magazine bliss...

i love it when nice things arrive in the post..

this week i recieved not one but two parcels from caff kidsome [cath kidston] as my grandaughter would say..

so i thought new bowls ...homemade soup...leek,zuchini and potatoe topped with sour cream and a shaving of cheese yumm..

then in the afternoon i sat in a sunbeam and read a few of my new mags and with a cuppa in hand and a few squares of choccy i had a really nice time..

then the peace was interupted when the grankiddles came in and the question on their lips was' what is vitamin seeds'? we have to find food that vitamin seeds in it ????

oh ,you mean vitamin C ....

well at least that is not as bad as when we went to their first nativityand my grandson said we were going to see Mary and baby CHEEZELS!!!
out of the mouths of babes...

off to wake up my dough..

sourdough success ..

hooray!! i did it ..

my sourdough worked even with the temp dropping down to 22 in the day time and 5 at night ..

i love winter though..

i want to bake and sew and knit and crochet..

i feel alive with anticipation and i can wear my beloved sophie digard scarves..

anyway , i baked 2 loaves on sunday and they turned out wonderful ..no more shop bought poison for me ..

this bread is totally digestable and full of nutrition and i won't go back ...ever..

and the postman brought me some bamboo sock yarn from the us and england ..aren't the colors amazing?

well off to wind the yarn and feed the mother...ready for baking thursday ..

sour dough and socks..

i think ,no i know ,that i am a better sock maker than a sour dough maker !!!

i had a wonderfull class last sat with yoke as our teacher and i thought that i had taken in everything?

but my first loaf went on the compost heap as it did not rise to the occasion!!

i will persist because this is the only bread i CAN eat..

i love the concept and the whole sourdough thing but i shall try again'...

what with feeding of the mother [ starter] and putting the dough to sleep in the fridge and then waking it up i feel that i have a newborn in the house..

still i refuse to give up because i LOVE the bread ,the taste and the fact that it so good for you..

however i shall refrain on putting on a photo until i have mastered the art...

off to check if the mother is alive and kicking[ i need to see bubbles ]...wish me luck..

then there were 4...

last night one of our chooks spent the night elsewhere..

the girls normally tootle off to their house around dusk and then we lock them in for the night..

but one of them had other ideas ..

we don't know how or where she went but my hubby spent two hours looking for her by torchlight..

so this morning when i let them out we were down to 4..

we had a cold night last night around 6 degrees after a day emp of 25 which didn't help with chook missing anxiety..

so this morning i made them a little hot rice porridge to start their day and hoped that they wouldn't miss their friend and out popped no 5!...

so now we are back to 5 thank goodness...

quilt show goodies...

firstly let me congratulate my friend julia on your spectacular recognition to your wonderful talent ...

your quilt was amazing and we were thrilled for the recognition that you so justly deserved ..

well done ...

you can pop over to julia if you click on her at the side bar ...take a look ..you will not be dissapointed...

there were a few yuwa fabrics that had to come home with me and of course some suri alpaca for some indulgent sock knitting...

a great day with a dear friend and some memorable moments too..

vintage bliss..

most people that know me know that i love vintage things..

you know the stuff that has lived thru several lifetimes and nobody has yet put them to good use or they have cared for them during their lifetime and they are ready for a revival ..

i have a penchant for vintage wallpaper my favorites are from around the 1930's..

the sort that has been printed and when you run your hands over the pattern you can feel the paint..

well when we build the new little house this year [the planning is taking forever] i WILL be wallpapering ...everywhere..

this little pansy beauty will be going in the bedroom... not too much of it ..and of course something crochety to match ..maybe a cushion or two ..something that will not compete with my vintagey blanket...
ooh i love building houses i have only built one but it was great fun ..it was a large 5 bed 2 bath wooden two story and i was forever cleaning..

well that one came and went and now we will be building a cute as can be one bed one bath cottage...still in wood ...on stumps ..on our acreage ...but as i will be using a lot of recycled materials both inside and out we have made the provision that it can come with us wherever we may wonder...

can you just picture it on the back of a semi trailer touring oz ...complete with pansy wallpaper...

mothers day and a special birthday

i have to say that mothers day is one of my favorite days ..

it is the day spent with my children and grandchildren and celebrating with the family..

i also think about my mum who still should be here and who died from breast cancer 24 years ago..

we have a birthday too my 5 year old grandson and oodles of chocolate gateaux..

the beautiful stocks are from my daughter who knows that i hanker for all things vintage and english flowers..

i shall relax now and enjoy their heady fragrance for a few days and be thankful for all the good things in my life...

chinese gooseberries...

we are watching you...
i was checking the progress of my chinese gooseberries or paper lanterns and i felt as if i was not alone...

i turned around and they were there ...

these chinese gooseberries have the most amazing little berry inside when the lanterns are ripe and open.

they are packed with vitamin c a true superfood..

thank you muggsie for your comment and yes i will be doing the course run by yoke ...

i can't wait ...

off to enjoy the garden as the weather is a lovely mid 20 's ..

i'm really going green...and a new book..

i have decided to support my local organic suppliers and to help my carbon footprint..

i am now taking delivery of an organic fruit and vegetable box delivered once a week.

also i am taking delivery on friday of a 10 kg pack of grass fed organic meat all of course demeter certified ..

i have enrolled for a live smoothie workshop and a real sourdough bread making class..

i can't wait i love the slow food movement and if i really thought hard about it i would be vegetarian but i live with a carnivore..

so really it all boils down to living longer and better so i can knit crochet and sew until i am 180 years old....

also a new book out at the calicoandivy shop [0893833794] is the long awaited sequel to their first book material obsession 2 ooh it's scrumptious ...

playing hooky...

well i have been..
but not anymore ..
these three projects are now on the top of my to do list ..
you see, i easily get bored with working on the same thing ..
so in between knitting the socks i will have a little hooking action going on too...