Where I Sleep & Laundry Envy

This week Vic has chosen the theme of 'Where I Sleep' for My Place and Yours.  I had to wait for the husband and little one to get up this morning so I could make it presentable but that was OK because I had a few things to do which I will tell you about in a minute.

Most mornings the two of us snuggle up together for an hour or so after the husband has headed off to milk the cows and when I get up I just make the bed over the top of her because she is always very slow to get up in the morning.  It's his weekend off this weekend so I left them to snooze the morning away together.

This morning I had to get up and finish a little project I started yesterday. I have been suffering from a very serious case of Laundry envy ever since a certain person told us about her new laundry which is in the process of being built. You can read about it here and here. Yesterday I decided that the least I could do to my Laundry disaster was give the walls a bit of a wash, maybe that would make it a little better. It didn't look any different so I rummaged around the shed and found a tin of white paint and proceeded to paint the walls. Then the laundry tub looked so ratty I found another tin of paint and gave it a touch up too. This morning I had to put it all back together and once again I headed out to the shed and came back with a ladder, there is a chair that was in the bedroom and a hanging rack from my sewing room. Add to that the cane basket and things were looking a little better. I threw a mat I had in the cupboard on the floor though it does leave a bit to be desired but the vinyl underneath is horrible. Later I will go through my Vintage linen and hang some on the ladder.  Because it was an unplanned makeover there is no before shot (not that you would have wanted to see it anyway) But here is the finished project.

Photo from http://birdway.com.au

We used to have Kingfishers in the yard every Summer but I haven't seen one for years. It was so exciting to see one on the back fence this afternoon chatting with a Willy Wagtail. I tried to get a photo but couldn't get close enough to get a decent one.

Later this afternoon I was out watching my wonderful husband dig some of my new Herb Garden and three kingfishers flew over the yard!!!!  It's nice to see them back.

In My Garden Yesterday

The Azaleas are at their best right now and in the background my Clematis is starting to flower.

Also in my garden yesterday was this beautiful sheep's fleece drying in the sun. Perfect for my Extreme Prim Doll's hair.

More blooms from my garden at A Feast for Crows

Sustainable Living or Just Living?

I have always wanted to put a Herb Garden and now I have the time it is actually going to happen. Husband said I could put it anywhere as long as it was here...typical! It is close to the kitchen and a good area so it will do. I have been out with the pink marking paint this morning trying to work it all out.

I need to get myself moving because the Herb seeds I have put in pots are starting to poke their heads up. This is one of the four varieties of Basil I have put in.

Rocket under wire because Fred the Cat loves sitting in pots.

Last night Machicho buried a bone in the pot where the Sweet Peas are planted. The bone is gone forever and the Sweet Peas are Ok I think.

There is a loaf of Bread almost finished cooking in the Bread Maker and I have a Batch of Yoghurt sitting on the bench all warm and cosy. 

In the garden the potatoes are growing nicely and there are a ton of flowers on the upside down tomatoes.

We have been using the baby spinach and lettuce for a few weeks now. 

The pot of chives and parsley has also been in constant use.

So have I joined the growing number of people trying to live a greener and more sustainable way of life trying to leave a smaller footprint on the world?  Not really. This is my way of life and has been for as long as I can remember. The whole time I was growing up half our yard was a vegetable garden, there was a massive chook pen and all our food was made from scratch. In the thirty odd years I have been married we have nearly always had a good vegetable garden, had fresh milk from the farm and very rarely had to buy meat from the butcher. We eat very little processed food, I don't buy bread and there have always been fresh herbs growing in pots in the yard. The Yoghurt making is a new thing but only because we are eating so much of it now I thought it would be a much cheaper and healthier option. The loaf of white bread I made today is also something that doesn't happen too often, it is a treat for my son who is home visiting. Usually I make a Sourdough Rye.  I chose Aromatherapy over Cortisone to treat my sons eczema and have used it for a lot of other ailments as well. This is the way a lot of us in small rural communities live and have lived for a long long time.

I applaud the growing number of people who are also trying to live a more sustainable life, it is a wonderful way to bring up your children and treat the world.

Sunday Outing

Husband took me for a drive this morning and when we got to our destination I took  more photos of the beautiful country around where I live.  I'm sorry if it's all getting a bit boring for you.

On the way we passed Rita's house and I quickly got a photo of her Azaleas along the front of the house. Not too bad considering I took this from a moving vehicle!!

And why did we go for a drive?

To load a heap of timber to be cut up for fire wood. An outing and exercise at the same time.

He is such a thoughtful man!

(And yes I did help unload it as well when we got home, after I made us a cuppa)

My Pincushion

My Place and Yours this week is 'My Pincushion". I made this one years ago just to have a go at 'Cathedral Window' and used it ever since. I have NEVER done any more Cathedral Window though as it was far too fiddly and time consuming!  Recently it has been put into retirement and I just use a small plastic container for my pins.

This is one of a pair I made for my Website and decided I liked it enough to keep it.

And this one is purely decorative, given to me by a very dear friend a few years ago.

For more Pincushions visit Vic at  Punky and Me

Banksia Rose

Husband asked me to take a photo of the Banksia Rose this evening before the expected rain comes and ruins it. It has managed to make it's way up the Liquid Amber next to it this year. My white Banksia Rose at the back of the house is a bit sick looking, I have no idea what has happened to it but it's leaves are yellowing and flower buds are drying up. Very disappointing.

Today

The view from my kitchen window early this morning

I washed some of my quilts to get the 'boy' smell out of them!

I pressure washed the pavers and remembered what colour they were.

The herb seeds I ordered came today. There is a new garden in the planning stage and these lovely things will be in it somewhere.  I bought them with a gift voucher the kids gave me.

The tomato plants are growing and flowering.

On the shelf.....

The 'My place and yours' meme is back thanks to Vic and this weeks topic is 'On the Shelf. I don't really have any shelves as such but on the old Kitchen dresser is part of my Vintage Kitchen bits and pieces.  Just some of the 'junk' in my house as youngest son often refers to it.

Visit Punky and Me for more  My place and yours

Today

Today my husband brought me home another old piece of junk. (Beau's words, not mine)

A few more potatoes poked their head out of the ground

And there was Ric Rac in the sky.

This is where your milk comes from.

Yes he drank all the milk again so we toddled off to the farm a little earlier than last time.  

These three were patiently waiting for their turn. I'm not sure if the tongue is sticking out on purpose or not

Another trio. They are such curious creatures.

The business end of it all

Flossie is always willing to pose although it took five tries to get this one. She is very easily distracted and kept moving

Keeping an eye on things.

More of the farm on A Feast for Crows

In my Garden.........

In my garden today the Apple Tree is covered in blossom and there are flowers on the Upside down Tomato plants

The strawberry plants give us a promise of lots of fruit

There are creatures everywhere

And lots of new growth and flowers

In the paddock, childhood memories are brought back of Daisy Chains

and buttercups held under the chin.

There is more of my Garden at A Feast For Crows