Sunday, 28 November 2010

Christmas Cake


Last night I prepared the fruit to get my first Christmas Cake made today. 
 I just love making my own Christmas cakes.


All that delicious dried fruit and nuts.


This morning the ingredients were mixed and the cake assembled.


This morning as I mixed using my beautiful old spoon I thought again about my dear Nana and Grandma.  I have a spoon from each of their kitchens and I love and use them daily.

I thought about all the cakes that had been mixed by their hands with these very same spoons and the love that had gone into our family by doing so.

I thought about them and how much I miss them and being in their kitchens cooking. 



So with my Christmas preparations finally started, I hope my family will one day remember the love that goes into the preparation of Christmas and maybe one day treasure the very special memories that I hope I have created for them.


Sunday, 21 November 2010

Mmmmm Blueberry Muffins



Another Sunday morning trip to deliver one son to his job at Woolworths, saw me come home with a punnet of Blueberries!



Muffin Mix

1 Cup Self Raising Flour
1/2 Cup Plain Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Bicarb Soda
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg (lightly beaten)
3/4 Cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Sift dry ingredients into bowl, stir in sugar, the combined eggs, milk and oil.  Do not over mix, batter should be lumpy. 
Stir through 125g Blueberries (reserve a few for the top)

Topping

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Plain Flour
40g butter chopped

Rub Butter into dry ingredients.  Sprinkle on top of muffins and top with reserved berries

Bake in a moderate oven approximately 20 minutes.

This recipe works well with other fruit alternatives e.g. apple, stawberry


They are delicious!

Sunday, 14 November 2010

Sunday Morning Friands........



There is something about getting out of bed very early on a Sunday morning.........first of all it makes me very tired.  But secondly, I can achieve so much! 

Mitchell had to go to work by 6 a.m. this morning and with BJ already at work, that leaves me as the taxi driver.  Only for a little while longer though.  Mitchell has finally achieved that magical 100 hours on his Learners Permit and now can book a driving test.  Here's hoping he can get through first go.  It will make our life so much easier, but filled with more worry!


So by 8 a.m. yummy lemon friands were in the oven and by 9 a.m., pancakes had also been made.


By 10.30 I had enjoyed said Friands on the front verandah with a lovely coffee! 
The washing and ironing are done so I am off to stitch for awhile!!

Sunday, 24 October 2010

Artichokes........



For some fun, I planted a punnet of Artichokes.......



One plant in the vege patch......

The rest in the garden beds......



Inspired by The Vintage Rose, who has a beautiful home, garden and shop in Tasmania.

Amanda and her family were featured in Australian Country Style magazine earlier in the year.



I am going to pick these beauties and put them in a vase..........

More head shaking from the male species in this home will surely follow~!

Sunday, 17 October 2010

Sweet Peas......

I think Sweet Peas would have to be my favourite Spring flower.  Mine have finally started flowering. 

I planted them this year on the teepee in the vegepatch, where they have gone mad. 


The perfume in my dining area is just beautiful. 

Saturday, 16 October 2010

Yonder Lane.........


Today, we visited the most delightful garden which was open as part of Australia's Open Garden Scheme.  It was beautiful. 

The front door and verandah was just beautiful, with Pierre De Ronsard roses being trained along the front.  Pierre De Ronsard is certainly blooming beautifully everywhere at the moment.  The season must have been just perfect for it.

The Potager below, was also a lovely highlight for me.  Very similar to our own Potager, but on a larger scale.  I was a little jealous!  You can see over to the left of the Potager a beautiful, Wisteria covered arbour where there were seats to enjoy all the hard work the owners must put in.  Four very large Olive trees occupied each corner and there were sixteen raised beds.  Stunning!



"Summerfield" is down a lovely little country lane at Carbalah near Toowoomba.  After all the recent rain, we had to park up the road a way and walk down the lane.



It was a lovely little walk.  The weather has turned quite cool here after the rain, even with frost predicted for the morning.  We certainly didn't get at all hot on our walk.

As we neared the end of the lane, the house came into view.  What a sight to behold.  It is just beautiful.  I so wish my home was situated in such a lovely setting. 



A red barn - be still my beating heart!!  At that moment, I wanted to sell up and start again!! I think?  I loved how they have put traditional timber barn doors on their barn, instead of the usual 'colorbond' roller door. 




The verandah wrapped around two sides of the home, with one side being quite deep and facing the north.  What a lovely spot it must be to spend some time.



Around to the south of the home, another beautiful area to spend some time.  I so wanted to take those two chairs home with me!!

One the way home we stopped off for a lovely coffee and a wander through a little nursery.  Such a lovely afternoon.  I am glad we took time away from our own pruning and weeding to enjoy this lovely garden, down Yonder Lane........