A chilly start

 The day had a chilly start with a heavy frost but it has turned out to be splendid. When I was making my bed this morning, this Eastern Rosella was sitting outside eating some seeds from the catnip. Now I know why I left the seed heads on. I had to take the picture through the window so it is a little blurry but he is still gorgeous even if he does look cold.

 The globe artichokes don't seem to mind frosty weather too much. They are dying off a little but they actually look quite nice in the frost too.

 Ditto the wormwood. I think it is the silvery, grey foliage that makes them look so nice when they are touched by a frost.

I had a day off from everything yesterday. A migraine had me in it's clutches but thankfully a good nights sleep saw the end of it. Today I am feeling much better and have been happy to be out and about. I planted out seven new lavenders along the driveway. I am aiming for a lavender hedge between the orchard and the drive. I still have a few more plants to go to fill the area but I am getting there.

 I have had Hope at home from school for three days now with a cold. Today she is feeling much better and has spent quite a while in the sun hammering and sawing and soaking up the wintery sunshine which always seems to work wonders for colds. She is going to school tomorrow.

June 20: {Fave photo you have ever taken}. It is hard to pick one favourite but this one would be up there. For me the best pictures are those with people I love in them. I don't know about composition or lighting or anything technical but this photo ticks my boxes for a favourite. It has  three of my favourite people in it (and a little black lamb too) and it is from a lovely time when we were all together at home. I keep a copy of this one on my bedside table because I like it so much.

I am due back in the kitchen now. I have more limes to deal with. Some have been languishing so long on the tree that they look more like lemons. Deliciously limey nonetheless. Lime and coconut cake is in the oven and I have made a batch of lime cordial too ('recipe' tomorrow).
Tracy

I promise...

that regular farm, garden, cooking type posts will be back again soon. Hopefully by tomorrow.

 I had a quick trip to Sydney to take Tom back for his exams on the weekend. Drove down Saturday afternoon and back home Sunday. 12 hours of driving does take it out of a body. The weather looks good from indoors but once you head outside it is bone chilling. The weariness and the cold is making for a very slow day for me. I just can't or don't want to get started. So tomorrow it is.

I did miss yesterday's photo of what's in my bag and I'm not going to bother catching up that one. Today's topic is "Something we don't know about you"

Well I am almost certain that nobody knows that I dance. I have since I was very little and I still like to don my pointe shoes and my tap shoes too occassionally. It is a great workout and it is a bit of fun too.

It was hard to choose what to take a picture of for this topic. I mean this blog really doesn't get too personal and although I don't withhold information about me, it just doesn't come up. There are so many things that people don't know just because they really have no impact on what I do or what I have to say.
Tracy

Out and About or not.

A reminder of the photo a day challenge for June. Today it is Out and About.

I will be out and about a bit later today but right now I am at home with access to the internet so I am posting a photo from two years ago when we were out and about in Sydney.

The ram sale has been made and the buyer seemed happy with his purchase. Just two more to sell for the time being.
Tracy

Busy, busy

I'm not complaining about being busy. I do not work at all because I love what I do. I'm not well paid in dollars but I certainly am rich in the ways that count.

 Busy clearing the compost area of the old pumpkin vines which dominated over the summer/autumn (kikuyu too). I am now ready to make a batch of winter compost. Which may take a bit longer than the speeding summer kind but it ends up being ready when the garden needs it for spring growth.

 Busy sewing too. Actually this is shameful (not the colour even if it is shamefully bright), Hope chose this fabric about 5 or 6 years ago for a nightie. I finally sewed her a pair of pyjama pants yesterday afternoon. It took all of 20 minutes from start to finish and she was happy. I wasn't because she couldn't have her nightie. There was enough fabric for a 5 year old but not for a 10 year old. At least she got her pants I guess.

Todays photo a day topic is ART. I have absolutely nothing in my house that remotely resembles anything that would be called art. Craft yes. Art no. So with that in mind, I took some pictures of some of the things I have painted over the years. I like practical things so I generally paint something that has a purpose. Boxes, buckets etc.

Tracy

Fungi on the farm

 First up the June!Photo a day for today. The topic today is "From a low angle". This is the old windmill that is situated close to one of the two creeks bordering our property. It has been some time since it was in use. At some time in the past it had been used to pump water directly from the creek(we don't have a bore). We have set the farm up now so that we don't need to rely on the creek for our water supply but it is good to know it is there need be.

A fungi in the garden(despite the resident comedian's claims of it being something else).

 I have been out and about today. Looking at nature along the way. No matter where one lives, city or country, fungi is ever present and vital. Even if it is not edible, they play an essential role in the ecosystem. The world of fungi is very interesting and I do wish now that when I studied microbiology at university, I had chosen to study environmental fungi rather than clinical mycology. At the time though it was what was necessary for my future career.

 Just more things to learn about and probably if I look through my old books, I might find the information I want. In the mean time though I have just been visiting a blog all about Australian fungi and in particular things seen not too far from where I live.

We don't get too many edible fungi or at least fungi that I would feel safe eating so I am now growing some in a mushroom growing kit in the laundry room.

Grace and Hope gave me the kit for Mother's day and it is starting to kick into high gear. The girls will join me eating these button type mushrooms but when it comes to other 'shrooms, they aren't fans. I am on my own. More for me.
Tracy

Frugal by necessity.

Every so often I go over our budget to make sure things are working as they should. I like numbers and lists so I don't mind it a bit. I have never been a spendthrift which has been a blessing to our family. As soon as I had a job after university, I saved and saved. I didn't even take a holiday for the first few years of my working life. Thankfully I loved my job so it was no hardship. Back in those days, I was frugal by choice. Nowadays we live a frugal lifestyle by necessity. I am trying ever so hard to put a stop to any small leaks which might sink our ship.

I have been having a look at the thrifty tips  that Kate has been blogging about this month and consequently thinking about money saving ideas. I think most people can relate to having to economize especially in the current financial environment. I have cut out unnecessary spending (obviously not completely, I still have Internet at home) and we do our best to reduce our costs. I menu plan right down to what I will be baking for the week, turn off appliances at the  switch. There truly is a limit to how low expenses can go though. Council rates need to be paid, utilities, insurance for cars, home and farm, animals need to be cared for. The only item on our budget that is a non-essential (besides the Internet) is gift giving and that has been reduced too. Hanging out on a farm all day doesn't require a high-end wardrobe and thankfully our tastes are fairly simple. Last years "town" clothes become this years farm clothes.

From experience I have found that it is good to have a specific goal in mind if you are saving. Throughout our marriage we have just been saving for the future without any real aim in mind. It was a good thing, it gave us the opportunity to set our son up in the city for his studies.Which is good for him now, the girls too if they decide to move to Sydney too for study or just to live. Now however I am thinking about saving with a more concrete goal in mind for mine and Tim's future. At the moment the savings dream is just that and the goal is going to have to be reached slowly but it will be worth the effort I'm sure. I'm saving only cents at a time, not big bucks but I am motivated.

Now that was serious and I would like to talk a bit more about frugallity a bit more some other time. Right now though, I have chores and must sign off.

Before signing off though here is the photo for June 11th. Topic: Door. This is a little cupboard that hangs in my dining room and the door is more interesting than my front door. I painted it a few years back when I was going through a folk art phase. I still have all of the paints but just not the inclination to use them (Grace and Hope use them so they aren't going to waste).
Tracy

The Best of Weekends

 Thankfully the June!Photo a day challenge picture for today is the "best part of the weekend". Too easy. I could have posted any number of family pictures I took.Though some did have even more ridiculous expressions than Tim's in the one above. The best part of any day for me is family. Even if I didn't stay at home this weekend, it still would have been about family because we would have travelled to Wellington for our niece's baby shower. Tim's work roster didn't allow travel this weekend and it is probably best to wait until after the baby has arrived before heading over there, it is a big trip.

 I took the girls for a play in the park with their cousins. I love the park which is dedicated to all things wool related. The uprights on the swings look like huge knitting pins and there is a playhouse which is like a shearing shed. Very cute. It was busy today too which is good for the local businesses.

Lastly a picture of our table after the light started to fade. The stylists at Country Style, Donna Hay and other gorgeous magazines have nothing to worry about from me but I liked it anyway. There is something a bit special about dining outdoors.

Sunday soup night tonight. We are having Cauliflower, potato and blue cheese soup which was in a freebie Donna Hay magazine my Mum gave me. It isn't ready yet but almost.
Tracy

Outdoorsy

The Queen's birthday long weekend always meant fireworks and bonfires even when I was small and living in the city. The fireworks are a thing of past but tonight we are going to brave the elements and have dinner outdoors with the added magic of a bonfire to keep warm by and maybe those who are inclined will toast some marshmallows. I have Tom home and my sister is coming for a visit too so if that isn't an excuse to celebrate then I don't know what is. I am loving this weekend and a bonus, Tim is not working until Monday. Simple menu tonight, pumpkin soup with homemade bread roll and steak sandwiches for the anti-soup brigade and the extra hungry diners. Warm pear and honey cake for dessert.



The photo topic of the day is "Your View Today". Both of the pictures above qualify. The lighting is off today, overcast and the sun is giving  the grass an eery look but is how it is.

Apparently there was an tremor in the region last night. I felt nothing probably because I was sound asleep but it is still scary nonetheless. I know I couldn't live in those places that face that constant known threat of disaster. I would be forever on edge. I am a worrier I believe.

Anyway I have to go and bake the dinner rolls and light the fire.
Tracy

A Little Excited

 June 8: Six o'clock. I am a bit of a clock collector but I rather like the idea of showing where I like to be at six in the morning or night (during the winter anyway). By the fire the lights out and just sitting alone ot with the family. Tomorrow night we will be outside with a campfire and that will be equally nice.

But why am I excited? My boy, Tom, is coming home tonight and will be staying for a week. It is stuvac for his first semester at university and apparently he feels he will get more study done at home with Mum looking after him than he will if he stays at the townhouse fending for himself. I'm not sure if this will be so but he will be well looked after and spoilt just a bit.

I am branching out with my farming and tomorrow I am setting up a roadside stall. It is the only thing for an excess of pumpkins and honey and no transport to sell them at the weekly organic market. I'm hoping a nearby clearing sale will increase sales. The rams are proving more difficult to sell this year, People often contact me to buy ewes but as only one ram is needed for many ewes, they are harder to sell. I have had a few inquiries but no sales as yet. Hopefully after another round of advertising tomorrow, their will be some takers.

Tracy

June 7: Drink

June!Photo a day can be found here.
This cup of lavender and mint tea was just what I needed today after a busy day outdoors. weeding, planting and working hard.
Tracy

June 5-Sign

Here is my paltry effort for the topic of the day, sign. When your mind is busy with other things, things that are more important, it is hard to be motivated with something trivial. Nevertheless, I did commit to the photo a day and I have delivered today.

It is very cold today with the bitterest wind gusting. I am now officially taking the rest of today off and I am going to do something just for fun. Can I do that? I'm not entirely sure.
Tracy

"Close-up" in the garden

 June 4 asks for a close-up photo. I couldn't pick just one. We are having the rainiest of weather and I am torn between whether I am loving it or not. I do like to have an excuse for staying indoors and sewing, crocheting,knitting, cooking or reading but I am missing my outside time. In between downpours I have been checking on the animals, feeding the poultry and so far today I even managed to squeeze in about five minutes in the vegie patch.

 There is still one tomato plant that is growing in the garden. I think it is time I picked the remaining fruit though because it is just one good frost away from useless.

 I really like  the water droplets on the flowers. Nasturtiums are a favourite here. I'm not completely convinced on the eating of the flowers (it's the texture) but the leaves are nice in a salad.

Now it was fortuitous that I was down in the garden today. Otherwise these dreaded cabbage moth grubs would have made more of a meal of  the brassicas than they already had. Their appetites are voracious and they aren't welcome here. I often will allow a self-sown plant to get a hold in the garden even if it takes up too much valuable room but bugs begone. We have plenty of birds around and I do all the right things to encourage the predators but sometimes the only thing for it is to manually remove the baddies. At least that way I know they are gone (for now) and that no nasty chemicals have been used.

Tracy

On My Plate

The Photo a day topic for today is "On My Plate". After a dinner out last night, I haven't felt like having anything on my plate all day. That's how it usually is for me when we eat out. The portions are too big and heavy and I am left feeling full and 'un-hungry' for a while. Thankfully Sunday night is our soup night so something easy to digest was on the menu.

 Pumpkin soup with bacon and brie. I rediscovered Laura's blog last week and  Sunday night is soup night at Darroch Cottage too and she shared a lovely recipe last week for Kumara Soup with bacon and brie. I don't have the required kumara or even sweet potato in the house but I substituted pumpkin, as we have an abundance of those, and it was still a good combination. For Hope the non-soup eater, I made some pasta and stirred through the soup like a pasta sauce and she was more than happy with that. So happy in fact that she wants it for lunch tomorrow at school.

It really was perfect soup weather here today. I only ventured outside long enough to do the required chores for the animals and to bring in some wood for the fire.I love this kind of weather especially on a winter weekend when there is nowhere else we have to be.
Tracy

On being social (or not).

Tim and I are heading out to a birthday dinner tonight. It's a rare occurrence to go to a party. I wouldn't say that I am an anti-social being but I am more at home at home and at  smaller gatherings. I usually say no to invitations like this without even thinking about it. But I am trying to be a bit more umm... 'normal' these days and we are going to go out, have some dinner and maybe a dance or two (if I can coerce convince Tim) and spend some time with Tim's work friends. It will be fun I'm sure even if the weather is just about perfect for a night in by the fire. 

I haven't forgotten the photo a day for June already. Today's subject is empty. I had a wee birds nest  that has long been empty in mind but this morning it was nowhere to be found. I think our recent windy weather has taken it far away. Never mind.

Instead I snapped a picture of an empty cotton flower head. The lighting is all wrong because it is just so dismal outside today. But it is empty. I have the cotton inside ready to do with it what I will but that is a job for next week.
Tracy

Day 1: Morning

Day 1 of the Photo a day for June from the Fat Mum Slim blog. Mornings on the farm used to start with the rooster crows at 3:30 to 4am but this young fellow doesn't start the wake up call until 6:30am. He is our only rooster at the moment and I would love to swap him for a different, bigger breed, Sebrights are not my thing. Too flighty and truly a little useless except for showing. Of course to those Sebright fanciers out there they are the bees knees. I like a breed of chook with either a bit more meat on it's bones or one that lays a few more eggs per year.