I wandered lonely as a cloud.....

....but first of all....

found...

...'nuff said.

Ok, moving right along.

I've had this for a few weeks, but, because of the issue with the aforementioned implement, I haven't shown you.

Dearest Claire, from over at Sweet Birdy Love, made me this beautiful, and much appreciated item.  I saw a similar one in one of her posts about her market stall.  That one had blue check fabric on it, which I adored, but knew I had to have it in green. 

 

"And then my heart with pleasure fills

and dances with the daffodils."

W. Wordsworth.

I ordered one, and within a couple of days, it was in my letterbox, would you believe.  Boy, that girl is quick!  But don't think that she sacrifices quality... oh no, this is one well-made item, lined and everything.

Thankyou Claire.

On another note, this is what the weather looks like today.

 

 

After nearly two years of no summer (to speak of), this Spring is already shaping up to be sunny, and it's only 4 days in!

 

 

Happy Spring all you Ozzies,

 

Cheers

Fi

Coooooeeeee......

as they say in Oz.

That just means 'hello', really.  Or 'hey, how are you going'.

I've been suffering from a bit of 'after-holiday-itis' lately.  Probably heightened by the fact that it is winter in Ozland.

But I've also been having technical equipment issues.  Aren't these things supposed to make our lives easier?
To save time, not suck up your time?
Hmmmmm.......

My camera wouldn't work, so had to take the photos with my phone (which takes better pictures anyway), then I couldn't get the pictures off the phone and onto the computer (some software issue).

I think I have the camera sorted now, so should be back in business. (If truth be known, all that was wrong with the camera, was that I had inadvertently flipped the little thingy on the memory card to the 'locked' position, but, shhhhhhh..... don't tell anyone).

I really wanted to show you the photos I took just before I went on holiday.
It was the 'day my kitchenaid mixer died' episode.


I make my own sourdough bread.

It saves money, but, largely it's for health reasons.  Breads made with refined flours and refined yeast (bakers yeast) don't sit well with me.

Sourdough starter fermenting away

Dough being kneaded in my now defunct mixer

Bread in tins waiting to rise

I wanted to share the process with you.

I made the bread, taking photos of all the stages (the ones above are only a few of them).

The bread was kneading in the bowl (the kitchenaid has a dough hook).

I just popped out the back for a minute.

I came back in to a horrible labouring sound coming from the mixer and a horrible smell.

Goodbye mixer.
Sob.

It looked so pretty.

So, for mothers day, my sweetheart bought me a new mixer to make my bread in.

It is a Bosch.

So far, I am not convinced of its capabilities in bread kneading.

I'm considering going the 'no-knead' variety.

Or giving up bread.


Cheers
Fi

Naturally nurturing ideas

Hi folks,

After feeling sick for the last few days (must have been all that blue sky and sunshine....... ;) , my mind has turned to natural alternatives to nurture ourselves.

You know, things like what beauty products do we use - are we predominantly using the story bought ones, or are we coming up with natural alternatives? Or using the tried and true methods hadn't done from the past.

Maybe we could share some of these healthy beauty/wellbeing ideas, and I could list some of them on the blog, a bit of a resource for ideas (with links back to your blog, of course).

I must admit, I'm not a great one for fussing with my appearance too much.  Too busy with crafty things for that. 
But, I do love natural products.

For a moisturiser I have a little squirty bottle that I fill with oils like Jojoba and a little rosehip oil, which is great for the 'mature' skin.  Jojoba, apparently, is very close in composition to the skins oils.

Actually, I think that technically it isn't an oil, but a wax - I could be wrong.

I then add in a few drops of essential oils, depending on my mood.  I often add geranium, or carrot seed, neroli, that sort of thing.

I am a huge proponent of essential oils

In fact, after the rainy, soggy Summer, I have discovered the benefits of clove essential oil in getting rid of mold.


In the last few days of being sick, I have been drinking elderberry syrup, elderflower tea, sipping on lemon, ginger and thyme tea and, even, wait for it, swallowing raw garlic!! 

Yes I know, yuk, but I hate being sick and will go to these lengths to get better without resorting to antibiotics.

I also believe in the power of prayer, which has been put into practice in the last few days (to great effect).

I ended up with pneumonia a few years ago, and believe me, I don't want to end up there, so, as they say - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Ain't that the truth!

So, come on, out with it.....

What's your favourite remedy, natural beauty treatment, etc.

cheers
Fi

Domesticity the freedom to create - Part One

If you are in the mood, today is the day that I will 'wax lyrical' (gosh, who says that? Really?) about the joys and wonders of achieving the freedom to create, through being a domestic goddess.

Ah-hem...... drum roll please.

Ok, here goes.

Now, anyone that knows me, is probably rolling their eyes and thinking, 'who does she think she is talking about being a domestic godess?'

You see, about half my life is lived in chaos, and the other half is organisational bliss.  (can anyone out there relate to that?  I think it might be epidemic in the crafting world....)

But, the thing is, you see, when I do get, I really, really get it.

And I think as I get older (and wiser ;) ) more time is spent without the chaos.  Quite simply, because I've now had enough experience to know that organised is better.

Infinitely better.

(caviat: if you are a super-organised person, and you really can't work out what on earth I am talking about, because, you're thinking, but doesn't this all just come naturally?

All three of you are free to ignore this post. 

You probably have by now anyway)

Now, for the rest of us.

Most of you, like me, have probably been on all the organisational internet sites, drooled over pictures of domestic havens, run by women with their lipstick and highheels on before 7.00am, joined up for the 'flylady' mailing lists (who can keep up with all the emails?), or you have a shelf full of self-help books and magazines .

Some of those things can work, but its often short-lived (I found the Barbara Felton "messies manual" books useful).  But I have now come to realise that there a few 'foundational' principles that help me have a modicum (sp?) of control in my life.

Here are some of them.

Let me get right to the hinge of organisational tools for the domestically-challenged - get this one sorted and, no kidding, half the job is done!!

 The Organisational Folder.

...and what goes right along with that?

Glad you asked - it's the Weekly Menu Planner.

....and not to forget the daily list.

So - thats

1. Organisational folder - the 'heavy lifter' of the crew

2. The Weekly Menu Planner - the 'life-saver' of the crew

3. The daily list - the 'short-term memory helper' of the crew

The Organisational folder.....

.... is where I keep my recipes, shopping lists, menu plans, lists, routines, etc.

Now, to start with, you might not have much in the way of routines in there, but the essential thing is, to work out WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FIRST.

In other words - the 'priority pyramid'

Now, as you can see from the 'expert's chart' above (teeheee), the you can move things around to suit your needs, but the bottom two are non-negotiable!

If you are living in utter chaos most of the time, if you only made sure there was dinner on the table at the appropriate time every night and you had clothes to wear - then I promise you, your life would improve a thousand percent.

Honest.

You don't need to conquer the world in one day.

Just one corner of it.

So, it's based on survival principles.

What can you not survive without?

No, its not crochet.  It's food.  Well, maybe you can survive on crochet, BUT your family can't.

So, to start with, your daily routine might just be, for example:

Mondays

1. Put on load of washing,

2. Put dinner in the crockpot, or prepare dinner and put in fridge till tea-time, for example

3. Hang out washing, or put in drier.

4. Put washing away when dry.

5.  Evening - take something out of freezer for tomorrow.

Tuesdays

1. Put on load of washing,

2. Put dinner in the crockpot, or prepare dinner and put in fridge till tea-time, for example

3. Hang out washing, or put in drier.

4. Go food shopping

5. Clean bathroom

6. Put washing away when dry.

7. Evening - take something out of freezer for tomorrow.

The Weekly Menu Planner and shopping lists....

.....are just as important as the organisational folder.

The biggest hindrance for me to get meals ready, is not knowing what to cook, and even if I did, I might not have the ingredients.

With the meal planners, all the thinking is done already, and the shopping lists have been written out and in the folder for each menu plan.

I like to work on about 3 weekly menu plans. 

It might take you a couple of days of sitting down and working out, BUT IT WILL SAVE YOU OODLES OF TIME AND BRAIN STRAIN.

In the morning, you would write out your amended routine for the day (as in, everything you NEED to accomplish, and realistically can achieve, that day) on to a piece of paper (Your Daily List). 

 Include the steps for making the meal, like 'prepare vegetables', make pie, or whatever.

I then cross off each item as I do it.

This is very important. Don't skip this step.

It gives you a sense of achievement.  You can build on your success.

You might also have noticed that I have put the meal preparation, dinner cooking in the a.m.  That was deliberate.  I never feel like cooking dinner at dinner-time.  Ive used up most of my energy by then.  This is the most important job, so do it when your energy level is highest.  It is much better to have a reheated meal than no meal at all.....

So, have I bored you yet?  Are any of you still here?

Good. 

This is a bit of a pictorial of yesterday's routine.

First of all, I made bread. Now, I know that making bread sounds like a lot of effort and maybe not essential if you can just buy it.  But for me, it is essential - for health reasons.  And the sort of bread I make is too expensive to buy on a regular basis for that good a quality.

So for me, it is a 'must do'.

As I live in a small village, I buy my wheat in bulk, it makes the cost of the bread sooooooo much cheaper, and I grind it in the electric grinder. 

All I do is chuck in the wheat, press the button, come back a few minutes later and its all done.  Brilliant.

This is my grinder.

Here is my dough being kneaded in the mixer.

I know it sounded like bread making was a lot of work, but not the way I do it. 
The machine grinds the wheat, I mix it with starter, salt and water, then the other machine kneads the dough.

And it gets cut in half and popped into tins.

Now, did I mention above that on the weekly menu planner I have written what needs to be done for each meal, like soaking things the day before.  I just need to glance at my folder and I know what I need to do, without working it all out.

Tomorrow I am having chicken curry.

That means today I put a whole chicken in the crockpot (I didn't have to remember that, it was on my list).  I'll use the meat of it for curry, and a chicken salad the next day.  I'll put the bones back in and make stock.

Again, brilliant!

I sometimes like to add in a bit of astragalus root to the stock - very good for the immune system.

.....some onion and garlic

..... some sea salt

..... some celery and some water.

The added bonus of having the crockpot on, is that I can put the bread tins next to it to rise.

Check that the bed is made.... check.

Take a quick photo of the chair cover on the way past.

Back to the kitchen to make tonights dinner - vegetarian shepherd's pie.

A sudden whim to photograph the cake stand my sister gave me for my birthday.....

Washing machine is on.

Time for my reward.

A cup of tea and some almond biscuits......

..... and some time for creative freedom.

A bit of 'hooky' time, working on the edging (yes the edging, so very nearly finished) of my stripey blanket.

Eventually, I will do a part two to this post, and tell you about the Barbara Felton concept (borrowed from George Washington) called 'Mt. Vernon-ising'. 

cheers

Fi

Healthy, Simple Living - and promoting my other blog (one of)

Harvesting our potatoes from the veggie garden.

These are King Edwards and Dutch Creams (Dutch creams make the best mash, with lots of butter)



Seeing as I was all inspired with the garden (when we had a couple of days of sun last week, its raining again now), I thought I would tell you about one of my other blogs - Watering the Seed

Watering the Seed is about Healthy Living, Simple Living, Natural Living, Christian Living.

Due to my own health issues over the last 8 years or so, I have been led down the path of discovering about different foods and techniques for basic health. 

Also about various herbs and healing plants, standing in faith and believing God for healing, how the body works, etc, etc.

I am a trained Remedial Massage therapist, and am currently studying aromatic and herbal medicine. I don't have any great plans to have a career in these areas, I am simply motivated to learn to help my family and friend and myself.

Above:  These are some of the processes that can be going on in my kitchen at any given time.

In one container I have rice soaking in water with some apple cider vinegar - this helps to break down the rice before cooking, making it more easily digestible.

The other container is lentils soaking in the same solution (sometimes I use whey, if I have any). 

I will either cook these after soaking, or drain them and leave them to sprout.

There are very good reasons why you would want to take the time to soak these things like this before eating.

Below:  This is the start of a new sourdough culture I am making, I managed to kill the last one from neglect, but I had been using it for quite some time before that happened.  All it is, is flour and water + the naturally occuring organisms in the wheat and air that cause a fermentation process.

This allows me to make lovely healthy sourdough bread at home, for a fraction of the cost that it is in the shops.

Here it is a few days later - see how it is starting to go bubbly?

It is nearly ready to put into a jar and start using. Brilliant!  Don't you just love God's creation? (As long as we work with it and not against it ;) )

Here are some German Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita) flowers I picked from the garden - I'm going to make a pot of tea with these and some Lemon Balm (Melissa Officianalis).

The Lemon Balm just self seeds all over my garden.

Here are both herbs together in the jug

If any of these topics are of interest to you - hop over and have a peep at Watering the Seed

If not, the crochet and crafty and arty channel will be resumed shortly.

Cheers

Fi