around the garden

We have always had a veggie garden and our children have all been unhappy helpers at various stages of their growing up years. I do get it, I really do - which child wants to give up playtime to labour for their food? However I needed some one to collect cabbage moth grubs or snails; to weed seedling beds and dig out thistles; to turn soil, rake soil and spread mulch. We wanted them to know how to look after themselves, to feed themselves and to be appreciative of where their food came from. Whats the good of knowing all the algebraic formulas, for example, if you didn't know how to cook or sew or change a tyre or grow some food? Our aim in homeschooling was to teach them life skills and a life long love of learning. I'm chuffed to report that the oldest five have all had or have decent veg plots in their backyards - and with a little more maturing and a permanent abode, theres still hope for the two youngest ;) 

This one is offspring #5 - Bee - in her little patch. Not much space for a garden but she and her partner have made it as big as they could and we've all been enjoying the fruits of their labours! I think even just the thought that we have a garden and/or have the capability to grow food, makes this stay at home time a little easier. And of course the fact that we can spend as many hours of the day as we like pooltling about in it regardless of social distancing measures. I can only imagine what it would be like to live in a tiny apartment without access to anything green and outdoorsy - we really do all need a good soak in the natural world from time to time, don't you think? 

The harvest wasn't huge but there were certainly enough tomatoes for many salads, loads of delicious parsley to add to everything, cucumbers, beans and a rather productive basil crop which was processed into pesto and popped in the freezer for winter. I have shared our basil pesto recipe before but I'm going to add a vegan one which is equally delicious. 

We picked a lot of calendula flowers and dried the petals for......something! Not sure what but the last ones I dried were used to decorate raw slices and cakes. Will let you know ;)

The last few clematis flowers are still clinging to the vine. The vine needs removing as its climbing onto the espaliered plums so that will be a job later in winter.

And the last of the roses adding some colour over the fence. I love roses but oh the thorns are truly terrifying - this one in particular! 

Lastly, theres the one and only surviving sunflower! They are such a satisfying flower to grow aren't they? Not only do they have such a shiny, happy face that daily follows the sun but when the display is over, they provide lots of plump little seeds! True, its a pain to crack them all however now would be the perfect time to spend an afternoon doing just that! 

I think I'll delegate that job though haha!!! 

I'm actually missing having a garden of my own so it's lovely to potter about in my girls little plot - although it won't be long and there'll be very little garden time. Winter is on his way and then it will just be a quick visit outside for some greens and back to the warmth of the fire. 

And that has it's merits too! 

is this too much of a good thing?

Recently I came across a humorous thought from someone...it went something like this - 'By the time we all get out of isolation, half of us will be pregnant and the other half will look pregnant!' It made me laugh at the time but now I'm not so sure if it isn't the darn truth!

There's been a lot of eating going on here. Eating that might have been done at a cafe before isolation I suppose, although I mostly just had a coffee or a hot choc at the cafe where my daughter worked. Mostly....there may have been snacks too. And maybe the odd lunch. Hmmm.

Anyway, I don't think it's so much that I cook more because I always cook meals and often snacks, it's more that since I have lots of time at home, I'm cooking more bready, floury things that take time - of which I have ample - to produce. And having Stuy plus the two young ones to feed means theres three very good reasons for making extras! Young men of 22 summers need a lot of feeding to fill their 6' selves! And when that young man is trying to keep up his workout 'gains' - half a loaf of bread disappears quickly in one sitting!

A friend gave me some sourdough starter a few weeks ago, so I've been trying to get back into sourdough baking. I feel my brain has had a mid-life crisis because it simply cant remember how the heck to make sourdough - and I made it for years back when my children were younger!!! My starter (which I haven't named yet but would love suggestions!) is being well fed and keeps getting bigger by the day and every so often I need to use some up...until such time as I feel able to tackle an actual loaf! Last week the extra made a very tasty focaccia. Of course it went straight to my hips.

The next day the two young ones went to a nearby pine forest for some mushroom hunting. Whats a mama to do when there's a couple of baskets of delicious Saffron Milk Caps to be had? Make pasta of course!! That took up an afternoon and provided us with lots of enjoyment......as well as a delightful meal of Creamy Vegan Mushrooms with pasta. Yum! I think this lot went straight to my already well padded tummy.

The mushrooms weren't the only thing foraged in recent times...there are also The Apples. I feel we are apple magnets because not only have we been gifted a lot of homegrown ones but once again the young folk went out and brought home more! There's only so many we can bottle (although daughter Bee is doing a great job on those!) so since dessert is necessary on occasions - for the soul you know - we whipped up a sweet as Apple Crisp. Straight to the hips again, I'd say.

Apples again? Yes, yes it was. Breakfast - pancakes with sourdough starter (I cant bear to throw any away!) and blueberry apple topping. I couldn't find the cinnamon so improvised with some Chai latte mix and it was pretty impressive although the pancakes were a tad chewy from the sourdough. Next time I'm going to try these Vegan Coconut Pancakes that I found via CJ's post although it might help if I knew what 'free from coconut milk drink' is!!

I've given up wondering where on my anatomy the pancakes ended up ;)

that took a while!

Oh geez that took a while! I've just spent a good portion of two days working out how to a) link a page to various past blog posts of mine...and b) make a suitable image on Canva! Finally, after some cursing, many cups of tea and lots of chocolate eggs later, I DID IT!!!!

So if you have a penchant for cooking, especially fresh and vegetarian, you might just find something yummy to try. And if you are one of my children calling for a recipe - look here first!

Now theres another page I'd like to create and thats one with all the crafty and repurposed things I've made over the years.....and maybe a homeschooling one as well.... I'm not sure however if I should start asap (too much gnashing of teeth all at once!!!???) or wait until I've recovered and perhaps forgotten a few particulars of Canva and Blogger?

I'll give it some thought as I wander outdoors for a breath of fresh air today.

I hope you find some deliciousness - let me know if you try any out!  

good morning!

I spent a (now quite rare) morning in golden solitude. I'm a lover of people, fun and socialising but all this very close living, coupled with the shenanigans over the weekend, have given me a renewed sense of needing alone time. The young ones slept in, Stuy headed off to work and I made myself a nice cup of Rooibos and settled down to the puzzle we started yesterday.

It was lovely.

But just a little noisy....

.....my daughters beloved guinea pigs were playing a strenuous game of hide and seek with much squeaking and jumping about. The budgie decided now was a good time to let the world know it was a new morning and everybody needed to get up! And outside, in the not-for-much-longer-vacant block next door the workers started up their diggers and proceeded to shout instructions over the machinery noise!

Aaah!! Bliss! Everything is just as it should be!

a different easter gathering

Like most people, our Easter celebration was a little different this year. The biggest difference was the absence of little ones. Although my daughter and her two small girls live only a seven minute walk away, we couldn't have a gathering due to the 'rules'. Instead there were only six of us - and all adults - to search for our baskets of rabbity offerings! We invited the two young folk that share the house (live in the third bedroom) to join in and although they were a bit trepidatious at first, who can resist the joy of searching for chocolate eggs under shrubs at 8.30am? Haha! 

This year - owing to the adults only theme - the sneaky Bunny hid the baskets in a variety of hard to find places and it took them all nearly an hour to rummage through every vine, shrub and bit of undergrowth in the front and backyard. Meanwhile the sneaky Bunny took photos and laughed at their futile endeavours! Even without the small children, these young ones managed to find amusement and joy in the whole procedure - even the two boarders, who I am sure had never done anything like it!!! 

Breakfast was the usual spread of cheeses, bread, buns and olives - which was, like every year of course, liberally sprinkled with chocolate eggs! Yes, it was a smaller table of loved ones, there was less childish enthusiasm but we still had a special time together. 

We even had a Zoom video call with our children near and far - organised by a son - and I must say this was where I really missed having the family around (and may have shed a few tears). The video was a little clunky and it was hard to catch everyones voices but oh I did/do miss them all. Mind you, although I don't see them all the time, I think its just knowing that I cant see them if I want to, that's a bit hard. Having said that,  I am just sooo grateful to have had even just two of them to celebrate with this year. And I'm certainly hoping they can all come home for Christmas!!

finding normal

Our days are slowly becoming the 'new normal'. Maybe not quite 'normal' as yet but certainly we are settling into a rhythm of sorts, considering that our living arrangements are also rather new! I mentioned in my 'debut' post, that we are currently living with our 22yo daughter and her partner for the foreseeable future but I thought I'd also share why!!

About 3 years ago Stuy and I thought it would be a good idea to buy a school bus. And it was a good idea because we live in Tasmania and my mum who is now 91 lives about 2000 km's and an overnight boat trip away on mainland Australia. Our idea was to fit out the bus, drive to mum's and live in it while spending some quality time with her now that we only had one child still living at home (she came with us). It took us almost two years to actually get organised to leave - we needed to finish renovating our house to rent out, as well as fit out the bus. Neither of which were fully accomplished by the time we left, but in April 2019 we boarded that boat and headed off on a new phase of our life!

We loved it! My mum was delighted to spend time with us and I am so very grateful that she is still alive and kicking (rather well in fact - she's still amazingly sprightly!).

My brother-in-law offered us the use of this very sweet, secluded little cabin on 100 acres to live in and we spent a happy 6 months soaking up the northern NSW sunshine, rummaging through fresh food markets, swimming in crystal clear waterholes and creeks and eating all manner of delicious warm weather food.....

 .........like pawpaws, fresh from my mums trees! Not everyone likes them but they are one of my favourite fruits along with mango and watermelon!

My sister who also lives in the north, was creating a heartwarming space for her aspiring business Sacred Earth Funeral Home and Sanctuary  * and I spent a lot of days planning, sewing and decorating the hall and the old church building with her.

Then the bushfires came and the idyll was over. I think it was late October when we were evacuated and had to move the bus to the local Showgrounds along with many others. It was scary and sad and happened really quickly

We returned to Tasmania in early December for Christmas with our children and fully intended heading back to mum in April. On Easter Sunday night in fact - tomorrow. But now it's not to be. We'll be staying here in Tasmania until the government says we can leave again. And because our house is rented out, and winter gets pretty cold in a bus, we have moved into our daughters spare room. Fortunately we all get on really well and are quite social people so life certainly wont be dull for the next few months!

I hope wherever you are gives you a feeling of home and who ever you are with can feed your soul with love and laughter.


*Do have a peek at my sisters website even if it's just to look at the 'gallery' page, it really is so beautiful. Not many people want to think about, let alone talk about dying, however my sis has a way with words and you might find something there of use to read about at this time.

lazy sunday (and thoughts on monday)

I should call this post 'Lazy Sunday...for some that live in this house' since it was only Stuy and I that lazed about! He was feeling worn-out from a busy few weeks of work and I was just feeling...uuuumm...lazy!

We woke up to heavy rain which did then turn into a sunny morning but with a very chilly wind and our first snow for the year!! I'm not a fan of the cold weather but it was exciting none the less, with blue, blue sky and a dusting of white! We left the young ones with a very large pile of firewood to move and stack (did I mention that only some of us were feeling lazy?) and headed up to our sons property where Stuy works during the week. It's beautiful and isolated - which is important to mention since we are abiding by the new rules - and we sat in the sun sheltered from the wind by the wide verandahs.

I think that somehow the worn out feelings stem from all this upheaval thats happening right now. Its quite debilitating always thinking of where we can go, who we can't see, what we must do and so on. And then theres the grief that I'm sure we are all experiencing. I have days of feeling like this too shall pass and everything is fine with me and mine. And then there are the days where it all hits me broadside and I feel small and lost and sad.

Small because I'm realising how tiny I am; how insignificant in the wellbeing of this whole amazing world, my life actually is; how minute my day to day existence is when I hear how humanity is cowering, brought to it's knees by a microscopic organism.

Lost because I've been momentarily derailed; dreams and wishes have been put on hold; outings are non existent; friendships are now by email or messages minus hugs and kisses.

And sad. So sad. This crisis will without a doubt change our lives. It will change the way we go about our daily business. It will change all our everyday doings. I'm a bit of a lover of past ways and slower times and old fashioned life, so the probable changes seem a bit much really.

Today is Monday and I'm feeling all these feels.

However. Most days I can also see the positive aspect of this muddle. I know I'm important and a vital part of the macrocosm. I know I'm loved and needed by my nearest and dearest. I understand that everything is exactly as its meant to be. I can see that there will be amazing new beginnings as well as a yearning for slower living. That a lot of people will question why they've been rushing and looking to material things for gratification. All these things I'm aware of.

But some days are for grieving.

And some are for lazing.

And it's all ok.

xx Evi xx

Well... hello!!!

Oh my goodness!!

Well, it seems it needed a shakeup of massive world-wide proportions to entice me to start blogging again!! My life has changed so much since the last time I shared in this space that I feel it will take me quite a while to fill you in on all the news. I won't do that though. At least not in one hit! I would however like to share what's happening in my corner of the globe at this time. Little things that I'm doing, making, baking, creating, seeing, hearing, reading and ruminating on.

Years ago, when I started reading the inspiring blogs written by women scattered far and wide, I was at a point in my life where I really needed some inspiration and comfort. I truly found that comfort by reading what others were writing about from their little part of the world and it certainly motivated me to share by also starting a blog. Many of those women have stopped blogging altogether or are now primarily on Instagram - me among them! I think so many of us moved to Instagram because it was quick and instant; I also think that Insta is just not as personal somehow - more instant yes, but less personal.

So here I am.

Feeling slightly bewildered.
Looking a few years older.
Wondering how to navigate this new world.
Sharing a house with my daughter and son-in-law.
Wishing I'd hoarded less books and more toilet paper.
Grieving for the way things were.
Laughing at pandemic memes.
Struggling to fit all my ideas into a day.
Motivated to prepare, cook and preserve.

Now that I have so much home time again, I'm hoping that I use some of it to document our days here in this space.

I'm also looking forward to your thoughts on my musings! Let's get chatty while we are all keeping to ourselves in real life.

Love Evi


*The pic is of my four beautiful daughters and me, at the February wedding of my oldest son.