Life here at home

Yesterday held the kind of loveliness that only comes in late Winter here. The morning was cold but it warmed to a mild day which almost convinced me to take off my jumper. Almost. As usual, there was plenty to do with all the normal chores and a fair bit of relaxing and talking on the front verandah. We had one trip out to have morning tea with my step son and daughter-in-law. Cathy gave me several bags of fabric, some of it vintage, for our sewing circle at the Centre and Jens showed us his newly built chook house. They're buying their girls in late Spring, after a trip to Europe.

I have been meaning to mend one of my nighties since I put my elbow through the sleeve a couple of weeks ago. That mending was done now, along with tightening some button holes on one of Hanno's shirts and stitching the hem of a skirt. I think this nightie will be in the rag bag next year but as long as it sees me through this Winter I'll be pleased, and if I get any extra, it will be a bonus. I think the nightie is about eight years old.

I topped up my laundry powder box so we should be right for the next few months. It's a simple mix of soap, borax and washing soda that I've been using for many years now and it's still giving me a perfect wash. It doesn't make all those suds commercial cleaners do so it's perfect for my front loader. If you would like to make it, the recipe is:

CONCENTRATED LAUNDRY POWDER
4 cups grated laundry or homemade soap or soap flakes (Lux)
2 cups borax
2 cups washing soda
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and store in a plastic container with a lid. Use 2 tablespoons per wash.

We have to watch the chickens when they're free ranging now because they scratch the new garden we planted last week. I let them out on Saturday and they wandered around chasing bugs and shadows. It is always a pleasure to watch their antics, they walk along calmly, then run for no reason, then continue their hunt for wandering bugs.

By the time the free ranging is over, they've covered the entire yard, always keeping in their group.

We didn't need to do much in the garden, except pick food to be eaten. Hanno picked kale for his usual feast and I picked silverbeet (chard) for a pie and herbs for my scrambled eggs. We checked on the potatoes, they're growing nicely with new potatoes ready to be picked from the sides. We call that bandicooting here. You can take the new potatoes from each plant without disturbing the main crop. Those potatoes are the sweetest and most tasty and you could easily make a meal of only those potatoes, with some butter and herbs. I think we'll be doing that next week and have the new potatoes with some steamed silverbeet and green beans on the side.

I don't think I took a photo of the finished small tank project. This tank is our third, it's only small, holding 500 litres (132 gallons), but it provides water harvested from the front of the house roof for use on the potted plants and the crop of potatoes we planted along the driveway.

The down pipe coming in from the roof takes the harvested water into the tank. The pipe coming from the top of the tank to the ground is the overflow. That allows the overflowing water to flow onto a stone paver instead of gushing from the top of the tank.

Rosie is slowing getting better. We took her to the vet last Thursday and he said she had a problem in her intestines. She has lost about one third of her weight and doesn't look well at all, but after a few days on the Scourban the vet prescribed, she is eating again. She is still weak and often stumbles when she is walking around but I think she is improving each day. Thank you to all for your good wishes and prayers for Rosie.

Another week is starting today and I'll be back at work in a few short hours. It looks like being busy week and I have to tell you I look forward to all we will do, both here and at work. I hope your week is a good one and that we all look back at the end of it pleased with our efforts and satisfaction with what we've achieved.