Summer Advent

Today is the first day of summer but this is what it looks like out the back today. Cool and very wet. A good day for indoor pursuits which is exactly what I have been up to. I have done some online shopping which I must say is more pleasant than battling for a car parking space and much easier than the Woolworths self-serve checkout.

I also retrieved the storage tub of Christmassy things from the shed in readiness for the girls when they arrive home from school. They are very keen to embrace the Christmas season and all it means in seriousness and in fun. I have seen that many people are starting their advent activities and calendars and we are no different. The kids all have handmade calendars and the girls also have shop bought ones too because one just isn't enough. I have made one for me and Tim too which involves things we can do together and as a family rather than a little bit of chocolatey goodness everyday. Tomorrow we are going to the community Christmas tree lighting and tonight we will be decorating our own Christmas tree.


Tim is the one with the required patience for untangling lights that really weren't tangled before they went in the box. I'm not sure he will appreciate this picture of him online but I think he looks cute anyway. These are my favourite Christmas lights. They belonged to my great aunt and are quite old. They are made of rather ornate glass and are scarily fragile. They remind me of childhood visits to her home and actually of being quite bored while we visited but I love them. When they are up on the tree, I will post a picture which I'm sure will not do them justice.

I have been using the wet weather day to get some sewing done too but that is all top secret for now.

I hope the Christmas season is happy and fun.
tracy

Some days

Some days I don't feel much like having a never ending list of chores to do. I don't want to have to feed the chooks, check the sheep, drive to violin lessons, wash up, make beds, iron etc. I just want to have nothing to do. It never happens, there is always something that requires attention. I guess today is one of those days where I don't feel much like having responsibilities. I am doing my chores though and I will definitely feel better once they are finished. Actually, I feel better already.

Georgie looking a little tired

Georgina, one of our oldest ewes had a new lamb last night. I was really hoping for a little female but true to form, Georgie delivered a strong little ram lamb. Only one this year.

Hope has named him Gallifrey and by the look of him so far, he will be a nice looking suffolk so he will remain a ram and be sold for breeding.

I am going to log off the computer now, get my jobs done for the day and then maybe just maybe do a little bit of nothing.

Tracy

Back to Basics Week 12

Week 12 of recording what has been happening around Sunny Corner Farm and garden thanks to Belinda.
Sowing:

• 2 mini white cucumbers
• 2 rows sweetcorn Honey and Cream F1
• 2 rows radish Cherry Belle
• 1 row lettuce Reine des'glaces
• 1 African horned cucumber
• 3 rows Indian ornamental corn
• mixed button squash
• 1 green river cucumber
• 1 rockmelon Hearts of Gold

Planting:

• Chillies- Bell, Paprika, Black Pearl,Rocotillo, jalapeno
• Tomatoes- Gippsland seeds heirloom mixed, Diggers 5 colour mixed
• 3 Tomatillo
• 2 Black Beauty eggplant
• 2 rosita eggplant
• 8 mixed capsicums
• 6 Lebanese eggplants

Harvesting:

• garlic
• red onions
• lettuce
• herbs
• broad beans
• cauliflower
• cherries
• mulberries
• strawberries
• parsnips

Planning:

• still planning a new kitchen
• organising Christmas and birthday gifts
• thinking about Jodie's swap

Working:

• making gifts
• making Tim's Advent calendar
• baking
• weeding
• mowing
• milking
• online shopping

Community:

• Freecycle old school uniforms
• gave a tray of seedlings to Tim to plant at work
  
  Tracy
  
  

Gardening Day

Just as I suspected, I didn't have as much success on the shopping front as I would have liked but there is still time.

Today was a day. I did do some inside work first- I washed the lounge and hall walls. Then I went outside for some sun, fun and exercise. The sunflowers are starting to bloom and are just, well, so sunny. These ones are near the shed the ewes and lambs spend the night in and under constant threat from a mother sheep who might get her head throught the fence.

I harvested one third of the garlic today which was about 70 bulbs. I haven't weighed it yet but we should have enough garlic for the year and some to give away too. The two beds where the garlics were are now weeded and ready for some more planting. It was a great day. Tim and I were home together and working together.

It's amazing what a difference a week can make. This is one of the little lambs born last Friday afternoon. She is a lovely little girl and because she looks so nice will probably be registered as a stud breeding ewe.

Cricket tomorrow, The Ashes and the 14Bs. Another great day.

tracy

Pausing before the rush

Today has been one of those days where the weather was right, the mood was right and the timing was right. I seemed to acheive a lot. It is however just a pause in a busy week in a busy time of year.

Tomorrow I am going into town bright and early to not only do my Christmas shopping but I have to do some birthday shopping too. We still have five birthdays to celebrate before years end and two of those are on Christmas day. The food isn't a problem, I have a turkey,a duck and a leg of lamb in the freezer and the vegetable garden is really earning its keep. I'm looking forward to the festivities of the Christmas season and spending the day with my parents and sister.

Perella Rougette Montpellier lettuce

The lettuce is lush right now. It is nice to not be relying on the store bought iceberg. I actually like the crunchy iceberg type of lettuce but sometimes the shop lettuces are a bit insipid. I have my lettuce growing with the carrots. I"m not sure if companion planting is fact, fiction or a bit of both but I do try to grow good companions near each other. It seems to work so I just keep doing it.

This is the first zucchini almost ready to eat. This one will noy make it to maturity, it is destined for our plates very soon. At least two members of the household have missed zucchini. The kids can take it or leave it.I love it. I am adding some squash seeds to my shopping list for tomorrow because I don't have any and I love it too.

Tracy

Baking Day

The fourth Tuesday of November is my local CWA cooking competition. I don't enter the baking usually but I might have a go next year. The kids have been entering since 2000 and usually have a little success. The reward though is definitely in the task for them. They have the fun of baking and any items not up to the exacting standards of the CWA, become dessert or a lunchbox treat.


This year Hope had to make meringues. Six snowy meringues that are meant to be about 4cm in diameter. We didn't measure them but we did taste some and they were winners in our house. A little whipped cream, some strawberries and mulberries on top and we had mini-pavlovas for dessert last night.
Grace had to make Rock Cakes. I'm not sure but I think the age groups may have been mixed up because the meringues were the more difficult recipe but had to be made by the younger children.

I don't attend the CWA meetings often as Tuesdays are busy for me with a lot of driving. I can however recommend membership to the organisation to any ladies out there who have contemplated joining. The title "Not All Tea and Scones" is right.

Tracy

Back to Basics Week 11

Thanks to Belinda, here is my Back to Basics post for the 11 th week. Time has really flown.

Sowing and Planting
There hasn't been very much sowing or planting this week at all. I did put in a few more dahlia tubers but that is about it. Very lazy this week.

Harvesting:

• lettuce
• broad beans
• strawberries
• herbs
• onions
• flowers

Planning:

• deciding on whether to install a new kitchen or not. The quote for a new kitchen was $8030 which is apparently fairly reasonable.
• writing lists and checking them twice

Working:

• mowing
• general sheep farm activities
• finished mulching the entire orchard
• house painting (This was Tim actually, I was busy mulching)
• working on secret handmade gifts.
  

Lambs aren't the only new babies on the farm. We have one lonely turkey chick this year. I am hopeful that there is time for another clutch to hatch out because this little baby has a name and his/her destiny doesn't involve the freezer. I'm hoping it is a her.

Community:

• Freecycled my old breadmaker

Tracy