Monthly nine - July 2015

..........and it's August!!  How time is flying this year!

Please join with me as I record the happenings of the last month.  This link-up is made up of a group of warm and friendly bloggers with many ideas to share.  We each cover nine categories for the month which you can read about here.  This group was created by Christine at Slow Living Essentials and continues on with many regulars joining in.  Please join us by linking your post below.

There's no mistaking it's winter as I walk out the door in the mornings.  We've had many frosts this July and my fingers are usually stinging with the cold as I tend to the animals in the morning.  It's wonderful to step back into the house and go about my day with the fire warming us all and keeping us cosy.  So what did I get up to in July?

NOURISH: 

We've enjoyed eating more meat than usual lately.  It's been a confronting time for all of us as we've become more serious about eating in a way that is more sustainable and kinder to animals.  I've posted many times about my struggle to enjoy eating roosters that we have butchered ourselves.  I've just pushed on though and finally I'm becoming used to it.  I'm able to enjoy the meals for the first time since we started this process.  Hubby and I dispatched two roosters and faced the really confronting task of having our young goat dealt with.

It's hard when you're on a small farm like ours because you get to know your animals so intimately.  We had planned to deal with the goat ourselves but when the time came, we just couldn't do it!  So we had a butcher do it for us and it was the right decision.

The two younger children were totally at ease with eating the meals but poor Belle, at the age of twelve (and the carer of the goats), really struggled.  She understands our reasoning though and was very mature about it.  She even tasted a little bit of the goat.

We've discovered two important facts about eating your own poultry.  Age matters.  It really makes a difference.  As does resting the meat.  We dispatched a young Australorp and used it as a roast, followed by a chicken pie made from the leftovers.  The other rooster was a bit older so it will be used in a slow cooked casserole.

The goat provided us with twelve kilos of meat.  We've enjoyed a casserole cooked with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and a curry so far.  The rest of the meat is in the freezer.

PREPARE:

We made some lemon cordial and I even water bathed it this time so that we can keep it for later in the year.  I haven't made as much as I would like though so I must prepare a couple more batches soon.  It would be lovely to have some ready to drink in summer.

REDUCE: 

We've been making shelters for the animals in different paddocks on the property.  We've started a rotational system where we move the animals into a new paddock every week or two.  I love the idea of moveable pens but, given that we're on a rough hill, I haven't come up with a useable system.  So we'll just keep building the new pens as we go.  This hard work will pay off in the long run.  Next year the shelters will be sitting waiting for us.

We haven't purchased any materials except for the screws so far.  I've been taking the trailer to town and scrounging pallets.  The tin is just old stuff we've had lying around but we've nearly used it all up now.  I'll need to find out where I can access junk tin soon.

GREEN: 

I've done nothing new here.  We still make our own washing powder and bathroom soap.  We use soap to wash our hair.  We've gone backwards in some respects because we now use a purchased dishwasher powder.  The dishwasher kept getting blocked up and smelly with the homemade stuff and I just haven't got time to worry about dishes right now.  This is the only chemical product we are using at the moment and I put in half the recommended amount.  It works effectively.

GROW: 

I've been quite halfhearted in the garden.  I've put in some seedlings from a friend and some from Mum but I'm certainly not looking after them well.  I think I've only fertilised once this month!  Hopefully the soil can create some magic and grow veggies without my help.

I did, however, spend some time making net covers for the garden when I realised that every seedling I planted was disappearing.  I'm not sure who/what the culprit was, but the nets have fixed the problem.  I now have spinach and the leeks are nearing maturity.  Broad beans are poking through the soil and lettuces have self seeded.

CREATE: 
I'm still working on my little neck shawl.  Nearly there now!  I haven't had time to sit and knit so it's a project I only work on if we're travelling as a family when Hubby drives.

DISCOVER: 

I completed a MOOC (Massive Open Online Learning) run through RMIT.  It was a photography course.  You won't see much improvement by way of photographic embellishment of this blog yet though.  I'm way at the beginner level.and I'm happy just to understand a little more about aperture, focal length etc.  My dream is to own a digital SLR one day....

I've also been learning about pigs with the introduction to our farm of a boar and sow.  Meet Peggy.  Isn't she lovely!

ENHANCE: 

Well I must have been keeping to myself on these chilly winter days!  I can't think of a single thing to report here.

ENJOY: 

I loved implementing our rotating paddocks in July.  There were many mistakes and mishaps but I can already see that over time this system will flow.  The arrival of the pigs has changed the pace of farm life along with our young chickens who will become layers in spring.

We also managed to squeeze in some fun family outings.  The kids and I loved Inside Out and we enjoyed visiting a park in Bendigo.  The children are fascinated by the bats.

But most of all we enjoyed adopting our new maremma, Gypsy!

Please join in with us and share a post about your month!

Monthly Nine June 2015

Welcome back!  The first month of winter has passed and we march headlong into July.  It happened in the blink of an eye!  I'm sorry to see June go.  It was a cosy month of fires, knitting and rugging up to go and work outside.

Tell us about your June.  What did you get up to?  Please join in with our friendly bunch of bloggers for our monthly linkup.  All you need to do is post regarding each of the nine categories created by Christine from Slow Living Essentials.  Christine's not posting as often these days but her blog is full of ideas and beauty!

You can post at any time during the month as evidenced by Evi's welcome but very recent post for May.  (I'm looking forward to finding time to read it Evi.)  Once you've published, just link below.  Don't forget to visit the other blogs to enjoy the tales and gain inspiration.


June 2015

NOURISH
Soup!  Soup has featured time and time again.  Warming us up on the inside on those chilly winter days.  Pumpkin soup and Italian meat and veg soup were the favourites.  I varied the meat and veg soup depending on which green veggies I happened to have in the fridge or garden.  Sometimes I added broccoli, other times silver beet.  We also dispatched a couple of roosters for meals.  We cooked them up on the same day.  I now know for a fact that they need to rest for a couple of days.   I've never eaten chewier or stringier meat!

I used Rhonda's easy orange cake recipe a couple of times in June.  I substituted half a cup of the flour with polenta which gave it a different, but nice, texture.  I've been busy with teaching the children and working on the farm so quick food like the cakes and soups were very handy.  A double batch at a time gave me even more space to get other jobs done.  We have, however, been taking our time at breakfast.

I also made up a naughty batch of fudge.  It's been years since I made fudge.  I used to fancy myself an expert.  It's all about the temperature you boil it at.  Hot enough to set it but not so hot that you burn it or make it grainy.  Obviously I've lost the knack because it didn't set well but boy, was it still yummy!!

PREPARE
I exchanged some honey for a bag of limes recently.  We made lime slice, lime cake and preserved some limes in the Middle Eastern style of salting and adding juice and herbs.  I'm looking forward to trying them in about a month.

REDUCE
Old saucepans without handles are being used for chook's water.  They have a good base that the chooks don't tip over.

We've tripped down to Savers (thrift shop) a couple of times in the last month in search of presents and also some clothing and shoes.  We were all starting to look a bit scruffy with holes in the knees of our well worn pants!  I even found time to darn a pair of socks in June.

GREEN
I've started using the batch of soap that I told you about last month.  I put it into moulds just a tad too early.  The mix had not quite reached trace.  It doesn't lather up as well and it's very brittle and breaks easily.

GROW
Hmmm!  Yes, well...  I'm not sure who's been eating from the garden but it wasn't us.  Mum gave me some lettuce and silver beet seedlings which are GONE!  Birds, ducks, chooks, snails??  I don't really know but I've since netted the bed.

We have had silver beet to enjoy from another untouched bed, a little rhubarb and, of course, herbs.  There's not much else ready for eating right now.

CREATE
Knitting has been the order of the month for both Belle and me.  Belle and I both made fingerless mittens in desperation once our hands began stinging from the cold. I made a pair for myself and a pair for Buddy (which he's already lost) and Belle worked on knitting for Pumpkin and herself.

I'm in the process of knitting a small scarf now.

DISCOVER
I've bought two books on pigs by Lee McCosker which I'm devouring at the moment.  Well my version of devouring anyway which is really a matter of picking them up when I have a spare moment and reading a little more.  The pigs are overdue to arrive but I'm nervous so don't want to have them here until I think we are ready.  Sorry Jenna!  Soon, I promise.  Lucky my friends are so patient and understanding!

Cheap hot chocolate thanks to Chris at Gully Grove!

I've also started a MOOC on photography.  I was childishly delighted this morning when taking the above photo of my knitting!  Instead of moving my knitting from the dark spot it was sitting, I was able to let extra light in to get the shot!!  It may not sound much but it was the very first step I've ever taken in having control over what my camera can do.  While not perfect, I influenced the outcome so I feel very photographer-y!  I now have hope I can one day understand how the aperture and shutter speed affect a shot.

ENHANCE
A lovely thing happened to me at the library a couple of weeks ago.  We are regular library goers and, on this particular day, I was greeted with a book which was right up my alley!  The staff had done a recent cull of books which they place on a sale table.  They kept a book aside for me because they knew I would love it.  It's so nice to know people are thinking of you!

ENJOY
I loved taking part in our local under ten's football.  It's the first time I've been involved with a football club.  My kids made me proud as I shivered and froze on the sidelines.

Yes, you're seeing it right.  Emus on the footy ground!!

Belle and I also enjoyed a catch up at the movies with my older girls, who I don't see nearly enough for my liking.

Nothing like some selfie silliness to bring on an attack of the giggles!

So that was June in a nutshell.  What did you get up to?  Please link with us below.

Monthly nine - May 2015

Brrrrr!  Yep, it sure is wintery today.  Are you managing to keep warm?  Our wood supply hasn't been great this year.  I keep using Hubby to help me with farm jobs on the weekend, thus keeping him from wood duties.  We're keeping warm, but only just!

It's the first day of winter and time for the Monthly Nine.  Following on from Christine at Slow Living Essentials, I'm hosting a link-up in which fellow bloggers join me to post about their May happenings under nine slow living categories.

Please feel free to take part.  The more, the merrier!  Just write your post and link below.  Or if you're not a blogger just enjoy visiting the participating blogs.  There are many ideas I've picked up from others in this regular monthly blog hop.

NOURISH: 
In the interests of eating naturally and trying not to use packaging, processed food etc, we've been eating lots of what's available, as usual.  Pumpkin soup has been a regular in our house.  I can't seem to find any meals that all the children enjoy and pumpkin soup is no different!  So while most of us have really enjoyed making our way through the pumpkins that my father-in-law grew, one child has suffered.  Interestingly, it is the child that I have named Pumpkin for the purposes of this blog.  She really doesn't like her namesake soup.

The kids have also begun making their way through the fruit we bottled in summer.  I guarded it closely earlier in the year.  I didn't let them eat the preserved jars while the summer fruits were still available.  They were delighted to be given the go ahead on the jars of pears, plums, peaches and apricots.  The stash is slowly depleting.

PREPARE: 
In May, I robbed my hive for the last time this season.  My friend Jim came to help me.  We have enough to see us through until the bees are active again in Spring.  The honey is something else I try and keep control of because Buddy loves it and is quite ridiculous with it at times.  He thinks nothing of sticking fingers straight into the jar for a lick of golden sweetness!

All the children enjoy the week that follows honey harvest.  I put all the cappings into a bowl on the bench and they are welcome to stick their fingers in whenever they feel like it.  I often see them munching away on a mouthful of wax and honey.  Buddy usually invites any visitors to dip their fingers too, within minutes of them walking in the door.

REDUCE: 
May saw me accessing any pallets I could find.  Some were gifted by fellow scroungers, some obtained by asking business with pallets stacked outside.  These have been used mainly for building animal shelters.

I also went to our local tip and picked up an old freezer.  I wanted it to store chook food now that we plan to extend our numbers.  Freezers are perfect for the task.  They are large, easy to scoop from, and close well.  This week we will pick up twenty, day old hens and a couple of boys to keep them company.  Belle has put herself in charge of the new chickens.

GREEN: 
I made soap last week.  I chose my favourite everyday soap, honey and oats.  Lately I've been using a stick blender to make soap and it reaches trace fast!  Very fast!  Sometimes it's thicker than I'd like when I'm pouring it into moulds.  So this time I decided to go back to my old method of hand stirring.  I felt quite smug at my environmentaly friendly soap making as I stirred.  It's a time consuming method but I dreamed of making and selling soap as I gently moved the mix around the bowl.....  I could market it as stirred by hand....  Half an hour of good, slow stirring and still feeling the glow of making soap by hand with no electricity needed, and I poured the mix into moulds.  Prematurely!  It had not yet reached trace.  I'm not good at picking the moment well.  I have left it to solidify and hope it will still harden to a useable soap but all the oats had floated to the bottom.  I'll will have two bars of very, very oaty soap and the rest will be plain, if they work at all!

GROW: 
In the garden I have planted two beds.  One with garlic, another with silverbeet, spinach and leeks.  The rhubarb are finally growing again now that the soil is moist.  I've been working hard in the orchard by adding manure and compost to the soil under the trees and installing an irrigation system.  I can still see many jobs to be done.  The asparagus, rhubarb and raspberries all need manure for example.  I like getting out into the garden in this cool weather.  I can get the heavy duty work done without becoming uncomfortably hot.

CREATE: 
Belle and I have been busy knitting fingerless mittens.  The cold weather sure got us moving!  I still have a pair from last year but I've made a good pair (ie. not dirty) because I wear my fingerless gloves for everything, even collecting wood and weeding.  Belle has completed hers and started on a pair for Pumpkin.

Belle's handiwork

DISCOVER: 
I've learnt how to use a power drill and put the skill to good use already.  I've made three small shelters from pallets.

I've also been researching pigs.  I've mainly used the Australian Pig Farmers website so far, but need to buy and borrow some books too.  I need to learn a LOT and fast!  We have two lovely piggys ready to come and live with us but we're not quite ready on the pig front.  So we'll quickly get some fencing done and learn what we can about husbandry and then it will be time.  We are so excited we are chomping at the bit to get them NOW but we want to make sure we are well placed to offer them quality care.

ENHANCE: 
We tried to help a friend in May.  The weather worked against us though.  Our friends own a small olive grove and needed to complete a last picking before their deadline for processing.  A small group of us heading off to help them.  Unfortunately clouds were gathering threateningly in the sky before we even arrived.  We managed about half an hour of quick picking before the rain came and ended our olive adventure.  It's such a shame to see olives go to waste!

ENJOY: 
I really enjoyed taking my children to see Shaun the Sheep at a small movie theatre.  I love the sound of children's laughter while they watch shows.  There's no holding back those loud belly laughs!

Our biggest enjoyment for the month came in the form of something we see as a major life achievement for Buddy.  It's a small step really but Buddy played his first game of under 10s footy.  We were so proud of him for deciding he wanted to learn the game and putting so much energy into learning the skills.  The reason we see it as a huge life achievement is that we were not sure, when Buddy was born, what he would be capable of doing.  To see him taking part in something that is so normal for any nine year old boy is heartwarming.  So much more than a game to us.  A sign, a step in the right direction, first rung of the ladder.  We have so many dreams for our boy.  Driving a car, finding a good job; a real job, not just in a supported environment.  Go Buddy!  You're certainly doing well so far.

So there was my month of may in a nutshell.  Tell me about yours!  Just add a link to your blog on the linky below to join in.  Don't forget to leave a message so I remember to pop by and visit.

Monthly nine - April 2015

Well....  it's so hard to put aside a couple of hours to write a post at this time of year!  The weather is glorious but even on the overcast days, we can finally get out and do some real work.  The heavy jobs like collecting manure, working in the paddocks.  Jobs that really make a difference in the long run.  I've just dragged myself out of a paddock, where we were building a new goat shelter, to talk about April.

This is a monthly link-up dreamed up by Christine at Slow Living Essentials.  We bloggers get together and chat about April and our achievements in nine different categories.  There is much inspiration to be had here so join in the fun and link-up or simply visit the participating blogs to see what folk are up to!

NOURISH:
I've been busy out and about, tripping around or (when home) out in the garden and paddocks so food has been a lot of snacky sultanas, dates and sesame seeds and I've cooked a few bulk meals to see us through.  I will admit there have been a few 'scratch' nights where the family have had to rustle up whatever they could find whether it be a peanut butter sandwich or some puffed rice with my fruit butter, and yoghurt with preserved fruit often featured too.

PREPARE:
Pumpkin and I went collecting kindling together in the bush.  It was a fun little excursion including a lovely tour led by Pumpkin to show me the fairy path she has found in the bush.  I never knew it was there!!!   We thought we had collecting heaps of kindling but it only lasted a couple of weeks, not the good month or two we were imagining.

REDUCE:

I was given some hand-me-downs that were quite moth eaten.  Because they were wool, I thought of composting them but decided they would make good, soft cloths.  We also used an old freezer basket to protect some newly planted elderflower plants.  It worked well.

GREEN:

I don't know how green this really is, but I purchased some conditioner to treat some little bugs that came to live on the children's heads!  I have used essential oils in the past and while I love aromatherapy and know that it really works, I started wondering about the safety of using strong oils on my children's hair.  Just because they are natural doesn't necessarily mean they are safe.  Some essential oils are potent so this time I just used the smother and comb method.  How I despise the little buggers!  We haven't been bothered with them since I began home schooling but I guess they are to be expected from time to time.

GROW:

I've had a real slump in the garden.  Summer wore me out this year.  I was dejected by the end of it and stopped even trying to garden.  We spent near on a thousand dollars on water over the spring/summer season and it left me feeling as though we are living in the wrong area to achieve our dreams.  It's completely unsustainable.  I've since planted broccoli and spinach (thanks for the seedlings Mum) and I've been helping the kids prepare a flower bed at the base of their favourite tree.  So I think I've somewhat regained my enthusiasm to a degree but we have a lot to think about before next summer.

  CREATE:

Yep.  Nup.  Zilch.  Nothing.  I didn't even get around to mending Buddy's favourite doll, George's leg.  He was wedged between the wall and bed and in Buddy's attempts to save him, he had a most unfortunate mishap.  The leg by which Buddy was extricating him came off!  George is a bit special to Buddy and often comes with us on family outings so I must get onto the repair work.  The old leg is made of plastic and too firm to sew through and I just haven't decided whether to give him a prosthetic or just sew up the gap and allow him to continue life with one leg only.  I'm leaning ('scuse pun) towards the one leg option.

DISCOVER:

Discovery.  Where do I start and where do I end!!  I was lucky enough to listen to Joel Salatin twice in April!  I have been so inspired.  I had soooo many plans after my permaculture design course that I completed years ago but it was just... too... hard... and my plans dwindled away........

Joel's talks, Don't be Scared, Be Strange, was just the thing I needed.  Many changes are now taking place on our farm.  There.  I said it.  Farm.  If you look back, I've never used this term before because I felt we just didn't cut it.  Well there you have change number one.  I'm daring to call this a farm because there is plenty going on right here and plenty more farming plans in the pipeline.

ENHANCE:

I'm an ex Vanuatu girl and I heard about some immediate needs following Cylone Pam.  I put a call out on Face Book and I couldn't believe the amazing response from my friends and our local schools.  My father knew of a shipping container due to leave Melbourne and made a trip down with the collected goods.  Thank you again all my kind and proactive friends.  You are amazing!

We've also been on the receiving end.  Buddy met a lady on the beach while we were holidaying and befriended her.  She was running a hire service for.... I don't know what they were!  Some sort of paddling board that you can stand on???!  As we walked passed her on our way back from a walk she offered Buddy a try.  I love it when people enjoy connections with Buddy and offer him new experiences.

And I must mention here that on one busy and harassed morning, I entered a small, country town shop that I don't usually frequent, in search of breakfast. I was on my way to a course and in the rush to get children ready and off to a friend's house, I forgot all about me.  It was far too early for hot food so I bought pre-packaged rubbish in desperation.  A packet of chicken twisties!  While I was settling myself into the car, the owner of the shop followed me out of the store and gave me a free cup of coffee!  I tried to pay him but he insisted.  It was a lovely feeling.  Those small kindnesses from strangers make life feel good.

ENJOY:

We had a special April.  We were invited away with some very good friends.  They took us to a beach house that was meant for fancy folk!  It was fabulous to have such an experience with our friends.  Our youngest two children couldn't even recall seeing the sea.  They had so much fun visiting the wild, back beach (those waves are the most amazing fun) and the gentle, calm bay. 

Our trip away was only possible due to the generosity of another friend who took on the task of learning to milk our goats to allow us time to holiday.  Thank you so much!  Our girls couldn't have had better care.

 

Throw in a camp which was our first Steiner experience and April was amazing!  It seemed longer than most months because we squashed in so many different and new experiences.

 

I can't wait to hear about your April adventures.  Please link up below.

Monthly nine - March 2015

And just like that!  March has gone for another year!  It's time to look back and reflect on the nine categories of the Monthly Nine.  Thanks go to Christine from Slow Living Essentials for creating this link up.

Join in with us and tell us all about your March.  Just link below, then leave a comment.  Don't forget to look around at what others have been up to.  There are some pretty inspirational ideas to be found on participating blogs each month!

NOURISH: 

March saw us collecting our bulk foods for the quarter.  We've been buying in bulk for.... hmmm, eighteen months, maybe a bit longer.  I'm learning more about what we eat, when.  For example, toward the end of summer we use copious amounts of vinegar and sugar while making cordials, jams and pickles.  In the winter months it's more about beans and spices for baked beans, casseroles and soups.  Because you already have the food on hand, when you buy in bulk, you tend to notice what you are going through or, in the case of our sugar this summer, running out of!

PREPARE: 

Yummm!  I've been making jam and fruit butter.  The fruit butter recipe was given to me by a friend and the spices make it taste AMAZING!  The children have it on their breakfast sometimes and we all love it in yoghurt.  I've never tasted nicer yoghurt.  Sadly, I'm not proving to be a natural at this preserving caper.  Many of the jars of fruit butter are starting to grow mould; something my recipe sharing friend has never experienced with hers.  I think I will water bath it as a matter of course next year.

REDUCE: 

It's becoming second nature for us to reduce the amount of waste we create.  I love that my children don't have to think twice about which bin their recycling, chook scraps or rubbish go into.  It's now ingrained in them.  I've recently discussed, in a post, our love of reusing items, rather than throwing stuff away.  Have a look and join in the giveaway which will be drawn next week.

GREEN: 

I've been loving using a friends comfrey hand cream lately.  She makes it with lard from her own animals and comfrey from her garden.  It really puts moisture back into my hands.  I'm also trying to get into the habit of putting bi-carb in the toilet each night so that it can sit overnight for a quick scrub in the morning.  I have two problems with this routine though.  One, remembering to do it.  Two, with five people in the house, it's kinda hard to time it after the last use of the day and get around to scrubbing before somebody wants to use the loo in the morning.

GROW: 

Oh the shame!  I have to report that I'm very uninspired in the garden at the moment.  After pouring water on all summer, I feel like we used more than we should have to keep the garden going.  We have also had fruit fly in the last month.  I had never heard of fruit fly in this area before but apparently the Department of Primary Industries (or whatever they currently call themselves) have given up fighting the spread and have declared fruit fly endemic to Victoria!

I did put some cabbages and broccoli into a bed but I've been very busy with teaching the children and looking after the animals.  Within a week they were gone.  I wasn't watching the garden closely enough to notice if they were eaten by rabbits or if it was my own chooks/duck that did the damage.  I've decided I'm not going to push myself to plant anything right now.  I know my gardening mojo will return and when I feel enthusiastic, I will set about organising the garden again.  A decision I may regret when I have nothing to harvest in a month or so but, oh well!  It's where I'm at right now.

CREATE: 

I've really enjoyed creating recently.  I haven't spent much time pursuing craft but the snatches here and there have been very satisfying.  I've been working on a rag rug and even spent about twenty minutes spinning.  I love spinning and hope to find/make time to do more of it over the winter months.  Wouldn't it be lovely if I could set my spinning wheel up on my completed rag rug!!  A touch ambitious, me thinks.

DISCOVER: 

Sadly, I've learnt a lot about fruit fly lately.  There was a local workshop run to educate gardeners on the best course of action.  It takes whole community involvement to combat the problem so I hope everyone gets on board.  If you would like to find out more just rembember it is the Queensland Fruit Fly that is causing the problem.  Apparently there are many different varieties but the Queensland one is the concern.

ENHANCE: 

I've attended the first meeting regarding our local swimming pool.  The great news is that the council has no intention of closing it.  Whew!  They are looking at all aspects of community use, costings, opening hours etc. to see if improvements can be made.  I'm pleased to be involved in the process seeing as the kids and I use it so often.  It's a lovely little pool!

I've also been looking into ways to help people in Vanuatu.  The hardest time for them is yet to come as the news of Cyclone Pam wanes (and people overseas forget) and they struggle to provide themselves with food and, in some cases, shelter.  They lost so much infrustructure that it must be hard to know where to begin.  Their gardens were destroyed and, while their root crops survived the wind, many were damaged by water.  Their community centre buildings were damaged, schools lost equipment and all of their books.  The list goes on!  I have a couple of contacts over there and some of my wonderful friends have donated books to ship to the main school for distribution.  It's nice to be able to help on a practical level.

ENJOY: 

March saw me take a small break.  I spent a couple of days resting when I felt close to burning out.  It was wonderful to be able to step away from my busy life long enough to get some perspective.

Belle turned twelve earlier in the month and we had a lovely day visiting the Melbourne Zoo with some of her friends.  Her friends are lovely young people and I really enjoyed seeing them all together again.  I noticed that they relate differently these days.  They are maturing into a new phase of life as they head towards their teenage years.  They loved being allowed to wander off together without me being right there with them.  I had no qualms.  They are sensible and lovely young girls.  I felt very proud.

And I loved a recent excursion with Buddy.  He had an appointment in Melbourne and we went down just the two of us, no girls.  After we finished, we wandered the Vic Market and even had a bite of lunch together.  It felt like a lovely date.  Buddy loved the chick pea salad so I must try and make something similar at home.

I hope your March was wonderful!  See you soon.

Monthly nine - February 2015

Ughhh!  I feel a bit like sleeping beauty!  I've just woken after a couple of days of solid sleep.  I've caught a doozy of a cold.  I'm delighted no one else in the house is showing signs of catching it!  I hope you've been faring better.

I'm excited to be welcoming Autumn again.  Not only does the calendar announce this wonderful season, the days are changing also.  There's moisture in the early morning air and the sun is noticeably swinging around to it's winter position.  The birdsong is changing.  It's happier and more gentle.  Trilling birds and warbling magpies.  I think they are enjoying the weather as much as I am!

It's now time for reminiscing.  February.  The final month of summer. What did you achieve under the nine categories?  Thanks go to Christine at Slow Living Essentials for this great link-up.  Please join in and tell us about your month.....

 

NOURISH:

We've been eating a lot of pizzas lately.  It's the perfect time of year because there's always something in the garden.  Tomatoes and silver beet are the most common.  More often than not, I have some home-made goats cheese to add a flavour boost.  That reminds me, I must make some more!  I love having goats cheese on hand for cooking.

Crumbles have also been common.  All sorts of crumbles.  The standard apple crumble is yummy but we've had lots of fruit in the house over February.  We've enjoyed plum crumble, peach crumble and a couple made with a fruit medley (my favourite).  My children tell me I'm a GREAT cook when I make desserts!

PREPARE:

I purchased tomatoes from an orchard and set about making passata.  To be honest, I'm not sure how well I went.....   I had empty champagne bottles to preserve them in.  Champagne bottles are thicker and stronger than beer bottles.  The caps, that I thought were champagne caps, turned out to be beer bottle caps instead.  They didn't want to go on very well.  Hubby later showed me where the champagne ones were hidden but there weren't many left.  Arggh!  I hadn't purchased more because I was so sure the beer bottle tops were champagne ones.

I made enough tomato sauce to last us the year too.  Same issue.  Now I'm not sure what to do.  Do I just open each bottle as I need them and carefully inspect or should I throw them all out *sob* and start again?  Oh well.  Every year, every mistake, I come closer to being experienced at preserving....

REDUCE:

I'm giving this category firmly to Hubby with a pat on the back!  He extended the goat pens.  We now have four pens in the shed where previously we had two.  Hubby made use of some posts we bought a while back for the purpose of espaliering.   Every thing else he used was scrounged!  Right down to the catches and hinges.  Our pens are a hodge podge of second hand materials, bush poles etc. and they are perfect for their purpose.  I love sitting out there and admiring his work.  I think it was in January that I came across a swing seat by the side of the road with a 'free' sign on it.  We snapped it up and it now sits out in the dairy.  We often all hang out together at milking time and the seat is the perfect spot to sit.

GREEN:

Same old, same old for this category.  I desperately need to make more soap though.  I've also found my hair a bit like straw because we've been going to the swimming pool so regularly.  Our pool is due to close for the season this weekend.  I will miss frolicking around with the kids.  Oh.. and hankies!  Lots of hankies!!  Much better than tissues.

GROW:

I'm mainly producing tomatoes and eggplants now.  I have silver beet and a few beetroots growing too.  The tomato plants are looking very sad but are still managing to produce enough tomatoes to keep us going.  I'm overdue to sow my winter seeds.  I'm thinking I might just buy seedlings in the next week or so.

CREATE:

Hmmmm....  I pulled out a rag rug that I began years ago.  I spent a couple of hours working on it, which I really enjoyed, but haven't got back to it again.  Hopefully I will find more time this month.  I find with looking after the animals and teaching the children, there isn't a lot of leisure time left.

DISCOVER:

I've been looking for free sites to teach me about photography.  I have a dilemma here.  While I love my camera, it is not an SLR.  I can change shutter speeds and whatever else it is that you need to change.  (Well, I could if I knew how!)  However, it seems from all I've read that I need an SLR to learn proper photography but I'm reluctant to go out and buy one in case I just can't master the skills.  I don't learn well by reading.  I like to be shown a skill and to be able to ask questions.  Therefore I'm also reluctant to use a paid course online in case I just don't 'get it'.  I'll keep tossing all of this around in my head but I feel I've nearly reached a point where I just HAVE to learn!!  It's on my mind a lot.

ENHANCE:

I've applied to join a group which will be making decisions on our little community swimming pool.  As you know, the pool means a lot to our family and over the next few months decisions will be made about its future.  Apparently it runs at a large loss and it appears that most things are valued in monetary terms these days!  Personally I don't think you can place a value on a resource that provides rural kids with good, clean fun and also connects the community.

ENJOY:

I've really enjoyed teaching my kids over the last month.  It was our first month of study for the year and I feel that (maybe?) we're finally developing a routine.  The children have been so cooperative with their work and seem to really enjoy using Reading Eggs and Skwirk.  I have found Skwirk has taken a lot of the pressure off me wondering what they should be learning next.

Pumpkin, in particular, has been enjoying writing stories and, while I was tucked up in bed, she read books to me.  There's nothing quite like listening to your children read!

I hope you can join in with the Monthly Nine.  I can't wait to read about your month!