Catch-Up.

** You know I find it difficult sometimes to give a name to my jottings as they always seem so random; just bits and pieces of our life. Doesn't matter; perhaps I'll be inspired as I write. :) or not.

As usual I have some catching up to do to keep you up to date with whats going on here.

Mark and I have done as much as we can to the folly area, cutting down non-natives trees (a couple have survived the cull - not sure yet if we want to keep them) and clearing the path to and the area around the actual folly. Interestingly a neighbour informed us the original owner fancied herself a witch and built the area for - well I'm not sure what. As much as I love dry-stone walls its being removed and we will use some of the really large stones on the property to form a ringed seating area. We disturbed a red-belly in the wall the other day; Mark and the dog had been sitting exactly over where the snake later emerged. He was a bit slow and sleepy and cranky at being woken up I'd say. And that was just Mark. hahahaha.

We hired a landscaping person to clear most of the rocks from various areas; the folly, out on the front fence-line; and another ring around some trees and down the back. He was only here for an hour and his bob-cat had an electrical fault and that was that. The auto-electrician was here that afternoon but has had to send for a part so the bob-cat is languishing under some trees! Hopefully it will be fixed in the next day or two and then he'll  move the rocks we've marked and place them in position. Some of them are quite large but no-one seemed very keen on my idea of an Aussie Stonehenge; so ringed seating area it is.



Dead Bob-Cat.

A few of the girls came out for lunch last week and it was just lovely. The weather was perfect and  after lunch we sat on the deck and just enjoyed one the few remaining warm sunny days left before winter hits. Was able to send them home with little packs of lavender biscuits I'd made. I don't know what the girls thought (I think they're too polite to comment lol) but I didn't like them. I followed the recipe but it seemed too much lavender to me, they tasted a bit bitter, so I'll give them another go......oh yes in my new stove!!!! Yes got a new stove. YAY. Back to the weather report......... The nights have been a little cool but we haven't had the fire or air-con on for a few days now. For my o.s. friends and family the days are still around 20-23c; practically a heat-wave Valdine! lol.

Next Saturday we're off to Purple Pear Organic Farm again. This is the last of the day classes we signed up for though I saw a leaflet for a class for making sour-dough bread. I luuurrrrve sour-dough bread so that might be another thing to try.

Jordan's barrumundi was brilliant. He seasoned it with the Cajun spice and white wine and I'm not sure what else; whatever it was it was so good.

Happy Birthday to my sister, her husband and my nephew - all in May. :) :) :)

Mark has started painting the house. We FINALLY picked a colour. Its a pale grey. I love pale colours so I can go mad with accent colours. I'm off to sit in the sun and read. lol - yes that does sound terribly slack. I have to read a book and write a review ( Single and Free - Female Migration to Australia 1833-1837) for the course I'm doing and besides Mark doesn't like me helping him paint. :( He says I'm the only person he knows who can walk past a closed paint tin and still get covered in it. Humph - slight exaggeration Markie boy! :)

Family and friends.

Today Mark and I popped in on some friends who have just retired and are leaving the area to begin their tree-change about 5.5 hours from here. Where they've bought their property is only a couple of hours from where Jordan has moved so we'll do a round trip and pop in on them when we go to visit Jord in Mudgee. We've known this couple for years and they are good, good people. We wish them all the best as they begin their new lives.

Their moving got me thinking about friends and family and how easy it is to take them for granted. Its human nature to glide through life, subconsciously believing everyone will always be around. Of course we know that's not true but we often act as if it is. Today is a good day to tell people how you feel about them; to let them know you care.

Through the week I had lunch with 3 girl-friends and had such a great time. We meet once a month and go to a different place every time; nattering away for a few hours and enjoying the break, the food and company. (and wicked desserts Shelly!) We're going a bit crazy and having lunch again on Wednesday but here at my place; so looking forward to it.

Tomorrow our son is cooking lunch for us before he drives back home. He's doing barramundi with Cajun seasoning, white wine and cous cous. I can't wait to try it, especially seeing I don't have to do anything but eat it when its cooked. :) Well maybe I'll volunteer for the dishes. Maybe.........

Tomorrow night our other son and his girlfriend are coming for a visit and dinner. A nice roast I think will be the order of the day. Its chilly of an evening now so a nice baked dinner will be yummy.

What a gift to be able to spend time with all of them.You know this home, this lifestyle, is a dream come true for Mark and I; but it wouldn't mean much at all if we didn't have anyone to share it with.

Mothers Day.

Happy Mothers Day to all Aussie mums for Sunday.

 Even though my 3 kids are in there 20's there's been much huddled and hushed conversations going on for the last few weeks. Celebrations are always a big deal around here. My daughter keeps smiling telling me she can't wait until Sunday; that I'm going to love it. 

I still have a memory box full of pasta necklaces (that I wore shopping) hand-made cards and pottery........ things. :)  The kids think its funny that I still have them but I tell them a pasta necklace is as precious as a diamond ring to a mother.

 Some people talk about the commercialism of such days but its what you make it. Buying into the hype is a choice; so is just having fun with those you love.

 I'm so looking forward to spending time with my three tomorrow. One of my sons lives about 4 hours away now but he came home for the weekend and my other son, though working, is coming here after work. Its breakfast out with hubby, son and daughter  - then seeing the eldest in the afternoon. Its not the gifts -  the best present ever is being able to see all three. But who knows - I might even get lucky and get a new pasta necklace. :)

Random Bits..

Another beautiful morning here in Gods own country!
When I took the dog for her "wee" walk this morning I was struck by how many tiny flowers and interesting things there are in the grass. Yes a little random I guess but I'm in the habit of watching the grass when I walk .(though the "Joe Blakes" should be slowing down and curling up somewhere for the winter)




These are tiny toadstools. Aren't they the cutest things! I couldn't get any closer to see but I wouldn't mind betting there's a fairy or two hidden under one of them. lol.

I'm told these are magic mushrooms. Wouldn't have a clue, they are pretty though. Sadly we have no edible mushrooms on the property thus far, just lots of odd coloured and shaped things.

                                



      

     These are like tiny orchids.

I'm pretty sure all the photos are of weedy type things that may grow everywhere for all I know but I think they're beautiful. I don't believe in ordinary, not for people, nor for plants or anything really. When I look at these I see something so
beautifully made, so perfectly formed  - how could anyone possibly say they are ordinary!

Mark stacked some wood up on a stand on the back deck this morning. We haven't had the combustion fire on yet -with the back of the house being completely glass it warms the rooms up beautifully so of a night its still quite comfortable.
Its just a case of being ready; the weather is so unpredictable. The sun is shining and its quite warm today. The wind has a little bite to it already though. Might be a cold night.

The rain has made it a pain to get anything dry. I have 2 fold out clothes-lines on the side of the house but I'd prefer a rotary line in the back-yard, so Mark is going to utilise one of the fold-ups and have it on some sort of pulley system under the deck roof so I can lower it down to hang clothes on in the wet weather. We're trying to get organised before the very cold weather comes.
I'm quite looking forward to seeing a winter here  - I have no doubt it will be cold - we're surrounded by mountains!

The garlic has all sprouted well; every one of them came up! I have to learn how to plait them so I can store them when they are ready to pull up. (not until around Christmas) I have visions of the funny little garlic sellers on an old English comedy called 'Allo 'Allo! The fig tree is doing well and has a few on it now. The blueberry is starting to get buds; peas are growing nicely as is everything else at the moment. I've got some ginger and potatoes to go in in the next few days. There's not much happening in the garden at the moment - I left my run a bit late this year. Never mind. We've achieved a lot in the 6 months we have been here.

Soup is on the stove for tonight. Yummy ham hock and vege. A nice damper with it......all's well with the world. :)

Autumn Morning.

What a lovely autumn morning. This is the view from the deck at about 7.30 this morning. Its not cold though ; I'm still in short sleeves.

The weather has been great for the Easter break. It was a sunny 27c here yesterday. A good break from the rain although we're looking down the barrel of heavy showers all next week. :(  The continuous rain has played havoc with the veges, a lot have just split and had to be pulled out.

We've just got a quiet day planned for today.
A couple of fruit trees to plant (orange, lemon and blueberry), some dirt to move, and some mint and lavender to pop into pots. I bought a small hot-house a few weeks ago; just a little cheap thing; and planted some beetroot and snow pea seeds to see how they would go. I also had some garlic cloves left over (I planted approx. 50 in one of the raised beds a few days ago) so I popped them in too. The beetroot and garlic were up in a matter of 2 days  - amazing. They were thriving. Then we got a huge wind on Saturday night and sent the whole thing flying - seedlings and hot-house. I was able to save the garlic but the rest were either crushed or missing. Oh well - we live and learn. It now has 2 besser blocks sitting on one of the shelves to hold it down.

My eldest sons birthday is tomorrow - Anzac Day. He and his partner are coming up and we'll go out to lunch to celebrate. Every year I find it hard to believe how old my kids are. Not because I have a problem with getting older; it just doesn't bother me; but it doesn't seem that long ago they were babies. I guess every parent thinks that. :) My other son has moved for work; about 4 hours away; but he's home for the weekend. Its been lovely so far with visitors and a lot of coming and going. We're even having an Easter egg hunt tomorrow - and no we don't have any small children coming lol. The guys suggested we could trade found eggs for bourbon - now there's a twist. Hmmmm - I can see a lot of frantic activity about the place tomorrow. Lol.

Basil Pesto.

Just wandered out (or should I say waded out) to the garden to pick some fresh basil. We don't have much in the garden at the moment to pick but the basil is doing well. We're having veal wrapped in prosciutto for dinner and I needed some basil pesto to go with it. It takes all of about about 5 minutes to pick it, whizz it about, add the other fresh ingredients and stick it in the fridge!

Basil Pesto. 
      4 cups fresh basil
      4 cloves of garlic
      1/3 cup of olive oil
     salt and pepper to taste

     *** I also add pine nuts and fresh Parmesan which is I guess, the usual way to make it but its not necessary if you're not keen. I do find the pesto a little bland without them though. You can really use most nuts - roasted first for a really nice taste.
Anyway a minute or so of whizzing about, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, bit more of a whizz and there you go!

I like to freeze it so I've always got some handy - just pop some in ice cube trays. Once it's frozen you can pop the cubes into a baggie and just use as needed. I use it in pasta dishes, salad dressing with mayo, mix with cream cheese for a stuffing for chicken breasts (then crumb in corn flake crumbs YUM!), or a favourite -  mixed in with mashed potato. There's a thousand ways you can use it.

First Fig.

The weather has been quite damp the last few days so that put paid to a lot of yard work. The lawn needs mowing but its wet enough for the ride-on to get bogged so that's best left until another day.

We had some more dirt delivered so rain, hail or shine that will be moved and used at the weekend - otherwise the grass will be covering at the mad rate that its growing and we'll have a lovely little hill in front of the water tank.

I was thrilled to discover the first wee fig on my tree this afternoon.

Isn't it lovely?! It has a way to go yet of course but its a reminder that we can have all the best food in the world in our own back yard, fresh and tasting like fruit and veges use to taste before they were popped into a cool room for 6 months.

We're off to a sustainability fair in Gloucester in the Hunter Valley on Saturday. Really looking forward to that. I'm hoping to buy some heirloom seeds there as well as some plants and goodies. Its such a beautiful area; I'll be sure to take some photos.

I've been in and out of the office all day checking the computer to see if the 1911 Scottish Census has been released. Its to be released today but of course the U.K is about 9 hours behind us, so it will be around 6pm tonight here before I think I'll even get a look in. I think that's right. :)) I'm hopeless when it comes to working out time differences! Genealogy is a passion ......ahem........obsession of mine and I've been waiting 3 years for some info I hope will be on this census. My dear daughter is cooking dinner, a lovely creamy pasta thing that she does so well. I must post the recipe (rich but oh so yummy) so I think for me its a nice hot shower, check the chookies are safe and warm, then curl up with the laptop and see if great grandfather Thomas is going to make his long-awaited appearance from 1911 Glasgow!