School Holidays....

(1st picture) About a week ago, with only a week left of water, I was just about ready to pull out most of the vegetables in my garden. But, thanks to some much needed rain reaching us on Xmas day I'm lucky enough to be still enjoying 'black jack' Zuchinni, fresh from the bush. Tonight we're eating them sliced in half, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, chopped rosemary, thyme,and freshly cracked pepper. Popped in the oven at 200'C for 20 mins and what can I say ----- they're P E R F E C T ! ! !

(2nd picture) In the lead up to Xmas you might remember me organising a little 'Washer Swap'... Here's a little sneak peak at some of the awesome gifts that my gorgeous Swappers sent out to their partners. Over the next week I'll be popping up links to patterns and respective Swappers blogs so be sure to check back for the details...

(3rd picture) I love Summer and am enjoying being able to let me hair down now that it's school holidays - it feels so good to just take it 'slow' for a change. We're spending many hours on the verandah at the farm, simply not doing too much at all really - and it feels so good too!!!

(4th picture) And in case you couldn't see my little cutie in the 3rd picture, this one's a close up... A gorgeous little kitten who just can't seem to leave my side at the moment and you know what? I kinda really like it... ;)

So, MERRY XMAS everyone - enjoy your next couple of days as you welcome in the New Year too... xx

my Connie wants to Swap too?

I have this girl, she's 7... Her name is Connie and she is super clever!

You know how I've been organising all of these 'washer swaps' of late?? Well, Connie was thinking, and wondering, maybe there might be another little 7(ish) year old out there that might just be interested in doing a little 'swap' with her?!

She is itching to make something for someone, put it in the mail, and send it off as a surprise! She's eager to find out what someone would actually think if they received something handmade from her in the mail and just as eager to get a little special something from someone in return too...

So... Who's up for it??? Do you have a 7(ish) year old out there who would be interested in 'swapping' with my eager 7yr old?? If so let me know and maybe we could work something our for the New Year - it would really make my Connie girls day(year!).

simply perfect...

Last Thursday night my local town held their annual 'Xmas Mardi-Gras'. It was hot and sticky that day so I bathed the kids, loaded up the car, and headed to town for the evening... It was a fabulous night! A real buzz of excitement filled the main street and it made me remember just how lucky I am to be part of such a vibrant rural community... 

Something that I try to do with my kids every year for Xmas is get a snap with the jolly ol' man. As any one with kids would know, it can be pretty hard to get a good family Xmas photo - poor lighting, bad location, feral kids, freaked-out kids, average looking Santa, the list could go on.... But, this year our photo was simply perfect! The Cobar Library had a great display set up - cosy lounge, beautifully decorated tree, awesome Santa (this one I've actually know since I was a little girl - Mr Brown you are AWESOME!!!), great elf-helpers, air-conditioning, and what a bonus an actual PHOTOGRAPHER!!! 

 

Anna Ryan Photography my pictures are beautiful. Thank you for capturing this moment for me!! - screaming child and all... 

Do you have any Xmas Photo memories (or tips)? 

Garden Share Collective : : December

I'm joining in with the 'Garden Share Collective' again....

Things have been pretty tough here on the farm this month as we continue to get dryer and dryer. We still haven't had any rain and combined with hot winds I find myself using more and more precious water in my garden than I normally would at this time of year which means my water stores are starting to get low.

Although inside my yard there is green grass and a lush(ish) vegetable garden, out in the paddocks it's dry and dusty - really dusty...

Here's what I've been up to this month in my vegetable garden;

Watching

Corn

Tomatoes

Beans

Grapes

Passion-fruit

Coloured Chard

Carrots

Propagated Grape Vines

Harvesting

Radish

Cucumber

Lettuce

Zucchini

Beetroot

Numerous Fresh Herbs

Planting

Chilli

More Mini-Muncher Cucumbers

More Basil

More Rocket

More Lettuce

To-Do

Stake new tomato bed.

Transplant Carrots

Things To Note

WE HAVE HAD NO RAIN AGAIN THIS MONTH!!!!!

Seed Swapping

Thanks to the gorgeous Emma Crameri swapping some spaghetti squash seeds with me last month - they have been planted in my garden and I am watching them daily, excited to try this new vegetable for the first time with my family...

I currently have some basil seeds to share - saved from 2013.

I am looking for some heirloom cucumber seeds to plant in my garden this month.

Email me at jellywares@bigpond.com if you'd like some basil seeds - or if you have some cucumber seeds that you'd like to share with me.

pictured below : : new tomato tee-pees

 

pictured below : : black zucchini almost ready

 

pictured below : : green zucchini bush 

 

pictured below : : corn setting fruit

 

pictured below : : a couple of this months cucumber harvest - 2kg's picked so far

 

pictured below : : some of the many beets we've harvested this month..

Check out more gardening inspiration here...

just perfect...

We have been lucky enough to celebrate the 1st b'day of our gorgeous boy, Tobie, this week...

What can I say?? This little guy has simply stolen all of our hearts and we couldn't imagine a life without him in it, not for one single minute! To celebrate we had a bit of a party out here on the farm - just the girls and I and DH, but you know what, that was more than enough and we had a super time! ~ there was cake and sparkles and all kinds of outside fun to be had by us all!!

 

After already having 2 babies grow up in my home I've learnt that they don't really want for much in the way of material processions. So, we ditched the store bought gifts this year and celebrated Tobie's special day in a different kind of way - 2 new rabbits and a few handmade treasures were all we(he) really needed...

 

By the squeals of excitement, from all 3 of my kids, when our cute little bunnies were unwrapped I can already tell that they are going to be a huge hit!

 

Connie even made Tobie a little crochet blanket to keep his new littlest critters cosy...

 

And you know what? She just kinda taught herself how to crochet this week and this is her first creation - pretty awesome, even if I am a little bias because she's my girl and all...  

She just said to me about a week ago that the thinks she has watched me do it for long enough and that she thinks she can kinda do it by herself....

 

So, I watched, and helped a little where needed, and she slowly fumbled her way through her first granny square and you know what?? It's just perfect!! Don't you think?

 

In our garden this week we are happily harvesting beetroot,

 

lots of beetroot, and loving that our depleted pickled beetroot stores will now be replenished...

How have things been at your home this week??