She works with her hands with delight.

Lately I've posted a lot about handiwork, crochet, little acts of charity that can mean so much to someone and how busy hands make happy hearts!

My happy memories of beautiful things my Nan and Mum made for my babies and the hand made gifts of knitting and sewing from my Nan's friends.  All these years later I still appreciate them so much. 

A week ago I was at the farm and as always every time Mum sits down she picks up her knitting. My parents are farmers and have not slowed down. They both work harder than most people in their twenties!

When Mum sits down she is still going! Mum makes knitted rugs, hats, jumpers, all kinds of things for everyone she ever hears of having a baby, for the Nuns to give to anyone in need, for the premie babies in hospitals, for cancer patients... for anyone.

Recently she gave knitting to a mens shelter in the city. Well, a funny thing happened. She was watching TV and it had a story on this mens shelter. A man was being interviewed and he was saying how the shelter had given him help and he had turned his life around. He was wearing one of mum's hats! She recognised it straight away! That was lovely, there it was!

Hospitals often need hats so tiny for really premature babies. There are so many needs. 

Mum has a simple philosophy and Nan was the same. If you are sitting down you might as well be doing something useful. It calms you. It helps people. It makes you happy. 

And it works! 

Mum says "some people do nothing you know" as if shocked by this. Mum and both my Nans' come from a belief that everyone can do something to be helping someone else. it doesn't have to be huge, it might be making a pie or minding a baby or sharing spare eggs but they were always helping someone.

(baby rugs)

When Nan's neighbours arrived in Australia traumatised from escaping war Nan took it upon herself to teach them English and show them the ropes! And best friends were established!

                                        (these are cotton hand towels)

For Mum one of the main things is knitting for others. Our own gifts of helping could be anything but I think we all have certain gifts that we can use to help. Nana B, hers was cooking. She always said "an ounce of help is better than a pound of sympathy".

The day I took these photos Mum was sorry her supplies were "depleted" as she has just send away heaps of stuff and was starting again. So this is "all" there was. Yet it was mountains!

What is your gift of helping? Just listening to someone who needs someone to talk to is an act of charity, especially when maybe you really don't have time but you do it anyway. Or you check back later to see how they are. The ways are endless and most of us do many things a day without even counting them as kindnesses, it's just how we are.
But we don't know what it might mean to someone.

And like in the movie Pollyanna there is nothing that cheers us up like helping someone else. It's a miracle worker. 

"She works with her hands with delight" turns out to be as good for ourselves as it is for others. 

In Mum's cupboard she has baby layettes that her Great Gran made and Chloe and Lucy both wore them. And my Great Gran made a set of lemon hens and chickens. I played with these and adored them and Mum still has those. I feel their love and presence in these beautiful things they left being for us. What treasures! 

There is just something that says love about handmade things. 

Lamb Shank recipe and the helpfulness of crock pot cooking.

I have always used my crock pot (slow cooker) a lot especially when I know it is going to be a really busy day or I will be out for the day. It is just so easy to know when dinner time comes dinner is ready and I only have to serve it. As Laine always said it is like having a helper (a hand maiden) and I think of this every time I use my "helper".

This recipe is so easy and adaptable to what you have. It is rich and delicious! The meat is fall off the bone tender.

Rich Tomato Lamb Shanks.

One lamb shank per person. I did 6 so we had three meals ready.
One jar of Dolmio tomato base. Or I can tomato soup. Or three tablespoons tomato paste... so similar.
One small onion per person. Or half larger onion per person.
Loads of vegies. I used carrots, sweet potato, parsnips. Use lots of what you have. Add greens later in cooking.
For added luxury, richness I add some sun dried tomatoes. It is not something you have to do.
Pepper.
Make sure the lamb shanks are coated in the sauce.

I cook on high for about 8 hours. There are no rules here. Usually I cook on high and sometimes turn it to low later if I am home. For more hours cook on low and when you get home see how it is and turn it up if needed. Another thing you can do is start it on high and turn to low as you leave the house, then assess when you get home. Everyones slow cooker is slightly different too.

Turn lamb shanks at least once so they are even and coated in sauce. Add peas or greens in last hour or so. You can remove a cup of the sauce and let it cool then add gravy or cornflour to that and stir it back in if you want thicker gravy. Or you could serve with mashed potatoes as the gravy is amazing! Or even crusty bread to mop it up!

Remove lamb shanks carefully as the meat is literally falling off the bone.

I served up two meals that I then froze. I love having meals in the freezer they are great in emergencies. I always do this. I would just never cook one meal.

This is so delicious.

When the girls were little I would just remove some lamb and lots of vegies and blend that and have several days worth of baby food. Later they would hang onto the whole bone and chew!

This is comfort food. I am hungry now thinking about it!

Lamb shanks used to be really cheap. Now they are trendy as restaurants are making this and featuring it as a specialty. So the price is up. We got ours on special from a whole sale butcher. If they are expensive where you are use any lamb for this recipe. A marked down leg of lamb done this way is amazing! It will feed so many people! Add masses of vegies so you have a complete meal.

With only a little bit of winter left I am making my last few truly winter meals. I love how what we eat changes around the year. It adds so much variety and the seasons add so much to our lives. And we can feel spring in the air. It was so cold last night but today the sun is shining and it is just beautiful!

Have a wonderful week.xxx

Peace and quiet and goodness.

Last week I had a few days with the girls at the farm. Mum and Dad's farm is the true homestead, the centre of everything for the whole family.

I caught a ride with the girls and loved that the country is beautiful and green. Once there I enjoyed it so much. Open fire, lovely days and Mum had made dozens of cupcakes!

She also had two lots of ducklings, some only days old and others a bit older. I went out everyday to see them. You couldn't help be happy looking at them!

How they stay clean and yellow in a pond of muddy water I don't know. 

Having the farm is wonderful for us all. It is so quiet, there are so many birds and you really feel surrounded by wonderful things. I had one day where I just walked in the sun, collected hollow logs for my birds, gum nuts for my parrot, bay leaves for my pantry and I attempted to photograph two of my favourite birds. My dream is to have a camera that I can photograph the Blue Wrens that are everywhere. They are my favourite bird. Second is Grey Fantails. They are so friendly. My other dream is to see Hummingbirds... (no Hummingbirds in Australia)

So with my ipad I managed this...

Ok so squint and see the tiny blue bird right at the bottom! They are smaller than a golf ball and move like lightening! But the colour is of a sapphire. Just so sweet. They are Supherb Blue Wrens and we also have Emu Wrens which I won't even bother attempting to get a photo of, they are even tinier and not colourful.

And slightly better....

But he was quite friendly and cheeky and curious. They make me happy!

The thing is, I noticed, after that day I felt so relaxed and happy. I could have paid for a day of therapy, a day in a spa, a day of massage and yoga or things like that. But a day in the country surrounded by nature and sunshine did me so much good. And I slept so well.

It is all a reminder that nature and beautiful surroundings, peace and fresh air, if we can get them, they are so good for us. The closer we are to them the better I am sure.

The girls grew up in all this and I'm sure it helped them have a wonderful childhood. The beach is the same. It has that magical calming effect, you sleep so well. It is refreshing and peaceful at the same time.

We all probably have differing possibilities of making the most of this. Time spent in the garden or at a nearby park or a holiday at the beach... but whatever the options are try and make the most of them and feel the effects. 

On a smaller scale I always try to have a place in the garden to sit, have a cup of tea, eat meals, when the weather is nice. That outdoor time does me so much good I can feel it. 

I know, for us, we can prioritise that our holidays are near the beach and that even if it is a weekend we can get away sometimes for a bit of "nature therapy". Having the farm means we are really lucky and can plan trips and make the most of having that available to us. It is three hours south of here but we are really used to the drive.

As kids get older they can become more and more committed to things like sports etc and spend more and more time with computers and online. Somehow making sure they have time just outside, with nature, animals, fresh air, sunshine... maybe it's becoming harder and harder to do. Or for ourselves... but the effects are almost immediate! 

I gave up the gym this year to save the money but also to put that time into the garden. It is still exercise and I am happier in the garden. The drive each way to the gym was really stressful. it seemed ironic, going through so much stress to be healthy!

My daughter did the same in her own way. She gave up the gym (and the fees) and now every weekend she climbs Mt Lofty which is a few minutes from Adelaide. It is a fair hike but she says she feels so refreshed, it is beautiful, the bush is divine, you can see the ocean, it is outdoors and she feels so much better from the time outdoors. mmm she has worked it out. Beauty and nature have an effect. Fresh air has an effect. We are very lucky we have fresh air. I travelled on an overseas trip once and when I got home to my house at the beach I just couldn't believe how fresh the air was! I hadn't breathed fresh air for two weeks I realised. And many people now live like that their whole lives?

How lucky are we? 

My time at the farm was beautiful. I had lots of time with my Dad who is a true farmer and rarely leaves the farm. Mum did lots of cooking and we all sat near the fire in the evening and laughed and I managed to crochet and laugh at the same time.

Now while this is fresh in my mind I'm planning how we might get away into the country in spring and both of us can fell refreshed and restored from long walks, bon fires and just "being" surrounded by nature, peace and quiet.

Health and fitness, relaxation and meditation turn out to be gifts from nature and not something you can buy with $$$. Maybe my most frugal discovery yet!

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend. We have had the most beautiful day, it's a true glimpse of spring and I have loved it. xxx

Good guys.

I have an online friend who pointed out that men get it hard in many ways. Because of the bad in the world we hear a lot about crimes and violence and bad things and not so much do you hear about the good guys. She painted a lovely picture for me when she said good guys, like men driving garbage trucks and fire engines, who wave back to the little kids waving enthusiastically at them as they go past. Yep, that is sweet! 

And lately I have heard so much about bad guys and bad marriages. Very sad and distressing stories. And indeed many of us have had men in our lives that are sadly lacking... or worse.

But hopefully many of us have good men in our lives who have shown us what a good guy looks like. My Pa was a wonderful, gentle, kind and hardworking man. As a kid he would swing me over the waves at the beach and seemingly never tire of it. Every Christmas "Father Christmas" repainted the swing set either gold or silver which I thought was so miraculous and wonderful.

My own Dad who I still have is the real deal. The Dad who read me endless stories as a child and would do anything for his family. I can't even start talking about it without feeling as if I will cry, for gratitude to have him.

My husband is the real deal. Andy and I met when we were 15 and he was my first boyfriend. It was one of those things, he looked at me and I looked at him and that was it! When we were sixteen we decided we would be getting married and we were working out where we might live.

We were together for a year or so only and life and circumstances changed and my family moved three hours away. Breaking up with Andy was one of life's early terrible experiences. I cried so much for three days that Mum took me to the local Priest. And we had a song. And my whole life if I heard that song it stopped me in my tracks like my legs didn't work. Once in a store that song came on and I had stopped dead and felt paralysed and that must have been fifteen years later.

We both married and had kids. And once he reached out to me and once I reached out to him but both times these were misses not hits. But I look back now when he reached out to me and it was ONE WEEK before his marriage. And I didn't understand what that meant then. 

The time I reached out to him he didn't realise it was me... I sent something to his daughter after his wife had died... and he didn't know it was me...

After I was divorced I was utterly miserable and I still wore my wedding ring and jewellery one year later. One day I woke up and thought it's time I didn't wear my rings anymore, like WHY was I wearing them? So I took them off and I remember clearly saying a prayer that was like "Ok God now I am ready for what ever you have in mind" and set myself free, at last. And I felt different. I felt happy and free. (why hadn't I done this before!)

That evening when I got home from work I had an message on FB from a stranger. Lucy who thought I had no life joined me up to Facebook a few weeks before. THis lady said her name was Ruth and she was secretary to Andy and that she had been hearing about me for eight years and was pretty much sick of it. Would I like to hear from Andy as she had found me and was basically giving him the push to stop talking about me and contact me!

What a surprise! You know I would have said no to anyone else. But I said yes I would like to hear from him. And after Andy got over the shock of what Ruth had done the next day he wrote to me. This email was a "what I have been doing for the last thirty years" email as thats how long it had been!

He was in the country and this started us emailing everyday for three months until we finally re met. And that was it. We were engaged in another three months and married in a year.

From day one Andy established he wasn't letting me go this time. I found out what it is like to be cherished, looked after, protected and loved. 

Now a few years in we are settled in to life together and it is kind of like we were always together. It proves life gives you a second chance and that you just never know what will happen! Who knew!? 

I always wanted a man who would walk through fire for me, take a bullet, that kind of thing. lol I don't want much! But he is that and more. 

My favourite Bible verse about marriage isn't particularly romantic really but I still love it. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12New International Version (NIV)

⁹ Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

This is so true. Working as a team you can achieve so much more than you could alone. And looking after and protecting each other you are, well, safer and more looked after than you could be alone.

Saying that I am a person who CAN be alone. I was single the entire time I brought the girls up. I like being alone. And we are better alone than with an abusive partner that is for sure!

But when you find a good man who loves God and loves you, then two are better than one.

My husband had a bad week this week. Because he is kind hearted he feels things and the people he prays most for are often the people who are hurtful to him. Go figure. It got me thinking about how much I appreciate him and how really our own lives and home life is so important that it is strong and a happy place.  

I often talk about building up our homes. It would be remiss of me not to talk about looking after our husbands and appreciating them and building up our relationships. And life can be so busy. Andy works full time plus more and just finished building me a new kitchen in between. He didn't get any free time or time off in months to do this.

If you are lucky enough to have a good guy you have been blessed. My favourite verse on that...

Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.

So many men work so hard and for no appreciation. At all. There are a lot of pressures on us all. But if we support each other and work together it is so much better. 

I really love my husband and am grateful for him. He is the best guy and I am really lucky. We need to be their number one fans and they need to know that. Inside a tough exterior is a soft and good heart. 

It's the little things.

I read a lot of blogs and websites about saving. I have noticed a lot of articles like "how to cut back when you don't think you have anything left to cut back on". 

During times like these another thought is how to give, how to give and help people when you don't have much spare cash. 

I have said before I am nervous about the kind of charities that just want your credit card details and a signature. I am nervous of charities with CEO's who make a million dollars a year. I would rather give in a direct way. Help someone in need, send goods with a family travelling to an orphanage overseas or give to an organisation I do trust.  Cutting out the middle man where possible. Now, I have no problem with any way any person is called to give. Giving is wonderful. Even if our gift never arrives where it is meant to giving is good for us. And we can be called to give in all sorts of ways and we just need to trust that it is the thing to do.

But in tough times when spending on ourselves is out and spending on others seems impossible there are still ways to give.

Opportunities just present themselves. It isn't always about money, it might be just a gift of kindness. There are a myriad of acts of charity that do not involve money at all. Visiting the sick, the lonely, encouraging a young Mother, sharing your herbs or eggs with a family, writing  letter to a lonely relative... cooking a meal for someone just home from hospital. Really we have so many ways to give to choose from there is always going to be something we can do in the season we are in. And we all know that there have been moments in our lives that someone did something kind for us. Funnily the really stand out moments that I can remember feeling so touched by kindness, things that have stayed with me, have been small things. Kind words, a heartfelt note, practical help of some kind. They probably seemed like little things but to me they were wonderful. Years later remembering the little dresses Nan's friend made for Chloe or my Dad's friend that gave me pot plants to establish my first very own garden. So kind and thoughtful. 

Today I thought about this as I have yarn and it is easy for me to make some things to help someone. I had made a rug and sent it to Sister Chris who is a Nun who used to visit us when the girls were little. She used it for charity work and wrote me a lovely letter. She remembers the girls as little kids... maybe 6 and 8 years old at most. So I decided to write her a letter and include photos of Lucy's wedding. She would barely recognise them now. But she had an impact on our lives and the girls remember Sister Chris. I enclosed a little baby rug I had crocheted as I know she would visit a lot of people and the Nuns help Mums with no home, victims of domestic violence etc and someone will be able to use a pretty little rug for a baby girl. It's what I have. So that is what I've sent. I just pray it blesses someone.

As I made up the parcel I felt it looked pretty and I know it will come as a surprise. I hope she likes it! 

It isn't big or expensive, it hardly cost me anything except my time. But I felt excited and happy to prepare this parcel and I figure you never know who might be really blessed, you just never know what might come of even the smallest thing. 

The second parcel I got ready was to a lovely lady, Kelley, who is collecting pillowcases for a hospital in Manilla, the Philippines. Having come to know Kelley I know these pillowcases will truly brighten the day of hospital patients. She is collecting until almost Christmas so if you would like to join in on a beautiful project go over to Kelleys blog and have a look...

http://kelleyhighway.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/the-pillowcase-project.html

Using some fabrics in my cupboard I whipped up some pillowcases and added braided edges. Very quick and easy. These actually cost nothing as it was using all stuff I had. And I added four purchased pillowcases with Tinker Bell and Care Bears as they were adorable and I could imagine children in hospital loving them.

If you have any suitable material maybe sew up a few pillowcases for this lovely project.

And there are so many possibilities. At every turn there are little ways to help. We don't need to feel that only grand gestures are important. Hundreds of little things add up. They are not less significant or important. 

Both my Nans were big givers. Nan Lucas made everyone fabulous cakes, knitted them jumpers (after spinning the wool) cooked everyone beautiful meals. My other Nan gave everyone eggs, fruit from the garden, cooking and flowers. Mum makes baby hats and rugs for everyone that has a baby far and wide, knitted hats for premature babies and cancer patients, jumpers and blankets for charity and endless parcels go off to help so many people. The common thread is the happiness that comes from making something to be able to give and help. 

In a world where it seems bigger is better it is really nice to remember it's the little things that count. A seemingly tiny gesture might mean the world to someone.

Don't feel you have to do grand things. Little things with love are big enough.

It all adds up.

Recently I have been so encouraged by The Prudent Homemaker. Part of her weekly blog is about ways she has been frugal in the past week. And loads of followers join in with comments about their own savings. Well it is just the best reading! I come away very encouraged. And the thing is most of the savings are small ones. It is the small things that add up to be enormous things over time.

Even better all the savings and efforts are around the priority of God and the family and the home. It's a joy.

The effect on me has that I am much more aware of the little savings and little ways I build up my nest everyday. Much like counting our blessings is a blessing in itself, counting the way we have helped our family, the budget, the home everyday makes you more aware of the value in what you do. I feel really happy when I consider how much this or that saved us and what a difference I made today here or there in the home or in the garden.
The dollar value of the things we make and create is often astonishing!

This week a big thing happened for us. We sold my old car. We were warned being a four wheel drive etc it would be hard to sell as everyone else is doing what we did, converting to smaller fuel efficient cars. But we finally sold it and what a happy day. THis has helped us so much.

My daughter said to me that she would love to use the cleaner I do in her home as it smells so good. I could have just given her the recipe but I made up a double batch, some for myself and some for her including a jar of cleaning cloths.You kind of have to love it when they grow up and start wanting to know how you do things!

I won't repeat the recipe, I posted it on a post called Clean and Fresh in June...

http://thebluebirdsarenesting.blogspot.com.au/2014_06_01_archive.html

It is wonderful stuff and in quite a few blogs and sites, not my own invention.

My quest for ladders resulted in ladders coming in from several directions. After the one Andy found on the side of the road my neighbour gave me some from the old shed. This one is adorable. It is a sturdy little step ladder, in perfect order so I am keeping it as a useful step ladder.

I painted it palest pink and used left over transfers. It is so sweet, I just love it. As I had both the paint and transfers it was a free project.

Mum gave me half a celery which was huge. I chopped it up and popped it into the freezer in three bags. One for chicken casserole (farmhouse style) and two bags of leaves and tops for chicken soups. Celery leaves make the best chicken stock. So I will make all these up in the next few weeks.

There are signs spring is coming, little blossoms appearing, sunnier days and things seem brighter. My herb garden is looking pretty good but I will add new basil and a few things in a few weeks.

I used the slow cooker several times and last night made lamb shanks which were delicious and falling off the bone. We got them from a wholesale butcher for a fraction of the price of the supermarket. I made enough for three meals.

I will share this easy recipe next week. If you don't have lamb shanks it can be used with any lamb. Shanks were once cheap. Now as they are trendy they are expensive! So any lamb on special is fine. That's what we have to do, adapt recipes and combinations to what we can find at good prices.

Everything does add up! Even things you think no one will notice. I am just noticing now some of the things Nan used to do. I never understood at the time  and we hit a new stage and see things with new eyes!

Have a wonderful weekend. I am experimenting tomorrow with bread in the slow cooker. I will let you know how it goes! xxx

My new kitchen at last!

When we bought this house we knew it would be our "forever home" but that over time we would upgrade the kitchen and the bathroom.

The kitchen came first as the cupboards were broken and it was a daily frustration and we saved up almost three years to do it. And my Mum gave me my island bench for Christmas, Chloe gave me a trolley on wheels and Lucy gave me hanging storage towards it.

Andy did all the work himself and I did plastering (had to learn fast) and painting and general assistant stuff. As Andy was also working he did a few hours most days on it. So I cooked most of winter outside on the BBQ and did not buy one takeaway meal. I have learned a lot about BBQ cooking!

And now its almost done... when I say almost there are details to finish off but I am in there using it. It's so much fun to have a kitchen again.

The chandelier came with us from our last house. And you have seen my pantry cupboards...

We spent $6000 this included a new dishwasher, stove...

cook top, range hood, dishwasher and removal of old kitchen. And flooring... and an electrician... (Australian dollars and prices)

My old stove was terrible and the cook top was awful. So I am in love with this and the difference is amazing.

I love the sink. Is it normal to love a sink?

My husband has had no free time in months doing this for me and at times it was really stressful. Tiles had to be removed and the cement had to be ground and the mess was terrible!

Now the basics are done though it is so beautiful. And I can add some shabbiness to it... 

I salvaged this wrought iron years ago from a fallen down farm house. I am using it to hang utensils from.

Re starting in the kitchen has been a bit like moving house. I can set a new routine and the clean out, de clutter has been massive. It transforms everything. I don't know why but I had a habit of all kinds of things ending up in the kitchen that didn't belong there!

An alternative, if you need it, is to do the kitchen challenge on A Bowl Full of Lemons. She has you completely empty your kitchen... and start again. It is MASSIVE. And it's like moving house! But it is wonderful if you need to feel as if you have a new kitchen.

Flylady is my other favourite. She is right... if you wake up in the morning and the kitchen is clean and tidy and the sink is empty and shiny it is a joy and a good way to start the day. Her methods of a few minutes here and there and routines have helped me a lot!

Over the next week I hope to post some more details as I get them finished. I am having a hanging ladder for my drying herbs and flowers...

Now this work is mostly done life will be a lot easier and I can enjoy cooking again and a normal routine.

Renovating is not easy. But attacking something and getting it done is really wonderful.

Have a lovely week. Today we have sunshine and it's beautiful. And roses and blossoms are starting to appear! xxx

Easy Golden Syrup Pudding.

Every winter I make at least a couple of times my Mum's Golden Syrup Pudding. It is so easy that even a non cook can make this. It's filling, delicious, inexpensive. Maybe not a health food... we will say instead it is a decadent treat!

I always double this recipe but the recipe is enough for four. Grease a largish casserole dish.

In a bowl blend together 1 cup SR flour, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup milk. I actually do this in the casserole dish I am going to cook it in. Eliminating washing up.
If you like sultanas then add a handful once you have blended the other ingredients.

Then in a jug of 2 cups boiling water add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 generous tablespoon of golden syrup.

I just add the butter on top of the flour mix, drizzle over the golden syrup and pour over the hot water and gently rotate it a bit. (saving another container to wash up) It mixes itself!

At this point you are thinking "I have done something wrong" or "I must stop listening to Annabel"

This is a good sign your'e on the right track!

Pop into a medium/hot oven and bake until golden and bubbly. It will look like this....

When I cook it I make sure my casserole/baking dish is quite large or I place a baking tray under it. It bubbles up and spills are sticky. Beware.

Serve with ice cream or cream. 

It is my observation that men seem to go mad over recipes like this. I think maybe that it reminds them of their Mum's or Nana's cooking or something. They think you are somehow brilliant and gifted when in fact this is the laziest recipe you are ever likely to find!

I hope this winter warmer is a treat for your family and maybe an economical help too.

We have a lovely sunny day today. It is so nice after a few weeks of storms and freezing weather. But this pudding is very good and warming when the weather is wild and cold.

Have a wonderful Sunday.xxx