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

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Around here...

Tah Dah!

I have finished it!


My first ever granny square blanket...


With fancy edge and all :)


Some flowers...

for me from hubby...just because :)


The tree loppers are in town, so hubby rounded them up to get some mulch for our yard.
$100 got us this much...


A new toy for me...
(again from hubby, a bit spoilt I think)

bargain at 1/2 price


now I just need some spare time to play...


Have picked some figs...
these are white ones


chopped


cooked


fig jam!


The recipe is one my mum uses,

6lb Figs
4lb sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup vinegar

Make syrup from sugar, water and vinegar by heating together then add the fruit. Cook for approx 3 hours or until the jam sets on a cold saucer. (I cooked mine for 5hrs) Place in sterilised jars while still hot.

Apparently the vinegar helps to preserve it longer.


And a very enjoyable Australia Day lunch
of Blue Swimmer Crabs....YUM!


Things have been very busy around here, catching up on jobs that haven't been done since the start of the Summer holidays, and a little craft happening too, that is while it is cool. We had a run of hot humid weather for over a week, I did not like it at all. Sitting in a puddle of sweat is no fun!

What have you been up to?

xTania

29 comments:

  1. The blanket is absolutely gorgeous! And yum, that fig jam looks so good! Your husband is wonderful, isn't he...

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  2. Ive been sitting in a puddle of sweat too... making jam too, not crocheting cos I still dont know how...making pasta sauce...and now kids back at school, so cleaning up the house!

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  3. How my..what a lovely catch up post...your enjoyment of your life shines through...good on ya!
    We get lots of those crabs too, either locally or from Mandurah.
    Your blanket looks so lovely...what's next?
    xxx

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  4. Well you've been a busy bee! :D Love the colours in the granny square throw, that's one thing I havent done yet and thats granny squares :D

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  5. I love the blanket! Looks like you have been very busy!
    MMM fig jam! Will have to give that a go when my fig starts setting decent crops.
    What are you planning on making with your machine?

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  6. Your first crochet blanket is a big deal. That is lovely Tania.

    I still have mine. I used to crochet on the bus when I lived on the farm lol.

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  7. You blanket is fantastic, well done! Your fig jam looks delicious, I love it. Nice pressies from hubby too. :)
    Anne xx

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  8. Your blanket is very pretty. I just make one huge granny square because I don't know how to join squares. Well, I have read the instructions and heard of two methods, but have never tried to join anything. I like your colors.

    I use lemon juice in fig jam since I am allergic to vinegar. The lemon or vinegar is to make it acid in order to preserve it. Remember all you have read about how acid foods can be safely canned and non-acid are dangerous? Now, you have acid figs.ta da

    That seems like a lot of mulch for $100! The picture at the head of your blog looks desolate and barren. Is the mulch to remedy that?

    I like your blog.

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  9. You have been busy! And blessed for the flowers, sewing machine...and the figs! I love fig jam...I made some last summer and I wish I didn't give most away! (But everyone said they really liked it!..I think they were surprised...because fig jam cannot be bought, thus is rare to taste). Your blanket is so pretty..I love the colors..and your work looks perfect. Finally..that is alot of mulch! We have a chipper and make our own....that way we don't have to get rid of our leaves and tree limbs....(we have 25 large trees).
    love,andrea

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  10. love the blanket such pretty colours.

    That is also a very nice sewing machine, you must have been a very good girl!!!

    Gill in Canada

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  11. The granny rug is so lovely,just my colours lol.. I haven't seen white figs before so that was so interesting and the recipe is a different way of doing jam for me,so I will look out for anyone with spare figs to try it..lovely post as usual..those crabs look like they were delish..love the flowers what a sweet hubby.

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  12. Pretty blanket, congrats, such an achievement!

    Lovely presents from OH.

    Sft x

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  13. The way I remember to do it Practical Parsimony is to put two faces together and sew the four yarns together the two from each square, put your needle through all four and go back and do the next one? What were the ways you were taught? Seems a shame, I hope Tania can shed some light on it for you. It is easy.

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  14. Great grannies! And fig jam, yum. Our figs are still quite small- I hope we get enough warm weather to bring them on.

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  15. We've got the hot and humid weather here now. Only four weeks of summer to go (I fervently hope)!

    Your granny blanket is just beautiful! I still haven't worked my way up from cushions yet, you did a great job on it.

    I got a grand total of two figs off my young trees this year, so to say I am envious of yours is a dramatic understatement. Do you give them much fertiliser and water? My favourite way to eat fig jam is on a ham, tomato and brie toasted sandwich. Sounds weird I know, but I had a wrap at a market once with that on it and it was so good it converted me!

    You will have so much fun with your new sewing machine. I look forward to seeing what you make.

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  16. Can trade plum jam for fig jam!
    Ma, you know fig is my favourite, right? I love it even more than apricot. ;)
    ~S. xo

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  17. You have been busy, that fig jam looks delicious and your granny blanket is gorgeous, well done. I'm good at starting crochet projects, but not very good at finishing them.

    We have some lovely cool weather too, I am looking forward to Autumn days and picking up my crochet hook again. Have fun sewing, I wonder what you'll start on.

    Lishaxx

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  18. That is a pile of mulch, we had a similar one, took forever to distribute. I only have enough figs to eat this year, but the tree is still very young. Nothing beats a granny square rug.

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  19. Wow you have been busy Tania. Your blanket is gorgeous. I am very lucky to as T just got me a new sewing machine. I'm not much of a sewer but I do love to play around and make simple stuff.

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  20. I can't even keep up with so much goodness... I think I'll start with the sewing machine. Mmm. I think I'll end with the sewing machine... :)

    Blessings, Debbie

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  21. The brown snakes will love that mulch pile.

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  22. hey tania thats GREAT about your weight!! you should do before and after photos! happy birthday to your Phil! do white figs taste different to the regular ones?

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  23. Linda,
    I was not taught anything. I just read how. The other way is to crochet them together. I just enjoy crocheting one huge square because I do...lol.

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  24. Thanks for the birthday wish Amanda. We have something in common, we share our birthday with Farrah Fawcett RIP.
    Tania does look HOT. The fig jam taste yummy.......

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  25. You have been busy! Looking forward to seeing your sewing creations.

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  26. Hey Tania, how did this post slip post my beady eyes?....

    Well done on finishing the rug, it looks great. I think any one who finishes a rug deserves an award. My rug is only half way there. Hopefully finished by Winter !!

    How nice to get flowers just because and a sewing machine, to boot, woo hoo. There'll be no stopping you now...

    That's one mountain of mulch there, will be great for the garden .

    Your fig jam looks delish, beautiful colour. I used to work in a jam factory and we made Fig and Ginger jam , yum.....

    Claire :}

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  27. Your finished blanket looks lovely and it's such a wonderful feeling finishing something. And fig jam, yummo. I've been inspired by all this preserving I've been seeing lately, I think I need to do some tomorrow:)

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  28. What a great blog today Tania :)) so busy at your place,, it is wonderful..
    Your granny blanket is fantastic, love the colours too...
    Fig jam, how can I get my hands on some LOL..
    Every girl needs a sewing machine, well done hubby :))
    have a great week..

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  29. I love the colours in that blanket. So beautiful.

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Your comments really make my day. Thank you for taking the time and for being so kind.