehouse....they have some amazing stuff in there...picked up a dozen fowler jars...$1 each... they have heaps so I will be back....also vintage tortoiseshell knitting needles...I have been on the hunt for these for ages...couldn't believe it...I had been looking for some on Ebay and the few I saw were very pricey....I actually paid extra for these at the op-shop because they were so cheap !!...they were a real treasure to find.

Fowler jars and vintage knitting needles.... I just need the top bar for the jars.

My neighbour Les introduced me to his 'lunar planting guide' that he bought off the internet....I made a copy of it for myself...he swears by moon-planting so I am going to follow the guidelines and see what happens...There may be something in it.