There and back

There and back again. We have driven down to Sydney and back this time with a ram in tow. As we were heading down that way we decided it would be ok to deliver one of our year old rams. He is now safely ensconced in a backyard in the suburban fringe of Sydney until he heads off to his new home on a small farmlet with some ewes to keep him company. And I learnt something, my sheep don't like horses.

 

I only drove half of the trip this time (thankfully) so I managed to make  a crocheted pincushion. I'm not sure what it is about crocheting but I find it quite addictive. It could be that only a little effort and knowledge and skill can have some rather nice results. This one is going to be a part of a Random Act of Kindness parcel from my yahoo quilting group. I have had a real turn around in my craft colour schemes. I have always been one for muted tones and favouring blues but right now, brights are my 'thing'.

Meals have been simple. Tonight we are having an easy soup of sweet potato and lentils with bread rolls. Cheap, healthy and simple. I love cooking and would gladly sit down to the meals they serve up at restaurants or on television cooking programs but I am trying to save a dollar or two and use up what we have on hand. The easy peas fried rice above was made with stir fried vegies from the garden(and frozen peas)- eggplant,tomatoes, spring onion, carrots, corn, garlic mixed with left over basmati rice and ketchup manis to taste. Cost next to nothing especially as the vegies were mostly homegrown.

The worst part of the weekend. We took three children to Sydney and had to leave one behind. Tom is on work placement for university and then it is full steam ahead for second year. I'll look on the bright side, I have my sewing room back (once I give it a good tidy)

Tracy

Hotch Potch it is then

Well thank you to everyone who left me comments on the last post. I think the general concensus was that hotch-potch posting is the go. I won't argue with that. My life in general and each day in particular is made up of so many roles and different activities and I think that is refelcted here. Maybe I should call it eclectic, sounds much fancier.

 



 

 I offered these two boys for sale last week and I am happy to say they are SOLD. Rams that can't be used for their only real purpose, breeding, are quite useless on the farm but I don't sell them until I see what their conformation is like. These two are pretty quite good Suffolk rams but would not win any shows. One of them is heading off to Sydney tomorrow and the other will only be about 120km from here. Both properties are only small holders so rams which are used to human contact as these are will be ideal.

 

I am having a little more trouble selling ducks. I have had a bit of interest but no definite takers as yet. Having photo-bombing roosters in the very average pictures they let me take doesn't help either. I actually don't mind if they all stay (as long as there are no drakes in the mix). The only drawback is ducks eat like every meal is their last.

 

And as usual for this time of the year, I have been spending time looking at our finances. On paper things balance up ...just. So I am going to try to be more frugal in my ways and I will try to share that here. My first step, is writing down all of our spending. I think this helps because if you know you have to write it down then you be a little more accountable.

 

Have a great weekend,

tracy

Help... I need ideas.

Not so sunny Sunny Corner Farm today.

 

 

I think I am in a rut as far as blogging goes. I am at a loss of ideas to write about and would be rather grateful if anyone could spare a moment or two to leave a comment to give me an inkling of what people might like to read about here.

 

 

I can see at the moment that my blog is a bit of a hotch-potch of the different things in my little world without much focus. Perhaps that is the way to keep it, I'm not sure.

 

Anyway, I look forward to your insight.

tracy

Rain... welcome here

I didn't realise how much the dry weather had been affecting my psyche until the rain set in on Saturday night. I have been suffering insomnia (and although I would love some extra hours in the day, those extra hours awake thanks to being unable to sleep really are a waste) which I think may have been partly brought on through worry about water or lack there of really. Much like those going through flooding rain right now thinking the rain will never end, when it has been dry for so long, it feels like it just might never rain again. I am happy to say that we have had a good soaking and my thoughts have lightened considerably.

 

 

So with tanks filling and it being too wet to do anything outdoors except the essentials (just a few days ago it was because it was too hot outdoors ??), some relaxing has been on the agenda. Crocheting a pin cushion, sewing, playing board games (not by choice), reading and just generally taking it easy. Back to routine tomorrow though, school is in. 

 

 

 

And some advice to myself. If it is rainy weather and you are baking for the school/ work lunchboxes. Make a double batch elsewise there will not be any for said lunchboxes.

 

Hope all of my blogging friends are safe and sound in the extremes that seem to be spread far and wide.

tracy

What I am reading... rather random

 

It's truly not as bad as it sounds. The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins. Milkwood Permaculture seem to be putting the idea into good practice. The idea is that by the time the humanure has composted down, it is just the same as any other well rotted manure. I think it would be a while before the idea goes too far in mainstream circles. But I can definitely see that there are some great arguments for tapping this unlimited resource. This is a library book and it has given me some food for thought although I don't think I will be setting up a humanure system anytime soon.

 

 

Now on to sweeter things. The idea of paying it forward really is sweet. The recipient is happy(hopefully) and the giver gets such a buzz. I have been involved in a crafty pay it forward on the blog and I am also doing one with some of my Facebook friends but they all know about it. To me the best kind is when it is totally anonymous even if it is something everso small and only you know about it. I guess a random act of kindness really.

 

Sorry for such a totally random ramble. I think it must be zucchini overdose.

 

Anyway I'm sure I'm not as kind as I could be but I try.

 

Tracy

Zucchini 'rosti'

A quick and easy lunch. Tomatoes with zucchini rosti. The zucchini fritters/'rosti' are quite bland and do need something on the side to add flavour but I like them anyway.My kids won't go anywhere near them though. They are also good to use in place of toast with a poached egg. 

 

 

Zucchini 'rosti'

 

Ingredients

 

400grams zucchini, grated and drained

1 egg

1/3 cup plain flour

1tbs chopped chives

oil for frying

 

Method

 

Combine grated and drained zucchini in a bowl with chives, flour and egg and mix well.

Heat oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, drop heaped tablespoons of miture in an flatten with a spatula.

Cook on each side for a few minutes or until golden.

 

 

 

I serve mine with sour cream flavoured with chives, basil and a small clove of crushed garlic. And a dash of homemade chilli sauce made using the recipe from A Year in a Bottle by Sally Wise. This is an easy recipe and the sauce lasts an age.

Things I like today

 

Storm clouds rolling in. We are so needy for rain right now that however it comes and in whatever quantities, we will be grateful.

 

 

Corn plants with cobs forming. Not too long to wait for sweet home grown corn.

 

 

Eggplants producing aplenty. They are the tiny kind which don't seem to have the bitterness that larger varieties sometimes have.

 

 

A basket of goodness for tonight's dinner. We will be having a zucchini souffle with char-grilled vegies on the side (tomatoes, eggplant, capsicum and maybe a zucchini too) with a balsamic dressing.

 

That storm that was threatening is here right now. So bye for today.

Tracy