One of those days!!!!!!!!!

You know the ones..........they start bad the night before. When I got the children from school yesterday Robbie came limping to the car, he'd hurt his ankle in football. Well we went to soccer practice and at 6p.m when it was finished and it was time to go home...........flat battery in the car, no problem I'm married to a auto elect I'll ring hubby.......great left the phone at home, and hey! what can Greg do any way as he can't drive. Plan 2...... brother in-law is also a auto electrician, rescued at last.....

Today.....

Started out with coffee in my favorite cup...Yep today is going to be a good day!!!!!!

Wrong.........

Poor Robbie can't even walk on his foot....Get other 3 of to school, make sure Greg is O.K for a few hours then of to the doctor.....We got in by 9a.m then of to x-ray then back to doctors only 11a.m by this time........good news his foot is not broken just torn tendons and badly bruised..... You have to imagine this as they won't let me take a photo to share....Greg and Robbie getting around with walking sticks!!!!!!!

Time for another cuppa.....

Then out to bring in a load of wood........feed the chickens and collect 12 eggs as they are laying well at the moment........Off to MIL for afternoon tea......Alanah and William have both come home sick......Will with his asma and Alanah with a head cold....Half way through my cuppa Greg rings to tell me I must have left a gate open as there are cows in the yard....Right every-one in the car...... race home. Chase cows out of yard....By this time I am pretty cranky do you know why? cause I left the gate open.... I may look strange yelling at my-self for leaving it open(but I do any-way) As I walk around to inspect the damage I want to cry.....the beef steaks have eaten ALL my cabbages, lettuce and broccoli........again I yell at my self for being so stupid..

Now.......

I am going to make a cup of coffee in my favorite cup, take it to bed and read my book...Tomorrow when I wake up the world will be a happy place because it is Saturday....I should be taking the boys to soccer, but as one is sick and one has a sore foot instead I can stay home and paint some out door furniture and be thank full for a full Saturday at home.....

So.........how was your day?????????

Buying Organic.....

Do you?????

There is alot of debate around about buying organic produce..
Today I had to take Alanah to T.A.F.E and the Organic Food Market is just near there so I thought I would drop in. Growing my own produce it doesn't bother me that the fruit is not picture perfect like the supermarkets are. It is the price that I do a double take on..For the items above I paid $18.05 for... $4.25 for the milk, now this I thought was O.k it is in a glass bottle that I can reuse unlike the plastic ones, also the milk is local. $6.32 for the Hommus, I thought that was a bit dear as it isn't even organic and I can get it half the price at Aldi. The tiny little cucumber was$3.07 hmmmm makes me long for the ones I grow. $2.06 for the capsicum, I thought that a fair price. I buy all my fruit and veg from the markets, they may not be organic but they are local and alot cheaper. With such a large family I think I will continue to buy my f&v from the markets. I will be going back to the shop for my milk, and also a good look around to compare grocery item prices.
Do you buy organic? or buy local? which do you think is the most important....To me I think local, I want to support my community to keep it going, so I will put local before organic and if I can get both , even better....Better still will be to go out and be able to get every-thing from my back yard !!Let me know what are your thoughts on this... Now for something far from organic......Last nights desert yummmmm. Custard, jelly and fruit , this is about all Greg's tummy can handle. The children don't mind as thy are getting desert something we have never worried about before. Greg is doing O.K he is constantly in pain though which is horrible for him. Also he can't really eat any-thing but fruit. We are just taking one day at a time.


Till next time
Mandy.........

Enjoying Monday......

I am loving these winter days full of sunshine and crisp air.......bliss.
I have ordered my new fruit trees. I have ordered them through Garden Express, they had a brochure in the July issue of Gardening Australia. When I rang them and talked about the different fruit I wanted they were very help full.
This is what I ordered.....
2 Thornless gooseberries, blueberry (brigitta), blueberry (northland), peach, apricot, nectarine, kiwifruit male&female,apple (pink lady), and granny smith apple tree. I am looking forward to getting these in the ground, and in a couple of years the fruit from them..... I need to replant my window box on the shed wall, as it is looking very unloved and sad. Yesterday on the way home from church we found a new market had started up at our local shops. I was able to pick up some good plants from there and get some fruit. We will now be leaving for church half an hour early so I can drop in there for our fruit. It is a lot easier than the big markets to get to for us.

Yesterday afternoon I spent teaching Cassandra how to sew. Cassandra and Robbie have been on to me for ages to teach them, but I didn't really want them on my good machine. Last week when Spotlight had their sale on I got them a good little Brother machine for $249. It is a great little machine for them to learn on. Cassandra made herself this apron, she soon got the hang of sewing and has decided she loves it. Next week-end she wants to learn how to make some pants using a pattern. May-be Cassandra will be like me and enjoy sewing as her 3 older sisters certainly don't!

I need to get in and get the housework finished so I can get out to the garden and plant my new plants. I also have to dig a few holes for the new fruit trees. I love Mondays, planning and getting ready for the week ahead, each Monday is a new beginning I always feel...

Where's the photos?????

Today my computer has been playing up all day.........I finely got it to connect this evening and now it won't load my pictures for ME (*#%^*#@*#) I don't know if this post will even load. Tomorrow I'll contact my support team and see if I can get it working. We have a big week-end this week-end with the local exhibition and and a family reunion and that's after I have been at soccer from 9am - 1:30pm......Looking forward to it all though..... I hope to have some photos Monday, if the computer agrees to it that is.....

Blessings to all and have a great week-end.

Mandy

Quickly....

I planted the tomatoes in a new spot for winter. They are planted down the back garden in a nice sheltered position that gets lots of sun.. I have been getting lots of little cherry tom and small gourmet ones. I also have ox heart planted that are just starting to ripen. I planted basil in among the tomatoes and it has grown so tall. I think for lunch today I will make some basil and pine nut pesto to have on toast with tomatoes. ymmmmm.

I love this photo of William, he is trying to do his top button up on his school shirt.
He had such a look of concentration on his face but smiled just as the camera went of..

Just a quick post today, then of to take the boys to soccer this evening and I really need to get some fruit and veges while I'm in town...

Blessings to all

Mandy

Enjoying the sun.......

Not a lot happening around here today, my MIL has gone to help out my sister in-law that has broken a bone in her ankle. When my MIL is here she hangs all the washing for me, brings it in, folds it all then irons it for me.. Do you know how much spare time I have had ......I love my MIL and not just because she is good to me (O.K it helps) I spent all my spare time in the garden.

Today there is housework to get done and washing to hang on the line. I'm trying to get some routine back into my life, but I think I have to realize that NOT having a routine is my routine.... The sun is shinning brightly so it won't take long for the washing to dry... I will be spending some time in the sewing room as I need to add some length to 2 tablecloths I picked up on sale. They just fit the length of the table, so I'm going to add a little more to each end. That way they can hang over the end of the table.

Plants are still starting to flower....Abraham Lincoln Rose has lots of buds on it. The pansy's have there faces up to the sun, and salvias are starting to flower as well...We are all enjoying the winter sun plants, animals and us......

Blessings

Mandy

Over the week-end........

Well it didn't snow but it was certainly cold. Soccer practice was cancelled on Thursday night because of the cold so that was good. The weather has warmed up a little since then, Saturday was cold at soccer but Sunday was warm and sunny perfect gardening weather. This photo below is of the garden this time last year, the fruit trees had just been planted , but can you see the 3 scraggy macadamia trees in a row? Well there gone!!!!

As you can see here...They were very old and unhealthy and it was time to cut them down. All in all we chopped down 6 trees in the yard. I will be planting more fruit trees next month when I have decided what I want. It was a big job clearing them away, Alanah,Casie,Robbie,Will and I worked hard Sunday clearing them all away. We will have a big bonfire when they all dry out. The first photo is of a large log we couldn't move so we left it in the garden and made a display of it.

I can't believe the difference it has made with them gone. The above photo is from the Old dairy's door and I can now see the house. Below is from the back door looking up to the old dairy ( I didn't realize MIL had hung her washing up sorry about that lol) It has open the yard up so much. When the fruit trees grow up it will be different. This is one of those ideas I got while Greg was in hospital, but he did organize to get them cut down.

I also got some sewing done for a friends daughters 1st birthday. I made Nelia a little dolls quilt out of left over flannelet from when I made pajamas for the girls.. I took this photo to see how all the colours looked together, and it is the only one I have. I stippled it and binded it in the pink. I called it "Bubblegum" I think I will make Cassandra's quilt using the 9 patch squares, that is why I used them as this was my experiment quilt as I haven't done 9 patch before.

Well I'm off to see what you all got up to over the week-end.

Blessings

Mandy.

Time for a change....

It is so cold here today.....

The clouds look so fluffy and heavy looking, I have heard talk of snow. Greg said that it has snowed in Toowoomba once about 30 years ago..I would love to see it, not that we would get snow here as we are always a few degrees warmer here than in town. The boys have soccer training from 4-6p.m this evening so I will get a taste of just how cold it is then. I decided to do some rearranging of my lounge room. I have my mother-in law here staying for a while and our lounge room is not really set up for watching T.V. Every-thing but the T.V cabinet has been moved, now Greg can lie down on the sofa,MIL can sit in the recliner and I have my chair.Now Greg and his Mum can watch cooking shows all day if they want to.....and they probably will!!!

Here is my chair...I have put all the things I need right where I can reach them. I have all the little cottons in a china bowl with a lid, my knitting needles are in a cup that the handle broke of. I have my new needle case that Priscilla sent me close at hand with all I need in it. The photos are of my Mum & Dad in the large frame and my grand parents in the small frame. The egg was a gift for my 40th birthday and is one of my favourite things.

A table of my favourite things, pretty yet functional. I have my shawl on the back of my chair and just out of the photo is my foot stool. In this all my wool is kept( below). Now I have every-thing close by for those cold days and nights.

Do you have your own spot that is just yours where you can sit and do what you love to do. Because my sewing room is away from the house it makes sense for me to have a spot for some sewing essentials instead of running up to the Old Dairy and back.

Now for the rest of the day I think I am going to keep the home fires burning, sit in my chair and continue to knit. I am loving this variegated wool and it looks great knitted up, once this scarf is finished I'll be able to wear it with about any-thing.

Enjoy your day

Blessings

Mandy

A walk through the garden.....

Today on this sunny winters day I thought that I would take you for a walk through the garden....I have been busy making new gardens and rearranging old ones. Follow me along the new path into the rain forest. Below is how it was, I removed the seat, laid some pavers between the plants. Pruned wayward branches, moved some birdnest ferns and then gave the new path a good rake. I moved the seat to along the path.

Once we walk in a little way it is lovely and shady. There is elk horns growing on the trees in along here, you could never see them, now they can be admired as we walk along.(top picture above seat) If you are quiet enough you might even see a fairy running through the garden

I am happy with the way this path turned out, I have been wanting to put a path through this garden for years and it only took half a day to do it.

Now lets go out to the back yard.

This daffodil doesn't realize that it is still winter. She is in the new round garden that I made out the back a couple of months ago. I filled it up with bulbs and foxgloves. Along the side of the house here I pulled out all the lemon grass, well I have planted 4 standard roses instead. Rose Satchmo is the name of them, they are scented and the colour is described as scarlet, they will look so pretty in along this wall. I have under planted them with dianthus in pinks and reds.

Lets sit here a while and have a rest shall we. This table and chairs came from the veranda, I had to move them of though!!! Come around to the front and I'll show you why.

This daisy bush has gone crazy it is so big now, the little finches hide in here and come out every now and again for a play in the bird bath.

Before we get to the veranda, this is a new garden I made on Sunday. These trees have been here for a few years now. I always need to get in and keep the grass down so I mulched it and planted some different varieties of native grasses and some yuccas. Once they grow up they will look good. You can just see the house at the top of the picture, this garden is out on the foot path a way from the house.

This is why I had to move the table and chairs, yep Greg has set up camp out here....He has his rocking chair that I got him from the garage sale. I small table for his books and glasses, and a box for his other bits and pieces. The bin isn't for him that has the dog food in it, yes I should have moved it before I took the photo.

Well I hope you enjoyed your walk with me around the garden...Greg wants to say a big thanks for every ones well wishes and prayers..He is getting stronger every day, as yet he hasn't been able to go for a walk outside but he is walking well now with a walking stick.. Sitting out in the sun is one of his favorite things, and watching cooking shows.........

Have a blessed day

Mandy

PAPER BAG SWAP.......

Look what the mail lady delivered to me today!!!!!

Not one but THREE pressies were in the parcel (which I ripped open before I took a photo)

Look at this sweet, dainty,gorgeous hand bag.

Look at the work that Priscilla has put into this bag.
The flower and all those French knots....

Make sure you click on the photos to have a look.

A needle case, with 2 yummy fat 1/4s tucked inside...

The stitching is so tiny and neat...

And isn't she the sweetest little angel you have ever seen....

Now I know what your thinking....what was in the third parcel???

A great big block of chocolate that's what...

Thank you Priscilla for my wonderful gifts, tomorrow I am of to craft and I will be showing of with my new bag and then whip out my needle case, because

at some stage I will need a new needle .....LOL.

My Mum and Dad came to visit today to see Greg, it was wonderful to spend the afternoon with them...After lunch we all shared that yummy block of chocolate.........it was so good.....

Greg is doing well, he is walking with the aid of a cane and is even eating again...We had a lovely quiet weekend together just sitting and being in each others company.....I ....We are all so glad to have him home.......

Does any-one know how to put more than one picture

into the header???? I've was playing around last night and I can't work out how to do it.I hope you are all enjoying your week end. I have spent all week-end in the garden, as the weather has been so warm, more like spring than the middle of winter....

The End Of My No Spending Week.....

HOME PRODUCTION....

This is self explanatory isn't it, production in the home.

In the last week we have talked about ways of being in control of our lives, whether that be spending less and more wisely, cleaning green, using less disposables and so much more. In all these areas we are producing something at home. As I look back I see that I have learnt alot of new skills, knitting, soap making, recycling, budgeting and lots more.

Each day is a learning curve for me, I love to learn new things and reading other blogs is great inspiration for this.

Here is some things I would like to do in the next 12months.

1. I want my garden to be more of an edible garden...
2. Learn to weld, there is so much I could do with a welder....
3. Pottery, make my own pots and cups, just the feel of clay in my hands is something I know that I would love.
4. Shop less, try to only grocery shop every fortnight.
5. Mend clothes, I have always said my sewing machine doesn't do mending. lol.
6. Knit socks....store bought ones just don't last do they?

That's some of the things that I can think of , I know there is alot more practical things I need to learn as well.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

My no spending week finished today. With Greg coming home tomorrow I went to town a day earlier but that's fine..I did have to spend through the week as well.

1. Pocket money.

2. Postage...I had to send David some things he left here and also my Paper bag swap was posted..

Not to bad really I am really pleased with how I went and next time I will be more organized. If I start to shop every 2 weeks well then I will have every 2nd week as a no spend week...

Remember this???? It is what my Paper bag swapper sent me. Well it is all made and should be in the plane on its way to New Zealand by now..When my partner receives it I shall show you what I made her. Personally I will be checking the mail box as soon as the mail lady has been because I know that my parcel is on it's way to me as well...If you have never participated in a swap I recommend to give it a go....it is so much fun. If you click on the paper bag in my side bar it will take you to the links.

Well I am of to bed I have to get my beauty sleep as tomorrow I pick up Greg....I have to tell you I feel like a giggly teenager I'm so excited that he is coming home...Let me tell you that my bed has been a cold lonely place lately....O.K. enough of that kind of talk... Righto gotta go as each year I need more and more beauty sleep soon won't be enough hours in the night.........

Blessings to all.....

Mandy

Green Cleaning....

Today the biggest kitchen discussion is all about cleaning the healthy way. If you don't already clean green then I highly recommend going over to Rhonda's and have a look at her cleaning recipe's. I touched on this subject yesterday already, when I spoke about my enjo cleaning clothes. What do you use for cleaning, do you clean green, what recipe's do you use?

*************************************************************************

Guess who came

home for a visit

today?

What a lovely day we all had together just being here together, lying down holding hands and just enjoying looking at each other. You don't realize how these simple gestures can be missed.

Drum roll here please..............

Greg is home to stay on Friday......yaaaaaaaahhhhh 2 more sleeps. Yes we are all so excited, when I took Greg back today the doctor came around to see him. Was very pleased with his progress so yes Friday he will be home. 6 weeks and 3days he has been gone. What does the future hold? only God knows that but for now the fact that he can come home is enough for me, after all we can only live one day at a time, so why waste today worrying about tomorrow......

Blessing to all....

Mandy

Electricity and Water......

Thanks for all the comments regarding yesterdays post....

We all have different ideas and this is what is making every-thing so interesting I think. Today you can see we are discussing water and electricity. Lets look at electricity first shall we.. I would encourage you look at http://www.down---to---earth.blogspot.com and read Rhonda's post on meter checking. She talks about reading your meter and keeping an eye on how much you are using..Yesterday our meter man came to read our meter, this gets done every 3 months. I will be taking note of my account and I have set a challenge to lower the amount of power we use in the next 3 months.

Ways I will be saving is.......

Doing larger loads of washing instead of small ones....Turning of lights when not in use. I already use the new fluorescence bulbs.....Turning of appliances when not in use...computer, T.V. D.V.D players...There are probably different ways that others can cut down as well air conditioner, heating, clothes dryer, hot water. I am interested to see if our hot water usage has changed as our new washing machine heats its own water...How cool is that.. Let me know of any areas that you think are important that I have missed..

Water..

Water is an area that we didn't have to change at all...Living out of town we have only ever had tank water to use. Our children have always shared bath water youngest to the oldest. Now only the two boys have baths and they share the same water. The girls all shower now but know to have quick showers. We have always had a water saving head on our shower, a couple of years ago I got this you bute tap that goes between the shower bar and wall fitting. With a flick of this you turn your water off, shampoo your hair, shave your legs then when you flick it back on the water is the same temp..We have saved even more water with this. Above is the house tank, last year we put 2 big tanks on the big shed in the paddock and these are always full. Fresh rain water will never be a problem for us again. One thing I do want to do is collect my grey water, now it goes into the grass and gardens. We need a new septic and I want to get a Home Sewage Treatment System. These are upwards of $6000..I think they are well worth the output though as then you have water a plenty for the garden. Now many of you probably live in town, you can read your meter and try to cut down of your water. Many town homes here are being built with tanks on them, this can run the washing machine, toilet and even showers..

How is your no spending week going? I know next time I will need to plan things better and may-be not do it in school holiday time. So far though we haven't spent' so far so good...

Blessing to all

I'm looking forward to reading the different blogs on today's subjects....

Mandy

Biggest Kitchen Table.........

What can I make instead of buying????

Today the discussion at Rhonda's is about eliminating disposables from our house.Not just disposables but what about things we can make?Things like washers and dishcloths.When I first started to read blogs I was amazed at the amount of people that knitted/crocheted there own. This is what first inspired me to knit.Daisy Mum took pity on me and sent me some to get me started, which I will be forever grateful for...I still use those dishcloths. I had always bought material ones from the shops, but making them myself is even better, throw them in the wash and their ready to go again.

I have never been one for using chemicals in my house,strictly a bi-carb and vinegar kind of gal...

About 10 years ago I was invited to a (enjo) party. Since then this is all I use now, the picture below is all I use for cleaning plus water.There is a mitt for cleaning the car, bathtub, stove, and one for washing-up in cold water. There is also a glass cloth, dusting, and all purpose cloths. Also the mop

which is my favourite of all.There is many of these type of clothes on the market now and well worth the investment, as I said I have had mine for 10 years and I am only looking at having to replace some in the next 12months..

Now what about disposables????

I can think of a lot of items that come under this heading, we will touch on a few here, I'm sure you can come up with many more.My pet hate in disposables is nappies......always have been

always will be. I have never seen a good argument for them yet.Babies have so much washing any-way what is an extra dozen nappies.I am passed the washing nappy stage now, but for 22years I had nappies to change and wash, it really wasn't any extra work at all, the washing machine does most of the work....

One of the things Rhonda talked about was paper towel..hmmmm this is a weak area for me, I have thought about not using them, yet continued to buy them. Well I have run out,so today I have been cutting up rags to have on hand to use instead.We do use napkins as I think a table looks so elegant when it is set and napkins used...I keep my every day one in the broken scales above and

have my good ones put away. In saying this they are all second hand that I have picked up from the op shops.

Above is the hanky basket, I still do buy tissues. I think I might have to go cold turkey on tissues as the girls use them most of the time...I will keep a box for visitors though...What is your thought on hankies verses tissues????Some of the other areas that bother me but I don't know what to do about is..

bin liners

cling wrap

alfoil

What is the alternative for these products.....what did our great grand parents use????

What about shopping bags...

I think this is the one thing that most people do try in..Even if some of as do leave them sitting at home on the pantry floor....I also have made little net bags that I use for my fruit and veges.

I do use any plastic bags that I get again.Another area I need to change is party time.I do tend to by plates, napkins and cups.I have a good supply of cutlery but sometimes I do need to buy them as well for big gatherings.

Well quite a few things here, I realize that I am not as green as I thought I was....As my Mum used to say when I was young Always room for improvement...

Now of to finish cutting up those rags....

Blessings to all

Mandy..