21 April 2008

A lazy Sunday

One of the readers here needs a little bit of friendly support and encouragement. Lacy and her husband Josh, at razor family farms, are hoping to adopt a baby. Here is part of a comment she left yesterday: "We've been attending adoption meetings. We're so excited, Rhonda! Originally, I had gone through all the classes by myself (while the husband was in Iraq). Now my husband can go too. We can't wait!" Please send Lacy and Mr Razor your prayers, best wishes, good thoughts or whatever is in your heart to help them through this period. I'm thinking of you both, Lacy.

We had a very quiet day yesterday. Hanno's blood pressure was elevated and he had bad headaches, so he was assigned to the couch with a newspaper and the TV while I did some cooking and knitting. It makes me a bit nervous when he's like this as he had a small stroke a couple of years ago. After that we bought a digital BP monitor so now, when it's necessary, we keep a check on hourly BP recordings and if he has to go to the doctor, we go armed with a record of his blood pressure readings. Yesterday he assured me he didn't need to go to the doctor so we just laid low and did the monitoring.

It was raining on and off most of the day so I really enjoyed fiddling around in the kitchen listening to the rain on
the roof. I made a banana and walnut cake with brown bananas from the freezer and followed that with rosella cordial. There is some research being done at our local university that indicates rosellas might help reduce high blood pressure. I'm hoping it does and I'm making enough cordial and tea to last until the next rosella harvest.

I often sprout seeds in the kitchen. Yesterday was the final day of growing for some alfalfa sprouts that we had on salad sandwiches for lunch. Sprouting seeds is the easiest of all growing. You just wash the seeds of your choice and leave them soaking in water for an hour, then completely drain off all the water. I do this in a large glass mason jar with a clean piece of cotton secured around the jar rim with a rubber band. The seeds are washed twice a day and drained completely. About one week later, you have your sprouts - as fresh as they can be.

With Hanno on the couch, I had outside duties yesterday, so I had to keep an eye on the baby chickens as they've just graduated into the chicken coop with the older girls. We've had no problems at all with them, they seem happy in their new home and they're a joy to watch. I took the photo below a couple of days ago when Hanno made them a kinder gym. LOL! Chooks love to climb and they've all had a sit on the gym as well as a walk along to ladder from one end to the other. Chooks! how could you live without them.

Welcome to all the new readers who found their way here recently. I hope this is a good week for everyone. Today is the first of my three days at the Centre. So I had better start getting ready; I swear each week it takes a little bit longer to make myself presentable.
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28 comments

  1. I hope Hanno starts to feel better! Sounds like you had a pleasant Sunday at home. I'm spending my Sunday catching up on laundry and listening to the wind blow here in Nebraska! Could we ever have a calm day?? Your chooks look happy and healthy! Take care!

    Kristina

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  2. Hi Rhonda Jean, I'm a newcomer to your blog, from just over the way in New Zealand. I'm loving reading all your posts. I can't wait to try out some of the tutorials you've written. I'm new to blogging (I blog at www.homesteadblogger.com/littlebournefarm)and new to homesteading and trying to live a more simple life. Your blog is so encouraging and helpful. Thank you for sharing all your wisdom and advice.
    Rachel L from NZ

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  3. I hope the tea does the trick for Hanno, and I'm glad that you had a happy Sunday.

    Cheers,

    Anna Marie

    Ps: How did the bread work out for you?

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  4. Good Morning Rhonda Jean, I'm sorry Hanno is not so well, I hope he is feeling better today. Have a good day at the Centre.

    Pippa in Cornwall

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  5. It sounds like a lovely day to me, except of course for the worry of your darling Hanno, I hope he is much better today.

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  6. I love reading your blog after a long day, Rhonda! It totally calms me down. Your words are very comforting. Kind of like the Grandma I never had.

    Hope Hanno is feeling better today. Headaches are just awful, and especially if you guys have to worry about his BP.

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  7. Hello Rhonda Jean, I am also a newcomer here for posting but have been reading your blog for months now. Your blog is my favorite and as was stated earlier it is very calming to read. I am from Missouri which is "down the road" from Nebraska and like Kristina am spending the day catching up on laundry but for once---no wind howling. Simple Living is a constant work in progress and I have been so much happier since living this way.

    Brenda

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  8. Hi Rhonda Jean, It's a rainy Sunday here in Maryland. Me and my girls baked banana muffins (with chocolate chips in a few of them) and then a super easy recipe for chocolate cake that uses mayonaise instead of egg and oil. The girls were a little grossed out about the thought of mayo in cake, but it was moist and delicious. Hope Hanno is feeling better.

    Donna

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  9. I hope Hanno feels better soon, the odd easy day certianly doesnt harm anyone.
    I quite often sprout seeds and I definitely over complicate things. I use a tray system which was designed for sprouting but the little things sprouts get stuck in the meshy stuff as they grow and it takes ages to clean. I hadn;t realised it could be done quite so simply! As usual, something new learnt from you (who knew I had so much learning to do!!!)
    Best Wishes
    Lizzie

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  10. Evening/Morning!

    Hope Hanno feels better soon. My other half has a lingering cough and it grabs at your heart a little to see strong men hit by a bout of illness or health concern.
    About these Rosellas..:) I spent three weeks in Sydney visiting family (am in the UK) and after reading about your Rosella jam went on a hunt for some. Everyone looked at me as if I had made it up and wondered whether I was referring to birds! I thought I had struck lucky at the Sydney Easter Show ("where the country comes to town"!). I found a jam making lady who said the harvest was late this year and they couldn't find a reliable source for the fruit. I hope to try some someday! The extent of my simple living today was to use my fiend's allotment-grown leeks in a potato dauphinoise dish - delicious. Take care,

    Sparkly

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  11. While it is raining in your part of the world it is snowing and storming in mine...
    I will be praying that Hanno feels better after this rest...Sometimes all one needs is a good cup of tea and a restful day!
    Have a great week Rhonda!

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  12. Where do you get the seeds for sprouting? I have wanted to do that but thought I needed fancy equipment to do so.

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  13. I hope Hanno is feeling better!

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  14. I'm just new to this blog, and am starting to live a simpler life too, here in the suburbs of Melbourne.
    I have Hanno and Lacy and Josh in my prayers.
    Thanks for the reminder about sprouts. That is definitely a project I can get my daughters into - they may even eat the resultant crop. Here's hoping.

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  15. Hello and thanks for the nice welcome...looks like you enjoy life and keep your hands busy with many things. Looking forward to reading more!

    Kimmie
    mama to 6
    one homemade and 5 adopted

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  16. Hi Rhonda, I've used Valerian root (encapsulated) as a muscle relaxant and found it has the added benefit of lowering the blood pressure. Sure hoping Hanno is doing much better now.

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  17. Rhonda, you're the only one I know who makes a gym for their chickens. Too funny! Hope Hanno is feeling better soon.

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  18. Hi Rhonda Jean!

    I am amazed -- not only do you pen my favorite blog on this planet and thrill & inspire me with your beautiful posts but now you have written about my family and the adoption.

    I can't begin to express the joy in my heart when I read your kind words. Please know that my Inbox has been filled with heart-warming emails that both of us (my wonderful husband et moi) have read with tears in our eyes.

    How ever did you know? How did you know that those emails and lovely words of encouragement was just what we needed? We have very little biological family and almost none of them live close by so we really had been charging along as a duet (so to speak). I cannot begin to tell you what it means to know that we are not alone and that we have such an amazing support system.

    Thank you and bless you, Rhonda Jean.

    In friendship,
    Lacy

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  19. Well wishes to Hanno!

    I LOVE the little chook jungle gym!

    The cordial just sounds like something I would adore. I've only ever had cherry cordial. Sigh.

    :)

    I always read your blog just before I turn off the computer and head to bed. I always wake the next morning charged to do something that you have mentioned in your blog.

    Blessings!
    -Lacy

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  20. Hi Rhonda Jean :) I hope this week will be a joyful one! Please tell Hanno that he is in our prayers. Love to you, Q

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  21. Hi Rhonda Jean. Thank you, once again for your, in'spirit'ational words. Sorry to hear that Hanno is suffering. The Homeopathic remedy, Belladonna, is very useful for hot, pounding, throbbing headaches, particularly those caused by a raised BP. It's safe and effective when indicated, with no side effects. Maybe it could help? I laughed at the chicken gym. I have 3 Girrls who are expert escape artists,(The DEC's - Delinquent Escapee Chickens), maybe if I give them some other entertainment my garden might be given a rest.

    Bright Blessings.

    Sheryl

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  22. Hope anno is feeling better today and your day at the centre goes well. Will say prayers for you and Lace and Josh. Hugs to all!

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  23. Hello Rhonda Jean
    I echo the words of so many. Firstly prayers to Hanno that the headaches are Mother Natures way of saying rest today, and secondly and I must say I am so proud, I made bread by myself. The workout from the kneading was just so worth it and even my kids ate the whole lot so on the 6 days of the week when I don't work, I will be using my new simplicity skill of breadmaking.
    Secondly I also would like to ask where do you buy your seed for alfalfa from.
    Thank you so much for your inspiritional words.
    Julie in Geraldton West Australia

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  24. I'd like to add my wishes for Hanno's good health. It was lovely reading all the good wishes from around the globe, and the little weather snippets. It was very misty here in the UK midlands and we also had some rain.

    Charis

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  25. How inspiring you are! I have just discovered your blog and I am most intrigued by the Rosella cordial.

    Thank you for your blog! I will visit regularly from Down Under!

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  26. Hi Rhonda Jean,
    I really like your blog! Here are three key things to remember as possible signs of a stroke. 1. ask the person to smile. 2. ask the person to speak a simple sentence. 3. ask person to raise both arms. Hope Hanno feels better soon. Sincerely,
    A fan

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  27. Hello everyone. I read out these comments to Hanno. He beamed. He asked me to pass on his sincere thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. He was feeling a bit better when I came home yesterday. That may have been because he drank a half bottle of rosella cordial while I was at work! LOL!

    Anne Marie, the bread was great. Fabulous texture and taste. Thankyou.

    This is where I get my seeds for sprouting:
    http://www.greenharvest.com.au/seeds/sprouting_seeds.html
    Here are some other sites:
    http://www.sprout.net.au/prd_sprouting_supplies.htm
    http://www.sprouting.com/sprouting%20seeds.htm
    http://www.allotment.org.uk/greenhouse/seeds/sprouting-seed.php

    Sparkly, Rosellas are only grown in northern west australia, the northern territory and Queensland. It needs to be hot and humid. They have a lovely taste - it's tart, like a mix of raspberries and rhubarb.

    Thanks to everyone who let us know about the natural remedies.

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  28. Hi Rhonda,
    so glad that Hanno is feeling better.
    lucky you having some rain, out here in the central West of NSW it is quickly becoming far worse than last year, and now looking like getting any rain I know the farmers are extremely worried. with another bad year looming, and as this is a major grain growing area it is extremely worring as to what the powers that be will do to our grain prices in the very near future.
    Enjoy you work today and come hoem and relax with Hanno.
    Hugs Lorraine

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