Tweaking

I went to feed the chickens and collect eggs. The covered kitty litter trays I bought  were too small for my big girls.  I honestly did not realise just how big they were going to get 

So before going to the shops, I decided  to check out what I had in our hay shed 

I found this huge litter tray. I suspect it’s the one I used with my cats when they were only indoor cats 

It cleaned up beautifully.  I took off the flap and added some hay 

Happy to report the chooks approved. Three eggs were collected today 

The water system was not working. The containers constantly went green and needed to be filled constantly because of being tipped over 



I did some research and ordered these little red water feeders 

Once again I found the bucket in the hay shed and cleaned it up.  

Hubby installed the drinkers and it’s now in the coop 

The bucket holds heaps of water. Being square harder  to knock over and the chickens instantly investigated and started drinking the fresh clean water. Success!
A much better system, especially for the hot summer months. I can add ice to it to keep it cool 


Yesterday hubby wormed and cleaned the hoofs of the sheep 

Nothing like a mani pedi to make you feel good lol 



And finally we have some babies! 

We had a setback when a huge gust of wind took the hothouse and blew it across the back yard. Scattering the little pods 

I collect them all and now don’t know what is what. Pretty confident I can pick the tomatoes which is all I really need to do. They will go into the wicking beds. 



This is why you always over sow. There are always setbacks and mini disasters 

Getting organised for spring slowly 

Now if only it will stop raining enough to dry out the ground so we can weed without pulling up half the top soil 

Cooking

Today I’ve been using up what’s in my fridge, pantry and garden 

I made these tiriopita, three cheese pies, using the eggs my girls have laid during the week 

The pastry is bought puff pasty that I always keep in the freezer. 

Just because I can make pastry, if I have too, doesn’t mean I have to every time. 

Short cuts are allowed and I buy the puff pasty when it’s on special. 

Here they are just out of the oven. They smell yummy 

I’ve been having IBS issues again the last two days so I’m off the pastry and wheat 

Sp I’m making myself some yummy soup 

Once again if cheated and used bought broth 

But all the veggies are fresh from my garden 

There’s leek, silverbeet, kale, celery leaves and I’ve even harvested a few of the purple cabbage leaves 



This shouldn’t take long to cook and is perfect for a cold wet winters day lunch 

What’s cooking at your 

Potential

My first magnolia flower. 

I’ve had this tree for about five years now. And it’s never flowered. And one year I thought I had lost it 

But I’ve keep babying it and look! 

Isn’t it beautiful 

The daffodils are coming alive these ones in the pot 

And these ones in the ground. 

Once again I thought they were gone for sure with all the water we have had.

But life finds a way 

The Camellia is flowering. And the others are about to burst into bloom 

And hubby has started to move the boundary around the veggie garden area 

We I’ll put plastic down and mulch it  giving me more room for the blue wicking beds 



Hopefully we will get these up soon and then 

I’ll be able to grow lots of tomatoes in them. Leaving the raised beds for cucumbers, beetroots, and squashes 

So much potential and fingerscrossed so much produce 

To have and to share with my children 

Now if only this cold and wet weather will go away! 

Inspiration

While watching  YouTube about making cordials 

https://youtu.be/8nhUrY41vPU

The lovely lady mentions this book 

I haven’t bought a book to add to my self sufficiency library for a while so I thought 

I’ll get it. 

It’s got lots in it that my other books don’t cover. 

Like the alcohol chapter. 

The weather here is cold wet and windy. Again 

So I think I’ll have a nice hot cuppa and spend the afternoon reading. 

The cold is really making me sore and tired, due to not sleeping. 

So I think I’ve earned a relaxing day. 

I’m getting excited for spring to arrive so I can. Get out there and get planting 

Signs of spring

My roses have once again forgiven me for pruning them to within an inch of their lives and have started to come alive 

On of the fruit trees is about  to burst in blossom 



I’ve let a few things go to seed for the bees and to share with my chickens 



The steers saw me and called out good morning 



The last tamarillo for the year. I might try and get some cuttings started or find some for sale. One tree isn’t enough 



The leeks and cabbage doing very nicely 



Harvested some silverbeet and celery tops. I’ll chop them up and make a fresh green salad 



It’s still really wet out back. We don’t need anymore rain now. We need it to dry. 

Unfortunately they are predicting a wet summer. 

We shall see how it goes 

Praying for just enough water to save me watering by hand. 

George

Happy heavenly birthday 

Everyday we are apart is one day closer to seeing each other again

Good day. Bad day

Yesterday the day was fairly dry here. 

I had a night were I did get some sleep, the wee small hours of the morning, 

So I decided I’d get out early. Hit the shops and restock my bulk buy items. 

First I got to the market and got a big bag of greens for the chickens. 

Then to aldi to buy dog food, milk in UHT cartons coffee pods and 

Whatever else I saw and needed. 

I got a new stand to hang washing on with coat hangers. 

Then to the main shopping centre to pick up a few things from 

The reject shop. 

My poor little car was full to the brim and even though I had rung hubby to come and help me unload it all

The damage had been done 

But I kept going 

After putting it all away 

I went to knitting group, which was a rest for me 

Came home out dinner in the oven at three, a slow cooked lamb roast 

And even though I had cleaned the bathroom I needed to get in and scrub the combined bath shower 

That did it. 

By the time I got to the bottom of the bath my body was screaming 

So I finished up quickly. Rinsed it off showered and got dressed 

I’d definitely missed spots. So when hubby got home he finished it off 

Before showering himself 

So no sleep last night 

Listening to the wind and rain and stressing about the livestock 

Means I once again slept only a few hours, in the early hours of this morning 

I didn’t get up in time to swim 

I’m hobbling around with my cane 

So I’ll be here resting as much as I can, in preparation for tomorrow 

I hope where ever you are, your comfortable 

With just the right amount of heat, and rain if you need it 

Change in plans

The plan was I’d swim have coffee with the girls. 

Come home change and go out for the morning with the knit ladies 

All this rain has not been good on pain levels and sleep patterns 

So even Though woke up normal time lack of sleep suggested it wouldn’t be a good idea to drive. It was also raining very heavily 

So instead I decided to clean and do all the jobs that I’ve been putting off 

I’ve semi organised the spare room.  Cleaned bathroom and toilet 

And the big job was cleaning the oven 

In between all that I worked on this 

It’s taken 21/2 days working on it off and on 

And I’m pretty confident it’s done. But who knows I might decide to play with it a little more lol 



There are floods around us but thankfully we are ok 

I was worried about the chickens. We had so much water there was nowhere for it to go. 

But we had built up the chicken run and the section next to it for the fruit trees   They are wet but not flooded so that’s great 

The new girls have settled in nicely 

Now for this weather to start improving and hopefully we will start egg production 

Regular Monday

This morning I woke and was at the pool by six. 

I started off gently letting my shoulder just get used to movement again after resting it for three days 

Even then I got out at 7.30. I had had enough so off I went to Bunnings to get some herbs 

I got some basil, thyme, sage,  oregano and done chives 

I also got seeds so that when I harvest more will come up 

It started raining when I got home and waited a bit to see if it would stop. But no. So I was out there in the rain planting away 

I’ll go out later and mulch it. 

Meanwhile I’ll keep working on the blanket. It’s cold so it will be snuggly warm under it 

Simple Sunday

Hubby worked into the dark to finish the smaller garden bed 

He’d done an awesome job. 

I had planned a trip to bunnings for herbs but the day is dreary and miserable 

So I’ve stayed home because of immense pain 

I’m waiting on the breeder who I purchased our chickens from to arrive 

She is bringing me two hens, one to swap for the extra rooster and one I’m buying so 

That one chicken being introduced into the flock won’t be attacked.  Two will stick together 

And hopefully the pecking order will be sorted quickly without bloodshed 

Until then I’m sitting in front of the fire working on the next part of the blanket 

The shoulder is doing ok. 

But I still can’t move it much. Hopefully it will come good in the pool tomorrow 

This weather really isn’t helping much at all 

So over it all 

Bring on spring 

Saturday progress report

While I was at art class hubby finished filling the raised garden bed and planted the 

Asparagus crowns. He went to the reject shop and the two I had left were still there 

So he grabbed those as well. 

Can you see that timber sitting at right angles?  

Well I “suggested “ he build me a small and slightly lower garden bed in the front for some herbs 

So he has now gone to bunnings to purchase more screws lol 

Last night I added the final touches to my Monet!

I think it’s brightened it up and brought it to life 

And this is what we finished in class today 

Seriously you need soneone to tell you to leave it alone now. 

Maree and I kept going back and adding touches here and there lol 

We are having so much fun. Too much I can’t believe we are learning so much 

But here we are.  Two “masterpieces” down 

Who knows how many more lol 

A long post

On Monday I went into cranbourne to do a shop around the Centre. 

As always I went into the reject shop to stock up on cleaning supplies but I 

Like to go down all isles in case I miss a bargain 

I saw these asparagus crowns. There were five 

I grabbed three. Stupid really. The rule is if there is six or less you take them all

But I’m not versed in growing asparagus so I plead ignorance 

I came home and watched a YouTube by a lovey man who lives in Queensland 

Explaining all about planting and harvesting asparagus 

I learnt that they grow deep. And that it takes three years to first harvest 

Man I should of grabbed the other two I thought. 

Also the idea of planting into an old bath tub was shelved. 

Hubby said he would build me a special raised bed just for the asparagus 

So off we went to bunnings and looked at raised beds. 

Nope. They weren’t high enough and he said if he was going to spend that money he’d rather build

It properly and out of timber. 

I also looked for asparagus in their plants Centre and they only had three left. So I took those 

I now have six to plant 

The top ones are from the reject shop

The bottom from bunnings 

Timber was delivered about ten minutes after we left the garden supply 

Hubby and Terry, our adopted son, have been busy building the garden for two days 

Me. Well I have bursitis in my right shoulder. 

So today I had a scan to confirm diagnosis, and got a shot of cortisol 

I was under strict orders to not lift my arm up higher than my chest. 

So I’ve been painting 

I started yesterday and finished it today. 

The shot had a local anesthetiser in-the shot.  
But it’s now stating to wear off and I can feel my arm starting to ache. 

I was warned. 

But before it got bad I finished my first Monet 

This one really challenged me. 

I didn’t have the same colours as the tutorial 

And I didn’t have the correct brushes. But I made do

After I was such a good girl at the doctors hubby took me to office works where I added to my supply of colours and more brushes 

I did have fun and it really makes you get into the zone and not think about the pain in your body 

So I’m going to relax the rest of today 

Because I want to be able to go to art class tomorrow 

Productive day

This morning I got to the pool at seven. Later than normal, but I’m still not back to full strength after covid

I was doing two hours one day and not able to get up the next two! 

So easing back in seemed the better option 

I was out and at the shopping centre a little after eight 

I did a quick shop, basically I went to get the Harry Potter folder for all the collectables.

Went into Kmart to get hubby a few new clothes and I bought some canvases for art 

Then back home to get stuck into todays agenda. 

I bought this the other day and thought I’d give it a go 

Your supposed to soak these in warm water until they swelled up. 

Took ages and ages 

I had to heat up the water a couple of times! 

I then planted the seeds into each one I’ve got one container for each vegetable 

There’s tomatoes, eggplants, capsicum, cucumbers and yellow button squash. 

I had purchased a mini green house just for this purpose and today I took it out of the 

Box and set it up.  Im hoping the concrete floor and the side of the house will keep it warm 

We are having beautiful sunny days. So fingers crossed. 

I also planted seeds into traditional seed mix 

There are zucchini, and tomatoes in these. So many tomatoes 

I wanted to use up all the diggers seeds from last year 

Hopefully I’ll get lots of tomatoes to eat and process. The semi dried tomatoes I made last summer are almost all gone and 

Everyone loved them 

And I’ve put them to bed, snug as a bug in a rug. 

Whatever that means lol 

All I can do now is wait and hope 

It was a beautiful sunny day and it was lovely to be able to get out there and get my hands dirty 

I even was able to wash all my bedding and line dry it 

It smells amazing. Full of the promise of summer 



How are your garden stories progressing? 

Teddy

This is teddy o the day I brought him home. 

His mummy and daddy belonged to some friends of mine. 

They had posted pics of the puppies and I would always be drawn to the black 

And white pups. There were only two 

Fast forward six weeks and My friend hosted a candle party. 

All puppies were in a big play pen   Everyone was around this pen they were adorable 

There were 11 puppies if I remember correctly 

One little black and white puppy kept followed me around the pen and trying to get me to notice him 

I honestly did not go to that party t get a puppy. 

But he was so insistent that Leanne said that this is definitely your pup 

So I came home with a new puppy. 

Hubby wasn’t surprise at all lol 

This is teddy now 

He is eleven years old today 

He’s getting on in years but he still loves to play with Trixie 

And snuggle with his mummy 

We have tried everything to get him to come inside, including sending him away for a weeks training 

But he always prefers to be outside 

He was supposed to be in inside therapy dog 

But he loves his life

He’s got a huge yard to run around in and an outside room that’s almost as good as inside

And he just loves everyone 

Happy birthday teddy. 

A first

My first piece of art is now proudly hanging on my wall in the craft room 

Hopefully as the months go on I’ll get better and better and maybe in a year of two I’ll look back at this 

And think omg what was I thinking! 

But I proud I pushed myself and actually painted, after all these years of being so afraid 

Of paint and brushes 

If I could tell myself anything when I was young it would be to not listen to anyone and do 

What makes you happy 

Painting makes me happy!

If you want to try something new I say go for it. 

What’s the worst that could happy. Seriously 

Even if you don’t become an expert, you might find the fun and satisfaction you get 

Is well worth the effort. 

You don’t fail, unless you fail to try