I Love Oma

For Josee and our beautiful Dutch family! Oma would probably hate this photo but I love it. We went out for lunch on the weekend :0) xx 

I'm Mobile!

Well friends, it's been an awfully long time, but I'm back! Now I can blog from my phone, I know it will be a much more manageable task. I'm looking forward to getting back into it and sharing our days with you. Talk soon! Xoxo Cath 

Where I Live

"Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever remains to them?"

Rose F. Kennedy 

Cheeky Night Visitor

At our homeschool co-op, TLC, one Mum made these dough handprints with the kids. We left them out to dry overnight, and made a very funny discovery in the morning:

Can you see the little handprints?

It was our cheeky backyard possum, caught pink-handed! We couldn't believe it; it was as though it had thought, "Ooh, I'll have a turn of this!" and put its hands in to make prints. REALLY cute!

Much nicer than Mum and Dad's night visitor, who brazenly crept in, stole their keys, wallet and phone, opened the garage door and drove their car off into the night.  >:0(

Bread Baking Time

 I've been baking sourdough bread. Not being all that much of a sweet tooth, I'm enjoying putting my baking energy into savoury bread instead. Nothing beats steaming hot fresh bread straight out of the oven on a Winter's morning.

As you can see below, the process has been a little bit trial and error, but I think bread is pretty forgiving and usually turns out all right in the end. If nothing else, making it into toast usually fixes it, and if it's still inedible, the chooks get a treat!

My best loaf so far has been a pumpkin and pepita one. That was always my favourite from Sol Breads so I tried to emulate that. It was a very wet dough and so I just splatted it onto the baking tray, but it turned out YUM. Below is a plain wholemeal/white loaf with a few chia seeds thrown in.

 

Delicious with Nigella Lawson's "Eggs in Purgatory" or as Kees calls it, "Eggs in Poetry", now a firm favourite for Winter breakfasts.

 

A Few Moments in the Day With Jimmy

 Just a few little moments with my cutie through the day. 

He took time out from his busy snipping - the evidence of this new interest is all over the floor every day - to watch this super cool volcano toy, a gift from Noreen at Straddie.

 We went grocery shopping and got a big fright when a scary little monster offered us a tomato!

Later, while Kees was at tennis, we went for a stroll along the beautiful shore. Yep, Jimmy still likes that stroller! He also wants me to dress him, dry him, wipe his bum...where's my Mr Independent gone? Must be a stage.

Ahh, here's Mr Independent, back again. Jim made us a great little salad. I reckon he's not bad for a four year old! Jimmy just loves to cook and make culinary creations. Won't be long till I'm lazing in the hammock while he cooks dinner. As long as everyone's happy with sausages every night?

Love you Mr Cute Stuff. xx Mum Mum.

Autumn Journal: Crepe Myrtle

Being in the subtropics, we don't get a really dramatic Autumn, so I appreciate the humble Crepe Myrtle for its beautiful Autumn display. The gorgeous russet against the magnificent blue sky gladdened my heart in amongst a week that seems to have been punctuated by tantrums about everything. I keep waiting for them to grow out of things...but I guess it's just a season, like Autumn. Meanwhile, I'm just trying to be the sane one.

Autumn Journal: Grapefruit

It's beautiful to have generous neighbours who share their homegrown fruit and vegetables - and great sense of humour - with us. Yummy grapefruit! I'm looking forward to exploring some new grapefruit recipes with these beauties.

Koalas and Gutter Children

The other afternoon, we were at our dear friends', playing in the drain, as you do, when we spotted a koala in the backyard!

We all oohed and ahhed at its cuteness, all snuggled up there asleep in the branch.

But later, it climbed down the tree and just sat in the water. We think it must have had chlamydia. We called the wildlife carer who came and took the poor thing. The prognosis wasn't good, I'm afraid. It's so sad.





We went to Alma Park Zoo the other day and they gave us some statistics on the koalas of Brisbane. There are 4000 left and they're dying at a rate of 1000 a year. Horrifying.

So: plant koala food trees, keep your cats and dogs under control and fight for preservation of bush and wildlife corridors. Also put the number of your local vet or wildlife carer in your phone so you can report any sick, injured or dead koalas. xx

Thrift Shop

I'm so thrilled to hear this song:

Thrift Shop by Macklemore!

 Shout out to all my secondhand brothers and sisters: this song is a celebration! Woohoo! Put it on while you browse through Salvo's...

 

Caution: some naughty words.

What We've Been Sewing

We've been making some cool stuff round here lately. 

Kees is stoked with his new bag, made out of a chook food sack and some herringbone tape. He "stayed up late" till 8 o'clock sewing with me. ;0) It makes for a great, durable all-purpose or swimming bag.

I spent a few nights going cross-eyed sewing this little cutie from a lovely library book of French-ish designs. (I can look up the name if you want.) Thanks for the linen, Nanny. See, I did use it!

 

Some rockin' monster men...

 

... a groovy happy cushion....

...and some cute summer jarmies from an op-shopped cot sheet.

Where I Live

Storm coming...

... an amazing sky.

Nanny's Quilt

Dear Nanny,

Thank you so much for the beautiful quilt you made Matt and me. It is absolutely gorgeous - a true work of art. Thank you for all the time and effort you have put into it. This quilt will be a treasured family heirloom for years to come.

Love from us xoxoxo

NZ News - A New Arrival!

Welcome baby Sylvie!

Sorry this is so late!

 

Beautiful photos provided by the proud Daddy Dave.

Another Beautiful Bushwalk

A little hidden pathway at sunset....

Paleo Banana Pancakes

If you want to make some satisfying banana pikelets that are Paleo (also dairy/gluten free) just whip up a sweet scrambled egg mixture - eggs and maple syrup - then add some almond meal, dessicated coconut and chopped bananas, then fry in coconut oil. They were great and disappeared fast!

Dad in NZ

At the airport... Despite walking straight past this sign:

Dad forgot about an apple in his pocket and paid a $400 fine. Ouchy wa wa!!!

I Made a Lampshade

 Yonks ago, I saw this project in a Real Living mag. It stuck in my mind as something I'd like to make one day, so I'd always kept my eye out for lamp shade frames when op shopping. My lucky day came when a friend had a garage sale and her Mum sold me the perfect frame for five bucks. All I had to do was choose some yarn from my hand-me-down stash, and get weaving! Jane would be so happy she no longer had to abide my naked light bulbs. All good things come to those who wait...

The inspiration

I got by with a little help from my friends ;0)

And 'twas done!

Let there be light!

Actually, I was just thinking, a way you could probably cheat with this, is to use a plant hanging basket frame. I might do this for those naked bulbs in the hallway!

Holiday Tennis

Kees has had a ball playing tennis in a holiday clinic at our local tennis centre. He absolutely loved it. I enjoyed seeing him when I picked him up, all red-faced, sweaty and happy. He made good progress - perhaps he's inherited some skill from Nanny Chris and Digger! 'Cause it sure wasn't from me.

 

Not sure what he's up to here...

What a serve!

Happy boy.

 

It's important to me that he learns from other people, not just me, so this term he's signed up for trampolining, tennis, Montessori maths, art and Mandarin lessons, in addition to our Teaching and Learning Co-op and other miscellaneous workshops. Should be fun!