Friday, May 6, 2011

It's Cold

I know it isn’t officially winter yet but it is getting cold, not so much down the mountain, but here up the mountain it is. It has been a bit fresh at night so last night for the first time this year we lit the fire and it has been relit this morning as it was 12 degrees, and need to keep it lit for a little while yet as I have to boil the kettle for a cuppa (any excuse really).

We seem to now be getting two eggs a day, at least we have for the last two days, so I have stopped buying eggs and making do with what we are getting. So there is a bit of rationing going on (love an egg for breaky) but I am sure that we will be getting more soon.

I am not sure if you realise but not all sweet potatoes are the same. There are orange ones (our favourite which we can’t seem to grow as well as the others) and there are red ones and white ones. I have planted all three, but only seem to pull out red ones. The red ones aren’t very good for roasting or boiling as they are dry, but seem to go very well mashed (with other mashed stuff like pumpkin or regular potato) or in soup (though haven’t done this yet but I bet it is good). So need to get some of those other colours growing.

A friend has lent me one of her gorgeous shirts to take a pattern from and make myself a shirt. It is has about ¾ length sleeves and toggles for buttons, it is lovely, AND she gave me some lovely material to make it out of. Thank you so much Kate :D

I have been wanting to make some clothes this year as I am having trouble finding anything that I actually like in the shops. I am now in my forties (though still feel like I am in my twenties but with the wisdom of my life experiences) and there is so much that is just SO not suitable. I am not young but I am not ninety either, so what can I wear? So this is my start as I have been procrastinating.

So am making a practice shirt to start as it has been a while since I have sewn, and I want to make sure that I can do it. I have draw out the pattern, I bought some material (a king sized doona cover) for $5 from an OP shop I was passing yesterday so if I make a mistake it doesn’t matter (much) and I may end up with a doona patterned shirt to wear in the garden.

ON OTHER MATTERS

There are is a wicked looking recipe for caramel mud cakes over at Domesblissity. Now, no yummy cakes for me as we are detoxing at the moment, which basically means no sugar and stuff for us, but I can look longingly :D

Here is a blog that I haven’t been to for a while but need to go and read. It is called Farmama, about a mother, organic farmer, wife (where does she find the time to do it all, I am guessing no TV and good time management).

This post at Peak Oil Hausfrau is about gardening in our front yards and get rid of our high maintenance lawns, I agree. Grass doesn’t do anything much except needing constant mowing and watering, instead we could replace it with edible but good looking plants and trees.

While surfing the net (as I do) I came across this site about recycled craft, lots of different projects, and though I haven’t done any of them, I like to think I will one day :)

6 comments:

  1. Hi KJ! Hasn't it got cold already, even for Brisbane at this time of year. Time for the winter sheet swap over this weekend I think.

    Thanks for the mention of the cupcakes. They were pretty good especially for something that was quite simple to make. Making them as mini sized cupcakes justifies me eating them although having 2 or 3 at a time doesn't help! LOL

    Hope you have a lovely Mother's Day and a lovely weekend. Stay warm!

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  2. Winter coming for you...Summer on it's way here! I'm glad you had a good break and I'm gladder your back to blogland! Can't wait to see your finished sewing creation pics! Hugs..

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  3. Even though we are in the tropics it is still getting cold and are big girls about it too :)

    It is good to be back blogging and now with sewing my new old thing to get into it is busy. Will post photos if I don't mess things up too badly, I am not a great sewer :D

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  4. That wood fire looks great KJ. We had one but removed it many years ago as the wood was just too hard to get.
    In regards to making clothes I am like you. I think most of the clothes are terrible and being a large girl I buy from USA, but the quality is not too good. I can make quilts but not sew clothes, but may have to learn real soon.

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  5. Jan, my strategy is to get very very simple patterns, nothing with darts or pleats or anything. Just cut and sew the sides together, sew one up in cheap fabric for practice before using good material.

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  6. Also, regarding the wood fire. Yeah it is great and the wood comes off our property so we are not paying for it in cash but we do pay for it in effort, or my hubby does anyway. I try to help but it is hard wood and I can't split it for love or money, so I do the carting and log throwing :)

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