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Showing posts with label mabel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mabel. Show all posts

Remembering Mae




It's almost a year since our hound went missing.  I still miss that strawberry eating pup.  Not her naughtiness, like stealing birthday cake, or chasing cars or taking up the entire sofa.

But I miss her soft ears. And holding her paw.
And I just miss her being here.

I hope Mabel is happy where ever she is.

Dog gone


Missing.
For four days.
Naughty runaway beagle.
Sad children missing her.
Lonely Spoon missing her.
Missing her soft ears.
Missing her sneaking cake.
Missing her sneaking onto our beds.
Mabel is missing.
Mabel is missed.

Old news




This morning I thought to myself, "I must write a post about that Country Style article today," when the postie delivered the May edition.  It's now officially old news. We were in last month's Country Style.

We were thrilled to be included, especially Mabel.   She's enjoying her new found fame, and we've heard from good authority that Angus, a golden retriever from down the road has Mabel's picture stuck to the wall next to his basket.  She's a pinup pup!

I was so pleased that Lauren's skirt that Elsa was wearing got such good exposure.  I had asked Angie to make some pants for Hugo too, so both children could be showing off fab Tasmanian designers, but he refused to wear them on the day. All of a sudden there's a wardrobe tantrum from Mr Gumboots-and-undies.

The feedback we've received has been very much appreciated.  Thank you for all the lovely comments, messages and for coming to our stall to say hello and buy cakes.  And thank you to Millie for the sweet post too.

In other old news, last week's issue of Grazia magazine featured a wonderful write up about our cakes and one of our recipes in Matthew's column.  Very exciting for us to get a recipe published! Woo hoo!

Finally, the old news I'm most proud off.  I recently attended an incredible dinner at Garagistes for Slow Food Hobart.  You can read all about it here.  One of my photos was included in The Mercury article, in full colour, both online and in last week's paper. With a credit.  Yay! Pretty exciting for me.

Did I get paid a fortune? Not a penny.  Do I have ambitions to become a professional photographer?  Not if I have to learn the meaning of aperture.  Was I extremely very proud? Why yes I was!

Well dear reader, that's it for old news, you heard it here last. Come back soon for more up to the minute old news.

Getting sorted

I've started a dozen posts this past fortnight and found myself too easily distracted to finish even one.  Mostly by the garden and the glorious autumn weather we've been enjoying.  I'm going to publish this one.

It's taken us a few weeks to get used to the new rhythm of school and associated going-ons.  Even though we minimise after school activities, I still find myself struggling trying to remember if it is library, piano or soccer, despite having a very nice Frankie calendar on my wall.   Problem solved by a trip the local second hand store, where I picked up on old cream cupboard door for $5 and gave it a lick of chalkboard paint.  It sits by the door so I can remember to which day grab sheet music, violin, soccer boots or home readers on the way out.  That's activities sorted, now I just have to make sure I can find the chalk. 
On the same visit, I picked up a nice old paint splattered step ladder which makes a very fine shoe rack.  Now we can get out the door without falling over a pile of shoes.  That's shoes sorted, now we just have to make sure we don't trip over Mabel, who likes to lie on the door mat in the sun.

Speaking of handsome beagles, you must keep an eye out for the next issue of a stylish country magazine, where a certain pup may just grace the cover.

Next up getting weeds sorted, getting the chooks sorted and getting the washing sorted.  Righto, back to it.

This spring

The flowers are in full bloom and give the appearance of a proper cottage garden, ahem, in places. We've fox gloves for the first time this year. A new favourite, someone said once you have fox gloves you'll never get rid of them. I must say I'm pretty happy about that.
The children are building fairy worlds with leaves and lichen, and never want to come inside for dinner. I'm weeding, weeding and weeding and that Mabel, cute as she is, is digging holes where they are not wanted. Cheeky.

A shift in focus

It sounds pretty lame to admit defeat by a power point. But that's the sorry truth. Everything was going to perfectly to plan in the kitchen makeover stakes. And if I hadn't been so smug, I would have been prepared for hiccups.

You see, we had the sparkie take care of all things electrical so we could proceed without risk of electrocution. But on pulling out the remaining kitchen unit we found a forgotten powerpoint. Not on the wall but on the back cabinetry. That we're trying to pull out. Until that's gone we can't finish the tiling and install the sink.

And trying to get a sparkie out for one power point is nigh on impossible. So I've hit the wall, so to speak. Most renovators will grit their teeth and get on with it. But I dear reader, have lost my enthusiasm and can't see the finish line. So while my new kitchen sink languishes in transport somewhere, I've naturally turned my attention outside. It is spring after all.


chooks enjoying their last forage

We've had a fencing expert come and build a fancy new fence around my vegetable garden. I'm very excited. It's not possum proof. But once the gate is in, it will be rabbit, chicken and most importantly, Mabel proof. I'm sorry to say that it's my very own pets, the dog and the chooks that do the most damage to the garden. Mabel in particular loves to rip small fruit trees out entirely and carry them off for a good chew. A sign of bored dog perhaps? She buries bones in the beds or just gives them a good dig. Well, not any more my little fury friend.

Although this space looks a bit barren, it is early spring. Come summer this space will be lush and green with hopefully some fruit. There are raspberry canes, eleven apple trees, one quince, one cherry and one myer lemon. I have one bed growing garlic, one growing asparagus and one with rhubarb. The remaining three I've plans for cucumbers, potatoes and tomatoes this summer.

Curiously enough by fencing in the garden, I now have more space and will be able start new beds around the perimeter and will plant flowers to attract bug eating insects. I'm thinking lavender, cosmos, zinnias, hollyhocks and of course sunflowers to name a few.

To me, this is so much more exciting to be out here in the gorgeous spring weather, dreaming, weeding and digging. And forgetting all about that cursed bloody powerpoint. For now.

Saturday hike

Now that we have Mabel, we've been on the lookout for some dog friendly walks. We found this great booklet published by the local council, Kingborough's Tracks, that outlines over 30 dog friendly trails through paddocks, beaches and bush. On Saturday we tackled the Picket Hill Track, which while steep in parts, took us to a lookout with spectacular mountain and ocean views. We stopped here at the top for lunch, and Mabel kindly hoovered the crumbs.

I'm joining in with the delightful Chantelle's Point and Shoot. Go see what others got up to on the weekend here.



Random pictures..





...of our days around here.
Miss Mabel, growing so fast.
A sweet wattle bird that flew inside, rescued by Elsa.
Easter buns - we (I) ate way too many.
And a bag packed for her first sleep over.
Detail from our Easter display, rabbits, hare, nest and felt eggs.
xx

Must love strawberries

Lots of people have told me that beagles love food. Well, um, Mabel loves strawberries. I found her today actually chomping on them in the strawberry patch. Racing Hugo to find the ripe ones. I can say that she's fitting in very well with this family.

Meet Mabel

Our 8 week old beagle puppy.
Only arriving on Saturday, she's already stolen our hearts.
We have no idea what we're doing when it comes to dogs. But we do know that we love her. And that must be the best place to start.