The trouble with simple living is that, though it can be joyful, rich, and creative, it isn't simple. ~Doris Janzen Longacre


The best way to bring a sustainable change in the world around me is by bringing the change in myself



Sunday, November 22, 2009

Lavender Hill ... our slice of heaven

Another weekend at the farm, we left Thursday 4am for the 6hr drive to Bellbrook. But first we stopped off a Nabiac for a quick cuppa with Tipsiepixie from ALS. She is doing great since our last visit, her garden is looking great and she also gave me a quick run down about Wicker beds, the vegetable kind. So I thought a few photo's of the farm would make a nice change. While the whistling kettle was warming on the hotplate, I went snapping pics, leaving George to make the coffee. I love the misty mornings. Maggie the magpie joined us for breakfast, she must have been handraised to come this close, but we have never touched her only given her some scraps which she happily takes. She brought her hungry juvinile baby with her, my but it noisy. Warning many people have been bombdived by magpies around this time cause of the babies.

























Well thats just a little taste of life Up River. I still can't believe the place was so overgrown when we first started. Still got a bit to clear. We have had 80mm of rain since the last time we were there, and the grass is growing like crazy. Roll on December, them sheep are going to have a feast.
Please excuse the state of the garden but there really was no time to do any weeding, we had posts to concrete in.

Until nexttime when I will take you on a tour of Bellbrook
Rina

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Plans for december holidays and Christmas at the Farm

Every year for the last 3 years we have said we going to be at the farm over the holiday period, but then we head up to the kids in Brisane instead, only cause they don't want to drive down. Which I understand as we still don't have a house built yet. Need to do all the council soil tests, +++ For us two oldies it not a problem we just rough it out in the old caravan. Even the grandkids enjoy it there, but having no mod cons there just does not suit them. The sound of running water, hot showers and ice cold beers is more their style. If we manage to get them there we would hire a holiday cabin from my friend Jenny.

We do have a generator that is strong enough to power up lights, fridge and powertools but I hate the noise it makes and only use it when we really have too. The only thing I miss is the computer. We don't have a TV but we could take a spare one with a dvd recorder for DH's cowboy movies (God forbid)as if he doesn't see enough of those during the week at home. Weekend's it normally sport. Otherwise we just run a camping fridge and 2 gas burner hotplate. We also BBQ a fair bit or cook in the Texas smoker. Evenings we burn citronella torches for the mozzies and light. Normally I have a bucket of water in the shade where I just pop in cooldrink bottles, milk and juice, that work really well in wintertime, add a bag of ice and you got icecold drinks.

Bath time is a little more challenging, you need to boil a kettle and sausepan for hot water, pour that in a large old cast iron freestanding bath, and add required cold water, only difference is it outside. There is another method but it sounds a little like a witches pot to me, but I will give it a go oneday and make a small fire under the bath, only got to watch I don't burn this fat behind. Wood I got a plenty. Dear Husband hates making the fire but I really don't mind it, no little white starter blocks or other strange methods, just newspaper, thin kindling and matches. No I did not go to girl guides when I was young.

We might even try catching some dinner this time, the river has Bass and catfish and some other edible fish. and it's only 5 mins away. If that fails we just head on to Smithtown to our hang out joint and have a nice Barramundi with chips and salad. What a great venue on the river bank where you can moar you boat and sit outside enjoying lunch and a beer. Nexttime we there I will take some pic to show you.

We still have to do a bit of fencing at the farm so the sheep can go there for the month, that idea is slowly disintergrating cause I just can't see it being ready in time. We heading up this weekend with yet another trailer load of sand stone. The ground should be nice and wet for digging holes as we have had heaps of rain there.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Waffles

Basic waffle mixture
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 egg
2 Tsp melted butter or oil
3/4 cup milk

Method
Sieve dry ingredients into a bowl.
Add melted butter, milk and egg together,
Add gradually to flour mixing well.

Serve with your favorite topping. (which would have been syrup and ice cream)
DD made us dessert on Sunday evening and she drizzled warm honey, a scoop of frozen yogurt 97% fat free and freshly chopped strawberries. Oh so yummy!
Makes 4 smallish waffles.

Today's to do list

Here's enough work for a whole troop of strong workers, but no my DS moved to Brisbane to get away from his mother, can't say I blame him but more than 14 hrs drive? Did he have to go that far? and I thought giving him a good feed and letting him use my washing machine was good payment.





So back to that list: I know I said it before but this is tops on the list ... Daisy the goat's yard and house. She is in trouble with DD for jumping on her car, it's the first time she has done that. She perfers to lie in the boot, supervising all the workers. And to do her job properly she needed to have "the best seat in the house", just stay away from my Bud ... story for another day.

I am past feeling sorry for poor husband who is going to help me today with the above house. Treated posts have been concreted in, gate is hanging but no fencing yet. DD thinks Daisy is going to live there permanently, and is suggesting we give Norman a home. He has been castorated and is only a week older than Daisy. But Norman has a great time at University. That's the Livestock Department of cause where his is allowed to walk freely, all the medical care he needs. What feral goat could ask for a better life.

So please come back later today and I will post more pic of our progress.

And I am still looking for 2 readers wanting to take part in my Pay it Forward give away Will that be you ... I don't mind sending overseas.

Srr ya later Alligator... in awhile crocodile.