It’s been a quiet, pottering sort of week as Bear and I recovered from our first colds and flu’s of Spring. It’s been rather nice to move leisurely through our days, working steadily but taking the breaks we need to get better.
We’ve had lots of fresh fruit smoothies and cuppas and seen the most beautiful sunrises that make getting up early absolutely worth it.
My biggest project was finishing the planting of our second orchard. I put 16 more trees in: blood oranges, hazelnuts, chestnuts, lemons, limes, mandarins, and several types of oranges. It feels so good to have them all in the ground and to see them blossoming and leafing out beautifully. The plums and apples I planted earlier are doing well too and we’re so excited to see our first harvest in a few months.
Our lunches have been simple: veggies from our gardens, eggs from our chickens and ducks. It’s so nice to have weather warm enough for us to eat outside on the veranda.
Bear gave me the most wonderful gift when he designed and built me two new wheelbarrows. Most wheelbarrows have narrow floors that make it good for hauling leaves or dirt but lousy for transporting anything that needs to be flat and stable. These new beauties are absolutely wonderful for nearly every job I do on the farm: hauling trees, transporting potted plants, gathering and washing veggies, moving cages, etc. They’re strong but light and the mesh bottoms make clean up a breeze. I love them.
While I waited for feedback on the first draft of my history book, I started work on my Christmas book, experimenting with recipes and craft ideas I’ve been jotting down for months. I’ve decided that making chutney is the best thing to do for anyone with a head cold. The copious amounts of vinegar and onions clear sinuses up faster than anything I know. And the kitchen smelled absolutely scrumptious as I stirred and tasted pots full of bubbling chutney.
I also made my first batch of Tomato Chili Jam and had to keep stealing tastes, imagining how good it will be slathered on hamburgers when we dust off the BBQ this week.
This week it’s back to writing the history book, finishing the final draft and choosing the photos, maps, and illustrations to accompany the text. But first I get a day off to go to Toowoomba with my mates, Oma and Ann. It’s time for the Carnival of Flowers and we’re off for a thoroughly girlie day of touring gardens, doing lunch, and talking a mile a minute.
What are you looking forward to most this week? xo
my Bethany and her Wyatt (two yrs old in Jan) are coming from Alberta for a visit!!!!! All the indian Summer beauties for them to enjoy. My heart is soaring!
(your chili tomato jam sounds yummy!)
Hooray! Hooray!! A visit from your loves sounds absolutely wonderful, Susan. 🙂 XO
Your orchard sounds like an absolute dream. And those wheelbarrows are brilliant. We’re still getting over our fall colds here, must make some chutney (after we move!) to clear us all out. =)
Chutney after you move will be a fabulous thing to look forward to, @breannemosher:disqus 🙂
Sounds like Spring is heading in a good direction for you as we here head (not excitingly) into Fall. Enjoy your orchards, your hens and ducks and of course your awesome new wheelbarrows. Such a lucky girl!
I admit I am very happy to be leaving cold weather behind for a while, @karin_stienemeier:disqus 🙂 As much as I love Fall, I’m thoroughly enjoying Spring. 🙂
Your post is a breath of fresh air Krista – thank you. Sorry you and Bear have both succumbed to a cold. The chilli cooking would have unblocked the sinuses I am sure.
I am looking forward to my new look internal stairs. We have replaced the carpet on them several times but it always ends up looking horrible and I absolutely hate vacuuming them. Yesterday Marty ripped up the carpet and removed the carpet fitting nail boards and as I type this I can hear a sander in action. Fingers Crossed. I look forward also to sweeping them with a broom instead of lugging the Vac up and down. Myself and housework are only distantly related 🙂
Ooooh, new look stairs would be SO exciting to me too!! 🙂 How I laughed at your distant relation, housework. 🙂 It is mine too, ayiyi. There are so many more fun things to do, aren’t there? 🙂
I love the sunrises at this time of year too and I love to make chutney for all the same reasons – it’s definitely good for clearing a blocked nose! Your orchard sounds fabulous. Good luck with all your books xx
Thanks so much, Charlie. Slowly but surely I’m getting close to the finish line, and I can hardly wait. 🙂
I love those wheelbarrows! And your orchard sounds just amazing! Oh what the dishes you’ll make when the harvests come in!
Thank you, Jamie! We are LOVING the wheelbarrows, wondering what on earth we ever did without them. 🙂
Its that time of year already, the carnival of flowers. Have fun, I look forward to seeing your photos. I really love your new wheelbarrows, I think I need one for when I haul plants and seedlings around the veggie garden.
Bear and I are both finding these wheelbarrows indispensable, @lizstrayedtable:disqus 🙂 We’ve been using them constantly this week for everything from hauling feed bags to chook houses and trees ready for planting. 🙂
Bear is a legend, those wheel burrows looks amazing. We ALWAYS have that problem when I get my gardening on, will have to commission your fella. 🙂
This week I am really looking forward to a long weekend, its an Canberra holiday only, so I can hit up touristy things without the crowds. Oh yeah! 🙂
Looks like you are having a magical time of it sweet lady. Enjoy the rest of your week. Hugs. xox
Isn’t he the best, @disqus_o9c9vkchcC:disqus ? 🙂 We laughed yesterday because he made them for me but now he’s using them all the time too! I hope you had a fantastic holiday, luv. XO
“16 more trees”! too exciting! so jealous. i hope to be planting some soon too…just hope mine will be as healthy as yours sound. p.s.: that first pic of the clouds is fabulous!
happy spring!
http://mlleparadis.blogspot.com
I’m excited to hear about your trees, paradis! Hopefully you’ll share photos. 🙂
Oh, how I would love to visit your orchards!
You would be heartily welcome, Tracy. 🙂 We could wander and visit, and if it were Autumn, you could join in the harvest. 🙂
Just kicking back seasonal colds here too. My weapons of choice were chipotle and garlic scapes on my morning eggs – and honey and nettle in my tea. I’m very intrigue by that tomato jam. Is it a pureed relish? Hope you’re feeling better soon!
It is wicked easy, @rachelfriesen:disqus Just whiz up tomatoes and chilies in the blender, then simmer in a pot with the sugar, vinegar, and whatnot. So simple. 🙂