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

Sunday, April 12, 2020

day by day 11.04.2020 & 12.04.2020

Easter Saturday was a much cooler day. It was 22C {71.6F} with some cloud and also a cold wind in the afternoon. It is warming up to 34C on Wednesday, so I will be making the most of the heat before it is gone for the season. Wood chopping will start soon. 

After a walk in the morning, and the garden watered, we donned our masks and went shopping for fresh fruit and veggies. We move quickly in the stores, just grab what is needed and get out!

I did not get to spend a lot of time outside in the garden as Phil was due to go to work late in the day,  so my time was spent in the kitchen cooking and preparing food for him to take to work.

Yesterdays pickings.

 
I needed to get these pies made using the leftover "not" chicken pie mixture. Thank goodness I have that new freezer. The leftovers made thirteen pies, we had two for lunch.


I decided to use up the scrap bits of dough to re-form into pastry. No need to waste any.




The pies still turn out fine.


I baked a chocolate slice.


And made honey crackles, or joys, depending on where you come from. I used our honey from the bees...delish!



Another weekly batch of Kombucha.


Today was a lovely 22C although it felt warmer than yesterday.

I took the day off walking as I had plans to go and check on my parents.

Today's pickings...getting a good supply of seven year beans now.



After lunch it was time to go over to my parents, about forty minutes from here. They are finding this isolation thing hard and so am I. I took them over some supplies and shared a cuppa outside and kept our distance. I got my ukulele out and showed them some of the songs I can now play.

Mum's roses are blooming gorgeously.


 
One o'clocks enjoying the sunshine.


At home, a mother has formed on the top of my apple scrap vinegar.


Coffee table reading...


The spectacular sunset from Good Friday.


We sat here and watched the sun go down and reveal all the gorgeous colours.


How have you spent this Easter? It certainly has been different from all the other years.

xTania


18 comments:

  1. Your photos are beautiful. Here in Nebraska USA (middle of the country), we've had a typical spring. Up and down with temps and some percip. Yesterday, Saturday, was absolutely beautiful. Sunny, warm, little wind. We enjoyed my niece and her family (2 little boys) for an hour. They have not been here before and loved the animals and toy tractors. The oldest (3) rode with Farmer on the big tractor several times.
    I cleaned and laundered and generally enjoyed being at home, since my job is considered essential, I am still working.
    Today is a totally different day. Raining, windy, getting colder with snow in the forecast before evening.
    I have the ham in the roaster oven. Potatoes in the oven. Made the rolls yesterday. I'll be making the fruit salad and cooking the peas before we eat. We'll be watching our church's video message as soon as Farmer comes in from chores.
    We'll miss our kids being here but the weather is too bad to bring the babies out. We'll celebrate in a few weeks. I have their baskets ready. :)
    Blessed Resurrection Day to you and your family.

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    1. Hello Kay, it is lovely to hear from you.

      Your weather sounds a bit up and down at the moment. Ours is still quite warm for this time of year {autumn}. We only get three months of winter here and it is usually mild. By the time spring gets here is can be hot.

      Sounds like the little boys had a great time at your place. Riding on the tractor with Farmer would have been a real treat.

      Your house would have smelled really good with all that cooking going on. Things have really changed for the churches, but at least you were still able to receive the message.

      Easter blessings to you,
      xTania

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  2. Happy Easter Tania. Yes it sure has been different. Our road is so quiet - I don't mind this aspect at all. I love all your cooking & baking - everything looks delish & I want to reach into my screen & taste test! I worry for my Mum too - she is on her own - turned 91 last week. My brother is nearby but this lockdown has been hard on her - she doesn't understand it all. Take care Tania xx

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    1. Hello Julie.

      The main highway was quiet yesterday, only saw a handful of cars there and back. I almost felt guilty for being out driving.

      It took quite a bit of convincing for my parents to finally understand the restrictions. Mum is 80 and dad 83. Mum said they are okay {lived isolated on a farm for many years} but are missing seeing family because that was the reason they moved closer to us. I will keep going over there as long as I am able to. Mum is a real "huggy" person, so that is really hard for her to get used to. Blowing kisses is just not the same lol! We are hoping not to go into complete lockdown, because so far "most" people are following the governments instructions and the "curve" is flattening quite substantially. Cant become complacent though and lift restrictions too early.

      Happy Easter Julie,
      xTania

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  3. YOu have a great selection of reading matter on the coffee table there. I am re-rereading Retrosuburbia- such a great book for these times.

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    1. I do have a lot of good reading books here, and I finally have time to do some reading. Retrosuburbia is fantastic, I pick it up regularly and browse the pages. I have not read it completely through yet.

      xTania

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  4. Wow that sunset is amazing...I'll bet your honey joys tasted great and how exiting to use your own honey which would have been extra special. Kathy

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    1. Hello Kathy,

      I have not seen a sunset that beautiful in a long time. So fitting for Good Friday I thought.

      I was amazed at the taste of the honey joys as they are not as sweet as the ones made with shop honey. Makes me wonder what they do to the honey to make it so sweet.

      xTania

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  5. Happy Easter Tania. It was very quiet here in town. Easter is usually a time when all the accommodation is booked out. At the moment our usually bussling beach side town is a bit of a ghost town. Bluey and I have been pottering around home. He is busy in the shed whipping up a few more items. I have been getting the Grandies Birthday presents made and getting our Autumn garden planted. Here in the sub tropics Autumn is one of our best growing seasons. I am hoping that by the time the seeds have all sprouted and gotten big enough that the cabbage moths and the fruit fly will have all moved on or gone into hibernation. I can hope.
    We talked to the Grandies Easter morning on facetime. The two year old was quite happy to share her choccie with Grandsfather but not Granny. We can see who is the favourite here. It is a quiet time but one of rest and reflection.

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    1. Happy Easter to you Jane and Bluey.

      The weather has been perfect for camping this year. Shame no one was allowed to haha! Traffic is very quiet here too.

      I never got any chocolate. We decided years ago to only get chocolates for the children only. I took hot cross buns over to mum and dads yesterday for a treat.

      Pottering sounds good. I must get moving on my garden. It is going to be very warm this week, so probably my last chance to get things growing while the soil is still warm.

      xTania

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  6. That's for sure. I did a lot of weeding in the garden. I also got the heel finished on a pair of socks that I'm making. Your mom's roses are gorgeous. I am so impressed with all of the pies that you bake. I find it a big deal just to make one!

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    1. Hello Stephenie,

      Pie making is made easy when using a pie maker. Bakes four at a time :)

      I admire how you are able to knit up socks, this has always been on my to do list to try.

      xTania

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  7. Those pies look delicious, Tania. I am drawn to eating pies in these cooler months!! I can see Retrosuburbia in your reading material. I have recently reread it too and enjoyed going back over sections of interest. I also watched more of the case studies on the Retrosuburbia website. How different people have set up their homes and are leading lives of greater resilience is fascinating to me. Very appropriate too for the times we are living through now. MegXx

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    1. Hi Meg,

      I have checked out those case studies on the Retrosububia site too. I agree that it is fascinating and it really makes sense to do things that way. I love the case with the cellar under a tank that draws cool air into a cupboard inside the house for keeping things cool. Genius!

      It is very appropriate at the moment for sure. I might go and watch them all again. There are some great videos on youtube too, Happenfilms comes to mind, and a video showing Rosemary Morrow and how she built her retrosuburbia house. Great watching for inspiration. Also a lot on there by David Holmgren.

      xTania


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  8. I need to buy a new freezer my old one died and I haven’t replaced it
    Being there is only two of us I’ve been doing ok. But this iso thing has me wanting more space now
    Your pies look yummy

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    1. Hello Angela,

      I seem to be cooking and baking more than usual, so I needed extra space to freeze the excess. I now have three freezers and I am going to sort them into categories. One can be for frozen fruit and veggies as I freeze a lot over summer then when I have more time in winter I use them up to make jam or relish etc. Once I have transferred it all into one freezer, I will then work out how to arrange the other two.

      We are enjoying the pies for lunch.

      xTania

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  9. Hi Tania,

    I’ve just spent a lovely 15mins drinking a cuppa, and catching up on your daily posts 😊
    Your garden is growing well as usual! You certainly have a green thumb!
    My days haven’t changed much being the home body that I am, but the children are all home and I think they are finding the days long and monotonous. Of course when I suggest they help me, they soon scatter 🙄😆


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    1. Good to hear from you Cheryl.

      Our days really haven't changed much either, just staying home more and keeping away from the shops and the virus!

      I am glad my children are grown in times like this. I did however love having them home during the holidays when they were younger, it was a more relaxed time not having to stick to schedules etc.

      Hope you are keeping well and Happy Easter to you all.
      xTania

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