Thank you to all who have commented on the last few posts and welcome aboard to any new followers.
I am still having trouble commenting on some blogs. I think I have worked out that it is the blogs that have the reply set up that is not letting me post a comment for some reason, so if this is you I sincerely apologise. I believe others have been having the same trouble so hopefully blogger fixes the problem soon.
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Hubby finally got to light his bonfire...
He looks forward to this every year :)
Boy does this throw off some heat...I could feel it as soon as I left the house to take some photos...
Hubby lights it and then gets the hose ready as the bushland around here hasn't seen a lot of rain lately so things are still very dry...
He puts a sign up in our driveway to tell passing drivers that it is a controlled burn and that the CFS know about it...
After the coals had died down,
we took the opportunity to make some damper in the camp oven...
So out with the pot,
Make some dough,
Sit camp oven on some hot coals and add a few on top,
Soon it is done...
Eat and enjoy!
Hubby had his with butter, mine with honey,
It was really nice :)
The damper recipe came from my mum,
hopefully you can read it, if not I will post the recipe if anyone wants it.
The outside area around the fruit trees is looking a lot tidier now. Hubby has been busy pulling out saltbush that had become overgrown and taking moisture from the fruit trees.
It is nice to be able to walk around the trees without clambering over bushes and getting scratched to bits in the process.
We now have enough room to plant out some more fruit trees. We have three guava, an icecream tree (like a mango) and a loquat to go in the ground...
Our trees grow on a french drain set up, so they do really well growing in this area on our block. The mulberry tree has not done so well, that has struggled from the day we planted it. I think the surrounding bushes may have starved it of water, hopefully now it will get going and provide us with lots of mulberries for jam :)
And finally it is cold enough here to light the log fire, it was so nice and toasty in here last night, and this morning the house was still warm. Love our combustion heater, it heats the whole house comfortably...
Looks like today is going to be a lovely sunshiny day even though the wind is a bit chilly.
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I wonder what is keeping you busy? Do share as I love to hear what others are up to :)
Wishing you all a happy, fun filled day!
xTania
Looks like today is going to be a lovely sunshiny day even though the wind is a bit chilly.
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I wonder what is keeping you busy? Do share as I love to hear what others are up to :)
Wishing you all a happy, fun filled day!
xTania
Oh Tania, that bonfire looks huge! I am so glad that it stayed self contained. The damper looks so yummy!
ReplyDeleteI liked seeing your fruit trees in their outback setting. Today I am busy cooking soup(pumpkin) and working in the vegetable garden in between rain showers.
ReplyDeleteFunny how men love a bonfire or lighting fires! Gus is accumulating things to cook on - we now have a coal type Weber, a Cobb cooker and an OzPig stove - all fire powered! I just shake my head! Will try your damper recipe this weekend as we are off in Ruby to a wine/food festival. Enjoy this chilly weather - I am loving it as we are getting good rain each day.
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on being featured on Rhonda's blog as part of her weekend reading - yay!
Cheers - Joolz
that damper looks very yummy, and I was wondering if you could use the remains from the fire as biochar? I am never really sure how it is made, but think it might have to be buried as it cools.
ReplyDeleteWow what a fire! Looks good. Great thinking about the damper as well.
ReplyDeleteMy little miss (4) and I created a raises vege path inside our chook own using concrete blocks and about 8 barrow loads of soil which I shoveled out of a drain the was WAY over due for a clean out. The girls went crazy over the worms that were in there until I netted It.
We've done a quick trip to get some nitrogen loving seedlings which we'll plant this afternoon and water with water from the duck pond. Should grow lots for us and leftovers to feed the flock ever day.
Cheer Michelle.
A very awesome fire! We had one not long ago and we cooked potatoes in foil but I would love a camp oven like yours!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you get the fruit trees to grow so well when it is so dry there. You do very well.
Mulberry jam on damper yummmmmmm...........
ReplyDeleteI love Mulberries, our tree struggled during the drought but is producing fruit now........The ants seem to love it too, grrr!
I did an Op shop run down to Benalla today. Stopping in Beechworth and Wangaratta. Bought a lovely, woolly hand knitted jumper which has a pattern around the yoke.
I'm not sure it fits into the vintage/retro category or maybe just old fashioned but someone put alot of love and care into making it and I just had to bring it home with me...
Just enjoying a late cuppa and blog catchup now. Fire is going warming the house for a relaxed evening......
Claire :}
Men and fire .. it's a primal thing ;) My hubby has a gas torch to burn weeds in our rock garden areas. It's a bit overkill .. but it fills a man/boy need .. LOL. Your camp oven bread looks very good. Don't you just love cooking outdoors in one?? We recently purchased a campfire 'cooker' .. a device to use to hold cast iron pans and kettles over the fire and have just used it for the first time last week. Enjoy your autumn .. we are just getting our spring garden started.
ReplyDeleteMy dad use to do a fire when we were little, but nothing as impressive as yours as we lived in a bushfire prone area. I love damper with honey , you made me feel quite hungry:) nlife continues on much the same with me, nothing quite as exciting :)
ReplyDeleteMy heart stopped when I saw the fire thinking it the be a wild land fire Tania! 'Controlled' fires are very much a problem here on the Pacific NW coast but at this moment with all the rain, we would be lucky to strike successfully a match!
ReplyDeleteI am sooo tired of wearing wellies!
Damper did you say? It looked delicious and yes, would you post it on your blog? (Mum's writing is fine, my bifocals are not so good).
Blessings to you and yours and keep safe!
I love a good bonfire over the last couple of weeks we have had quite a few burning off all the rubbish from our renovation. We throw a few big logs on and then sit around the fire at night watching the stars.
ReplyDeleteI planted a mulberry tree about 16 years ago, they are slow growing but once established very hardy, they do like to have a good soak every now and then. The fruit makes the best jam !
I'm a damper with golden syrup girl. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI gave you an award on my blog today, swing on past to pick it up if you're interested :)
Hi Tania. (I'm back blogging!) You (your husband) have been busy! I bet that bread tasted so good! The best pizza around here is one that has a wood burning oven, which is rare to find. My youngest daughter is always telling me she wants to live in Australia! Your rolls and other food look delicious. And figs are my favorite...I had to plant new trees last year as my old one was blocking our gate so my husband unmercifully cut it down! So I had to buy figs from costco and made jam. love,andrea
ReplyDeletethat's impressive, I love the hurly burly of a good bonfire, and delicious damper, yum.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you are loving those cooler times Tania. Lovely blue skies, and it's nice to get the fire going isn't it.
ReplyDeleteHi Tania- I have been having the same trouble with my blog since they changed over to Google chrome.I ended up disabling all the comment things in my set up and now I can comment again.
ReplyDeleteHello Tania, I remember a recipe on your site for a dessert using fruit - maybe peaches but am not sure. You had photos of it being made. Can you remember this and where I may find it?
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what recipe you refer to anonymous, but there is one here for Peaches and Cream dessert. I hope this is the one :)
ReplyDeletehttp://outbacktania.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/satisfaction-in.html
That is a BIG fire Tania! Damper is something that I love but never make and we make several bonfires a year. Thanks for the inspiration!
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