by Krista | May 5, 2014 | Autumn
Winter arrived this weekend with a shriek of howling wind and a shocking drop in temperatures. The day before I was barefoot in a sundress with my hair up. The next morning I was shrouded in every layer I could find topped with a blanket and a side of tea. Australia doesn’t believe in doing things halfway.
Thankfully things are mellowing out a bit and, although it’s still cold, when the morning sun streams through the windows it is pure bliss.
Before Jack Frost swooped in, Bear and I spent an afternoon in the fields fixing and building fences.
Our dear naughty goats had made an escape hatch and were happily bounding through to our neighbors yard for a munch. Thankfully he didn’t mind because they ate all his weeds, but once the weeds were done, we know they’d make a beeline for the garden so something had to be done before this visitation became a bad habit.
We piled the tractor bed with rolls of wire, clips, our trusty farm stools, and other detritus and I hopped in the driver’s seat to putter across the fields.
I love driving our old red Massey Ferguson, especially now that I can start and stop without bucking the poor thing like a bronco. A natural manual driver I am not, but I’m finally figuring her out and Bear can now ride on the back without fearing he may be bucked off without notice.
It was a stunning afternoon for such work. With Bear wiring and me clipping, in no time at all we had a new fence built that has foiled the goats’ escape attempts ever since. Yay!! We found another gap a bit further down where goats were escaping under the fence so Bear wired in an old log to fill the hole. Nothing like wire and a heavy log to keep goats where they’re supposed to be.
And every now and then we just had to stop and look in wonder at the late afternoon sun glimmering through the trees. As far as office views go, this one is pretty darn fabulous.
Now that the weather has turned, hearty breakfasts are in order to keep us going on these frosty mornings. Today we dined on Cinnamon Cardamom Coffee and toasted Bacon Breaky Rolls. Aussie bacon is so delicious: thick, meaty, without the dreadful chemicals that make a lot of bacon so unhealthy. Fried up crispy and stuffed into homemade bread rolls spread with smoky barbecue sauce, it’s simply marvelous.
What is your favorite breakfast on a cold morning? xo
by Krista | May 1, 2014 | Autumn
Yesterday we woke to vibrant, brooding skies that made me smile:
“Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.”
I was excited all day knowing that any minute we might get some rain. And we did!!!
I love rainy days, cloudy days, stormy days, mostly because they’re so rare and precious in our part of Australia. So Bear and I made the most of it with a day out, just the two of us.
Foodies snobs that we are (not), we had lunch at McDonald’s. Somehow hot, salty fries are just the ticket for a stormy day. We went to the library and stocked up on movies and audio books and a whole stack of books on gardening, preserving food, and smoking meats. Can’t wait to hunker down for an evening of reading and planning. Then we were off to the junk shop to look for treasures. We didn’t find much so we moseyed along down the road, stopping to pick up groceries and a few odds and ends.
Next up was a nursery, Gardens Galore, run by lovely folks who are kind, jolly, and amazingly helpful. We picked up three more mulberry trees and spotted some gorgeous crabapple, apricot, and hazelnut trees that we will get soon. It is way too inspiring to visit a nursery. You pop in for one thing and all of a sudden you have visions of blueberry bushes, blackberry patches, herb gardens, and a vineyard.
All that foraging through the nursery orchard made Bear ravenous so he decided we needed more French fries.
Always a sensible decision.
We found seats at a cheery orange and blue tiled table and shared a big bowl of piping hot chips dipped in gravy. One of the best things about being married? You get to double dip and no one gets mad.
All those chips makes a body thirsty too, so of course we had to go all out and get lusciously refreshing Watermelon Strawberry Frappes to wash them down with. Running errands builds up an amazing appetite, I tell ya!
It was a truly great day and helped to soften the blow of arriving home to find the goats had broken into one of my gardens and eaten every single citrus tree and my basil, celery, and salvia. Sigh. Thankfully we just got the wire we needed to re-fence the gardens, so pretty soon they’ll be as solid as Fort Knox. Little buggers. After bemoaning the loss of this garden, I spent the rest of my grocery money buying new seeds for my goat-proof garden. Thinking about purple-pod peas, ruby Brussels Sprouts, and rainbow chard made the disappointment much easier to bear. 🙂
What is your favorite treat whilst out shopping? xo
by Krista | Apr 30, 2014 | Autumn
A few months ago my new friend Sue arranged to come and spend a day with me on our farm. At first I was overjoyed to see her, but then panic set in. I was filled with trepidation because…our farm isn’t perfect.
Not even close.
There are dilapidated cars that need to be taken to the dump, piles of iron and sheet metal waiting to be turned into sheds, fences, and cages, and sheds that are in dire need of a good clear out and scrub down. Although there are also pretty gardens and gorgeous woods and the loveliest animals, at that time all I could see were the ugly bits.
I felt deeply insecure about it, worried that in seeing the unlovely parts of our farm Sue might think that maybe we were unlovely too. You see, I grew up with phrases like “cleanliness is next to godliness” and ” a messy home equals a messy heart” and other such guilt-inducing rubbish. Silly, I know, but there ya go.
So with fear and trembling I wrote to her, letting her know “all the bad things” she would be likely to encounter during her visit, then sat back to wait.
In true Sue fashion she didn’t care one bit about our messy bits. Instead she wrote something that I have treasured ever since: “It’s OK, Krista, you’re just mid-dream.”
Mid-dream.
Isn’t that beautiful?
And she was right. We are mid-dream. Both Bear and I dream of building our farm into an oasis of beauty and tidiness and productivity. We had these dreams when I arrived in Australia two and a half years ago, little knowing that shortly after getting here my body would finally relax and I would crumple. Utterly. Instead of spending two and a half years building, creating, and fixing, we’ve spent it getting me better, doing whatever it took to help me heal from PTSD, Depression, and crippling illness. We call it Survival Mode.
I don’t now what Survival Mode looks like to you, but to me it was hanging on for dear life, hoping against hope that one day the darkness would dissipate and I would experience light and peace and happiness again.
It did. 🙂 And I am grateful beyond measure. We often look back at the last two years and smile and shake our heads wondering, “How did we survive that?!” But we did and I’m so proud of us. Proud of us for sticking together and helping each other and never giving up hope.
When Sue arrived for our anticipated day together, we had a marvelous time exploring the farm and eating and talking and all those good things. I told her how much her words had meant to me and we talked about the “mid-dreams” in our lives.
I’ve thought of our talks often since then. I’ve realized that most of life IS mid-dream. The culmination of efforts, the realization of dreams are mere flashes in the pan compared to the long, hard slog of dream building. So much emphasis is put on producing, completing, and arriving, that somehow the pleasures and satisfaction of the journey itself get lost. I’m not living like that anymore.
Since talking with Sue I’ve embraced my mid-dream life, looking with love and acceptance on the ugly and unfinished parts, seeing in them possibility and hope. I’m not ashamed to have people visit our farm now. I know some will judge me and that’s OK. I’m comfy in my life, I know how far we’ve come, and how hard we’re working to build and grow this place we love so much. This acceptance has trickled down into other mid-dreams too. Regarding my body shape and health and education and career and finances and friendships. Growing has become a pleasure instead of a pressure, and that is lovely.
Last night Bear and I were watching “River Cottage: Australia” and the host mentioned a saying from his dad: “Every day is a school day.” I love that. Every day is a chance to learn and grow, and I get to be a lifelong student. What a gift.
Now I’m going to finish my coffee and chat with Bear then head to town to pick up fruit trees for our orchard. Yesterday I got figs and pomegranates planted, and tomorrow I hope to get pears, mulberries, bays, and some raspberry canes put in. I can’t wait to see this place in a few years. 🙂
Do you have a mid-dream in your life? I’d love to hear about it. xo
by Krista | Apr 27, 2014 | Autumn
I woke early this morning and crept out to the kitchen to let Bear have a rare sleep in. I put the kettle on as the sky began to lighten, revealing dark clouds and a beautifully overcast day.
After brewing tea and a cup of raw hot cocoa, I lit a candle and added orange essential oil to my burner and pretty soon the whole kitchen smelled of citrus and vanilla with a hint of chocolate. Mmm.
All that deliciousness put me in full blown domestic mood and pretty soon I was bustling about washing dishes, organizing my pantry (it’s gorgeous!!), and getting chili fixings in the crockpot. Laundry was started and bread dough set to rise and then I got to sit down with my cuppas and rest, luxuriating in the silence of a cloudy day.
I love these sorts of days, days that seem tailor made for contented puttering. No pressure, no deadlines, no rushing about from one commitment to another. It does my heart good.
Soon friends will arrive for lunch and a fun afternoon of medieval projects: wood-working, sewing, and brewing up some healing concoctions from centuries past. I’m looking forward to it. 🙂
What are you looking forward to this weekend? xo
by Krista | Apr 24, 2014 | Autumn
“I believe the nicest and sweetest days
are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens
but just those that bring simple little pleasures,
following one another softly,
like pearls slipping off a string.”
L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea
It’s a sumptuous Autumn afternoon, animals tucked in for the night, the Andrews Sisters crooning “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” in the background, a cup of peppermint tea cooling beside me.
It’s been a week for quiet, simple pleasures, just little things that make us smile and relax as we work through stressful situations and the upheavals that tend to come along when you least expect them.
Things like sitting in the long cool grass of the back paddock after my hike watching two of our dogs – Luna and Apollo – run around like lunatics as the goats ignore them completely. I love these dogs. Love how they chase each other like mad then pounce in my lap huffing and puffing and covering me with affectionate licks, making me laugh as I try in vain to push them away.
We got to go to a Rock Swap with dear friends this weekend and had a marvelous time. We found all sorts of treasures: stone arrow heads, glistening crystals, smoothly polished stones, and this wonderful amethyst geode.
I especially liked the slices of rock that reveal the most amazing patterns and colors. Click here to read more about our little rock hunting adventure.
On Monday we had to go to Brisbane for a meeting so we made a day of it, stopping at my beloved Brisbane Botanical Gardens for an early morning ramble before heading to a fantastic Chinese restaurant for an early celebration of Bear’s birthday with big platters of succulent soft shell crab and ginger garlic mud crab.
We’ve been keeping breakfast simple too: toasted bread rolls spread with Dijon mustard (for me) and tomato sauce (for him) and layered with a buttery fried egg. Mmm, so good and comforting alongside a big cup of cinnamon maple espresso laced with hot milk and topped with foam.
What simple pleasures are making your days special this week?
by Krista | Apr 15, 2014 | Autumn
Bear and I are continuing our oh-so-relaxing holiday at home with popcorn and movie nights and coffee dates in town. We’ve been sleeping in too, and that’s been heavenly. One of the things that makes me smile every day is Bear bringing me my morning cup of tea. Yesterday he spoiled me rotten by bringing me breakfast too! As the wind raged outside we were cozy under a feather bed, sipping cuppas, eating homemade bread topped with fresh tomatoes, and reading good books. Pure bliss, I tell ya. 🙂
My friend Tom sent me a box of new books to read, and I’m thoroughly enjoying this whodunit written by JK Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
It was downright chilly and windy yesterday, so I had to bundle up a bit for my late afternoon hike. It felt so wild and wonderful out there, the cold turning my cheeks red as I headed into the bush with Luna.
Each day I find new treasures and this day was no different. I love these new pink spires blooming next to tiny purple orchids.
My artist friend Leslie has me on the lookout for a kangaroo skull to use in a piece she’s creating, so now I’m seeing bones all over the place! I think they are amazing things, especially bleached white by the sun, looking like their own pieces of art in a woodland setting.
But it’s the colors that charm me most. Great swathes of yellow in a sea of green with little pops of red, purple, and blue.
Our comfort food treat this week was scones, fragrant vanilla oat ones topped with maple cream, plump cherries, and a scattering of pomegranate arils. Scones are lovely any day, but on wildly stormy dark ones, they’re perfection.
What is your favorite treat on a blustery day?
Vanilla Oat Scones
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup whole grain flour
1 cup oat bran
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 egg beaten (for brushing scones)
raw sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 F (240 C)
- Stir together flour, oat bran, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Add butter and cut in with fingers or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In cup, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture and toss gently with a fork until well incorporated.
- Dump dough onto well-floured surface and knead lightly just until dough comes together. (If dough is too wet, add more flour.)
- Press into large circle about 1-inch thick. Cut into wedges and place on baking sheet covered with baking paper. Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until scones have risen and tops are golden brown.
- Serve warm with butter or maple cream and cherries.
Maple Cream
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp maple extract
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Directions:
- Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form.
- Stir in extract and syrup.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Our dear naughty goats had made an escape hatch and were happily bounding through to our neighbors yard for a munch. Thankfully he didn’t mind because they ate all his weeds, but once the weeds were done, we know they’d make a beeline for the garden so something had to be done before this visitation became a bad habit.
I love driving our old red Massey Ferguson, especially now that I can start and stop without bucking the poor thing like a bronco. A natural manual driver I am not, but I’m finally figuring her out and Bear can now ride on the back without fearing he may be bucked off without notice.
It was a stunning afternoon for such work. With Bear wiring and me clipping, in no time at all we had a new fence built that has foiled the goats’ escape attempts ever since. Yay!! We found another gap a bit further down where goats were escaping under the fence so Bear wired in an old log to fill the hole. Nothing like wire and a heavy log to keep goats where they’re supposed to be.
And every now and then we just had to stop and look in wonder at the late afternoon sun glimmering through the trees. As far as office views go, this one is pretty darn fabulous.
Now that the weather has turned, hearty breakfasts are in order to keep us going on these frosty mornings. Today we dined on Cinnamon Cardamom Coffee and toasted Bacon Breaky Rolls. Aussie bacon is so delicious: thick, meaty, without the dreadful chemicals that make a lot of bacon so unhealthy. Fried up crispy and stuffed into homemade bread rolls spread with smoky barbecue sauce, it’s simply marvelous.
What is your favorite breakfast on a cold morning? xo
