On Becoming Empty Nesters, Cooking, Summer Garden and Reading

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ON BECOMING EMPTY NESTERS

Like the Obamas, we have just become “empty nesters”. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, (Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your life In Focus) Michelle Obama, as a new empty nester, talks about the energy she can now direct to her other interests and how she can focus on her husband.” It’s just him and me and Bo and Sunny. ( the dogs) They don’t talk…the dogs.”

silhouette photo of grass field

Your life changes when the children have gone. Some friends have expressed sadness and a loss of purpose, but more often women talk about having time and fewer distractions so able to follow their own interests, re-newing interests with their husbands or developing new interests.

This is an exciting time for many women who have juggled motherhood, home duties, working and being a wife. Many find it relaxing and invigorating. Some friends commented on how the house stays tidy and there’s always milk in the fridge. Others enjoyed the more adult relationship they were having with their newly independent child.

assorted flowers in macro shot photography during daytime

The biggest, unexpected change for me is that I sleep better. Our son would wake at 5am on workdays, then come downstairs at about 6am and have breakfast then leave for work. He was always very quiet but I was aware of movement in the house. Now I sleep in and I’m loving it!

COOKING

Summer means crayfish (lobster), crabs, prawns, mussels and squid in Western Australia. It has been very hot today and I wanted to make something really easy for dinner. Enter Squid in Tomato Sauce!

Need a delicious and easy summer dinner? Gather 350gm of squid, an onion, a jar of herb and red wine pasta sauce, some dried and fresh basil and ground pepper.

Cook the diced onion in olive oil until soft. Meanwhile cut the squid tubes into rings. When the onion is soft, push it to one side of the pan and cook the squid for five minutes. Combine the onion and squid.

Pour the pasta sauce into the pan. Boil a kettle and swish out the jar with about a cup of hot water and add to the pan. ( Then use the rest of the hot water to scrub the cutting board.) Leave to simmer for about 20 minutes stirring regularly.

Serve with fresh basil on pasta or rice. A generous meal for two or for three with rice, pasta or steamed vegetables. Add another large squid tube and you have dinner for four.

Preparing the prawns for lunch tomorrow. Fabulous seafood in Western Australia.

ORANGE IN THE SUMMER GARDEN

The predominant colour in the summer garden is orange. These orange bulbs are haemanthus coccineus, usually called hemanthus. When the bulbs stop blooming, strappy green leaves appear. Apart from the bright orange flower they have a spotted stem.

The bulb lies dormant in the garden until mid February, then the top becomes green with a white rim and then this becomes orange and the flower appears.. A bulb about to flower is just to the left of the two flowers.

Gorgeous, cheerful day lilies. They don’t last long but more come all the time.

This chili plant has purple, mauve, red, orange and yellow fruit.

These cannas seem to bloom all year round.

READING

As usual, I’m mostly reading library books.

If you enjoyed Elizabeth Strout’s “Olive Ketteridge” and “Olive Again” I’m sure you’ll enjoy one of her older books, published in 2017, “Anything Is Possible”. Set in rural Illinois this is a story about growing up in a small country town and the relationships within families and the wider community. A good read.

Also reading at the moment “Cover to Cover” because I’d really like to learn about book binding and this is a very motivational book. I am looking for a tutor to show me how to stitch the signatures, bundles of pages, together then add the cover. I know what to do but like to see someone else demonstrate the process. Once I’ve seen it done, I can do it.

Enjoying Sophie Pester and Catherine Bruns, “Supercraft Christmas” because I saw it reviewed and knew I’d love the crafts featured. I plan to sew fabric gift bags much earlier this year to reduce the Christmas pressure. I will use their Advent Calendar bags as a pattern for printing the bags.

You know how they talk about Nigella’s television shows and cookbooks as “food porn”, well, I really like decorator porn! I’m currently reading “Be Your Own Decorator” by Susanna Salk. Not because I want to re-decorate (well, I probably do) but because I just like to look!

Pages and pages of beautiful rooms and not a sign of decluttering in any of them! These are the favourite rooms of 75 renown designers and most of them are gorgeous. Full of collections unique to each owner and all supported by the author’s advice and design tips plus lots of information about using colour. So interesting.

I have just read that wooden toothpicks were first patented on the 21st February 1928. Toothpicks are common in all cultures. Skulls of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens clearly show signs of teeth being picked clean.

Although picks made from wood remain most common, during the 17th century toothpicks were luxury items made of precious metals and decorated with precious gems. Plastic toothpicks have been available recently but wooden picks, often made of birch are still popular. Dentists recommend the plastic picks but prefer the little brushes. I would avoid single use plastic picks.

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How to Clean A Chop/Stamp, Painting, Birthdays and Growing Ivy

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CHOP CLEANING

This has got nothing to do with meaty chops! Chops, in this case, are a Chinese stamp or signature. I have three. They are a remnant of living in China and now I use one of them to stamp my paintings and prints. The chop is pressed into the pot of ink and then stamped on paper.

The ink is also known as seal paste and is long lasting. It is usually handmade from natural materials; Artemisia Argyu, known as silvery woodworm plus castor oil and white clay. The vivid red colour is most common and often called “cinnabar” red as it is red with a tint of orange, like cinnabar. The paste or ink is best kept in a ceramic pot.

Over time the carved out characters on my stamps have become embedded with the red ink. I couldn’t find any online instructions on how to remove the sticky, thick red ink, so I experimented. I was hoping I’d regain the crisp clarity of a new stamp.

I began by wiping off what I could on paper towel. Then I scrubbed the area with diluted pure soap and hot water. Partial success, but not enough. Then I tried spraying on a little Isopropyl Alcohol and scrubbing again with a clean toothbrush. Success! Rinse, dry and ready to use.

PAINTING

My water colour class started on Monday and runs for eight weeks. I have been using this palette for nine years and was reluctant to clean it as I relied on the same colours time and time again. I bought some new tubes of paint and decided to start again, not with a clean slate, but with a clean palette! Here is the palette soaking in the trough in the laundry.

Three hours later, a lot of scrubbing and then a lot of cleaning in and around the trough and I have a clean palette. My painting bag is packed, ready to go.

BIRTHDAY

It is our son’s birthday this week. He is 33. He was 55cm long at birth and now he’s 194cm. I cannot believe how fast 33 years have gone! Usually we celebrate birthdays with yum cha, but considering the risk of corona virus, we decided to celebrate at home.

Our son wanted fettucine with a meat sauce. He made the dough but we all helped with the rest of the process.

We’re not sure how nonna would have done this by herself but it is worth the effort as this pasta is luscious!

While the fettucine was drying I made an Apple Ginger Birthday cake which is cooling next to the drying rack of fettucine. It is busy in the kitchen!

Dry and ready to cook.

Meanwhile I have made a rich meat sauce to serve with the fettucine. This sauce starts with onions and garlic then the mince and finally passata and tomatoes and chopped up vegetables. During the cooking process I add dried basil, a little sprinkle of cumin, some thyme and salt and pepper. I remove the two bay leaves before serving.

The Apple Ginger Birthday cake. When it was cool I iced it and decorated it with diagonally cut Ginger Thins finished off with a little circle of finely chopped crystallized ginger in the centre of the cake. It was very good.

GROWING IVY

I was a bit surprised to see pots of ivy for sale at the shopping centre. I have never considered buying ivy as I thought you just broke a piece off a plant you already had or asked someone else with a plant for a piece and got it growing. Apparently not.

The verge out the front is currently a bit of a mess but that’s because we have a verge collection next week, or a “bring our your dead”. This involves putting anything non vegetative that you no longer want on the verge and then the council truck picks it up. In the meantime, people cruise around looking at your discarded things and take what they want. Great recycling but why do they make such a mess? Carefully stacked and safely arranged things are in total disarray within hours.

Anyway, when the rejected goods have gone it will be time to replace some dead patches in the ivy under our street tree. The tree is obviously an attractive place to park in the heat of summer but the ivy doesn’t do so well being parked on, so it is time to replant.

To grow ivy cut off a tip piece (top of image above), strip the lower two or three leaves (second part of image above), place it in water (below).

Refresh the water once a week until you see little white roots shooting from the bottom of the stem, plant out and keep moist for a few days, then water every two days until the weather cools down. Voila! Free plants.

February 14th is Valentines Day, but unless you avoid shopping centres, don’t watch television or read the brochures in the letterbox, you already knew that! We don’t really celebrate the day although I’ve made a card and will make a cake in a heart shaped tin, because I always do and we’ll go out to dinner with friends because we arranged it a while ago.

Some water colour paper, folded, a cut up pink envelope to make the banner, a neoprene heart and some letters written using a Sharpie. Plus glue.

Plus a recycled envelope.

Completed with a gold sticker.

How do you celebrate Valentines Day?

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Bushfires, Reading and Summer Fruit

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Bush Fires in Australia

Raging, out of control bush fires have been incinerating parts of Australia for some weeks now. The consequence is loss of lives, loss of animals both wild and domesticated, loss of food crops and loss of homes and businesses.

According to Bjorn Lomborg, in The Weekend Australian, February 1-2, 2020 p1 “Australia is the world’s most fire prone continent. In 1900, 11 percent of its surface burned annually. These days, 5 percent of the country burns every year.” We need to review our fire management strategies.

Little comfort for those whose lives are in upheaval due to bush fires. Many charitable institutions immediately began collecting money to assist those effected. I am always a bit wary of these big charities as those at the top earn enormous incomes in this country, but was able to donate in a direct and immediate way, elsewhere.

Local farmers from Harvey, near where I grew up, were driving eleven truck loads of donated hay, plus clothes, blankets and nappies thousands of kilometres across the Nullabor to feed surviving stock. The co-ordinator, Ms Belinda Hall, speaking on ABC WA Country Hour 18/02/2020, said , “Some of the most generous donations came from farmers and communities devastated by the 2016 Waroona-Yarloop bush fires (in Western Australia) that destroyed 160 homes and killed two people.”

This was a long journey across Australia. The cost for diesel to fill up these trucks at every service station stop was $10 000. I was able to donate to a crowd funding site to help pay for the diesel and every cent went to this cause.

For an historical overview of fires in Australia, the impact on Australia and other countries and other information, visit this informative site https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50951043

READING

As usual, I have been enjoying some library books. Unable to do many jobs in the garden due to the heat, I’ve focussed on garden design and gardens as seen by other people. I’ve already ordered this year’s tulip bulbs to remind me the weather will come and it will get cooler, ………….eventually.

The first of these books is “Gardens of Awe and Folly” by Viviane Swift, a whimsical and gorgeous record of gardens she knows well on several continents. She visits nine of her favourite gardens around the world and walks us through each, sharing the history, intention, management and individual charms of each. Her watercolour paintings highlighting the unique aspects of each garden created the most wonderful travel journal. Her depth of knowledge and passion for these gardens worldwide, was very inspiring. Loved this book!

The second book I’ve dipped into for ideas while I’m thinking about rejuvenating the garden was Adam Frost’s “How To Create Your Garden”. Suitable for smaller suburban gardens, his ideas and plans are easy to follow and to incorporate in your own space. There are three sections in the book, focusing firstly on designing, then building and finally enjoying the finished garden. Although this book is written by an English author, much of the information, especially in the design and build sections, could apply to gardens almost anywhere.

Also re-reading Graham Greene’s “The Quiet American” our bookclub book this month. First published in 1955 this novel is about the breakdown of French colonialism and the American involvement in the Vietnam War. This espionage thriller has all the elements of a ripping yarn; love and war, honesty and deception, betrayal and loyalty. I am really enjoying it and I enjoyed the film, featuring Michael Caine, too. We both like visiting Vietnam and a few years ago we stayed at the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi where some of the scenes where filmed.

I had trouble photographing this book as the cover is totally unremarkable. I always consider the covers of books when I select them but this cover has nothing to recommend it!

My husband belongs to an all male bookclub. When the convener of this bookclub was interviewed on the ABC radio yesterday, the female presenter made much of the “men only” aspect of the bookclub. This made me think about the four bookclubs I have belonged to in the past 35 years which have been “all female” but this aspect was never an issue. I don’t think it was ever mentioned . Although we often met in houses, husbands were never present. The focus on “men only” felt like a double standard on the “oh so politically correct” ABC but I think the announcer was trying to be controversial.

The Children Act By Ian McEwan

Last year our bookclub read “The Children Act” and last night we watched the film. Released in 2018 and staring Emma Thompson, we watched it on Netflix and thought it was a good representation of the book. Confronting moral and humanist issues played out around the lives of the judge making these decisions and her husband. Great book and film.

SUMMER FRUIT

Plums, beautiful summer stone fruit, delicious fresh and plain. To easily pop out the seed, pierce at the top, where the stem was, with a sharp knife, slice around the circumference, twist each half in opposite directions and the stone is revealed and easy to remove. Works for other stone fruit, too.

Thinking about food, did you know 9th February is Pizza Day? Traditionally an Italian dish, immigration and the returning servicemen after WW2 saw an explosion in popularity America and to a lesser degree, worldwide. It’s a very easy day to celebrate!

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How To Make Vegetable Dyes and Summer Occupations

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Making Simple Vegetable Dyes

Two of my favourite vegetable dyes at the moment are onion skin and red cabbage. Onion skins create a lovely orange tint and the red cabbage water can be diluted to create a pale lilac tint or left as a concentrate to make darker purple.

I have experimented with cotton fabric as the dye can easily grip the fibres. I keep old cotton sheets, select the areas that are not worn and then wash the fabric, sometimes adding one cup of vinegar. I add this if the end product might be washed regularly but if I know it wont be washed, such as a lavender bag, I don’t add the vinegar.

Oni0n skin, diluted red cabbage and concentrated red cabbage dyes on white cotton fabric. The orange sample looks beige in this photo but is actually quite a bright orange.

Recently I’ve used onion skins, rosemary, avocado skins and pips (here) and now, red cabbage to make dyes. These natural dyes are paler than a shop bought dye. The list of ingredients used in commercial dyes is very off-putting.

To make the dye, simmer one part chopped plant to about five parts water for an hour. I simmered the cabbage for less time as the colour was so strong. Strain, then add the fabric to the liquid in the pot. Some long term makers of vegetable dyes recommend you keep an aluminum pot for simmering the dyes as the aluminum acts as fixative. Leave the fabric in the dye until you like the intensity of the colour, then rinse in cold water and hang out to dry.

If you know your fabrics will be washed regularly add a mordant, a colour fixative, such as vinegar or common table salt to the simmering liquid. I use about half a cup of either. Salt is usually recommended for dyes derived from berries and vinegar for plant dyes, but I have used both successfully on dyes from either source.

Note: I now drape these dyed fabrics over plants to dry after the pegs I’d used to peg them on the clothesline bleached colour from the area where they touched the fabric. The dye soaked into the wooden pegs.

I will make lavender bags from these dyed fabrics soon.

SUMMER OCCUPATIONS

Once the sea breeze, AKA The Fremantle Doctor, comes in it is cool enough to take Louis to the dog park. He checks all the trees and runs around with his mates. When he is hot and panting he stands close to us and wants to go home.

Louis is a groodle, a Golden Retriever/Poodle cross and has a thick, woolly coat. He is ideal for me as I am usually allergic to dogs but not to his wool. Once the temperatures are in the 30s (86 F ) he gets very hot so he has been to the groomer for a trim. He is now cooler and feels like he’s covered in velvet. He doesn’t like having his photo taken!

Plate of peaches and nectarines for breakfast. I sometimes cut up mango and spoon over sheeps’ yoghurt, too. Summer fruit is wonderful!

After breakfast our son put an eight hour slow cooker beef ragout to cook. Smelled very good all day!

Then later he began making the tagliatelle to eat with the ragout.

Luscious ribbons of gold goodness ready to dry. He chose this thickness so the sauce would adhere well to the strands and it did, too.

The pasta drying rack.

Delicious dinner with eight hour slow cooked beef ragout and freshly made tagliatelle plus a sprinkling of romano pecorino.

The hippiastra are flourishing in the heat with repeat flowers.

The petunias in the new umbrella stand are very pretty. The new stand has been a great success, holding the umbrella firmly in place, despite some strong winds

Had to re-pot these box topiary trees as they were bursting out of their pots. They enjoy the heat more than I do, in fact, they thrive.

These lisianthus were a very welcome gift this week. Not really suitable for as indoor plants, I have planted them in a pot outdoors.

I have spent part of the Australia Day long weekend reading. I continue to get my books mostly from the library, although this sometimes results in me buying the book as I want to refer to it again and again. My favourite library book this week has been Jenny Rose-Innes’ Australian Designers At Home. Any book or magazine about gardening, architecture and decor attracts me. The Australian designers and their houses featured in this book talk about their mentors and inspirations, what they hope their homes achieve in terms of comfort and their motivation for what they have included or excluded. Letting people view your home and treasures is probably a difficult decision. Luckily we get to see so many different styles and read about what motivates these choices. I loved this book!

My least favourite is from an author whose books I have really enjoyed in the past. I began Helen Garner’s Yellow Notebook Diaries Volume 1 1976-1987 at the beginning, flicked to about halfway through, went to the end and all I can say is,”Why? ” She admits the diaries, like many notes written about life, are a “stream of fragments”. Being a writer is a precarious form of work and probably doesn’t pay very well, either, but these notes should have remained as her personal memory trove.

Did you know 30th of January is CROISSANT DAY? Oui! The buttery pastry has always been associated with the French but they probably originated in Austria in the 13th century. Intended to celebrate the Austrian victory over the Ottoman Turks, the moon shaped croissant is thought to be derived from the symbol on the Ottoman flag.

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Australind, Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, Summer Reading and Eating and Shopping The Sales

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VISITING AUSTRALIND

We’ve just spent a few days staying with my mother in Australind. Although the days were hot the sea breeze arrived in the afternoon and the nights were cool.

My mother is recovering from a broken wrist. She makes her own muesli so I chopped some apricots, dates and almonds and mixed them with pepitas before adding oatmeal. We made big three jars of muesli so they’ll last for a fortnight or so.

Enjoyed walking along Leschenault Estuary in the cool after dinner. Lots of people out crabbing. Beautiful sunset.

Visited family, shopped and spent a few hours at the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery (BRAG) We had arranged a tour of the gallery with the curator as part of the Summer School program.

BUNBURY REGIONAL ART GALLERY

The tour began in with the Modern Masters exhibition, featuring modern Australian landscape artists from the early 1900s to the present. The exhibition featured a mix of traditional paintings, Aboriginal works and some abstract paintings. Some of the Aboriginal paintings were obviously influenced by teachers demonstrating European style works in mission schools and some were painted in traditional styles. This is a spacious and light gallery, showing the paintings at their best. Having a detailed and well informed commentary by Caroline, the curator, added to this visit.

Authur Meric Bloomfield Boyd’s Wimmera Landscape

From there to the next exhibition, ” Machines and Makers: Displaying A Healthy Obsession For Sewing Machines”. Intriguing, multi media pieces. Intricate and fun to look at closely, this exhibition features the technology of the 19th century that changed the world. Although the focus is on the political, social and economic changes wrought by these inventions, the pieces were also witty, nostalgic and charming. I learnt to sew on a treadle machine before we had electricity at the farm and still admire their wrought iron frames, wooden tops and storage drawers.

Linda van der Merwe’s Maker’s Mind #2016

These parasols/umbrellas hanging down from outside walkways at the gallery add fun and colour.

CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY

We’ve just celebrated my husband’s birthday. His favorite gift is always lots of books. He orders them and I wrap them and he enjoys them for months afterwards.

Our son cooked weisswurst German sausages, roasted potatoes and cabbage for the birthday lunch and then this delicious Schwäbischer Zwiebelkuchen, a German version of egg, bacon and onion pie! With a bread-like pastry base and a baked pie of onion, eggs and bacon plus yoghurt, this was a remarkable dinner. It lasted three days, too, as it was a big pie.

READING

My books come from the library. I like to read reviews and then reserve the interesting ones online. We have so many books and plan to sort and in some cases, dispose of some, when it is cooler. This is my plan, half halfheartedly supported by my husband. They are mostly his books.

The Maverick Soul is like a huge edition of the decorator magazine World of Interiors without the pages and pages of advertisements. Miv Watts book features twenty five homes decorated by people who surround themselves with what they love, not what matches or is fashionable this year. These are vibrant homes full of lovingly chosen artifacts and supported by brief histories of the owners. I keep going back to it, flicking from home to home, enjoying the stories of their owners and the colourful and thoughtful decorations.

The second book I’ve just read from the library is David Lebovitz’s L’Appart, The Delight and Disasters of Making My Paris Home. If you’re a fan of his luscious cooking books, especially about chocolate and desserts, you’ll really enjoy his well written story of putting down roots in Paris. If you’ve ever fantasized about buying and renovating in Paris, best you avoid this book, but if you’d like an insight into the French way of doing things, start reading. Previous books of his I’ve read are The Great Book of Chocolate, My Paris Kitchen and The Sweet Life in Paris.

NEW EMMA BRIDGEWATER CHINA

The big box from Emma Bridgewater. Arrived quickly and safely.

Boxing Day sales, post Christmas sales and New Year Sales are all intended to tempt consumers to buy and for sellers to off-load old stock. Lots of sensible people I know bought clothes, or all the family’s birthday gifts for this year or even things they’ll put away for next Christmas.

I bought more Emma Bridgewater china! I love this design and have collected pieces since 1997. I generally don’t open the emails when they’re headed “Emma Bridgewater Sale” as the shipping cost from the UK to Western Australia is frightening. This year I succumbed and these two beautiful bowls and the glasses case arrived safely in seven days and I love them! Not sensible like half price clothes or a years’ worth of gifts but I adore these pieces and have already used one of the bowls.

My much loved collection with the new additions.

Did you know January is Brain Teaser Month? There’s so much focus on keeping the body fit and healthy but during January you are encouraged to focus on brain health. To keep your brain healthy, stimulated and active do some puzzles, such as quizzes, crossword puzzles, sudoku or play Scrabble or mahjong. There’s lots of online strategy games which require concentration and considered choices so give those grey cells a good work out!

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Making Pickles, Celebrating, Rye Sourdough, Repairs and Buying Leggings

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PICKLING CUCUMBER and RADISHES

Summer means salads, but I get tired of the same things day in and day out. Most years I end up pickling some salad vegetables to add variety. The process of fermentation or pickling helps support a healthy gut, too..

I have pickled both the cucumber and the radishes using this pickling liquour ( here) Both are very fresh and readily available at the moment, so we are eating them raw and pickled. I added some very thinly sliced pickled ginger, also known as sushi ginger to the radishes.

The bunch of radishes was so pretty I did a quick painting before preparing them for pickling.

The slight pink tinge of pink is Himalayan salt and red from the radishes. Still tasted very good.

CELEBRATING

Our family had great news to celebrate this week. We enjoyed an evening with champagne and the next day we did what we nearly always do when we’re celebrating; that is, eat yum cha. We have a favourite Chinese restaurant where the little treats are always delicious. It is very popular and we often have to line up outside, waiting for a table. It is worth it!

Sometimes we have to queue to get into the yum cha restaurant but it’s worth the wait.

MAKING RYE SOURDOUGH

I’ve been experimenting and making sourdough using rye flour. For some years I have made sourdough using white flour. Recently I’ve tried rye sourdough. I followed some recipes online but did wonder if I could use the recipe I’ve always used for white flour sourdough to make rye sourdough. It is a straight forward process, probably because I’ve done it so often! I had already made a rye mother/starter

Rye flour, old recipe, delicious bread.

This is the loaf made from the recipe I have used for some time here. It is less dense and a bigger, lighter loaf compared to the special rye recipes but still very filling. I slice it into very thin slices and freeze most of it as we only eat a few pieces a day. This 100% rye flour sourdough has no sugar or molasses and this blend of sourdough and rye flavours tastes very good. It is a sticky dough so I used extra flour to knead it and generally handle it and then I lined the baking dish with baking paper. The loaf came out cleanly. We all like this bread and I will continue making this recipe.

REPAIRING PEBBLE INFILL

Used a little bit of the concrete I’d mixed to make an umbrella stand to repair the pebbles joining these two areas of brick paving. Some of the pebbles had come loose or disappeared so time to repair the infilled area.

I had to dig out the existing concrete and pebbles. Then I made a clean end to the channel using a piece of stiff cardboard. Not very high tech but it worked well.

Filled the channel with concrete, pushed in new pebbles, cleaned up any smudges and left it to dry. Also replaced individual pebbles in a few other places. I thought I’d collected the original pebbles as they became loose, but I didn’t have enough and had to use some new ones. They are very white but will blend in with time.

IRREGULAR SIZING IN WOMEN’S CLOTHES

Set off to buy new leggings. I wear these most days when I walk. I needed to replace my current leggings because constant wear and washing resulted in them getting baggy and they were beginning to look like trousers, not close fitting leggings. Not good.

The difference in length is surprising. The grey pair and the black pair under them are the same brand and size.

The waist size, leg length and overall sizing was so different.

I bought two pairs in one shop and one pair in another shop. All three are the same size and all three fit well. Strangely, when I laid them on top of one another they were three quite different sizes! One black pair and the grey pair are the same brand so I thought they would be very similar sizes.

So this is a problem for consumers. The clothing I’m comparing was stretchy, made from cotton and lycra and can easy accommodate the person wearing them. Fitted or tailored clothing cannot. All three pairs were made in the same country. It can be particularly difficult if clothes are ordered online. Why aren’t sizes universal? Am I the only person who finds this a problem?

January 15th was Hat Day. Hats come in all shapes, colours and sizes and are essential for protecting you from the sun. They also keep your head warm, safe (helmets) and can make a style statement.

Apparently, more heat is lost through your head than anywhere else on your body.

Living in the land of skin cancers, hats are essential. Many schools in Australia have a, ‘NO HAT, NO PLAY’ rule. So, get your hat on and be warm, safe, sun smart or stylish.

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How To Make An Outdoor Umbrella Stand

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MAKING AN UMBRELLA STAND

Have you ever tried to secure an umbrella in gusty winds ? An umbrella is ideal for a small courtyard as it can be put down and packed away in winter when the morning sun reaches into the house and warms the tiles, which retain the warmth throughout the day. Not ideal when cyclonic winds arrive from the north west. The cyclone season in the north west is from about December to March, the months when I need to protect some plants from the burning sun.

Our umbrella needed a strong and secure base to keep it steady. The umbrella protects the gardenias and spinach from the burning sun. It is inconvenient to have to put it up and take it down frequently.

This jumble of sand bags has been stabilizing our outdoor umbrella for three years. Unattractive and slowly allowing the umbrella to lean precariously, it was time to make a more permanent and efficient umbrella stand.

Investigated online and hardware shop options. There’s a number of permanent options to insert into the ground in a cement sleeve, or water filled “tanks” to place on the base but I needed to be able to move the umbrella to protect different areas of the garden at various times of the day.

A large ceramic garden pot in a blue shade which blends well with all the other pots was the answer. It is heavy with a wide, stable base. The top part of the umbrella stem slips out of the lower section so the lower section can be secured in the pot, then surrounded by concrete. This is left to cure then sealed with grout. When this has also cured potting mix can be put on top and seedlings planted in the soil. The advantage of this system is that the umbrella can be moved to suit the direction of the sun.

We removed the lower section of the umbrella stem and then unscrewed the “leg” section, a cross shape. Looking at umbrellas in our major hardware shop yesterday I realized most of them don’t have any sort of base now, you have to buy that separately. I investigated the options and none were what we need for our courtyard.

I glued the lower end of the stem to the base of the pot and sealed around it with waterproof silicone. I had marked and measured the centre of the pot as it wasn’t exactly where the drainage hole was, although it was close enough to allow any rain to drain out from around the pole. Left it to dry overnight.

Prepared the concrete. I had to work quickly as it was a very hot day.

I’d put an old plastic tablecloth under the pot which is sitting on the brick paving.

Poured in the concrete, stopping occasionally to press it down and smooth it. I was wearing latex gloves. Filled it to about a third of the pot size.

I left the concrete to dry overnight, then sealed it with a layer of grout to prevent the lime leaching into the potting mix, which was put in next. Then I planted petunia seedlings in the soil, watered and stood back to admire.

Some of the surrounding plants look burnt because they are! We had several very hot days and parts of the garden show the effects of the unrelenting heat. The brick paving and surrounding brick fence retain the heat, too.

The new umbrella base fits in well with the other pots in the courtyard and has withstood very gusty winds.

A good solution to keep the umbrella stable, but hard to photograph well in a small area.

Tomorrow is Learn to Write Your Name in Morse Code Day. Morse Code, a series of unique dots and dashes, is in danger of disappearing as modern technology has replaced it as a form of communication.

There’s plenty of online information if you do want to learn to write your name or just look at the charts showing the combination of dots and dashes for each letter in Morse Code.

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How To Cook Bok Choy, Reading and Happy New Year!

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HOW TO COOK BOK CHOY

Do you like a variety of vegetables? We are lucky enough to find a huge range of seasonal fruit and vegetables in our shops. After the indulgences of Christmas and Boxing Day I like to make light, fresh, easy to eat meals. (That’s in between finishing off the ham and Christmas puddings.)

Today for lunch I quickly cooked bok choy and prawns. At the end I added some garlic and it was very good. This was a light meal for a very hot day while we sat watching the cricket on the TV.

Begin by chopping the ends off the bok choy and washing each leaf thoroughly under running water. There’s often sand trapped between the leaves. Shake them to dry them. Usually I chop them into thin strips but today I cooked the whole leaves. This vegetable cooks down a lot, so make sure you have at least one bunch per person.

Heat about a quarter of a cup of water in a frying pan over high heat until it boils, then toss in the leaves. Let them settle, then swish the leaves around, using tongs, cook some more, swish, until the leaves are wilted and the water has evaporated. I add some finely diced garlic at the point. Serve as desired.

This time I removed the bok choy from the pan, splashed in some extra virgin olive oil and flash fried some peeled prawns. When they were ready I served the bok choy and prawns. You could add rice or noodles. This simple and quick meal tasted wonderful.

READING

The gentle lull between Boxing Day and the New Year is the most perfect time to enjoy some quiet time reading. As a family we all enjoy gifts of books for Christmas. In fact, my husband always gets exactly what he wants for Christmas and his birthday; he buys the books he wants and I wrap them!

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Australian Vogue, this months cover features Nicole Kidman, “our Nic”. Really interesting to read about the fashion revolution of the 60’s and 70’s because I was there! Iconic photographs and pieces by past editors, designers, models and photographers makes for an great edition.

Unlike a magazine which is easy to pick up and put down with its shorter pieces, some of these books below have been very difficult to put down.

A fortnight ago I read Alice Hoffman’s “The Marriage of Opposites” and was struck by the cleverly researched facts supported by fiction resulting in an evocative and engaging story, so I can’t wait to start “The World That We Knew” published 2019.

Really enjoyed Anne Glenconnor’s “Lady In Waiting”. Her biography is a rich mix of aristocratic families, royalty, travel and courage. She is also an occasional columnist for the Spectator. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, her story is fascinating and I really enjoyed this book.

Two gorgeous Christmas gift books, with a common theme, are Janelle McCulloch’s “Gardens of Style” which is typically fabulous, like all her books and Jackie Bennett’s “The Artist’s Garden”

McCulloch’s book came gift wrapped and sealed to add to it’s allure. Many happy hours ahead. And some new ideas for the garden, I hope, although our garden is tiny and the gardens featured are often very big. Two beautiful books.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

After what has seemed like the fastest year ever, we are about to embark on a new decade. Do you make New Year resolutions? For many of us, the new year is seen as a new start, a fresh beginning, resulting in lists of resolutions. These lists often revolve around self-improvement. So, weight loss, fitness, healthier food and less alcohol.

Some lists focus on improving the work/life balance, resolving problems at work, earning more money or planning for retirement. Or perhaps planning the holidays all that work will finance.

I don’t make New Year resolutions but will continue walking 12 000+ steps every day, investigate more ways to use less plastic and continue decluttering. Had some success throwing out, donating and even selling things during the past week but there’s so much more to go!

So, do you make lists? Do you make permanent changes or do your plans slowly, or even quickly, fall by the way?

Whatever your approach,wishing you a HAPPY and HEALTHY NEW YEAR and thank you for reading my blog!

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Recipe For Devilled Eggs, Rum Balls and Slowing Down

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DEVILLED EGGS

Devilled eggs are an old fashioned finger food, easy to pick up one handed at a party and easy to eat. I was a bit intrigued by the name Devilled Eggs as they’re not hot or particularly spicy. The name was found to be in common use in the 18th century, first appearing in 1786. By the 19th century it generally referred to some spicy or zesty foods, not just eggs.

I caught the end of a Nigella Christmas Special on TV recently and she was preparing a tray of Devilled Eggs. They looked delicious and seemed to disappear quickly when she set them at her Christmas Dinner. They are also suitable for vegetarians and gluten free guests.

We needed to “take a plate” to several parties this week, so I decided to make Deviled Eggs. “Take a Plate” in Australia doesn’t literally mean arrive with an empty plate as if the host/hostess is short of crockery, it means take a plate of food to share.

Following Nigella’s recipe, I left the eggs in a dish on their sides overnight. This was supposed to ensure the yolks would remain in the centre of the egg. Total fail for me, with some yolks visible at the edges and ends of the eggs after they were boiled.

I am a huge Nigella fan but her next step wasn’t so fabulous, either. By boiling them for one minute, then turning off the heat and leaving them in the hot water for 12 minutes, then putting them in a bowl of icy water for 15 minutes, the eggs should have been easy to peel perfectly. No! I had torn whites and misplaced yolks; something which has never happened before.

Then the final problem occurred when, having followed her recipe, I tasted the egg mixture and it was not to my taste, at all.

So, unfortunately, I had to start again, making them the way I used to make years ago. I have no idea where the recipe originated from but it is quick, easy and relies on pantry staples. The recipe required the yolks from eight boiled eggs, 3 tablespoons of whole egg mayonnaise, two teaspoons of Dijon mustard and a dash of Apple Cider Vinegar. Tasted great after a good mix with a fork and a grind of black pepper.

The yolk mixture is traditionally piped into the egg white. I threw out my piping bag ages ago due to it being stained. I forgot to replace it. So, I put the large star piping point in a ziplock bag after I snipped off a corner. Then I pulled this over a mug and scraped the yolk mixture into the bag. After I’d piped one egg, the bag split, delivering a big blob onto the plate of whites. Spooned the mixture into the rest of the egg whites. Time was running out!

Scattered the completed Devilled Eggs with chopped chives and then paprika. They tasted very good and were eaten quickly.

RUM BALLS

This is another nostalgic recipe for Christmas time treats. I make these delicious rum balls from memory, too, and they are quick and easy.

Simply process a packet of milk arrowroot biscuits (250gm), a tin of condensed milk (395gm), a cup of desiccated coconut and 2 tablespoons of dark rum. When the ingredients are well mixed, fill a bowl with more coconut and a bowl with cocoa, then scoop out walnut sized amounts of mixture. Roll into balls in your hands then roll the balls in the coconut or cocoa until they’re well coated. Put them on a parchment lined tray. Place the tray in the fridge for an hour and they’re ready to share. So easy, so delicious!

Other essential Christmas nutrition.

Eat. Share. Enjoy.

SLOWING DOWN

The time after Boxing Day, the 26th of December and the New Year (new decade!) is often a time to slow down and contemplate. There are probably fewer social commitments and there’s time to enjoy Christmas books, games or other gifts and less pressure around meal preparation. There’s probably left over ham, turkey, Christmas puddings and Christmas cake and in Australia where it is the middle of summer, masses of fresh, colourful fruit. No cooking, just peel if necessary, slice and serve. This is a precious time to re-charge. Some people consider New Year resolutions, some people plan post Christmas shopping sprees and some people just slow down and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Whatever your plans leading up to the New Year I hope you are happy and well and beginning to feel re-charged. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And happy Fruitcake Day! This seems a bit odd to me as I associate fruitcake with Christmas, not two days after Christmas.

Popular in the past for their longevity, these alcohol laden treats could be stored for months or longer without refrigeration. We soak the fruit for our Christmas fruitcakes in brandy for about two months before making then a week or two before Christmas. So, enjoy fruitcake today, if you have any left!

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How To Make Rye Sourdough Bread and December in Western Australia

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MAKING RYE SOURDOUGH BREAD

What sort of bread do you like? Do you make your own? For some time I made a sourdough loaf every few days. I’d slice and freeze it so we had beautiful bread all the time. Then rye sourdough was recommended to me. We are lucky to have several artisan bakeries nearby and we tried a selection of rye loaves, but only one was made from 100% rye flour.

To reduce single use plastics, in this case cling wrap, I use a hotel shower cap stretched over the bowl while the dough rises.

White flour sourdough. I made rectangular loaves eventually as they were easier than the rustic ball shape to make sandwiches and to toast.

So I decided to try and make 100% rye sourdough myself. I read many recipes and watched videos online and narrowed the choice to three. I’ve only made the first one so far. This is the process I followed.

Fed the mother/starter and left it overnight until it was frothy and puffy. There’s instructions on the site listed below for making your mother/starter if you don’t have one.

Measured out the salt. The recipe actually listed sea salt, which seems to have disappeared in the last pantry cleanup, so I used Himalayan salt.

Dissolved the salt in 400ml of warm water.

Then added 200ml starter.

Mixed it all together.

Then weighed out 600gm of rye flour.

Sifted the flour into the wet ingredients.

Then kneaded the dough until it was smooth and the flour was all absorbed. This took about five minutes.

Left the dough to rise until it had doubled in size. It is 41 C today so this was achieved quite quickly, but a slower doubling in size results in a stronger flavour.

This loaf is made with 100% rye flour. Most rye bread loaves have a blend of wheat flour which is high in gluten and rye flour, which has a lower gluten rating. It is a dense, great tasting loaf with a nice sourdough tang but a good rye flavour, too. We have eaten some and frozen the rest, sliced, as it will thaw quickly in our climate.

Unlike most bought breads, this loaf is simply made from flour, water, salt and starter. It is very dense and filling, too!

This is the recipe and video I used to make my rye bread. Lots of good information here: www.crazy-cucumber.com/make-rye-sourdough-bread-sourdough-starter-breadmaking

IT’S DECEMBER WHEN…

This year seems to have been the fastest year ever and now it’s December. Your really know it’s December in Australia when you have to check the bee bath regularly due to heat evaporation. I’ve had to put the bee bath up on a plant pot as our dog, Louis, considered it his outdoor water bowl and regularly drank it dry. The pebbles create a safe place for the bees to stand and drink in the bath.

December means the hydrangeas are blooming and very lush and pretty.

As are the agapanthus, which seem to flourish in the unrelenting heat.

And the hippiastum which blooms most of the year and the flowers are big and bold and gorgeous.

The lime tree has lots of fruit. Great sliced in water and on fish and curries.

Christmas decorations are going up.

And all plans seem to focus on Christmas. I’m not photographing the burnt spinach, the drooping tomatoes and the scorched gardenia. It has been very hot in Western Australia.

December 21st is CROSSWORD PUZZLE DAY because the first crossword puzzle is thought to have been published on this day in 1913. Doing crossword puzzles every day is thought to be good for memory and mind health. Love a good crossword puzzle!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR TO ALL MY LOVELY READERS!

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