The trouble with chooks ......

.... I have decided, is that they are Creatures of Mass Destruction. For those who don't have any, oh yes, you'd better believe it, and for those who do have chooks, well, this is old news.

But to illustrate my point, here are a few photos I took this afternoon.

This was once our 'lawn' .......

Note the distinct lack of green-ness to it? Yes, we live in drought and I have never actually watered any part of my garden, but in 11 years we have been here it has always been green due to moderate rainfall in our area, and the trees we have lining both sides of our yard and 10 or so in the middle creating lovely shade in the heat of summer. (I'm not a huge lawn fan, but we're planning on selling when we finally build our dream home, and not sure anyone else wants the farmyard-look!)

OK, still not convinced it's the chookies? Well take a look at this ..... on the weekend I raked up huge amounts of leaf litter and general garden rubbish and piled it all up on one side to use later as mulch. Within 2 days, my darling chooks had redistributed it for me.

Here they are at work......

Australorps Emily and Lady with legs a-blur, and Ruby-Lou digging for bugs....

So, what's the solution?

Well keeping them in their ark (see top photo) without a decent run seems unfair, especially since I wanted free-ranging hens. As it is, they only free-range in the afternoons because we also have a dog, so he has to be tied up during their turn of the garden. Not good for anyone, and a situation I haven't been happy with for a long time.

So last weekend we decided to section off part of the yard to use for the chooks, allowing all animals more freedom, and hopefully get some green back into the garden by Spring.

It is taking longer than I expected as general life-stuff means we can only do bits here and there, but here's a sneak preview .....

Using lots of this ....

a handful of these ......

an old gate ......

and a whole lot of this!

Hopefully we will get it finished this weekend, and all will be good again.



Watch this space!

On Being 40 .....

Well the big day came and went, we spent the weekend in Canberra to mark the occasion and I am now officially on top of the hill, (surely the place just before you are over the hill?) and the view here is actually OK.

I have decided I am totally fine with being 40. Possibly, that is, because I am in total denial. I mean, I know I was born 40 years ago, its just that I don't really think I am a '40-year-old'. I suppose it has to do with my perception of what a 40-year-old is. As long as I can remember, being 40 was actually pretty old. When I was a child, being 40 meant you wore tan tights with A-line polyester skirts, wore hair rollers and knitted things. Wore nanna-shoes. Baked a lot wearing an apron. I mean, I knew quite a lot of 40-year-olds, and I am surely not that old. It's not that I am a super-youthful glamourous type (oh, so not!) but you see, I am still ME. Just like I was before.

I have never been one to wish I was younger, or yearn for the return of my youth. Don't get me wrong- being younger was pretty good too and I had some great times while I was there, but I wouldn't want to go back. Getting older to me is just about growing and evolving, and discovering who you are. Through my 20's I had no idea who I was, like lots of people I went to uni, drank too much and spent too much time clubbing. By my 30's things changed a bit and I felt like I grew up a lot then, deciding to return to Australia, getting married, settling down, having a family.

And thats where things changed, because thats the time I started to feel like I was in the right place, doing the right things, being the right person. This past year especially has been one of discovery. I know there are people who find out early on exactly who they are and where they are headed, I'm just wasn't one of them.

So, maybe thats what being 40 is about. Or maybe it has just coincided with another birthday. Who knows?

I'll give the tan tights and the hair rollers a miss, but I'm happy baking (with or without the apron!) and most of all, happy being whatever age I happen to be.


:-)

Busy Birthdays

Well I've been away from blogging yet again (as all bloggers know, so easy to do!)

First we all had the dreadful flu -by the time it had been through all 4 of us, it was 2 weeks long....

But then- hurray! We were all well just in time to celebrate! Our twins turned 4 just over a week ago (wow, where did that time go?) and we had lots of celebratory-days .....

Firstly we took them to Sydney Museum on their actual birthday, to see, among other things, the fabulous dinosaur exhibition. It was well worth the trip and we all enjoyed it ... except for that scary mini-movie they show.... well I had no idea it would be quite so realistic. Hmmm, I think they need to put a 'not suitable for small children' rating on it. Anyway, everything else there was great and later we watched the sun go down (and the bats come out) over Sydney harbour. Beautiful.

The following day we had booked pony rides for them both in Megalong Valley. It was a big surprise and they didn't guess until we pulled into the driveway and saw the beautiful horses, they were truly surprised, it was wonderful to watch their excitement. And they rode so well, while we just walked alongside, they were like naturals! (unlike me, who had wheezing asthma by the end. Oh, yes, still allergic to horses!) Never mind, it was worth it to see their happy faces.

The third day was The Party. Just a small one, less than 10 children and it went very well. Party food, couple of party games, lots of noise! (No red jelly, just natural noisyness!) Whoever invented those party blowers? And why did I buy some?

I thought that was the end, but when they went back to preschool on Monday I sent 30 little pieces of birthday cake (I made sooooooo much!) so everyone sang happy birthday to them once again while they shared.

It was a really lovely long weekend, and I'm glad we all got through it well, because .......

I have flu AGAIN. :-(

Aarrggghhhh! Not fair! I only had one week off!

Really hoping this is a quick one because its MY birthday next ..... (and its a big one!) I will blog about it later....... ;-)

Fantastic Freecycle Fabric Freebie

Ooooh, did I get the score of the week recently! Picked up an enormous amount of fabric on freecycle on Saturday that was up for grabs. I wasn't even the first to ask, but after the first 2 people offered didn't show (quite annoying when you are giving stuff away) I was offered the lot.

There is a lot of 70's style knit fabric in every colour you can think of, as well as other jersey knits, lots of cottons, linens, satins, and even some thick boucle-style fabric. There are over 50 pieces, and apart from a few smaller pieces (under 1 metre) most are large enough to make clothing or large craft items, some up to 4 metres long!

This is such a brilliant lot for a novice sewing enthusiast like me! I have made a few items of childrens clothes recently, but still learning along the way and always wondering what I will try next. So great for practising my skills and trying out a few different things.

Here are some of my favourite prints ....



















If you haven't joined freecycle in your area yet ....... why not? There are freecycle groups all over the globe, and if you haven't one near you - start one! Its a great way to give away unwanted (but decent) stuff that might otherwise go to landfill (and to pick up stuff too!) I've given away heaps from kids toys they've outgrown, to backyard ponds, and picked up some great things at times too. You know what they say - "one man's trash is another man's treasure" !

http://www.freecycle.org/

Oh, and today I made my first SALE! (Completely unintended, but welcome all the same!) One of the childrens aprons I made recently was spotted by my friends sister-in-law, who loved it and asked me to make one for her daughter. For money! For those who make their living doing this, it may seem trivial, but it was such a confidence boost for me. And the validation that someone else is prepared to pay for something I have made was a real pleasant surprise.


And finally I will leave you with this .................

(shamelessly taken from Judi at ALS) -

Reasons To Buy More Fabric

It insulates the cupboard where it is kept.
It keeps the economy moving. It is my duty to support the cotton farmers, textile mills and fabric shops.
It is less expensive and more fun than psychiatric care.
I’m participating in a contest – the one who dies with the most fabric wins.
It keeps without refrigeration, you don’t have to cook to enjoy it, and you’ll never have to feed it, change it, wipe its nose or walk it.
Because I’m worth it.
Like dust, it’s good for protecting previous empty spaces in the house.
Like the ironing board, the laundry basket and the dining room table.
It’s not immoral, illegal or fattening.
It calms the nerves, gratifies the soul and makes me feel good.
Because it’s on sale.

(or freecycle!!)

:-)

Feeling a little NUTTY ?

Oh, I am excited!!!

Today at Blackheath Community market I put my order in for some HAZELNUT trees, which are being distributed as part of the Hazelnut Tree Project, a community bulk-buy scheme organised by the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute. (Have a look at their great website here HERE )

Hazelnuts are particularly suited to our climate here in the mountains, and are an excellent food source. You can read more about them and how to grow them at Hazelnut Nursery Propagators , who just happen to be right here in the mountains!

They are wind pollinated, (so don't depend on a healthy local population of bees) and you do need a minimum of 2 trees so they can cross-pollinate. We have ordered 4, which I understand will be different varieties to maximise the yield and the length of the growing season, as some are early and some late season producers.

They are a decent size tree, bare-root stock, and at just $15 per tree, a great investment!

It is a little early for us to buy them, as our land still sits empty waiting for our dream home, but you know what? In a couple of years we will have a fantastic food forest growing there complete with fruit and nut trees!

In the meantime we can either try to pick the best spot for our future orchard or plant the hazelnuts out into large pots while we wait ....

I'm just happy to be moving further towards our dream ........

:-)

Vanilla Custard Slice - too easy!

Ok, this is such a cheat I feel almost embarrassed blogging it - except that it is SO delicious if you don't already use this recipe, I'll bet you will from now on!

It uses SAO biscuits instead of pastry (in UK- maybe cream crackers?) Works a treat....

1 litre milk
4 heaped tbsp custard powder
4 level tbsp sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence
Sao biscuits (I used 18 for this dish)

1. Bring 3 ½ cups milk to the boil in a saucepan.
2. Mix the custard powder, sugar, vanilla and remaining milk in a jug to a paste, then add to the hot milk. If this doesn’t thicken enough straight away, continue to heat until thick.
3. Layer sao’s in a deep dish (I used a square baking dish which fit the biscuits 3x3, but just trim them to fit whatever you have)

4. Pour custard over the biscuits, then layer the remaining biscuits on top to cover.
5. Pop in fridge until set

6. Passionfruit icing – pulp of 4 passionfruits mixed with 1 cup icing sugar. (may need 1 tbsp warm water to get smooth consistency)
7. Spread over top of slice, back into fridge to set.

This cuts easily when cold, and the sao’s soften the next day which makes it even tastier!

Simple Kids Apron

I recently decided to try making some kids' kitchen aprons, partly because my own children love to help baking and partly because all of their friends are turning 4 around now and I thought they would make nice, and different, gifts for them. (Its not easy to knowing who has what toys and books already!)

Well I just finished my first one last night, (just in time for a party today!) and I was really happy with it. I bought some cute cotton drill fabrics through the week, a little bit retro, a little bit funky, but definitely cute for a couple of little party girls! Some purple 70's style flowers, and some bright flowers, and some bright bias binding to match each in purple and orange.

I cut the 'pattern' from an old shirt and just kept sizing it to my daughter until it was right. No hemming of the apron, just wide bias binding around all sides with one piece continuous from back tie to neck loop to the other back tie. Add a little pocket to the front with the bias border and hey presto!

In with the apron went a little wooden spoon with a pink satin bow, so the birthday girl can have her own spoon too! I'm happy to say it was well received, and I felt good that I had hand-made something and given one less plastic, over-packaged present!

The bright flowers will become an apron before next weekend's party, then my own kiddies turn (with some Thomas fabric for my son he is very happy with!)

:-)

Autumn in my garden

I just love Autumn in the mountains ...
































I was despairing yesterday at the state of our back 'garden' since gettting our chooks (the price of free-ranging!) They have destroyed a lot of the soil, scratching up too much and turning areas into dustbowls. So I am trying to focus on the nicer aspects today, if I look up to the trees and not at the ground it seems so much better !!!


We have 9 maples in our back garden, and a few at the front. At this time of year they do look their best as the leaves start to turn ..... some just starting to change quietly to soft yellows and pinky-orange, others (like the one above in my front garden) screaming scarlet red.


The trees mark a definite season here, and I love that about this area. Somedays it feels as though Autumn is sort of lost somewhere summer and winter, as we can have gusts of really cold wintery weather, then strangely warm again for days. So it's reassuring to be reminded we live in a part of Australia that does have 4 definite seasons (the little bit of English left in me likes that!) and what better to remind us than our own back gardens.


:-)

Happy Mothers Day

x from my little cuties x

Happy Mothers Day to all the mums out there xxx

Little Pink Dress

I'm pleased to report I finally finished Miss A's dress. If I had made it non-stop it probably would have taken me 2 hours max, but grabbing 10 mins here and there made it stretch over a couple of weeks!


She had a little pink fleece dress about 2 years ago that I loved, (but way too small now) so I decided to trace around that for a pattern and give it a go, like a true amateur!



We picked some bright furry-fleece from Spotlight, matching thread and off I went. I found the fleece really easy to work with, (once I figured out which way I had to cut for the stretch) and very forgiving of little mistakes due to the thick pile!

The photo doesn't show any detail, but I did zig-zag stitch on all seams, and a patch pocket with purple pattern stitch across the top. I am planning to get a little applique for the pocket to take the 'plain-ness' off a little.



I used less than half the metre I bought, so cost roughly around $3-$4. But more importantly, I am pleased my machine is getting some use, proud I have been able to make something, and that it looks good! Miss A loves it, (it feels like a teddy!) and it's great for the colder weather already.



Next project is for my son, and a bit more ambitious for me - a sleeveless vest. Hopefully I will get it done before the end of winter!