Winter in Summer

Winter has returned at our house.

We have had bouts of the tummy bug and now the temperature has plummeted and we have rain, high winds and I am even contemplating lighting the wood stove. It's hard to believe but someone somewhere in Tasmania may even experience a white Christmas this year. I don't think it will be us because of our location but it has been forecast of the possibility of snow elsewhere down to 700 metres.

Aside from that it is full steam ahead here as we are trying to get in our first ever raised garden beds and have them planted out as soon as we possibly can.

It is all very exciting as we are fast approaching the year 2013.

Our cows have adapted nicely to their new home. Our chicks have settled in with their foster mum and our yard is slowly changing in appearance as the tree stumps we inherited four years ago when we brought the block have been either dug up or chain sawn off at ground level; all sixteen of them.

Slowly, slowy the dream is taking shape.

 

We have more tree stumps located out further from the house but for now they can stay as they adapt nicely in with the bush and surrounds.

The blanket show

When we were kids our dad would often say, "Come on kid's lets all go to the blanket show".

That meant bedtime.

How many children actually like going to bed; especially when you aren't sleepy, so it was always a bit of fun calling bedtime, "the blanket show".

I cannot remember how many times we often believed we were going somewhere special.

Seriouly sometimes it caught us off guard and we thought we were going to a circus or a carnival. Late at night though? Not sure how that works but the minds of children are wonderous things.

There is something extra special about a warm snuggley blanket when you are feeling poorly or cold or it's winter and you want to snuggle up and keep warm.

We all have our favourite blankets and this here is one of mine.

This is my new just finished crocheted tartan bed cover, it is a combination of crochet and weaving.

I accidentally misread the pattern instructions after having an absence of crocheting for approx five years and not being a big crocheter to start with, but I think that may have changed now as I truly loved making this rug.

This gorgeous bed cover was meant to be a knee rug. Oop's!

It was a mammoth task and took me three weeks of crocheting every night after dinner to accomplish. All I can say is yay for no tv; four years next month of tv abstinence. What a blessing that has turned out to be!

Being a dressmaker and lover of all things fabric this was something new and exciting for me and just what the dr ordered, I love trying new things and I love and welcome change.

I even went and got myself a new haircut to celebrate my accomplishment and welcome in summer.

 

Oh and another thing before I go, look how fabulous my new hanging space is in our bedroom. We have been living for four years with el'cheapo portable hangers and now my husband made us this.

 

 

I feel like a new woman.

 

A new haircut.

A new bedcover

and now a

A new hanging space.

 

Whats new in your life, I hope it something special.

 

Country Chick and Chickens

 

We are beginning to get into the full swing of things now here at our house out bush. We have been living off the grid now for four years and our house has needed much tender, love and care and because our time has been consumed in that we have not quite got the self sustainability food thing down pat yet.

Fences and gardens are next on the agenda.

We do have plenty of eggs though, as now we have more chickens. Four more chickens; so that is a start; we have ten in total, (Buff Sussex ). We picked up the news girls on the weekend and we also have a dozen and half eggs in at the hatchery.

Two of our hens are clucky but they don't seem to like our breeding box Col made for them; silly hens. We tried a number of different techniques trying to get them to sit on our eggs but to no avail; they would not have it. Anyway I don't care really as it worked in well as a temporary home for our four new hens till they got used to their new environment and we let them free range.

Our rooster is strutting around as proud as punch with his new girls.

So in twenty one days time; all going well we should have baby chicks. I'm a bit excited, I am. Not sure why we need so many chooks, but my husband tells me he knows what he is doing.

Someone once said, "Never trust a man who says", "Trust me" ha ha. Did he say trust me, hmm I am not sure about that one!

We were given a cow each as a wedding gift too, (Murray Grey's) and on the weekend we went up to see them as we can't have them here on our block til our fences are up..................soon, we will have fences and cows and a veggie garden. Soon and I can't wait.

How cool is that though, getting a cow each as wedding present. I love it. My cow will be a happy cow too because I am a non-red meat eater. She will be a very happy cow indeed.

I love cows and we are even thinking of getting a Jersey cow so we can have our own milk, cheese and cream and if we do I will be the milkmaid. Happy with that.

 

Our house sure is a happy house.

 

But wait til we get fences, we are going to be over the moon.

 

If you would like to read more about what I do with my creative self please drop by my other blog at www.graceofautun.com.au

Healthy changes, bring it on. Me and my homemade cereal

I try to eat healthy food and avoid junk food and refined foods as much as possible in my diet,

I did say try!

 Though I would not call myself a health fanatic by any stretch of the imagination but just recently I have been craving changes to my diet; I am craving healthier foods and this is what I have made.

 

I have created from a selection of grains, nuts and fruits, the best breakfast food yet.

A recipe was passed onto me from a friend but I have added to it to make it even yummier.

 

It is a yummy scrumptious amazingly delicious homemade "Rio Granola".

 

 I have never been a big breakfast person ever but this cereal makes you want to leap out of bed early just to eat it, seriously it is the best.

 

 

My homemade recipe is

 

Into a pot mix 4 heaped tablespoons of organic Coconut Oil

2 level tablespoons of honey

and

2 level tablespoons of Maple Syrup.

 

Warm the ingredients until they are runny. Do not boil.

Take off the heat and put aside til you need this mixture in the next step.

 

Into a large mixing bowl put the following ingredients (or a combination of your own).

 

3 cups of Rolled Oats

1 cup of Puffed Brown Rice

1 cip of Buckwheat

1 cup of Puffed Amaranth

1/2 cup of Pumpkin Seeds

3/4 cup of broken Walnuts or Pecans

1/4 cup of Linseed

1/4 cup of Sesame Seeds

1/2 cup of Sultanas

1/2 cup of Coconut Flakes

1 teaspoon of Cinnamon

1 teaspoon of Himalayan Sea Salt

 

Mix all ingredients together well and then pour over the melted honey, oil and syrup.

 

 

Once mixed together, put all ingredients into a large (or 2 large) baking tray. I used 2 trays and lined them with baking paper.

 

Bake at 150 C for 30 minutes.

 

When cool, put all ingredients back into your large mixing bowl and add another 1/2 cup of dried fruit ie: apricots, banana's, pineapple, goji berries etc 

 

 

And there you have it, your very own homemade cereal.

 

One that will sustain you longer than any commercial brand you can buy on the supermarket shelves.

 

 But best of all you made it yourself and you don't need as much of it to fill you up .

 

 

One scoop is enough and no need to add sugar.

 

Crocheting and Spinning Update

 

My plaid Afghan knee rug is fast becoming a queen sized bedspread. I think I crochet too big.

 

 

 

I am really looking forward to finishing it. The next step before it is complete is to make all the chains to weave through it. I have designed my own colour scheme so hopefully it looks good as the weaving is what makes all the plaid patterns.

 

My spinning is coming along slowly, slowly and this week I had an hour long lesson with a friend who is a spinner from way back. She hasn't spun for 10 years and to watch her jump back on and spin like an expert was so lovely to see.

 

 

 My desire is to be crocheting my own spun wool soon but somehow I think that may be a fair way off yet.

It's a good thing I have a basket full of wool to keep me going in mean time.

 

Spinning and Crocheting. I change like the wind

On Sunday I hunted down my crochet hook, then I took a drive to Spotlight and brought a beautiful array of coloured wool. Now I am crocheting my first ever "Nana" blanket. It's called a "Plaid Afghan" blanket with seven different colours in it but kind of kitch like a "Nana" blanket, so I have fondly called it my "Nana" blanket. It seems strange even to me as to why I am crocheting a blanket when in fact we are closer to summer than winter but in all honesty I needed a break from sewing and crocheting is something I can do at night whilst perched in front of the wood heater. We don't have tv so I can't do that either. Well in actual fact we do have tv but we don't have tv reception, haven't had it for four years now and don't ever want it back. A lot of people find that a staggering concept to grasp, What no TV? But try it, you won't rush back and like me you could crochet yourself a "Nana" blanket in time for winter.

Recently I also acquired myself a very nice old spinning wheel and that is the next thing on my "to do list", learn to spin wool. How exciting will that be, "Plaid Afghan" blankets in home spun wool. I think I may be on to something here, I'm gonna bring "Nana" blankets back from the 50's and 60's and make them funky.

I told you I like to day dream.

What else have I been up to, mmm well let me think. I saw a beautiful Tawny Frogmouth Owl the other night and I went up real close to him and chatted for a while.

And just recently I have started a bit of an exercise regime, which includes me and my Hi-Tec walking boots; we go for an hour long walk three times a week, taking one of our three dogs with me every time I go. Monday I go with Lucy, Wednesday I go with Klyde and Friday it's Millie's turn. I'm not quite sure who gets the most out of it, them or I?

 

 

 

And lastly but not the least eventful thing of my week; I felt like revamping something, so I cut up one of my favourite dresses, yes you heard me right, I-cut-up-one-of-my-favourite-dresses and I turned it into a "Fishtail" dress and now I love it even more.

Sometimes I even act impulsive, my mum used to say, "I change like the wind". Didn't believe her then but now I think I might know why.

Oh, oh, oh and I made a quirky skirt to sell but I kept it. I like quirky skrts.

Spinning and crocheting. I change like the wind.