A little town, baking, old doilies and a gift...

A few weekends ago, hubby and I took a long drive south-west to the lovely old gold-mining town of Ravenswood. There was a time when we visited regularly, but since we bought this home in 2018 we've only been there a couple of times. 

It's a very quiet town, almost deserted on a Sunday morning, with old weathered buildings, and some  exquisite iron-lacework on the display around their wide shady verandahs - something which always catches my eye when we're in outback towns.

This is the main street....

Further along the street...the corner shop/post office/petrol station all-in-one (love the old petrol bowsers and the red telephone box)...

Molly-dog always comes along on our Sunday drives and gets very excited when hubby picks up her halter to secure her in the car. She's seen a lot of the Australian outback, coast and countryside in the eight months we have had her and is an excellent traveller.

These old Fords would have stories to tell...

Gold was discovered in Ravenswood in 1868, and the following year there was a gold rush. Today this tiny town has over 400 workers at the Ravenswood mine, which is the largest goldmine in our state of Queensland. 

You can see the mine easily from the town, but I took this photo as we drove away because the local lookout is temporarily closed.

The reason we love this place is the peace and quiet. It's been a dream of ours for many, many years to one day move to a small country town and settle there in retirement. The Lord may have other ideas, and that's okay, but for now we relish the long Sunday drives and the mental and physical refreshment we gain by being right out in nature with our dog, a flask of tea, some sandwiches, homemade biscuits (cookies) or cake. 

Just wanted to share this with you today, as I think we all seek quiet places at times, don't you? 

Gift pattern...

Nine years ago I designed this sweet little stitchery for one of my clubs, and the message still resonates today, so I thought you might like to stitch it yourself. It's only small and can be made quickly, or maybe you'll stitch as I do - with a slow and gentle rhythm? 

Use the link below to download my free pattern.

DOWNLOAD the Quiet Places pattern

I tried two new recipes in the kitchen recently - a delicious sweet shortcrust pastry, and some lovely sultana & sour cream biscuits (cookies). Having never had much success with shortcrust pastry in the past, I was so excited that this one worked and tasted amazing. 

We had a kilo of Royal Gala apples which needed using up so along with some blackberries I baked an apple and blackberry pie. 

Royal Gala apples don't break down like Granny Smiths when cooked, they keep their shape with a bit of bite, exactly how hubby and I enjoy them. 

With the leftover pastry I thought of Nana, and made myself a childhood favourite - jam tart baked on a bone china plate. Truly, I smiled all afternoon as I nibbled bits and pieces, because it's more than a comfort food. It's a memory which overflows with joy. 

I may have mentioned this before, but my husband much prefers a slice or biscuits (cookies) to cake, so I'm trying some new recipes from old Women's Weekly cookbooks. This week I made Sultana Biscuits, though I have renamed them Sultana Sour Cream biscuit because sour cream is a main ingredient and replaces a large percentage of the butter we'd normally add when making biscuits. Oh, these were delicious!! Rolling them in coconut before baking adds to the flavour. Yum! They will be a regular on my baking list from now on.

I'll share the recipes with you in the next blog post if you like?

In the sewing room I'm making more jar covers, some with embroidery, some with crochet edging...

...and now I'm playing around with repurposing damaged vintage doilies to create even more. I simply cut out a usable section of the doily and needle-turn it to the centre of a suitable matching fabric. I will finish these ones tomorrow, and perhaps add lace edging as well.  

Time now to sign off and do the late afternoon chores - take the washing off the line, make my husband's lunch for work tomorrow, fold the washing, feed the pets, water the garden and do a general tidy up of my sewing room. 

It is such a privilege to have a home, to have people to care for, to have the skills to make, create and grow things, and to walk each day with the Lord. 

I hope and pray you are cherishing what you have, dear ones...and that you know how much YOU are cherished by our loving Father in heaven.

(I'll be back on Thursday with the next free pattern in this year's Joy in the Ordinary BOM)

Hugs

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