Fruits of Summer

Rascal

Boo's the King of the Castle, so guess what that makes me?

Mmmm, yes ...

... cheeky sausage.

Sweet Peace

Today is Australia Day, and I've spent the public holiday finishing up a work project in the office. Strangely enough, it hasn't bothered me at all to miss out on a day of play. The last week has been a chaotic jumble of visitors, baking, swimming, visiting, brunches, dinners, movies and children. And while I've enjoyed everything immensely, I'm pleased to get back to routine. It's been nice to have a change, and to sit peacefully and concentrate on just one thing.

Show Day

The hottest day of the year -- thank goodness the new pavillion with air-conditioning was completed earlier this month, and the flowers, cakes and vegies stayed fresh and looked gorgeous all weekend.

Boo rushed immediately to see if he had won a prize -- and to his delight discovered that he had been awarded a Highly Commended certificate for this baking! Passers-by were so sweet when he enthusiastically showed them his efforts, and everyone congratulated him. I was thrilled he got something on his first attempt (and very glad it wasn't a first or second, as I'd had to help him rather more than I planned, and didn't want other children to miss out).

The boys did just as well -- Oliver received a Highly Commended for his photography, Nic got a second for his art, and Axl pipped the competition with a first and a royal blue sash for best junior photography exhibit. Clever children!

I received one first and four seconds, which is lovely, as I'm $11 richer (I love having a little bit of prize money to buy something fun just for me) and have a stash of pretty certificates to pin on my noticeboard.

Then home to a long afternoon of lazing in the pool, then a barbecue lunch with Greg, Rach, Hannah and Caeden, and chatting as we tried to keep cool under the fans.

Show Stoppers

This morning Boo, Grandma and I set off to enter our handiwork into the Show. Cakes, pikelets and other baked goods balanced precariously on knees and seats, and I drove extra carefully around the winding corners into Toytown.
I love being part of the bustle, and watching as entrants bring anything and everything into the pavillion: georgous home-made quilts, paintings, photographs and enormous vegetables.
Boo carefully placed his first-ever Show entry -- a plate of pikelets -- in the under 12s section.

Grandma bravely entered the Best Chocolate Cake category (which is one of the most hotly-contested areas of the baking competition), while I aspired to less complex cooking with Anzac biscuits (rather sad-looking attempts I'm afraid), a white loaf and a round of shortbread.

All together our family and friends are competing in a fair slice of categories: my nephew and Dad entered photographs, another nephew and several friends are in the Art category, and I popped in two flower arrangements.

The prizes (if any) will be revealed tomorrow when we visit the Show. Today the boys opted for an outing to the fun park, where they splashed down waterslides and raced in toboggans. I spent the morning in the office, from whence the arrival of our weekend visitors rescued me.
And so begins the social whirl of the year in our little country town!

Darling

A blazing hot day didn't stop us enjoying a visit from friends. The children played 'shop' and 'families' (Boo did an admirable job as the Daddy, even calling little Ellie -- who played Mum -- 'Darling' throughout the game). Then the four littlies took a picnic into the garden, while the grownups drank tea and munched on divine little honey madeleines (made with home-grown honey brought to me yesterday by a long-time pal, Nicole).Then a cool dip the pool, before we waved goodbye to our visitors. I spent the rest of the afternoon working in the office -- one place where at least we have air-conditioning!

And now I'm up much too late, having decided at the last minute to enter bread and shortbread in the Show, and waiting for two white loaves to cook.

Rosebuds

It was the curled in smallness of these tender sponge biscuits, as well as the fact that they're flavoured with rosewater, that made me name them as I have - Nigella Lawson

1 large egg
2 T sugar
Pinch of salt
1/3 c flour
1/4 c butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon, softened for greasing
1 tablespoon rosewater
madeleine moulds

Beat the egg, sugar and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer until the consistency is as thick as mayonnaise. Fold in the flour, then the unsalted butter and rosewater. Mix well, but not too vigorously. Let rest in the refrigerator for one hour and then at room temperature for 60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 220C (425F). Grease the madeleine moulds, then fill each with a teaspoon of batter. Bake for five minutes. Turn madeleines out of the moulds and let cool on a wire rack.

Summertime ...

... and the living is easy.
This is the view from our kitchen window: a comfy hammock strung between green leafy trees, just inviting rest and relaxation. In fact, today there was little time to rest, as I scurried about vacuuming, wiping, mopping and polishing. The week ahead is a busy one, with visitors staying tomorrow and Tuesday, then another group of guests for lunch on Wednesday, a doctor's appointment on Thursday, and Friday begins a weekend of fun at the country show.
Boo wants to enter pikelets (tiny pancakes) and a flower arrangement into the competition. I'm not sure how much I should tackle given that I have little time to prepare this week, but at least I'll enter a dozen eggs and maybe a floral arrangement. Entry forms need to be in tomorrow, so I'll have to think quickly!

Upholstering

Ah, the feeling of power I get from holding a staplegun. Especially when it's aimed at the threadbare seats of our dining-room chairs, which were sorely in need of recovering.
Yesterday I bought a length of georgous maroon velveteen fabric with an embrossed pattern for just $6 a metre. One-and-a-half metres easily covered all four chairs -- a grand total of $9 for the project -- and with the rest I plan to make throw pillows and cover a footstool.
All up I'd say it took less than three hours to reupholster the setting, and I think the results look as good as new.


Oh, and Boo got his own special chair recovered, too. I'll show you that tomorrow, if he agrees to pose.

Dusky Roses

Another new charming tablecloth, this one a 'just because' gift from my mother.
The pattern is called 'Dusky Roses', and it blends perfectly with the vase of late-flowering climbing Crepuscule roses and miniature agapanthus I picked from the garden this afternoon.
In fact, it's difficult to see where the flowers end and the tablecloth begins.
Just lovely!

Hand-embroidered Tablecloth

A favourite find at the Sunday markets: a pristine baby-blue tablecloth hand-embroidered with wreaths of meadow flowers. Laid on the dining table it looks delicious, especially when there's a vase of freshly-picked daisies sitting on it.
And all this prettiness for the meagre sum of $3.

Darcy

The children Boo and I see each week at mother's group are growing up fast. (And sometimes it's more obvious to me how much they've changed, while I don't notice Boo getting bigger.) They're quickly losing the chubby cheeks and pudgy little arms of babyhood. Although this little one has kept his wide-eyed gaze and perfect little mouth.
No doubt he'll be a heart-breaker in later life.

Pinecone Station

An evening walk along 'our' street ...

... takes us to 'Pinecone Station', where Boo collects twigs, feathers and cones to add to his 'nature box' ...

... then runs about wildly pretending that he has rocket propulsion.

Violets

A stressful day was made a little sweeter when Boo handed me this tiny bunch of hand-picked violets, and told me that he loved me "muchly".

A Morning Tea Dress

When Penny came to tea at Margaret's house, she wore her Morning Tea dress.

So charming and feminine; high-waisted, with lace inserts and a cheeky flippy skirt.

She brought a delicious Milanese panettone for us to devour, a pretty country diary just for me, an hilarious calender with a pithy witticism for each month, and plenty of chatty conversation.

There's so much to enjoy on a weekend in the city, catching up with friends.

Beautiful Children

These beautiful children had a ball running riot at Rach's baby shower -- they were the only kiddos there, and together consumed almost all the meringues on the table.

Then on Sunday all three kids were treated to the ultimate excursion -- a trip to the movies with Aunty Fiddy. It was Boo's first time ever at the theatre, and (I'm told) he enjoyed Madagascar 2 immensely. The huge chocolate milkshake he consumed afterwards was also a big hit.

Lucky children to have such a fun and generous Aunty!

Pink Meringues

We're going to a baby shower for one of my dearest friends tomorrow. She's having a little girl (sigh), so Boo and I decided to make something pink.

... then Boo had fun 'making experiments' in the garden with the leftover mixture (he and I are both meringue addicts).

Now straight into the tub!

Rain House

Thunder rumbled, dark clouds raced across the sky, and Boo and I rushed into the field to build a 'rain house' before the storm began.

We hauled out plastic chairs, tablecloths, and umbrellas and pegged these together, then set down a rug carpet, put Boo's little bed snugly inside, and brought supplies of biscuits and drinks.

A few tiny drops of rain fell down on us, then the storm cleared and we were left sweltering inside our useless little cubby!

Still, it was fun, and after eating a picnic we headed down to the pool to cool off.

Zucchini Slice

With more than a dozen eggs a week to use, it's no surprise I'm always on the lookout for delicious savoury recipes that will use them up.
This one's a winner: easy, quick, cheap and very tasty. (It seriously took five minutes to make -- tops --since I pulled out the food processor to chop and grate, a gadget I've determined to use more often this year.)

8 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
two large zucchini, grated
1 large onion, finely chopped
200g ham, chopped
1 cup grated cheese
2/3 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line a 30 x 20cm lamington pan.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until combined.
3. Add the flour and beat until smooth (the mixture will look rather gloopy), then add the other ingredients and stir to combine.
4. Pour into the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Boo at the Beach

Building a Rockpool

Three industrious workers dig to expand their rockpool ...

... then take time out to brave the waves that dash around their island.

An evening at the beach.

Wilting

A 35C summer day (95 Fahrenheit) has left all my holiday cleaning plans in tatters. Boo and I are barely able to drag ourselves to the sofa, where we cool down under the fan and lick water ices.

At least the hot weather means that the three loads of washing I did this morning (including all the sheets and several blankets) will dry in a snap.
And soon we'll go for a lunchtime dip in the pool.

Putting Away

I haven't made resolutions this year, but while packing up the decorations and putting away the tree today, I thought to myself of the many things in my heart I also need to put away. Feelings, sadnesses and hurts that don't make me happy and aren't relevant anymore.

This year I want to fold up feelings of guilt, regret and shame from incidents that happened years ago and can't ever be changed. Put away the longing for life to be different, for a future that won't happen, and for a past that can't be erased.

This year is a new start.

Busy Days ... and Nights

The gang spent the morning swimming (and surfing) at the beach ...

... then came home and set up Maggie's new tent in the field behind the manor ...

... where several of the more adventurous are sleeping tonight.
I, however, have opted for warm blankets, hot tea and a soft mattress indoors. And a quiet, peaceful house all to myself. Luxury.

A Princely Gift

Sitting under the Christmas tree this year was an enormous gift for Boo. Wrapped in red and gold paper, it was marked "from Axl, Oliver and Nicki".
Boo tore off the paper to reveal a gaily painted wooden castle, complete with a drawbridge and secret entrance.


Over the years this special toy has been played with by all Boo's big cousins, but now they decided to hand it on to someone littler.
And that someone, of course, is Boo.