Loving Limbo

I always love the time in between Christmas and the New Year. It is kind of like some strange limbo time when there isn't a lot of work to do, life is very relaxed, no one expects extravagant meals, we don't have to go anywhere and the Boxing Day cricket test is on. Well the cricket didn't pan out to much but I still like this week a lot. It is also a time when I reflect a bit and also think about the year to come.

 

 

Johnson grass in the rose garden

 I tend to keep the gardening side of things pleasurable during this week but the recent rain has really got the johnson grass growing in the mulch in the rose garden. So this morning I set about removing it. It really is a terrible nuisance and can cause toxicity in livestock and harbour pests and diseases for crop growers. It's rhizomes make it quite difficult to eradicate and as we don't use herbicides, removal by hand is the only option we have for this weed. Anyway, happily I removed what I could see and will keep on top of what springs up from the rhizomes which are hidden underground.

 I also 'installed' a bird bath. I had an old light shade which looked to me ideal for a bird bath but no base. An old kettle and a metal base and it's in situ waiting for the birds to need a drink. The bath itself is made of a toughened glass but I still didn't want it too high off the ground just in case of a fall.

 This however is more like my idea of gardening in limbo. Finding eggplants ready to eat (not this one but there are a few others ready). I'm thinking a red curry tonight with eggplant and zucchini. Yum.

Although the weather is quite overcast ( and might I say lovely) today, the bees are busy, busy. They haven't been too active in the vegetable patch of late due to the kurrajong, eucalypts and apple box which have been in flower but the zucchini were receiving their treatment this morning. And I am glad.

 I was quite surprised yesterday when we went to town to buy Hope a new goldfish for the tank she received as a birthday gift that it was business as usual everywhere. I thought it was the weekend when it was really Thursday.

Hope you are enjoying this time too.
Tracy

Christmas 2012

Title edited to add another year back to my life. Why did I think it was Christmas 2013 already??

Misty Christmas morning

With the hot and dry weather we have been having Christmas day might have been a bit uncomfortable but instead it dawned cool and wet. A very pleasant 23 degrees C and more rain during the day and evening. A sunny, dry Christmas is very much over-rated in my books.

Nanny, Pop and the grandchildren.

 Instead of staying at home and this year, we headed up to my parents' home and spent part of the day with them and my sister's family. Here are the grandparents and their grandchildren that were there on the day. We will get to see some of the others in a few days. When we arrived home in the afternoon, it was birthday celebrations for Hope. It was such a tiring day though that she requested a raincheck on her birthday cake which we will have in a day or two. I think I am a little tired because although I am an adult (I am not grown up), I still struggle to get to sleep on Christmas eve. It is all just a bit too exciting.

I partcipated in Chookyblue's swap again this year. It is amazing the number of parcels to-ing and fro-ing between stitching bloggers around the globe and the generosity is inspiring too. Thanks Chooky for organising such a wonderful swap.

Ulla from Sweden sent me a lovely bag and pot holder as my main gift. I think I will have to hit the town for a coffee just to show my new bag off. It was struggle to not sneak a peak in the wrapping before the 25th but I did the right thing and followed the rules.

This was the very sweet Santa ornament that Ulla sent me. I'm so glad I was allowed to open this before Christmas so I could enjoy him on my tree all month.

Now I am going to have a quick look around my favourite blogs and then an early night.
Tracy

A different kind of post

I think I gab on a little too much about gardening, cooking and farm animals sometimes so today I will post something a bit different. I had to do some shopping yesterday and as I was in town, I headed to one of the town's Vinnie's stores. I went on the right day, it was $1 day and everything was $1 or less. I think I ended up with 10 items for $5 and I was really happy with my purchases.

 

 A coffee pot which Tim found and rightly thought it was just the thing for me. The little green vase is very cute and is made by Brody. I can't bring myself to tamper with it so I won't be drilling holes in it to plant some cacti or succulents but I might put a pot in there instead. Cacti and succulents can have a modern look but planted the right way and they have a real retro feel which would suit this vase totally. (That was borderline gardening so I will stop there).

I think I bought out the entire shop of Christmas cards. I couldn't resist. There are some vintage ones, some charity cards (which are also vintage) and also the pen and ink cards drawn by a year 8 student (or so the card says). I'm all set for cards for next Christmas (no end of the world thinking for me obviously). Too many brackets... sorry.

We had 6mm of rain last night which was so welcome and an overcas and humid day has followed today. And although the 80% humidity is not the best, the 26degrees C is compensation enough.
Tracy

Dried fruit, orange and banana loaf.

I'm really trying very hard to keep a cool attitude while we melt away in this heatwave. Our solar hot water system has a temperature display which was telling me that the  water in tubes on the roof  is 139 deg C. Now that is just too hot. The temperature in the tank is regulated with hot water to keep it at a safe heat.

 

Salads and sandwiches have been high on the menu the past few days. No one wants to sit down to anything heavy and we are eating a little later in the evening when the sun has dipped over the hill to our west. If I bake, I have been doing so in the morning. Today it was a loaf style cake which is just right with an afternoon cup of herbal tea which oddly enough is cooling. This is much lighter than Christmas style fruit cakes and the inclusion of cranberries gives it a bit of zing too.

 

Dried fruit, orange and banana loaf

 

 

Dried fruit, orange and banana loaf

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup dried fruit

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup orange juice

2 ripe bananas

 

Method

Grease and line a 14 x 21 cm loaf tin.

Pre-heat oven to 180 deg C

Cream butter and sugar together  with an electric mixer until light and fluffly.

Beat in eggs, bananas and juice.

Stir in dried fruit.

Stir in flour until combined.

Spread into prepared loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes. My oven which is slow, takes the hour but I would recommend checking it after the 50 minute mark.

Allow to cool slightly and then remove from tin.

Enjoy warm or allow to cool. My dad would spread butter on a cake like this but it isn't necessary, just a little bit of decadence.

I had a disaster in the kitchen today. My 20 year old electric hand mixer has decided it is time to go where old mixers go (in the bin). It is a cheapy KMart  model that my mum gave me years ago, a Kitchen Maid which if you say it quickly enough sounds kind of impressive, like a Kitchen Aide. It has served me well and I know that for the $20 price tag I won't get anything near as good in today's market. Never mind, wooden spoons and wire whisks are good enough for the time being but I will not be making any meringues without electric beaters. I think I will put my $30 that my mother in law gave me for Christmas towards a new mixer.

Tracy

 

Blogging hasn't felt like the right thing to do these past few days. I have been staying close to home and keeping my young ones near. 

 

 

This afternoon we had quite a smoky view. There is a fire somewhere nearby (which I think is under control) and the smoke setled in the valley. Pretty in a strange and eerie kind of way.

The first time I let globe artichokes get to this stage was accidental. We didn't harvest them in time and they became full blown blooms. Now, I always leave a few on the bush just for their beauty. The garden for me isn't just about nourishing the body, but nourishing the spirit too.

I hope all of my blogging friends are safe and well and happy.
tracy

Post 393

Title creativity has escaped me so "Post 393" it is today. That does mean 400 is close by and I will definitely be generous when I get to that milestone so stay tuned and I will think up a little something to giveaway to celebrate.

 

I have all of my swap ornaments hanging quite nicely on this years living Christmas tree. It is only a little tree but it is nice and full and once Christmas is over for this year, it will beplanted in the Christmas garden in the backyard. The Christmas garden is the place I have reserved for trees and plants that have served as our Christmas tree. It doesn't need to be a pine or traditional at all, just somewhere nice to hang a few special decorations.

Yesterday I posted my finishing post on the Yates site for their   yates Growing Challenge. It is supposed to be a picture of the garden ready. My garden is never ready or finished. It is always a work in progress. Sometimes with more work in progress than others. At the moment it is in a good growth phase. With not a lot of variety in the harvest department but a lot of promise for good things soon. The corn and tomatoes are growing really well and even though there looks like there are quite a few empty spots, that is good. It means that I have made enough room to plant some more beans, zucchini and corn.

I have been out and about the past two days with an appointment for Grace at the podiatrist and a presentation day for Tom for his work he did at school in 2011. But now it is home for a while with lots of good to be done. Though I may venture out to the local Christmas Carols on Sunday evening. I want to plant some more radish, carrots, silverbeet... the list is too long. That's my idea of fun times.

 

I really couldn't resist snapping this picture of the Borlotti beans. They are like a jewel and although I really would like to use them right now in  a salad, I am resisting (I'll admit I may snack on a few when I'm gardening) and letting them dry for use in soups and salads in the winter. Delayed gratification, it's a good thing.

 

 

Gadrening so far has been more of a struggle than ever before because of necessary water restrictions. After our tanks ran dry a while ago, I have been quite hesitant to use the wet stuff but I am. I need my garden for more than just sustinence.

 

Tracy

12/12/12

Where was I on 12/12/12? Well at about 12:12pm, I was in the garden. Mulching and watering and weeding too.

 

Grace took this rather disastrous picture of me amongst the asparagus fronds. It's all hat and asparagus.

Tracy

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