Hi! How are you?
More quiet days here and we're staying at home as much as possible. We both got our final vaccination this week so that was good but we're still obliged to wear a mask when we go out. The southern states are in lockdown due to the Covid Delta variant in the Greater Sydney area and a few regional areas of NSW. Victoria and South Australia, with fewer cases, are in lockdown as well. I send my love and best wishes to everyone affected. Hang in there, we're thinking of you.
I made a delicious beef, barley and root vegetable soup today and we have enough to feed us for the next four days at least. I love good soups when it's cold and it's one of those meals that improves in flavour every day.
Gracie didn't have the surgery we were expecting. The vet said her ear was much better but not completely cleared up, so she's on another course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. She'll have another checkup next week and I hope I can tell you next week that's she's fine and dandy again.
Thanks for your visit today. I hope you and your family are healthy and safe. Take care and be kind to each other. xx
Weekend Reading
- The best of bear cam, last week
- Victoria's chief vet calls for stricter pet food regulations amid investigation into dog deaths
- What foods can I freeze?
- 15 Easy Recipes for Ripe, In-Season Tomatoes
- A day with the Amish in Blacksburg Virginia
- No scientific consensus yet on whether warming Arctic may lead to more extreme weather
- Homeschooling and working from home: What are your rights?
- Korean home life, healthy meals, travelling to the countryside and crochet
- The Pandemic Has Been Tough for Extroverts. Here's How I Managed to Make Friends Anyway
- 8 Everyday Things That Are Dirtier Than a Toilet
- Two-Ingredient All Natural Gel DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipe
- Cockatoos learn how to flip open garbage bins by copying each other
- Homegrown Herbal Tea Recipes for Better Sleep
Thanks for sharing. The bread looks yum !
ReplyDeleteWe are experiencing the surge in Delta cases here in the US as well. Although mask wearing is not mandatory, I'll be donning mine at the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteSo many interesting reads this week. I will make time this weekend to get to them.
Thank you for sharing these wonderful tidbits. I love hearing how you are doing on the other side of the world! Glad Gracie is on the mend.
Blessings...daisy
Very wise, Daisy. Masks, hand washing or sanitising and distance are very effective in keeping you safe when you're away from home. I'm glad you enjoy the reading. xx
DeleteHello Rhonda. Glad all is well in your part of the world. We are still in lockdown but as a treat I decided to have my homemade pea and ham soup and crusty roll outdoors in my backyard where I planned to enjoy my wonderful bird life visits and took a tour of the garden armed with notebook to give each and every plant a thorough lookover. Frost has done some trimming of my begonias but all in all none are deemed for intensive care. Good food, fresh crisp air, comfy seating and ability to enjoy what nature provides. A stayput holiday even if it is just for a couple of hours in the backyard to lift the spirit no matter what the outside world has in store for us all. I am glad to hear Gracie is on the road to recovery. I also completed the Miss Marple scarf you shared quite a while ago. Love the result and will do some more for my nearest and dearest. May peace and harmony continue to be with you and your family. Julie from Mooroolbark in Victoria.
ReplyDeleteYour lunch outdoors sounds lovely, Julie. I'd like to wander with you through your backyard checking on the plants and birds. It's a whole other world in our backyards. I love that scarf. I still have mine. :- ) (Of course) Enjoy your weekend, stay safe and keep smiling. xx
DeleteCatch that bread when it has risen just barely an inch over the sides of the pan... because it will raise a bit more while baking... and that way it will be easier to store and you won't have such a huge piece of toast or sandwich. *lol* Yes, the Delta variant is seeking out those who are not vaccinated... and is even infecting those who are fully vaccinated. It is very smart. Take good care. ~Andrea xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteThis wasn't a rising issue Andrea, I didn't slash the bread correctly. There are two kinds of lift as you know, the bread rose properly then when I put it in the oven, the oven lift caused the loaf to blossom out in one area because I didn't put a long enough slash in. It was a very light loaf with a good crumb and it was delicious. Enjoy the weekend. xx
DeleteYour bread looks so good and the soup sounds delicious. While you are enjoying winter we are in the heat of summer here. Hope you have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear Gracies is improving. And that you are both staying safe and sound. Your bread looks scrumptious. We have had very hot weather here in Ireland for the past 10 days but it is cooler today. Also our Covid numbers have exploded in recrnt weeks, but thankfully less hospital cases than previously, as so many are now double vaccinated. Thank you for all your inspiration over the years to become much more self sufficient. It really has given us confidence to know we can do so much for ourselves and produce so much at home regardless of what is going on in the world. Hope you have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteI love the photos of your bread. It looks divine. I just bought three Cecile Brunner roses and thought of you. They smell so fragrant, and look so dainty and feminine. I am so thankful for the simple living lifestyle during this pandemic. Cases have risen dramatically in Los Angeles County, too. I have been spending most of my time in the garden. It has been a Godsend. The birds like it, too. We even had a bear down below the cabin!
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear that Gracie is feeling better. We have 2 fur babies on meds right now for ear problems and a third on meds for lung and heart difficulties. they don't much like the medicines but we have to do what is best for them. Just love the picture of you, you look so young and happy! I continue to love and enjoy Grandma Donna's blog too. Our summer garden is about done, just need to can some more. When we get the gardens cleaned up I may try to plant some broccoli and cauliflower. Did not have good luck last time with that. Blessings, Carolyn Gilbert
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Always wonderful to see what you have been doing for the week Rhonda. It is such a blessing you still blog regularly as it keeps me motivated xx
ReplyDeleteGood morning Rhonda,Gracie and Hanno. Glad Gracie's ear improved. It's quite cold and drizzly again and locked in still, I've been touching up paintwork and cleaning out cupboards but struggling to settle with my craft projects this time. Hopefully we will be released this week. We are a couple of weeks off our second covid jab, and are really missing seeing our grandchildren, who are about 50 minutes away, not that distance makes much difference. We are grateful for FaceTime, it has been a lifesaver! Have a lovely week.
ReplyDeleteI do love the unadorned Rhonda photo! That wonderful green sweater also. My sourdough loaves have been doing that poof thing lately. Maybe need to slash the top more, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes, a good slash along the top of the loaf will fix it. It allows the gasses to escape instead of puffing up the dough.
DeleteSo glad that Gracie seems to be well on the mend and that you are both in good health - and busy as usual. I must say it pleases me to see that you also are happy to eat the same food several days in a row. I always felt I was the odd one out when left-overs are discussed here. As you say, food often tastes better after the first day. Not to mention the luxurious feeling of have more "free" time and not having to cook a meal from scratch. Soup I could happily eat every day. Just a bit disappointed in myself that I haven´t got round to cooking gazpacho soup in this hot weather. But our tomatoes are starting to ripen now, so if the warm weather keeps up, I´ll get on with it.
ReplyDeleteSo sad about all the lockdowns in OZ. Our family in Melbourne are hoping to come out of the latest mini-lockdown very soon. I wonder how long they can keep this up? Let´s hope the vaccine problem is sorted out soon.
In our region here in Sweden, 80% of the population has had 2 jabs and 50% 1. Many restrictions have been relaxed. We have had both and are venturing out though slowly.
Keep well! xx
Ramona