Out the back

I just had to share a picture from the back verandah I took today. The weather today is just glorious with the valley looking lush, not a cloud in the sky and the mountains a haze of green. I'm very glad to be here today and everyday really. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but it is just right for me and mine.

I am currently overhauling our budget to accommodate Tom's upkeep in Sydney. Trying to tweek the numbers only to find that there are not many areas in the expenditure column that can be tweeked.He will contribute too, hopefully transferring his part-time position to a store in Sydney. His main focus of course has to be his studies and I am very much looking forward to having a vet in the family. It will all work out though. I do like saving a dollar or two and the next few years will be a challenge that I think I will enjoy. When we moved here 13 years ago, we paid cash for our property which left us with a grand sum of $50 in our bank until pay day. it might not have been the wisest move but thankfully no emergency came up then and we have enjoyed being debt free since. Now we are ready to head back into the real estate market and have a mortgage again( which we will try to pay off as quickly as possible). I truly like the idea of having another property as an investment for the future but I'm not too keen on the househunting itself.

Tracy

Turkey Dad

I haven't updated the progress of our turkey dad who was incubating eggs only to say that they had indeed hatched. He hatched them out on Christmas eve and into Christmas day. Out of the nine eggs, he hatched eight and of those eight, six have survived. He is an excellent 'mother' albeit a little too over protective. In further crazy turkey developments here on the farm, the turkey hen is now sitting happily on a clutch of duck eggs. These should be ready to hatch in about two weeks.

Tomorrow I am making a poultry drop in town. I have three Indian Runner drakes and some sebright bantams that I am exchanging. They are penned up and ready to go. Believe me, there is no glamour in poultry wrangling but I will spare you the details.
Tracy

Change afoot

Changes are afoot here on the farm. Our son has had word that he has been accepted into the Sydney University veterinary science course and he will be heading to the city in the not too distant future. It will be a big adjustment for him and for us too. It hasn't been possible to make plans for his move until we knew for sure. Now it is full steam ahead. Our financial situation will certainly change and I'm more glad than ever that we are debt-free (for the time being).

It is still hard to imagine that life as we know it here is going to be different when as is the case, life goes on day by day with the usual activities. Today and yesterday have been honey days. With about 20 kilograms of honey now in drums and jars. Dealing with the wax is my task tomorrow. I also had a great seed sowing day too. The warm weather that we are finally having (in the days at least) has prompted me to put a few more things in the ground.

Tracy

Any excuse for a cake

It seems in our household that any excuse for a cake is a good one. A quick morning tea with my parents and sister which just happened to coincide with a birthday. The birthday was for my parents's dog, Mia, so their really was no need for a celebration cake but the humans enjoyed it even if the birthday girl had not even a taste.

I don't often make sponge cakes but I was in the mood to have something a little light and it works a treat with a cup of tea.

Simple Sponge Cake

Ingredients

4 eggs

165 grams white sugar

100 grams cornflour (wheaten)

30 grams custard powder

1/2 tsp bicarb

jam of choice

whipped cream

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degC.

Grease two 20cm round cake tins.

Beat eggs and sugar for about 10 minutes until thick and creamy and the sugar has dissolved.

Sift the dry ingredients twice and then sift over the eggy mixture. Fold gently until combined.

Divide mixture between the two cake tins and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.Turn cakes out onto a clean tea towel and allow to cool.

Sandwich the cooled cakes together with jam and cream.

Dust with icing sugar and enjoy.

I'm sure it would be better to use caster sugar but I usually don't have it at hand and regular white sugar seems to work just fine for me.

Tracy

My enemy

The 28 spotted or leaf eating lady beetles. I really do not like this critter one bit. They don't appear to have even one saving grace. Scarecrow and Organic Gardener magazine have both made mention of them of late so I know I am not alone in my battle. Even in the immature phase it is not sweet and cute like less destructive lady beetles. I think it looks a little alien with all of its hairy protrusions.

The adult isn't much better. Try as they might to stop me, I am determined to have a decent potato crop. They really do some damage though, skeletonising the leaves of the plants in what seems like record time especially for such tiny creatures with tiny mouths. I fight this enemy one squish at a time.

Tracy

The last of the Christmas feast

I don't buy a ham for us at Christmas time as we really would never eat it. Though I really do want to own a pig or two so perhaps ham and other porcine offerings are in my future somewhere. My parents do have a ham each year and each year when the time is right, I am given the bone to make soup. Tim and I love split pea and ham soup probably more so because it is a once a year meal. Last night we had our yearly fix. It was delicious (especially coupled with some grainy bread rolls) and the very last of the Christmas seasonal fare. It may not be a very summery meal or the most pleasing to the eye but it is worth it.

Split pea and ham soup

Ingredients

1 ham bone, trimmed

300grams green split peas

2 onions, diced

1 carrot, diced

25 grams butter

2 bay leaves

1.5 litres water

Method

Gently sweat the onions and carrots in the butter over a low/medium heat in a large pot until softened. The pot needs to be large enought o accommodate the bone.

Add the bone, water, peas and bay leaves and simmer for about 1 hour. Times may vary but simmer until the peas are soft.

Remove the bone, puree the soup and serve.

Grainy bread rolls ( for the bread maker)

Ingredients

300mL water

300 grams wholemeal flour

200 grams plain white flour

1 tbs sunflower seeds

1 tbs pumpkin seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1.5 tsp yeast

1 tsp honey

1 tsp poppy seeds

1tsp nigella seeds

Place all of the ingredients besides the poppy seeds and nigella seeds in the bread maker. Follow the order given for your particular machine.

Set the machine to the dough setting.

When the cycle is complete, turn the dough out and knead gently by hand and then divide into 12 pieces.

Shape the pieces as desired and put onto a greased or lined baking tray.

Brush each roll with milk and press the poppy and nigella seeds on top.

Preheat oven to 200 deg C.

Allow the rolls to rise for about 30 minutes.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the rolls a golden on top and sound hollow if tapped.

As with most of our soupy meals, Tim and I enjoyed this alone while the kids had stir fry. My niece who stayed with us last night even had stir fry and rice on the rolls (yuck).

Tracy

Good intentions

I had intentions of blogging on January 1st but it was not to be. The satellite that provides our internet or maybe even the computer itself would not play along until this afternoon. No internet does make for keeping other good intentions though such as getting outside and doing. The vegetable garden which really should be called a kitchen garden to be a little more accurate is benefitting greatly from no computer activity. See why it should be a kitchen garden. The vegetable garden is home to an abundance of flowers, herbs and vegetables. This peachy gladioli is just so sweet right now. I do like gladioli but mine always seem to topple over which ruins the display.

I also intend this year to get more crafty things done rather than just think about them.

On New Years Day I started and finished this bag for my sister. I had a charm pack titled "happy" from a swap and some bright purple homespun which was just right. I printed the pattern out last year and have been meaning to make it someday. It was designed by Khris and was just the right thing to start off a year of getting things done.

The weather has taken a turn with the new year too. We are finally feeling summery. It has been hot. Hot enough even for a trip to the pool for a refreshing swim and hot enough for the garden to be watered two days in a row.

Tracy