About Me

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Life on two acres of arid dirt, on the edge of the Australian outback.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Op Shop


Another op shop visit last week yielded some more goodies.

A pretty blue chenille bedspread,

an EasiYo at last...
I have been trying to get hold of one of these for a while, so I can make my own natural yogurt.

Some Pyrex dishes I hope to use for pies,

and a cute little jug...
Have a great day everyone :)

Sunday, August 28, 2011

A Busy Weekend

Apricot blossom...


Nectarine blossom...


We got busy yesterday and planted some seedlings in the veggie garden.

Cauliflower...

Broccoli

Zucchini

Planted some lettuces in containers. I think the heat here in summer will be too harsh for these to be out in the full sun of the veggie garden. I have also planted some seeds of nasturtiums, corn and two types of cucumber, apple and Greek.

This is where our garden is going to be extended.

The before photo...

We came up with the idea to pull the large salt bushes out with a chain hooked up to the 4wd.

Out they came...



Bit by bit...


With help from Millie...




Until most of it was gone...

Our citrus trees got a pruning by hubby this morning as the branches were touching the ground and the ants were venturing up, and we dont want them to spread white scale.

This is the fruit on the branches that were cut off...

Any ideas to use the grapefruit up?


Hope you are having the lovely weather we are.

Here it is 24C today and hotting up to 29C by Friday...

Monday, August 22, 2011

In the Garden Today


Potatoes in waiting...

I am hoping to use these potatoes to grow my own. I have picked out some with eyes on.

some coriander...

Aloe Vera...

Parsley...

Broccoli seedlings ready to plant...

And some beetroot...

Oregano...

Mint...
I dont know what I do wrong, but I always have trouble growing mint.

Thyme growing wild...

The dwarf beans that the frosts nearly wiped out...
I have trimmed them back and am pleased to see they are shooting again...

Silver beet getting very big...

Some younger plants are going ahead after some recent rain...


The garlic is looking better now with a bit of warmth and sunshine...
Peas...


Broccoli is going to seed...
The bok choy has gone to seed, and I have planted some more silver beet in between...

Spring onions, springing into life...

Capsicums are coming along after a prune...



A few Quandongs (bush tucker) changing colour...

I have had some tomato plants passed my way, I am hoping I can resurrect them...

The progress after my surgery has been slow. It has taken me all this time to start to get on the mend. It will have been one week tomorrow. I have had more pain in my shoulder, but today it seems a lot better. I am hoping to get into the garden very soon if I can sneak away from hubby's watchful eye...

The weather is beautiful here, with temperatures in the mid 20's (Celcius) for the rest of this week...

Friday, August 19, 2011

On My Mind - New Appliances



This is a Friday photo feature that anyone with a blog can join. To take part, post a photo on your own blog, write a short caption explaining it, and link it back to here from your blog by saying you're part of "On my mind". Please write a new post, don't link to an older one. When you've done that, come back here and add a comment below, with a link to your blog.


On my mind today is our new oven, stove top and range hood.

These came out on special because they were getting replaced with new stock.


In the kitchen, the appliances are not going to fit perfectly into the place of the older ones, so we are getting new bench tops as well. We are choosing colours at the moment, and I am going for a lighter colour this time as there is too much brown in my house.


In the kitchen is this timber post. It is a main beam holding up the roof of our cathedral ceiling. Only trouble is it has been giving us a bit of a headache because we want to replace the bench. This post sits on top of the bench. Under the cupboard the support continues through to the floor. The main beam is tech screwed from under the bench. We had to jack the roof up with acro props a few millimetres to prove that the post wasn't going through the bench all the way to the floor. Luckily it isn't!


All we have to do now is send in our choice of colour to the cabinet makers and then wait. The measurements have been done so hopefully it wont be too long a wait until I get to use my new appliances and nice new bench.


Helicopter tragedy



We awoke this morning to the sad news of a helicopter crash in our region.

Three ABC journalists, have reportedly been killed in the crash.


Lake Eyre is situated about 400kms north of Port Augusta, and is in flood at the moment from all the rain in Queeensland earlier this year. Lake Eyre in flood is a spectacular rare event...some images can be seen here. Otherwise known as the Inland Sea...



Our thoughts and prayers for all the families of the three men involved with this tragic event...


John Bean

Gary Ticehurst

RIP

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Update - All good so far

I am home already after surgery. I only have use of my right arm at the moment, I will be out of action for possibly three weeks...

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes, they are truly appreciated.

xTania

Friday, August 12, 2011

On My Mind - Surgery

Joining with Down to Earth's On My Mind today

This is a Friday photo feature that anyone with a blog can join. To take part, post a photo on your own blog, write a short caption explaining it, and link it back to here by saying you're part of "On my mind". Please write a new post, don't link to an older one. When you've done that, come back and add a comment below, with a link to your blog.



On my mind today is a visit to this hospital next Tuesday


for Day Surgery on my shoulder...

I have been having trouble with a shoulder impingement/frozen shoulder for twelve months now. It is very restrictive so hopefully surgery is going to fix or at least make it a lot better, so I can use it more. I can't lift my arm higher than shoulder level. Apparently this is a common problem. I have tried a cortisone injection which helped a little with the pain but I haven't tried any physio because I am thinking the end result would be the same, and I would still end up with surgery.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Recipe - Anzac Cake


Ourgangof7 posted this delicious recipe recently over at her cooking for the gang blog.

This cake turned out beautiful...and it tastes especially good too!
I think I will cook this on ANZAC day from now on...

ANZAC CAKE

1/2 cup Golden Syrup

125 grams Butter

2 cups Self Raising Flour

1/2 cup Castor Sugar

1/2 cup Coconut (shredded or dessicated your choice)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup Milk

Icing

60 grams Butter

1 teaspoon Honey

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 cups Icing Sugar

1 tablespoon Hot Water

Cake

Combine Butter and Golden Syrup in a saucepan, stir over heat until smooth.

Combine sifted flour, sugar and coconut in a large bowl.

Add syrup mixture and mix well.

Using an electric beater gradually beat in the combined eggs and milk.

Pour mixture into a prepared 20x30cm cake tin (I prefer to grease and line mine) and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for approximately 30 minutes.

When done the cake will look a lovely golden colour.

Friday, August 5, 2011

On My Mind - The Garden




This is a Friday photo feature that anyone with a blog can join. It opens the door to us sharing our lives through these photos and gives us all a new way to discover each other, and maybe form new friendships. Your photo should show something at home that you're thinking about TODAY.


I am thinking about my garden today.
Getting prepared for the fast approaching Spring.


I am waiting for hubby to put a couple more beds in the garden for me...


The garden is looking a bit bare at the moment.
I had a good crop of broccoli this year, without any bugs!
The sugar peas and spring onions are doing okay,
as is the silver beet so I have planted some more...
The garlic has been slow to take off, hopefully the warm weather will get them going.
My dwarf beans have suffered from the nasty frosts that we have had this year, and there is more frosts coming early next week...I do cover them but they have still been burned.
The capsicum bushes have been pruned ready for this years crop. I have been thinking about pulling these out and starting some fresh plants growing. This will be the fourth year from them...
And I want to try growing potatoes in a bag, I have been doing some research about this the past few days.

What is on your mind?