Making the most of what you have.

Last week I had a few days at the farm. It was lovely. Being spring everything is flowering and the paddocks are still green and beautiful. Mum's garden if full of native and wildflowers.

As far as flowers go I should have been born in England. I love Roses, Canterbury Bells, Hollyhocks and the list goes on! But there I was and I had an abundance of native flowers to help myself to.

So I used what I had. I knew I could give bunches of flowers away and they would be loved. Lucy was going to her husbands Nana's and she could give a bunch to Nana. I could give some to Kath in the nursing home... so out I went with the snippers and gathered. In no time I head heaps and I was loving the sunshine, the birds, exploring the garden and the bush around the house.

As I put them together I remembered at home I had wide red velvet ribbon that I could add to these.

There is something about playing with flowers too... it is very uplifting. I loved it.

Every time I walked inside for more string or something birds would land on the flowers and start eating them! 

Next I picked Bay Leaves and Rosemary. I tied these up with rustic twine ready to hang in the kitchen. Lucy's Mother in Law is a wonderful cook and we made a bunch up for her. So nice to give! 

And fresh produce with no chemicals or sprays. Home grown organic things.

It is such a happy and abundant feeling to pick and gather what you have or what you come across and work out what can I do with this?

Nan was a wonderful florist. I don't think she ever bought anything. She used what she came across, had in her garden or gathered. And won Royal Adelaide Show ribbons every year for years on end!

Next I went walking and gathered gum nuts and pinecones. The gum nuts I will show you later in the week. They are for free Christmas Parcel decorations, instead of buying bows or things like that. And the pinecones are going onto Christmas wreaths and I'm making decorations and garlands. All will be practically free. 

Then I gathered more pinecones for our fireplace.

Then I slept well from a beautiful day in the sunshine and just being surrounded by Blue Wrens and happiness. And the evening spent crocheting while Mum knitted!

What do you have in the garden or maybe is in the garden of family members or friends that you could use in the kitchen, make into gifts or gather for your vases? Sometimes we can be blind to whats around us as we are so used to it! 

Today I've been gathering in my own garden at home. Yesterday my daughter was in an accident. We were all very lucky she is bruised and sore but not seriously hurt. I went to bed thanking God over and over last night.

So I have gathered these and popping around to her place in a minute...

It is so nice to feel surrounded by so much abundance. The rose bushes are covered in buds so I know later in the week I can pick more and give some to someone else and have a vase full in the house. 

It doesn't have to cost anything to give. I am amazed at what I could gather and give and use as well... I picked parsley and mint too in the last couple of days end used both. And I have crafts to do with my pinecones and gum nuts. 

Have a wonderful week! xxx

Raining help and money.

I would say my love of rain comes from the fact that I lived on a farm and rain meant my Dad was mostly overjoyed with happiness when it was raining. He would be smiling and cheerful. He would say get out of the rain so it could hit the ground!

So to this day long soaking rain means peace, contentment and happiness to me. I am sure though without a farmer Father by now I would have figured out how much the garden (or farm) benefits, how the plants look, how the birds are thrilled, how things are lovely washed clean, the air is clear and fresh after rain. 

For me watering the garden is both hard work and expensive if I use tap water. So rain is like a day off and a massive saver. I know there are so many Australians who would kill for rain and are desperate, sadly. 

Last night rained steadily and this morning everything looks perky and happy. The lettuce I planted less than a fortnight ago is ready to start picking plus the rocket.

I'm hoping if I snip as much as I need that it will keep going for weeks. There is parsley at the back and I hope I will have that to add to soups etc throughout winter.

The basil is ferocious! I have picked heaps and still it looks like it's trying to take over the house. So it is time to harvest a big lot so it is used not wasted. I can make pesto for us and a jar each for the girls. Apart from over pasta it is so good in a burger or with a steak. My friend at a health food shop, he serves it on the side with eggs, tomato, mushroom and sourdough toast. It makes it into a fabulous meal. I love brunch... two meals in one.

His other tip was to use almonds in place of pine nuts. Pine nuts, here at least, are very expensive. Blanched almonds in their place are so much cheaper and that is what he did and it was yummy. Cafe owners are wonderful for economic tips like that. They know how to use expensive ingredients as the feature or sparingly, not waste, use substitutes, use what is cheap and in season.... there are so many tips to learn from them. Our local health food shop is also an organic cafe. In the past when my herbs have been prolific I have given them huge bunches of parsley, rosemary and bay leaves and been rewarded with free coffees! 

Pesto is such a power punch of flavour, vitamins and goodness so that is one of my happy projects this week that should mean we have this on hand for quite a while.

I am off to try and get my Monday really going. If I achieve lots on Mondays my week just seems off to a great start! 

The garden being soaked and happy is such a help. My newest rose has three roses on it which I have waited for, it's one of my favourites, Blue Moon. 

I have decided to plant some pink climbing roses over the front fence as I have a couple of spaces. Planting flowers, herbs, vegies, they all pay off in so many ways. Taking a little time to plant means you get to sow. It's a little investment in the future and there are so many possibilities. I am sure even a few minutes a day is good for us. Fresh air, nature, sunshine and being outside is so good I know it is like a medicine to me.

Productivity.

Recently I have been amazed at the prices of fresh fruit and vegies in the supermarket and at the green grocer. And specials have been lacking. Not like other years where I have found so many wonderful bargains. Our apricot tree was a saviour plus some free nectarines. 

My best find this week was some pears for $1 a kilo and I got these as they were getting quite ripe. But I like ripe pears, they are usually hard as rocks and I have to wait! I made a pear, rocket and walnut salad to go with dinner tonight, as a start on them.

Also, I got some tomatoes $3 a kilo which saying it, does not sound cheap! But most have been double that. Bargains are thin on the ground.

My three tier pot of herbs at the back door has been growing like crazy and I have been picking heaps. We have had basil quite a few times plus rocket. It's not long since I planted this so it has taken off and I can see is providing a lot of food. 

This is how it looked this morning...

As I walk past it smells beautiful!

We live on salads and vegies and I never want to eat less of them. Less specials means being even more careful not to waste any. I wash, dry, wrap carefully and keep an eye on the fridge contents so stuff is used up not going mushy or forgotten until too late! Weekend use it up pizzas, or toasties help with this. 

Last year organising my fridge really well (after a big clean out) made a difference. I bought some of the baskets with a handle. They help you see what you have as they act like little drawers. And at least once a week going through everything before I shop makes sure I do use things up. It is too expensive to waste. Groceries generally are a big expense. It is also an area we can make a big difference with, by the way we shop, cook, store food etc. Sometimes a re think, re arrange, re organise can help. It's easy to get stuck in a rut!

With my herbs leaping out at me as I walk past (practically!) I noticed a glaringly obvious thing. Our lemon tree in a big wine barrel planter, also near the back door, was really a vast amount of dirt with nothing in it except this tree. (We also have limes. I can dash out and pick lemons or limes much of the year). 

Anyway, why I never thought to use this space better I don't know! And I do hope it doesn't harm the tree but I have filled the space with rocket, several varieties of lettuce to pick as we need it and parsley. After only a few days it is looking like it is taking off!

I will take a photo in a couple of weeks as it seems amazing how these things grow. And if you keep snipping how they keep going. Also it has to be healthy, I don't ever use sprays or anything and it is picked then eaten in minutes. All these efforts are little ones but they make a difference to the health and freshness of our meals and the budget. 

Plus I can give a bunch of herbs away. Lucy called in this afternoon and I sent her home with a fresh bunch knowing she will use them happily.

Little ways to be more productive, waste less. Share more. Freeze left overs or use them for tomorrows lunches. A little planning really helps. I know this weekend we can have a "use it up" meal or two and I have a heap of pears.... I will stew some and there is a beautiful cake covered in caramelised pears that I could freeze for winter. If I make a couple of those I have something lovely I can lay my hand on down the track. These things make you feel abundant and stretch the budget quite a bit. When I have a large amount of something I go to Taste online and type in my ingredient. Usually there are so many ideas of ways to use it that it is just fabulous. 

I am terribly late to post today. Wedding preparations are taking over here! Have a lovely weekend! xxx

Lots of herbs in a small space.

My herb garden out the back is so sad. Continued heat and wind has beaten me. Luckily I had picked so many bunches of herbs and used so much. It is the furtherest spot in the garden which I water with a watering can. Even a few times a day has not kept up. I have had to replant it twice a year for three years. I give up! So I am going to turn it into a little succulent garden as I love mini succulents, they look like little flowers and this will suit the spot. (and they are easy to collect as we all have some in our gardens and they grow easily from cuttings).

My solution is a tiered herb garden right at the back door. Easy to water, gets some shade, wonderful to just go to the back door with scissors and grab the herbs I need as I cook. Much easier!

Now I have only just planted this and there is room for more herbs yet. 

The only pot I needed to buy is the very top one which was only a couple of dollars. I used a garden stake to go through the holes to secure them together and stop them from toppling.

I save water in the kitchen ie from cooking vegies, from the teapot, from rinsing out things and from running hot water, I catch the cold in a jug... so all this will be easy to use on this little garden.

In a few weeks I will take some photos of how it is growing. 

Now this area gets protection from the wind and part shade but plenty of sun. I think it will be less of a battle!

As I planted this I could see each plant gets heaps of root space. In theory they should grow amazingly!

After feeling conquered by the heat I am really happy I have found an easier way as there is no way I am giving up on the endless supply of fresh herbs we like to use everyday. Its too good. 

I still hope to produce enough to give some away. I think too picking plenty and often just encourages thick growth... well I hope so! 

Now it is going to be 43 today so I am setting up some shade over this later. As I have driven around many people have umbrellas, sheets, towels and all sorts of things over their plants. Once garden looked almost entirely wrapped in sheets. And after a fortnight ago I understand why. I need to collect some old market umbrellas to use in this weather. Any tourist in Adelaide now would wonder about this strange phenomenon of wrapping your garden is sheets! I must take some photos of this as it does look funny but it will save what otherwise will be lost! I am off to water and cover!

Gardening.

I have always loved gardens and flowers. I had my first proper garden at my first house when the girls were tiny. 
I always just wanted a cottage garden full of flowers. I managed it too, from a really plain boring garden I added and added until it was a riot of colour. The only way I have any evidence is to show a photo of the girls at that house with the colour in the background....

Well that little one, Lucy, is about 2 there and tomorrow is her Hens Party before her wedding! And Chloe has planned her day which I know is going to be beautiful.

Their little flowers picked from the garden really remind me of how lovely that garden was.

Since then I have had a few homes and repeated the planting until I have lots of flowers. 

Our last garden before this one we got married in. It really was a tiny enclosed yard and the bedroom looked out on to it. We also ate out there most nights. I will always remember this one as special....

This garden is probably the nicest of them all but not at the moment as there is so much damage from the heatwave. I have so much work to do. Some things are very burned and sad. But it looks pretty from the front and unless you come in and look around you wouldn't know how much I have lost.

Out the back we have a lovely eating area. That is number one to me, a place to eat meals outside. At the previous house that was just a tiny little area yet we lived in it. Here we have more space and it is shaded by a big tree. This also happened to protect things from the burning sun last week.

There are lots of areas that need work and even re doing but I am not going to show you those until they are fixed! 

I truly think even a small balcony or courtyard, any little space, can be turned into a lovely spot to sit in the sun, eat a meal, read or have a cup of tea. And that this one thing makes life much nicer. If you don't have a little place and can make one, even if you improvise with a box for a table and a little chair then do it! I remember seeing on TV that in countries with tight space and little sun people know the exact time the sun will hit their yard and will be out there waiting for it so it is not wasted! We take it for granted a little but we have so much of the year that eating outside is lovely. We love long evenings outside. Once it is dark I have solar fairy lights that turn on and everything twinkles. These add so much! They are $15 in Cheap as Chips and are wonderful! I have two sets out the front and two out the back. 

Next week after recovering from this Hens Party (!) I will get stuck into the damaged parts of the garden. Once it is done I'll take some photos of the hidden bits!

Bouquet Garni.

After drying bunches of herbs the other day I had a cutting up session. Some crumble easily but I use scissors for the bay leaves. So I end up with bowls of herbs to use. They dried fast as it is summer and the faster they dry the fresher they seem and the colours are lovely and green.

They smell lovely! 

From here you can save them in jars (add a label) or cellophane bags. Anytime you have an excess this is a great way to save them. Another day I will do a post on how to freeze them or use them in things that will last like herbed oils and vinegars.

Most of mine I made into Bouquet Garni. You can buy it in kitchen sections of stores or by the metre. It is really cheap, I think mine was $3 a meter. I love it! You string needs to be plain un bleached and un waxed. The usual Bouquet Garni mix is thyme, parsley and bay leaf. As I had those I made these as they are cute, handy, easy to use and packs of them make lovely gifts. I know I will use these as in my chicken soup I would always use these herbs. These will be so handy in winter.

I made a longish string loop on each one so you can dangle into a pan or from a spoon if you want or else they are easy to fish out later.

They make lovely gifts once you package them up. You could use a jar and label them or cellophane bags and string. I have a couple of people in mind who I know would love them and would use them!

One of the good things about summer is we have so much free solar power! Quick drying of herbs for free is one use for it. The results are very good and fast.

I need to add a few new herbs to a few spaces. But in the end if I have spent about $4 on a punnet of herbs the amazing amount of produce is worth more than 10 x that and I will tend to use more herbs and more liberally too and then have some to give away. Lovely!

Harvest.

Before the next lot of heat hits I thought to harvest some herbs to dry. I'm often bad at this. I love to use fresh herbs most days and just run out and pick some and I love to give away fresh bunches. Now and then in the supermarket I look at the fresh bunches, the size and prices of them and realise what an asset I have and that doing this is worth a lot of money!

But I don't keep up and the garden grows huge and lots of herbs are wasted... the chooks get bunches to eat which is really good for them. Also I know much of it will grow back and better if I cut it back so I have had a harvest of herbs to dry and am planning to make bouquet garni and fill jars with these for the winter months and for gifts.

Just cutting into the herb garden with scissors is amazing, the smell of oregano, thyme, rosemary is beautiful. Yum. I have tied up bunches of bay leaves, rosemary, oregano, thyme and parsley and have them drying. 

After all this I still have plenty of fresh herbs to cut daily and also I did not cut basil as to me that should be fresh and we are keeping up with it that way.

The parsley, thyme and bay leaves are the ingredients for a basic bouquet garni and I have muslin so I can make lots of these for free. A really lovely gift for a cook. All home grown, no pesticides, sprays, just natural herbs. How healthy and good!

I had a lot of parsley going to seed, I left some so I get baby plants coming up everywhere which I just love and I gave some of the seed heads to the chickens which they love!

Some of the herbs are hanging inside and some are outside in the sun, kind of an experiment.  They dry so quickly this time of year, in 24 hours they had shrunk by about a third.

I find here the things I plant in January do the best so in a week I will buy some seedlings of basil and more tomatoes and a few things and plant a second round. Each year these do much better than the spring planted things, I don't know why, but doing it means I have herbs and tomatoes for months to come.

Another thing I know... having herbs and vegies growing is very good for me. Seedlings mean you have to go out and BE in the garden. They need watering three times a day when it's hot... I know the outside, the sun, the birds, the scents all being me health and joy. It's extra fresh and healthy amazing nutrients and flavour but also the joy and beauty of nature and the happiness of growing things.... It is good for us. I know I even sleep better if I have spent plenty of time outside during the day. It's also accidental exercise, gardening...

Many places the prices of fresh produce are high, especially in remote places in Australia. Growing things and also sprouting things inside can add a huge amount of fresh flavour and goodness cheaply in those circumstances. You always have something fresh to garnish and sprinkle over meals. They look extra lovely and fresh and fragrant as well.

                                   Fresh herbs drying in the sun from my little harvest!

Gathering...

Every year while at the farm I gather my years supply of bay leaves. They are used in so many recipes and have other uses and our tree of them has no pesticides or anything bad so it is a great opportunity! 

Mum planted this tree years ago. They are very slow growing but now it is huge, an actual tree....

Bay leaves go into many soups (my chicken soup which cures anything) and stews/casseroles. They are a key ingredient. And now they know an important part of why the mediterranean diet is so healthy and keeps cancer rates low. It contains all kinds of vitamins, minerals and enzymes that are known cancer fighters and is thought to be unique in some of its properties. Use a few in everything you can! 

Bay leaves are also a key component to your bouquet garni, I'll show you how to make them and use them in another post! They are so useful and easy to use.

Jamie Oliver places 10 fresh bay leaves under his pork roast with 4 apples. Now I use quite a few with my pork roasts through winter. Yum.

So ... my farm visit is time to collect and then dry my Bay Leaves. Last year my aunt and I sat and made wreaths with them for our kitchens and gifts for our cook friends. They dried very well and I used several as kitchen themed gifts.

I had already made a wreath base from the vines my neighbour had trimmed and was throwing away the long cut off bits (horror of horrors!) She let me have all this and it made a dozen grape vine wreaths... most of these became the base for these wreaths. So the entire thing was 100% free.

The other thing is to make bunches of bay leaves and place them in your pantry cupboards. Then you will not have pantry moths. I had tiny irritating and creepy pantry moths once. I emptied the pantry, cleaned everything, put it all back and ever since have kept a generous bunch of bay leaves in each cupboard and have never had them since. Well worth it.

Once dried they keep for years. What a gift to be able to pick free herbs and spices, use them all year and benefit from the flavour and amazing health boost! 

There are so many herbs we can gather free. Most people with a bay leaf tree will gladly let you have a bunch, same with rosemary and many other herbs. At the supermarket I see people pay several dollars for a few sprigs of rosemary. It grows in the car park! It's in every park and garden around here! 

Take every opportunity to gather and use herbs. If you have something growing or available to you google all the uses for it... you might have a years worth of kitchen gifts and a healthy addition to your meals right there waiting to be picked! Bunches given to friends who cook are very welcome gifts.

Once I had so much parsley I took bunches into my local organic cafe and he was so happy he gave me free coffees for a year! 

Enjoy!!

Hydrangeas.

Just now our Hydrangeas are flowering. Ours are white with very soft colours through them and they are lovely. I did try to encourage them to be blue but nothing changed and so I am just grateful to have them and enjoy them to the fullest.

Out the front we have a row of seven and one big one out the back. They drink a lot! I will have them well watered and if the next day is hot they will start to wilt and I'm back out there watering. To cope we use the water from the laundry and bath on them! Today is warm but tomorrow and thursday are shaping up to get to 40. last year we had one day that was 46. I will be soaking them tonight and in the mornings as well. Around Adelaide I see many people prop umbrellas over theirs in the heat but ours are under trees and so quite happy mostly.

They extra joy is they look amazing picked indoors and they last and last! In a vase they also drink a lot of water, you have to add water everyday. Fresh flowers in the house are just beautiful. This vase was one of a pair from an op shop. They are plastic and were black. I painted them to look like stoneware urns. Just right for big arrangements like this! 

It is hard to show how big this is, its really huge and spectacular! 

The colours are wonderful! Last year I had several vases this size. Then if you keep the water in the vase they will gradually dry and keep most of their colour. Then they are very good for filling in vases, wreaths and lots of floral crafts. If I knew someone who dead head and prune their hydrangeas I would ask for them and hang them upside down in bunches as they are so gorgeous and people actually throw them out. Others are smart and sell them to florists. This to me is an example of use what you have, there are so many things that you could make.

These are previous years hydrangeas used as a filler with roses I make. They still look pretty. 

One day I'll do a tutorial on how to make the handmade roses. I use crepe paper that I dye soft colours. They are actually really easy to do yet I have seen handmade roses for sale online for small fortunes. 

The next few hot days I will be staying in as much as possible, watering the garden enough for it to cope and swimming in the evenings. The heat is very hard on people, animals, birds... I am lucky I can stay out of it mostly. Many people cannot. I keep the freezer full of ice and like when the girls were at school send frozen drinks, frozen dampened face washers and hand towels in zip lock bags (these keep lunches cool and then can be used to wash and cool yourself) , ice packs etc to work with Andy. Also bowls of water under the verandah for the birds and old sheets over the chook house to wet during the worst of it. 

Hot days are wonderful for quite things indoors. It's another reason having something lovely to do makes you happy. You don't feel frustrated or bored you feel quite happy to be working away on your crochet or card making or what ever you are doing. It makes it a little better!

Canterbury Bells are ringing.

Just now I have Canterbury Bells flowering and I'm so thrilled with them. I planted them last year and have had to water them every warm day for twelve months and now this is what I get!

They are lovely. I adore the sound of church bells and how Christmassy! Also a fine example of "you reap what you sow" I thought!

I love english flowers ... Hollyhocks, foxgloves, lilacs... roses. Just gorgeous.

When we came to this house there were two huge pots with trees in them and they were covered in white flowers the size of saucers. They are a type of Magnolia. Just amazing and we have quite a few out now.

Being in my garden and working on it I am sure is as good a medicine as there is. It makes me feel better even when things are blahh. The sunshine does me good. I notice the birds know this, they lay flat with their wings out sun baking away. Vit D the gift from the sun. 

The birds in this garden are so tame. I feel my hair move as they have flown past me so close as they are not worried. When we first came two years ago there wasn't a bird. The people before us had a cat and the birds had left. It took months to gain the birds back and then more time before they loved us. Now some will sit next to our legs as we eat outside and have build nests and had babies hatch. A baby honeyeater still couldn't fly and sat on our bin outside and was so sweet. 

The crumbs go out onto the back lawn and I always put out water. On a terrible day, those days over 40, I put bowls of water under the verandah. I've seen them just sit in it. I know how they feel.

Recently driving home from the shops I saw my dream come true! Two huge cement urns.

You never saw a faster u turn. I would say they were still there because one had been painted bright red and the other bright blue. Overlooking that I could see the shapes were beautiful. Then they were so heavy! I had no hope. But I wouldn't leave either.... thinking what to do. A man from inside the house across the road saw me and understood apparently. He came and helped me and so they remained in the back of the car until Andy came home! 

So there are two and now are out the back next to french doors. Only planted a few weeks ago they are starting to look lovely. What a good find!