Sunday stroll

Just wandering around the garden seeing what’s going on and sleepy plants are slowly waking up form winter’s slumber 

The white mulberries are  only just starting to bud 

The black mulberry is four years old now and has well and truely come back to life 



The seedlings are getting bigger. I don’t think I like the little pod thingies. Technical term lol 

Ye old timey is the better way to go I think 

I Can just see my first potato peaking out of the potting mix 

Where there is one. Hopefully it means the rest will soon burst forth 




Fruit trees are covered in blossom 



The citrus are still green and healthy.  Good sign that even with all the rain we have had, they didn’t get wet feet 



The peach, I think, that was in a pot for a few years and didn’t do well at all  it’s got blossoms so hopefully it’s much happier here 



The chickens have had fresh wood shavings put in to keep their feet dry and clean 

We are getting multiple eggs everyday 



It’s been so wet we even have mushrooms 

Don’t know what kind they are so I’ll just leave them where they are 



There is so much to do in the garden but it’s still just too wet I pulled out two weeds and so much dirt came up with them they left huge holes 

I’ll just have to wait a tad longer 

Soon it will be all hands in deck as it will be a full time job weeding and keeping it all weed free 

Roll on spring 

Unexpectedly busy night

Last night I awoke to pretty bad chest pains 

I had a tight chest with pain radiating up my neck and into my jaw 

I felt sick and had shortness of breath 

So after trying to walk it off, I decided I needed to wake hubby and ring an ambulance 

One arrived about twenty minutes later and got me hooked, up and took down details 

They were at the end of their shift but were the closest to me. So they came to monitor me

Until another ambulance could come to take me to hospital 

The second arrived and off we went. 

I had a moment in the ambulance where I felt clammy and sick and my vitals dropped 

But the lovely paramedic was on it and helped me feel better 

Got to the frankston hospital and within 15-20 minutes I was in a bed being monitored and drained of blood for tests 

They came back normal

Four hours later more blood was taken and tests repeated 

Once again. Normal. 

So no heart attack. But a big warning. 

So I have come home this morning feeling very tired, with referrals to a cardiologist 

It was very scary before the ambulances arrived. But I felt instantly calmer when they started talking to me 

And telling me exactly what they were doing and why

People like to bad mouth our health system but I was very well looked after by everyone 

I did feel a bit silly when all tests came back normal, but I was quickly told to not even think like that 

It’s much better to be safe than sorry 

Our medical people are so lovely, their bloods worth bottling 

I am very grateful I live in Australia 

I’m a public patient so I won’t get a bill for an overnight stay in hospital 

And We have had ambulance subscription since we got married so I won’t get a huge bill for that either 

So today I’m resting and not getting overworked about anything 

Just being very grateful 

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.