Aww gawd .. is it Monday already?

Was laying in bed this morning, avoiding the inevitable, daydreaming about the plans I have for WG.  We were out there again yesterday, and I had time to plan out where we can put the kitchen garden.  I like the idea of having 'zones' and the different zones complimenting each other.  So this is what I came up with ...

Back door of Stable, chook pen and vege garden

The back of the stable is where the chicken pen,vege garden and orchard currently are.  At the moment, the vege garden, which is built up with sleepers, is in the wrong place and being one big area is very hard to manage and get to easily.  I would like this area to be clear for the horses and put in a wash down bay, and have a clear, and safe, area for horse preparation.  Having the vege garden here is not at all safe for horses. 

Vege garden.  oh, and sheep dog!

So if I pull out the garden bed and level this area, we can run a fence from the door of the stable straight out to the outside fence.  This will then fence off all the 'dangerous' things from the horses and also have a secure fenced area if a horse does escape.  We can also graze this area occasionally to keep the grass down and spell a paddock.

Orchard

The sleepers we have will be plenty to have 3/4 narrower beds, easier to get to and better for bed rotation.  They will be next to the chicken pen and still close to the stables and compost bins.  We can also then keep the horses out of the orchard and if we have cyclone wire on the fence, keep the chooks in the orchard to do a good job.  Will make the watering set-up a lot easier too when its all in one place.

Compost Bays

The pile of old fence posts will be cut up for firewood this coming winter.  The compost bays will be moved, and I will cut back the overgrown Mulberry trees to let in more light.  This will then give me plenty of room for 4 vege beds and it can even be fenced off from the orchard so I can keep the chooks out or let them in when they are needed to clean up. 

Of course, these are all 'one day' plans - but having them keeps the dream alive for me.  I guess the one positive of not being able to move here yet is that LOTS of planning gets done. 

Weekend Cooking

Bought a shoulder of lamb yesterday after watching Mr Oliver make a very yummy (but way too quick) roast.  I had in mind something slower and more fall off the bone (must have been all the rain that made it feel like winter).  I went for the recipe on the Coles wrapping the lamb came in.  It had rosemary (of course), thyme, garlic, lots of salt and pepper, tomato paste and tinned tomatoes, red wine and then some celery, carrot and potatoes.  Plonk it all into my red Staub french-oven and cooked for 3.5hrs.  It smelt divine as it cooked and when I lifted the lid, the meat was falling apart and sitting in a rich sauce.  Served it with creamy mashed potato and some steamed green beans.  It was lovely, but a little rich for me. 

One of my favorite pots in the kitchen.

Just had leftovers of this - cooked the mash and meat in a frying pan a-la-bubble&squeak and it was really delicious.  Still have lots leftover, will make a fritata of it tomorrow night.

I later found a Maggie Beer slow cooked lamb recipe, which uses red wine vinegar, she says to cut through the  richness, so next time I will try this .. Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder

Mr Kirsa was eyeing off tinned rice cream in the shops, something I find very strange and abnormal - to eat a basic creamed rice from a tin.  I persuaded him to not buy tinned stuff when I could easily make the real thing, WITH sultanas and FLAVOUR.  Its such a comforting desert, they even call it Nursery Rice!  1 cup rice, 1.2litres of whole milk, 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla, sultanas and a grating of fresh nutmeg.  Cook, stirring often on low for an hour.  Stir in 300ml cream when cooked.  Yummo, and when the boys are not living at home, we have this for breakfast and desert for many days to come. 

This?

Or this?



WG - Progress so far and still to do

Progress at WG has been steady but sure.  We are ready (but not at all willing) to hand it over to new tenants, when and if we find suitable ones.  Sadly, we don't have the luxury of not renting it out, there is no way we can afford the mortgage on this property without rental income.  If that was the case, I would have moved in weeks ago! 

Everywhere I look, I see so much that I just want to get done.  I have such plans and see such potential in this property.  Patience ... patience, just a little patience :-)

Jobs that have been completed:

• Rubbish and junk removal
• Pruning Trees/Shrubs/Roses
• Mowing
• Whipper Snipering
• Weeding
• Cleaned off the roof
• Raked up leaves/branches
• Cleaned out stables
• Fixed Electric Fence
• Emptied and cleaned troughs and water bowls
• Restoration of Pool

Jobs that still need to be done:

• Fix stable doors and latch's
• Replace and repair few fence rails and posts and gate latch's
• Replace fly screens to back door
• Organise a cleaner for inside house
• Property Condition Report
• Pressure clean veranda
• Check for white ants on veranda
• Pressure clean around pool paving
• Put up and secure shade sails.
• Move rabbit hutch under cover
• Bonfire.
• Roundup - Grass edges and veranda

Water Trough

Pump and Control Box

Shade Sails - Paddock 1 & 2

Walkway between paddock 1 and dressage arena

Bonfire all ready to go in dressage arena

View up driveway

Creek and orchard.  Where Jimmy is buried.

Being Kind Comes Back to You

Just a little lesson on how kindness does get noticed and repaid.  Not that I would ever be kind to get repaid for it, I get a buzz out of making people feel welcome and comfortable and cared for.  This is why I like to cook!

After our tenants 'left', the pool - our beautiful 12 month old pool, looked like, and was in fact, a duck pond.  It was completely black and needed to be emptied out and cleaned before we could even think of restoring it.  The guy who drew the short straw to do this job was the off-sider of our pool guy.  On the day of our busy bee, which was Easter Saturday, he started early and with buckets and a shovel moved the sludge and mud and muck from the bottom of the pool.  It was a warm day, and it would have been an awful job to do.  We tried to help as much as we could by emptying the buckets and wheelbarrow so he didn't have to get in and out of the pool. 

Before the clean-up

I also made sure he had cold drinks and morning tea.  When I got lunch for the volunteer workers ready, I invited Col to join us for some lunch too.  He left when the job was done and that was that.

Mr Kirsa gets a call from Mark, the owner of the pool restoration business, who employs Colin.  He thanked us very much for looking after Colin so well, Col had told Mark how nice we were to him that day.  All we really did was be a little bit 'country' and offer hospitality in the form of drinks and tea and some lunch.  Today we met with Col again as they were replacing the pumps and filter on the pool (yes more tenant damage).  The boys were going above and beyond what they really had to do, and I know it was because they liked us - Colin told us as much.  He said that he and Mark had discussed how it was not fair that nice people like us (awww) could be treated so badly by the tenants.

After - Part 1 of the cleanup

It was so nice to hear this, really made me feel that good people are still in the world and by being ourselves and treating others as we like to be treated was the best way.  I will admit I got very jaded and angry at what happened with the tenants, I was so tempted to be cold and hard and bitter.  Lesson learnt - being angry and holding a grudge only hurts you.  Opening up, rolling with the punches, getting back on track - all lead to a better and richer life than closing down. Being angry and bitter only allows the person who did you wrong to win.

New Pump, Chlorinator and Filter

Onwards and upwards ... At least we now have all new equipment!

The Empire strikes back

After the day off yesterday, today felt like it was Monday.  But that's OK, as it will only be 2 days and back to the weekend.

Went to watch Son #2 play in his band tonight at the new hip place to be in Perth at the moment.  Its called the Aviary - a restaurant on one level and then upstairs a very funky rooftop bar.  His band, Empire, play there every Thursday night, and at this venue he goes on at 8am.  So this old mum got a chance to see him play before she needed her bed.  Met Son #1 there and had a very nice counter meal. 

Love watching my boy play, I am always so blown away by how cool and confident he looks on stage.  And I LOVE the way he looks like he is having the best time of his life.  It must be amazing to be able to create music and be in tune with other musicians, all playing the same thing at the same time and feeding off the other band members.  These guys are exceptional at this.  They are all great and talented musicians, all WAAPA students, but they create this energy on stage that is very contagious.  This is what feeds back to the audience and why they get people so engaged.

Looking forward to seeing what these talented boys do in the future!  So glad they have found the Aviary - its was really made for them.  Here is what the Aviary are saying

Empire at The Aviary

Available: 19 of April 2012 - 25 of October 2012
Empire is comprised of five talented young men from the WA Academy of Performing Arts.

Every Thursday night from 8pm Empire will be bringing their smooth, contempory tunes to The Aviary rooftop.

Already with an extensive Perth following, Empire are definately one to watch.

Check them out here ... The Avairy

Bunting ... excuse for a garden party?

Not sure what is wrong with me lately?  Have been getting a little 'girly' and wanting to make and do 'pretty' things!  Last week it was cupcakes, and this week its taken a step farther with bunting and party things.  It's all leading to a OTT Garden Party.  Look out!

I made another batch of cupcakes today, all in the name of perfecting the recipe and technique.  Mr Kirsa has just 'trialed' 2 for me and said they are almost perfect!  Soft, fluffy but moist, not too sickly sweet.  I iced them with Incredible Hulk Green royal icing.  I was aiming for soft pale green, but a drop of food colouring was actually a bit of a splosh. Oops. It's all a learning curve.  Of course I am yet to procure the order of cupcake paraphernalia I found online, which will give me much more creative scope.

So ... what about bunting?  A little bubble of excitement happened when I saw all these pictures of pretty and floral and gingham bunting, fluttering in gorgeous gardens or dangling over Alice In Wonderland style tea parties.  Oh, I so want a party like this.  And then I remembered all those sumptuous materials I have collected over the years for no other reason than I loved them.  Sure, I have done a few quilts and cushions and other crafts, but now I know the REAL reason I saved them.

I am so tempted to start tonight, but I really am going to discipline myself and get my craft/office room set up first.  How's that for incentive!

Stay tuned for the garden party invite :-)

Lest We Forget

Today is ANZAC Day.  As I write this my sons are both attending the Dawn Service at Kings Park in Perth.  I am very proud of them, getting out of bed at 4.30am and giving up their sleep to show their respect for our ANZACs.  I know they will be walking in the dark, quietly and solemnly, with thousands of other people, all towards the memorial and service.  It struck me when I was thinking of this, that in another era, my two sons may well have been going off to war.  This thought filled me with horror and fear, I could not imagine my beautiful sons going away to a foreign place to be shot at.

So what of all the other mothers who did have to go through this horror?  How on earth did they say goodbye to their sons?  Today, my heart is with these women who had to endure this sadness.  To my great grandmother, Sarah Eliza Smith.

My heart is also, as always on this day, with the grandfather whom I never met.  He was my dads dad - Harry.  Christened Henry Edward Smith, he was born on 26 January 1890 in Croyden, NSW.  At the age of 26, in the year of 1917, he joined the 45th Battalion AIF.  He was unmarried and left his recently widowed mother to grieve and worry. I have his enlistment records, and it is a very detailed insight into a man, a gentle and kind man I have been told, that I was always sad to never have met. He had blue eyes, was 5 feet 8 inches tall, was 25 and 8 months, weighed 140lbs.  A little note at the bottom of his medical report on the enlistment shocked me at first - 'Is not keen on enlisting'. But reading his medical records, it seems he was not a very well man at all and I can understand how he would not be very keen to go to war! Maybe he knew what was to come.

He spent the next 18 months in France, and in and out of camp hospitals, after being wounded and gassed many times.  It is very confronting to read a soldiers records, and see that he was Wounded in Action with Barb Wire, or Wounded in Action - Gas.  Finally in early 1919 he was sent home due to a painful scar from an operation.  At least he was alive when he went home, so many others were not.

So thank you Granddad for giving your health to go and fight an enemy in France so that the western world could be free from oppression.  I am sorry this happened to you, and I am sorry that eventually you died from complications of injuries suffered at war. 

They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them.

Lest We Forget

The national Archives now have all records of soldiers online.  Go to this website for more information -

http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/defence/service-records/army-wwi.aspx

Things my parents taught me

I am so grateful for being taught how to be curious.  I could never say I am bored when there are so many new things to discover, learn, try.  The trick is finding enough time and energy to do it!

I think I should have been born 100 years ago and to a wealthy father so that I could spend all day indulging my curiosity.

Thanks Mum and Dad for the gift!

C'est la vie

Literally translated from French, it means "It is the life". Better translations lead to "That's life" or "it's life". It has to be said with a shrug and a relaxed, accepting tone of voice - of course with a French accent.  It does not mean you  are giving up, but rather accepting that you can't fight life, it is better to just go with it.  It is a gentle, serene saying. It also reminds me of the Serenity Prayer, a modern take on some old texts by American theologist Reinhold Niebuhr.  God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference. I like this saying very much, I just leave out who I am asking for this state of mind.  I don't know why, but I always thought this was an Irish prayer, an old Celtic wisdom.  Maybe that's because the first time I heard it was when (Irish) Sinead O'Connor started her song "Feels So Different" with it.  AA has also adopted this as their opening prayer.  Ned Kelly said something similar when he was told what time his execution had been set "Such is Life".  Nothing much he could do about it, better to just accept it and be at peace.  Kelly has been placed as rebel hero status in Australia and his words have been immortalised in tattoos and tshirts throughout the bogan communities.  It is a very Australian attitude, and one that is better for our health than fighting the inevitable.  Then dear sweet Doris Day sang Que Sera Sera, whatever will be will be. So the Spanish also have a take on this saying.  I bought a cushion to remind me to not take life so seriously.  Or was it just because I like the colour?  But no matter how we say it ... c'est la vie, such is life, que sera sera, or the serenity prayer .. the same message is there.  Chill out man!!  Have a great Monday all.

Cupcake Day 1

There seems to be a bit of a trend back to the old fashioned crafts.  Which really surprises me in this generation of instant gratification and technology.  It could be the current financial crisis making all of us much more frugal and thrifty.  Or, maybe its because we go farther away from our roots as humans and want to touch base with our basic needs.  Maybe this is why crafts like knitting, home making and cooking are so popular again.

I have always had a great love and get great joy from making things and being crafty.  And I have always loved cooking.  But it never extended to the skills of cake decorating.

Until now ..

Seems I have been bitten by the Cupcake Bug.  And oh my goodness, there is a HUGE amount of stuff to play with.  Gel colours, glitter sprinkles, fondant flowers, themed cases.  A far cry from the days of hundreds and thousands.

So here is today's first attempt.  LONG way to go , but we all have to start somewhere.  I used the basic cupcake recipe of Nigella Lawson's.  I will keep working until I get a perfect basic recipe. 

Then I made a basic Royal Icing, which was quick and easy.  I can see these babies in lovely pastel colours.

The first attempt are adorned with little edible rose buds that Jules gave me last Christmas.  Mr Kirsa thinks they are a little girly, but I bet I catch him having one later :-)

Royal Icing with dried rose bud

Set of 3 cupcakes - love the gloss on the icing



Oh so pretty!


I think I may take it all a step further and see if there are any decorating classes.