Buying Poop

In bulk too.....seems quite wrong doesn't it? Unfortunately necessary in our non rural residence. Is it abnormal to get excited by vast quantities of cow poo from the local produce store?
There has been a lot of replenishing and reducing (in the form of some serious soil improving and pruning) going on here lately in preparation for our warmer growing season. A few refreshing changes outside, well, minus the poo that is.

Ginger Beer

Well remember all those lemons left from my limoncello?
I said they were going to a good cause and would not be wasted, and true to my word, they weren't.About 5 or 6 weeks ago I started a ginger beer "bug" and all their lovely juice went into this finished product.

A naturally brewed Ginger Beer. Just moderately effervescent.....quite nice. And a rather good Father's Day present apparently. I have requests for more.
I was quite chuffed to crack a bottle and watch it fizz up inside.
I used this recipe from the Green Man. This made about 24 stubby sized bottles. It's a favourite treat of the girls now. I think it would become a stronger brew the subsequent times around but seeing as I don't need my home overcome with empty bottles right now I didn't halve the plant and start my next batch. When I do start a second batch, from scratch, I am going to double the amounts of ginger as personally I think it needs a stronger hit...just in time for some sizzling summer cool downs.

One for the Dad's

It's not the usual but we were lucky to spend the whole weekend together....the four of us. Time in the garden and a visit to our local produce store, nursery, butcher, deli and pet stores (all my favourites)....

It was slow, easy and carefree.

And even more meaningful, it was our Father's Day today. The BBQ was fired up not once but twice this weekend. The house was abandoned for the garden and sunshine.....handstands, swinging and cuddles on the grass.... our spirits were flavoured with good food and togetherness.Appeasing and bountiful....we had a delicious celebratory lunch....to the sound of much "manly" Johnny Cash and the consistent little trills of "Happy Father's Day Daddy" from the girl....our time was effortless but loath to end. We consoled ourselves with Springs arrival and the anticipated return of alfresco dining except much much more often without any reason other than because we can.

For the Papa's....Happy Day and Thank you!

Sheets and Spring Rain

The sewing machine is out again. I've missed it....and I'm aching to do some of my own sewing but today, to the lulling hum of steady Spring rain I am sewing sheet sets for the little one's in next years class at our Community Kindergarten...and mending the very popular wedding dress ups....a most important job.

It's making me smile as I measure and cut (a most brain challenging and messy experience with fabric supplied short due to unfortunate miscalculations...but I will spare you the details). I can't help imagining the small people that will be resting in these sheets next year after my bigger girl heads off for school....it doesn't seem so long ago that she was just starting there with tears and sadness at me having to leave her.....now she is through the gate with eagerness to the calls of her friends, of which she seems to have many and is almost finished her third term.

Time flies....it will be sad to leave our Kindy behind. It's like our other little family.

But for now...it's back to hemming sheets, not quite in preference to me being able to nap between them myself right now in this gorgeous weather, and checking the levels in our water tank which is being nicely refilled, replenishing all that has been used outside on our garden so far.

A pretty good day.....sewing and soaking rain.

:::Aloha Spring:::

Spring has been with us for a day now....a very welcome circumstance.

Bare feet in the morning.
Early light infused with bird call.
A garden full with the new seasons burgeoning readiness and enthusiasm.

Happy change of season all!

a stolen moment

Usually before our dinner in the afternoons, after Kyle gets home, we spend some time just "being outside" together. We chat... I may potter about just looking at my patch, pulling a weed or two, daydreaming or just watering (this is how I get to know my garden best).....or we simply sit and watch the little ones play (wildly) with a wine in hand before the chaos of eating, bath and bed time. Why is this time so turbulent? You can imagine, not to my later benefit (I take a while to learn) that we enjoy this "outside" time so much we prolong it often.

Today after a busy week of settling home, catching up on laundry, restocking a very empty pantry, back to kindy and replacing lost belongings I stole a moment by myself. Just a moment amongst all that I have in mind that I should and would like to be doing right now.

I stepped outside to renew our fresh jasmine blossoms that are adorning every room. Our house is thick again with it's sweetest perfume, as I anticipated it would be.
I will enjoy it's enticing reminder of Springs coming.

I know we will steal away again today, after everyone returns back to our nest this afternoon, for more outside togetherness to start our weekend.....just don't tell them I've already had some with myself.

Early spuds.....

and a good lesson in rearing them in my cages. I prematurely dug up my first potato experiment sown back in April. The tops were dying down and I was dying too just to see what had been going on down there....so I upturned the mesh and sieved through all that moist rich sweetness with my hands to see what I could find.

As you can see, and as I have a little chuckle, not much, just a few cream and brown bundles..... Not unexpected, as store bought spuds aren't so great and well, being an experiment I learned half way through that I had only done things half way right this time. Gardening....it's always the teacher right?

My seed potatoes are growing at a rapid rate.....actually faster than I can keep layering the sheep poop, compost and mulch, and I have put in two more cages in my "staggering the harvest" plan. I still have about half a dozen to go and am almost at a loss about where to squeeze in all my cages.

And as for this experimental harvest.....it may have been a small indulgence but it was still a sweet result especially when mixed straight from the garden with some garlic and rosemary in my oven. Sweet indeed.

We found it.....

... at the other end of our search for some breathing space. We found a speck of escape, a momentary fragment of the serenity we needed in a very beautiful and quiet corner of the earth.

Salty air, smooth velvety driftwood and just too many shades of the most perfect aquas and azures to steal my breath away......
Warm sandy feet......
Cold nights, roasted marshmallows and warm beds to snuggle sleepy bodies into.... almost asleep before touching the pillows....
Fossicking alone on long stretches of beach for shells and the smoothest ocean washed pebbles.... exploring rock pools listening only to the orchestra of wind and crashing waves.....sun, pandanus and bright yellow paper daisies.....looking down from climbing a headland and seeing only my beautiful boys highlighted on creamy sands.
Nature provides.

A winner out of the Bowl.....

I've plucked a winner from the "bowl of unknown origin"!

And...that person is......

Kelly from Two Peas!

Thanks for entering Kelly (and everyone). This was actually really difficult... to draw just one name! Next time I think I should put together a bunch of goodies so everyone can have something. This little tradition has shown me that I have grown some attachments to my fellow blogging "travellers" and I've discovered some great new blogs....all a very good thing. Thanks for reading!

We are escaping the rat race tomorrow for a little bit to re energise, reflect and relax but I'll be back soon enough next week. Take care all.