Thursdays happenings

 My daughters interest in gardening goes as far as finding flies and feeding this

 Um not sure about these carrots, I dont have a lot of luck with carrots.

 Beetroots are always lovely

 Have just started harvesting garlic and they are super this year

 Quite large bulbs. These were grown from cloves I saved from last years crop so cost nothing at all. I love this seed saving thing I have so much to learn about saving other seeds. But my garlic, broad beans and tomatoes have always done well this way.

 Still some more garlic to pick.

 I really love my slow cooker it is so handy. I prepared the dish the night before and put it in the fridge { beef and red wine casserole} Popped in on at 7am on auto and ta da all ready at tea time .

 Cooking the beetroot , this will be wonderful in salads. There is nothing like home made beetroot . I had tin beetroot a couple of weeks ago and it just does not compare

Kat and Nala enjoying some fresh eggs.

Chicken with herbs

No not the cooked kind.
Im talking about the fresh herbs from the garden given to my girls.
A couple of times a week I sprinkle fresh herbs around the run and nesting boxes.
Mint, lemon balm, rosemary, Bay, Sage, Oregano, and they quite love rose petals.

My girls are now a big part of my day, when Im feeling stressed I often go down the pen and watch them and their antics. They provide us with beautiful eggs and rich compost for the garden.
I like to know that they are happy and comfortable and they have certainly become comfortable with me wanting to be picked up and are quite friendly girls.
My pen isnt flash by all means and in winter can become quite muddy so every few weeks I lay down shavings and straw. I throw most of my weeds in there into a pile for them to turn over.
 I have also just started using food grade diatomaceous earth sprinkled where they dust bathe this amazing stuff kills mites, lice,fleas and ticks and other parasites.

 The pile in the corner is the weeds that they love to climb all over and kick around

 I dont prune the big old apple tree I keep it entirely for shade for the girls in the warm weather.

 This is Sage last week she had sour crop { I had no idea what it was until I googled it}
She had been confined to a pen on her own and given the royal treatment with massages three times a day, reiki, apple cider vinegar, natural yoghurt after her massages I would tilt her forward and she would vomit a sour liquid. After a week she is back to her old self foraging around with the rest of the girls { apparantly sour crop can be fatal } thank goodness it wasnt for her. My daughter said to me I wondered what you were doing down that yard with that chicken lol

 My two cochins have now been moved in with the rest of the flock and have fitted in nicely heads down bums up loving a bit more freedom

 My broody girl no longer broody and no more fertile eggs baby chicks were not meant to be this time

This is one rose that petals wont be going to the girls I think its way to pretty.

Opp Shop Tuesday

Being a bit slack of late and I havnt been opp shopping to often.
But the times I did go I found some cute little pieces

 Above is a beautiful Italian glass set. The quality is just beautiful all for $3.50 . Im keeping these.

 Patty tins which I have already sold on ebay they went the day I listed. I already have some of these so thats why I sold this lot.

 Cute little trio for $2.50 Bell China made in England "Meadowside"  a keeper

 Would you believe I didnt have a quiche dish until a couple of weeks ago and I had to nick out and buy one full price it was quite huge the one I bought. I seen this one for $1.00 so this is definitely mine.

 Aw isnt she cute I couldnt leave her there she needed company

 Um I have no excuses for hoarding bears.

 Now a word about buying vintage items, as you know I have purchased a cheap vintage dresser for $100.00 it needed a bit of work , I was going to attempt it myself but I have been quite busy of late so my ex husbands step Dad is helping out.
Now he is a perfectionist and comes from the building industry {retired now}
Wow and the work he has put in. { I would of just slapped a coat of paint on it}
But he has stripped it back to raw timber, drawn my attention to borers in it  ..... something I would not have even looked for { I will now} but he has treated it with turps which he assures me will get rid of them.
Primed it. Taken the whole thing apart and glass out and replaced runners { I thought runners were what you wore on your feet } , I cant wait to see the finished product.

Im hoping I get it in time for Xmas to display my opp shop finds in.

Mondays menu plan

Monday = baked potatoes with the lot
Tuesday = chow min
Wednesday= left over chow min as I usually make a heap
Thursday = beef and red wine casserole in the slow cooker
Friday = Enchiladas { chicken] with sour cream
Sat = Chicken parma with veges
Sunday = Roast chicken

Other bibs and bobs will be 
chicken sausage rolls
pancakes
choc chip biscuits
coconut and honey cake
jelly slice
scrambled eggs, poached eggs, omelettes { because eggs are abundant}
Happy Monday everyone 
linking up with 
http://beccisdomesticbliss.blogspot.com.au/

Plodding along

 Friday night I picked a laundry basket of broadbeans and guess what I did Saturday morning.
No one put their hand up to help either

 So I decided to turn the internet modem off until 4pm Im such a mean Mum.

 Then leave a note.

 My sons breakfast { he loves tomato sauce} ugh

 After podding and blanching the beans I had picked Dad rang me and said I will come over and pod some beans for you. I didnt tell him I had just finished but thought I would race out into the garden and pick another basket full just for him . Im a mean daughter ....
The chooks loved this mess.

 Nala busy at it.

 Quite a few of these my son helped me collect and feed to the chooks

 The only request Dad had was that he could watch the cricket.

 He actually got Indy helping out as they love to chat to Dad.
My eldest daughter was no where to be seen she is back home again for how long any ones guess is as good as mine. Think I will be extra stressed now unless she gets a job { this girl is hard to motivate}and you may as well try and talk to the wall.

 I have a new little friend and he is adorable .... check out his beautiful blue eyes. He has the most beautiful nature. Pets are such good therapy.

Little Blackberry is growing up she is beautiful I think the nethies have to be my favorite breed of rabbit they are very friendly and  easy to handle .
I hope everybody has enjoyed their weekend XX

A small thing

Isnt it funny how just small things can send you into hibernation from the world , like a bad week at work, nothing really major but one small thing can set of dozens of other things that other times you wouldnt think twice about.
For some reason my place of employment is sending me insane , could it be I have been there to long {20 years today] or could it be that in 20 years the changes in a large company gets on my nerves or is it just Im getting older and more intolerant. I should be grateful I have a job yes I know. I find the care factor is getting less and less.
Maybe I just have my own little world at home which I retreat into and it seems worlds away from that place of employment .
Im grateful I have made so many wonderful lifetime friends there so thats a good thing about it.
It pays my bills
It supplies me in chocolate {which I rarely eat from there]
So there are my reasons to be grateful.
Beware this blog is a bit of a ramble today as its the first post back after feeling like crap for over a week.
So today with camera in hand down the yard I went { for you Lynda} my bloggy friend.

 This is what Im grateful for ...... Friends

Such beauty in a single bloom such a simple flower {Iris} very easy to grow but stunning

 Look at my dresser now. Im a slacker I just havnt had time to strip it myself so I have had my ex husbands step Dad over to help out

 An opp shop find for a whole $2.00 I think they look quite cute in the garden.

 I bought 2.

 So easy to grow gazania but such beautiful blooms

 Turn away now Lynda, Ive taking a shine to all sorts of odds and ends in my garden, my Dad found this cute vintage pram so now it is a new garden piece. Nothing structured here lol.

 When I bought this rose I didnt really expect it to bloom like the picture { I dont know why} but look I cant wait until it opens

 Another non structured item in the garden which I plan to mosiac

 My beautiful little belgium duccle { yep its a rooster}
 and he is trying to crow already I love these little birds they are the size of a magpie this color is black mottle he is only young so his mottle isnt quite through yet. The roosters can get a bit flighty but he isnt as yet. I have him and a hen "Samson and Delilah"

 Now this beauty is my cochin rooster they are gentle giants, he is just a babe I have him and a hen "Romeo and Juliette" I had only planned on getting a hen but I felt sorry for her on her own so I got him to keep her company until she is old enough to join the rest of the flock

 Comfrey flowering.

 The girls have settled in nicely but have become quite bossy.

 This naughty Miss was supposed to be on eggs but I gave up and put her back with the rest of the flock.
The two chickens I had in with the fertilized eggs decided not to sit on them for the last week. They got of for a whole day I think it was so doubt if I have any luck there

 But just in case I have them under Lucy

 One of my favorite roses.

 Pigface certainly puts on a stunning show this time of year, I get many comments on this one on a sunny day its just vibrant and have taken many cuttings for friends who have spotted it. Even the ex said he wanted some.

 Kat manages to follow me everywhere and keeps a close eye on me in the garden

 I just had to throw this in as I just love it. It is so true

 Pickings are plenty with the broad beans and they are delicious

 Another new rose

Last but not least this rhubarb is to die for, oh how yummy it is
Im feeling better already after sharing this long post of photos from around the yard.
xx