Thursday thrift.....

Today's Thursday Thrift relates to the old boy scout motto : " Be Prepared". I am laid up at home with the flu-for the first time in 7 years I've managed to pick up a virus which has given me a head full of mucus, temperature and a cough that's scaring the dogs!

Needless to say, work is out of the question-and as the industry I work in pays casual rates, that means that I shall have no income for the 4 days I miss...which brings me back to the Boy Scouts!

When we built this house I was totally in love with our pantry-it is HUGE! I had always planned that once the orchard is in full production the pantry space will be full of fruit filled jars, neatly lined up on the shelves. I already have some jars of chutney and relishes, and they will be enjoyed this week on fresh homemade sourdough bread.

Our pantry has also been stocked with Baker's Flour, pasta, tinned goods and other bits & pieces-which means that although my income will be down ( I'm not well enough to get to the supermarket anyway!) we will still eat very well. The freezer is stocked and tonight will be pea & ham soup with some of the sourdough currently rising on the hearth of the wood heater.

So, it's although not the end of the world a week of illness could have caused real issues for me, but by being pantry prepared I can concentrate on recuperation without stressing about groceries.

Now, where has that hot lemon drink gone?

She who maketh mistakes....

I was making a batch of homemade yoghurt this morning, thinking about someone asking me recently if there was "anything you can't make?" and my reply-which was that yes, there is much I don't know how to do but I'll go out and learn how if I want to! Recently I have learned how to do the following for myself after finding information online:

* Make soap
*Make laundry detergent
*Make sourdough bread, cakes and pancakes
*Make yoghurt in my Thermos
*Make my own citrus cleaner


That whole process of mentally musing made me ponder why many people DON"T try new things...and I think that it just could be through fear! In our consumer driven society all advertising is centred around perfection and the atainment thereof...our human frailties are focused upon, our imperfections are highlighted and the products advertised are always presented as perfect!

Reality has blemishes- as does some of the produce coming out of our backyard! When you learn a new skill, chances are the finished product will NOT be picture perfect-it will most likely be totally adequate and will come with a sense of achievment; but will show the handcrafted nature of your work!

She who maketh mistakes will be learning so much!

Cream,cinnamon and continuity....

When I couldn't get back to sleepafter 4-30am this morning I decided to be productive instead! Last night I'd freshened some of my sourdough starter ( Edie), so as well as baking some more bread I also made a sourdough cinnamon cake...mmm...!

To a cup of the sourdough was added warm water, flour, bi-carb, sugar and cinnamon and this was mixed to a batter and place in a greased & lined square cake tin:

In another bowl I mixed some flour, butter, honey,sugar,cinnamon and rolled oats into a thick paste:

The paste was spread over the cake batter and baked for 35mins at 170c

Yumm is all I can say! :)

The two cuties below are our two elder grandsons Zane (on the right) and Angus); they are enjoying a treat my grandmother used to give me: fresh bread spread with jam and whipped cream. I love the sense of continuity this picture brings to me-my grandmother passed away 23 years ago, yet at moments like these I feel her beside me still. I hope to develop that sort of relationship with my own grandchildren.

A piece of peace....

Now that I'm the other side of 40 I've found that there are times when I realise that I am truly at peace. These moments can be anywhere, anytime. They are moments when I feel so deeply part of the world around me...they can be when I am lucky enough to be gazing over a still, blue ocean on a warm summer's day-or when I hold a grandchild and they nestle their head into my shoulder. These moments make me  truly realise what the word " blessings" means....


It has not always been this way-many years have been endured where I thought that I had to strive and work and achieve in the eyes of others. Now though, I finally understand how to just......be.


Tonight has had one of those moments. His Lordship and I spent some time in the food garden digging up the potatoes we planted some months back with the help of two of our grandsons.


A cool breeze was teasing away the heat of the day, the corellas wheeled overhead and a group of 7 black cockatoos winged their way across the sunset. Life could not be much better than it was at that moment. Him, me and our life.


I thought that I'd also post a couple of photos of the bread created from my sourdough starter:

Below is the breakfast His Lordship had the next day: