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Between emotional meltdowns

All is well for the moment, as I am currently between emotional meltdowns.  I had one two weeks ago, and I am sure there is one creeping up on me just around the bend.  This has proved to be a full-on year thus far, and it is not about to get any easier.  But for every challenge there has been a huge reward, and I am still loving (almost) every minute of it.  

I am starting hospital placement next week... I mean this week.  Where did the weekend go?  We had a great time making yummy food, gardening, baking bread and buying a new compost bin yay!  What has been going on in the past few... months you ask?  I will not draw too much attention to how long it has been since last post.  ye gads, it is shameful.  I do have plenty of photos this time though!!  I have to admit I have a hard time posting without photos.  I am not such an entertaining writer, and I love sharing photos, so I am excited to show you a few photos of what we have been up to.

We have been very busy lately, and somehow managed to find the time to put in a fairly extensive veggie garden.  About a quarter are still in seed trays, waiting to be planted.  But the garden includes:

• Kale (Palm tree cabbage)
• Ruby chard (red silverbeet) 
• Leeks 
• Multiplying leeks 
• Onions 
• Collard greens 
• Pak choi 
• Cabbage 
• Maori potatoes 
• Purple potatoes 
• Globe artichokes 
• Jerusalem artichokes
• Agria potatoes 
• Pumpkins 
• Strawberries 
• Arugula (rocket) 
• Miners lettuce 
• Ice king lettuce 
• Mesclun greens 
• Horseradish 
• Green eggplant 
• Classic eggplant 
• Watermelon (this won't grow, but one can always hope) 
• Zucchini  
• Green beans 
• Yellow beans 
• Peas 
• Basil 
• Cilantro (fresh coriander) 
• Tomatoes (a few varieties) 
• Pea sprouts 
• Daikon radish   
• Broccoli 

And wait until you see where it all is or is going to go.  I think I am crazy trying to grow all of this, but I had the seeds and wanted to try!  The kale, miners lettuce, and arugula are doing incredibly well and have been growing throughout winter.  We have already had several fresh salads from the greens.  I will show a photo of a purple potato salad we had last night for dinner.  The potatoes were grown by my girlfriend Alice.  She gave me most of the seeds for my garden.  She also showed me how to make homemade tomato sauce (ketchup for you northern hemisphere folk) and natural body creams and salves.  Very clever lass.  

I haven't been sewing at all.  School has been far more demanding than expected and I haven't had any spare time other than an hour here or there to plant a few things, bake bread, make pasta, etc.  We bought a pasta machine recently and now make all of our own pasta from scratch.  I have a few photos to show.  We have also been baking all of our own bread since February and have only bought 2 loaves since then.  I have attempted to make a sourdough starter this morning and shall see how that goes.  I make myself gluten-free bread and it is much cheaper and WAY yummier than store bought.  If anyone is interested in that recipe let me know.  It is very easy to make and really quick.  It is a Rice Soya bread and is fluffy, moist and tasty.  Matt will even eat it, and enjoy it.

Here are some photos:

This is what I look like every morning before I manage to get a coffee into me.  I'm digging the hair though. 

  

This is our homemade bread.  Sunday is our bread-making day.  My gluten free loaf is the dark one on the right.  Matt's are the other two.  I think they are buttermilk?

 

Sampling the bread.

These boys are making bread.  It is around 6 in the morning.  

 

Matt is making and hanging pasta.

 

Pasta all made and drying.

 

Pasta machine.  Love.

 

Purple potato salad with homegrown arugula and miners lettuce.  I made a pesto and balsamic dressing.  Yummy.  I ate leftovers for breaky this morn.

 

The main veggie patch.  It is nearly all planted up.  The potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes, pumpkins and kale, cabbage and pak choi are all too small to see.

 

This is slowly filling with more tubs of veggies...

 

More tubs... my whole yard is full of tubs... fun!

 

The little cherub is growing too.

  

days long lost

I have been going through some old photos on the computer and thought I would stick a few of my faves up here.  Hope you southern hemisphere folk are surviving this weather.  It has been yucky out.  My chillblains are back on my fingers and persistent this time.  My index finger on my right hand looks like a sausage. 

Teo at 5 hours old.

Me 6 months pregnant on the ferry to Vancouver.

Holga camera shot of me by Matt not long after we met.

Matt not long after we met.  Fun day at the lake in summer.

I miss this haircut.

The only time Teo has ever had chubby anything.

Hmmmm...

Is there anyone out there still reading this?  HA oh well... I thought I would do my notorious bi-monthly posting.  This break has proved to be challenging.  But alas I have accomplished much and feel content to head back to school next week.  I have been sewing up a storm and I still need to take photos and upload them, so shall we try that for next post?  Ok then. 

Teo has been sick the last week, which makes for a busy week for me.  But it is nice to see my child again, especially before I head back to full-time study.  I made him three pairs of trousers over the break.  They are photo-worthy for sure.  I should make a little bullet point list of all that I have created and mended over the past week and a half.

MADE:

• wool trousers for Matt
• designed and made an orange wool hooded cardigan for Matt... stunning
• 2 cotton smock shirts for a friend
• 3 pairs trousers for Teo
• 1 t-shirt dress por moi
• 5 pairs of leggings (2 for me and three to give away)
• 2 womens hoodies
• 2 L/S merino tops for me...again
• 2 wool jerseys for friends
• 4 magenta and black hoodies for dolls at creche
• 3 electric blue cushion covers for creche, complete with squirrel, snail and bear images

MAKING:

• brown dress shirt for Matt... half finished
• duvet and pillow case set... I will take photos of this, as it is lovely!
• wow, I am so impressed that I am nearly done my pile of to-do's!

I did alter a few things and I completed about 10 other garments (ie: buttons and button holes, my least favourite part.)  I am so slack at completing things immediately.  I like to let them be for a while before doing the finishing touches.  That is really all for now.  I did just list my last hot pink hoodie in  my Esty Shop on SALE for $45 US dollars so if anyone really wants one then there it is.  I have one myself and I do love it!  I will be listing a few more women's pieces here and there. 

That's it for now.  Will try for a photo post before I start school!

Date & Oat Bars

I thought I would put this recipe on here before I forget.  It is by no means a healthy date bar, in that it contains a hefty portion of butter.  However, they are delicious, especially when fresh out of the oven!

125 grms butter
1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3/4 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup chopped dates

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, then dry ingredients. Place in a greased cake tin or bar tray (I only own a round cake tin so I end up with oaty wedges). Bake for 18-20 minutes at 180 Celsius and cut into bars while still warm.

You can feel free to use spelt flour instead of wheat flour.  I am sure there are other flours you can mix and vary.  Also, a nice twist is to zest an orange and add the zest during the creaming stage.  You can also omit the dates and add poppy seeds along with the orange zest.  Play around and have fun with it.  It is also yummy with sesame and sunflower seeds.  The sky is the limit.

Getting ready for exams!

The first semester is nearly complete.  I only have four exams to go YIKES!  I have just finished (quite literally) my last school day of the semester and now have plans to study my wee arse off.  I am sitting in the uni library and am waiting for Matt to come by with the car.  It is cold and wet out there, as it has been for the past week or more, and I don't plan on freezing to death prior to going home to our even colder flat.  It is a dry flat at the very least. 

We are having Matt's famous chili tonight.  It is actually his Mum's famous chili, and includes, black beans, kidney beans, chick peas and a whopping can of baked beans.  There is also a ridiculous amount of mushrooms in it.  I love it.  I am going to make MY Mum's gorgeous corn bread to accompany.

I have just been making a few yummy foods over the past while, as it seems that is the only creative activity I have time to do.  And it serves a significant purpose too!  I will add my recipe for date & oat bars on here if there are any takers.  I also have an awesome few dinner recipes that are quick and great for the cold weather.  I am not at home, otherwise I would put them on here now.

Hope you are all well and managing to keep warm!