Apprentice Domestic Goddess

Halloween 2011

2011-12-01T21:46:00.001+11:00

A friendly witch.

A ninja baby.

The book parade dinosaur making another appearance.

The little dinosaur got more than his fair share of goodies.

And a huge thanks to the mum who organised a Halloween get-together at the playground - plenty of happy children there for the night!

Family Time

2011-12-01T21:42:00.000+11:00

We said good bye to Mike's grandmother recently and it was great to see the cousins catching up with each other after not seeing each other for years.

And look at that littlest cousin looking not so little anymore!

The creek was as peaceful as ever.

Earlier in Book Week...

2011-08-26T10:37:00.000+10:00

The 3yo preschoolers had book parade earlier this week. Here is a dinosaur from How Do Dinosaurs Go To School.

Book Week 2011

2011-08-26T10:35:00.000+10:00

Featuring Little Red Riding Hood, the Woodcutter, the Guitar Fairy and Tom Sawyer.

Breakfast

2011-05-22T17:25:00.000+10:00

The littlest boys are always first for breakfast on the weekend.

Andy refuses to wear pyjamas to bed so breakfasts in his dressing gown. Isabelle brought him back his cap from Chicago and he wears it at every opportunity.

Lachie is determined to feed himself and does a pretty good job with a boiled egg for a 16 month old! I usually pop some egg on a spoon for him to pick up, but if I'm not quick enough he'll give it a go.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-22T16:29:00.000+10:00

Sadly, the father was away and one son had to serve Mother's Day breakfasts to other mothers, but I was treated to a fantabulous morning with an impromptu trip to Uriarra Crossing.

Organising a fire was the first priority.

Andy was pretty excited but wasn't old enough to help collect wood.

Jessie carried her stash from the very far end of the picnic grounds.

I insisted on morning tea before marshmallows. How boring.

Isabelle used her scout training to set the fire.

Tom took Jessie and Andy for a walk down to the river while the fire was being set and we all took turns waiting for the baby to wake up.

Mmmmm a marshmallow fire!

Lachie joined the party late after a long sleep in the car.

I think he liked his first taste of campfire marshmallow.

Sprained ankle day!

2011-05-06T12:59:00.000+10:00

Jessie sprained her ankle riding home from school a couple of days ago, and was exhausted after a day of hopping at school. It was decided that a quiet day at home was called for. So we went to the park.

The swans, ducks and moor hens were pleased to see us and were very friendly ... except one swan who took exception to her almost-fully-grown cygnet getting too close to the baby and growled at us!

A trip to the playground isn't complete without a good swing.

Two shades of red

2011-05-03T13:37:00.001+10:00

Sixth babies don't get enough photos taken! I think his hair is going to be paler than his sister's. I love that they are all old enough to enjoy each other's company now.

Even if the speed taken down the hill at the other side of the garden path makes my heart skip a beat.

Off to school

2011-05-03T13:34:00.000+10:00

This is a big brother. We're not allowed to show you his face.

This is a little sister. She's happy to smile at the camera anytime, anyplace!

I love that they walk to school together... and some days he doesn't even ask for coffee money in return for escort duties.

Hedge day!

2011-05-03T13:16:00.005+10:00

As part of the landscaping I've had vegetable gardens built in the front garden, which is very exciting ... but vegetables need sun, and the hedge needed trimming sooner or later.

It's grown to truly epic proportions ... My big boys are 6 foot plus now so the hedge must be 12 feet high at least, and more than 6 feet wide!
I was really pleased to see them using some serious scaffolding this year - previous years have relied on more innovative constructions, such as planks on the back of borrowed utes!

The little guys were pretty keen to break out and help.

It really is a long stretch of hedge, with more on the other side of the driveway!
I do so love our hedge. I like to sit in the house and pretend there's a whole other world beyond the hedge. With the autumn leaves peeking over the top it's spectacular!

When you're three years old...

2011-05-03T13:12:00.001+10:00

The world looks like this...

Big sister is collecting the autumn leaves.

When you're six, the camera's still your best friend - even if it's being pointed by a three year old!

The sky's a lot further away from down here.

Self portrait.

Baby brother gardening. All is well.

First trip away from home

2011-04-16T16:52:00.002+10:00

My 6yo is old enough to go away without another sibling OR even a parent! How did that happen?

She's heading up to the farm with Grandad Doug and staying until she wants to come home. I thought she'd be back yesterday and wasn't concerned that she appeared to have packed for the month...

But the two phone calls we've had so far show no inclination to return. I think the horseriding may be a bit of a drawcard!
Ready to hit the road - lucky there's room in the back for some serious luggage!!!

My Baby Girl is growing up!

2010-08-20T15:04:00.001+10:00

I've just finished making a special 6th birthday card to remind Ginger Rose of all the fun she's had this year.

Why the house is muddy...

2010-08-17T14:17:00.000+10:00

The poor child and dog have been incarcerated for too long by rain and heavy equipment, so today the little guy escaped with his helicopter and I didn't have the heart to stop him. I put the child, helicopter and clothing straight through a shower because that grey stuff is filthy!

Definitely not much fun for playing in ... but that will change once the planned riding circuit's in place.

These are the new tiles - travertine.

It's going to look great but just now it's horrible!

Six months old

2010-07-17T19:10:00.000+10:00

Everybody says it, and it's so true - time flies when you're having fun. Six months feels like the blink of an eye!

Briar Rose has discovered the joys of baby wearing, claiming that he weighs less in a sling.

The Last Baby is developing a personality. He's a bit cheeky and a whole lot of sweet! And he's totally sure that he's the centre of the universe.

We started solids right on six months old. To the day. So I didn't forget another milestone.

Mashed avocado. It seems that those baby experts who claim a teaspoon or so is all a baby will eat to start were wrong wrong wrong! I couldn't keep mashing fast enough ... and the whole apple I steamed on Day 5 planning to store a couple of serves from was devoured on the spot!

Another tooth bites the dust

2010-07-17T18:53:00.000+10:00

First week of the holidays

Second week of the holidays

She's grown fangs! Let's hope she has new ones by Christmas!

Gratuitous Grandma Photo

2010-07-17T18:46:00.000+10:00

We've had visits from all four grandparents these holidays, but I've only remembered to grab the camera once! This is THE gratuitous grandparent photo!

A trip to the aviary

2010-07-17T18:25:00.005+10:00

The big boys are in Sydney so we're playing tourists at home. Today we visited the local aviary.

They gave us plenty of apple to feed the birds with.

After a slow start, even the little guy started feeling brave enough to hand feed a lorikeet or two.
I didn't have any food so was surprised when I had a few birds come sit on my shoulder for a chat. We decided it might be my long hair - and after Briar Rose let her hair down as well, she was able to entice a few onto her shoulder as well.

Ginger Rose thought it was just wonderful! The little boys and I headed off to a playground leaving the girls on their own for an extra thirty minutes of bird play.

It didn't take long for Briar Rose to become very proficient at attracting and handling the birds. She really has a knack (probably gets it from her father) and was able to "share" birds with some of the other visiting littlies.

All in all, definitely a worthwhile place to visit!

Bathtime!

2010-05-21T12:28:00.002+10:00

Ginger Rose is home from school today, so we had a photographer for bath time.

The Little Prince has not once been allowed in the tummy tub but is eternally hopeful. Lest anybody think I'm a total killjoy, I'll point out that I've never objected to him bathing in the tummy tub ... just not WITH the baby!

This is the Last Baby making a rolling break for freedom! He can only roll from back to front so far, but gets a good wriggle up with it and can move his bare bottom away from his playmat in no time at all! As The Little Prince is currently toilet training, my carpet cleaning routine is almost perfected.

Four months old

2010-05-13T12:54:00.001+10:00

Today we found some leggings from Grandma L and tried them on straight away! They fit with just one cuff roll, so are a perfect size to get through winter.

We baked orange and leftover easter egg muffins. I think we might have somebody keen to start solids sooner rather than later. The Little Prince is not wearing any clothes because he didn't want to. At least in that photo he's wearing a nappy...

And guess who learned to roll from back to front? Unfortunately he's forgotten how to roll from front to back!

Breakfast

2010-05-09T10:48:00.003+10:00

I couldn't fit my favourite breakfast photos on the last post:

The Little Prince has discovered a new taste - croissant with butter and jam. Yum.

Ginger Rose and The Little Prince were first to the table and last to leave!

The Last Baby didn't make it through breakfast.

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T10:30:00.003+10:00

Nothing like a sleep in then being woken with cuddles and chai!

And presents - did I mention presents?

Including a brand new super dooper even smaller camera from my gorgeous husband :) .

And so many beautiful gifts from the girls - even a box to keep them in!

Ah the bliss!

Breakfast with an Oprah theme - Possum duct taped choccies under my chair and apologised for not having a car to go with them.

Dog Training

2010-04-10T22:13:00.000+10:00

Suki was a little bemused at being tied up and "taught" to shake hands. Which seems to involve her letting Ginger Rose pick up a paw and wave it around. But so long as there was food involved, she was happy.

It got seriously cute when Ginger Rose started teaching The Little Prince the fine art of dog training. This involves holding onto the dog treats not spreading them over the ground.

Suki didn't mind at all. And has now been trained to sit and eat from the children's hands.

Crochet

2010-04-03T22:14:00.000+11:00

With the colder days, it's time to play with craft again! Briar Rose crocheted and decorated this cute "doll" for The Last Baby.

It's very soft and he clearly enjoys playing with it.

Tonight she started work on a crocheted bag.

And I started work on a crocheted blankie for The Last Baby :).

Rescuing the lamb

2010-04-03T21:56:00.000+11:00

How cute is this? Ginger Rose has just learnt how to climb this tree and has just loved playing out a variety of scenarios that require her to "rescue" the lamb (out on a limb to the right).

This scenario ended with her climbing down and knocking the lamb out of the tree with a broom.

Autumn Earthbox

2010-04-03T21:47:00.000+11:00

After a hiatus while Lachie was growing and newborn, I'm ready to start growing food again! I've planted up the Earthbox with some winter seedlings - broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts.

There are still some potatoes, onions and spring onions left from last season.

We are intending to landscape the garden extensively, so I'm concentrating on container gardening. Hence chives in a slightly too small pot.

Chocolate Aubergine Cake

2010-04-03T21:41:00.000+11:00

FIL has been growing aubergine. We've been using them in bolognaise sauce, but couldn't resist trying this fantastic cake recipe from the drooling vegetable:

Chocolate Heartache Cake
Ingredients
400g aubergines
300 dark chocolate
50g cocoa powder
60g ground almonds
3 eggs
200g runny honey
2tsp baking pwoder
1/2 tsp salt
Cook the aubgerines in a covered bowl in the microwave for 8 mins. Drain and skin them and puree the squishy stuff. Add the chocolate to the warm aubergine and drool while it melts. Whisk everything else up in a different bowl. Add the chocolate-and-aubergine mixture to this and mix well.
Pour it all into a 23cm diameter cake tin (ideally loose-bottomed) and bake in the oven (180c / 350f / gas mark 4) for 30 minutes. Let it cool in the tin for 15 mins and then stick it on a cake rack. Eat.

It was divine! A little undercooked in the middle - next time I'll use a slower oven for longer - but still delicious.

Pictured above with the standard Thermomix mud cake that only the Ginger Ninja really enjoys. I bake a large one every so often and freeze it for school lunch boxes.

And the dough tasted as good as the cake.

Renovation red back!

2010-03-31T12:53:00.000+11:00

The renovations are coming along well - there's plenty of dust and mess and the inconvenience of sleeping in the dining room but we're making progress and can see the final product emerging ahead of our anticipated schedule.

What I hadn't anticipated was the quantity of insects being disturbed and swarming into the house through screenless doors and windows. Briar Rose was not impressed with this speciman which she found under her hot water bottle (on the floor next to her bed).

She was very grateful to the Ginger Ninja for taking care of it. He needed the practice as he found one in his own bedroom later that night...

Brothers

2010-03-31T11:47:00.001+11:00

My big boys bivouaced over the weekend. Fortunately in different units because otherwise their teasing each other may have had them court martialled. It was hilarious listening to them debriefing each other on the way home - I gather military discipline still leaves room for plenty of pranking!

My little boys are starting to interact with each other. The Last Baby was 11 weeks old yesterday and is turning into a real little chatterbox.

When the extensions are finished they'll be sharing a room. I predict a few too many late nights talking after lights out...

Six weeks old...

2010-03-02T16:16:00.000+11:00

The tummy tub is still a huge success! I love that it uses so little water that I can carry it around the house easily, then water the lemon tree afterwards!

Ginger Rose adores holding the Last Baby - sometimes sneaking in a hold when she's not allowed!

As you can see, the Last Baby is thriving and is a large chap for 6 weeks!

A gratuitous sleeping baby shot!

Thermomix Rice Milk

2010-02-18T13:57:00.000+11:00

I made my first rice milk today, and am pleased with the results. I used the recipe from here but modified it a little:

1. Place in dry TMX bowl and grind:
- 50g rice
- 30g raw almonds

2. Add, and cook at 60 degrees, 5 mins, speed 4:
- 1 litre water
- 1 T apricot kernel oil
- squeeze of honey
- pinch of salt

3. Puree on speed 9 for 1 minute then strain into jug.

I used the leftover thick bits in a leftover rice pancake batter I made up next.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-18T13:53:00.000+11:00

I think this might be our first smile on camera! I took this on the way out for a Valentine's Breakfast with Dh that included a surprise babysitter! Dh had organised for our lovely receptionist to meet us at breakfast for a coffee then take the Baby while we had a leisurely meal and a little shop afterwards!

It's raining!

2010-02-07T09:01:00.000+11:00

We haven't had that much rain lately, so it was a great novelty for the Little Prince. Not so much fun when we had to head out and collect Ginger Rose from school though!

As you can see, the gutters overflowed nicely, making lots of lovely rivers for splashing around in.

Despite the thunderous noise of rain pelting on the roof the New Baby slept happily. Once he gets to sleep he's very happy to sleep through all sorts of noises - which is fortunate as our renovations started on Monday.

The New Baby

2010-02-07T08:49:00.000+11:00

Just a few quick photos because it's already week 3 and he's not been visible here yet!

Week 2 having some awake time on the floor.

Just new and home from hospital.

A photo from the first day or so.

First day of ballet

2010-02-07T08:42:00.000+11:00

Ginger Rose had her first ballet lesson yesterday after begging for lessons for the last couple of years. Sadly, shopping was difficult with a new baby so she didn't have the requisite pale pink headband to keep her hair out of her face but I think she still looked gorgeous and there were plenty of other little girls in pink with assorted hairclips for the first week.

I was so sleep deprived that after the lesson (during which the Little Prince and the New Baby went for a walk to a nearby playground) I drove off leaving the baby's pusher neatly parked beside the car. Fortunately it was still there an hour later...

Small children and dog

2009-11-01T07:36:00.000+11:00

Suki is very fond of the younger children and very gentle with them! I remember when she was just a tiny puppy, but now she more than holds her own. She is an enthusiastic participant in all sorts of games - and is currently supposed to be pretending to sleep with Ginger Rose on the couch, but the Little Prince is not so keen on pretending to sleep...

Guess what...

2009-10-19T16:23:00.000+11:00

Somebody's getting a visit from the tooth fairy tonight!!!

Ginger Rose is pleased as punch to have lost her first tooth, and is eagerly awaiting her largesse. She literally lost it - didn't know it was gone until she looked in the mirror, but we tracked it down to the hair clip container on the bathroom bench.

Another birthday cake...

2009-10-17T10:47:00.000+11:00

Possum turned 14 while I was away in Melbourne for a seminar, so the celebration was a little delayed. It amazes me, looking at the photographs, that my children are growing up so fast!

The Ginger Ninja is showing off his new braces.

It's a tough life...

2009-10-17T10:45:00.000+11:00

After a particularly tiring couple of weeks, the little ones were running down - so it was ideal to have an armchair that cuddled them back as they had a pre-dinner rest in front of the TV. I'm particularly impressed with the grandparental attention to the Wiggles - above and beyond the call of duty!

The actual fifth birthday

2009-09-13T08:35:00.000+10:00

Ginger Rose turned five the day before some of us left for a trip to Perth, so it was a bit rushed! But she still enjoyed being a princess for the day in her special tutu from Grandma E, special crown from Grandma L and special toys from Briar Rose.

Grandma L was here ready to take over the household from 5am the next morning.

We gave her an electronic globe that has been getting a really good work out ever since, but mostly from the Little Prince - who loves to hear it talking back to him! At least Ginger Rose has got Northern and Southern hemispheres all sorted now...

Ginger Rose is Five!

2009-09-13T07:55:00.000+10:00

And her birthday party was only 3 weeks late. Oops! As you may notice, she's been hairdressing again, but thankfully only half a fringe this time!

She selected a local party room as her venue, and they had a lovely time dressing up as mermaids, painting plaster moulds, dancing the limbo and playing musical bops.

And eating cake, of course!

Siblings weren't really in the target age range for this party, but the Little Prince and Briar Rose came along to watch and take photos. It was a great party, and Ginger Rose has a large collection of Disney Princess dolls to remember it by!

Earthbox Brassicas

2009-05-23T09:30:00.000+10:00

This is my first try with a "real" Earth Box, and I'm pretty happy with it! Grandad B donated some brassica seedlings so I planted 2 each of broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts.

There have been some grub issues - I have to remove the green catterpillars almost daily or they take over - but I've been otherwise impressed with how healthy they are.

Both broccoli plants have well established heads and secondary heads developing below. I'm not counting my chickens too early, but am quietly confident that Earth Box gardening may be the way to go for our family!

What happened to the green futon?

2009-05-23T09:23:00.000+10:00

It was so old and grubby we knew it had to go, but it was a very sudden departure.

Ginger Rose had a cough last week so I banished Suki from the girls' bedroom. She was clearly driven crazy by her banishment and also destroyed two pairs of shoes (not pictured).

It's a little hard to see, but roomba is still my best friend - because foam couch stuffing is horribly hard to get off carpet - without roomba we'd still be working on it!

My little adventurer...

2009-05-23T09:18:00.000+10:00

Hmmmm, wonder why the garden's always so messy and I seem wash about five sets of clothes a day for one small child?

Waking up the big brothers in the morning is one of the Little Prince's favourite jobs! He loves climbing up their ladders and surprising them. They're usually good natured about it.

There is no such thing as a childproof room now that the fine art of moving furniture has been well and truly mastered. I'm just grateful that cupboard doors open outwards, adding a degree of difficulty that *usually* means he's distracted before he gains admission.

Easter 2009

2009-04-16T06:48:00.000+10:00

We missed the Ginger Ninja, who was away camping with friends, for this year's Easter Egg Hunt but Possum did a great job playing Easter Bunny. And the girls did a great job hunting.

The Little Prince was quite unwell over Easter, but cheered up just a little for the Easter Egg Hunt. Sadly, he escaped without his shoes and got wet socks yet again.

This was the way he spent most of Easter - snuggled up to somebody big. Grandma E doesn't look as though she minds, and fortunately we have many hands for light people so his feet barely touched the ground for a good three days.

We did one of our periodic wardrobe tidies, and the Stitch costume was finally deemed too small for anybody but Ginger Rose who looks very scary and cute in it!

Garden Soup

2009-04-13T11:54:00.000+10:00

I decided to try making a meal out of just ingredients from the garden so pulled out some spring onions, potatoes and a couple of varieties of pumpkin.

I chopped them all up, then cheated by adding a store bought brown onion and a couple of stock cubes. After it was pureed to conceal the vegetable content, the family decided it was very edible. And it made a reappearance with a tin of coconut milk the next night to even greater acclaim.

The sheer volume of scraps from garden vegies amazes me and thrills the chooks, and is a good reminder of the wasted food we don't see at the supermarket...

Surfing Ninja

2009-03-12T10:01:00.001+11:00

The Ginger Ninja has been mad keen to try surfing again after enjoying his first lesson on a school camp.
A trip up the coast with Dad seemed like a good opportunity.

I was initially sceptical, but apparently you can either surf or you can't. I can't. He can.

The instructor says he's a natural.

Textile and design...

2009-03-12T09:43:00.000+11:00

This year for textile and design, Briar Rose learnt to use the sewing machine. This is her first project - a circle skirt. Grandma L provided a couple of lessons, then Briar Rose tackled the very very long hem (after attaching an elasticized waist band). The wrap around her shoulders was her own design from some fabric scraps.

Chrismas present from Great Auntie C!

2009-03-04T12:11:00.003+11:00

Great Auntie C sent the children some money for Christmas, and we've been saving it for the right shopping moment. We decided to go to a character breakfast at the local factory outlet and shop for new linen for the girls' beds.

The girls were allowed to choose their own linen but decided they both wanted matching sheets and had no trouble choosing a pattern they both loved. I was anticipating having to conceal my winces while buying sheets covered with purple dinosaurs or Barbie, so pink roses on a blue background was a delightful choice!

Thank you very much, dearest C - and I'll update after the boys select their presents.

And in February...

2009-03-04T11:31:00.005+11:00

Another busy month getting back into the school routine. Sorry I can't get the photos into chronological order...

Possum was invested as a House Captain, which gave us both a nice warm glow - first time I've had reserved front-row seating at a school assembly!
Suki grew faster than The Little Prince, but is still puppy enough to enjoy baby games in the sandpit.
Ginger Rose had a "white" week at preschool, which I thought was asking for a serious parental investment in bleach.
The Ginger Ninja finally had the cast removed from his right arm, but the plates will be in there for another six months or so. This means he SHOULD be careful with his arm...
Our favourite puppy visitor came to dinner. Hi Dufus!
I took a trip to Sydney so Briar Rose, The Little Prince and I could spend time with my mother, sister and nephew. These cousins are going to be great friends, I think!
Despite being sick, jet-lagged and teachign for a full day, Grandma E still put on a delicious dinner for us.
The Degas exhibition had a family activity room that was so wonderful we didn't bother seeing more than 50% of the actual Degas exhibition!
Even The Little Prince was encouraged to express himself artistically!
And Ginger Rose loved the opportunity to dress up as a ballerina or a jockey.
Briar and Ginger Rose started piano lessons. We're learning Suzuki and it's very slow going at the moment, but I hope once we get the knack of it we'll move a bit faster!
The Little Prince enjoyed taking Ginger Rose back to preschool. He's really very well behaved in the preschool room, and does a good job finding the puzzles that are most suitable for him.
This was the first day back at preschool. Ginger Rose was so excited to be back with her friends, and was very happy that last year's teacher was present to help them settle in for their first day with their new teacher.

So, we're up to date!

What we did in January

2009-03-04T11:12:00.003+11:00

It's been too long between blog updates - life seems to be racing past just now! But looking back at January's photos, we really were particularly busy!

Probably the most visible change in January was to Ginger Rose's gorgeous locks. They disappeared. Dramatically. I cried.

And I was still finding the odd golden lock in the girls' bedroom weeks after. There were a lot of curls on the floor.

Briar Rose and I pulled out the sewing machine and the on-going quilt project.

We found a great new malted oat slice recipe that's perfect for lunch boxes.

Stewed and froze the garden surplus of silverbeet and tomatoes.

Played with play-dough.

Loaded five children and five instruments into the car each day for a fortnight's music camp in scorching hot weather.

And enjoyed plaster painting activities at the shopping centre while the big kids were away.
Lots more happened, but there's only so much space...

Artisan Bread

2009-02-14T15:14:00.004+11:00

A friend sent me instructions for a fantastically quick and easy bread, based on the recipes in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

(I don't have a copy of this book, and it's not in the library, so if anybody's looking for a good birthday present for me - please feel free to check for it on Booko! )

In a large container add:

6 cups lukewarm water

3 tbs seasalt

3 tbs yeast

13 cups flour.

Mix.

And leave on the counter for a couple of hours...

While it grows...

And grows...

Until it's knocking at the top of the container and you panic and stick it into the fridge for 3

hours.

Sprinkle some flour over the top so you can easily haul out a handful, saw it off, play with it a very little, and place on a polenta covered board.

Toss a cupful of water in a hot tray in a very hot oven, then bake until done. Takes me around 25 minutes. The bread is delicious and makes a fantastic pizza, especially when combined with tomatoes fresh from the garden!

How cute is my tea cosy?

2009-02-09T14:30:00.000+11:00

Did I mention that I love love love the tea cosy Grandma L knitted us (on request) for Christmas? I was very distressed when it disappeared yesterday morning - but I think it looks so sweet perhaps we should ask for another one without the holes for the handle and spout?

Christmas carols 2008

2009-01-04T09:32:00.003+11:00

Instead of singing Christmas carols this year, we played them! Grandma E was given a box of crackers with tuned whistles, so we formed an impromptu ensemble. Anybody actually recognise the carol?

Camera work by the Ginger Ninja.

Return to the garden

2009-01-02T18:02:00.000+11:00

It's amazing how fast a garden grows in just a few days' absence. The Lemon-Tree-in-a-Barrel isn't doing too well - we had plenty of blossom, lots of fruit setting, but the lemons are all ripening at this ridiculously small size for the second year in a row. Any advice welcomed! The Barrel is also home to some rocket, coriander and strawberry plants.

Dh was keen to see if the zucchinis would keep growing while we were away - and they did. Unfortunately, they don't taste as good oversized (and I was careful not to say "I told you so" LOL). We'll still get our zucchini meal a week.

My home-made Earth Box is doing well, though I'm hoping it's not too late in the season for the zucchinis. They're planted in potting mix with additional dynamic lifter on the top, and will have plenty of water so if it's possible, they should just make it...

An overview shot of the garden, not showing the cucubit patch to the left. At this stage, most things are growing nicely though I'm late mounding the potatoes and leeks due to the garden supply store being out of cow manure for the entire season! I think we're going to have to bite the bullet and stick with some straw and chook poo.

The joy of reading

2008-12-17T17:35:00.000+11:00

I am incredibly grateful that Ginger Rose is such an enthusiastic reader, because The Little Prince has been a little slow to become enthused by books. He's only just starting to take an interest - and gets the most pleasure out of books when he's sharing them with his big sister.

Tonight's dinner

2008-12-17T17:33:00.000+11:00

Tonight's dinner will include a salad. I know it won't be appreciated or eaten, but I'm determined to at least make an effort towards using the actual salad vegetables we've grown!

We'll be stir-frying broccoli, spring onions, green beans (first pick of the season) and a lovely bright red capsicum. I went out looking for a ripe tomato (perhaps tomorrow!) and found this tiny bell capsicum had gone red without a hint of warning.

Further adventures of The Little Prince

2008-12-17T17:28:00.000+11:00

Guess who can reach the table now? And while his cereal was totally uninteresting when being fed to him, apparently self-feeding is the new developmental stage. A very very messy stage. I am so glad we've got a puppy to help clean up!

The sandpit is very popular this year - Possum thought The Little Prince and puppy's combined efforts at hole digging deserved a reward. Sadly, the puppy wasn't as willing to be buried as the baby.

Chinese cabbage stir fry

2008-12-17T17:23:00.000+11:00

We harvested the first of the Chinese cabbages last night. The leaves had been very visibly eaten all the way through, and I discovered 13 earwigs in the washing process, so suspect I've identified the culprits.

I found a nifty online stir fry recipe, and decided to serve it up alongside the BBQ chops. The quantity of cabbage only just fitted into our electric frypan, which I elected to use instead of the electric wok because of the greater space available.

The result was quite tasty, but a bit watery. I think it would have benefitted from a little longer stir frying to drive off the moisture - and I suspect my cabbages are larger than the recipe calls for as there was easily enough for half a dozen big eaters!

Ingredients
1 large Chinese cabbage (or use 2-3 cups Asian greens per person including bok choy, tatsoi, Chinese cabbage, Chinese broccoli)
2 tablespoons fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fresh garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
pinch sugar
1 tablespoon potato starch (or cornflour)
2 tablespoons water
sweet chilli sauce, to taste
sesame seeds
Method
Wash the cabbage thoroughly, then chop into about 5cm pieces. Finely grate the ginger and garlic.

Put the oil into a hot wok. Add the cabbage; toss for a few seconds until heated. Put a lid on the wok and steam for 1 minute.
Remove the cabbage and set aside.

Add the ginger and garlic to the same pan. Cook on medium heat until fragrant (2 minutes). Add the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar.

In another bowl mix the potato starch with cold water, then add to the pan. Add sweet chilli sauce to taste.

Fold in the cooked cabbage, then remove from the heat.

Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds over the top.

Growing up together

2008-12-09T21:43:00.001+11:00

Every boy deserves a dog, and The Little Prince knows just where his puppy likes her tummy tickled. They love to wrestle with each other, and Suki is already more careful with the baby than any of the other children.

They have a great time in the sandpit together. Suki is a better digger (note the very respectable hole), but Andrew does his fair share of throwing sand Suki's way.

And at the end of a hard day's play, there's nothing quite like curling up for a snooze on the couch together. How sweet is that?

Garden greens

2008-12-09T20:30:00.000+11:00

This is my favourite dish from the garden so far this year. I boiled some silverbeet and broccoli, then drained them. Added olive oil to the pot and gently browned up some garlic and spring onion. Then I tossed the silverbeet and broccoli back in, stirred it around and tipped it all into a serving dish.

Very tasty!

Yoghurt Cake

2008-12-06T08:46:00.002+11:00

I had to dig through my cupboard to find the book containing this recipe, so thought I'd post it here for easy reference. It's such a quick and easy cake to whip up, and we always have the ingredients handy.

Preheat oven to 170C (for my fan forced oven, this works well) and grease and line a cake tin.

Toss into the blender:

250ml vegetable oil

160g sugar

and blend. Add:

225g yoghurt and mix again. Add:

2 eggs

225g self-raising flour

2 tsp vanilla

and blend again, using a spatula to mix in the flour if necessary.

Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 50 - 55 minutes. Cool then sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.

Serves 2 adults and 5 children for afternoon tea with one slice left over :).

Garden update

2008-11-29T06:35:00.004+11:00

Now that the camera has been re-discovered (hiding in my Ergo baby carrier pocket) I can do some more updates!
I'm feeling quietly pleased with this year's garden. We've got just a few more shoots to eat off the broccoli (front) with a plant a day going to the chooks, the celery is a good strong colour and ready for eating and juicing, and the beans are finally flowering after good early growth then a hiatus.
I cut a potato into six pieces, hoping a couple would grow, and have been thrilled to find all six growing strongly. I've been building up the ground over them with mulch, compost and some cow manure so I'm hoping harvesting won't be too much digging.
And look - my first actual growing zucchinis!

I'm feeling quite hopeful about the vine plot - I have flowers on rockmelons, mini-pumpkins and the zucchini, with strong growth from the butternut and jarrah pumpkins.

And the first blush from the boysenberries!

How's that little puppy going?

2008-11-28T12:07:00.002+11:00

Suki takes it all in her stride! Ginger Rose has been unwell, so Suki has been snuggling with her on the couch.

The Little Prince has been feeling adventurous, so Suki has been happy to wrestle.

And a friend's Giant Schnauser was in need of company and exercise, so Suki was happy to oblige with a romp in the garden.

And the obligatory baby and puppy in a box shot - I just love watching them growing up together!

What a sweet puppy! She'll be even sweeter when she's fully toilet trained and has learnt to resist the chew-everything-in-sight urge! I'll be particularly grateful when she stops the juice box search and destroy missions!

Cricket at the Christmas Picnic

2008-11-10T21:00:00.000+11:00

Beautiful weather for an early Christmas picnic. An impromptu cricket match provided entertainment for all, with Briar Rose putting up an unexpectedly good showing, and Possum impressing us all by running into the "stump" at full bore and being brave with some spectacular injuries.

The Little Prince had a wonderful time exploring the food and drink.

Ginger Rose had a turn with the bat, but had more fun playing with a spare tennis ball and the puppy. There were plenty of leftovers from dh's birthday bash the night before, and as everybody brought generous quantities of food and drink, we all overindulged very happily.

New chooks

2008-11-03T16:16:00.000+11:00

Isn't it idyllic? Morning sunlight on a lush green lawn with a baby and our two newest chooks. The chooks are out of the henhouse because they're young, new and needed some space away from the big mean red hen who was previously bottom of the pecking order and is enjoying her promotion just a little too vigorously!

40th birthday present

2008-11-02T21:15:00.000+11:00

What do you buy the dh who has everything for his 40th birthday? A puppy, of course! We decided to "rescue" a pound puppy, but ended up having to drive 2 1/2 hours to a suitable pound as Canberra residents are mostly responsible, and don't tend to have unwanted litters.

She's a dear little pup, but has been terribly sick. She spent much of today just lying around, which is so unlike the incredibly lively pup who chewed through a phone cable within hours of arriving! As the day progressed, she drank more water and perked up a bit. And tonight, she's almost lively and, much to our delight, started to chew toys that aren't hers!

By 8.30pm tonight, she was well enough that Ginger Rose was allowed a "hold". She has such a sweet nature that, even though she's clearly unwell, she doesn't protest or snap at anybody.

Thirteen months today

2008-10-29T16:07:00.002+11:00

The Little Prince decided to finally try walking this afternoon, and I learnt how to use my phone camera! Pretty pleased with himself, eh?

How does my garden grow

2008-10-25T19:37:00.003+11:00

There's been a bit of a blog hiatus, primarily due to the loss of my camera which I'm still hoping is in the house somewhere and will turn up where I least expect it.

But my days have been filled with gardening adventures, and I thought I'd report in.

The back garden is currently sporting a healthy crop of chives, both regular and garlic, which I separated and am pleased to say seem to be doing well and have flavoured many a carbonara dish. The parsley continues to do well, and I've added an Italian parsley which suffered badly from a predator for the first few days, but has recovered after I provided an egg shell moat. My attempts at greek basil and marjoram have failed, but I still have thyme, rosemary and oregano growing strongly.

My single pot of spinach intensively planted in compost has done wonderfully, providing the base for many a poached egg. It is still producing well and has convinced me that good soil is worth finding as the spinach I planted in garden soil with a little mushroom compost and dynamic lifter has not produced nearly as well.

I have some broad beans growing behind the trampoline and noticed flowers today, but as the winter sun has left that garden bed, I'm not hopeful of any actual beans. I also planted some turnips in the hope of getting a quick crop before the end of the sunshine, but I think I'll be disappointed.

My lemon tree in a barrel is absolutely covered in blossoms, and as there has been a smidgeon of bee activity, I'm cautiously hopeful that we might get more than the sole lemon we picked last year! I've mulched around the outside edge of the barrel with mushroom compost, and have planted some coriander and rocket - I'm not sure which have germinated but there seem to be a few.

The front vegetable garden has been a bit of a disappointment, primarily because I didn't know better when it came to sending my dh off to the garden centre for soil. We had a first trailer load of some sort of "compost" that was full of twigs and absolutely no nutrients. The next load of mushroom compost has been better, but really doesn't seem to be enough to grow good vegies.

We are currently eating broccoli, spring onions and silverbeet from the front garden, with potatoes on the way (one self-seeded from last year, and another few from an old organic potato I recycled from the bottom of the potato box). I have some rather miserable tomato seedlings waiting to be planted out, and a very healthy looking shop-bought heirloom tomato plant that has some promising flowers, as does the capsicum plant next to it.

My celery and onions are growing like snails - I think the first batch of soil got them off to an irredeemably poor start, but with any luck they'll be useful at some stage. I tried growing peas from seedlings again this year, but I just don't seem to be a pea-grower as 4 out of 6 seedlings have already withered and died.

I started a new vegetable bed with dwarf beans underneath Possum's bedroom window, and after a first fevered period of growth, they seem to be consolidating. I'm just hoping this doesn't mean I didn't dig the bed deep enough.

Another new vegetable bed contains rockmelon, mini-pumpkin, butternut pumpkin and zucchini plants, all of which seem to be growing respectably.

The Meyer lemon tree I planted in about April has gone through stages of looking very unhappy with curling leaves, but is now showing new leaf growth and a respectable bunch of buds.

So, life in the garden is getting better. Slowly. I do think we'll have more to harvest than last year, but I'm disappointed that I haven't made more progress.

Birthday season

2008-10-05T11:30:00.000+11:00

Due to non-stop illnesses in the house, we've ended up with a backlog of birthday cakes! The 4yo birthday was cancelled because she was unwell, then we were overseas. The 1yo birthday was cancelled because he and I were unwell. By the time the 13yo birthday came around, it seemed unfair not to make sure everybody got to share the cake!

As Possum had been very keen for a *bought* cake, I thought I'd take advantage of somebody else doing the icing. I was a bit disappointed they weren't able to fit "Happy Birthday" on top, but at least it wasn't a candidate for Cake Wrecks.

Fortunately, some friends dropped around to share it with us, because it was a very large rich cake in comparison with the usual home made offerings.

When all the other children had disappeared, Briar Rose had her wish and was allowed to discreetly nibble at the birthday cake rose.

Tidbinbilla

2008-10-05T10:35:00.000+11:00

We spent an enjoyable day with friends at Tidbinbilla Nature Park this week. The three big boys scaled all heights in sight, including an unscheduled 2 hour trek up a nearby mountain that resulted in the ruination of clothes and legs when they encountered brambles. The parents were not impressed!

There were plenty of spots for the littlies to enjoy.

Including a very impressive slide.

There would be more photos of the big girls, but they found a secluded rock at the top of a hill and disappeared to "relax" emerging only to eat.

Spring singing

2008-10-05T08:58:00.000+11:00

Less than a week after returning from New Zealand, my niece arrived from NZ to visit for a couple of days. The children's only firm committments were with the school choir and band at Floriade, so we had a very relaxed last week of term.

Cousin S was wonderful with The Little Prince, and sat next to him while we watched the choirs singing.

It was a truly gorgeous day, and we were all very grateful to Grandma E for treating us all to ice creams as we wandered around.

It's hard to get the effects because this year Floriade was planted to double as a night time exhibition, so the flowers are at different levels, and the images are only visible if you're up higher than we were. But you can just see how beautiful the day was...

Leaning tower of lunchboxes

2008-10-05T08:47:00.000+11:00

Is it just me, or does the Ginger Ninja look just a little sheepish? These are the products of the end of term locker check, and go a long way to explain why I was scrabbling for containers by week 10.

Of course, these are the lucky containers that made it home at all...

Totally undomestic

2008-09-16T19:17:00.000+10:00

Again, the photos don't do the views justice - but the scenery really is magnificent. We drove up a rather scary dirt track to the treble cone ski fields. The lifts were closed due to rain overnight, but it was worth the drive for the outlook.

A rare joint photo from a kind fellow traveller.

The Little Prince is travelling forward facing for the first time, only because the car rentals didn't have an extension strap to allow us to install the seat rear facing in the 4WD. He is not really enjoying all the driving, but is overall very tolerant of being tossed in a car for hours at a time.

This was the road we travelled up the mountain. Not for the faint hearted.

Domesticity in a strange land

2008-09-16T17:56:00.000+10:00

I'm practicing my domesticity in New Zealand this week, thanks to the domestic genius of my mother and MIL who are holding the fort back home.

Unfortunately, the spectacular alpine views aren't as clear in photos as they are in real life.

After days of fun but formal meals with Dh's colleagues in Christchurch, it's been a relief to dine al fresco at home. The Little Prince has relished the opportunity to explore the grassy garden in between devouring french bread, hommous and a very nice brie! He wasn't allowed any bubbly.

He is remarkably blase about the stunning views that appear around every corner.

After school bubbles

2008-09-02T16:05:00.003+10:00

After a boring day at home with a slightly unwell mother, The Little Prince was ecstatic to find that Ginger Rose wanted to blow bubbles at him! They both had a lovely time. I got to sit in the sun and supervise.

Hitting the sales

2008-08-31T19:35:00.000+10:00

What luck - our local op-shop had their end of winter clearance this week, so I had a great time shopping! They even threw in a lovely carry bag!

$13.50 bought me three pairs of trousers for the children (I'm particularly happy with the 50c black formal trousers that will fit Briar Rose perfectly for choir performances), fleece tops for both girls for next season, a shirt and jumper for moi, four warm snuggly tops for The Little Prince, two childrens' books and a small toy pony. Considering the books and pony cost $2 of the $13.50, I think that was great bargain shopping.

And will supplement my other less frugal purchases from Margaret River Hemp Co ...

Spring is coming

2008-08-31T19:27:00.000+10:00

It's time to get out into the garden again. Ginger Rose has proved an enthusiastic helper.

She was very good at looking after the Little Prince while I harvested our compost.

I was quite impressed with it. I'm getting the hang of this mucking around with dirt stuff!

Doesn't it look as though it should actually grow something? Nah - my black thumbs will take care of that, but with any luck we'll be one step further along the path to actual productivity in the garden.

Ginger Rose's big day out

2008-08-08T13:53:00.000+10:00

Ginger Rose had her own adventure with Dad last week. They went snow hunting.

Found a leftover snowman!

Climbed a mountain.

And discovered a dam they weren't allowed to swim in.

All up, a fun day in the great outdoors!

Knitting up a storm

2008-08-08T13:48:00.000+10:00

Grandma L visited recently, knitting up a storm and attacking the mending basket with gusto! The Little Prince has a new warm and snuggly outfit that's getting plenty of use in the Canberra winter! The second pair of leggings are a pair I recently finished in the gorgeous organic wool from the wonderful K. Thanks, K!

It starts so tidily...

2008-08-08T10:51:00.000+10:00

But indoor picnics really aren't an efficient method of putting food cleanly into the mouths of preschoolers and babies!

But at least it bought me enough time to take some embarrassing photos of my vegie garden for the Dig for Victory blog!

Saturday mornings...

2008-08-08T10:48:00.000+10:00

Gotta love them! Nothing like staying in bed as long as you possibly can. Actually, the Ginger Ninja has it down to an even finer art than the four little ones!

Snow hunting

2008-07-29T16:38:00.003+10:00

Dh took Ginger Ninja and Briar Rose off road in search of snow on the weekend, and they had a fantastic time by all accounts!

I was pleased that Briar Rose finally agreed to wear tracksuit pants under her leggings - I don't think she really remembered how cold snow can be!

A kind passerby took this photo of the evil snowman.
And Briar Rose and the Ginger Ninja had plenty of snowball fights.
And what trip to the snow would be complete without snow angels? Ugh - cold, wet, muddy backs... and they loved it!

Thanks, Nic!

2008-07-29T16:35:00.000+10:00

A parcel for Ginger Rose?

What could it be?

It's one of our FAVOURITE books! Hooray! Big thanks and kisses to cousin Nic!

Peanut Butter Cookies

2008-07-17T17:25:00.002+10:00

Yum! We made these today to take on our excursions with Grandad D, which included a photographic exhibition, shopping at our favourite bookshop, a ride on the carousel, and a few hours at Questacon.

A big hit with the adults, and quite clearly childproof. Clearly, cookies just aren't cookies if they don't contain chocolate!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Cream butter with sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter, creaming after each addition until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Add flour mixture gradually. Beat until smooth. Drop mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time and about 2" apart on to an undressed baking sheet. Flatten with a fork 2 times to form a criscross pattern on the cookie surface. Bake in a 350 F oven for 8-10 min. Remove from oven and cool.

Note: Kindly donated by San Francisco pastry chef Greg Léon.
For more great recipes like this one, be sure to visit http://www.christmas-cookies.com

First holiday visit

2008-07-12T08:18:00.000+10:00

Grandma E was our first school holiday visitor. She made herself incredibly exhaustingly useful, so we barely had time to grab the camera!

Listening to her helping Briar Rose sing her new choir pieces was delightful - I hadn't realised what a nice voice Briar Rose has until I heard her after some professional coaching!

We were very sad to see her go...

Dog for the weekend!

2008-07-12T08:07:00.000+10:00

We've been missing Coda, and were thrilled to be allowed to dog-sit last weekend! Doofus is our first trial of a small dog, and was just wonderful. Just like a real dog, only smaller...

The Ginger Ninja was feeling sick when he arrived, but Doofus knew exactly how to deal with invalids!

Even The Little Prince enjoyed playing with a puppy.

And The Ginger Ninja was eventually enticed out of his sick bed to share some germs with Doofus and a toy rabbit.

We're still not at the stage of wanting another dog, but if the right one came along, we'd be happy to give it a home. And exceedingly happy to get a puppy fix any time Doofus needs a weekend home again!

A REAL family portrait

2008-06-22T19:02:00.000+10:00

The divine Candice has done it again! No commentary should be necessary...

New furniture!

2008-06-22T18:58:00.000+10:00

We are very very grateful to Nana R and Grandad B, who upgraded their lounge room yesterday - and gifted us with a very nice cream leather lounge!

And look - it even fits the whole family (the Little Prince is asleep...). Perfect for a large family!

All in the family

2008-06-17T20:51:00.000+10:00

We're getting some real family photos taken tomorrow, which is very exciting (and more than a little stressful as colour co-ordinating seven wardrobes is just not looking possible!), but I thought I'd share some of this week's happy snaps. Starting with Ginger Rose reading to The Little Prince.

The Ginger Ninja being swamped by the little kids. He's been signing Ginger Rose into her preschool class for me once a week so The Little Prince and I can party hard at Kindermusik, and is impressing the other mothers with his responsibility. Lucky they can't see inside his utterly irresponsibly messy black hole of a wardrobe, and let's not start with the horrors of under the bed!

Possum bought his first brand new mobile phone this week, and has been driving us all crazy with different ring tones and attempts to take unflattering photos. I give him less than 24 hours before his father confiscates it. I give The Little Prince less than 48 hours to attempt to teeth on it...

Eight months old

2008-06-07T09:48:00.000+10:00

And time is flying by! To celebrate, I bought The Little Prince his very own brand new AIO nappy from PandaBaby. And couldn't resist a marked down dressing gown to make his mornings a little snugger :).

This train is his favourite toy - he just loves capturing the giraffe. Then eating it. Thanks so much, K, it's given him hours of entertainment!

Chugga chugga away we go! And aren't those just the most chubbalicious legs?

Carmina Burana

2008-06-07T09:43:00.000+10:00

Ah - the Big Beer ad! Who could resist the chance to sing on stage with LOTS of percussion and a really loud song?! Sadly, it was a pretty chaotic week due to Possum's inability to bring home notes combined with his absence at school camp - I was only told 3 hours before the final rehearsal that he needed to wear black NOT his school uniform. So, he's borrowing my favourite black jumper!

Cross country finals

2008-06-07T09:40:00.000+10:00

Briar Rose made it through to the state finals for cross country. She was sick with a cough and cold the night before the race (sick enough to skip dinner at a favourite restaurant), so I didn't think we'd make it there - but she was determined!

She was the only girl from her school in her race, and we were a bit unsure about warming up (at the zone carnival the teachers warmed them up), but Ginger Rose kept her company and we did our best.

And they're off!

It was a fast race, and Briar Rose was well back but still ran well. Unfortunately, Ginger Rose distracted me so I forgot my camera for the finish.

Cross country

2008-05-20T14:46:00.000+10:00

Briar Rose made it onto the school cross country team this year, and spent this morning at her first zone carnival.

The girls took their pre-run briefing very seriously. It's just a shame somebody forgot to pack the Size S athletic tops! As you can see, Briar Rose's top is pretty much knee-length.

Warm ups were absolutely essential as it was ridiculously cold down by the lake. The children were quite happy in their athletics gear, but the watching parents were wearing serious winter clothing!

I'm missing my camera, but was so excited to see Briar Rose in the first bunch of runners home that I probably would have forgotten to point and shoot anyway! She came a very respectable 5th place, so we'll be off to the State Cross Country sometime later in the season. To my embarrassment, I didn't think she would be running so well and couldn't quite believe it was her until she was almost past me!

I've been tagged...

2008-05-20T14:09:00.002+10:00

The Crone and One Busy Mama have tagged me :).

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

Ten years ago I was an elected member of local government and facilitating a regional communications initiative, living in a small country city with just two children and a third on the way.

2. What were five things on my "to-do" list today?

Take a child to the chiropractor then the zone cross country carnival.
Dig a bit more of the lemon tree hole.
Change the sheets on the girls' bunk bed.
Declutter a bit more of the kitchen.
Make a really nice afternoon tea for the children.

3. Snacks I enjoy

Fruit salad, avocado, almost anything with dark chocolate

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire

I'd invest in sustainable technologies, particularly permaculture and solar technologies. I'd also invest in a whole lot of domestic help, and would pack up the family for a round-the-world exploration (homeschooling all the way!).

5. Places I have lived

I've not yet succumbed to wanderlust, so it's a small list! Sydney (NSW), Port Lincoln (SA) and Canberra (ACT).

6. People I've tagged

Mrs T
Little Aussie Husker
Caring is not for Wimps
Going Feral
The Wild Backyard

A picnic without Dad

2008-05-18T16:35:00.000+10:00

Dh is in Fiji for another five days, so couldn't join us on a trip to Uriarra Crossing. Sadly, my camera is also Fiji, but it's given me the incentive to learn how to use my phone-camera. The photos aren't as crisp, but I think they get the general idea across...

Possum practiced skipping stones, while Ginger Rose drew in the sand.

Ginger Ninja plotted a cunning path across the river, and was very disappointed to hear that wet feet would result in instant removal to the car.

Can you spot Possum skulking in the trees?

Briar Rose hanging out with The Little Prince while I had a quick walk down to the river. As you can see, we had the entire picnic area to ourselves. We built a very respectable fire to keep us warm while we ate bananas and sandwiches, drank hot chocolate and toasted duck-shaped marshmallows. Unanimously voted a really good picnic!

Seven months old

2008-05-02T16:05:00.000+10:00

The Little Prince is a whole seven months old! He's such a merry little thing, sometimes smiling even when he's crying. He has two sharp bottom teeth, eats three solid meals a day (interspersed with numerous breastfeeds), and is surprisingly mobile for a baby who can only crawl backwards!

Scottish Oat Cakes

2008-04-30T14:36:00.001+10:00

Inspired by the crone, I decided to deprive the hens of the leftover porridge and try my hand at porridge pancakes. My first batch were too sticky, but the second achieved a real "bready" consistency.

Scottish Oat Cakes
Take the pot of leftover porridge.
To every cup of leftovers add 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of oil, 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder.
Stir to mix the ingredients. It will be quite stiff.
Heat and grease a skillet or griddle.
Shape into thick pancakes on the griddle, as big or as little as you like.
Turn when browned on the one side.
Continue to cook until second side is browned and the inside is not sticky.
Serve with butter as a bread or spread with syrup or jam and serve as a desert.

From WikiHow

Banana Sourdough Spelt Pancakes

2008-04-30T14:28:00.001+10:00

We were given a whole box of lovely bananas, so I've been experimenting with new ways of using them up!

1 cup sourdough starter mixed with 1 cup spelt flour and left to rise

In the mixer toss:
risen flour mixture
1 cup well mashed banana
1 cup flour
2 tbs oil
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
water as needed to provide a thick batter consistency

At the last minute, toss through 1 tsp bicarb soda mixed with a little water.

Allow to stand for a few minutes then cook in melted butter.

This was a BIG success served with a choice of maple syrup or apricot jam.

Brothers in arms

2008-04-21T15:42:00.000+10:00

Possum and The Little Prince have a special bond. When it was time to say goodbye I wasn't sure Possum was actually going to hand the baby back to me!

They're going to miss each other!