Now that Jamie has gone back to school I'm getting back to my regular routine. I still do most of my housework in the morning and the slower tasks, like mending, sewing and knitting, after lunch. I try to beat the current heat we're having and first thing this morning I was out watering the garden. I'm really just trying to keep the perennials, herbs and trees alive now. It's been a savage summer and luckily we have ample rainwater to use on the garden but it's a hopeless case with some of the plants. The only way to save some plants was to take cuttings and save seed so we'll be able to replant when the weather is milder. The sun is scorching and it seems more intense, last year was the same, and I have some plants that usually stay out in summer tucked away in the bush house. I'm currently planning this year's garden and with the combination of this deteriorating climate, age and dizziness playing a part, I hope we'll have herbs, garlic, tomatoes, chard, kale, lettuce, beetroot, small pumpkins, sweet potatoes and potatoes growing. I'll start looking for someone to weed and replant soon but it probably won't be until late April, when it starts to cool down, before we start.
That cupboard in the middle is my pantry. The stockpile cupboard is just around the corner.
You can just see the edge of a green bucket here. I don't usually have buckets on the kitchen bench but this one is full of elderberries.
Our old silky oak sideboard.
The little framed watercolour on the left was sent to me by Rose the year before she died.
I tried to give the photos some context so you could piece together how it's all set up.
This much cherished dresser is right at the back door. Hanno and I bought it about 35 years ago and it has moved with us ever since. One of the reasons I chose it was the 1919 penny, the same year my mother was born, inset in the wood.
Sharpened all my knives a few days ago and then cut a hole in my new hemp dish cloth when I washed them afterwards! Mending that is on my to do list in the coming days. Hanno picked some elderberries so they have to be stripped from their stems and made into a drink. He's out there again now stripping the tree of berries before he cuts it back. I'll also make a couple of jars of dried apricot jam soon and will post how I do that because a couple of readers have asked about it.
It was my fault for not being careful with just-sharpened knives. Using it for the first time, a hole right in the middle. I'll fix it before I wash it.
Salahan from EcoYarns reminded me to soak my skeins of hemp in warm water with a little hair conditioner added. They're dry now and feel really soft so they'll be easier to wind. If you do this, be gentle with the yarn. You don't want any tangles.
Before Jamie went back to school we did more baking so he'd have some homemade biscuits to pack in his lunch box. We made a mix of white choc chip and sprinkles for him and walnut for Hanno and I. I used the last of the nectarines in a tart tartin and once I cut these juicy segments I couldn't resist sampling a couple - chef's treat. 😇
We had the new kitchen tap installed last week and I'm really pleased with it. It much easier to fill my big pots now. We bought the tap at Ikea on our first trip there for a long, long time. We tend to shop locally now but Ikea was the only place I could find the tap I wanted. While we were there I found a single quilt and pillows slip set on half price special for $35. I've been looking for fabric that was darkish but with bright elements in it. This is navy blue background with bright florals. I bought two sets and will use them to recover the seating and cushions on our cane lounge set on the front verandah.
I think this fabric will serve us well on the cane lounge suite on the front verandah. It's dark enough to withstand the problems of being outside but bright enough to look good.
And finally, sorry for the ultra long post, I'm thinking of doing another blogging workshop for beginners. I've done several of these in the past and they've been very popular. A few ladies have asked if I would do another so I'd like to know if there are enough interested people to make it worthwhile. The cost will be $130AU and if we have enough people, it will start late February/early March. The course consists of detailed notes sent to you, a follow up of two group Skype sessions of one hour each and you can also ask additional questions via email. Let me know if you're interested.
