Time Away.

Have just been out to turn on the sprinklers and hoses for the gardens and fruit trees. Everything is going well despite the high temps for this time of year. The tank is emptying fast so it looks like we'll be using tap water if we don't get some rain soon. It's crazy - we had a couple of years where it was almost non-stop rain and now we're all praying for it to fill our tanks. lol. I was speaking to a woman who lives about 20 k's from here who is on tank water only, and she's already anticipating having to buy water in the next month or so!

We recently had a lovely short break in Nambucca Heads on the N.S.W. north coast with my sister and brother-in-law. It's a good time to visit at the moment if, like me, you can't stand tropical humidity. It's a beautiful area and inland Dorrigo and Bellingen are well worth a visit. The two photos are taken from the look-out in Nambucca. Great views!

One of three kookaburras that pop in each day to visit my sister. A butcher bird also visits for a snack.








I'm going to include a recipe for a dessert my sister made while we were there and I can HIGHLY recommend it!!

                                    CARAMEL BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING.  
5 slices of bread - raisin toast loaf was used.
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
470 can of evaporated milk
1 cup water
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon

Method.

   *  Trim crusts from bread, butter bread lightly and cut into fingers.
   *  Lightly grease dish, sprinkle brown sugar over base then cover with bread, buttered side up
   *  Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add milk and water, beat until combined.
   *  Carefully pour milk mixture over bread.
   *  Sprinkle with cinnamon.
   *  Place dish in a baking dish with enough water to come halfway up sides of dish.
   *  Bake in a moderate oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until custard is set.

******* Better make 2 because this won't last!!

Tuesday.

Wow the wind would blow a dog off a chain here today. The sun is shining and the temp is 31c. Already the smell of bush fires is being carried on this wind. :(

The veggies will struggle this summer I'd say, if this is what its like now at the beginning of spring. The tomatoes didn't do so well last year but we have moved beds and put in extra plants  in the hope that we will get plenty this season. I like to have extras to make pasta sauce etc.

So far we have put it tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, onions and spring onions, spinach, zucchini, more basil, peppermint, parsnips, beetroot and chilli.The strawberries are doing fine as are the fruit trees, with the blueberries starting to appear. The herbs are loving the sun and the grape vines are sprouting again. There is still more to plant but it can wait another week.

 




A few of our everyday visitors.

Beautiful sunset from our back deck.