Ripple & Recreation

I'm finally making progress on the Ripple Blanket. It's growing quickly now that I'm over halfway (I put it away over the summer and have just pulled it out again). My big girl is happy to see that she may actually get it on her bed this winter. I've just started getting a couple of requests for hats though, and since I get paid for them the Ripple will have to be put aside for a few days.

  A couple of weeks ago I went on a most gorgeous garden tour, ending in a Sculpture Display at the Whangarei Quarry Gardens. If you've never been to the gardens it's well worth a visit if you are ever in my neck of the woods - a tropical oasis hidden away at the side of town. The girls loved the sculptures too! Aren't the gardens amazing?

My girls loved this table!

Loved this one!

Coolest Poached Eggs and Salt & Pepper sculptures

 

We had a warning of a big storm coming just over a week ago, so I made a mad dash to collect loads of seeds, fruit and flowers from my garden before the bad weather destroyed them. The weather ended up being a bit of a non-event, but at least it go me motivated to collect flower seeds for next year.

Scabosia seed pods

Cleome Seeds

Pretty Dahlias

 I also picked Elderberries - as I only had a couple of bunches I made a small amount of Elderberry Tonic. This tonic, diluted with Hot Water, is an excellent winter tonic for colds and sore throats.

Elderberry Tonic

Pick fruit on a dry day, rinse well and drain. Pull fruit from stems and put in pan, adding just enough water to cover. Simmer for around 30 mins, strain and measure juice. Add 450g sugar to each pint of juice (you could also add 10 cloves for each pint). Heat gently stirring in sugar gradually until dissolved. Boil 10 mins and leave to cool. Pour into sterilised jars or freeze in small portions (ice cube trays would work). Dilute 2 Tablespoons to a cup of hot water (and a squeeze of lemon) for the sniffles.







 We spent this weekend away in our Caravan Towbee, and despite the little bit of rain, we had a wonderful time. Quality family time, just enjoying the moment.

a

Towbee is in the distance, the campground was fairly empty so it was incredibly peaceful. Loved the 1967 Zephyr Caravan at the front of this pic - it was being towed by the teeniest car - adorable!

What else can you do on a wet afternoon in the caravan?

Well that's about all for now, busy week at work ahead so must get organised now.

Have a great week - Kylie xxx

Family Fun

 Fun family day on Saturday just gone, we took off down to a little region about an hour south of home and did the touristy thing. Matakana Markets were fab (including the crochet and cushion stall below - had to sneak a wee photo), so many yummy things to eat, lots of things to look at, including ducks which were the main attraction for the girls (see above) and a really lively atmosphere.

I got myself a wee treat while at the market, a cutesy vintage sewing box. It needs a bit of restoration work, including a wooden handle again, a few holes to be plugged, take off the gnarly lock and I'll put some knobs back on. A good sand and re-stain and it should look fab. I've always wanted one!

 

There is only so much shopping the other half can cope with though, so we spent a few hours at the beach. Goat Island was the first stop - big girl and Dad went snorkeling while little one and I sat on beach in the rain. We moved onto Mathesons Bay and it was magic. Pontoon to swim out to, mostly deserted beach. Kids had a ball!!

So after a day of slacking (relaxing really) I got busy making some Tomato Relish on Sunday. It is the best relish I've EVER made. More to be made next weekend!

No crochet progress, should hopefully have a wee ta-dah moment soon though. The hook is busy in the meantime.

Have a good remainder of the week xx Kylie

Just peachy!

 

I love late summer flowers. Dahlias and Gladiolis are popping up all over the garden, I'm so pleased as I have a new found love for them. They remind me of my Nan who loved Dahlias. I, for some strange reason, did pull up a whole heap of bulbs and tossed them away when we first moved in here. I have no idea why but I'm so pleased most of them still thrive out there.

Rat damage

There has been an invader in the orchard. Pesky rats have been chewing their way through the start of our summer crop of peaches. I'm not putting up with that at all - we have hardly any fruit this summer (codling moth has got just about our whole apple crop) so I got out there on the ladder, a big deal for height-a-phobic me, and put plastic bags (with lots of holes cut for air and moisture to escape) around each and every ripening peach. I'm happy to say that we are now enjoying beautiful big juicy peaches, and the rats are no longer beating us to them!

 

I'm loving the water lillies that have graced our pond as well, it must be a fairly healthy environment at the moment as we have some baby goldfish to go with our other six guppies in there at the moment. Obviously when a school friend of my big girl dropped off a couple more goldfish for us one must have been a boy! The girls are loving seeing these baby fish and really enjoy feeding them.

You can even see one of the baby fish (little brown thing) if you look closely enough.

The husband has always liked to drink Lemon & Barley water as a thirst quencher, but at $5 a bottle when we go through it quickly it seems a bit pricey. So he googled a recipe the other day and made some. About 50c worth of barley, a bit of sugar, water, lemon and there you go. Plus the chooks loved the left over barley once it was strained off. Homemade Lemon & Barley - much better for us too as sugar isn't the main ingredient anymore.

Recipe here

It's been a weekend of getting ready for school again. After 7 weeks finally school is going back tomorrow.  I've loved most of the holidays but being a working parent means that the last two weeks have been a bit of a juggle. Bags are almost all packed and baking has been done.

Have a lovely week xxx Kylie

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

The rain has stayed away, my anti-rain dance must have worked. It looks like it'll stay clear for another week or so at least. Finally it's Summer. So in preparation we have been packing the caravan for our upcoming holiday. Don't you love how there are little compartments for every item in the cupboards.

I got a couple of little gems at the op shop the other day. A brand new set of Cath Kidston handcreams was a must have. I don't use fragranced handcreams usually (I make my own as I react to shop brought ones) but these were to cute to pass by. Must have been discarded by someone who hasn't found the Kidston love yet.

The other gem was a vintage crochet magazine. Love it!

There are a few patterns that I would use....

And a few that I think the other half probably wouldn't appreciate too much....

Don't you love the look of this one ;)

And this one cracked me up, written in a different time with saying that it will look "gay in blue and white stripes".

I bottled the monster beetroot this weekend. We have tons and tons of jars but I'm the only one who eats it. I think I will have to take much of it into work and see if they want some.

I also need some marrow recipes if you have any - we have a few of those too!

Have a great week all. x Kylie

Soothing

I've just had one kiddie for a couple of days (the other one has been at her grandparents for a mid school holiday break) and wow it's so peaceful with no sibling rivalry.

So I've been making good use of my time...

A little concotion for my littlest ones eczema flare up - Chamomile and Calendula cream. Using Grapeseed oil and beeswax as a base, with glycerine, vitamin C, emulsifying wax and a infusion of organic Calendula and Chamomile Flowers. Chamomile flowers have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-allergenic properties, Calendula has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and the oil just helps keep the moisture in the skin. It seemed to soothe her skin well the first night I tried we tried it.

Making Cupcakes, pink by request of course, lovingly topped by my big girl. Hmmmm I think she ate more than she put on the cakes.

It's sitting on a lovely Paragon plate I picked up at the Hospice shop yesterday (as well as a matching saucer - now I just need the cup to make a set). It made me feel a little bit happier after I broke a saucer and a cup of two totally seperate trios yesterday. I can't believe how clumsy I was. Kicking myself now.

 I am so excited.... I have been searching for these jars everywhere, and now I have finally found them. I have no idea what I will keep in them (they are pretty large) but I saw them in a magazine and I just had to have them. I hunted high and low in my city but no luck, but yesterday I headed over to the in-laws little town and I couldn't believe it when I spotted them in a gift shop. Fairly inexpensive as well which is an extra bonus!

The new cat, Tootu, has settled in completely. The Chief isn't so fussed on her but I think she's pretty cute - except for when I spot her trying to catch the goldfish. She will learn when she falls in I guess.

So many spring bulbs out at the moment - and it's only halfway through winter.

It's really mild outside today so I'm sure I will have a garden full of Daffodils soon!

I've got my Tangelos and lemons soaking at the moment so I can make my annual batch of Marmalade tommorrow. We have so many Tangelos this year though that I think I'll have to make a few batches.

Speaking of Tangelo, I have some new (but old) retro Tupperware for the caravan. Isn't it just so kitch but perfect for the 70's style.

My hooks and yarn are calling now. More hats, a cowl or more work on the granny blanket????