Pekin Bantams.

Our two new Pekin Bantams have settled into the coop nicely. I bought them from our local farmers markets a few weekends ago after Jamie had been complaining that we are not getting enough eggs from our two current chooks. I had planned on buying some more Isa Browns, or perhaps a couple of Australorps. But when I saw these two tiny ones in a cage all on their own, well, my heart melted and they came home with me.

When we introduced them into the coop, there was the predictable behaviour from Lady Sussex and Liberty - a couple of pecks to make sure these two new comers understood the pecking order. On the first evening I got a fright, as I couldn't find these two anywhere in the yard. After closer inspection in the nesting box, I discovered two little heads poking out from under the wing of Lady Sussex. These two had wiggled their way under her wings in a search for warmth/comfort, and as she is broody at the moment she was happy to play mum to them!

The ducks are not at all fussed by them, and have carried on as usual.

We haven't named them yet. Jamie has been calling them Houdini 1 and 2, as they have a knack for getting into strange places.

Sam xox

Changing of the seasons.

Yesterday I went to our local farmers markets and stocked up on seedlings. My vegetable garden has been bare for weeks, with the last of my summer crops having finished mid January. After watching how different vegetables grew in my garden last winter, I feel that I have a better understanding of what to place where this time round.

I bought:

Kale

Broccoli

Red cabbage

Perennial capsicums

Two types of chilli plant

Leeks

Spinach

Rocket

Cos lettuce

Garlic chives

I also planted carrots, beetroot and beans from seed.

Here is a before shot...

 And after...

In other news I have taken up horse riding. It is something I have always wanted to try but could never afford when living in Sydney. This is one of my new self care activities. I love animals and being in the outdoors, plus the challenge of learning to communicate with such an animal is such a skill to learn! I have also been having great fun practicing some training drills with my neighbours horse, under her guidance of course :-)

And finally, this little guy has moved in with us. His name is Henry and he is cute as a button. He even came to work with me last week much to the amusement of my colleagues... who spent all day cuddling and fussing over him.

Sam xox

Hiatus.

I'm back from my hiatus. It wasn't planned. To be honest I have had a topsy-turvy couple of months. My world has turned upside down and up again, and it took me some time to regain my footing. Some personal challenges, thrown together with a promotion at work and the commencement of studying a Masters degree at Uni while working a 40 hour week has taken its toll on my crafting among other things.

Sometimes we need to step back and reassess our priorities. For me, surviving the last two months has meant letting my garden fall by the wayside. Not touching any crafts. And being okay with this. Not feeling bad about it. Not worrying what others think. Being honest with myself about what I am able to achieve at the moment, and knowing that this is good enough.

As a mental health worker, who works daily to support those living with mental health issues to overcome stigma, I would feel hypocritical if I didn't acknowledge that I have been struggling with my own mental health issues. I have made an effort over these past few weeks to just focus on my job, my education, my health and most importantly my marriage. And I have turned a corner with the help of supportive relationships, medication, and self care. I can concentrate for longer periods than I have been able to for a long time. My anxiety has settled and I sleep so well now. 

I am feeling happy again,

calm again,

motivated again,

 positive again. 

So on to the fun stuff...

Sam xox

A helper in my garden.

It is the summer school holidays here in Australia, so I invited my little brother to stay with us for two weeks. He timed his arrival perfectly, getting here only ten days after our ducklings hatched. He thinks they are the sweetest and feeds them every morning. I will have to check his bags before he leaves to make sure he doesn't smuggle one with him, as I am not sure how keen Mum would be on that!

We have enjoyed lots of fun things together whilst he's been here. But there has also been work to be done, and having an extra pair of hands, even if they are small, does make a big difference. For two and a half hours Thursday afternoon we:
- Cleaned out the duck pond.
- Watered all the vegetable gardens.
- Harvested beans, cucumbers, carrots, capsicums, potatoes, tomatoes, basil and zucchini's .
- Pulled out the last of the carrots.
- Planted tomato seedlings.
- Harvested dried beans and saved the seeds.
- Water bathed the broody chook.
- Weeded the entire yard.

It was interesting having a kids perspective on this whole vegetable growing thing. He was concerned when he uprooted a purple carrot "this one isn't orange", when he harvested yellow pear tomatoes "these are not red", and found a "green worm" (caterpillar). Lessons were taught on heirloom varieties and good vs bad garden bugs. Eating dinner that night he tells us, "I could be a farmer when I grow up, it was really fun pulling out those carrots". I'll be sending him home with some bean seeds so he can give the farming life a try.

Feeling lucky to have had this time with him.

Sam xox

The second hatching.

Cambridge is a mother again to 11 tiny bundles of golden brown fuzz. She hatched her babies in the strangest of places, right up in the back corner of our yard, against the right angle of the corrugated iron fence. We only had two eggs that didn't hatch, and all ducklings are fit and healthy. We plan to sell them* / give them away... if you're in Newcastle and want a duckling or two let me know ;-)

Sam xox

* Sorry they are unable to be posted Reana Louise :-)

An inspiring visit.

A few weeks ago I paid a visit to the home of a friend I have made through the Spinning and Weaving Guild I belong to. The purpose of my visit was to be taught how to spin alpaca fleece, however, honestly not a lot of spinning was done. I was too distracted by all her other amazing skills!

We got talking about our vegetable gardens, and I explained I had been researching how to preserve my produce during a glut. I asked her if she had ever tried preserving, to which she walked without a word to her cupboard and pulled out jar after jar of preserved goooooodness. Dill cucumbers, bread and butter pickles, relishes and chutney. All sealed up in Ball Mason jars. My jaw dropped. I demanded answers, explanation of how I would be able to achieve such a feet. I was pointed in the direction of The Redback Trading Company, as this is where she buys her canning supplies. I placed my order as soon as I got home.

Apparently you can't go past The Redback Tracing Company's own "Pickling Spice Blend"...

But my education was not to stop there. Next I was to be taught about cheese making. That's right, she even makes her own cheese! The taste of home made Camembert and feta I simply cannot describe...

~ Camembert ready to be wrapped in foil and refrigerated for at least 4 weeks ~ 

~ Feta ~

I am excitedly waiting for the Postie to deliver my order from The Redback Trading Company, because in my garden there is a glut of beans just waiting to be canned, and cucumbers begging to be made into dill cucumber pickle.

Oh, and just in case you were curious, I did spend 15 minutes with my friend spinning alpaca fleece. I found the fibres to be very different to sheep wool. I had read and been told a number of times that alpaca was different, but I guess I didn't expect it to be different in the way that it was (oh dear does that even make any sense?) The alpaca felt like it had almost zero elasticity to it, and the fibres appeared not to naturally fuse to each other. The yarn it created was so incredibly soft though which makes the effort worthwhile.

Sam xox

And so it begins again.

So things have been a little quiet around hear on the 'duckies' front. You wouldn't believe how much Yorkshire and Chippenham have grown...

They are both beautiful. Especially Yorkshire with her gorgeous brown coat and white collar. Chippy is doing well. She is still undersized but does appear to eat well... perhaps she was the runt of the group? Her beak has grown back a little, but her tongue still protrudes and looks pretty cute.

Oxford is behaving nicely to them now and has take them under his wing.

"But where's Cambridge" I hear you ask? She is hiding in the corner of our backyard, under a wheel burrow, sitting on thirteen more eggs...

And so it begins again!

Sam xox