Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - My new blog
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - Around the House ~ Everything Pink
It is raining here today as you can see by the spots on the leaves. I thought the light was good for taking a photo and walked out into cold rain. I wonder if it is snowing somewhere. We had a cold day yesterday, then by evening it got warmer, hence the rain.
I got warm at ballet, prior to that I was cold and had fried eggs for lunch. Ballet was open day yesterday, and my daughter has blossomed in ballet, she seems to really enjoy it and do all the right things. Yesterday she wore pink. I got a mixed bag of American ballet clothes and sometimes change things around a bit. Some have joined on skirts or long sleeves.
Today our son has rediscovered his Dad's trumpet. He scares everyone that comes to the door. |
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Sunday, June 22, 2008 - Simple Woman's Daybook ~ June 23
FOR TODAY Sunday...
Outside My Window... it is getting dark, yesterday was the shortest day of the year
I am thinking... that I have to go through my menu and choose something for tea
I am thankful for... the wood we are able to collect for our heater
From the kitchen... nearly burnt white toast, Anchovette, cheddar cheese, marg.
I am wearing... polar fleece top, skivvy, jeans, socks & scuffs
I am creating... getting things ready for guests
I am going... Just taking the kids around town during the week
I am reading... Pearl by Lauraine Snelling
I am hoping... I don't forget anything I have to do this week
I am hearing... Jedd Hughes Website
Around the house... One daughter is coming home soon from her friend's house, she has been away overnight, the other two are watching TV and playing together with the cat
One of my favorite things... Fantales (lollies)
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Seeing our eldest & his girlfriend
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
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Saturday, June 21, 2008 - I Remember Laura ~ Books & Music
Week four will be about sharing books and music. Laura had a great love of books and music. Books were a rare treat in Laura's young life and she devoured them when she could get them. Music was a part of her every day life be it Ma humming as she worked, Pa's fiddle playing in the evenings, the family singing together, or Mary's organ music. What songs and books are special to you. Do you have a favorite memory that you associate with a book or song? Link up this week and share it. Also, tell why you love the Little House books and any memories you have associated with them.
I am going to start with the music in my life as a girl. At eight I learnt to play piano for a few years. I think the piano was going cheap in the next village to ours. I lived on a farm then. Every week my Mum drove me about 16 miles to go to my lessons. After I started High School I was able to get off the bus there. Mum brought along a snack for me after the lessons finished. My uncle gave me a guitar to use, a very nice one and I was able to get lessons at the next village I mentioned. I still have all my music books. Our house had an old grammophone and sometimes I played it. Sometimes I hear music that reminds me of those heavy records. Sometimes we played, the children I played with, an organ that was in a church that wasn't used. Eventually the church was decommissioned.
My uncle taught dancing in our village. He taught various styles.
When I got married, just before this I had bought a pedal organ and it was the first piece of furniture I bought for our new life together. My husband's family have one as well. My Nana had a keyboard that I played when I was a girl. Also a piano. She loved to play A Bicycle Built for Two. My Grandpa liked to whistle along to any songs I played on the organ/keyboard. He actually played mouth organ and I think fiddle. My Nana's parents liked to play piano, both enjoyed entertaining people at dances I think.
After the organ, my husband and I bought a piano. It turned out not to be a good one, so we tried again. The children also received a modern keyboard for Christmas. At the moment there are no piano lessons available here, but my 11 year old daughter is learning clarinet and she really enjoys it. She plays in the Junior School Band.
After my Dad died recently I was contacted by a childhood friend. I remembered how much fun she and her sisters had playing a detailed version of chopsticks and things like that. They had a guitar and button accordion at their home that I used to visit. I also at one time had a Jews Harp.
I think the most fun we had with music a few years ago was related to ballet. The first concert my eldest daughters were involved in included Morning Mood. My husband happened to have that music in our house. I love ballet music.
There are more music memories than I imagined. My eldest son learnt piano for awhile. When the lessons got hard to manage moneywise I let it drop. I vowed never to do that again. So when my second one started I continued on for many years. When he was 12 he got a very high mark in an exam in Melbourne. Prior to this before we moved there, (to the outskirts of Melbourne in the country) he was involved in an Anglican choir. He was either at practise or church three days a week. He didn't enjoy piano in the end, which was sad for me. My eldest daughter learnt piano, clarinet and even though she doesn't learn at the moment she will often play the piano when she feels like it.
I must mention my step-son as well. He learnt the snare drum and played in the Highland band, and also learnt to sing at the choir. This was also something that I organised.
My husband learnt a lot of hymns when he was young and has a good singing voice. He still likes 60s music but I must say I am just about over Queen. It is funny though, that song was worked into a dance performance too. It was Red Riding Hood and there were a lot of boy dancers who were the wolves, so this was the song they came in on. My daughter was on the stage as a ballerina, and the boys were suppose to ruin their dance. Then the girls went into rap, and my daughter did the worm in her tutu. I was very happy lately at her gym class witnessing her skill doing this, she is still very good at it. So dance flowed on to gym.
My husband also has a trumpet and our second son also was very good at playing those sorts of instruments.
We didn't have a CD player in the car until mid 2004, and I thought I didn't need one, but it is a great joy to me, especially since I sometimes have to drive reasonably long distances. Well actually regularly 50 minutes and other times 1 1/2 hours, occasionally over 2 hours. Also to our new house. I like country music if I can get some that is not too non-child friendly. Some of the music reminds me of the dance music that I danced to as a teenager as the country had a lot of old time dances that all ages attended, it also included New Years Eve dances etc. Lee Kernaghan in particular is good for this. I couldn't believe when I watched CMC Rocks the Snowys in some ways how much good dance music seems to go to waste.
My Dad liked country music, but I haven't remembered which songs yet, usually I know when I hear them.
The Laura Ingalls Wilder books are very calming, that is why I read them. These have led on to reading Janette Oke and recently made me aware that I love all kinds of authors in the Historical Christian fiction genre. It has also opened up the Janette Oke movies to me through the internet and great libraries.
I haven't read the two outside books, but the Lauraine Snelling books are excellent. I still love hearing about Dakota.
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Saturday, June 21, 2008 - Skywatch Friday ~ June 27
I tried an experiment this week and took my camera on my shopping trip. I saw some lovely potential shots. It had been raining and the first attempt at stopping made a big noise. It is a narrow road. I found out later it was water in my brakes. So a little disappointed I didn't try to stop and take the shots. This is a photo I took the week before.
Next week Skywatch will be coming from my new blog. |
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Saturday, June 21, 2008 - Thankful Thursday ~ June 19
The biggest thing I am thankful for this week is that my daughters got to go to some church activities. The first one was called Spotlight. Usually the church holds Spotlight on Christmas, and sometimes an Easter one, this one was random and a bright highlight to a winter's day. The link shows Spotlight on Christmas in another Uniting Church.
Another highlight was the tutu that arrived and put a smile on my face. I was thinking if anything else had been in the box, it probably wouldn't have brought a smile like that to my face. It was a blessing because it was in an op-shop miles away from here, a relative happened to see it and thought of my middle daughter, and yes, it fits!
On Thursday I got a lot of catchup clothes washing done and put away eventually.
On Saturday we had some left overs, which is a special event for us.
Sunday was nice, we weeded the front garden, it was warm, and our little girl helped her Dad. He also helped her make some coconut biscuits (cookies).
These are my blessings for Monday:
~ hugs from dd11
~ help with how to go to youth group so the girls can go again this week if they like to
~ warm afternoon
~ pretty moon scenes
~ hearing about another person's joy
~ hearing about how my little girl has blossomed
and Tuesday:
~ the dog wanting to play a game with me
~ finding another nice easy pork mince recipe (our shop has limited meats, nice but always the same, which is good really)
~ getting my car vaccumed
~ pleasant enough weather outside in the afternoon
~ nice things to read
On Wednesday our eldest son rang, and we organised a trip home for him and for his girlfriend to visit. It is pretty straight forward, except some driving around midnight, but our little girls will get to see them.
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Friday, June 20, 2008 - Menu Plan Monday ~ June 30
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - An Update
Today I had a nice surprise. I heard the delivery lady put something on the front verandah. I usually have an idea she is here. I was expecting a small package from Oztion, and it sounded a bit heavy. At lunchtime hubby and second son came in joking about how the parcel looked like a bomb package. I asked him to open it then lol. Then you wouldn't believe it, he pulled out a tutu! The tutu is gorgeous and was found at the op-shop and the sender thought of our second daughter. One of her friends couldn't believe it. It arrived on a good day as she took it to ballet. You never know when something really special might happen.
Today was the day that there wasn't any hot water left for my shower. But I am happy now, and no one "killed" anyone while I was in there. I did get a phone call, but that wasn't too much trouble.
The sultanas I especially bought the other day were put to good use, in a 5 cup cake from Belinda Moore's blog, and the packet is empty now.
I took my son to a place where you go to find jobs and part time work etc. I got mixed up on the times and it had just closed. We went there at 2pm. I thought it was "don't go there at lunchtime i.e. 1-2" but it was more like don't go there after 2. Oh well, it is very much a case of try try again around here. Maybe I need some sort of diary with people's hours in it. Sure, I should be able to remember, but I don't seem to.
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - June 2008
May Dreams Gardens is the host of Garden Blogger's Bloom Day. It is a little past the 15th June, but I have taken some photos of my garden this week and I would love to join in. Of course, I apologise that my flowers are a little out of synch with North America. It is the first month of winter in Australia.
I have posted some of these photos before, but next month I will be more organised.
These are probably nearly finished now. They are nerines.
A little over a week ago I visited the house we are renovating and these flowers were still out. They are pineapple sage.
Back here again, I love what dh did with this rock, and the French lavenders are amazingly flowering in the winter.
The roses are basically finished, but I love the way they are facing the sun. They are Apricot Nectar.
I also have an Iceland Poppy I think they are called, also a white one.
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Monday, June 16, 2008 - Skywatch Friday ~ June 20
Sunday, June 15, 2008 - I Remember Laura ~ Family Recipes
Week three will be sharing family recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation. Laura told of the varied meals, special sweets, and holiday fare that Pa provided and Ma so lovingly prepared in all the locations where they lived. Almanzo even shared in good fresh farm food fare in Farmer Boy. Did your grandmother make the best fresh apple cake? Did your aunt make melt in your mouth molasses crinkle cookies? Mine did! Perhaps you will begin the tradition of handing down a current family favorite, share it! This week you can link up to share your family recipes and tell us a story of where and how they were served and why this particular recipe means so much to you.
Nana's Pumpkin Bars
Cream 4oz butter and 1 cup sugar add 1 beaten egg, then 1/2 cup cold mashed pumpkin. Sift in 1 1/2 cups plain flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teas. ginger. 1/2 teas allspice, 1/2 teas carb soda and pinch salt then 1/2 cup chopped dates and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts mix well. Spread in flat tin. Bake in moderate oven for 30 minutes.
The recipe is before metric came in. I went to school and learnt imperial then metric came in and I remember my Nana discussing it after buying milk I think at the shop. She was discussing it with the lady she worked for. I think the question they posed was how could you buy a pint of milk. Is that the size it came in, anyway, whatever they usually ask for obviously changed.
I like recipes that are not metric. My Nana I think told me how to cut up a lb. of butter to bake with. I know what 4oz of butter looks like. Butter now is like 1/2lb in Australia, not the full square like it used to be. She lived in a village sized town and bought her butter from the shop. I am pretty sure we had ours delivered. Usually they came with a brown paper bag around them to keep them clean.
Recently my husband came home from the grocery shop with his groceries in his hands. Nana did this too, with smaller amounts. Of course you don't get nice bags for your cold things now. Maybe he should have popped something into a plastic fruit bag. Our supermarket has banned plastic shopping bags, and he doesn't know how to get a box. I said you have to look on the back wall where you came in to see if there are any boxes left before you buy anything. They mostly have something as their system has had the bugs taken out of it I hope by now.
Another thing you will notice about the recipe is bicarb or carb soda. That is what we call Baking Soda. These days the American way of saying the same thing is often printed on the package with the traditional Australian name.
Pumpkin is a favourite in Australia. My daughter was playing Home Among The Gum Trees on Youtube a couple of days ago. Her class is dressing up and singing it today.
by W. Johnson and B. Brown
I've been around the world a couple of time, or maybe more,
I've seen the sights, I've had delights on ev'ery foreign shore,
But when my friends all ask me the place that I adore,
I tell them right away.
Give me a home among the gum trees
With lots of plum trees, a sheep or two, a kangaroo.
A clothesline out the back, verandah out the front
And an old rocking chair.
You can see me in the kitchen cooking up a roast,
Or vegemite on toast, just you and me, a cup of tea.
Later on, we'll settle down and mull up on the porch
And watch the possums play.
Give me a home among the gum trees.
With lots of plum trees, a sheep or two, a kangaroo.
A clothesline out the back, verandah out the front
And an old rocking chair.
There's a Safeway on the corner and a Woolworths down the street,
A New World's just been opened where they regulate the heat,
But I'd trade them all tomorrow for the simple bush retreat
Where the kookaburras call.
Give me a home among the gum trees.
With lots of plum trees, a sheep or two, a kangaroo.
A clothesline out the back, verandah out the front
And an old rocking chair.
Some people like their houses with fences all around,
Others live in mansions, and some beneath the ground,
But me, I like the bush, you know, with rabbits running round
And a pumpkin vine out the back.
Give me a home among the gum trees.
With lots of plum trees, a sheep or two, a kangaroo.
A clothesline out the back, verandah out the front
And an old rocking chair.
We boil our pumpkin or roast it with our roast meat. I have only had one can of pumpkin.
I made Nana's pumpkin bars, and also tried American Colonial bars. I think I improved on Nana's recipe a little. It seems like we both shared a love for collecting American recipes. Australian cakes like that would be called a slice. Nana's collected a lot of slice recipes. She always had cake to take with her on the train. She went every week during football season to watch the games in the city. Her cake was put into an icecream container in pieces so it didn't have to be cut.
I bought some American pumpkin pie spice from www.usafoods.com.au that was a treat for me. Such a tiny canister.
I think the favourites from Laura's books where what Caroline served Nellie for the visit, and also the candy made in the snow.
The most special thing I think I remember Nana making were sponge lillies.
Nana bought walnuts in their shells. She cracked them with a hammer on newspaper. I helped sometimes and put them in a jar I think. Walnuts were a special feature of my growing up. The cockatoos had to be scared away from the trees on the neighbour's farm. We had a non-working walnut orchard that my Great Grandma planted. I love walnut trees. We planted one at our hometown where I lived after leaving my childhood farm. It wasn't the same climate and it died. I am planning an orchard now and live in a cool climate so should buy one soon.
I have been thinking about simple living. My kind of simple living is not so much decreasing income or asking my husband to take a less stressful job, it is having those things like the pumpkin vine , at the moment living a long way from Safeway, does anyone remember when Coles was called New World?
Please click on the picture to be taken to Quill Cottage.
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Saturday, June 14, 2008 - A day in my life
I just checked Little Jenny Wren's blog and it is the 14th today. That means it is time for A Day In My Life. It is nearly 3pm, so I will have to backtrack.
This morning I woke up a little later than usual, one of the girls were stirring up the other one from memory. There was a time where I couldn't sleep because I felt I was on standby with the kids. My youngest is six now and for a little while now I have been able to sleep an extra hour on the weekends sometimes. I had a mug of tea in bed.
I talked to hubby about where to spend our last $40 before payday. We decided on gas, nails or screws, milk and sultanas. He had change as well and I asked him to give our 14 year old daughter her dollar for netball.
I discussed the hot water, and there was water of the right temperature left for my shower. I washed my hair and combed it out, it takes awhile.
Our 11 year old daughter was going slow. She loves her new game from EBs and she loves the Disney channel. Everything is "wait". She had her clothes to pack for her sleepover, and I checked her bag, and she loves wearing summer clothes in winter. What happens is that she is very sporty and runs around gets hot, then cold. I took the shorts out when she wasn't looking, will save those for gym. I didn't think the shorts were relevant.
I had breakfast late, after asking our 17 year old to pack a lunch for himself and Dad. He is our lunch helper for when we go on trips or to the other house. It makes a big difference. I thawed out some meat ends for him yesterday. I had to ask hubby where the bag of wheatgerm was. I had looked for it yesterday but couldn't find it. I wasn't even sure then if I had bought it, as it was over a week ago. He said he had put it with his bags of muesli to save space. So I had my childhood breakfast of weetbix, wheatgerm and sultanas with cold rather than hot milk. Don't forget the sugar.
I made some chicken and another type of meat sandwiches for my six year old daughter for her lunch and I took her sister to netball. Very unusually for me there are just the two of us home now for a little while. She has been threading some beads.
We have been out in the garden. The wind has dried out the leaves and it is a very sunny day. The wind is a little chilly. My daughter noticed the cat sleeping in the sun. We went around the garden and I mentioned there will only be poppies in flower soon. We found some baby Johnny Jump Up plants and some baby Grannies Bonnets, which is great because I would like that plant at our other house, just in case there is none of that colour.
I took out the scraps to the back of the back garden. The dog wasn't here to go through them as he is at the other house for a change of scene. I checked on our 11 year old daughter's vege patch. I made a plan with hubby that we can garden here tomorrow because he doesn't think that the gas place will have gas for our car tomorrow. There wasn't any today because it was too cold for the gas/LPG to come out.
I checked my email and read some things in my reader. I put some wood on the fire at lunchtime. Actually I haven't had lunch yet, so that is next. I also did a post about the gas. Having a cup of tea.
I remembered I wanted to find a recipe with pork mince in it, so did a tiny bit of menu planning. When I do it in advance it gives me a better start to my shopping list. It is cheaper though I think if I buy the meat and things first and then do the shopping list, because I stick to more basic recipes. For example this week I have to buy tortillas and feta cheese, that I probably wouldn't buy normally.
I did some planning about possibly starting a new blog with more features, just jotted down some ideas for a name. When reading my comments I then found the song I See The Moon by Chris Rice and loved it.
Last month I couldn't partipate in A Day In My Life. My father had died 2 days earlier and I felt I shouldn't do a post, so I am happy to be participating today.
I printed out a recipe for tea, then found in the fridge lots of chili so decided we could have that heated over pasta. I had some toast and Pecks Anchovette & Kraft Cream Cheese Spread.
I picked in some sheets and towels and put some more wood on the fire, then read a novel for awhile. Had a cup of tea with hubby. We talked about the mouse that he found in the house because our daughter wanted to keep some chips for next time. I initially tried to talk her out of the idea. At least it has made us focus on holes, as we have a solid brick house there. So will check the one near the hot water service. No mice mean no snakes I hope. I.e. if the mice can't get in, hopefully the snakes can't either. We hope to buy a self closing door or two soon.
I have gone through the photos I took today. If I find something on the Lifestyle or How To channel I will watch that, but there are lots of nice children's movies on tonight it seems. May get to read more of my book. The kids will go to bed in about an hour.
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Saturday, June 14, 2008 - Menu Plan Monday ~ June 23
Thursday, June 12, 2008 - Remote Living
It is a much brighter day here today (Saturday). I heard it was snowing in NSW yesterday. I know it was chilly. Just a few minutes ago, dh rang me from the new house to say he couldn't get gas/LPG for the car. There is only place to get it. The nozzle freezes up. Sometimes it won't shut off and they can't use it at all. Sometimes they pour hot water on it. So I think it is getting fixed. So that is the upshot of our recent cold spell. It is to be frosty then warmer with rain again at the end of the week.
So today he used the last of the gas then will switch across to petrol/gas.
Earlier this week I was asked to complete a community survey. One of the questions was why do you stay in this area. Seems a funny question in some ways, because I don't think people in more populated areas or areas closer to Melbourne would be asked this question. Why should we be asked it and not others?
Anyway, I couldn't answer it straight off the top of my head. I didn't complete the survey anyway, because there is no way with questions about how long have you lived here that I could do an anonymous survey, plus my age, etc. etc.
Yesterday my children were able to join in in two church activities. One was a Uniting Church one that my children have been involved in for many years in three different locations. The other was a youth group. They took the kids treasure hunting in the night, in a very country setting, that I couldn't begin to describe, and it was freezing. But that is what I love about it. It involved probably 60 miles of travel possibly. Where do they get the energy from? They couldn't get that experience anywhere else. (Well maybe if Myrtleford or somewhere like that does this.) It is like spotlighting for game or something. Something we haven't done for a long time. Anyone who has spotlighted in the mountains in winter knows what I am talking about, so the kids really would have been warm most of the time in the car. |
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Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - ABC Wednesday ~ V
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - ABC Wednesday ~ U
So many un words in the online alphabetical dictionary! Yes, all dictionaries are alphabetical, but if you want to find one online that is my suggestion. My U is for Unread Books.
I got the books that are not from the library from ebay. I also got a book by Tracie Peterson, book one from a series, and liked it so much I have ordered book two from Koorong. When I finish a book in a series, I often read the first chapter of the next book on this website. Thankfully I won't have a problem with my other unread books. They are stand along or a group of books put together. I have read a series by Lauraine Snelling before, the Red River Series, and those are the ones I read ahead with.
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Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - Simple Womans Daybook ~ June 16
FOR TODAY Monday...
Outside My Window... a pretty sunny day with autumn leaves & slight haze
I am thinking... I am just enjoying blogging
I am thankful for... the nice day I'm having
From the kitchen... we had canned Irish stew for lunch with sauce, white pepper on toast
I am wearing... runners, windcheater, jeans, long sleeved knit
I am creating... decorating and filling a pinata for hubby's birthday
I am going... to ballet today
I am reading... I have just finished Ashes & Ice by Tracie Peterson
I am hoping... to buy a medlar tree, I have found one, now to organise to pick it up
I am hearing... a ticking clock, reminds me of the one I could hear at my Nana's
Around the house... the ballet bag is ready to pack
One of my favorite things... my recipe binder I typed out as a teenager
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: writing a shopping list & buying food
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
Please visit The Simple Woman by clicking on the top picture.
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Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - Rainy Day
Well last night I made my first purchase on Oztion. Thanks Tania for your encouragement. I have been able to negiotate my way around so far, maybe the seller will think otherwise lol. I found a seller that I knew from ebay, I looked in the lighting section to see how the browsing compared. I find the pages easier to look at, the listings one under the other than ebay. I bought some size 6-8 girls undies because they are a good size, but not easy to come by in the smallish supermarket I go to. I only go to the clothes shops on occasion.
Today my second child started his VCE exams (Year 12). He took some of the cake as his exam is over lunch time. These are mid-year exams.
I spied the orange poppy out the window. I thought maybe it was just some litter, but concluded it must have been a flower afterall. I think I am pretty lucky to have them flower over winter. The tulips are up too. That is great because we actually dug them up and took them to the new house. Then they were in a pot sitting in the hot air, then I think half got planted here, half at the new house. Hopefully they will carry on as normal. I also have a remembrance poppy which is exciting, hope it flower soon too.
I tried some of the icecream and it was very nice.
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Monday, June 9, 2008 - Icecream & Cake
Today the girls got to use their packet of Easiyo vanilla icecream. I am not sure how the price compares, but I started buying Easiyo because it was cheaper than a 6 pack of yoghurt. I take eskis when I go shopping. I don't buy icecream anyway. This icecream is probiotic so that helps, at least in my mind.
I was going to suggest the old icecream trays. However, dh helped the girls, and came up with the idea of using an old casserole dish with the lid. When they got it out of the freezer after tea, I was very impressed. The volume looked huge. It was well worth making the small packet for the 6 of us.
During the afternoon I made up Bel's Five Cup Cake. I had mentioned it, and an online friend said that she had had great success with it too. Thanks Sue. I had it mixed up even before the oven had heated. I am so proud that when I have forgotten things, that some people still know about date loaves and things like that to help me out. Thanks very much for the encouragement guys. And what a treasure some of our magazines have been to us over the years. |
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Monday, June 9, 2008 - I Remember Laura ~ Beautiful Buttons
This week we will be sharing button collections, button identification and care, as well as button stories. Did you have a favorite dress with special buttons? Did you play in your grandmothers button box? There are many descriptions of the buttons used on clothing in the Little House books, from the plain and serviceable ones for the work shirts Laura made button holes for, the bright and beautiful like the ones that looked like berries on Ma's dress that she wore to the sugaring off party, to the fabric covered ones for Laura's best brown dress. Tell us about your button tales!
I came to read Laura's books after watching the TV show. I was a little girl myself at the time. My Mum bought the books for me. When I started ebaying I bought them again. Also when I was 39 we rented a farmhouse for a year an hour out of Melbourne. It was in a very natural place and I had a 1 year old to look after during the day. I ordered books about Laura from the library in Bundoora. I am pretty sure, I was able to read all about Rose and some of the Caroline series there. I recently was able to finish the last in the Caroline series. I plan on reading more about Charlotte, Caroline's Mom & Martha her Grandmother. I bought for myself the book of Laura's lost years.
This is from Little City by the Lake p220 about Caroline's dress.
"Oh I do like this lavender silk," Aunt Jane said, draping some over Caroline's shoulder.
Caroline liked it too. She knew her friends' ball dresses would be made out of silk or satin, but something took hold of Caroline, and she found herself trying to see the choices as her mother would see them. A dress made by a dressmaker was a special gift. Caroline knew it would have to last her a long time, long after she left Milwaukee with its sophisiticated Winter Ball. She knew she needed a dress that would wear well, no matter what the occasion, no matter where she might be.
"What about this?" she asked, reaching for a bolt Mr. Schmidt had just brought down from the shelves.
"Oh, the delaine," Mr. Schmidt said, unfurling a swath of deep shimmery green. "It is a muslin. Very popular back east. Very fashionable and light."
Caroline took the material between her fingers. It was light, but it felt durable too. And it shimmered magnificiently when she turned it this way and that. Over the deep green, there was a faint pattern of red, like tiny strawberries..."
We keep our buttons in baby food jars sorted into colors. I don't often or haven't for years bought any buttons. I have bought a new machine, but I don't sew, that is not to say I can't. I have been doing some hand stitching.
We do have a very small collection of army buttons.
I have been admiring some retro buttons everytime I go to the collectibles shop. I go there to browse mostly. I did buy a Anne of Green Gables book and some replacement canisters, old potato bags and probably some other things.
I remember the shop that my Mum used to buy things from when we lived on the farm. It was a corner shop in the middle of the middle sized town if that makes sense. You could walk through the corner section as there was a display case out on the street. The sewing section was very nice. I was disappointed when another large shop in that town was turned into smaller independent shops and the material was taken away.
My favourite retro buttons are the clear ones.
When I was about 11 to 13 I think, my Mum helped me learn how to make button loops from cotton and thread. I quite like button loops. Maybe I learnt it at school as well. We had to do three years of sewing. I wish the girls had the same opportunity. At the school we were at before we moved here four years ago, even our son learnt sewing. He made a button doll. I love it.
There were private school holiday sewing classes when we came here. The girls made a cushion each and the buttons were glued on. My Mum made the girls some wheat bags with button detail, but sewn on lol. The stitchery said "Life is Special" and the buttons are red on calico.
Please visit Quill Cottage to read more about buttons.
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Sunday, June 8, 2008 - Booking Through Thursday ~ June 5
Have your book-tastes changed over the years? More fiction? Less? Books that are darker and more serious? Lighter and more frivolous? Challenging? Easy? How-to books over novels? Mysteries over Romance?
It has been interesting pondering the answers to these questions.
More fiction? Definitely.
Darker and more serious? No I hope not. Not darker. More serious maybe, I tend to like survival books in a historical sense.
Lighter and more frivolous? Not into jokes, light and airy maybe.
Challenging? Probably not.
Easy? Usually reasonably thick.
How to books over novels? No, did that ages ago. I have found my novel niche at least for the moment and am enjoying it.
Mysteries over romance?, no but did read a few mysteries.
As a child there were Laura Ingalls Wilder books and Raggedy Ann books, I also remember reading Enid Blyton. Also my favourite was Black Beauty and the Flicker book. In Black Beauty I could relate to the details about the horses etc. As a teenager, I remember reading lots of books about WWII. Then my most embarassing depending who you talk to, books like the one about Azusa Street, Corrie Ten Boom etc. In the meantime we had moved house, and my reading material reflected this as I then lived near a Christian bookshop.
Once I got internet and found ebay I bought again my LIW books and read them over and again. Then moved on to Janette Oke through reading forums and their suggestions. As most people know I love Historical Christian Fiction, Tracie Peterson, Maria Wilkes, Wanda Brunstetter.
In the 20 years in between, I am not sure. I remember when I first had children I read Penelope Leitch. I think if I did it again I wouldn't follow everyone's suggestions so closely. Also lots and lots of baby name books. I remember getting a little booklet about family trees, and that started me off on many hours research and writing letter etc.
I did buy some decorating and gardening books in hardback.
Apart from that I was very into cookbooks at that time. My husband had a collection of old preserving books that I read as well.
When I boarded with a family I read their daughter's Mills & Boom, maybe two, I can't really remember much about it. With another family I read about Kampuchea. |
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Sunday, June 8, 2008 - Thankful Thursday ~ June 12
This week's Theme: His Word.
Here are some things I genuinely appreciated on Saturday.
~ I was lying on the lawn, a great blessing in itself and saw cobwebs strung out along the grass, all silver
~ my daughter was very interested in the green olive shaped balls on those large trees that turn yellow
~ the chicken that walked past the gate, our dog was looking the other way, the chicken made a sound twice, and the second time he heard it and turned to see the chicken
~ a little red toadstool in the garden
~ in winter being able to sit on a block of wood in the garden and feel the sun on my face.
Please visit Iris at Sting My Heart.
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Sunday, June 8, 2008 - An Update
I have had a new phone for a few months. I haven't learnt to use it properly yet. We had to buy it because the network was turned off. I liked my old mobile phone a lot. We bought it second hand when we moved here. The new phone was one of two choices at the time we thought, and the second one was withdrawn from sale. I was in an underground car park on our trip out the other day. I no, I wasn't imagining it, I definitely can't read the numbers. I had tried to demonstrate this to hubby beforehand but must have been standing in good light. I don't wear glasses except to read, and would like to be able to use the phone without glasses. Especially in an emergency. I may get the opportunity to give it to my son and get another one, but it won't be for awhile yet.
My other gripe for the week, ebay and paypal. I have been using ebay again, especially since the real estate agent suggested if we did want to sell the other new house (not sure yet, probably won't though), we would need light fittings. It seems ebay is a paypal only system now, but I haven't worked through the new system yet.
Yesterday hubby and youngest son basically finished putting the cladding on the back of the new house. The top part was removed as it was asbestos. They started this job on the 25th April, 6 weeks ago.
We were able to do another small amount of decluttering. Hubby helped me get the two youngest girls to try on clothes and to keep the piles straight in his head. We really needed teamwork to get this done. I needed his memory, I did lots of folding, lots of things, then they got put in the cupboards and two medium bags taken actually to the op-shop at the same time we were finished.
Our son has settled into his new flat. He has bought a fridge, loves the sights and events that happen on the way to work and uni. Has started a new routine with grocery shopping that seems to be working for the two of them.
Another gripe is hot water. We have a hot water service in the ceiling. The last power outage put the meter 5 hours out, as that is how long the power was out. Our meter had been sealed up again from before we moved here, we can see now why it wasn't sealed. So now I hope we have another long blackout to reset the heating time of the water heater.
The foggy mornings have disappeared for some reason. The past fews days have been very nice. I remember one winter where it lifted at 2pm. It was doing that I think last week, we had 3 hours of beautiful weather, then a colder hour before it got dark. It is getting dark very early now. We will be past the shortest day in a couple of weeks.
So basically when I went shopping a couple of days ago, was stunned, no driving hazards. No fog, no mobs of cows, and no roadworks! So different to two weeks and a month ago.
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Sunday, June 8, 2008 - Menu Plan Monday ~ June 16
Sunday, June 8, 2008 - Simple Woman's Daybook ~ June 9
FOR TODAY Sunday...
Outside My Window... the last blues & yellows of the sunset
I am thinking... that this week hubby will finish his extra work that keeps him working weekends
I am thankful for... for the nice peaceful day
From the kitchen... Spicy Chorizo Penne
I am wearing...dated blue jeans, same with top
I am creating... just things like daughter's hair styles and posts
I am going... just to school and the library on Tuesday through Friday
I am reading... Tracie Peterson
I am hoping... for a quiet week
I am hearing... the TV, I don't have it on when I am home by myself
Around the house... our son is doing his homework
One of my favorite things... lying on the grass or sitting in the garden
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: resting up and buying hardware
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
it was taken not long ago and includes jet trails.
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Saturday, June 7, 2008 - Sky Watch Friday ~ June 13
Friday, June 6, 2008 - Menu Plan Monday ~ June 9
Friday, June 6, 2008 - Cheap Farmhouse Meal
This meal is made from things you could grow yourself, the only extra thing needed apart from pantry items is seaweed sheets. It is very fresh, it was a nice change in our winter, because it is still hot. They are called Egg & Nori Rolls and the recipe can be found here.
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Friday, June 6, 2008 - Drive Bys: Around The World
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - Sunday through Tuesday
I finally caught CMC Rocks The Snowys on Sunday. No one likes the loud music here except maybe hubby. It was interesting seeing Thredbo on TV and hearing what different people said about the location without the snow and seeing the locals etc. and what they were doing and saying. They had two American artists performing there, and I finally got to see Steve Ford sing. He is CMCs presenter, a channel on Austar.
After the children were asleep or in their rooms for the night, hubby carefully helped our six year old daughter with her shoes for tomorrow to make sure the bows don't come undone. He had to change over the laces, they were leather thonging, and he changed over to brown shoeslaces. He also put something on the leather. The shoes were actually my second child's originally and our six year old is my fifth child. Sometimes I think it isn't worth hanging onto things, sometimes I think it is.
I had finished my menus that I usually do on Monday, I did them while hubby was at work on Sunday. He really needed to catch up.
In the morning the to younger girls went to school in costume, the spectators are in costume too for a bit of fun. The girls looked nice in their costumes. They were both Indians or Native Americans. I bought one of the costumes on ebay.
Well I decided that it was too late to cancel my dentist appointment, I should have done in on Friday, so I geared up for the trip.
During ballet on Monday I bought shoes for the older daughter for the play. The stage was extremely cold underfoot. I also spend some time on the phone. I don't see my Mum much in person, so this is what we do each week.
I went out to the clothes line to put out some sheets, and it is not foggy as usual, but freezing! It was a little warm in the afternoon, and I mean little, which is always nicer than being cold.
I finished the Gilbert Morris books I was reading, not as wholesome as some other books. Funny how I am not as fussy with music, I am really, just working out how to go about it. Three novels arrived on the verandah via the postal lady from ebay. Tracie Peterson and Lauraine Snelling.
Tuesday morning and hubby took our six year old daughter to the bus to go to a party in the regional centre as the kids had a day off school for curriculum day.
I took my two oldest girls with me. At the start of our trip we were very very lucky or blessed to see for a long period of time two Sambar deer. They looked much like those in the photo when we saw them. We didn't get a good photo though.
The weather was noticeably warmer at my hometown and I felt overdressed and hot. On the TV show I mentioned they mentioned making soup as they thought the "lowlanders" would notice how cold it was. It was earlier on in the year though, when they filmed it.
We always buy Baker's Delight for lunch when out. Our hometown hasn't had Baker's Delight that long. The mud scones are a must have. They have a special on the packed ones in a bag. The lady kept mentioning the specials so I took the mud scones to shortcut the process. It could have been anything.
This is what the website says: "Choc Mud Scone An indulgent twist on a traditional favourite! Our Choc Mud Scone is packed full of chocolate chips and cocoa for a sweet chocolate hit! Heat and enjoy for a delicious morning or afternoon tea. Yum!" My view is that it puts a whole different meaning to scones and cream. I could just imagine it!
You must remember I am the biggest squarker about chocolate scones, but I try to keep it to myself. I have been converted. At least to these ones. Better than the McDs mud m*muffins, but similar.
Our hometown has a new EB Games shop, the girls did a game swap. I was really happy because the boys/men in the shop knew what our town looks like and could talk with us lol. Even one said to me that we would have a climate change. When I go to my hometown now I feel out of place. These guys knew my new town and were able to chat with me about it freely which helped a lot. You take your DS game in and give them $20 and get a swap as long as you bring your driver's licence.
The picture I am sharing of our glorious afternoons atm with natural stripes this time.
I was thankful that I finally got to Medicare and hubby was able to find receipts. We don't have a Medicare office here.
Today I bought a Family Circle and that was special. It seems to have in it all things that are good about Simple Living. I always bought it without fail, but towards the end grumbled about it. I don't think it has been printed for over a year. All the things I used to complain about in the old Family Circle are gone. I must admit it is a bit staid now. I will get to read more of the detail later. Good if you want to learn things, like more about making roasts, quilting etc.
While in BigW I found the winners CD of CMC Country Music Awards for 2008, it wasn't very much money. I didn't like spending the money, but we don't have a music shop here, or not one that I see, except in the town where I buy food, but they only stock a few at a time, though usually they make good choices. Some of the songs I have in a post on my blog with links to the songs, now I will be able to listen to them in the car, like the gospel styled song by Troy Cassar Daley.
I got home in time to get the middle daughter ready for her play tonight, hubby organised an early tea of pies, gravy, chips & peas. I had to make a time to leave for home and stick to it. The shopping wasn't leisurely. |
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - Blog Review
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - Thankful Thursday ~ June 5
Tuesday:
I was really thankful that I decided to take the 2 1/4 hour drive to my hometown to get my teeth cleaned. I understand now what the hygienist is trying to do, and it is achievable it I stick to her advice. Otherwise, I will have to be referred on, and I don't want that. I suppose since in is near a crown maybe that was the start of the problem. I took my two oldest girls with me, it was a day off school. My eldest stayed home without incident. My youngest went on a bus for a 1 1/2 hour drive to a party and that went well and hubby was able to take her to the drop off and pick up point OK even though he was working. I got home in time to get the middle daughter ready for her play tonight, hubby organised an early tea of pies, gravy, chips & peas.
I was thankful that I finally got to Medicare and hubby was able to find receipts. We don't have a Medicare office here. It didn't go perfectly but was good practise. I was thankful that I got home without incident. I also enjoyed some mud scones from Baker's Delight, something I would not have bought normally but the saleslady suggested it, and after two tries with different things I gave in. They were really special.
I found a magazine that I always bought, that hasn't been printed for over a year, so that was special too. I had some lovely service from an EB shop (Electronics Boutique).
I was very very lucky or blessed to see for a long period of time two sambar deer while driving along. We didn't get a good shot though as I left the camera at home. They nearly stood a few times, then ran away very fast.
Other days: I am thankful for the unexpected sunny days we have been having here, during our first month of winter, on Friday it was warm at our new house
I am thankful for my new CD, though we plan to take the good songs from both the CDs so we can edit out the songs that are not suitable for listening to in the car with the children
I am thankful for a group of books I got from ebay. They will keep me in books for quite awhile.
I am thankful my hubby was able to come home early so we could have early tea so our daughter could perform in her play for three nights.
I am thankful I have been able to have hot showers, I think only one cool one |
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - To Market, to market
A scientist in the kitchen has a blogging event called To Market, to market. I am a couple of days late, but just got my photos today.
Blog about the local market where you buy your food. Include a picture of the place (e.g. your favorite stall, a local delicacy, a seasonal produce). Talk about the sights and sounds. You can also blog about a market you have come across in your travels. It may be an organized one with its own building, a street market or any out of the way place where locals put up their produce.
Today we went to this roadside stall. We went past it, it was about halfway to our destination. While we were out and about we kept some coins so we could buy a reasonably sized pumpkin on the way home. Two weeks ago I made up a menu plan for a pumpkin we were given this month. We were to have four meals using this pumpkin but only got two out of it for six people. So today I got another, maybe I can continue on with the recipes if I replace any food items like feta that we have used. We chose the AU$4 pumpkin.
There was a roadside stall closer to home, but nothing was there today. We come down the mountain as little as possible. Today I had a dentist appointment. They had a locked box on the trailer and lots of signage. It is a fairly busy road, not too far from a regional centre. We were basically going around the regional centre to go to another place. |
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Sunday, June 1, 2008 - Simple Woman's Daybook ~ June 2
FOR TODAY Sunday...
Outside My Window... another jet streaked sunset
I am thinking... isn't it awful when you run out of chocolate, hubby is working
I am thankful for... getting the last of the bills paid for the new house
From the kitchen... penguin shaped waffles
I am wearing... jeans, top & red windcheater
I am creating... I've just finished my menu plan then will do a shopping list
I am going... nowhere, I will be cancelling a trip to the dentist in favour of a party for my six year old daughter to go to, plus the kids have a day off school, I will be going to a play, so I am going to buy tickets or hubby will
I am reading... have just finished Gilbert Morris, not as wholesome as some other books
I am hoping... hubbys reports get written smoothly and that our son can keep going to get good marks for his final year at high school
I am hearing... the TV
Around the house... I hear water running in the sink and a cup for cordial being put down, another is hopefully doing homework
One of my favorite things... my wintersweet tree that is budding up
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: shopping, dressup day tomorrow - pirates x2
Here is picture thought I am sharing of our glorious afternoons atm including jet trails...
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Sunday, June 1, 2008 - Menu Plan Monday ~ June 2
Last week we ran out of pumpkin. It was a homegrown pumpkin and we were guessing how many meals we got out of it. So we didn't get to eat the curry or the lasagne. However, we did get to have a very nice Warm Cottage Salad. I love collecting recipes for things that have pork sausages in them. Also I collect recipes for chorizos, pork mince, things I can get easily at the supermarket.
The Gado Gado was beautiful. Hubby went to a lot of trouble and set it out beautifully on the plate. I even enjoyed the satay sauce (Ayam brand). We swore we were never going to eat satay sauce again after our satay pizza, homemade sauce, that we made in 2003. It was from the peanut butter jar I think, the failed recipe. The Gado Gado was a meal of vegetables with eggs and sprouts and wombuk or Chinese cabbage.
Another new recipe we tried was Mexican Burrito Bake . The recipe included refried beans which turned out almost like meat. I really enjoyed it. We were able to use up some of the corn cobs in the freezer. We didn't use pepitas, thought we had them, but it was lovely without them. It is a pumpkin dish.
The rissoles were beautiful too, I loved smelling the fresh parsley. Hubby enjoyed the Asian dishes he made.
This weeks meals:
Monday ~ Egg & Nori Rolls
Tuesday ~ Vegetable & Crab Linguine
Wednesday ~ Baked Beans with Cheese Cornbread
Thursday ~ Pork Chow Mein
Friday ~ Lentil & Bacon Soup
Saturday ~ Cabbage with Split Peas
Sunday ~ Tomato & Cannellini Bean Soup
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