Winter turns to Spring! Oh how I love thee.......

A long time over due, I know! Now that winter has gone, we can come out of hibernation. Just for the sheer love of it, I shall split this post with some of the glorious plants we have in our garden. I find peace in my garden and thoroughly enjoy coming home. 

The last few months have been ridiculous in so many ways. Why you may ask?

Using Facebook I found a dear teaching friend of mine from my first school placement. Assunta Mancini, a true lady, a beautiful woman and a teacher who teaches from her heart. It was so much fun sharing life with Assunta and reminiscing over the children we taught. I was deeply moved when she shared that, her husband Glenn, had passed away. This news was a total shock considering a beautiful man is no longer able to love his wife and children and enjoy the joyous thing we call LIVING. Assunta floored me with that news, as like many of the good ones, Glenn was taken way too early. I am glad she is back in my life and look forward to sharing the future with her. I cannot tell you how often Assunta comes to mind during my every day but I the fact that she is in my thoughts.

Canterbury College lost one truly amazing teacher recently. Susan Gouchee was a talent teacher too who again, taught from the heart. Susan had an impact on so many children and did so through the forum of her music program and talents. From all accounts her send off was moving, memorable and embraced with a rainbow at the right moment. Her passing really made me reflect upon how precious and fragile life can be. Rest in Peace Susan.

For the duration of this term I have been plagued with stupid sickness, but after what others are encountering, I have nothing to complain about. Gastro, middle ear infection, 8 weeks of deafness in my left ear and influenza – I am thrilled that winter is no longer here. It is hard to feel miserable when the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the garden embraces the seasonal change.

 

We have been working flat out every weekend to get our garden in shape. I cannot tell you how much pride I get when I see our once plain block taking shape. Our recent efforts have seen the creation of a small deck and seating area behind our pool and the planting of many bromeliads.

 

 

 

We have placed a fence around the outside of the pool area creating a dog run as well. Time was spent staining this so as to preserve the fence and to provide our lovely neighbours with a better vista.

 

Once we stain the inside of the fence we will be able to complete the planting in the pool yard and we can plant an agapanthus row along the front fence line.

 

We have decided to move the vegetables gardens as we realised we had planted them in the incorrect spot. Wasn’t that fun moving raised beds????? Never again! Now that they have a new home we were able to stone around them. Hopefully the next post will see the inclusion of another agapanthus row in front of the beds to create a nicer edge between the lawn and the stones. 

 

As I end this post I promise that coming soon will be many posts that you will enjoy. I have convinced my mother to part with her sacred recipes…….I shall be posting them in order to have them forever.

Mosaic: Heliconia

As I write this post I feel a little anxious. Anxious because I have allowed myself to say I will run a Mosaic workshop. There are so many talented people out there, and to be honest with you, I feel like I am in no position to run a workshop. That said though, I have learned a few tips and tricks in order to slap a few broken tiles together to make something others willingly call "ART." They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well, I have had people admire my work and have asked me to make them some, so I guess I could say I have some artistic ability. My thanks goes to the ladies who attended. It was lovley to chat freely while, "slapping down a few tiles."

I have written down the steps that I follow. I provide no guarantee for your piece of work, but what I have written has worked for me in the past. I started my first piece nearly eight years ago. It is still on the wall and looks brand new (touch wood).

First of all, you need to acknowledge what you want to create, where it is going to be housed and what design elements you which it to contain. to date, I have placed mosaic designs on pots and blue board panels. I believe that you need to take your time to ensure you have everything you need. I would encourage you to research before you begin. This should ensure that you have the right adhesive agent for the materials you will wish to use and the correct grout for the elements the piece will be exposed to.

Setting up the board and the border.

• Once I have identified my design or have found a picture. I sourced it I draw it up. For this project I am going to produce a large mosaic of a picture of a flowering heliconia. It is 2.4m x 1.2m. It shall be hung portrait style on our pool fence.
• I have purchased blue board to stick my mosaic tiles to. I like using blue board as I know it is waterproof (it is used as the backing in bathrooms and showers/wet areas). It is ideal for outside as it will not rot. I have cut it to size before, but I simply try not to do this unless I have a specific sized piece to do. I usually adapt my design to fir the board.
• I draw/trace my design on to an overhead projector transparency. I lean the board up against the house and, using the overhead projector, draw my design onto the board. If I can be bothered I will use different coloured marking pens to assist in making it easier to see different parts of the design.

Make sure you have got enough space to work. It is best you set up where you have access to all sides of the board. Our family room have become my studio. In the centre of the room I set up to carpenter horses. On top of these I place two lengths to timber to ensure the blue board does not sag once it has been placed on top of the horses.

Starting to place tiles

• If I am making a panel, like I am this time, I like to give the piece a frame. I find black is a lovely way to make the work stand out. I simply use my hands, one tile and a texta pen and run a line around the entire edge of the board.
• I usually start my piece by sticking the tiled border in place. This ensures that there is a nice blend between design and border, you can mosaic up to the border without having to guess where it fits.
• Take care to ensure your edge is straight and that no part of the border tiles hang over the board. If they do hang over, there is a chance that they may fall off during transit as they can be pulled off when resting or knocked on the ground etc.
• I find it a lot easier to do the border and then leave it to dry. On the few occasions I have decided to work through with a wet border, I have knocked the edge and have had to recorrect the alignment of the tiles. I know leave it well alone.

Now that the board and border has been set up, it is time to commence work.

• I tend to start towards the middle of the board and work my way around. I select one colour and place as much of this colour down as I can. In this case I had already smashed up a heap of yellow tiles. I have gloss and matt tiles of two different shades of yellow.
• In order to smash a tile without the glaze cracking I place the tile face down on a thick newspaper. A towel is also as effective. I simply drop the hammer with some force onto the tile. The minute I hit the tile I retract it back into the air. I describe it to the kids like a snake bite. Quick, fast, and then get out of there. If you force the hammer too far into the tile you crush it. I simply ensure all pieces are face down and continue this procedure until I have the size I required. Make sure you wear safety glasses as the fragments tend to scatter and fly. I smash my tile inside an A3 photocopy paper box lid. This tends to collect most of the tiles and debris.
• Sweep up after you have smashed any tiles as the shards are sharp and can induce a decent wound.
• Select the part of your design you wish to commence working with. Like a jigsaw, place your pieces to form nice line around the edge of your work. Stick these into place with tile adhesive.
• I mix my tile adhesive in to old takeaway containers with a plastic knife. Mix it until it form the texture of peanut butter. On the back of each tile place enough adhesive to stick it into place. Press it down slightly, clean up the excess and continue. Follow this procedure until all tiles have been placed down.
• Make sure you press the tile down as you cement them in to place. Do not push them too hard or else you will squeeze all of the cement out from underneath the tile. Tidy up the edges and do not let the cement fill the gap between the tiles completely. Some excess is good as it means you do not have to use as much grout later on. I keep a most rag handy and use this to wipe my fingers after each time I use them to clean up any excess cement.
• Once you have completed one part of the design, gradually work your way around your design. There are two ways to complete a mosaic. You can either work top to bottom or side to side, or you can complete certain parts of the design. I prefer to select a part of the design to work on and then complete one colour at a time within that part.

• When you have completed your design it is time to grout. I always buy grout to suit the location of my piece. If I am placing it outside I ask for non staining pool grout. Grouting can be messy and without thought can be hazardous to your fingers. Some people will use a tiler’s plastic scraper to push the grout into place. I prefer to use the palm of my hand and my fingers. I usually end u with a few minor cuts, but this way I can guarantee not to dislodge any tiles in the process of grouting. I am not recommending this to you, but in true form, you will find your own way to make this process work for you. Strictly follow the instructions on the grout packet as this will ensure it is not too runny or too thick.
• Once I have made up my grout I push it around your board filling all gaps. I tend to start at one end of the board and work my way down. I use a soft damp cloth to wipe away the excess as I go. I then to use many rags as I go as they become very dirty. If your cloth is too dirty you will find it drags through the grout and does no make for a smooth finish.
• Sometime I wipe down the board three or four times before it starts to look clean.
• Once I am happy that the board is relatively clean I let it rest until the grout has dried completely. During this time I may touch up certain areas, particularly if I find excess cement on a tile etc. If you are certain the grout has dried it is time to polish the piece with a soft cloth.

I shall post pictures of the grouting procedure when I get to it.

What a beautiful part of the day:

Serenity.....
Dew covered grass
Cool wet toes in thongs as I release the hens
The noise of the wild birds slowly awakening those around
A lone rooster crows....

The smell of freshly made coffee
The thoughts of what to do today
Shuffling events to make the most of it all
... Doctors Appointment
Brookfield Produce Market
Planting tree ferns.. watch them grow
Palm fronds to the tip
Antique rustic bench seat ... to pick up my ebay purchase
Mt Crosby SS garage sale

Ideas swirling, should I get creative, should I clean or should I simply say, "NOPE?"
Maybe I could whip up that dessert I have been wanting to bake
Star anise chocolate Pie!
The choices, the life and the freedom
Oh Saturday how I love you.

17/06/12

The chook house

Darkened sky surrounds me.
The crisp cool air dances on my cheek.
The resonating taste of coffee lingers in my mouth.

I move forward, slowly, watching.
Dodging divots and unlevelled ground.
Hesitantly.
Carefully.

I open the gate…..
The metal cold to my touch.
I greet the girls and Mr Woo.

What is it? I see it sit.
I watch it glare.
I watch is startle.
It runs towards my legs, my dressing gown.

A rat.
I nearly pooh as I muffle my internal girlie squeal!

Butter Icing

BUTTER ICING

• 250g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups of sifted icing sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence/extract
• 3 – 4 tablespoons of milk or cream

1. Beat butter in a mixer. Turn mixer speed down I preparation of adding icing sugar.
2. Add icing sugar.
3. Increase mixer speed while adding vanilla, salt and ½ of the milk or cream.
4. Beat for 3 minutes –check for consistency. Add more milk/cream if necessary.

Scrumptious Slow Cooked Meatballs

There is something about mince meat and winter….well .....okay then, and summer..... and autumn and spring actually! Such a versatile item that with the addition of other ingredients can go far. The meatball recipe I have made today will be consumed for dinner with the rest being turned into school lunches.

I shall post a picture fo the finished recipe this evenign after it has cooked.

The best thing about using a slow cooker is the minimal use of dishes. I place some hot water in the sink as I commence cooking and wash and dry the dishes as I go.

You may prefer to brown you meatballs prior to placing them in the slow cooker, but I am not fussed either way. They still taste the same and the sauce covers them anyway.

What you need:

• 1 bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1 finely chopped white onion
• 1 stalk of finely chopped celery
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 800g heart smart/organic beef mince
• 2 teaspoons mixed herbs
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 red chilli (optional)
• 1 beef stock cube
• 3-4 sliced of chopped raw bacon (optional
• ¼ cup of grated cheese Tasty or Parmesan
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 farm fresh eggs (do not use caged eggs please)
• salt and pepper (1/2 teaspoon of each)
• 2 cups of chicken stock (homemade preferably)

• 1 pouch of tomato paste (sometimes I cut the stock in half and use 1  tin of tomatoes)
• white rice and wholemeal self raising flour to roll meatballs in

 

Now I cheat here. Except for the beef, bacon, cheese and breadcrumbs, I simply place all ingredients in a food processor and give it a quick whiz. DO NOT PULVERISE!

Place this mixture in a large bowl with remaining ingredients.

Roll meatball size patties in your hand and place these on a plate to rest.

Once you have finished making all of your meatballs. Roll these in white rice and then wholemeal self raising flour.

Refrigerate or freeze them for an hour. That said, I very rarely do this as I simply want to get them in the cooker.

Now for the slow cooker part. Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker. Place your meat balls into the slow cooker.

 Stack them nicely folks.

Place stock and tomato paste in a bowl, whisk and pour over the meat balls.

Slow cook for five hours and serve with rice.

Variations: add a bunch of coriander/basil.

MAYONNAISE

MAYONNAISE.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 x egg yolk,
• 10 ml of water and/or lemon juice,
• 200 ml grape seed oil.

Mayonnaise is the emulsification of oil and egg yolk to create a rich, creamy dressing. The secret to a decent mayonnaise is making sure you use enough water or lemon juice to make it hold together perfectly.

Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. Whisk the yolk of one egg in a bowl with 10ml of water /and or lemon juice. Whisk it until is it foamy.

Keep whisking while you gradually drip up to 200ml of oil. Your mayonnaise will gradually appear before your eyes. Your mayonnaise should be beautifully glossy.

If your mayonnaise is too thick simply gradually add a little water to ad viscosity to the mixture.

- Season to taste with salt, lemon or chilli, garlic, fresh herbs, mustard or sweet chilli sauce.

Well it has been some time since I have touched base. I guess getting my head around a new school and the new National Curriculum has taken a toll. That said, we have been busy nesting at home. I have decided that the 10 things in my life right now....will be about the home.

1. Listening

I have discovered the joys of listening to my iPod while mowing the lawn. I feel for the neighbours when I break into spontaneous song, but I guess there are far worse habits a neighbour could have. They may be celebrating the fact that our lawns are in resting phase and now no longer require a weekly haircut. It is time to service the mower and put new blades on in preparation for Lawn Warfare in the ‘burbs.

Speaking of lawn – oh it is coming along nicely. We are now in a position where we can really see a huge difference from when we moved in two years ago.

I adore a couple of songs at the moment:

* Check out Ronan Parke – This 12 year old has an amazing set of pipes – singing one of my all time favourite songs. I have always felt a connection with this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WIkjasLRNI&feature=share

* Keith Urban’s Tonight I Want to Cry - totally within range and can be belted out at high decibels. This song resonates with me too for some reason. To acknowledge pain in life means you have reached higher ground and can look back on times that have formed who you are today. I guess for me, this song allows me to look back on times in my life that have hurt and allows me to appreciate the good place and space I am in now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czb5P_pw8Fc

* Jes Hudak’s Different World – I wish I had written this song.

2. Eating

There has been a bit of a lull in the kitchen recently. Normally I am cooking up a storm, but every now and then I take a break. Simple pleasures like home made pizza are understated. Fresh vegetable and rissoles – another favourite.

The larder is stocked with supplies, as is the freezer. I am LIKING online shopping very much. It saves the incidental unnecessary purchases and allows me to sync my cooking with my shopping list. I shall promise to find my MoJo and share more recipes and ideas soon.

3. Drinking

Well it is great to report that I have severely cut back my coffee intake. I start the morning off with the juice of ½ a lemon in boiling water. It started off as a chore but I now find it cleansing. During the day I am drinking T2’s Ginger tea. I am probably only having two coffees a week, if that.

 4. Wearing

Well we have started winter and I am enjoying the cooler weather. I love the crisp air in the morning as I wear my dressing gown and thongs when letting the cooks out each morning. I deliberately take my time to appreciate the morning. Wearing a scarf brings back many a childhood memory. I have heaps of scarves, many have been hand knitted by m mother to compliment my wardrobe. She asks for colours, patterns ideas and length. I love the short scarves we have designed that simply wrap around the neck and have enough length to tuck into a vest without the bulk.

I love wearing AFTERSHAVE too. Nothing better than a hot shower and a squirt! Grey Flannel is the favourite and Oldie but a Goodie.

5. Reading

 I really have not been doing very much reading for leisure of late. I have read a bucket load of report comments and no doubt as I edit other teacher’s there will be more to come too. I have done a lot of reading on line in order to ensure the deck we are building will last.

I have read heaps about caring from Bromeliads – these are some of my latest ones.

6. Weather

I simply want to cut and paste from last time…. “I love what Mother Nature is throwing at us. I love the feel of the cool air upon my face when I am sleeping. I love the crisp morning air as I venture outside at 430am to hit the chook run….”

The days are slowly becoming cooler, but nothing horrid. I love the fact that there is no humidity and that the gardens are getting enough rain to flourish.

7. Wanting

The last time I touched base I wanted to complete the mosaic project I had been working on for Graham and Lin. It is great to report that this has been completed and is up on their pool wall.

I am wanting:
To complete a mosaic for home. I am going to do these three for us at home. I am planning on putting them on the fence in our pool area.

To get creative by building a garden feature.

To organise a mosaic workshop in the next holiday break. I have had a number of people contact me to ask me to share some tips. GAME ON.

To hit the garden in preparation for the open day that is looming…last weekend in September

To extend the chook run.

To help Peter to finish the deck around the pool.

To give away and sell at least ten items that we have not touched or used in the two years we have been here.

8. Feeling

 I am feeling pretty good actually. All facets of life seem to be aligned.

We have made new friends with Pauline and Andy from our local Hardware store. We had a set DATE NIGHT each month where we visit a different restaurant. 

I feel satisfied with the manner in which I have settled in to my new school and feel that I a now in a position to slowly weave my magic.

9. Thinking

I am thinking that I need to be vigilant in preparing another visit to Camp Eden. I think another visit will allow me to reconnect with myself and form a stronger appreciation of the skills I have but often let sit idle.

I think I and to improve my organisational skill with regard to FILING at work.

I think I love everything around me at the moment!

10. Enjoying

I am enjoying the prospect of spending further time in or garden. We have a number of people coming to stay this year who will notice the changes that we have made around the place. I am enjoying Cluckingham Palace and I am enjoying the prospect of building a little chook house our next clucky hen and place her on fertile eggs.

Green Mango Chutney.

My neighbours Ray and Kay gave me eight green mangoes yesterday and I decided to have a crack at making my own Green Mango Chutney.

The following recipe suits 1kg of Mangoes.

The first thing you do is skin and cut up the cheeks of mango. Weigh this. Today my mangoes came to 1.3kg. To alter the recipe to suit I simply multiplied the measurements x 1.3 to get balance it all out.

What you will need:

• 1kg mangoes
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of white vinegar
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 100g sultanas
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small knob of ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon of dry chillies
• 3 cardamom pods

I have not done this yet, but I am thinking 1 bunch of coriander could also be a nice addition.

What you need to do:

1. Place sugar, vinegar into a large pot and bring to the boil. Stir this until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add in the remaining ingredient and simmer for one hour ish. I tend t leave mine on the stove until it all looks soft.
3. Remove the cardamom pods and puree with a blender
4. Place in sterilized jars.

Home made Fettuccini.

Well what a buzz one gets from cooking something completely from scratch. Today I made my own fettuccini for the first time. I am sure with time I shall experiment further.

I cannot believe how easy this was to make. I simply placed 300grams of flour, three eggs, salt, pepper, a handful of finely chopped basil and a splash of olive oil into my mix master. I am fortunate enough to have dough mixing blades. One could easily use a mixing bowl and a knife as a stirring implement.

Once mixed I briefly kneaded the dough before covering it with a damp cloth and placing it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

It was then time to run it through the pasta maker. I used the thickest setting and ran it through ten times. Each time I would alternate the end that I placed in to the rollers so that the flour combined further. Once fed through I altered the setting to the required thickness. Then it was left for one hour to dry. 

I covered a clothes drying rack with tin foil and WHAMMO! 

Done!