Midsummer update

 

Here we are still, in midsummer, and just after Christmas 2023. A lot has happened since my last post, so I thought I should do an update. 

Christmas was quite lovely. Made special by family and friends.

This little picture is of a series of fairy light strings which now grace our home. Our grapevine has these coloured LEDs, and there is a string of white solar powered ones which enchant a small area near the DDs room.

There is a new bee bath near a frangipani and Geisha Girl duranta repens which I have decorated with glass beads and stones so the bees can escape the water while drinking. 

We finally got our ugly old asbestos fence replaced with green colourbond. The workers did a great job, and I am happy to report that the large jasmine vine has had a big haircut but is very much alive at the end of the patio. This picture above was just after the fence was installed. Since then I have been decorating the space and seeing what I can do about plants. 

DH and I escaped for a week to Albany for a holiday prior to him having a knee replacement in the first week of December. He is not driving at the moment due to his pain medication, but is doing well. He can walk around inside very well, and has ditched his wheeled mobility aid for a simple walking stick. We are now in 'rehab' mode which will ramp up as his healing progresses.

We are very grateful for a modern and free health system! 

I haven't done much quilting for a while -but I hope that now the surgery and Christmas is behind us, I can get back into the several projects I have on the go! 

Thank you for visiting this site. Gosh, I hope we can all see a renewal of peace for the new year. 

Mid summer Christmas

The forecast for Christmas is HOT -that is over 107.6 degrees fahrenheit. As usual here in Perth, really. We do all the usual Christmas things -but of course we don't have snow, and we don't need huge roast meals and pudding! We eat salads and ham and fish. I am making a traditional trifle for desert. 

We had a  Christmas choir performance in a local church. I took the pictures because I had lost my voice for a few days, but it was really lovely.  

With such hot weather, I have put up some more shade around the garden for a few days. A run of hot weather like this usually finishes off the lettuce, but hardy things like passionfruit and citrus usually survive as long as they are mulched and watered well.I am picking blueberries, mulberries, tomatoes, eggplants and rhubarb at the moment.

We helped our son put up a shade sail to protect a western wall of his house. We also spread some mulch under the fruit trees which are still quite young. DH is now making a couple of shade window blinds for the south west front of the house -it gets quite hot there in the late afternoon despite facing the south westerly sea breeze when it comes. 

So here we are a few days away from Christmas. Some parts of Australia already are struggling with the Omicron virus and the disappointment of another disrupted festive season. Our own state government has held on to its very tight border restrictions so our lives have continued pretty much as they did before the virus. All that is about to change. If the virus doesn't escape into the state before, we are supposed to open the borders on February 5th, when we have reached 90% of our population vaccinated. My own COVID booster is due mid January. None of us really know what will happen in February, but it will seem like a backwards step after all this time to be wearing masks and socially isolating. 

Anyway, I guess we will find out in Febrary. In the meantime, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas wherever you are. 

Here are a few things I found which you might enjoy.

Christmas in Australia -the video of a Paul Kelly song which is a favourite at Christmas

Making it better with volunteers 

How Nottingham is cutting carbon 

Syntropic farming for an abundant future

Best permaculture books written by women

Birak -it is early summer

 

I have noticed the change of the seasons for a couple of weeks now, as the rain bands  have drifted away further south, and the daytime temperatures are warming up. On Nyoongar boodja the Nyoongar season word is Birak or early summer. The afternoons are cooled by the sea breezes that abound from the southwest.An almost clockwork style of easterly winds in the morning and sea breezes in the afternoon, meant that traditionally this was the burning time of year for Nyoongars.They would burn the country in mosaic patterns for several reasons including fuel reduction, increasing the grazing pastures for some animals, to aid in seed germination for some plants and for ease of mobility across the country.

As for the animals, there are many fledglings now venturing out of nests, though some are still staying close to their parents. Our family of magpies have succesfully got their fledglings out of the nest, but still come to us for snacks and a drink almost every day. 

The birds and I are getting used to a new backyard fence, which is about 50 cm higher than the old one, and instead of crumbling super 6 panels we now have a dark green colourbond fence with extra depth, into the soil, to fend off the glyphosate the Council sprays on weeds in the walkway behind it. It has made a lovely difference to our backyard, which I was not expecting, really. I would have liked something more see-through, so we could enjoy the walkway, but all efforts to get the council to stop spraying have failed. As this is where most of my fruit trees and vegetables are growing, a good high, deep fence is an investment. 

Our new apple tree has been setting fruit. We also have tomatoes and blueberries ripening on their vines and bushes, and I have been planting seedling lettuces. I reckon we have about 4 weeks before growing lettuces will be impossible, due to the heat, even under the 50% shadecloth covers I have installed. When this happens, I try to move into growing seeds to sprout stage indoors, as a substitute, instead of buying bags of lettuce leaves. 

I attended the annual general meeting of CARAD to talk about its history over the last 20 years, and was given this lovely flower arrangement. It was highly perfumed, too. By taking the flowers out of the foam, recutting the stems and putting them in vases, I was able to extend the life of the flowers for about 7 more days. 

The northern grapevine trellis is now offering useful shade, which will deepen as the season goes on. It keeps the hot sun away from the walls and windows whilst allowing any cooling breezes to get through. The grandchildren like to bring a blanket out here and sit under the vine for an afternoon tea picnic.

Last Sunday we decorated my house for Christmas. Our 7 year old grandson made these cupcakes with his Pa, to keep us all going as we worked. I used the classic whole orange cake recipe but added 1 teaspoon of cinnamon -could have been 2- for an extra seasonal spice. They were great. I am about to start wrapping presents and putting them under the tree. I have a few which were ordered early, to try to beat the problems with shipping and supply issues. 

This year my advent table is decorated with four Kosta Boda 'snowball" tealight holders, which I have collected from op shops over the years. As we get hotter days, most taper style candles struggle to stay upright, but tealights are easier to manage. We light one each week, adding to the number lit until just prior to Christmas all four candles are lit. The central candle is lit on Christmas day and is used daily to Epiphany on January 6. 

As I write the new Omicron strain of the COVID 19 virus has been detected in Sydney. I guess we are all hoping that it won't impinge too much on our Christmas celebrations, but only time will tell. The most important thing is to stay safe and take care of each other as much as we possibly can.

I leave you with these things I found recently. 

Masai Woman's off grid home and garden 

Permaculture - a problematic conversation

How to use plants to keep you cool 

A story about a new stolen generations memorial in Perth. 

Festive thoughts from our place to yours

 

One of the major factors in our Aussie Christmas season is the weather -if it is not bringing fire or floods it is most probably hot. Some people ignore the heat, and continue the northern hemisphere traditions of hot roasts and gravy and pudding. Often we sing carols from the other side of the world -about snow and frost.

When I found myself, as a young wife, away from the family traditions, DH and I decided we didn't care for all that food, and instead started experimenting with our own Christmas traditions. We have most often had seafood, salad and fruit, with a generous glass of champagne-style Aussie wine. We focus on what is in season and most often we sit outside on the patio to eat. Wherever possible we recognise that we are  celebrating Christmas the Aussie way. That means we put up the tree and have an Advent Wreath, but I have to keep the candles in the fridge and have enough to replace them should they melt. We sing carols outdoors -my choir is going to sing at the beach this evening. 

So far, the weather forecast is, after a hot Christmas eve, we will be a comfortable 32 C maximum for Christmas Day. 

The garden will, so long as I can keep a few things alive in the heat, provide us with tomatoes and basil, lettuce and chillis, oregano and lemons and parsley and mint. I am turning to my favourite recipe books from the Mediterranean regions for inspiration. We are planning a low-key celebration on Christmas Eve with just the three of us who live in this house, because the next day my son and daughter in law are hosting Christmas lunch at their place in Ellenbrook. They are relishing the fact that this year, they are not working on Christmas Day! No need to rush anywhere, no need to drag the kids away from their toys. We are just going to have everyone's favourite foods served buffet style -no need to nag the kids to eat, or make anyone feel uncomfortable. 

In the past, we have been away from each other on Christmas Day and often for months each side of it. This year has, despite all the problems, been a blessing because we are just 30 minutes apart. We are enjoying all the sharing of our lives and celebrations. 

(I have added a very simple Nutella Mousse recipe to the "From My Kitchen" page - it is so easy and yet so, so nice! You might find it just the thing for a no-stress treat during the festive season this year). 

Many people are having a very strange Christmas, and will be feeling a bit at a loss this year, due to COVID 19 restrictions. Parts of Australia are now back in lockdown and that is sad. Some will be alone, and that will be quite a challenge. I am wishing all of you, no matter where you are or who you are with, a day in which any sadness and loss can be met with some conversations by technology with those who are dear to you. I hope you can remember that the first Christmas was also a difficult time for Joseph and Mary and their baby, far away from support networks and homeless. They were able to support each other and find their way through it, and I hope you do, too. 

Is your Christmas going to be the same this year, or very different? 

Merry Christmas

It is Christmas Eve down here in Perth Western Australia -and I am planning a gentle, easy day. Last night we attended a 9 Lessons and Carols service and it was a wonderful reminder of all that Christmas means about love and hope. Things are tough for many people around the world - certainly the horrendous fires are on the minds of Australians. I am concerned for many people I know, and lovely towns I have visited. I am hoping and praying they are all safe.

Our world is in trouble because of the way we are living without regard to the impact we are having on the systems which sustain us.  We need to take note, and transition away from exploiting the earth's resources and start the healing and safeguarding of our planetary home. Simple Living can be a good example of the kind of wonderful life we can lead -a life of abundance and not hardship!

I hope that we can all have a good Christmas Day. If it is difficult for you -for whatever reason- please take good care of yourself. Do what you need to protect your soul. Enjoy the escape of a good uplifting book -go to join in a faith community- go for a walk in the natural world ( a city park will do) but whatever you do, try to think of something you can be grateful for. Rebecca Solnit says "Hope is an axe you use to break down a door in an emergency". I wish you hope. 

Today we are doing a couple of gentle things to get ready for Christmas Day. We will be just the three of us for lunch -and that is just fine. We have moved in this year to a largely plant based diet -even more than in the past, so that 'feast days' when we have something like a lamb roast are extra special. I am going to cook it with slivers of home grown garlic embedded in it, and rosemary and fennel. I might do this later today as tomorrow Christmas day will be 37C. (It will go in  the oven after the patatas bravas I am planning for our dinner tonight -having been re-watching Rick Stein's series on Spain).

I am making a couple of salads - I have some baby potatoes for a potato salad with mint and sour cream. I have asparagus. I have olives and feta for a Greek salad to go with the lamb. We are going to have Eton Smash for dessert.

We won't be with our grandchildren until later in January -they are in Victoria. We will enjoy being together then. Before that, we have 2 family birthdays between Christmas and New Year! We like to got to a casual fish cafe near the beach for a celebration on DD's birthday.

We will be back at the beach every morning we can. We will be reading books, keeping the garden alive (I hope) during the heat of the summer, and I will be sewing. I have a new improvised project on the go, inspired by a book I got from the library. I am using gelati coloured solids and leftover indigenous pattern fabrics from my "Blue mountain" quilt.

Thanks for visiting my blog and for leaving comments. I appreciate the connections we make across the world.

Stay well and live simply! Merry Christmas!

My scrappy quilt has a name!

The quilt top is done and on the design wall. I added a bright yellow stop border.

I like to name my quilts -but nothing had emerged whilst I was sewing this one. I can't keep calling it left overs! 

As I mentioned last time, there are some strange Christmas squares in lime green and yellow among this lot. DD came home, saw the yellow border and commented that the quilt was 'very green and gold'- the colours of our Australian sporting team uniforms, our wattles and more.

Then she had a brainwave: "This is a Summer Christmas in Australia quilt!"

Yep, it sure is!

Making connections

The fourth candle is lit and tomorrow is Christmas Day. 

I started this blog on Anzac Day in  2008, as I began my journey into simple living. I wanted to document our story, and truly it is a wonderful resource and archive. When I look back I am amazed at how far we have come: our first raised garden bed, the day we were so excited when the solar panels arrived, the various attempts to improve my bread making (still a work in progress), the family celebrations and significant events.

This post from 2008 is just amazing -our garden has grown so much since then! 

Over the years the blog has found some friends, too. It is such a gift to have a comment left on the blog from someone who has read and appreciated what I have written or commented upon we are doing here. Not all the readers leave comments, though, and that is just fine.  I am a faithful blog reader too, and don't always make comments on the posts of others. 

I always learn things from blogs, and feel such strong connections with those who write them. You can see my favorites on the blog roll on the right.  

When DH and I were young, we lived a long way from our families. The only way we could be in contact was by an operator connected STD phone call from a phone booth on our college grounds -we didn't have a home phone until we graduated. 

Now my son, daughter in law and grandchildren are living in another state, but we use FaceTime and Facebook live and Messenger to keep in touch with each other frequently. Today we watched little DGD2 being dedicated at church. The vision was great, and it is amazing to think that they could get that signal from country Victoria to Perth Western Australia in pretty much real time. 

I added a battery operated light in among the straw in our nativity scene. 

Dora is too sophisticated to wear a Christmas hat. 

There will be no embarrassing cat photos on this blog! Here she is, however, sitting on my unfinished and only pinned together quilt. After Christmas I am going to evict her and get the quilting done. I am often very productive after Christmas, as the whole of life slows down and gives plenty of time to get things done. 

Meanwhile, I want to wish you a very happy Christmas. 

Decluttering and bread making while the garden grows

The third week of Advent and Christmas is approaching fast, but we mostly feel under control -presents have been organised, cards sent, and festivities begun with the usual end-of-year events.

There are two other things going on around here, one is that I have been experimenting with refining my bread making techniques, and the other is a growing tidal wave of decluttering.

Regarding the decluttering -the new lounge room cabinets liberated a chest of drawers that was used to store craft supplies.  It turned out to be just the right size to fit next to my bed, which until then had only had a bedside table, without drawers. I love being able to put everything away -and there is plenty of room to store my extensive collection of op shop scarves, too. I like the look of the drawers -neat and tidy.

DH was inspired so we measured the rest of the space in the room and were happy to realise that there was room for the same unit on the other side of the bed -and off we went to IKEA buy one for him- they are called Alex and are in the office section of the store. The shallow drawers are great for keeping books and medicines  near the bed. DH is talking about painting the whole bedroom -he is feeling really good about the opportunity it gives to update and refresh everything.

This in turn has led to him taking a keen eye to clutter in his study. The former bedside tables are now side tables in his study, and go nicely with the new photo frames he has been setting up to refresh the decor. The study is a work in progress, because the lead-up to Christmas is a busy time for him. I think that once Christmas is over, he will be happily pottering away on making this place work better and look better.

I have been continuing to tidy up too. DH mentioned that he was feeling the front porch was looking tired, so we rearranged and changed some things there too, to make a less cluttered and spacious entrance to our home. I moved the seed trolley to the back yard -now that I am not working it is easier for me to keep an eye on it there. The mulch is all spread, the roses have been fed and dead-headed and all the junk is gone. The only thing left to do is to get rid of some weeds in the brick paving - I have ordered a special tool for that, which should make it easier to achieve. Have you ever wondered how weeds in dry and hot brick paving seem so indestructible? I can't imagine there are many plants which could survive our baking hot sun  and dry weather, but these things are determined to take over the whole driveway. I am likewise determined that they will not!


Bread making

My sourdough technique has been improved by the use of an overnight first proving of the dough -and also by cooking the dough 'under the dome' of my roasting pan. The result is that the bread is more spongy with good sized air holes and has a thinner but crisp crust. Read my bread recipe and technique here 

The garden is looking great at the moment. Summer production is under way! We feel as though our garden has done a lot of maturing this year, and is now a micro-climate of its own, which is bringing good results in the production of food. Our place looks so lush when others in the street are a bit dry and bare.

Our pomegranates are coming along -not a huge crop, but growing nicely. This one will be cherry red and about the size of a baseball when ripe.

The kalamata olive is in production. 

The grapes on the trellis are ripening. 

The biggest crop is the passionfruit however -there are so many fruits on it just now! 

We are getting good sized Eureka lemons this year, which is confirming we made the right decision to plant the tree to supplement the Meyer lemon out the back. The Meyer lemons come all at once, but the Eureka is more of a continuous cropper. I can't imagine being without a lemon tree or two. Lemons are $4.50 each in the shops! I have a plan to make Nigella's Lemon and Thyme Bundt Cake for Christmas -as we have lots of lemons and thyme. I will probably serve it with some yummy icecream, out on the patio. The forecast for Perth for Christmas day at the moment is 29C, which should be just about perfect. 

Living room update-just in time for Christmas

Our new bookcases are in position, and the giant cull of books has happened.  It was difficult to let books go, but we acknowledged that some of the books were just 'there' for no good reason, so they are going off to a local college which holds a book sale annually.

We are all getting used to the 'grown up' look of this room now. With its leather couches and the hearth and bookcases, we are all a bit 'British colonial" in style, I think. We really like this version of our room now.

You will notice that we have our Christmas stockings hanging up -but I haven't made one for DGS2 yet, so there will finally be 8 up there. 

We have gone with non-traditional gold candles for the Advent wreath this year.

The plate is a Royal Doulton one that DD found in her op shop, and the Advent wreath is one I bought many years ago now. The cherries are from Devonport (one holiday when we visited the Cherry Shed) and the holly came from a florist supply shop which closed down some years ago. The sand is from the grandkids' sandpit! 

This display cabinet arrived today. DD is using it to store her craft supplies. Now that she knows everything fits, the next thing will be to make it nice to look at, through that gorgeous bevelled glass. I think she has some boxes in mind, which will bring her stuff together. 

 This cabinet sits in a curious alcove in the room -we think that the original house was designed in typical 1973 style to have a 'bar area' in the lounge room. We don't want a bar area, but it tucks the piano  and the craft cupboard away nicely. 

The nativity which spells 'peace' is a charming addition to our decorations this year. We bought it in the Blue Mountains on holiday. 

The dresser in the dining room is looking festive with two table-top trees and a nativity in a distinctly Russian looking style. 

Our nativity in the shed DH made for it. The disco ball is a long-standing family tradition, which started when DS and DD thought the Angel in the background looked like he was doing the disco The Christmas bauble looks just like a disco ball, and thus a tradition was made. 

These little Ikea book shelves are just right for the ever-changing displays of seasonal icons. At the moment we have the Annunciation and the Birth of Jesus, with a cute little picture on the top shelf of Mary in bed reading, whilst Joseph is minding the baby. It was a Christmas card sent by a friend, and I was completely charmed by it, so I kept it. 

The red candle is battery operated, so safe to leave on, and the wrought iron candle holder came from DD's op shop, where it had sat for weeks with no-one wanting it. DD got it for very cheap during Volunteer's Week, as they had a special discount for volunteers. 

My lovely treadle sewing machine is hidden inside her cabinet, and instead we are displaying my Auntie's immaculate 1930s machine, behind my "Stargazy" advent calendar quilt. Santa seems to have made friends with a pokemon!

The decorating and culling is continuing here. DH has some ideas for a revamp of his study and I have installed a different bedside cabinet next to my bed. There has also been a general tidy up outside -the entrance is now clear of old wooden pallets DH had thought to use in his workshop, but they weren't very nice wood so they went to the recycle centre. I finished spreading the mulch, so the tarpaulin has gone from the front driveway too. Now all we need is a suitable 'flamethrower' type gadget to be delivered, so we can remove the persistent weeds from the brick paving, and we will be so unbelievably smart!

Playing with water -my quilt is under construction

Here is my quilt "Playing with Water" on my design wall. The centre panel is Japanese and is called "koi at the waterfall". I found it in Melbourne, when my good friend B showed me a couple of special fabric shops she knew.

I wanted to create a quilt with the feeling of water and sunlight, so I made my first ever Bargallo style quilt blocks. My Accuquilt Go fabric cutter was very helpful, as it gives accurate long strips to sew together, and then cross cut into the blocks. I am sure it helped greatly with this quilt.

It is hard to photograph the colours accurately. The panel is navy with a grey-blue accent fish and a deep red fish. I am planning a small gray border and a red binding to pick up these accents.

The quilt may have to wait a week or so for more work to be done on it: I have a new Christmas stocking to make. Each year I hang stockings for us all, even though some of the family are far away. This year we were blessed with a new grandchild, so DGS2 needs his own stocking to add to this display.

Our new bookshelves are due today too, so we will be busy rearranging our books and CDs for a while, and generally getting the house back in order.  There is one more cabinet to come, but that will be several weeks yet.

More pictures when the bookcases are in! 

Celebration season

We are in the middle of our Celebration season. .

Christmas day started with church -among a Sudanese congregation here in Perth. There was a wonderful collection of children who came up to the priests for a blessing at the end of the service.

At home the three of us worked to get the lunch on the table: setting the table with our new red tablecloth and white metal trays from Ikea. The ice bucket was an op shop find. 

The starter was bruschetta using our tomatoes and basil and homemade bread.

I used Jamie Oliver's marinade (160m worcester sauce, 20 mls english mustard and olive oil per steak, marinaded in separate plastic ziplock bags) -and it was very nice indeed. We don't buy steak at $25 per kilo normally so this was enjoyed as a festive treat.  DH barbecued the steak which we served the steaks with Nigella's Christmas slaw, new potatoes with rosemary, a baby leaf spinach salad with parmesan and pear slices.

Desert was a proper Christmas trifle which I made from Nigella's "How to eat" recipe book. On Christmas eve I made her buttery lemony madeira cake as the base, which I slathered with my DH's cumquat marmalade before soaking the cake sandwiches in a mix of grand marnier, marsala and orange juice. The eggy custard was flavoured with orange and then orange sugar syrup was drizzed over cream. VERY yummy. 

We opened presents  of course. It is our tradition to let each other know what we want for Christmas, so we were all very satisfied. DH and I have great piles of new books! DD has a new leather journal among other things. I have some new quilting fabric in sea green, sea blue colours which I am hoping to turn into a new beach inspired quilt. 

We spoke with DS and DDIL and the grandchildren in the afternoon. They had sent us some great videos of the children with their new toy guitars, sitting on the step of the sanctuary strumming and singing Christmas carols with their dad. 

On Boxing Day we had DH's sisters and BIL over for lunch. This time we set the table with a green and gold Aussie theme.

I had a half price turkey "buffe" which I cooked and served with gravy and roast potatoes (left over from the potatoes on Christmas day but now roasted) and left over slaw and a new green salad. DH makes a great garlic bread which I fished out of the freezer. My good friend had given us a home made Christmas pudding, which BIL declared was the 'best Christmas pudding he had had for years". They also helped us eat the trifle which was just as good the next day. We really had a lovely time and everyone said that the food was great. I am pleased it all turned out so well. 

The 27th is my DD's birthday. We had yet another lovely celebration. It was her choice that we would buy fish and chips for dinner and eat them in the lounge whilst watching the "AB Fab" movie-a copy of which was one of my Christmas presents. It is very funny and we laughed and ate and drank champagne. 

Between Christmas and New Year's Eve is a quiet time. Lots of people are at the beach. As we are having a 'staycation" we make sure we go to the beach for a walk on nearly every day.No rushing to the sales for us! 

DH is making me a new garden stool to go with the little table he made me yesterday. When I am gardening I like to take my drink out to the grape vine and sit under it. I had been sitting on an upturned milk crate, but now I will have recycled and repurposed things to use. 

On New Year's eve  it is my turn for a birthday!

Meanwhile I am continuing to work on my quilt. I have cut the plain black 'stop borders and I am experimenting with half square triangles for another border. Either it will go on as a border or it will be in the back. I don't have a piece of batting big enough for this quilt at the moment -I am hoping the after Christmas sales will see the price drop- so I am happy to work on the back for a while. I am the kind of quilter who likes to finish a quilt before starting on another one!