Babies growing...

They're under cover and therefore don't get frost bitten... Sometimes they get knocked and broken. The pieces of succulents are then just placed into the gravel. After a few months, they're their own plants! Love it... Great way to cover an area... When there's too many, it's really easy to transplant them elsewhere too :)

Blessings,

Fish still going strong...

The water chestnuts have died back and the cold weather is here. Will be covering the container this week so the five fish don't freeze to death... Should take them out actually so the container can dry out and I harvest the water chestnuts... Yes, best do that instead :)

Blessings,

Escapee...

Lavender, that is... A new plant has grown away from the parent plant. In Spring, I'll transplant it as the parent plant is dying...

Blessings,

Charlie...

Bruce crows and Charlie gives a crow back. Then they're off... So fun to watch. Charlie's crow is getting deeper and more roosterish... Not raspy anymore at all :) He's growing up... Can you find him in the picture? He's an Australorp so all black...

Blessings,

Laying again...

They're getting better... Four a day most days now... Yay! Keep getting there chookies...

Blessings,

Wattles...

They're confused... One week it's cold then warm then cold... One tree is in flower and the other is budding...

Love the sweet smell. Not too strong, just enough :)

Blessings,

More flowers... More perfume...

Love seeing these... Love smelling them...

Blessings,

Oh the perfume...

Jonquils are amazing in the yard and even better in a confined space such as a home...

I've had these two beauties flowing for at least a week now and there are more outside... These two have come inside so that we can all enjoy them and their lovely perfume... Usually I'd go outside each day to enjoy the scent. Now I don't have to ;)

I'm so glad that we can grow things just for their delight. For their scent... 

Blessings,

Dead dog... Nah...

Jasper loves hanging out near the fireplace. He doesn't care at all about the wood chips or dirt...

Cutie...

Blessings,

World's Best Banana Cake...

That's what my mum calls it in her published cookbook... And she's right :)

It was divine. A new hit with the boys...

Blessings,

Extra Chef brilliance...

I've been eyeing this off, from Tupperware, for a while. When I last visited my sister, Lis gave me hers as she wasn't using it!!!

I love, love, love, the ease of using it... I can't stand onions, let alone having to cut them into small pieces. Not a problem. Same with fresh herbs, nuts, you name it!

Feeling blessed...

Blessings,

Date time...

Took Tim to Chinese on Thursday... Thought he'd have his usual but not this time... Fried rice it was, and a large portion too :)

I had the Garlic King Prawns Lunch Special. Just love Michael's food! So yum for a big treat :)

There was only one other couple there so we got the chance to have really great talks. Tim can get very loud when he's excited about a subject, so quiet it wasn't :) Love my chats with my boys... 

They both mean the world to me... Looking forward to date time with Josh on Wednesday... It's that time again for another allergy needle...

Blessings, 

Tim very busy eating hehe

What a sunrise...

The clouds meeting the sunshine made the strangest yet wonderful shapes... So beautiful...

I was hanging washing and these were taken at about 6:30am... T'was very nippy so hung washing, took pictures and went back in front of the fire :)

Blessings,

Ahh peace and tranquility...

I couldn't hear myself think... I was making Magic Cordial and while decanting, the noise level got too much...

I asked the boys to get off Skype. Why do they have to talk so loudly. The people on the other end must be deaf...

So now I sit. In silence. Chores all done and chook is defrosting in the fridge, ready for tomorrow's feast!

I sit with a cup of organic camomile tea and homemade coconut muffins. Water that was heated on top of the fireplace... I sit in the dark, illuminated only by the light let off by the fire... Bliss, pure bliss... Ahh the peace... The tranquility...

Blessings,

Happy 4th Anniversary...

Tuesday, 16 June, marked 4 years working as a Disability Support Worker. What a privilege. What a honour. 

To look back and see how much I've grown and changed feels strange. So much more still to grow. I'm not where I'm meant to be but I thank God I'm not where I used to be... 

Love my job and am honoured to have it!

Blessings,

It can't be...

Oh my goodness... Josh and I just checked the chookhouse... 

We saw the Australorp rooster Charlie jumping one of the other Australorps and have seen that over the last couple of weeks we've had allot more of the 26 chooks' combs going really red...

We have been getting 1 egg every few days and that's all. There's also a 4 foot brown snake that's coming over from next door. Fake eggs and shells have been found previously. 

Anyway, today we went and checked on the egg laying situation and Josh found 4 eggs. I reckon one at least was laid yesterday as eggshell consistency and colour is the same as another but more eggs all the same.

These eggs replace what I used for Josh's brekkie :)

Here's hoping to many more...

Blessings,

Getting creative...

That's what Russell did... He made crepes and filled them with leftovers. I poured over a white sauce I made in the Thermomix and then Russell topped it with shredded cheese. Into the oven and baked till golden brown on top. The rest is, as they say, History... Delish!!!

Blessings,

Baby Penguin...

About three months ago, we went to Seaworld and found a Daddy sitting on an egg... This time when we went back, the egg had hatched and the baby was ten weeks old already, weighing 8kg... Big kiddo!

Mum, Dad and Baby are sectioned off from the rest of the Penguins. The ithers showed allot of interest. It is Seaworld's first one born there ever... So nice to see it! Very special moment...

Blessings,

Autumn time...

I have said it before but one of the best things about living in a cooler climate in autumn is that we have lots of leaves falling in the ground... This load was outside our local cinema... I behaved on the way in and only walked through the leaves.

On the way out it was just too much... I had to kick the leaves... Soooooo much fun!!! Yep got dobbed on my Josh to Russell but it was soooooo worth it ;)

Blessings,

Me Time...

Spoilt myself big time Thursday and went with a couple of lovely ladies to the Spring Creek Cafe... It was very foggy so there was absolutely no view and rain but that didn't damper our enthusiasm as we ate, drank, talked, laughed and cried... Such a precious day...

Blessings,

Moroccan Apple Pie with Fairy Floss and Rose Petal Ice Cream... Delish...

It all Sold!!!

The clearance sale is done and dusted... I am so happy that we got our backhoe and bucket sold... 10% Commission for the auctioneer and the rest for us. Way underpriced but the way I look at it is that at least it's gone...

The backhoe ended up with good friends of ours even...

So many people, so many locals I got hugs from hehe

Awesome day!!!

Blessings,

So many people, many paid more than what it was worth...

The view from my place... Bit busy hehe

Cars, cars and more cars...

Stuff for sale everywhere...

The bucket went...

So did the backhoe...

Jasper...

He loves to sleep on something soft... Usually it is this pillow that Russell uses for lower back support when he watches a movie...

Caught Jasper yesterday morning sleeping with his nose buried into the sofa... No idea how that's comfortable. As for me, I can't stand anything touching my nose at all but he was peaceful for the long time that he did end up sleeping there... Cutie...

Blessings,

Decluttering the fridge...

The surface of the fridge is something I'm always very aware of. It is also said that when the fridge is cluttered, then so are the main living areas of ones house... 

I absolutely love a clean and clear fridge... I used to have a million magnets and all sorts of receipts, posters and notes hanging off mine. I could barely get into the fridge, let alone see what was on the outside... That changed years ago and my mind is sooooo much better for it... I really don't handle living with clutter in my own home. It is suffocating to me... When I go to someone's house and they have clutter, I know I can escape that in a short period of time so it botheres me very little. After all, I'm there to see the person I'm visiting and not their stuff...

My fridge had a couple of things on there that didn't need to be...there were also four magnets that I didn't love anymore and weren't useful... So they left for charity :)

Loved my fridge before and now even more so :)

Blessings,

 

Clearing Sale...

Today, we go to our first one, ever...

And we are selling our backhoe and bucket off the tractor. They are both in good nick but not for us. The bucket was too heavy for the bell housing and therefore snapped off the tractor. The tractor is also too light for the backhoe, due to the black soul so useless to us as well... So finally they're going...

The best bit about all of this is that the clearing sale is right next door... The auctioneer, Stuart was able to come over with the bobcat yesterday and pick everything up and take it over... Auction is on at 10am... Can't wait... We don't care what they go for as long as they do :)

Blessings,

There goes the backhoe...

And the bucket :)

Macaroons...

Made a heap last night. The receipe only has 2 ingredients too, which I liked allot... Most are for a stall for the school P & C to sell and the rest are for the boys... They turned out great! All bags are labelled, dated, packed and ready for their new homes... ;)

Blessings,

Russell did a great job mixing...

Baking morning...

This receipe only has four ingredients and is out of my 4 Ingredients Cookbook...

Absolutely love it... Kids and Russell will love them too ;)

Blessings,

Homemade Lemonade...

These are the first lots off Josh's tree this season. Many more to come off... They are going to be our drink tomorrow night :) Lemonades straight from our garden = Sheer heaven ;) Nom Nom Nom...

Blessings,

That time of year...

It takes a while to fill the crates... My hand is still not at full capacity. But it's getting there... Except for the smallest pieces, it's all done with my left hand.

I filled four crates this morning. I found a couple of big solid logs for overnight burning too and left the trolley on its side for easy moving...

Gonna be warm for the next few nights ;) This is where I wish I was home tonight and not going to work. On the other hand, I do so love my job, so am looking forward to coming home to the warmth tomorrow instead ;) A movie night has already been planned :)

Blessings,