Weekend Reading

We've been really busy this week. Hanno's had a couple of health issues and had to go for an unexpected checkup with his eye specialist. The doctor uncovered a problem, a retinal vein occlusion,  and did an operation on the spot.  As I'm writing this, he's visiting his GP because of high blood pressure. Hopefully, there will be an easy solution for that too.

The garden on Wednesday.

Weekend Reading

Another week has gone by in lockdown, although the tough restrictions are slowly starting to lift here. The days are beautifully slow but the weeks seem to fly by. I'm not really sure how that works, but that's what it feels like.  We've been doing our regular chores, reading, gardening, sewing, knitting and cooking. Nothing much has changed. 

After two days of sweet potato and pumpkin soup, today's lunch is roasted pork belly, sweet potato, cauliflower and onion, and yes, I'm still eating my junket. 🙂

 Amazon lily.

Weekend Reading

This is the farmhouse hard cheese I used to make.

I've been going through my old photos and there are several I'll share with you in the coming weeks. I used to make cheese fairly frequently, I loved making it and it was delicious.  I haven't made any for a couple of years but that's because I found it difficult getting enough fresh milk rather than I stopped liking it.

Slow and safe havens

I live in the slowest of slow lanes and there is a lot to love about slowing down. I get the full measure of what each day brings, I have time to enjoy what I'm doing, I sit and reflect and don't feel guilty and every day there is a growing appreciation for having the time to enjoy the quietness of my own home.

A sign of the times.

Weekend Reading

It's soup time!  I would live on soup if I could. Most soups are nourishing, the flavour improves each day and they're so easy to make. With each passing day, you can add something different like croutons, hot bread, dumpings or fresh herbs so instead of being boring, your soup is comfort food during cold and dreary weather. My favourites are pea and ham and beef, barley and vegetable, which the vegetables photographed above are destined for.

A cruise through the past week

I have a collection of photos for you today with not much writing. The garden photos were taken yesterday and the others over the course of the past week.  I hope you enjoy them. I'll have more garden photos for you when I tidy the place up a bit and things start growing. Where you see the straw above, I've just scattered seeds - alyssum, aquilegia (granny's bonnet) and bee and butterfly mix.

Weekend reading

Imagine my surprise and delight when this little beauty glided down our driveway a couple of days ago. It's our "new" courier vehicle. It's a customised US delivery van, the same van that used to deliver parcels and mail between Gympie and the Sunshine Coast (where I live) in the 1940s. The man driving has restored it to its original condition. You can't see them but inside those blackened windows, the van is packed with parcels. It was such a pleasure to see it and talk to the owner/driver who is obviously very proud of it.

Autumn and winter rituals

Late afternoon in the chook run - a tree full of lemons and leaves falling from the pecan tree.

Shorter days, cool nights and cardigans are all sure signs we are in my favourite season - autumn. There's not much I don't like about this time of year, although, because of what's happening in the wider world, this May is unlike any I can remember.  Some of my routines change in autumn as I respond to the changing temperature and levels of light.

Weekend Reading

Our ginger is growing well. I planted this up about eight weeks ago and recently moved it out of the greenhouse to get more sun. Now it's getting cooler, I'll move it to sit in full sun all day.  

I planted some of the crop I harvested last year and kept it on the kitchen bench until it started to shoot. Ginger generally needs warm weather to grow well so if you're down south, wait till spring to plant.

Weekend reading

I've been made aware over the past couple of weeks that quite a few of you like my recipes (thank you), so here's another one.  It's a zucchini slice, which we had for lunch yesterday and will finish off today.  It's very tasty, thrifty and easy and it can be eaten hot or cold, so it's ideal to add to a lunchbox for work or school.