GETTING READY...........

Things have been a little crazy in the last 2 years getting my business up and going and the last 12months moving it closer to the house.

Because I love what I do it doesn't seem like work at all.

I have noticed though I am not as prepared as I used to be. Prepared for what you ask?

Life and all it throws at you.

In 2011 we had the most devastating floods where people were killed, here stranded at our house was 16 people and we had plenty of food and produce to feed them.

If that same thing happened now and only 3 of us living here we would run out of food in 24 hours.

Yes I got off track for a while but am back on the path of being more sustainable and self sufficient.

Around 3 months ago we invested in 9 geese and 10 ducks...

The reason being was I couldn't keep up with the mowing and the grass in the food forest was knee high. Well they had that grass down within 2 weeks and I have not had to mow since...

We have a acre yard and no mowing...

 They are the quietest geese and will feed from my hand I am totally in love with these beautiful animals. They have the run of the farm but if I'm not on the veranda by 8am they are waiting at the bottom of the steps for their breakfast all 19 of them hahaha.

We now have 7 sheep both Bridget and Brenda had twins this year. We still have a little meat left in the freezer from last year. We will put 3 in the freezer and 1 is going to Cassie.

The piggies are growing and are doing a great job of cleaning the land for us.

They are both bound for the freezer as well. They are electric fence savvy and this way we move them to land we want cleaned up.

The glass house has been great for keeping plants in over winter and I love this room...

Sometimes on cold days I will go out there just to get warm and potter about.

We have bananas all year round now with the 6 different varieties we have.

The fruit trees are also doing well and keeping as in fruit we really only have to buy apples.

I have been a bit slack in the vege garden. Not much going on but herbs, plenty of herbs.

This is mainly because our daughter and hubby have a farm and they keep us in all the veges we need. I am getting ready to plant summer crops. Over winter we had kale, tomatoes and lettuce self seeding every where so were never with the basics.

With all the cabbages we get I have been making sauerkraut lots of it as we love it.

 Also making lots of pickles and relishes with all the gifted produce.

Back into bread making as well, I have started a sour dough and am 

making the first sourdough loaf today. 

We have our wood stove in and Bruce just needs to hook it all up and I will be able to bake my bread in it.....

As you can see we are getting there. I also did a big grocery shop this week and the shelves are full.

My main hindrance is I hate going to the supermarket, so getting self sufficient again will cut down on the times I need to go.

Do you stockpile? What measures do you take for natural disasters or just the fact that you are house bound and can't get out...

Enjoy your week

Mandy

Kitchens..........

After 5 years we have finally finished the kitchen.

 All we really needed to do was rip up the 30 year old lino and polish the floor..

Not to hard, but yet we have put it off for so long.

Well up it came...

We even got some one into do it for us, so even easier this time.

Before

We had fun taking every thing out of the kitchen to make the job easier.

I major cleanup in the cabinets happened and only half went back in.

I am so happy with the difference the oiled floors make.

We chose to use tongue oil instead of a highly polished floor.

We have used this in the bedrooms and love it. It gives a warm glow to the floors and is supper easy to fix if there is a scratch or mark.

 All we have left is to tile the stove recess.

I knew what I wanted, a patchwork look tile...These are the ones I picked, and it took me all of 15mins to decide....

As soon as I saw them I new they where the ones. I picked them up this morning and we will tile on the weekend. When I say we I really mean Bruce hahaha

The one thing I miss since redoing our kitchen is the wood heater, below is a before photo I found.

I love the wood heaters and how they warm the house. The main reason we haven't put it back in is there is nowhere for it to fit.

Instead we sit out in the shop around the wood heater in there...

True we do!!!!!

I still make my bread but remember when we first moved in 30 years ago how cooking it in the wood stove it tasted so much better.  That was our answer a wood stove....

And here it is. 

This old girl has been completely rebuilt and even has shelf that attaches at the back which will be perfect for rising bread on.

We will now have a warm house, free cooking and Bruce being a plumber will hook it up to the solar hot water.....free hot water all winter no matter what the weather....

Below is a photo I found on pinterest that gives you an Idea of what we will do.

Stove at either side of the recess with a bench between the two that will also be the storage area for the wood. This will have a door so the wood will not need to come through the house.

I will post a update when the stove is in.

Enjoy the rest of your week....

Blessings

Mandy

Grandbabies and More....

Hello Blog world it has been a while...

Things have been very busy around here since March.

Chloe and Damien had a new baby girl, it was not an easy time for their family.

Maddison Mercia Sutton 

was born very tiny and very early but also very perfect.

On the 22nd March

We refer to Maddison as our miracle baby..

Chloe now has 1 boy and 2 girls.

 Maddy is doing so well and is now 4 months old....

Her cousin wasn't far behind her.

Thomas Cameron Lawton

was born on the 

9th May

That makes 2 boys for Alanah

He is perfect and so cute.

Not easy keeping up with all these babies that's for sure....

Cassie turned 21 this year

and we had a great country party for her out at Glenmorgan.

I am so proud of the beautiful woman that she is growing into....

and you guessed it....

Grand-baby No 11 due in September...

Phoebe turned 1 in June

That year has gone so fast.....

David and family were down here for Phoebe's birthday

 which was a real treat for us.

I know I am so blessed to have such a large healthy happy family

God is good.

Blessings

Mandy

Timber.....

Hi all and welcome....

This week we have been getting rid of a few trees...5

one fruit and the other 4 are problem native trees that have got way too big.

You can see the natives in among the palms ...Plus they drop there lower limbs all the time so time for them to go...

I have persevered with this peach tree for 5 years and it has never bared any fruit...

So it was time for it to go...

We have since planted two tropical peach tress and they have given us lots of fruit.

All the trees will be cut up into fire wood so they won't be wasted.

It does look a little bare here now but I like it, so I won't be planting another tree. 

This week the weather has been so much cooler so I have been spending lots of time in the garden.-

in between doing the never ending book work...

Have a great week

Mandy

Play Ground.....

Wow as I am siting here

I need to tell you that this is the hottest day ever here for us.

45 degrees.....I am so thankful for my air con..

I was thinking if we still had the pool I would be in it, but the water would be too hot any way.

So instead I am going to do a post on the old pool area.

 Last year we decided to pull the pool  down as it was getting old and rusty...

It Did a good job while the kids were growing up, and many hours of fun and memories were made here.

It has taken a while to get there but this area is now a 

lovely area for the grand children to play in..

The grass is slowly trying to grow....Now with this heat I hope it doesn't die.

 The cubby house just needs a clean out and made all pretty for the grand daughters to play in then 

the area will be complete.

The white box at the back is a old donga that has seen a lot of changes as well.

Now it is guest accommodation for visitors.

I call her Donna the Donga....

Bruce has just added two more loops to the arch and they are nearly full as well...

This is going to make a wonderful tunnel of wisteria one day.

It is a great area to sit in the cool and watch the children play....

Looking forward to Easter when all the Grand babies will be home..

If you live in Australia

Keep Cool....

Autumn is coming.......

Mandy