The Potager Sink

The ongoing fascination with the 'Potager' continues for me.  I love my vegetable garden and the joy it brings to me.  Especially when I am picking produce and providing for my family.

For what seems like an eternity I have had an idea.  I found the most wonderful vintage cast iron hand basin in a wonderful pink.  I knew the instant I saw it, what it was going to be for. 

I love the idea of a potting table come wash up area within the vegetable garden - or as you are well aware by now - what I will refer to as my Potager - whether it is a true Potager or not, in my imagination it will be!

So, the hunt for the perfect table became a focus.  I have hunted high and low, to no avail.

I started to think I would never find my perfect table.  Too small, too big, too good, too expensive, wrong shape!  Everything but the one I needed.

A few weeks ago I went to a wonderful Op shop, one which I keep forgetting about.  

Down a little back street hidden away.

I had hunted around, when up in the back corner it caught my eye.  'As Is' $35..........

Perfect in every way, the right size and wonderful.  I will admit though, that I am still feeling most guilty for painting the beautiful timber and sending this lovely to live outside.

But it is going to be wonderful and beautiful and so worth the wait!

This lovely little table has now had two coats of lovely Antique White and looking most positively stunning!  But then again I am totally biased.

The final unveiling soon I hope.

Vintage Music Kusadama Ball..........

I saw this lovely idea on a very sweet little blog.  I was entranced by the beauty of this idea.

Lots of little 3 inch squares of vintage music, folded and folded, 

and glued and glued

and held together with lots of bobby pins

and you have a lovely Vintage Music Kusadama Ball.

Absolutely chuffed with this little project.  I really didn't think I was capable of such a thing.

A Foodie Weekend................

My computer is playing up. Badly.  I can't load pictures at all.  I have grovelled to Mitchell to use his computer to post a little update.

Last weekend I had a lovely weekend making some really delicious food.

I had been really wanting some Pumpkin Soup to take to work.  I love taking a serving to heat at lunchtime.  I saw Donna Hay make her soup recipe and thought it looked a great way to make it.

I just scooped out the seeds and baked the pumpkin whole.  It was then scooped out into the food processor and the rest of the ingredients added and blended.  It is so good.

Cornflake biscuits also.  Too yummy.  The kids loved these as they brought back many memories for them of helping to make hundreds of them at the bakery.  They taste just the same.

Little tart shells.............

Filled with Lemon Butter............

Made with some of my bountiful lemon harvest..........

So lovely to have yummy food on a cold weekend.

A day in our garden...............

We have had the most beautiful weather here today.  So warm in the garden, that we only needed sleeveless shirts on!  How nice to get such a wonderful day for the weekend.

Alexandra helped along for some of the time, then she made us the most delicious lunch.  We picked a Chinese Cabbage as well as Spring Onion and Chives from the garden and she made the lovliest coleslaw which we ate with yummy jacket potatoes - of course there was sour cream as well!!!



Alexandra makes the best scones.  These were served with strawberry jam and of course a little dollop of whipped cream.

Yummo!



We have a bumper crop of lemons this year.  I think it was something like 62 lemons!  Remember back here when I had a much different harvest!  Now we have dozens of eggs and lemons - lemon delicious pudding, lemon meringue tart, lemon butter - where to start.

We picked the first head of Broccoli today as well.  It is so wonderful to grow our own food.

Tonight we enjoyed yummy little Dutch Pancakes spinkled with a little sugar and drizzled with delicious fresh lemon juice.



Today I potted up 25 punnets of seedlings.  I just love doing this.  It is such a promise of a beautiful Spring to come after the Winter. 

I love beautiful days in the garden.  Mindless. Peaceful. Relaxing. Refreshing. Pure Bliss.

The Carnival.......a project by Mitchell & Amie

My middle son, Mitchell is in his Senior year at High School and studying Hospitality as a subject. He is already studying to be a baker through a school based apprenticeship. Mitchell teamed up with his friend Amie and together they had to create a table centre piece focusing on sweet food for part of their assessment for this year.

They chose the theme "Carnival". 

Persian Fairy Floss - yum

Funny little clowns

Two stands full of fun cupcakes..........



Popcorn and bunting...........



A wonderful carnival centrepiece.  I am so proud of them.  All the hard work paid off.  Not bad for two 17 year olds.

Cabbages & Roses Giveaway...........

Photo by Carol

Pop on over here to the lovely blog of Carol Spinski for a great giveaway.............wonderful!  

But really, I hope I win!!!

Another weekend...........

Another weekend has disappeared.  Not fair.  I would like it to go for at least another two days I think.

It's Eistedfodd time of year, which adds more to an already busy life.  It is lovely though to see the children perform.  Another night to go tomorrow night. 

In between kids and washing and groceries and food I had a busy time in the garden this weekend.

10 punnets of foxgloves together with some other assorted lovelies and 320 bulbs were planted.  Oh my aching back!  But, so worth it for the beautiful Spring garden I will have.  A couple more weeks and we will plant up some pots. 

The vege patch is quite lovely at the moment with cabbage, beetroot, broccli, cauliflower, lettuce, spring onions, assorted herbs, spinach and some late tomatoes (which are very slow in ripening).

I really enjoyed preparing some yummy food today, quiche for lunch made with eggs, spring onion, parsely and tomatoes all from our own garden! 

Pizza for tea - I love making yeast raised pizza dough - it was delicious too. 

I can't believe it is Sunday night already - that weekend passed all too quickly.

Oh to have some more time to potter in my garden.