Mother's Day continues...

...with a delivery of flowers and chocolates from Natasha in Texas...

decisions...decisions...

I did stop at two!!!

 

My penance is to go mow the lawns...

 

Maybe that will earn me another two :))

 

xx

A Sunday drive

The peace and quiet of a Sunday afternoon drive...

the back of beyond

And this lovely poem by Amy Carmichael:

Vows of the Sisters of Common Life

 

My Vow: Whatsoever Thou sayest unto me, by Thy grace I will do it.

 

 

My Constraint: Thy love, O Christ, my Lord.

 

 

My Confidence: Thou art able to keep that which I have committed unto Thee.

 

 

My Joy: To do Thy will, O God.

 

 

My Discipline: That which I would not choose, but which Thy love appoints.

 

 

My Prayer: Conform my will to Thine.

 

 

My Motto: Love to live, live to love.

 

 

My Portion: The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.

************

 

And some Mother's Day treats...

Belated Mother's Day wishes to all you mothers out there!

xx

 

One bowl wonders...and other riveting stuff

 I try to simplify my meals as much as possible...in the preparation and the eating.  So I bought a couple of big, deep (Corelle) bowls, and when possible eat my 'one bowl wonder' meals from them.  When I cook I try to make enough base recipes for two or three subsequent meals, and vary them by perhaps adding some streamed vegies, nuts, etc.

 

Here's some I've enjoyed recently...

 

 

rice, lentil/vegie loaf, sardines, steamed carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, silverbeet

lentil/vegie loaf, sardines, beetroot, tomato, tomato relish

 apricot chicken, mashed potato/sweet potato/carrot, tomato, cashews

apricot chicken, mashed potato/sweet potato/carrot, steamed broccoli, tomato

(looking pale because the heat steamed the camera lens!)

And if you don't know what Apricot Chicken is...the recipe is HERE.  I was going to link you to a recipe, but they all seem so complicated compared to mine, so guess I'll just have to type it out...

Lynda's Apricot Chicken

chicken breasts
onion
pkt french onion soup
can apricot nectar

Chop the onion (you don't even have to use an onion if you don't have one, but I usually do) and saute in some olive oil.  Chop/slice the chicken breasts (as if for a stir fry), and add to pan and cook (only takes a few minutes as it is sliced thinly).  Add the apricot nectar and french onion soup mix.  Stir/cook till thickened (5 minutes?).  And there you have it!!  Serve with...whatever you like!

buon appetito!

And now for something completely different....


Remember these squares I was crocheting...and no!!...I am not undoing them again :))

I have decided to edge them in this dusty pink...it's called Pecan and although it looks quite pink/mauve in the photo it's actually more of a browny pink, especially with the brown/grey neutral coloured squares.  Just a hint of colour...  I think I will like it!

And looking forward to reading THIS book which arrived in the mail today (good old Book Depository...I'm sure I must be keeping them in business!!!)

All this food talk has made me hungry so will make some lunch (left over vegies which I will fry an egg with) and then some crochet/read time.  A river walk later this afternoon, a stop in at the supermarket on the way home and then tea/dinner/supper to cook.  I'll actually have to prepare a base dish tonight (oh bother!)

Hope you are having the bestest of days!!

 

xx

Up and running.

After being stalled due to headaches the previous week, last week I was up and running again.  What have I been doing?

Garden

 

 Digging out a curry plant and trimming a couple of others

It took some digging to get the roots out.  Another one to go on the left of the photo

Cooking

 a lentil/vegie loaf

 it was supposed to be burgers, but I made it into a loaf...it was easier...and baked in oven for 20 minutes

 

here's the recipe, but it is also HERE

 

I didn't have any chives, but added a dash of cumin, tumeric, curry powder, some chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds and lots of chopped parsley!

 

 

Knit/crochet

 

Taking a break from the knitted beanies...I made 12! 

 

Remember these squares I was knitting...

 I decided to undo them

And am now crocheting smaller squares for a throw...

these are about 4 1/2" (12cms), the squares were 11" (28cms) using 2 strands of yarn together

Preserve and eat

Made more tomato relish...with the tomatoes in the freezer from last season.

 

Made blackberry/strawberry jam with last seasons frozen produce.

 

Still eating tomatoes from the garden, and apples from my tree. 

 

I got 7 very large and lovely Golden Delicious apples from the tree.  Which is quite amazing as I had chopped it down to a stump because I was going to remove it...but it grew again...and produced these yummy apples.  So I guess it can stay :))

 

Lunch time...left-over lentil loaf...

 

After rain yesterday, we are enjoying a sunny (but cold wind) day.  Good for drying the sheets...

 

Be blessed!

 

xx 

Stalled

Had headaches all last week due to unseasonably hot and unsettled weather.  The rains and cooler weather started on the wwekend and my head is fine now.  Well...it's not aching, not sure how fine it is :)

So not much happened last week, apart from getting a couple of letters written and knitting the beanies for the masses family...

11 and counting...

 

Will maybe do one more and then move on to something else.  I'm a bit over beanies...

 

 

Had a lovely early morning walk yesterday after the overnight rain...

 

 

I am love, love, loving the autumn colours

 

Tomorrow is Anzac Day, so in honour of the occasion I made Anzac Biscuits...

Here's the recipe...

 

 

Off for my afternoon walk before the rain starts up again.

 

I hope you are enjoying your day!

 

xx

 

 

Productivity

Good morning sun...

Didn't walk this morning, but took my car down to the supermarket early (it opens at 7am) before it got busy to do a monthly stock up.  The rest of the time I just pick up what I need on the way home from my morning walk.  Got that unpacked and put away, then...

 washed my car 

 

and mowed the lawns...

 Only showing you the front bit (because it's the tidiest) but there was also the nature strip, outside the front fence, the side and back yard done.

Will have lunch (chicken soup from the freezer), then I think I've earned a sit down now and perhaps some knitting...

four beanies done...and counting...

 

Keep Kalm and Knit!

 

xx

Weekend Words

It's been raining steadily for most of the day...

Thunder and lightning this morning, and although it has eased off a bit this afternoon I doubt that I will get a walk in today.

Yesterday I spent a lovely day at the Seventh-day Adventist church.  Bible study, church service (which included a baptism), and a fellowship lunch after.  As usual, I ate too much, and didn't get home till 3pm!  When I arrived home I made a cup of tea and almost fell asleep in the chair, so took myself off for a river walk to revive.

This morning (Sunday) I broke with tradition and had porridge for breakfast...

...instead of my usual quinoa, stewed apple and rhubarb, and sheep yoghurt, because I hadn't stewed up any more fruit.  It made a nice change.

I had planned to go to the Mennonite church, but had a headache (which is now gone), so watched a few sermons by Steve Wohlberg on the Mark of the Beast.  They were very interesting.

Came across this article in the SDA magazine on pencils...

I much prefer to use pencil that pen.  Easier to erase your mistakes.  Pity life doesn't work like that :)  My favourite pencil is Staedtler HB...the ones made in Germany.  Are you a pencil or pen person?

Here's the article if you want to read it...

  I'd never thought about why they were hexagonal

Good knitting weather, so continuing with my hats for the hordes (a.k.a. the family)...

have started my fourth

 

Just a bit of mindless chatter on a wet day!

 

It's stopped raining so I think I'll brave the wind and cold and go for a walk, I've been inside all day and I crave some fresh air.

 

Make the most of your day!!

 

xx