Guess what I have been doing today!

Yup...there are only so many days that you can put this job off before you look in the cupboard and "ooops...not a thing to wear". Its been a busy few weeks, what with one thing and another. I have been able to keep up with the laundry but the ironing!!!!! Well, its just one of those jobs that begs to be deferred. I only iron the bare necessities nowadays but this pile took me most of the day.....there are a lot of tablecloths and napkins hidden in that there pile!!!! Oh...and the pillowcases!!!! Did I really wear all those pairs of trousers? What was I thinking ? Jeans don't need to be ironed....note to self......wear jeans more often. The poor Gorgeous Boy was running very short of business shirts....it had to be done.

I managed to do a few loads of laundry (and ironed all of those as well) before I called it a day. Tomorrow I am planning to tackle the "total house clean". After two dust storms in the past week everything....and I mean everything...has a fine coating of orange dust over it. Yikes......I have house guests arriving on Thursday and Wednesday I will be busy running errands and getting the car serviced. Do I feel pressured...sure do :-(


This is not a very clear picture but I took it on Saturday afternoon as the sun was going down. It was so hazy with the dust in the air that you could look straight at the sun and barely see it.

We worked all weekend on the "Great Wall" and I have to say, its looking pretty good. Next step will be back filling it. Will I make it in time to plant the potatoes on the full moon? Who knows, but it wont be from lack of effort!

I picked up a the October copy of "Gardening Australia" from the supermarket last week and it came with a free copy of "Choosing Eden". Written by Adrienne Langman, it tells of the journey that she and her husband have begun towards self sufficiency in preparation for the aftermath of "Peak Oil". It is a thought provoking book and in my opinion well worth the read. Here at Bellavista we are working in the same direction but I do have to say that we have not put half the thought and research in to it that she and her husband Larry have. One thing that I wholeheartedly agree with her is that we do need to skill up. Being a "baby boomer" I still remember how many things were done "in the old days" but there are areas that I need to learn more about. Just as well that my favourite hobby is .....learning new things :-) With this in mind.....I have spied another cheese making course coming up in this area. Tomorrow I will make a few phone calls and see if I can book myself in. Off to bed now. Night all.

Progress report on the Great Wall of Bellavista.

I can't believe its been so long. I really have been slack. I have so much to say (as always) but not much time to sit down and type at the moment.

Firstly.....The Great Wall of Bellavista......is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. It really helped that dr.K and Richie came up for the weekend and lent a hand. I don't think they realised what they were in for when they suggested coming up but they worked like little Trojans. The Gorgeous Boy and I had all the posts installed for section one......the longest run of sixty metres. The four of us spent the weekend putting in drainage, levelling off (the GB likes everything to be perfect....ah...so tiring!!!!!!) and laying the first two rows of planks along the entire length. We managed to do about twenty metres of two more rows and work ceased when we ran out of planks AND screws. Still, now I can at least get to work back filling the first twenty metres so that we can plant some more potatoes on the next full moon. My life has become a little Lunar of late....not that I don't run around like a "lunatic" at the best of times LOL!!!!

I do think that this latest project has been jinxed by the weather. I suggested to the GB that we begin the Great Wall well before the summer heat really set in. The first week we worked on it, we had a heat wave....hottest spring weather in years!!!!! What happened this weekend....the temperatures soared into the thirties again. This time with hot dry winds. What is summer going to be like this year!!!!!!!



This is where we were at before the weekend......I have not had time to take an updated photo. Tomorrow maybe!

Not much work was done last weekend as we went down to Brisbane and joined friends, on the Sunday, at a "street party" of sorts. Part of Albert Street in the CBD was closed to traffic and set up with tables for a dinner presenting Stoneleigh Wines. Four or five different restaurants participated and it depended on where you were sitting, what type of food you ate. We were fortunate to have an Italian based menu. Five different Stoneleigh wines were served, each complementing a different course.

We had a sparkling champagne style wine with the canapes while street entertainers wandered in our midsts. Then we were seated and dinner was served while a band played in the background. Our table was served

Anti pasta Platter with crusty bread
Sauvignon Blanc

Pasta with Calamari tossed with rocket and chilli
Pinot Gris

Osso Bucco with Mediterranean vegetables
Pinot Noir

Tiramisu
Oooops...by this time I couldn't remember what the wine was....must have been good!!!!

Cheese board comprising of local cheeses with rain berries

Some yummy little chocolate coated balls of something delish but it was getting late and the wine was obviously getting the better of me!!!!!!

The company was wonderful, the weather was fabulous and the entertainment was good. We did take some photos but none that did justice to the evening. Am I not just the slackest blogger!!!! ;-) The event was planned as part of the Spring Festival and I would certainly put my hand up to go again next year. If I am lucky enough to go....I will take notes I promise LOL.

Note to self........diet is not progressing well.....question...wonder why!!!!!!

How time flys.

When I sat down on Monday to catch up with reading my favourite blogs and write a new post of my own I saved this photo for the next days post but wow...its Friday again. Where does all the time go? This is one of our new orchids. I don't know its name......I guess for me, its not important to know the name....just to revel in the beauty. Whenever I walk past the fernery I spy this beautiful yellow bloom sitting right next to an everyday pelagonium. To my mind they are both beautiful, one for its delicate blooms and the other for the vibrant colour that just plain cheers me up :-)


Tuesday, I went on my computer early to send an email to a friend only to discover that I had been "hijacked" and someone had sent an e mail to all of my contacts....on the face of it they were just promoting an i camera. Was it more sinister than that or are we all just a little paranoid? Who knows, but for someone like me who is not particularly confident with the many uses that the computer has to offer, I was down right annoyed. I changed my password and phoned my "computer guru" down in the big smoke for advice. He suggested that I send another e mail to all contacts to warn them that the first had not been from me so that they could check to see if their computers had been "violated". Well that pretty well blew all morning. Do I have the time to waste cleaning up after someone has been rude enough to a) trespass on my private space on the world wide web and b)impersonate me for their own purposes. NO I DO NOT! Whats with these people? They seriously need to get a life of their own. Grrrr.

Later, I headed down to the city to babysit the Princess while Mama went to do a workshop and stayed down for a couple of days to get my computer "checked" and run a few errands. Its good to be back home again. Today, the Gorgeous boy and I resumed work on the retaining wall. Six more posts installed today. Hurray! It would have been more but we had to do extra work digging out the holes where rocks had diverted the auger on the bobcat. Poor GB was attacking the subsurface rocks with the crowbar and the sledge hammer. My puny attempts with the crowbar were nowhere near as effective but I do a good line in laying on my belly with my arm down the holes hauling out shattered rock ;-) We make a good team. LOL. I think (hope) that we are over the worst of it as the next holes seem to be quite sandy. We will find out tomorrow !!!!!

I had best go to bed to rest this old body 'cos who knows what tomorrow has in store.

The Eye of the Storm.

The last couple of weeks have been very busy and today is the eye of the storm. Peace and quiet reigns. Ooooh its lovely but I know there is more to come. The thing is....while its been busy....its been good so I can't say I regret a minute of it.

The Gorgeous Boy and I have been working on our latest project....the retaining wall. It took a while to line everything up. Measuring, moving fencing, ordering supplies and then the work really began.
Here he is with the trusty tractor leveling off all the rubble that had washed down the bank in the last couple of years.

We had to wait a few days for the bobcat to come in and drill around sixty post holes. It was too tight a squeeze to try and do it with the tractor. Then a day to shovel all that surplus soil back on the bank where possible until my arms became so sore that I found it easier to shovel it into a wheel barrow and barrow it out of the way.

The next day the GB levelled off the holes and lined up the posts while I mixed the concrete. We managed to concrete in place twelve posts. Three to four mixes of concrete per hole....it takes a while. Unfortunately work has been put on hold as the Gorgeous Boy had to fly out to Abu Dhabi on business.(or was it just to have a rest LOL!!!)

I used the time that he was away to spring clean the house as we were expecting a visit from a very dear friend from our days in Kuala Lumpur. During that week the bookcase that was being built for us for the lounge room was delivered and installed. Great excitement.

We are so pleased with it. It has been a long wait. It took me a whole day to bring over the books that had been stored in the shed....clean them up and arrange them on the shelves. We have a few spaces to fill!!!!! We could also do with a little time to sit and read some books !!!! but that's a whole other story! Since we plan to be here for a looooong time....I don't see any problem.

I picked up our house guest from the airport on Friday and spent the whole day and half the night chatting and catching up with all that has happened in four years. The Gorgeous Boy arrived home on Saturday. We spent a wonderful weekend taking our guest to visit mutual friends near Noosa and sight seeing and with more friends dropping in for pizzas yesterday. GB took our guest to the airport this morning to complete her journey to Kalgoolie to visit her daughter and family. So today was a quiet day up here at the farm. I managed to read two weeks of my favourite blogs that I haven't been able to get to and now I'm ready to get back to work.

We have had 6ml of rain so far today so I think the first job tomorrow will be fertilizing the vegetable beds and the citrus. Oh....and the retaining wall is waiting for us :-) Time to go and cook dinner. S'all for now.

The good, the bad and the ugly!!!

Not the most flattering pose on my part but isn't the machine just the star of the show. I couldn't resist showing her off. Its my birthday on Thursday....and yes, this little baby is my birthday present. What more could a girl ask for (she rolls on her back laughing!!!!)

On Thursday night we (the family) will all gather together for dinner at our favourite Greek restaurant in West end. We all love Greek food which is good but what is so special is that every one keeps the day free to celebrate together with whoever is having the birthday. That means more to me than anything.......I hope it never changes. Family is so special and I certainly do love mine. I'm one lucky Gal :-)

This past week I have been sprouting.....not me personally....remember I'm losing weight albeit slowly. I have two batches growing. alfalfa sprouts and mung beans. The alfalfa is growing just fine on a wet paper towel and I have already harvested some for my lunch today. Its the mung beans....beansprouts, that are driving me crazy. Periodically I get out my jar and have "another go"! I am ALWAYS disappointed. I really don't know what I am doing wrong. I rinse them daily, drain them, sit them in a dark cupboard but they just don't look good. I have to say...they almost look as bad as the ones in the supermarket. Old and tired.

When we lived in KL (Malaysia), twice each week a small truck would drive into our apartment forecourt and an old Chinese couple would roll up the canvas sides and display their wares for sale. The freshest fruit and vegetables I have ever seen. Poh Lai and his wife Hua Toh spent the week visiting apartment blocks...their produce was always just perfect, I don't know how they did it but I was just so pleased that they did.

Hua Toh was always ready to share recipes and cooking hints with me but it was the bean sprouts that won me over. They would be in water, in a white plastic pail with the lid on. She would scoop out whatever I needed, drain them and wrap them in newspaper. They would remain fresh for days in the refrigerator. I have experienced perfection.....I want it again....and I am just so darned cross that mine are not anywhere near as good. What am I doing wrong?

Grrrrrrrr.

Playing with toys.

We unloaded the Log splitter today. What fun :-) I spent an hour or so splitting logs and we are well set up for the next week or so. I have been trying to upload a photograph of the log splitter but seem to have a problem so will try later. It is an Ozzito and works really well. We are very happy with it. Since we had such a good supply of chopped wood the Gorgeous Boy decided to light the wood fired oven. Roast Pork for dinner. Delicious as usual. Thank you Darling :-)

With the dry weather lately and the wind the gardens are drying out quite quickly. I'm back to watering which I don't really mind as it is very relaxing (unless I think about all the other things I should be doing.

I did take lots of lovely photos of the snow peas and broad beans but I can't seem to upload those either. Must just be my night!!!!! Think I may just call it quits for now and try again tomorrow.

Peoples day at the Ekka.

Yesterday was Peoples day at the Ekka. Apparently, despite the concerns of Swine Flu it was a record day with huge crowds. I guess the good weather has helped this year. I heard this on the radio today....we didn't go there. The Gorgeous Boy and I are not fond of crowds. Which is probably why we are so happy up here at the Farm....miles from anywhere :-) We were however down staying at our city place.

We picked up the Log Splitter on Tuesday night, its still in the back of the car as I need help to lift it out...its sooooo heavy. I hope that once we unwrap it, it will be more "manhandle able". I'm keen to start playing with it :-) Roll on the weekend.

We decided that Wednesday would be a good day to go and visit the "Caboolture Historical Village". I had been there before with Mama and the Princess and was most impressed. I wanted to show the GB around. We decided to take the Princess with us as she had the day off school. It was a great day. We spent nearly four hours wandering around the old buildings and still haven't seen everything.

The Wood turners were there for a morning workshop so we went in to see what they do. I love wood......it smells so good and it looks beautiful when its worked. In my early twenties I did a woodworking course at the local college. I made a book shelf and a drawing board stand for my brother (a budding architect). I have often thought about doing more. So many things to do...so little time...sigh. I have brought home the application form to do a course in wood turning. I think it will be great fun. I just have to check to see if I can fit it into my schedule.

We went for a ride on the minature train......

Aren't they a gorgeous couple....The princess and her "Garbie". I, of course, took a back seat. It was a great little ride and the station had all the original ticket office equipment. The Train driver, who is a volunteer, doubles as the conductor and came along and "punched" our tickets.

They have an original school house with the Teachers house next door. A hospital, a Police station with the "lock up" out the back. The Printer was there fixing up an old printer which is still used. We saw the Cooper making a small wine barrel which will be sold when it is finished and many, many more old homes and businesses. The funny thing was, that when I saw many of the "old" household items it was like going back to my past (I didn't think I was THAT old but I guess I must be.) Things like the flat iron....I remember my Father pressing his Police uniform with one when I was young. The mincer which was clamped to the bench in one of the old kitchens was just like my Mothers mincer that we used every Christmas to mince the fruit for the Christmas pudding and the kitchen scales are just like the ones that I brought over with me when I came here to live. They have been sandblaster and repainted but sit on my kitchen bench and are still used whenever I dig out an old recipe calling for pounds and ounces.


In between times they serve as a fruit bowl...change tray....general spot for putting all odds and ends. A very useful piece of kitchen equipment :-)

We only left because we were getting tired but I will be going back again...that's for sure.

Dinner was a low priority after our busy day so I rustled up some corned beef fritters using the last of the corned beef that I had cooked over the weekend. Corned beef was something new to me when I came to Australia. My English memories of corned beef was something that came in a tin and was a little mushy/flaky that you mashed up with potatoes and made into a pastie. My Mother in Law regularly served Corned beef for dinner so I found a recipe that I have "tweaked" over the years and every so often cook up a joint. Its good hot, great cold with tomato relish and those last little scraps get chopped up and made into fritters. How versatile is that :-)

I have never read a recipe for corned beef fritters so I really don't know how you are supposed to make them. All I can say is that since the first day that I played around with a simple batter and threw in the meat, they have been a great success with my family. There are NEVER any left on the plate regardless of how many I make. I would love to share my recipe with you but you really have to be game to experiment.....I don't know what quantities of ingredients I use. I just keep adding things until it "feels" right and my first fritter is always a test one....do I need to add more milk or more flour?

Cooking down in the Granny Flat is always limited. The kitchen there is very, very small, one small work top, a single sink and just a couple of cupboards, hence no room for fancy equipment. There is an electric hob...I hate electric hobs...I'm a gas girl...hot and fast!!!! It suits our needs but any thing more than basic cooking is done up here at the Farm. So....Linda's Corned Beef Fritters......


Self Raising flour...a couple of cups or so....seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. I go for more pepper...less salt! Beat in two eggs and enough milk to make a loose batter.

Add chopped corned beef and a chopped onion. The batter should look something like this....

As I mentioned...I always do a test fritter. The "taste tester" from this batch was a little heavy and took a long time to cook through so I added more milk to lighten it.

These little babies are just ready to flip out of the pan. Not very glamorous, not the most nutritious recipe in my repertoire by a long shot but quick, easy, absolutely yummy and you can feed a troop for a couple of dollars. They are best eaten hot from the pan so when I make them we don't stand on ceremony. A bowl of tossed salad is put on the table along with a good tomato sauce and they are served straight from the pan to table. I keep cooking until I run out of batter and get to eat the last batch...if I am lucky :-) The above quantity serves four hungry eaters.....I adjust it depending on the crowd or how much meat I have left. I do cook them in olive oil...just enough to give them a good golden colour but not enough to make them "greasy".

There you go kids......That's how Mum does it. Isn't it time I stood down and you guys take over ;-)