Playhouse fun

Today Jason and I set up the playhouse. That is we dug the holes for the posts and rammed them in. Some time before Christmas we will get some plywood for the walls, dig in another post which a door will swing off. Set up some framing and paint it like a.... now what will the kids like most?








Also thought it was lovely that the boys used the new wall as a 'road'.

My New Wall...

Woohoo... My wall is up.

Now for all the gardening. As I was digging the trench and bbq area, I tipped all the dirt into a planter box that Jason made me years ago and never got used. I've then heeled about 15 trees into it, to survive a year or two before planting. SO what do we back fill this garden bed with? Not to mention it is about 7 cm taller than originally thought, so we also need to raise the entire bed.

Thank goodness we are in the country and have neighbours with horses that have stables that need clearing out. :)

JASMINE INFESTATION

I've been hard at work in the inner garden along the roadside this weekend. Jasmine, almost defeated. As much as I love the smell, it was time it came out. My neighbour Miles has been an absolute godsend in getting the project started - and frankly did 99% of it, due to my increase in work. He's also given us some great ideas on how to reduce the issue, permanently.

This photo is taken after about half the infestation (and certainly the worst part) was taken out. The purple leaved tree, was covered as were all the shrubs nearby it. You couldn't see the trees for all the jasmine. We really didn't realise just how bad it was until it started coming down. Certainly motivating...

VEGE’S VEGE’S AND BERRIES

Not sure if I mentiond it, but the combined vege patch with our neighbours is well under way. At first I had - with the kids - planted a pile of seeds and thinking I'd try something 'green' with it, planted them in egg cartons... well, the dog didn't like that idea and kept standing in it (they were on top of my planter box) and you can imagine what the cat was doing with it... so those ones never panned out. I ended up having to buy seedlings for the first vege install (gosh, did I work in IT)... and they are well under way. My next attempt at planting seeds is working (no egg carton) however, on the day i could not find my permanent marker pen, so I used a felt pen thinking I would find the permanent sooner rather than later... well, I forgot didn't I, and watered them that night... guess what - no labels. Oh well, at least they are popping up... I will be able to recognise most of them, but the ones I have never planted before, like Stevia and Soapwart, well... here's hoping a quick Google Search will help me out there.
The vege patch at present has a load of brassica's, tomatoes, zucchini, onion & leeks. I have been following a friend of mine in the vege growing challenge and she had made a blackboard for her garden to indicate what was in there and when things should be ready. Great idea, but I've run out of blackboard paint. Perhaps a summer project.
We have also covered over the berry cage with bird netting and created a little strawberry patch right next to it. Very proud, but still have to work out a better way of tacking that side down.

OOOOPS... OH WELL

I saw an advert for frangipani (native to Australia). Now, my experience of frangipani is of my aunty having some growing outside her window, all bushy, and my mother in law having one in a pot. So when I saw them advertised for $3 each (normally $20) I jumped at the chance, but not having the opportunity to get to the shop in time, send in Jason. When they came home, I discovered that they are actually a HUGE open form tree this particular variety growing to 6 metres. There went my opportunity to have the beautiful scent filling our courtyard, and for a while there I did not know what to do with them. However, they have found a nice home, out by the new shed and on the courtyard side of the greenhouse... so hopefully the smell will waft over where it is wanted upon occasion.

NEXT SPRING PLANS

In August I dug up daffodil bulbs from the paddock and planted them around the orchard trees. They should look gorgeous come spring next year. I've also been busy planting heaps of trees, pittosporums near the new shed, a deciduous magnolia at the entrance, with some (tiny) griselinia behind it, that should create a lovely screen for the shed and give the magnolia a beautiful green 'background' from which to shine.

Pondering the simple things...

When I was about 7, I had a male teacher. His name was Mr Marsh and he was easily in his 50s, a big guy, partly deaf and as a result had a booming voice.

I was quite a shy kid... and I found out years later, that at parent teacher interviews, he had told my mum that he thought I was afraid of him (on account of me being so quiet).

I have to say I do not remember feeling afraid of him, I certainly had no reason to be... I was just generally a quiet kid (what happened says my mother). I do remember thinking he was a rather big, powerful bloke though... I think I was more in awe of him actually.

Well, during the school year with him, we shared a moment. Perhaps he planned it, given his concern about me. I had to hand in my work for marking and as I approached, he was simply looking at a miner bird that was perched outside the window. Realising that I was there, he quietly said, "Look at this bird Elizabeth (as I was then known), isnt' it peaceful. Such beauty and simplicity.' We both just stared at it for a little while.

I am now 35 years old and this small moment has been remembered and treasured. In my early 20s, it taught me that big booming powerful people, can also have a gentle side. But more importantly now it is my constant reminder to take a step back, take moments, to enjoy the simple things.

Now that I have my own children, I make sure we take moments to enjoy simple things, such as a fantail flying through the house, gently planting seeds, the smiles on their faces and giggles (oh the giggles), the sun shining, the rain falling... can there be anything better, I think not. At times when you are feeling down, taking time like this can really lift the spirits.

So thank you Mr Marsh, you taught me some valuable lessons, that will last me a lifetime and it only took you a few seconds of your time...

Cakes again...

I've ended up putting my cakes into facebook. Cakes by Design (Auckland, NZ) is my fan page... easier to update one place for cakes. So my blog is going to become solely for the sake of the land... :)

Garden & Greenhouse

For a few years now the garden has kind of spewed over into the courtyard. It ahs been embarrassing to say the least when friends visit... so finally we can afford to get a block wall put in. Jason wanted wood, but I have grander plans...
I have to do the digging for the footing, which I am most of the way through but as of the end of next week I should be the proud owner of a decent retaining wall.

We are also back into the greenhouse, both in setting up a garden and infact getting a new roof on it.

Over winter we lost the roof, and thanks to me earlier in the year, we were insured... so $12k via the insurance company later and only a $200 excess... we have a new roof.

Herbalism - New hobby

Well, my son William and I were strolling through the garden and we walked past the rose bushes which are now in full bloom. I was musing over the beauty of the white and crimson flower which I give my nana every year and William pointed out how beautiful they smell. Right I thought - time to teach the boy about natural perfume... so using my childhood memories of Mrs Blazey's house next door, we gathered a huge amount of petals (and the aphids to boot) and threw them into a container with boiling water - by the next morning we made rose water and it is truely divine.

It got me thinking - what with Christmas coming up and all - that this might be nice to give as presents.

So, this morning Charlotte and I gathered heaps of lavender.

I also found a recipe for a healing salve, and given I bought some beeswax a short while ago, I figured it was time to try making a balm / salve.

I've been wanting to get more into making herbal 'concoctions' and now that my garden has a fair number of herbs it's about time I started.

So Rose Water, Lavender Water and the beginnings of a salve... what will be next

Cake Review

So thrilled, my cake review came out at http://www.coffeegroup.org.nz/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_new.tpl&product_id=210&category_id=35&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=66. Take a look and join my FB Fan page at 'Cakes by Design (Auckland, New Zealand)'

Us...

Here's a few snaps of us...

Photos of our place

These are a bit old. We've done a lot of structural work since these were taken but you get the idea...

Ben 10 Theme cake

My friend just wanted something basic, so I created this for her.

Poor sleep - strange conclusions

It's funny how things come to you after sleeping on it. Normally I am a VERY heavy sleeper, but if I get woken it's very hard to sleep again.
Not sure what made me come to this conclusion, probably because I am dealing with a particularly bad hayfever time at the moment... but I am starting to suspect I am 'allergic' to sugar... possibly just the processed white sugars.
A few years ago Charlotte (sister) and I were talking about the dry and 'split' finger tips we both seem to get, and last night I woke up thinking that's the same thing I get in my nose - splits for no apparent reason. When I have been on Atkins diet my 'hayfever' clears up and I have no splits on my fingers - 'cos there's very little to no sugar intake...
... I wonder
Could be worth investigating through Dr's.

Heineken cake

It was my father in law's 60th birthday in early March. He did not want to celebrate in any way... even went away for two weeks so it would get forgotten. In early april though, for some reason, we decided to have a BBQ at our house and ended up inviting all the family over. So we also decided to do just a small celebration for Grant by making him a cake... here's the result.

Basics again...

two weeks ago we ran out of dishwashing powder. I had been looking for recipes and they basically had the same thing as my laundry liquid... SO I thought, I'll just use that and see what it's like.

Aside from clouding up the glasses a wee bit it's fine. A little vinegar in the rinse cycle seems to sort the clouding out though... so now I don't have to buy dishwashing powder any longer either.

2 Litres (recipe makes 12L) has lasted 2 weeks so far with about 3/4 of a litre left.

March Completed cakes

The finished product...
...

Cakes for March

Working on two cakes for this weekend... baby shower - a pregnant tummy with butterflies, dresses, flower on one side and snails, robots, puppy, tools etc on the other.
The next cake is a musical jewellery box.
Here are photos so far of my efforts.

Official Fish Cake

Hi, It's midnight here at the Edmonds Household and I am desperately hoping that Jason will get up with the kids... when they get up instead of letting them crawl all over me for a while. I've spent the last two days on little sleep due to a job interview and now tonight I had to finish a cake.

For those of you who like to know what I get up to - here is my latest creation.
I'm about 90% happy with it... but I'm a fusspot.

Fish Cake

This is especially for Taryn. Can you take a look at these samples. I've been playing with fish scales and stuff. Does this look like its supposed to? ie would you be happy with this type of scale and colours etc. I think the white base looks better - closer to the real thing. There is actually an irredescent powder on it, but not sure if it comes out that well in the photo. PS for those of you who want to see the finished cake. I'll put a picture up in about a week.

Lottie on the Pottie

Woohoo... out of the blue Lottie went to the pottie. Finally got the point that she is a girl and has to sit down, rather than stand and point like the boys. Sorry for the information but she's followed me in sat herself down and actually peed. Then she did it again a few hours later, so it was no accident... Yeah, it begins.

Back to Basics

For a couple of years now, I've been using baking soda and vinegar as my main cleaning 'agents' instead of buying chemically loaded products from the supermarket. It's been working great, except for the fact that Jason doesn't like the vinegar smell. I've been searching over time for other 'natural' recipes particularly where my sensitively skinned husband is concerned... and low and behold, after chatting with my neighbour on the subject, it turns out she makes her own laundry powder...
so for all those interested (which isn't many 'cos I think only my sister follows this blog)...
shave 1 bar of sunlight soap (or pure soap)
boil for 4 minutes with 4 cups of water
when boiled mix in 1 cup of washing soda crystals until dissolved
in a 20L bucket (with lid) put in 11 Litres of warm water
pour in the soap mix and mix together. Don't put the soap mix in while you are filling up the bucket or you'll end up with bubbles everywhere.

To Use: put 1 cup into your wash.

My neighbour goes through this in about 2-3 weeks, but they have four girls ranging from 6-16.

Here are some photos of what our New years Day consisted of... building a chicken house with the kids. Photos taken by Joseph.

WWOOF NZ

Today I joined WWOOF as a host. Willing Workers on Organic Farms. Since Jason was unwell earlier this year, we have lost motivation around our property and have had other projects that took over and as a result our property is looking a little run down. So after a friend joined and has had great results I thought we would give it a try. Essentially you advertise your property and have visitors come and stay and do 4 hours work a day for free food and board. Looking forward to making a start with it.

Newest cake addition

I made four of these for Xmas day. One for the lovely family who helped us with cutting out our castle shape for our present. One for ourselves. One for my friend Sarah and the last to a family whose little boy was in a car accident a few weeks ago.