Hello! Good news!! Clearly the yogurt is starting to work!!! Egg production DOUBLED since yesterday.
I still feel we have a long way to go…
Anyway, I did pretty much nothing with the rather nice sunny day and now I am feeling somewhat guilty about it.
I did manage to drag Jeff out later this afternoon for a walk by the river to its entrance by the sea… was lovely out in the fresh air
The late afternoon sun was nice, but it was still pretty chilly!
I am enjoying reflections lately
We started out by the car park where we put the kayaks in to paddle then walked towards the pier at Wynyard
So calm out there! The water was like a mill pond!
Even the waves hardly broke the surface!
We like checking out the old homes and landmarks about Wynyard when we walk about. This fabulous front ‘fence’ was actually made of the ships ballast from many years ago.
At the end of our stroll, the sky had darkened and a hint of a sunset coloured the sky
Reflections again – the smudges on the water surface is actually oil from the trees!
Back home to the fire and dinner… we actually have done some hasty rearranging tonight so we can camp in our lounge room in front of the fire. It really is icy out there and the best place in the house is right here –
Pip is thrilled. He is already fast asleep in my sleeping bag!!
Oh – and the BEST thing about today??
My friend Marsha turned up and gave me chicken socks!
I was quite happy slothing about at home today working on photos in front of the fire when my cousin Fiona rang up and said that she and one of her sons, Ruben were going out for a walk… interested?
Sure!
Anyway – it was great to get out in the fresh air and it didn’t even rain on us!
Following are just some photos from today and yesterday.
Hope Wednesday is great! All downhill to the weekend!
Cheers!
Fiona and RubenAlmost high tide
So – what do you reckon?My lovely protea has a good number of blooms happeningNeglected herb gardenA small amount of tidying up helpsThe snippet of pig-face that I liberated from down at the Bluff has gone mad! Hoping I will see it bloom when the season is right!Pretties for the gardenI keep seeing on social media the wonders of feeding yoghurt to chooks for increased egg production. At the point where it can’t hurt but to try.Chooks scruffing up my garden. They love the yoghurt. Egg production today went from one egg to none. Sigh.Surprise flowers popping out
Hiya!
I am dying to do a few proper posts on my travels in the USA – but its taking me an eon to get the processing done in between other essential jobs and sleeping.
I was trying to get the Painted Desert NP photos all done and dusted – but I am not even halfway!!
Of course I make sure I am working on the wedding photos as a priority, but its nice to have a break and work on a different subject!
Today was a little dreary outside. I did get outside and stock up on the fire wood – then did a bit of tidying in the herb garden because I keep walking past it and it looks so woebegone!
Monday! Blue skies & Sunshine!
Seems one day on – one day off weather wise!
I picked some carrots and herbs from the garden and put a slow cooked beef soup/stew in the oven for dinner
Been thinking upon the next four months – which is the amount of time we have before taking my parents to Japan and travelling about there! (So excited!)
We already live a naturally pretty frugal lifestyle, so the challenge is where to cut corners and budget further and earn a few extra $ in the pocket to take with us.
Tomato mix made earlier in the season – digging in the freezer
We have a good lot of food – meat and vegetables – in the freezers and its a matter of being strict and not whim shopping for something else when we have plenty at home
Slow cooking the cheap cuts. It was fall-apart tender by the time I was done!
We rarely eat out or get take-aways (take outs) so not much to be changed in that area.
Start of my slow cooked beef soup
Its been an unusual year for us ‘extravagance’ wise. We live on one part time wage (Thank-you Jeff) – and generally very happily and comfortably.
Its just when you throw in a major hiking adventure, a ‘new’ car and two overseas trips all in one year, the budget creaks a little – but I like the challenge!
(You only live once, after all!)
So – Apart from living out of the freezer for most things and scraping whats left out of the garden… I need to be proactive about selling off the rest of the garage sale stuff (eg books to book dealer and going online to try to sell the better quality items)
I have a outlet for some of my jams/sauces – now that I am home I need to get cooking ASAP
Not the right season to be getting produce sales like I did for my Texas trip – but maybe look in other areas like selling bottles of my kelp juice (which is essentially free to make) and of course, Ruby always has some garden work for me to do when the weather isn’t dreadful!
Still tomatoes out there!! Yay!
I have also been toying with the idea of diving into the Air B&B arena as well as actively seeking photography work.
The latter scares me! LOL
Anyway – its enough to keep me thoroughly amused over winter this year! (Along with the never-ending photo processing!!)
It was a photo processing day today – lots of rain and cold weather!
Thought I would share the photos I took yesterday of the chickens having a bath! We let them out into the main yard because the weather was so nice.
They made a bee-line for the macrocarpas where there is no grass and proceeded to dig themselves into their holes and cover themselves with dust. They are so funny to watch and they were clearly thoroughly enjoying themselves
The reason Jeff is not so keen to have them out in the yard so much is because they dig these potholes that he runs into while mowing the lawns
They practically turn themselves inside out in the process
They can play dead too…
The earth moving can get quite vigorous at times –
Chooks! Free entertainment and a side order of eggs!
Hello and welcome to the weekend!
Its been a pretty good Saturday – great weather and lots done!
I started with beetroot.
I didn’t want that lot I picked the other day sitting around much longer, so I got to it – chopped them up and put them on the stove to cook/pickle
While that was simmering away I got my box of garlic out of the pantry and went upstairs to the warmest room in the house to sort which cloves to plant
Jeff was also using that room getting in some km’s on the stationary trainer, while Pip looked on in mild concern…
Eventually I finished sorting and enticed Jeff down to the garden to help me get the garlic in the ground – my theory was if it was done quicker we could go for a short hike!
I raked the area and made out a grid and poked holes in the ground to make the process a bit quicker and easier
And with my trusty sidekick, the whole thing didn’t really take us so long!
Job done, out of the gardening clothes, into the walking clothes and off to Anniversary Bay! First time since coming home!
We did the circuit backwards to our normal way – this hill was easier today! (Did I mention I like the going down part of hikes?)
Such a beautiful winters day – with all the usual colours, patterns and textures!
Strange patterns on this rock! Almost like it was carved!!
Hope everyones weekend started fantastically!
Cheers!
Welcome back me to Anniversary Bay – with a rainbow!
Hello!
Bit of a dreary day today – lots of rain on and off – which was a good thing so my fertiliser and lime has had some time to soak into the proposed garlic patch!
But it was essentially an indoor day.
Apart from some mandatory housework, I post processed a bunch more wedding photos – still not making a dint in the overall volume, but at least its something!! (I have over 1200 wedding-related images!!)
When the rain let up I went outside to give the girls some scraps and let them out into the main yard to play.
Also took the break in weather to stock up on more firewood on the back veranda.
I then collected todays egg (haha) and picked dinner from the garden.
I had thawed some steaks, and along with some potatoes, it was a dinner fit for royalty…
Love my fresh salads (and yes I had beetroot too!)
We also used our new jar-glasses that I was given from the wedding in Texas… I think they are pretty cool!
Pip spent the day stealing Jeff’s seat whenever he got up to do something! He then adopts this ‘I am sound asleep’ pose which makes you feel mean about moving him. I saw Jeff and Pip swap seats several times today!
Hope everyone has had a great Friday and is in for a super weekend!
Hello!
Sorry I didn’t quite make it to the blog yesterday. I went to Launceston with my cousin, Fiona who had an appointment up there and wanted a driving companion. Since I didn’t think I had done enough kilometres in a car yet this month, I jumped at the chance! haha – It was a lovely day and good to catch up with her.
Today I was keen to stay in front of the fire and crochet the day away, however, that garlic is not going to grow so well stuck in a box in my pantry… so on with the scruffy gardening clothes
Last part of the patch to attend toAnnoyingly there is one carrot growing here happily that I couldn’t pull up yet!
I gave the patch a good dusting of blood and bone
Normally I would dig that in and wait a few days before adding some lime and going through the same process…
However, I am running a bit behind and I was feeling impatient, so just sprinkled the lime on as well before digging the lot in
A flower pot worked really well for this job!
I dug all this in… now to wait for a bit of rain and in a few days I’ll actually plant the garlic.
Then in a fit of enthusiasm I thought I might tackle one of the raised garden beds –
Ugh – I hate twitch
I pulled up metres of this ropey weed!!
Finally I think I got the vast majority of twitch pulled out and everything dug over
I’ll cover this with a thick layer of seaweed in the next few days and hopefully that will slow the weeds down so come spring I have less to do. (I think I want to put my lettuce in this bed)
Jetlag can be a really positive thing. Like when you wake up thoroughly at 4am and remember you forgot to put the bread on. By the time 8am came around it was piping hot and ready!
I am enjoying being home very much – trying to get into a few little routine tasks.
My garden welcomed me home by not remembering that it is actually winter –
Bliss
The tomatoes at the back door are doing remarkably well
Slow of course but steady – and you can’t expect too much at this time of year! Its all a bonus
The hothouse tomatoes look about dead, but have a bit of fruit in there… will have to clean that out soon.
My main garden?? (Big Sigh)
I think it might have gotten away from me! That will keep me out of mischief on the sunny winter days do you think?
Plenty of parsleyBefore
Yesterday’s weather wasn’t too bad – so I made a start on the patch that I want to put the garlic into
After
Then I got tired and it started to rain so I quit for the day… but not before pulling out a bunch of beetroot!
Will pickle ASAP – still loving that with my evening meals
Today I spent the entire day in my PJ’s.
But I did manage to bake a cake…
Simple tea cake
I also took the hint from Pip and put away my bags – I think he feels more settled without the bags out and the possibility of his mum disappearing again!
Bedtime for me! Only 9pm and I am falling asleep!! Weird!
Hope everyones week has started well!
Hello – I am adjusting fairly quickly back to my normal time zone (apart from going to bed too early and getting up before the sun)!
Winter is also a bit of a shock.
Anyway, here is an overview of my amazing time in the USA – specific stories will have to wait a bit – there are over two thousand photos to sort & post process and I figure I should prioritise the wedding photos for the young couple!
My friend Wendy and I hit it off really well – no problems being the best buddies that we were back in 3rd grade! Her family were equally welcoming.
We started off with a graduation:
Proud family with the youngest member, CJ graduating
I didn’t really realise the big event this was in the US. In Australia there is a certificate handed over and a formal dance, but nothing compared to the ceremony I got to go and see in Texas!
A few days later – there was a wedding!
All the beautiful flowers for the day were grown by the grooms mother!
The day went beautifully. There was a lot of happiness and love – and fun!
Newlyweds Stephanie and Holden share a kiss
After the wedding was done and dusted, lots of family stayed on in Corpus Christi for a week – there were lots of dinners, gatherings and beach time
Driving miles down the beach to find the perfect picnic spot
So many pelicans
Evening fell and a fire pit was dug and lit up. There followed music, singing and smores!
A couple of days after the family left, Wendy and I packed the car and started on our rather epic 4500km (2800 mile) road trip!
Not far out of Roswell… spooky sky huh?
I loved watching the landscape fly by – and we were treated to some stunning sunsets
A quick stop in Roswell was all the tackarama I dreamed it to be! (yes and we now have some alien bumper stickers on our car!!)
Representing countries (worlds) near and (very) far!
A slight detour to the Painted Desert NP to see the petrified wood (Of which you saw a few images last post) was just stunning. We loved the landscape and its colours
And finally finally finally – the Grand Canyon itself. Nothing really prepares you for how magnificent it really is. And photos cannot capture the scale
We walked a lot of the rim trail on the first day and walked a short way down the Kaibab Trail
The Kaibab Trail
The second day we hiked the Bright Angel Trail – 20km (12 miles) & down a few thousand feet. We were out there for 12 hours!
It was a really fabulous hike – we loved leaving most of the rim tourists behind and really getting down into the environment
Maybe one day I will do the mule adventure!Rewards at the end of our trail – a closer look at the Colorado River
Back on the road again, we took a slight detour to go and see the Gila Cliff Dwellings in southwest New Mexico
Built in the late 1200’s by the Mogollon People. These are pretty incredible.
The workmanship in these dwellings is astounding – and long lasting!
A ranger was up at the site to manage tourists and was very interesting to listen to. Hard to believe that so much effort went into creating these living spaces when they were only used by the Mogollon People for 30 years!
Hope you enjoyed the little taste of my adventures in the US! Time for me to fall into bed again!
