Flown the Coop

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Posted on February 25, 2014

We have a small flock of chickens. It ranges in number from 2 to 7 depending on circumstances. We had 5 until last week when one of them died. We usually let them out for a couple of hours late in the afternoon when we are home so since I was working from home today I went downstairs to let them out about 4pm. The 2 brown chickens came running but there was no sign of the 2 black ones. I searched everywhere for them but to no avail.

Then I noticed that the shadecloth that we have over part of the run was split. The join had obviously deteriorated in the sun. One of the reasons I put the shadecloth up was to stop the chickens getting on the roof of the henhouse and then using that as a launching-pad to fly out of the enclosure. The black chickens were the main culprits and The Duke had christened them ‘Harriet Houdini’ 1 & 2. It looked like they had lived up to their names and I was not sure whether I would see them again.

I decided to fix the split so I used these fencing wire clips.

Here is the finished result.

About an hour later the 2 escape artists returned and carried on scavenging in and around the garden beds as though nothing untoward had happened. I am hoping that I have solved the problem and they will stay in the run.

Planning is the Key

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Posted on February 24, 2014

As I sat down at my desk on Saturday morning to write a menu plan for the week, I started to think about how much planning goes into keeping our lives running smoothly.

I have always menu-planned to some degree but I have now developed a routine which works for us. Every Saturday morning I write a plan for the next 7 – 10 days. I keep in mind what food I have in the refrigerator as well as what is available in the garden. From that I then write a shopping list. This generally a few basic groceries such as milk and cheese as well as fruit and vegetables. I buy meat every couple of months and pantry staples about every 3 months.

We have big plans, such as our overseas trip but also small, day-to-day plans that ensure things run smoothly and we work towards achieving our goals. If this sounds like our lives are totally structured and regimented, think again as nothing could be further from the truth.

Over breakfast on a Saturday morning, either The Duke or I are often heard to say, “So, what are your plans for today?” Then follows a discussion about what we have individually considered that we need to get done. It usually centres around shopping, washing, lawn mowing and the like. The next step is to plan.

On Saturday morning we had to take the dog to the vet at 8.30am so we decided to leave the shopping until Sunday morning and do some outdoor work. We needed to finish by 4.30pm so we could be cleaned up and head off to dinner and the movies by 6pm. We planned our outdoor work and achieved a real sense of satisfaction when the jobs were done. All of the piles of mulch were collected from various spots around the yard, we weeded and mulched the garden bed beside the front steps. The Duke lightly pruned the roses and we planted 5 more pineapple tops. The remainder of the mulch was spread under the native shrubs on the front verge.

Since it was drizzling with rain most of the day we then adjourned under the house to start on one of the other jobs on the master list – covering the area which is bare dirt under the verandah with pebbles. The original plan was to build 3 more low retaining walls to create stepped levels to hold the pebbles in place, however, we have decided to retain the sections using some timber sleepers. We will also place some along the outside edge to separate the pebbled area from the garden bed outside. We have calculated how many sleepers, how much weed mat and the volume of pebbles that we will need to complete the job. The ground has been dug out and is almost at the levels we need so I hope we can get this finished over the next few weeks.

Sunday was a different story. I did the ironing early, before we went to do the shopping in a couple of different locations and came home with the intention of more outdoor work. One simple message on the answering machine changed that. A friend had left a message to ask us to come for drinks at 4pm, so I amended the menu plan as I knew we would have plenty of late afternoon/evening nibbles. I then spent the rest of the day in the kitchen. I made pizza bases, wraps for our lunches and a chocolate cake (all gluten-free). I made 1 pizza and took that and the chocolate cake with us that afternoon. The remainder of the pizza bases are partly pre-cooked and in the freezer.

So, to round off a fairly long-winded story, I think it is important to have a plan, otherwise things can turn into a disorganised jumble and you end up wasting a lot of time. The organisation that results from these plans allows you the flexibility to change those plans to accommodate things that arise out of the blue. What do you think?

Foodie Friday – An Introduction

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Posted on February 21, 2014

I have thought long and hard about this post as I did not want to start something that I could not sustain. A couple of years ago I ran a series of posts called, “Friday Favourites” which featured tried and true recipes. Some of them were ones that I had loved for many years and these posts continue to be some of the most enduring and popular posts on this blog.

A little over 18 months ago I chose to pursue a gluten-free diet which has proved beneficial for my health. I tried a separate blog to document my recipes but that has not been maintained.

My plan is that each Friday will be a food-related post. It may be a recipe for anything from a main meal to special occasion treats or about food storage, food preparation or new products. The focus will be on affordable eating, simple recipes, menu planning and fresh, seasonal produce. I will add links to the recipes in the ‘Recipe’ tab at the top of the blog. This will help to find anything mentioned previously. Please let me know if there is anything in particular that you like me to include.

My Life Laid Bare

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Posted on February 18, 2014

On Sunday we cleaned and sorted the open concreted area under the house. This is a large space and The Duke unwittingly took a leaf out of Francine Jay’s book, “The Joy of Less”. You can read more about the principle of ‘Starting Over’ here.

Everything, and I mean every single thing, was moved and put out in the backyard. Hence, the rather dramatic title to this post.

We set about sweeping up the leaves, dirt and other debris then The Duke used the high pressure cleaner. This process managed to remove all of the paint drips and splatters from when we had painted the fenceposts. Some people would be appalled at the waste of water but we knew that we had plenty of tank water so that was not a problem.

In true decluttering fashion, we wanted to make sure that only things that had good reason to be under the house went back there so we critically assessed the various piles. It was very easy to see those things that did not deserve to stay. We actually both made our decisions independently and then when we compared notes it was no surprise that we agreed on what needed to go.

The final step was to rearrange the items that were to be put back. Since we have finished painting fenceposts, we relocated the scaffold up the the back area and have stacked the posts, rolls of wire and the old kitchen sink on it. Don’t laugh – we are planning to use the sink. The plan is to have the sink set up close to the vegetable garden so that we can use it for washing fruit and vegetables. We cleaned the hanging chairs and once they are rehung we will be able to relax in our refreshed space.

As well as cleaning the area and decluttering a few things, we have been able to identify the things for which we have a planned use. This has led to new enthusiasm to get some projects done and the materials used rather than stored.

Too Hot to Declutter?

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Posted on February 16, 2014

It is easy to make excuses as to why you should not do things. After not achieving much last weekend, we were keen to make some inroads this weekend. It was hot yesterday and we managed to fritter most of the day away until late in the afternoon when we did a few jobs in the garden. I will show you that in another post. Today was actually predicted to be hotter with a forecast maximum of 36C so we adjourned to the coolest part of the house. We call this area a cellar although it is not in the true sense of the word. It is the space underneath the internal staircase, is partially below ground level and 2 walls are concrete block. All all these things work together to keep the space reasonably cool.

The Duke removed everything from this space so I don’t actually have a before photo. We dismantled the low shelving which we had placed there when we first moved here. It was 3 planks of wood and several concrete blocks. It was the concrete blocks that were the catalyst for this flurry of activity. We will need them for building more of the low retaining walls under the verandah. You can see the first one we built here. The others will not be as high, no will they have the screening on top of the bocks. More about that another day.

Once everything was out of the cellar we swept it thoroughly and then decided what would actually go back in. We replaced the dismantled shelving with the shelf unit we built from old explosives boxes. Next, we repositioned the wine rack from one wall to the other. This entailed removing all of the bottles so it was a good opportunity to reassess what we have and replace the bottles in a logical order.

Finally, there are a few things stacked under the very low part of the stairs. Card table, boogie board, folding chairs etc. We did get rid of/move a few things that had been on the old shelving. We still have plenty of space on the shelf unit to store other things that we find in the workshop that would be better located here.

In the meantime, we are very happy that the cellar is clean and tidy. It was great to be able to finish this job on a day when it was really too hot to tackle much else.

Do you struggle with getting things done if it is too hot or too cold? Is it a form of procrastination to blame the weather?

Do It On Your Day Off

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Posted on February 12, 2014

The title was once part of an advertising slogan when 9 day fortnights were being introduced in some workplaces.

Well, yesterday was a day off for me and I did all sorts of things. Belle had asked if we could look after the children for an hour or so from 5pm as there was an information session for the Year 1 parents which she wanted to attend. I originally planned to leave work early to go to her place but then decided that a day off seemed like a better option.

I left home early in the morning and dropped of some mangoes and frozen mango puree to Belle. The next stop was Albion Glass & Mirror to pick up the new mirror for the restored dressing table. We had originally planned to have it re-silvered but that is an obsolete process as they can replicate any glass or mirror. We chose to spend the extra money and have the bevel just inside the frame rather than a perfectly flat piece. This is authentic and maintains the integrity of the piece. I will post a photo once we have re-assembled the mirror on the dressing table.

Then I headed off to see my mother for the day. We did not do anything startling. The time was spent chatting, looking at some old photos and seeing her latest craft work. We shared a simple meal for lunch and went to the local shops to pick up a few groceries. It was lovely to have the time to spend together.

Picking up and caring for my granddaughters was a complete change of pace but also very enjoyable. I heard all about their respective days, cooked dinner for them and have started teaching Miss O, aged 6, how to tie a bow. She does not have shoes with laces but what prompted the lesson was her shorts. She changed out of her school uniform and came downstairs in shorts and a t-shirt but these new shorts have a drawstring as well as elastic so we spent some time learning how to tie a single knot which she mastered almost immediately and then a bow which she has grasped the general concept.

I had an enjoyable day and it was great to connect with family.

On another note, I wanted to share this post from Frugal Queen who hails from Cornwall. Cornwall has been battered by the wild winter storms of the past few week but in her post she shares many of the wonders of Cornwall and why the tourists should visit. Not only Cornwall but many areas both at home and overseas really struggle for visitors after a disaster.

The Rhythm of Life

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Posted on February 10, 2014

…….or just a Never-Ending Story?

The jobs that seem to fall together under that all-encompassing title of “Housework’. Do you embrace them as a steady part of your routine and rejoice in the satisfaction of a job well done? Or do you constantly rail against the monotony of having to do the same task over and over again?

During the past few weekends we have made substantial progress with what The Duke refers to as our bucket list. It is not a bucket list in the generally accepted sense but more like a ‘to do list’. We have bought and planted the shrubs outside the boundary fence, prepared the fence posts (cut to length, cleaned and painted), created and planted the rockery and started on building more raised garden beds.

However, the last couple of days have been a bit different. The combination of a very busy week at work and drizzling rain yesterday meant that I did very little outdoor work. In fact, I could say I did nothing much until I actually list what I did do.

Washing
Ironing
Prepared meals
Menu planned
Shopping
Picked beans, tomatoes, corn and mangoes
Sorted contents of freezer
Prepared and stored mango (pureed, frozen, dehydrated)
Prepared and froze corn
Swept floors
Dusted sideboard and bookcase
Refilled pantry containers from storage buckets

There were probably a dozen other little tasks that have not even made it onto the list.

The Duke also washed several loads of dishes and emptied the compost numerous times while I was making a mess in the kitchen.

Most of these tasks will need to be repeated the next day, week or month but that does not bother me particularly. I am constantly looking at ways to simplify my life and one of the reasons to reduce the amount of time and effort that is expended on routine tasks such as many of those that I have listed. A good example is shopping. This my shopping consisted of buying cheese and vinegar at Aldi (the vinegar was for the chutney), a small quantity of fruit and vegetables at the local fruit stall and The Duke bought some bacon at the butcher when he went in to town on another errand. The flow on effect was that putting everything away took about 2 minutes so that is a huge saving as well.

So, what do you think of repetitive homemaking tasks?

I’m So Proud

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Posted on February 6, 2014

Today I want to share a story that my daughter told me. The words, “I’m so proud of her” were what she said at the end of the story.

Miss O, now 6, has just started Year 1 at school after having completed Prep last year. She is a bright little girl whom we all love dearly but she is very shy.

Talking has not been her forte and when she was at daycare there were times when the staff would bribe her to talk! Social interactions were a real challenge so we were all concerned as to how she would cope at school. She was lucky to have a brilliant and supportive Prep teacher who gently encouraged her.

As well as being at school Miss O goes to before and after school care and it was feedback from one of the co-ordinators that swelled her mother’s heart. Miss O is not only settled and comfortable in her environment but she has taken a couple of the new Prep students under her wing and is teaching them a particular card game at after school care.

It may seem a small thing but it such an achievement for her. I wonder if it is a bit of a case of ‘been there, done that’ and she knows how it feels and therefore has a real empathy for others who are feeling out of their depth?

We are all so proud of her.

Mango Madness

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Posted on February 5, 2014

First it was the figs that I dried, then the corn being blanched and frozen. Today’s glut is mangoes.

We have 2 mango trees, one large one that is about 20 years old and does not fruit. I have no idea why there are no fruit and I am not sure how long we will maintain a non-productive fruit tree when the space could be better utilised. The other tree was planted about 3 years ago and has produced a few mangoes last year and this year there are 2 that have reached mature size so we are waiting for them to ripen. So the glut is not from our own trees.

As we were going out on Sunday I noticed several mangoes lying on the driveway of a property not far from us. I knew that the was a mango tree in the front yard but I can honestly say that I had never noticed fruit on in previous years. Since the owners are not permanent residents I contacted them to see if I could collect any fallen fruit. With a positive response to my enquiry I headed off to pick up the fruit this morning.

I discovered that there are actually 3 mango trees and there was an abundance of fruit on the ground. 2 supermarket bags were filled with rotten and decaying fruit which I took home and put in the compost. The usable fruit filled 5 calico bags!

Some of the fruit were very ripe and others were partly damaged so it as important to salvage what I could before they deteriorated any further. I decided the quickest and easiest solution was to puree the pulp and freeze it. Remember, that I had picked the fruit before 6am and I still had to go to work.

After 30 minutes of furious preparation and a blender I had 2.5 litres of mango puree ready to store in the freezer.

I have taken one of the remaining mangoes as part of my packed lunch and there are still 38 mangoes on the kitchen bench.

Of course, there are still dozens on the trees.

I am really glad that I made the effort to contact the owner of the property as it would have been a shame to see all of this fruit go to waste.

How would you use the mango puree?

Storing the Surplus

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Posted on February 2, 2014

As I mentioned yesterday, I picked corn. I ended up with about 18 cobs and after The Duke had 2 for his lunch I was still left with a lot of corn to keep for another day. After doing a bit of research, I decided to blanch it, strip the kernels and freeze them.

Here is what I did.

Cooked 3 – 4 cobs at a time for 6 minutes in boiling water. It needs to be a large enough volume so that the water returns to a rolling boil within 1 – 2 minutes of adding the corn.

Remove the corn from the water using a slotted spoon and drop immediately into iced water for 6 minutes.

Strip the kernels from the cob using a sharp knife. In the instructions I found on the internet someone suggested using a bundt tin to support the narrow end of the cob while cutting the kernels off. I happened to have one of these so tried out. I was very pleased with the ease of removing the kernels and the tin was perfect to catch them in.

I gently stirred the mixture to separate the kernels and spread them on 2 trays, covered them and placed them in the freezer overnight. I weighed the kernels before I froze them and my efforts yielded 1.7kg.

This morning I removed the frozen kernels and packed them into 2 containers. This way the kernels are individually frozen and I can remove as much or as little as I need at a time.