Mother's day weekend

Saturday was a busy day at my house.

I had the day to myself and lots of jobs to tackle. First up I made up another batch of kombucha. Because of the warmth from the fire, the kombucha is fermenting really well. I have had to move the brew into the pantry where it is a bit cooler. There was a lot of fizz in this lot.

When I had finished the important mundane things inside it was time to go out into the veggie patch. Once out there I proceeded to be ruthless and pulled most of the old tomato plants out. Some still had green tomatoes on but I will chop and freeze them for later use. I may make a pie or a cake...decisions, decisions!

Next to cop it was the basil bushes. I chopped them all back and pulled the remaining good leaves off to dry.

It was lovely outside and I listened to the radio while working.

Sitting while removing basil leaves from the stems. I think this is called slow gardening haha!

I ended up with this much. Not a lot but still usable.

I then decided that while I was in the mood I would chop all the sweet potato vines off and dig around to see what I could find in the bed.

Ta Da!!

This was the result. 10.2kgs {22.5lb} of delicious sweet potatoes. Some of them were very large and the heaviest one weighed 1.5kg {3.3lb}!

This one surprised me and was hiding between the cloth and the bath and resting on the rocks in the reservoir underneath. Somehow the vine punched its way through the geothermal fabric!

Some of the pieces I will plant back into the bed once I have added fresh compost and manure in there. These will come to life again in Spring.

The empty bed.

Next I dug up some more Jeruselum artichokes.

I was on a roll, so I tackled the sage next. There is so much of this! I have put it into a drying rack, but I really don't know what I am going to do with all of this. I have been adding it to my herbal teas because it is good for health. I have two plants so I think I will pull one up and move it into the ground.

Just a few snaps of some of the other veggies.

Empty tomato bed ready for topping up with fresh soil.

Young kale loving this weather.

More cucumbers are forming. I am hoping the frosts dont knock them around too much. It is getting quite cold at night now, last night was 4C {39F}. The days are still lovely though, around 20C {68F} and usually sunny.

The basil after a haircut.

  
Same with the sage.

Not so baby spinach.

  

Broccoletti

The harvest. Not bad for an afternoons work.

 

My tea for Saturday night was a homemade beetroot burger and salad on sourdough toast. On this plate from the garden is beetroot and herbs in the burger and salad, baby spinach, tomato, green tomato pickles and sweet potato chips! It was yum! I made the chips almost oil free, added spices and baked in the oven.

The finished the socks. I made these for my mum for Mother's day, but will not make them again as I was not happy with how they turned out. Still, they will keep mum's feet warm during winter.

Yesterday we went to my parents to see mum for her special day. My eldest girl met up with us there also. We had a cup of tea and then mum announced that there were heaps of mushrooms growing outside after all the rain they had. She said they had been eating them all week and there were way too many for them to manage. So off we all went with trays and knives in hand to collect these yummy specimens. I have not gone mushrooming for years. What fun!

Mum's chrysanthemums were in blossom so I brought some home. So pretty J

My son and daughter in law gave me a lovely bunch of native flowers.

And a gorgeous hyacinths from my eldest girl. So spoiled.

Work has started up the top with hubby barrowing loads of crusher dust into the space where the pool used to be. He has gone away for work until Thursday and when he gets home this will be packed down and leveled ready for pavers to go down.

It was a really enjoyable weekend. I achieved a lot, and I am very happy about that.

How was your weekend? What did you do for Mother's day?

xTania

around here last week

The oregano has been dried and put away for another year. I am hoping to pick some more before winter arrives next month.

The veggie patch...

The new veggies are slow to grow this time of year.

I have popped in some strawberry runners from my parents place. I don't seem to be able to grow these very well, but I keep trying. Fingers crossed they are successful this time.

Mixed lettuce.

Baby spinach.

Teeny tiny beetroot.

Mini cabbages.

I trimmed the lemon verbena and hoping I can start some more plants from cuttings.

Baby quandongs appearing.

Fresh from the patch...

Beans, tomatoes, capsicum and radish.

Kale, silver beet, capsicums, cucumber, beans.

Mixed lettuce leaves, baby spinach, radishes and figs.

A mixed combo of mum's and my capsicums.

In the kitchen...

A change in my diet again to cut down on refined carbs {white flours etc}, sugar, salt and oil. I have a few stomach issues and am trying to figure out what is causing the upset. It seems to be a matter of eliminating food and then adding back in to see what is affecting me. I am starting to feel a lot better, so something is working.

So it was very healthy food prepared in the kitchen, remembering to add protein to most meals.

Beetroot black bean burgers made and in the freezer for later. I have eaten a couple of these and they are quite nice.

Marinated tofu and salad.

I crushed some tomatoes for putting into meals and froze them until needed.  Roughly the same size as a can, minus all the sugar and salt.

Chocolate chia puddings.

Recipe ~ In a high speed blender {like nutri-bullet}, blend 3 medjool dates, 1 cup of almond milk, 1 tablespoon of cocao. Add to a 1/4 cup of chia seeds and give a good stir, put in some small pretty bowls then sit in fridge to set. A delicious healthy dessert!

Eating a rainbow. This was hubby's plate for lunch, to which he added some tuna.

Around home...

Browsing old magazines.

May 1958.

 Knitting a pair of socks.

 Another honey collection, because the bees are doing so well.

The big bright moon. I believe it was a super moon, and pretty spectacular!

Just coming over the hills in the distance.

And then...

Things are returning to some kind of normal. I have my 16 year old grandson back staying with me through the week so he can attend high school. Traveling around our own state is now allowed, more numbers allowed at funerals etc.  Some sport activities and restaurants, cafes etc are allowed to resume once again with certain rules. Still practicing social distancing in all we do.

Before C-19 we were planning a big two month trip to Queensland.  It was supposed to happen May/June this year but we had to put it off for now and cancel half of the holidays. We might decide to travel to places within South Australia, but we will see, as it will be in June and cold.

How was your week?

See you all soon,
xTania