Slower, cooler days...

Even when you're so tired all you want to do is curl up with a good audio book and drift off, life continues it's natural rhythm. 

And even though that dream of a lazy afternoon nap did not eventuate as I'd hoped (its been a really big week) the cooling and unseasonal rain of our late autumn days naturally brought about a slowing of sorts. Things still got done - but more quietly, methodically, in a gradual and calm manner. It felt as though this needed end of a very long hot summer closed the door on any rush to complete things or meet a deadline on time. 

I can honestly say my mind, body and spirit are in relief as the wait to welcome winter is almost upon us. 

We had almost a week of rain, so unusual for this time of the year but perfect for the garden and it brought us joy to watch each day as our vegetables soaked in the nourishment from heaven and doubled in size seemingly overnight. Nothing makes are garden grow like pure rainwater, especially a thorough soaking.

We have five baby roma plants, all heavy with tomatoes. Not long until they ripen and we can feast...

Bean seeds I planted on Thursday last week broke through the soil on Sunday, incredible...

During the rain we had a constant stream of feathered friends visiting. They practically live in our  yard when it's wet and invite all their family and friends too.

Sitting outside with a hot cuppa and fresh baked cookies, hubby and I can watch the birds for ages, laughing at their antics, enjoying their company...

I read on Rhonda's blog that chickens need more protein in winter and a good way to give them that is a bowl of milky porridge each day, so as we had a wet week and the girls looked like they could use some warming up I started making them a bowl to share for breakfast. 

Wow. They absolutely love it and now if I haven't got it ready each morning by 6.30 am Daphne will carry on so loud until the bowl is in front of her. Unlike Daphne, dear Bess is patient so sometimes I toss her some extra treats when Daphne's busy laying an egg.

(Blossom says I spoil my girls...nah.)

It was Blossom's birthday on Tuesday, she turned 26 on the 26th...how blessed we are to be her parents. We had a family afternoon tea on Sunday and it was so lovely for her to get some quality time with her dad while Ross and I chatted over a cuppa inside.

 After our week of rain the sun shone and the skies were clear blue so she and Mr E wandered around the garden with Cully May and Rafaella...lots of chicken cuddling too (and she says I spoil them?).

On Tuesday I went over to her place for the morning and with the children and Ross we feasted on curried chick pea sausage rolls, crackers and dip, cups of tea and much laughter.

Behind the scenes I've been working on a new Tilda project with one of the new fabric lines due for release in July. Here's a sneek peak, though in June I can show you all of it.

Tonight I'll stitch down the binding and take photos tomorrow. Then there's a pattern to write and some leftover fabric to play with over the coming month. 

Writing patterns was how I spent yesterday, which was cutting it fine with only a few days before I email them to my Faith In Hand members, but now they are done...

As much as I love to design and stitch, the pattern writing side of things is my least favourite side of this work. A bit like making all that mess in the kitchen when I bake (I love baking) but not enjoying the clean up quite as much.

What a surprise last night when my beloved arrived home from work with a bunch of flowers just for me. My favourites - gerberas and carnations - and right now he's driven off to pick up Pho Vegetarian Noodle Salad and dumplings for our dinner so I can have the night off.

It's the first day of winter next Monday and my plan over the weekend is to finish Cully May's cardigan in time for her to wear it that day. I've knitted everything except the neckband and the borders so I'm fairly sure it will be finished on time. And then I have a Miss Marple scarf to knit for myself - fortunately it's on big needles with thick yarn so shouldn't take long.

May your own end of season and the welcome of a new one be a happy time in your home, and I pray the days ahead offer more joy than sorrow, more sunshine than showers, and more hope than you imagined possible in your beautiful hearts.

Loving hugs

Sewing, baking, changing and a tutorial...

Having a week off from blogging was lovely, exactly what I needed because there were a few needful things to be achieved and time had suddenly been lacking to complete them.

It's wonderful to be able to say "I'm nearly caught up" and know that slower days now that the weather has finally cooled to a beautifully mild (and unusually wet) late autumn will keep me on track. I just seem to find my rhythm easier in the cooler months and a lot gets done without any hurry.

Not sweltering day in and day out certainly helps too as I wasn't born to a tropical climate but have had to adjust over the eleven years we've lived in this part of Australia.

I had a big list of things to accomplish when I logged out of the blog last Tuesday and one by one a line has been drawn through them (do you gain great satisfaction crossing things off your to-do list as well?). Some were small and a few required more time; some needed me to think and plan, others were naturally creative...but each gave me joy.

Shall I begin with the baking?

Bread has always been one of my baking delights. My husband could eat bread morning, noon and night, and I'm not far behind. But the actual process of choosing what loaf to bake and then following through each stage until you finally slice off a crusty end to peer inside and inhale delicious aromas can sometimes thrill me more than the eating! 

Last week I had plenty of garlic on hand so tried out a different type of garlic bread recipe, one where the raw garlic is kneaded in with the dough.

Turned out really nice, the texture was gorgeous, but next time I'll roast the garlic instead of using raw as that will add more flavour (even though I added twice as much garlic as the recipe suggested).

We ate this for days with soup, as bruschetta and finally toasted sandwiches.

Remember a couple of weeks ago we changed the living room around and made it cosier by exchanging the heavy charcoal recliner couch with our old blue one? You can see it behind the bread above.

Well, in between baking the garlic bread and trying the next new bread recipe another change was made. We sold the charcoal recliner couch and 'finally' bought ourselves recliner chairs instead. You see my sweet husband is 6' tall and I am just a wee touch over 5'1"...this has made our choice of couches over the years a bit of hit and miss. What is comfortable for him is not for me and vice versa.

Whilst cleaning out all our housekeeping files and receipts on Friday I came across a quote from five years ago that we were given when looking into purchasing separate recliner chairs suited to our individual sizes. It was out of our budget so we had to ditch the idea but I did keep the quote in hope of maybe one day.

That day was Saturday. We were at our local hardware store and it was so busy we needed to park a short walk away...right in front of the shop we got that quote from. There was a big SALE sign out front, 50% off that weekend only...so in we went, just out of curiosity. Twenty minutes later we walked out having purchased the exact recliners we had quotes for five years earlier...and even with some inflation since then we paid just 60% of the original price first quoted. There were only two in the shop, both in our 'size' and in a neutral grey that works so well with splashes of colour in our home. Had we wanted a different colour it would have been an 18-week wait and cost much, much more.

God really blessed us.

The blue couch is on the other side of the living room now and we listed the charcoal recliner couch next day and sold it within an hour. Again, we have been blessed. Mr E's neck and back appreciates the right size chair and my back and knees appreciate mine.

So back to bread...a fruit loaf this time. I baked this recipe from Paul Hollywood's "How To Bake" bread book, though I did the first knead in my breadmaker and not by hand...

My loaf had apricot, sultanas and cranberries. 

After the first proving in the breadmaker I remove the dough, knock it down, and fold it as per Paul's very basic instructions before placing in a bread tin for the second rise.

This was SO good...we've had it toasted with honey or cut straight from the loaf and buttered (vegan butter)...I think the rest would make beautiful French toast so that could well be breakfast tomorrow.

The only change I'd make to the recipe in future is to add a teaspoon of mixed spice to the dough, or perhaps some grated orange rind.

The only change I made to the recipe this time was switching golden syrup for treacle because we don't have any treacle. Molasses would work if you're in the US and want to try the recipe (just click on the recipe photo and it will come up larger, then save to your computer).

Whilst baking this bread I scrubbed my kitchen windows and sink - if I'm in the kitchen it's often an opportunity to cook and clean at the same time, especially when baking.

Two simple ingredients for the sink, bicarb soda and vinegar, work a treat, and for the windows just vinegar and water. From there I cleaned out under the sink again (that was one of my first Homemakers Heart challenges in February) because three months between particular area cleaning in a kitchen can be a long time.

While the dough was rising on my fruit loaf I baked a batch of rock cakes for hubby and we enjoyed a delicious and relaxed afternoon tea that day.

My work list for Elefantz when I began my week off blogging was quite long and I knew that if I was going to move forward and finish things I'd need to fit in a 'fun' project somewhere just for my own delight. Blossom and I often watch old episodes we've saved of the Great British Sewing Bee and I always say "I must make myself a wrist pincushion" but never do, so I decided my fun project would be just that!

I took a few photos along the way in case you wanted to make one as well. They are really very simple but so very useful.

You first need to make the round pincushion. I simply draw two circles that I've traced from a small bowl, one for the back, one for the front, and sew around them with a 1/4" seam, leaving a 2" opening for turning right side out.

Then I press a hem around the open edge, maintaining the curve of the circle, before filling with polyester stuffing and whip stitching the opening closed. Fill it rather firmly but not so much that you can't close the opening.

Using Perle thread or three strands of embroidery thread (I used Perle 12) criss-cross back and forth, always bringing the needle back to the centre, until you have eight sections in your circle. Pull the thread gently as you sew each section until it puffs a little.

Secure the thread in the centre of the bottom side when you're done.

I fussy cut the top of my pincushion using the last bit of fabric leftover from THIS recipe book (free pattern) and once the criss cross of thread was complete I added a button to the centre.

Now you'll need a piece of fabric for the cuff, plus a length of cotton lace (although you can omit the lace) and a tape measure to measure how big your wrist is.

Add 3" to your wrist measurement.

My wrist is 7" around so I cut my green pindot fabric 10" long x 3" wide.

Fold the fabric in half lengthways and sew the raw edges together with a 1/4" seam. Turn right side out and bring the seam to the middle instead of the side and press open.

Sew a 1/4" seam along ONE open end. Turn the wrist cuff right side out, fold in the open end by 1/4" and whip stitch the opening closed.

Lay a piece of cotton lace over the seam line of the cuff. The lace should be about 2 or three inches longer than the cuff. I just used the scrap piece I had on hand which was already longer.

Sew the lace in place along both side edges.

Cut yourself a 2" length of velcro (hook and loop)...

Fold the lace over the ends of the cuff.

Place the velcro at each end of the cuff, on opposite sides of the cuff - one on the lace side and one on the fabric side. Sew the velcro in place and at the same time you'll be securing the lace as well.

The ends of the lace and the velcro are both hidden when you're wearing the cuff.

Turn the pincushion over to the wrong side and lay the right side of the cuff (the lace side) over the base, centring the cuff with the centre of the pincushion.

Hand sew the cuff to the base. Don't pull the stitches tight, just enough that everything stays secure and there's no puckering. I used Perle #12 thread and small stitches.

It fits perfectly and I'm really happy that I got to make use of that beautiful fabric and the last length of a favoured piece of cotton lace.

These would make simple gifts if you're looking for pretty ideas to restock your gift box.

When I was taking photos of my new lace-cuffed wrist pincushion this morning I remembered another tutorial I shared back in 2017 for a Christmas tree pincushion made from three of those round tied pinnies...

If you feel like making one you'll find that tutorial HERE.

I gifted this to a very dear friend and always intended making another for myself...maybe I'll add that to next week's list of things to make and do?

There's a lot on my heart to share as I've been soaking in God's Word this past week and writing a lot of scripture in my journal, but that can wait till another day when my thoughts have fully formed and hopefully translate to words of encouragement...but if you need encouragement today, pop back to that old pincushion post because how I felt then is exactly how I still feel today.

(you'll find it HERE)

Bless your darling hearts and may the days ahead bloom brighter and add joy and hope to your thoughts and your prayers...

Loving hugs

Foolhardy choices make for difficult days, but still there's beauty...

A 48-hour migraine this past weekend literally took my breath away, leaving me exhausted physically and mentally when it finally subsided early Monday morning. It was all my own fault as I ate some orange in fruit salad two days in a row at the end of last week, and apart from our seasonal hot/humid/cloudy weather patterns which cause most of my pain issues, oranges are the worst of all my migraine triggers. Silly me. I love oranges, but from childhood they have not liked me, and there is always a price to pay.

I thought I'd just indulge the once when adding half an orange to our Thursday morning fruit salad breakfast, but tempted by my tastebuds and ignoring the twitch which had developed in my right eye, Friday mornings fruity bowl also contained a half orange. I knew my head would take me on a path I'd rather not follow, but was fairly sure it would only last 8-10 hours...but this time it reached new heights. So much so that I have no more desire to ever eat an orange. Only took me five decades.

Just before the sun set on Sunday evening I walked around the garden with my camera to capture some beauty, some aspects of gratitude, some miracles that had almost perished over our very long summer, and others which began as tiny seeds. Away from the glare of sunlight which was too much for my head and eyes even as the migraine began to wind down, I was able to appreciate those small pops of colour, the lush green of new life - and to see the results of my husband's diligent work to bring abundance to what was once a rather barren quarter acre.

Lately my sweet man has been spending extra hours after work building raised garden beds from discarded wooden palettes a local firm were happy for him to take away. So far the completed beds are growing burgundy beans, cucumbers, zucchini and chocolate capsicum, with two more ready to be filled with new seedlings later in the week.

He also surprised me with this flower and herb planter which leans against the fence beside the vibrant pink bougainvillea. I was so happy because this is something I've wanted for a very long time...

It's now filled with zinnias and verbena and scattered rocket, coriander, lettuce and chamomile seeds between. So far things are thriving and I pray everything continues to flourish now that the late autumn heat has cooled to an average of 29 C (85 F) every day.

I have planted a lot of coriander around the garden because along with parsley, chives and basil it is our most used herb. Finally the seeds have sprouted and soon we'll not have to buy it at the grocers.

One of spots where baby rocket has made an appearance...

...and a new lot of basil sprouted from last year's seeds will soon be planted out into the garden beds.

In the front yard we have five large Kent pumpkins on the self seeded vine with more appearing every few days. You know, it's been my dream to grow pumpkins for around 30 years now...and finally that dream has come true. It was joy to hand pollinate (thank you to those ladies who shared this technique) because even though we have a lot of bees in the morning primrose bush nearby I wanted to be sure of reaping my first pumpkin harvest.

Finding beauty amidst the pain truly nourished my soul, and as the last of this pain drifted away on Monday morning it was to reading the Bible that my thoughts returned, most especially to the psalms which I sat quietly and read for a long while after my beloved went to work.

"I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the LORD always before me;

because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure."

(Psalm 16:7-9)

I'm sure there will be more times in the future when my own actions will again result in consequences I'd rather not experience, but perhaps not as often? I pray for the Holy Spirit to keep teaching me, to keep refining my character, to nudge me harder when I lean away from what I know is right.

About an hour before I began to write this post my right eye began to twitch again and I can feel a new tightening behind both eyes, a sure sign the migraine is not really gone but was just slumbering for a while...so I'm going to take a break from the blog for the rest of the week and let my body rest and restore with simple meals, lots of water and chamomile tea. It really has been an extra long summer...September to May...and I'm not so young anymore. Recoveries take a little bit longer these days and that's a good thing I imagine. For in the quiet restorative seasons the still small voice of God is just a tad more distinct.

Loving hugs