Lovely, lazy autumn lunch......

Met up with friends for lunch on Sunday....tried a local restaurant, Slippery Jacks...food was great...my meal was chicken breast on smashed potatoes with pancetta.....beautiful autumn meal, the taste and colours were amazing...I also thought the presentation was beautiful...somehow it makes it taste better when it looks fabulous....I always enjoy a meal that I haven't had to prepare myself.....I love a lazy Sunday lunch with good friends, good food and a glass of wine.....

Nourishing body and soul...

Healthy snacking ....all organic - grapes, mandarine, almonds and macadamia nuts

Having spent so much time and energy in the garden and other pursuits, I feel I have been neglecting my body and my health.....my general fitness is not good and also I haven't been eating as well as I would like too......today I have started to once again focus on my health and wellbeing, including mind and soul.....haven't done yoga in ages and was very out of practice this morning....but will persevere and try to do a daily practice in the morning, including meditation. .....also pay attention to everything that I eat....mindful eating is important...if it doesn't nourish my body or offer any health benefits, I will try not to eat it...I do love wine and cheese though....hhhmmmmm.....

Simple little things.......

 The sun was still shining today after a chilly start to the week......the last rays of autumn sunshine are something to really savour....heading into winter in the hills.....it gets chilly up here......along with the cooler weather comes changes around the house......out comes the knitting.....need to get into the cooler weather planting  in the garden.....put on the warm bed linen in preparation for the cold nights to come......stock up on firewood for those lovely long evenings when we can sit in front of the coonara........it's definitely the small things that make up the fabric of our lives.........

Along with the cooler weather the knitting comes out....

This is going to be a scarf....I enjoy knitting patterns that offers a bit of a challenge

My Phalaenopsis Orchid has flowered again......so beautiful....

Cooler Autumn weather means changing the bed linen to the warmer cover....
....someone thought it looked perfect to settle into.......

Hope everyone enjoys the change of seasons and all that it brings as much as I do..........!

Every little bit helps.....

I'm committed to using environmentally friendly products in every room in the house.  I don't use anything with chemicals around the home or in the garden.....want to avoid pesticides completely.  I use organic hair products including hairspray...also use organic make up , mascara, eyeshadow and lippy.....still have  a couple of products that are not organic, but working on it...unfortunately still get my hair dyed but looking at alternative solutions to that.....get a bit of flack from friends and family who don't take environmental warnings on board.....but I am prepared to do what I can to protect my home, those who live in it..... and do my bit for the planet.......

Eco, organic in my bathroom products include handwash, face products, soap,
shampoo and conditioner etc

chemical free eco cleaning products, vinegar, carb soda, floor cleaner, window cleaner
and of coarse eucalyptus oil..my favourite thing...

Eco in the kitchen, including organic essential oils, dishwashing tabs and liquid...
.trusty spray bottle that I put the oils into mixed with water to
create room freshener....home smells beautiful.....

Eco products for the laundry....safe for grey water

What I read in March ...

Book club read for this month was Piano Lessons by Anna Goldsworthy....unfortunately once again not a favourite of mine....I found this book to be a summary of piano lessons and awards received by a very self absorbed individual...a virtual transcript of everything she achieved from ages 9 to 20....she was very successful but very very boring.......only saving grace was the piano teacher....she sounded fantastic...would not recommend....however I bet the others in the group enjoyed it....I need a meaty story, something to get my teeth into..... a page turner....is that too much to ask ....!!!

Who's crowing now.......

Oh dear.......strange noises heard from the hen house this morning.......sounded a lot like cock-a-doodle-doo........that's right the "Hens" are roosters......so sad, I was sure they were hens....no longer trust google images.....Foster and Wilson will now be looking for a new home.....

Appreciate the little things......

People spend so much time grumbling about everything from the economy to the weather and rarely take time to appreciate the beauty and simplicity that everyday things can bring...... my man went to the funeral of a colleague yesterday who died suddenly at 52.....it puts your life into perspective and should help you appreciate the little things that are your life......here are some of mine from yesterday..........

Lovely breaky with eggs from my chooks and homemade organic bread

One of the babies I raised from eggs....hooray they are both hens !!

Finding a snug little bundle each morning......thanks girls !!

 

Someone cuddly decides to snuggle up on your freshly made bed ....

 

The photo I have of the anniversay flowers sent to me by my man...

Fresh herbs in the kitchen.....smell fantastic.

Learn to live in the moment, enjoy life for its simple pleasures.....we have a very good friend who is battling cancer, others who are going through very difficult times.....I send my love out to them and hope things get better......enjoy every minute of what you have......

Nature's bounty .....

Spent the morning in the garden.........two QLD Blue's looked ready and also some of the Golden Nugget pumpkins, and a butternut......picked all the corn....and almost the last of the tomatoes......I read that I should hang the almost dead tomato vines up and the remaining fruit should ripen.....see how that goes......
Have added mushroom compost to the now empty beds where I grew the tomatoes......will rest them and then replant with new goodies......The chill has certainly been in the air this weekend.....reminder of what is to come......I love the change of seasons  !!

The changing seasons........

 Growing your own food makes you appreciate the change of season and eating seasonal, local and organic food......from my own garden today I have picked the tomatoes......all small now and not many left as the arrival of autumn is causing the tomato plants to die ....making way for the next planting......corn is great....also the eggplants are ripening up......soon all of the seasonal produce will be finished......bring on the next lot......hopefully will be as successful as the previous season was.........!!

I buy organic fruit and veggies from the Kallista organic store.......great way to buy what's seasonal and usually locally sourced......obviously that pineapple didn't grow in the Dandenongs........it's a lovely scenic drive to the store....no traffic.....no lights......just a 15min country trip......I love it up here !!

What I read in Feb .....

The bookclub book for the month was Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung......need to finish the last few pages tonight before our meeting at the cafe tomorrow......not sure what I think to be honest.....haven't really enjoyed the whole thing, but there were certainly some really enjoyable passages.......it's a memoir of a young vietnamese-cambodian girl and her family once they arrive in Melbourne and live in the western suburbs.....Looking forward to the discussion !!

It's Autumn and I have corn ......

Unbelievably the corn crop has produced beautiful big ears of corn.....once shucked they are fabulous eating....cooked up the first few ripe ones last night......so sweet and juicy....
The arrival of Autumn has caused the veggie beds to begin slowly dying off....the tomato plants, while still bearing a lot of fruit, are starting to die off.......the pumpkin vines are also starting to shrivel.....I read you need to leave the pumpkins on the vine until it dies......there are a lot of pumpkins growing.....can't wait until I get to taste them.....then it will be time to clear the veggie beds......load up on organic matter and wait for the new planting to start.....will get in some beetroot, carrots, broccoli, parsnip , broad beans, more lettuce and anything else that will grow this time of year.

Natures chandelier

 There is such beauty in the garden every day.....this picture of the lady finger eggplants growing is so lovely, they look like little gems hanging like a chandelier.......the flowers are beautiful and the colour of the eggplants is so vibrant.....now I just need some recipes.....baba ganoush is a likely starter....also a vegetarian lasagne.....see how we go..

I was given loads of native plants for Christmas and have planted them all to attract birds and insects into the garden......this grevillea is so delicate and the colours are fantastic.....this garden bed will look great once they all mature and flower......it's not just about the veggies !!

Birthday weekend in Beechworth

But But Tree - Beechworth

Spent a beautiful weekend in Beechworth celebrating my birthday with my man.  Accommodation was a gift for Christmas from my 2 year old GBaby......was great, right in the heart of town, no driving, just walked around the town, eating, window shopping and relaxing.
We stayed across the road from the famous But But Tree which is 400 years old......it was the unofficial post office for Beechworth in the early days and people put missing persons notices and letters for travellers....the incredible gnarled trunk is truly amazing ......look closely and you can see faces and shapes in the bark.....if only it could speak and tell what it has seen.....I love Beechworth !!

Tomato time....

It's the start of the full on influx of tomatoes.....I pick about 20 ripening tomatoes off the plants each day....so far have made passatta, have bottled some and made tomato sauce.....running out of ideas....will blanch, peel and freeze some today as the ones I have picked are ripe....been giving lots away...everyone loves to receive homegrown tomatoes.....as always growing things is amazing !!

Homemade organic toasted muesli ...

Had a bit of spare time so I made up my favourite organic toasted muesli.....just organic oats, organic coconut, organic nuts: almonds: macadamia: walnuts: pecans: hazelnuts: pumpkin seeds, macadamia oil and organic honey to coat, then toasted in the oven ........when cooled add chopped organic mixed fruit : apricots, apple: raisins: pear: sultanas: cranberries..............delicious for breakfast with bananas, mixed berries and organic yoghurt ....so nice I gave a jar to my girlfriend along with her birthday gift !

Everyday Composting

The need to reduce the amount of rubbish put into the bin and to make good fertilizer for the garden is helped along by composting.....I'm not a compost nazi, but I do put all vegie peels, tea bags, and other scraps (not cooked, meat or dairy etc.) into a bin in the house which is then transferred to the outdoor compost bins, which will be put into the garden beds when they have decomposed. .....I also have the worm farm which uses the kitchen scraps, tea bags, wet cardboard and especially avocado peels...the worms just love the avocado.......it is going along nicely now and producing plenty of worm tea which goes onto the vegie beds.....did go a bit sour for a while but used a handful of garden lime and this removed the smell......every little bit helps to save the environment and reduce landfill....

Very busy Saturday morning.....

Tomatoes dipped quickly into boiling water

Peeled skins off and placed in pot to cook till soft

Passed through a seive to make the Passata

Not bad for a mornings work !!

Wow, what a busy Saturday morning I had.....finally had enough ripe tomatoes to give the Passata making a go......very easy....only made two containers for the freezer but was a great practice for when I have heaps of ripe toms.......also baked a loaf of bread.....made a fruit cake from my Auntie Joyce's family recipe which has been handed down a few generations....used up zucchini overload by making muffins and zucchini soup....delicious soup,......recipe off the internet, added a bit of cooked bacon and croutons when serving...fantastic.......so great to make food from scratch...very new to this experience and absolutely enjoy the process....especially when some of the produce has been grown in my own garden.....amazing !!

My first mosaic ..

Along with creating a simple and sustainable life, the move to the hills was to persue all of the creative aspirations I harbour......along with writing and painting I am trying my hand at mosaic.......I have a vast empty space on the outside wall along the verandah and am working on a piece that will measure 1800 x 600.......I looked on the internet how to mosaic, planned a design and started....so far I am really enjoying it....quite medatative and a bit like doing a jigsaw...breaking up pieces and placing them to create a picture...a bit theraputic....I love having a permanent creative space in the house where I can work.....its magic.

Another beautiful summers day

The weather has been absolutely beautiful this past week....so great to get out into the garden and let the girls out to free range in the backyard.....they are so funny to watch...another of the girls has gone broody, but there will be no more fertilized eggs to pop under her ....been there and done that....not sure if the two 9 week old babies are girls or boys....they are starting to act a little agressive so I think they may be roosters.  This will be a problem......have to find them a new home if that is the case.  The Isa Browns don't seem to go clucky at all, but both of the light sussex go broody from time to time...they make great mums though.  The chicks are still nesting with mum at night even though they are pretty big now.  Hope she won't be too sad if I have to give them away.    The vegie garden is still proving very prolific......the tomato vines are almost touching the ground they are so laden and this morning I was happy to see that a new fruit is on the Qld blue pumpkin vine....it has a lot of catching up to do with the other two monsters that are already growing.

Will be adding another four raised garden beds this weekend....it is quite addictive........I just want to plant more and more crops and watch them grow......amazing.  My friends and family are reaping the rewards as the oversupply of goodies is making its way to them....I made the beginners mistake of planting all the seedlings at once instead of staggering the planting, so I have a plethora of produce all at once.....currently looking up recipes for preserving tomatoes.....have loads of them and will have a try at bottling them...as usual, have not done this before so will see how it goes...fingers crossed... next season I will stagger the planting and hopefully have a steady supply instead.

Writing Group

My Gumboots

I've recently joined the local community house writing group...a lovely bunch of creative people who have all come together to learn and hone their craft under the guidance of Marie...I've been trying to write for a long time but lack the confidence to share my writing....hopefully the class will help not only develop my skills but also encourage me to share what I write with a larger audience....fingers crossed.   First small assignment was to write about what you see when you look out of any window.....I looked out my studio window and saw the gumboots....so I wrote about that....not sure that I am ready to share it on this blog.....will get some feedback and then decide.......who know perhaps I will put it up here !!

Home Grown....who'd have thought !!

Todays harvest from the Garden

I know I keep harping on about the veg, but I am continually amazed daily by what I can gather from walking into my own backyard.........it's like a bounty of goodies silently waiting for me to select them and share our table with them......I'm certain that this is what people are meant to do......be in touch with the earth that grows their food.....watch it grow, nurture it, treat it gently.....it gives back a hundred fold for all the loving attention....Life is so good.....I find something to amaze me everyday.   I wish everyone could have this joy.

What I'm reading ..........

I belong to an amazing bookclub run by the local community house....very eclectic mix of people.....retired local doctor, retired journalist, local gentleman thespian.......to name a few..to date we haven't had very good books as a group, but the discussions are always fantastic...very educated bunch and have fantastic insight into the novels....and very diverse opinions on what makes a good read.

Last months book was The Household Guide to Dying...as the title suggests the subject matter is a little morose, but written with black humour in an attempt to make light of death and all it involves.....not really my cup of tea.....but worth a read.....looking forward to hearing what the group think......hopefully next months book will bring more joy !!

Some of the crops

The lettuce and zucchini's, eggplants & capsicums

 Pic's of the vegie gardens.....I check on them everyday to see how things are growing....I can't wait for all of the pumpkins to mature and be ready to harvest...along with the tomatoes, etc.... 

Some of the tomatoes...

This is the corn....not sure how it will go

The QLD blue



More tomatoes