January 2022 – MakeCookGrow.com

My Intentional Word and Other Verbs

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my intentional word

After reading lots of blogs at the end of last year where the writers referred to their ‘word for the year’ or their Intentional Word I decided on one, too. My word was BALANCE. Not even remotely original but that only underlines how unbalanced life can seem at different times. Mine was pretty skew whiff!

Put lots of thought into rearranging how I spend my time but found it hard to change things where other people were involved. Then we began having cases of Covid in Western Australia and suddenly, we had to wear masks in the metropolitan and Peel regions. That meant canceling lots of things and staying home. Mostly these things were lunches with several different groups of teaching friends who are still enjoying school holidays. Masks combined with top temperatures over 40ºC for six days in a row meant many planned activities went by the board!

So, suddenly, I had time to read, paint, watch TV, phone friends and go for long (masked) walks. Some of my daily steps had to be done indoors as it was very hot outside. Although I was aiming for balance in my life things actually felt out of balance again as there was a lot of downtime.

reading

birds of a feather

Tricia Stringer is a prolific and well known Australian author. I haven’t read any of her books before but will definitely read more in the future. This story about a group of women in various stages of their lives, widowed, mother of young children, newly partnered woman in her forti is set on Spencers Gulf in South Australia. It centres around the prawning industry and the local town.

We follow the women as they resolve family problems, sell long established businesses, sort out future plans as a family and change direction at work. So, all the usual things that happen in families, but well written with the od unexpected turn of events. This is a book to take on holidays or to the beach and become immersed.

Abbi Waxman’s THE GARDEN OF SMALL BEGINNINGS was a light, easy and entertaining. The text is smart and snappy. The story focuses on the characters who enrol in establishing a community garden under the guidance of a famous horticulturalist.

As the garden evolves, so do the characters. Their lives become intertwined in many positive ways. Each chapter ends with notes and advice on growing a particular vegetable. Enjoyable, with a happy ending.

TWO FEET FORWARD

Written by husband and wife team Graeme Simsion and Anne Burst this is the story of Zoe, from California and recently widowed and Martin, recently divorced, from the UK. They meet just before they both set off to walk the Camino de Santiago trail.

The walk is known to inspire reflection and change. The walkers meet other pilgrims and their stories about their lives, their challenges finding accommodation and food and the general difficulties of walking the various terrains make up the story. Martin and Zoe bump into one another along the way but for various reasons, mainly barely credible misunderstandings, they never quite get together.

I persisted with this book as I’d like to walk the trail, too, and found the descriptions of various towns, the hospitality offered and the reason people embarked on the walk interesting. I found Martin’s attempts to improve his relationship with his hurt, troubled daughter rather tepid. Zoe’s faith in the universe, which was very unhelpful at providing regular vegetarian meals, was irritating and quite sad for a woman and mother in her forties.

Reviews vary from five stars to one star, with strong feelings expressed at both ends of the scale. I’m glad I read it because the information about the Camino trail was interesting but I didn’t enjoy the book.

watching

Credit Walter Presents

Ice Station Murders is an Italian police drama on Stan. Set in Aosta, close to the Swiss Alps, it is a gritty drama in a very beautiful setting. So when I flicked through Frances Mayes’s ‘Always in Italy’ I read everything about the Aosta region. Apart from the surrounding Alps, always covered in snow in the series, one of the attractions is the beautiful buildings. So many of the characters live in lovely old buildings with high ceilings, big rooms and a cafe with outdoor tables and chairs just downstairs!

Pleased that there are many episodes of Ice Cold Murders as there’s little to watch on free to air TV and cinemas are out of the question at the moment.

cooking

Two loaves of sourdough rye bread. I wait until they are cool as they are easier to cut then I slice and freeze most of the bread, leaving out six slices for immediate use. This is a heavy bread with a distinctive taste and not liked by everyone. My husband prefers a white loaf from a local bakery which he cuts into thick slices.

australia day

Wednesday, 26th of January was Australia Day, commemorating the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove in 1788. We reflect on the history and diversity of our nation. We celebrate with family barbecues, community events, citizenship ceremonies welcoming new members to Australia and acknowledge personal achievements through the Australia Day Honour List.

It is a public holiday in Australia. Like thousands of other Australians, my favourite event on Australia Day is the fireworks! They are fabulous. Usually, people crowd around the foreshore to watch the display, but social distancing resulted in far less spectators this year. I watched it from an upstairs window. Really like fireworks.

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Pea and Ham Soup, Mending and Marbling Paper

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pea and ham soup

Normally I freeze the Christmas ham bone and make soup around Easter time, when it is cooler. But these aren’t normal times! Western Australia, where we live, will open the border to the other states of Australia at the beginning of February. Unlike the other states, WA has had only 9 Covid deaths and very little community transfer of Covid but that will certainly change when the borders open.

So I am cleaning out the things we don’t need in the freezer and packing it with essentials to keep us fed if we are locked down. The ham bone is now simmering in a pot with split peas. Instead of freezing some, as I usually do, we will be enjoying the soup for a few days. Pity this soup making project coincided with temperatures forecast in the high 30ºC s ! ( 100ºF plus)

I’ve never followed a recipe before for Pea and Ham soup but recently I’ve really enjoyed several recipes I’ve found on the blog recipetineats (here) Nagi makes her soup in a slow cooker but it’s already hot here and the heat and aroma generated by a slow cooker bubbling away all day was a bit off putting. I’m cooking the soup in a very old, often used Dutch oven. I bought this and a smaller version when I got engaged and that was 39 years ago! It’s a real workhorse.

The soup cooked for 2 hours. Then I removed the bone and the bay leaves. Scraped the remnant ham from the bone after I had emulsified the soup slightly with a stick blender. I’d added some extra chopped up ham because I didn’t want it thoroughly chopped and mushy.

mending the handles on a drawstring basket

Versatile, secure and fairly strong I have several useful drawstring baskets.

The handles of this basket are stitched on . I use this basket all the time. When one handle became loose, well, actually, came off, I knew I could repair it.

This thick strong cotton was perfect for the job. I searched my sewing supplies for a tapestry needle but couldn’t find one. Then I found this needle called a packers needle and it was perfect for the job! It’s long, blunt and has a big eye.

The cotton I used for the repair is quite a different colour from the original yellow thread but that’s fine. I double stitched the handle on for added strength.

Then I realised the handle on the other side was coming off, too, so repeated the task.

Resisted unpicking the remaining two handles as they seem quite strong.

I really like these drawstring baskets. They’re not like my big French Market baskets and are ideal for small shops, visits to the library and swimming. I can put my wallet, sunglasses, a drink bottle, phone and still have room for shopping, books, a towel and none of it is visible with the drawstring pulled. Worth repairing.

marbling paper

I’ve written in a journal every day for many, many years. I like the red and black Chinese notebooks available everywhere, until recently, but I add my own cover (here). These notebooks are quite light, have fairly thick paper (I’ve always used Fineliner pens which seep through thin paper) and fit easily in bags, baskets and a suitcase when I’m away from home. Their only down side is the colour of the covers, so I’ve always covered them and added marbled paper as front and back lining paper.(here)

I use Japanese inks to marble the paper. I have always used recycled printing paper or other recycled paper for marbling but will reassess this next time as some of the sheets tore and the printing on others seeped through and was evident when they dried. Not good.

In the past I have tried other techniques for marbling, includung shaving cream and acrylic paint (here) but the colours are too garish for me and some other paints, which tended to fade, so I just stay with the inks (here). The colours are clear and traditional and last, the inks are easy to use and clean up afterwards and they are kind to the environment.

Once the papers are dry I cut them to size, fold them down the middle, apply glue (UHU stick) and glue them into the already covered notebook. I also add a calendar, gluing it onto the last page. I tend to cover and line four or five notebooks at a time.

Western australia covid update

Despite no new cases of Covid in Western Australia, our Premier, Mark McGowan last night announced that the hard border separating us from the other states of Australia will stay in place. It was intended to open on 5th February. Our economy is strong and the unemployment rate is at an all time low. Schools will open as intended, in a week, and bars, cafes, restaurants, gyms and retailers are open, but we now have to wear a mask. The maximum in Perth has been over 40ºC all week and the same is forecast for today, so mask wearing adds to the heat! Thinking about people elsewhere who have been wearing masks and limited in their movements for two years now.

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Aiming for Balance, Cleaning Granite and What I’m Reading

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planning for change

This week I’ve scrolled through another blogger’s list of her favourite 100 blogs. It took a long time. Some I read, a few I’ll subscribe to and some I quickly closed. They were the ones about food, accompanied by many luscious and tempting photos. Post Christmas I need less temptation and more lettuce.

One of the frequent things in all the blogs I read was the blogger’s “word” for the year. The chosen word reflects their goals for the next twelve months and serves as an aid memoir. Some of the chosen words were resilient, indomitable, prepared, organised, calm, forgiving and adventurous. It was really interesting to read why these were the chosen words and the intention that resulted in the words being chosen. Some of the bloggers also talked about how well they utilised their “word” the previous year.

I was outside, walking, thinking about these stories and how each word could act as a reminder and wondering if if there was a word which would resonate with me when it came to me, my word should be “balance”. My once organised life was pretty balanced and taken mostly for granted and re-establishing that balance should be my goal for this year. My life definitely lacked balance towards the end of last year.

Pixabay

When I left work four years ago there as a period of adjustment but in time I had a number activities which were stimulating and mostly fun. Some of that fell apart due to Covid, but there was time to paint, read and potter in the garden, meet friends for lunch or coffee and entertain at home. During Covid, when painting, Pilates, bookclub and yoga ceased, I found online alternatives. When our border with the rest of Australia opens at the beginning of February we might have another period of seldom leaving the house but there are alternatives.

Creating balance will take some planning. The concept is new and I am still considering what a balanced life will look like! Instead of doing some cleaning, sorting and organising today, for instance, I have read. I started the day reading the Sunday paper but haven’t touched the crossword yet! Walking 13 000+ steps a day requires considerable planning, too, but I am inspired by bloggers who say they feel they’ve made positive changes by applying their “word for the year” to their lives.

maintaining granite benchtops

We have granite benchtops in the kitchen. They are nearly 15 years old and in very good condition but after constant use for food preparation over the holidays, they needed attention to look their best. The surfaces are wiped after use and again during the post dinner evening cleanup but now the granite needed a good clean and polish.

That magic cleaner for stovetops, tiles, floors and granite, warm soapy water.

Granite contains trace elements of acid sensitive minerals. It is made up of quartz, feldspar and mica. It is strong and durable but many commercial cleaners, bleach and other favourites such as lemon juice and vinegar will damage the surface.

To begin the process fill a sink with warm water and squirt in some mild washing up detergent. Using a soft cloth dipped into the water and wrung out, give the granite a really good clean. Follow with a clean water rinse. When the surface is dry, polish with another soft cloth (I used an old, clean t-shirt) There are commercial granite cleaners available, too.

Then I resealed our benchtops using a commercial sealant which is sprayed on, rubbed in, left to dry and then polished. The entire process took about 15 minutes. I am so pleased with how shiny the granite is now. ( I have had the sealant for about ten years. I know it is still available but may have a different label now)

reading

Just finished Kate Langbroek’s book,’ Ciao Bella! Six Take Italy.’ Langbroek is apparently a well know radio and television personality in the Eastern States but I’d never heard of her before I picked up the book. It is an account of her family of six moving to Italy, initially for a year, then they extended it to two years and then they were stuck, due to Covid! She, her husband and four children are now back in Australia.

After an idyllic holiday in Italy, they decide to move there for twelve months. Eventually they decide on Bologna. They want a town with an international school to lessen the changes for the four school aged children. The book is a marvelous tour of Italy and its people. She writes eloquently about where they go and what they eat. She recounts with good humour some of the challenges of living in a country where she doesn’t speak the language and doesn’t do well at the language school.

glass of wine and vegetaler

Upsplash

This is great escapism, especially in a time when we haven’t been anywhere outside Western Australia for two years. Langbroek’s enthusiasm for adventures and fond anecdotes about her family make for fun reading. Her descriptions of food in Italy just make me hungry! This book is Langbroek’s love letter to Italy and I really enjoyed it!

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2022 The First Week

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It still feels strange to write 2022 but we adjust to writing the new date quickly. Did you make New Year resolutions? The New Year used to be a big party night but not since CV-19. I miss the fabulous fireworks but not the parties. My energy and interest used to flag by 10.30pm and I’d want to go home to bed.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!

fireworks display during night time unsplash

packing away christmas

The Nativity figurine closeup photography

Apparently, Christmas decorations should go up four weeks before Christmas at the beginning of Advent. So, of course, there’s rules about when the decorations should be taken down and packed away. It seems decorations should stay in place until the Twelfth Night, celebrating the arrival of the Three Wise Men or Magi, who followed the Star of Bethlehem to offer gifts to the newborn Baby Jesus in the manger.

Twelfth Night is the 5th or 6th of January, depending on your religious affiliations. I quite like traditions which make it plain when things should happen but most of our decorations were hanging from high light fittings so were taken down by our 192cm tall (6’4″) son before he went back to Kalgoorlie. It is much more fun putting up Christmas decorations than taking them down and packing them away.

single use plastics

I often refer to the damage single use plastics are doing to our environment and therefore our health. Western Australia will be officially phasing out the sale of single use plastics as of the first of January, 2022. The list includes plastic plates, bowls and cutlery, stirrers, straws, takeaway expanded polystyrene containers, thin plastic bags and helium balloons. Single use plastics required in medical, aged care and disability circumstances will be exempt.

Reusable picnic ware, made from bamboo, taking your own bags for shopping and fabric bags for loose fruit and vegetables are easy swaps. Ask if you can provide your own containers for takeaway food. Not always well received but I hope that will change now! Plastic shopping bags will be phased out within six months.

image 123RF

The next stage in reducing our reliance on single use plastics will be in January, 2023. Cotton buds with plastic shafts will be banned along with polystyrene packaging, microbeads, oxo-degradable plastics, takeaway coffee cups and lids and polystyrene cups. Cotton buds with cardboard or bamboo shafts are available online and from many supermarkets. They use organic cotton, a cardboard or bamboo shaft and paper or cardboard packaging and are compostable. Oxo-degradable plastics are conventional plastics such as HDPE, like carrier bags, which include additives to promote oxidation resulting in smaller, brittle fragments as they decompose, but it seems the fragments don’t dissolve, they just get smaller and smaller.

assorted-color disposable cup lot unsplash

reading

I really enjoyed Hannah Kent’s previous two books, Burial Rites (2013) and The Good People (2016). I found her third book a bit more difficult. It is based on her Prussian/German ancestry and history around Hahndorf, in the Adelaide Hills. Some of my ancestors also came from Prussia and settled in the same area of South Australia. They left Prussia to escape religious persecution. Like many Australians I have a diverse genetic mix, in my case, Norwegian, English and Scottish plus German.

This story is like a grown up fairy tale or ghost story. It’s about Hanne, a German girl who ends up living in the Adelaide Hills as a ghost, having died on the ship journey to Australia. Before her death she was confused about her identity and her role within her community. She knows she doesn’t share the same interests as the other girls, but all this changes when she meets Thea, whose family also migrated to South Australia on the same ship. She continues to observe the behaviour of the people on board and stays with them when they land and eventually build their community in Hahndorf. Thea marries Hans, who wanted to marry Hanne.

Kent’s books are recognised for the level of research and historical accuracy in each. I found the information about these early settlers very interesting. Kent’s lyrical descriptions of the nature around her are wonderful but I’m not so keen on adult fantasy. Despite my reservations all the reviews are full of praise for the book and Kent’s gentle treatment of a situation which would not have been recognised within the religious sect both girls belonged to nor within the wider community at that time.

international cuddle day

2 girls sitting on floor unsplash

January 6th was International Cuddle Day. Cuddling releases oxytocin which is good for your health. A good cuddle should last at least 4 seconds! If a cuddle is not possible, a massage can result in the same health giving release of hormones, too.

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