Highlights

It's a long story that doesn't need telling (no disasters involved) but the high tea I had planned for last Saturday had to be postponed. In its place last weekend was a trip to Sydney. Once Hope recovered from the horror that Central railway station is on the site of what was one of the old Sydney burial grounds (I really must not tell her these things) and from the shock of her surprise trip to the Doctor Who exhibit which is being held at the ABC centre in Ultimo.

 

It was enough for Hope to even feel better from her cold at least temporarily (she did visit the Doctor after all). Naturally the cold has worsened since we arrived home which is usually how these things work. I'm sure the cold will be history by next week as it is school holidays which does seem to be a great cure for all but serious illness.

A trip to the Lindt Café didn't hurt too much either. It is fair to say that apart from a late trip home on Sunday evening Hope had a weekend full of highlights best described as "fantastic" and "brilliant" as her two favourite Doctors would say.

The highlight for me apart from a  visit with my sister and niece, was as always, HOME. I didn't sleep in on Monday morning even though we had a very late night (I think I'm still tired now on Tuesday), I did the rounds of the garden. A few days away feels like months.

There are flowers that weren't there on Thursday, fruits too and the asparagus needed picking whether we wanted it or not (we wanted it).

Coming home to a decent soaking of rain was a highlight too.
Tracy

Pre-tea tidy up

 I have been having a tidy up outside today, making sure the grass is trimmed and nothing is left laying about. My Biggest Morning Tea is on Friday and even though it is only a small event and just a few friends who I don't get to see very often, it was a good excuse to do those chores which get put aside.

Yesterday I showed my herb garden and Lisa commented about how it gave an indication of our landscape. Well, here is a picture looking towards the house from my rose garden which shows where we are in relation to the surrounds. The colours aren't coming up true to life because the trims on the house are actually a blue colour (Colorbond Blue Ridge) rather than the grey that they appear. And yes, there are two trampolines in the foreground. One is new and the other is defunct and waiting for me to decide what to do with it. If I had somewhere else that was flat enough for a trampoline, believe me  it would not be in the front yard. But it is.

And a pretty little hover fly on a new chrysanthemum. Only a day after Mother's Day and they were reduced to $2.
Tracy

A change of plans

Freshly drawn comb

 Yesterday my plans for today involved a fair bit of fencing and marking lambs but none of that eventuated. The lambs can keep their tails a day or two longer. Today was pretty near perfect for hive checking and maintenance so that is what we did. It was sunny but not too hot, a breeze was blowing but it wasn't windy. Sounds like pretty good conditions for almost anything really but the hives really are best checked when the bees are active and happy. All was good and there is a lot of new comb being drawn out in the new supers and some honey being made too. Just as it should be. I did manage to get a bee in my bonnet but thankfully both bee and me were unharmed.

 The bees have been busy in the kurrajong tree which is amass of these bell shaped flowers. They remind me of Christmas bells but it could be that I am just seeing Christmas everywhere because of the ornaments I have been making. Right now I am making a few crocheted baubles using this pattern which is I'm glad to say easy to follow. No pictures tonight because the light is not right for photography.

 I'm looking forward to the agapanthus flowering. They are however quite enchanting before the flowers open fully if you have time to look.

Morning tea

 Changing plans and reducing todays to-do list allowed us to have a proper morning tea rather than a quick cuppa. Scones for elevenses is always nice and extra good today because I made the strawberry jam just last week.

I even enjoy washing up after morning tea. Looks much nicer than the pots and pans from a dinnertime cooking spree.

All in all, a great day even if there was no rain despite the forecast being for wet weather.
tracy

Vane

My new weather vane is in place and thanks to our gps device it is facing the right way. The regular old compass didn't work too accurately atop our metal roof. It is positioned right above my bedroom so I do hope that it isn't too noisy because we really do get some windy weather in our valley. I'm ever so grateful to have a husband who doesn't mind heights because if it was up to me to put it up, the weather vane would probably be not be up much higher than my 5 feet 2 inches.

At the moment it is the only rooster on the farm with our Wyandotte, Hugh, dieing a while back and Tom's Sebright rooster going to a home that will appreciate his crazy ways more than we did. I find the early morning a little lonely with the lack of crowing so I think I will be on the lookout for just the right chap soon.

Tracy

Spring Cleaning

I try to keep the house pretty clean but I do like to give it a thorough going over now and then. Spring is an obvious time with the warmer weather. Having a wood fire for heating makes for some ashy dust which seems to settle everywhere so I always wait for the last fire of the year before I spring clean. Today the dining room hutch which is full of china tea sets took its turn. I emptied the shelves this morning at 5:50am before heading in to town for Grace's violin lesson and by the time I came home, it was ready to pack away. Glad that job is done. I have also been outside a lot. The weather is too nice to be indoors all day. Sprucing up untidy areas and topping up mulch. The chooks even the pretty little Pekins think that I do this for their benefit alone.

I also cleaned the carpets yesterday morning just in time for Hope to need some paracetamol for a sore throat last night. I really do not like carpets at all and in our first home we removed them and polished up the lovely tounge and groove floorboards. In this more modern house, the flooring is just sheeting and doesn't look as good bare. I am hoping that we can pull up the carpet still and put a floating timber floor over the top. Another thing for the wish list.

Tracy

P.S. The rose petal syrup was a triumph and I am baking a cheesecake right this very minute just to have an excuse to taste it proper.

Cold

Cold weather and a cold in my head. For the past week or so I have been laid low with a head cold which has thankfully is now leaving my system. I think my nephew, Ted, was the culprit to thank for the cold but in all honesty, it was more likely my strong country immune system couldn't stand up to the rigours of the Sydney public transport system.

I spent Saturday in bed and even the temptation of Devonshire tea and a quilt airing in Nundle couldn't persuade me to head outdoors. The quilt airing was cancelled due to the rainy weather so the cold didn't make me miss everything.All is well now and I am back at the helm of my little home. Thankfully, energetically and excitedly.

Tracy

Home

Tanks, you will be painted next week.

I do not like leaving home. Never have and I doubt that I ever will. Not even for holidays. But I am away for a few days this weekend. Some of us a travelling to Sydney for a visit. When I go away, I always make myself a monumental list of things to-do before I leave so I don't have as much to do when I get home. So today on top of a hair cut and some shopping, I have been vacuuming, mopping, washing, ironing, folding, baking and the list goes on. No wonder I don't like going away, I make it too hard on myself.

Now I have outed myself as a bit obsessive, I will embrace the moment and finish packing and enjoy a brief sojourn. I will try anyway. I am truly looking forward to visiting my sisters and their families and also seeing a few sights with my girls. I hope everyone has a nice weekend just like I plan to.
Tracy