When I bought my yoga DVD 5 weeks ago, I thought, at $25 , that if Mark and I only did 1 practice each it would pay for itself, because lessons are $15 each. I wasn't sure if I would be committed enough, but I did know that I wanted to do yoga again. But I knew that I just couldn't commit to making time to go to a yoga teacher or come up with $15 dollars each every week. And it has been better than I'd imagined, so much so that I bought 3 new discs. One is a Kirtan CD which I just love to listen to . The chanting soothes. I also bought a Yoga Nidra, which I listened to this afternoon. What a great meditation. And the 3rd was another DVD on yoga exercises and it's better than the first. Have just finished it and feel great!
They all come from Byron Yoga.
Anybody else do yoga, at home! Have a great weekend everyone.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Some photos of Evan
Spent the day with Rhonnie and Evan yesterday, and remembered the camera....
That's all folks..
That's all folks..
Monday, March 26, 2012
Cheesemaking
Our weekend started with cheesemaking. A beautiful group of woman turned up to learn the art of cheesmaking......
and yoghurt making.....
Mark teaches the cheese making. They made a colby which is a washed curd cheese. A bit milder in flavour than a cheddar and has become a favoured cheese.. While that was resting they made a paneer, which is an uncultured cheese that can be fried once set, a bit like haloumi. In between rest times during the hard cheese process we also made yoghurt. Only 1 of the ladies had made yoghurt before and so the others were blown away at how easy it was. With all our courses it's just like we are giving people permission to have a go, or something. Nothing we do is hard, but it's like we have been told that all these things are too difficult so why not just buy them, and all the additives that go along with that.Invariably our participants say,' wow I can do that!.'
Here are the cheeses we made, drying for a few days before they are waxed. Once they were finished we made ricotta from the whey.......
and had some with banana and honey on pancakes for breakfast on Sunday morning.
After breakfast Mark asked if I would like to come for a drive, to pick up some feed barley from a Biodynamic farmer that we know. So, instead of sewing like I'd planned, I grabbed my knitting ( it was a long trip) and headed off. Their farm is in a beautiful bit of country, unfortunately surrounded by open cut mines. So glad I had my knitting to distract me from the ugliness of it all. I'd started my dishcloth the night before, after a couple of wines , so don't look too closely or you'll find a mistake or 2.
Anyway, once we got there I was so sorry that I hadn't taken my camera. What a stunning view and no sight of the open cut mine, although evidence of the underground mine was there in the form of subsidence. The place was just full of history. D. was quite keen to share the family's history with us, once she realised how interested I was, and offered to show us the old house, that is now vacant, but watched over lovingly by the couple. D.'s husband's family had been there since 1920. When they arrived the top floor of the original house had been burned during a bush fire. They rebuilt a single story house in amongst the ruins and there the family, 3 generations, had lived until quite recently. The house was built of local stone, crumbling in parts now. We walked in through the old laundry door into the kitchen, so tiny in this day and age, but big enough for a family of 8 in years gone by. No hot water in the kitchen and just a tap attached to a wall for water... no sink!. In the next room we were shown where the family moved aside their table to make the room ready for dancing, where the piano would have stood and the cupboard full of music books.The neighbours from across the creek would come over in their sulky when the creek was down to play tennis on the ant bed tennis court and dance on the dance floor. D. said that it was her grandmother who came over the creek! Inside we saw the damage to the walls from the blasting from the mines. They have another 25 years of blasting to look forward to and in the meantime do enough repairs to keep the house structurally sound in the hope that future generations will renovate when the blasting stops.Through into the back of the house, close to the kitchen where we started, is the pantry, lined with shelving for jars of preserves. D. spent a lot of time with her mother in law, stocking these shelves year after year. She now keeps her empty jars here but stores her preserves up at the new house that her and her husband built 20 odd years ago to raise their children. The day ended with a cuppa and home made fruit cake and more stories, and of course a wander around the garden. D is so generous, and we came home not only with the barley, but yarn, biodynamic preps, and cuttings from the garden. Such a wonderful day, I really didn't want to leave and I've been thinking about it all day.
I did manage to get some sewing done when I got home and made my grandson a pair of Anna Maria Horner's Quick Change Pants
I'm showing you the back so you can see the contrasting yoke.And then turn them inside out and you have another pair....
Once again the back.
and yoghurt making.....
Mark teaches the cheese making. They made a colby which is a washed curd cheese. A bit milder in flavour than a cheddar and has become a favoured cheese.. While that was resting they made a paneer, which is an uncultured cheese that can be fried once set, a bit like haloumi. In between rest times during the hard cheese process we also made yoghurt. Only 1 of the ladies had made yoghurt before and so the others were blown away at how easy it was. With all our courses it's just like we are giving people permission to have a go, or something. Nothing we do is hard, but it's like we have been told that all these things are too difficult so why not just buy them, and all the additives that go along with that.Invariably our participants say,' wow I can do that!.'
Here are the cheeses we made, drying for a few days before they are waxed. Once they were finished we made ricotta from the whey.......
and had some with banana and honey on pancakes for breakfast on Sunday morning.
After breakfast Mark asked if I would like to come for a drive, to pick up some feed barley from a Biodynamic farmer that we know. So, instead of sewing like I'd planned, I grabbed my knitting ( it was a long trip) and headed off. Their farm is in a beautiful bit of country, unfortunately surrounded by open cut mines. So glad I had my knitting to distract me from the ugliness of it all. I'd started my dishcloth the night before, after a couple of wines , so don't look too closely or you'll find a mistake or 2.
Anyway, once we got there I was so sorry that I hadn't taken my camera. What a stunning view and no sight of the open cut mine, although evidence of the underground mine was there in the form of subsidence. The place was just full of history. D. was quite keen to share the family's history with us, once she realised how interested I was, and offered to show us the old house, that is now vacant, but watched over lovingly by the couple. D.'s husband's family had been there since 1920. When they arrived the top floor of the original house had been burned during a bush fire. They rebuilt a single story house in amongst the ruins and there the family, 3 generations, had lived until quite recently. The house was built of local stone, crumbling in parts now. We walked in through the old laundry door into the kitchen, so tiny in this day and age, but big enough for a family of 8 in years gone by. No hot water in the kitchen and just a tap attached to a wall for water... no sink!. In the next room we were shown where the family moved aside their table to make the room ready for dancing, where the piano would have stood and the cupboard full of music books.The neighbours from across the creek would come over in their sulky when the creek was down to play tennis on the ant bed tennis court and dance on the dance floor. D. said that it was her grandmother who came over the creek! Inside we saw the damage to the walls from the blasting from the mines. They have another 25 years of blasting to look forward to and in the meantime do enough repairs to keep the house structurally sound in the hope that future generations will renovate when the blasting stops.Through into the back of the house, close to the kitchen where we started, is the pantry, lined with shelving for jars of preserves. D. spent a lot of time with her mother in law, stocking these shelves year after year. She now keeps her empty jars here but stores her preserves up at the new house that her and her husband built 20 odd years ago to raise their children. The day ended with a cuppa and home made fruit cake and more stories, and of course a wander around the garden. D is so generous, and we came home not only with the barley, but yarn, biodynamic preps, and cuttings from the garden. Such a wonderful day, I really didn't want to leave and I've been thinking about it all day.
I did manage to get some sewing done when I got home and made my grandson a pair of Anna Maria Horner's Quick Change Pants
Once again the back.The fabrics came from the op shop...an old sarong and an oversized red linen dress. Hope my daughter likes them. They should fit Evan in winter.....
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Yarn Along
This is the first Yarn Along with Ginny I've participated in for ages. But I do love to knit and read and I have been a bit excited by my first sock.
So, the sock was started while on the train to Sydney a few weeks ago...
While I knitted Mark read. We bought the book quickly before jumping on the train and didn't realise that it was a children's book, . Mark read it anyway and said that he would really enjoy reading it to a 10 year old.
Any way, back to my sock. It was going really well until I got to the heal. I made some massive mistake, lost my cool and unpicked it all and started again....
And here's the sock....
Even though I am excited about the fact that I've completed my very first sock ( seems like such a milestone)
I'm not entirely happy with the result due to the laddering effect between the needles....
Has anyone got any hints for stopping this from happening. I would be ever so grateful.
So, the sock was started while on the train to Sydney a few weeks ago...
While I knitted Mark read. We bought the book quickly before jumping on the train and didn't realise that it was a children's book, . Mark read it anyway and said that he would really enjoy reading it to a 10 year old.
Any way, back to my sock. It was going really well until I got to the heal. I made some massive mistake, lost my cool and unpicked it all and started again....
And here's the sock....
Even though I am excited about the fact that I've completed my very first sock ( seems like such a milestone)
I'm not entirely happy with the result due to the laddering effect between the needles....
Has anyone got any hints for stopping this from happening. I would be ever so grateful.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Workshop Feedback
We made bread (thanks to your workshop). It is so yummy!!! I didn't expect that it would be!!
Sent by a star participant. Thanks Cassie
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Birthday Parties at The Farm
There is something very satisfying when when you are able to meet a need while doing something you love. I live on a farm which I love. I love little children and I was an early childhood teacher for many years and not so very long ago, a special needs teacher.We have managed to create a beautiful farm, which has a good feel about it. We are able to provide education and food for those looking for an alternative.
And now for quite a while, little children have been on my mind (could have been heavily influenced by becoming a grandma). I some times miss my days working with young children. And I think about all the challenges that there are for young parents who are looking for something different than what is currently available to them, for their children
So things started ticking over in my mind. How do I combine the things I love to do, and fill a need? I came up with a farm based birthday party. It was to be very simple, and child centred around ordinary things that happen on the farm, like, feeding the ducks and chooks......
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| I made little baskets out of milk containers to carry the bread for the animals. I picked up the old bread from our local organic shop. |
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| Fresh, home made, preservative free, nourishing food. |
Tricia and I held our first Farm Birthday Party a few weeks ago...
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| There was time for opening presents |
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| And time to do farm things |
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| Collect the eggs |
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| Grab a bean to eat |
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| Pat the guinea pigs |
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| Feed and pat Sir Bowie Charles |
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| Then time for birthday cake |
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| Berry milkshake |
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| And a seasonal story |
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| With a small take home gift for each child. A jar of honey and sunflower seeds this time to go with the story. |
It was wonderful to have Tricia along with me for this first party, but she has since decided that we are just a little too far away for it to be possible on a regular basis, so I'm on my own from now. Thanks Tricia for all your help and encouragement and I look forward to Little Eco's party in just a little while.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Weekend Reading
A new (for me ) blog.
Lot of life in one Place
Permaculture in action enjoy. And have a wonderful weekend wherever you are.
Oh and by the way we had a Sour Dough Bread workshop here today. Participants have just left, and here's a shot of the bread rolls they made and ate for lunch..
Every body left with a sour dough starter in a little jar and a feeling of confidence that they will be able to make themselves their daily bread.
Lot of life in one Place
Permaculture in action enjoy. And have a wonderful weekend wherever you are.
Oh and by the way we had a Sour Dough Bread workshop here today. Participants have just left, and here's a shot of the bread rolls they made and ate for lunch..
Every body left with a sour dough starter in a little jar and a feeling of confidence that they will be able to make themselves their daily bread.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Our Night of Fun
We have 15 people staying here at the moment. Family, some guests from Austria and a WWOOFer from Canada. Just a few weeks ago we tried to get an eco village up and running, but the land for sale didn't eventuate. There were over 40 people interested in that project and they still are, but in the mean time we have community here already and one of the things that really excited us about the eco village was the prospect of shared music and food nights, and what with the number of people here we thought we'd give it a go.......
And the a mother daughter duo. First a round in German and the one in English...Kookaburra sits in an old gum tree.
...and then on came the pied piper. Luckily my fingers remembered how to play "Speed Bonnie Boat" from when I was teaching at the Steiner school
And Grandmother and grandson duet..
So a stage was set up in front of our mural (painted a few years ago by a WWOOFer). And Mark set out the rules for the night. "the rules are that there are no rules. But we would like everyone to participate and not make excuses for their lack of talent." (A very hard request when you are challenged in the talent department.)...
First we were entertained by a young magician. "Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!"...
And the a mother daughter duo. First a round in German and the one in English...Kookaburra sits in an old gum tree.
..an acrobat...
and then a shared meal....
...and then on came the pied piper. Luckily my fingers remembered how to play "Speed Bonnie Boat" from when I was teaching at the Steiner school
Followed by the Bush Poet, Mark with Banjo Paterson's "Bush Christening"
And Grandmother and grandson duet..
And last but not least our fire twirling WWOOFer
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| He's not on fire, I promise! |
What a great way to end the night.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Gatherings
Gathering tonight with family and friends for an evening of good food and home grown entertainment.
Will share more tomorrow.
Will share more tomorrow.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Waste Not Want Not
Don't know about you but we try very hard not to buy anything in plastic. Can be hard sometimes, but as you know not everyone thinks like this. There is just so much plastic bought and thrown away. Here in Maitland we are part of a campaign to change regulations to reduce litter through " Cash for Containers." We collect bottles from public areas and take them to our local member to show how much litter there is with the thinking that this would be reduced if each bottle was refundable.
We would like to see a refund on all bottles bought so that people are encouraged to return their empty bottles rather than throw them away, thereby reducing litter.In the meantime we recycle or maybe a better option is reuse. Remembering always to refuse as the first option.
Check out this site for some truly inspirational ideas for using empty bottles and also providing affordable housing. Most of the bottles used are collected litter.
We would like to see a refund on all bottles bought so that people are encouraged to return their empty bottles rather than throw them away, thereby reducing litter.In the meantime we recycle or maybe a better option is reuse. Remembering always to refuse as the first option.
Check out this site for some truly inspirational ideas for using empty bottles and also providing affordable housing. Most of the bottles used are collected litter.
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