I am joining in for the first time to Christine at
slow living essentials with the monthly 9 for February. It's been a busy time: -
Nourish :- I always try to eat organic food where possible.....fruit and vegies from the Kallista organic store. I prefer my fruit to have blemishes and marks on them...if the insects and birds are happy to eat them...then so am I.
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| Organic apples.....complete with blemishes and imperfections....just like me really... |
Prepare :- The garden is producing a really good amount of produce considering the weather we have been experiencing...that heat has not been too good for the garden....as always zucchinis have flourished...they are excellent growers in all conditions....instead of giving away the surplus I have blanched and frozen them ..ready to go.
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| The blanched and bagged up zucchinis ready for the freezer...... |
Reduce :- Am avidly trying to reduce spending...I totally admire all of the frugal webpages...I don't seem to be going all that well...things continually pop up...broken tap, had to buy new tap and pay the plumber...Daisy got sick...after hours trip to the vet on Saturday night....Yikes !!...the list is neverending...am trying to reduce the cost of my grocery bill each week....it's not easy.
Green : - I read an article last month on "taking the hard line on soft plastic" in Green Lifestyle magazine. Flexible or scunchable plastic waste is considered difficult to recycle and if placed in the normal recycle bin will still go to the rubbish tip..... A recycling initiative by non-for-profit organisation RED Group have introduced plastic waste collection points at Coles supermarkets and the plastic is recylced into benches and donated to schools....I have been collecting my soft plastics....this is one months worth. If you'd like to join in and help go to
http://redgroup.net.au .
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| Flexible plastic for recycling....it's amazing how much amasses in just 4 weeks. |
Grow :- I have grown lots this month....I love the summer planting season....tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, lettuce, herbs, strawberries, pumpkin, zucchini, silverbeet, beans, potatoes, beetroot and corn...I get great satisfaction from the garden...and love picking fresh food whenever I can.
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| The buttenut pumpkin vines have spread themselves out amongst the other vegies..... |
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| I am happy with the growth in the garden considering the difficult weather we have been experiencing. |
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| Some of the tomatoes...not as good a season as last year but plenty of tomatoes to go around. |
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| I have 12 of these lovely Qld blue on the vines.....also have 20 or so butternut pumpkins coming soon |
Create :- I had a go at making my own candles this month....using recycled candle jars that I have saved up over time....the process was messy but easy...although I think there is a trick to making candles that burn well...mine seem to have burnt a hole down the centre of the jars and not used up the sides...will need to investigate that one.
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| Tricky part getting the wicks to stay in the right place.. added rose geranium essential oil... |
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| A couple of the finished products....hopefully a bit of research will resolve the burning issue.. |
Discover :- My birthday was in February and I turned 55....I discovered that there are worse things than getting older.
Enhance :- The book for February with my bookclub is 'My fathers daughter" by Sheila Fitzpatrick....really struggling with this one.Sheila's father Brian was a journalist and radical historian and the book covers her relationship with her father..haven't got very far into the book so will have to get a move on before the next meeting..
Enjoy :- A group of friends have organised monthly dinners at each others homes where we can try recipes that we have not cooked before....I love the concept and will need to get organised for our turn which is in May.....The lovely Janine & Michael prepared a delicious meal with Chicken and asian salad...we had a great afternoon.
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| Janine & Michael's yummy chicken dinner.. |
I'll sneak this one in which was actually on 1st March....but he is so cute. He wanted a blue and green birthday party...his favourite colours...Enjoy special times with your family as they are so precious and the memories will last a lifetime....
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| Our very own baby batman celebrating his 3rd birthday....big cake cooked by his adoring mummy... |
Your garden looks great and thanks for the link for the plastic bags. I love the idea of the dinners with your friends keep us posted on what else you get to try.
ReplyDeletePictures like yours make me even more anxious for spring to get here! I know nothing about candle making but it is on my 'sometime' list and yours were so pretty. I am also thinking of stealing your dinner idea for use here! Thanks for all the good stuff you shared!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of your dinners with friends what a fantastic way to try new foods with great company!
ReplyDeleteAs hard as I try it is impossible to completely reduce plastic entering our home, it takes up so much room in the recoiling, if only I could reduce it completely!