Making, Cooking and Growing

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making

Some time ago I made covers for some of the tissue boxes around the house. I made the covers from delivery boxes (here) then covered them to suit the area where they would be placed. The tissue box in the kitchen is in constant use and was showing a lot of grubby marks! The stains could not be removed using a wet cloth so time to recover.

The original cover was black and white zebra print paper. I was unable to remove the unidentified stains.

The black and white pattern suited where the tissues sit so I stayed with the black and white theme. I had to cover one side and the top, then the second side as I wanted the print to be the right way up. Then I cut two rectangles for either end.

I cut a cross into the piece covering the oval hole in the top. Then I trimmed it and snipped the little edges. Glued each one pressing the edge to create a perfect oval shape.

The previous zebra print cover had been sealed with Mod Podge but this certainly didn’t prevent staining. This time I used diluted PVA glue applied with a foam brush. Time will tell how effective that has been.

I chose black and white gift wrap for the new cover as this fits well with the other items nearby and I already had it. It is an Emma Bridgewater design called Black Toast. I have collected a lot of crockery in this design over the years and am making a point of using it regularly.

cooking

Poached Eggs Arriving back in Perth late in the evening after a few days visiting my Mother more than two hours away I looked in the fridge. I was hoping for something quick and easy for dinner but no such luck. Decided poached eggs on toast would have to do this time. This is how I poach eggs. Take two large mugs and half fill them with boiling water from the kettle. Add a splash of vinegar. Gently crack an egg into each mug then microwave on full for 90 seconds. Meanwhile, make two pieces of toast. (I spread pesto on mine!) Place the toast on a plate and gently remove the cooked eggs from the mugs using a slotted spoon. Slide onto the toast. Grind of pepper and some salt. A couple of tomatoes from the garden. Delicious.

Sourdough Bread. Articles about sourdough bread always show gorgeous rustic boules, but I like fairly regular slices. For years I have baked my bread in a parchment lined, rectangular glass Pyrex dish. Then I bought a double walled metal bread baking tin. Cooked at the usual temperature and for the same time, the loaf from the tin was more golden all over and beautifully cooked. So now I will use the tin to cook my bread.

KNIVES I have a rack of kitchen knives and like to keep them very sharp. One of my jobs was to soak the whet stone and then sharpen and wash the knives. Also bought a new bread knife but it has been a huge disappointment so I’m back using the semi-blunt one. Seeking a new knife. Any recommendations?

growing

I regularly apply Epsom Salts (magnesium sulphate) to my gardenia bushes. They are healthy and well established. They are covered in blooms twice a year. I mention their health and generous blooms because I just read on the packet the Epsom Salt came in that it should be diluted in 4 litres of water then poured around the base of the bushes. For about thirteen years I have scattered the salt around stems, then watered them, so not the recommended way to use Epsom Salts but no damage so far!

Other uses listed on the packet include relieving sore or tired muscles, soothe aching joints, fabric softener and general plant nutrient. For tomatoes, citrus and lettuce the recommended dose is 25 tablespoons of salt dissolved in 4 litres of water then sprayed on the plants when it is cool. If you’re applying Epsom Salt to remedy magnesium deficiency in the soil, dissolve 2 tablespoons in 4 litres of water. Make sure the salt is dissolved. Magnesium Sulphate is also used in flotation tanks instead of sodium chloride.

The gardenias have thrived on wrongly applied Epsom Salt.

A quick review of the common uses of Epsom Salt just before I posted revealed many more uses, such as a warm bath with added Epsom Salts just before bed aids sleep, it reduces the swelling of sprains and bruises and helps reduce swollen feet and draw out splinters. The list continues with using diluted ES to treat insect bites and bee stings and spray it on sunburn. Interestingly, 1 tablespoon of ES diluted in 1 litre of water poured around the base of tomato bushes results in more fruit. Have I missed anything?

Regular readers know I am growing a tomato forest. These mid-sized fruit taste so good and we often eat them before they get inside. For years I read about people who weigh every tomato and calculate their harvest at the end of the season but I’m just keeping a tally of how many tomatoes we pick.

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Back to School and Cursive Writing plus Tomatoes

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back to school

I retired from teaching nearly six years now. Every school holiday and often in between I really enjoy catching up with some colleagues from the last three schools where I worked. These lunches tend to involve discussions about the changes and resulting frustrations in many government schools. Our Minister for Education is confident every class will have a teacher at the beginning of the term following an overseas recruitment program and employing student teachers who are not yet qualified. Many relief teachers have also been offered full time jobs.

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We often follow the changes in education adopted overseas. I was interested to read in The Weekend Australian Magazine, January 27-28th, 2024, that schools in California are going to teach children joined up writing again. Abandoned in 2010 in most of America as part of the Learning Standards introduced by the Obama White House, the decision was based on the assumption that students did most of their learning digitally.

Recognising the benefits of cursive writing in brain development and fine motor skills, California is one of 23 states in America which advocates reintroducing joined up writing. It is now obligatory for students aged between six and twelve to learn how to write.

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The rest of this item by Kieran Southern is about comments by an associate professor of education at the University of Southern California. He refers to chronic absenteeism doubling during this period, achievement has ‘fallen off a cliff’ and refers to ‘other crises and culture wars in schools’. He then says the thing ‘… we can all agree on is that we must mandate cursive (writing)’.

The West Australian Curriculum dictates students must produce’…legible, correctly formed letters by hand.’ The goal is for children to write with ease, speed and legibility.

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Some quick research for recent information on the benefits of teaching cursive writing led to the Western Kids Health site (here). A summary of the their site looks at three aspects achieved by confident cursive writers.

HOLD pincer grip strength, finger isolation skills, fine motor control, fine motor control, finger opposition control

COPYING visual perception, visual planning, motor and planning control, problem solving

WRITING A SENTENCE postural control, fine motor endurance, attention, motivation, concentration, resilience, creativity and imagination.

I also remember being taught that forming letters and writing them reinforced the learners’ ability to remember sounds and their relationship to other letters.

grow

The last lot of small tomatoes I bought from the supermarket tasted a bit like kerosene! Well, the first one I tried did, so the rest went into the worm motel. I’m so pleased with the wonderful tomatoes on my bushes now. Not too big, not too small each truss has between six and seven delicious tomatoes.

The seeds came from my Mother. She kept two tomatoes for me and I squeezed the seeds onto paper towel, spread them out and left them to dry. Later I cut the paper towel into six equal squares and planted them. Up came a forest of little tomato plants except in one pot which surprised some time later by also producing a fine collection of seedlings.

Planted them out at different times to ensure fresh tomatoes over a few months. I have over 30 bushes supported by 2m stakes. I also have a tomato bush in a pot nowhere near the others; it just appeared one day and is strong with healthy trusses developing. I don’t usually grow this many tomatoes as I’ve had to cover them in cages in the past due to water rats! No rats apparent this year, but I do check every morning when I get up. Interestingly, our dear neighbour is sharing passion fruit with us as this is also the first year they haven’t been obliterated by rats.

Planted in good quality potting mix and watered regularly until they were established, some of these bushes are nearly two metres tall now.

Eventually realised I didn’t need the rat proof the tomatoes so removed the frames. Just as well, because some of the plants are very tall.

I don’t know what breed of tomatoes I am growing but my Mother has grown them for many, many years. They taste delicious!

These tomatoes have never made it onto a plate; we eat then fresh from the vine!

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Eyes and Sleep

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eyesight

A regular topic of conversation amongst my friends is eyesight, particularly the treatment for cataracts. This seemingly very common surgery results in improved vision and often a reduced need for spectacles. My own eyesight surgery for keratoconus, while slightly different, was life changing.

Latin woman Beautician Doing Eyebrow Tattooing For Female, FacePermanent, Makeup For Eyebrows, Microblading brow in Mexico city

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The new area of concern is the evolution of eyeballs becoming longer or more pear shaped called myopia. This means the cornea becomes more curved, focusing the light on the front of retina instead of on the retina. So objects which are closer are clearer, but those further away become blurry. This change is thought to be caused by exposure to screens and not enough exposure to daylight and objects in the distance. Natural daylight is thought to have protective benefits against myopia or short sightedness. This can lead to longer term problems, especially the development of glaucoma and macula degeneration.

person sitting infront on device

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There may be ways to protect your eyes from these outcomes if you need to spend long periods focused on screens. The most common suggestion currently is to adopt the 20/20/20 rule. This means for every 20 minutes you spend looking at a screen, move away from the screen and look at something at least 20 feet (6m) away for at least 20 seconds. Best if you can look at something outside in natural sunlight, allowing the eyes to relax. Probably best to seek the advice of your optometrist if you spend a lot of time on devices.

ABOUT SLEEP

So while we’re checking up on our eye health, let’s talk about sleep. Considering the amount of advice I have read about sleep it is a wonder I am not dead to the world most of the time. I’ve bought the latest books about sleep, I taken books about sleep out of the library, I’ve read masses of information online, listened to advise from friends, the pharmacist, my GP and I still don’t fall asleep easily.

Our natural sleep cycles are no longer dictated by the setting and rising of the sun. Artificial light is thought to have disrupted the natural rhythm of being awake when it’s light and asleep when it is dark. The plethora of entertainments available to us due to artificial light and technology have probably altered our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

One factor common in a lot of the literature is exposing your eyes to sunlight as soon as you wake up. This results in UV light signalling to the eye which causes a surge of cortisol and suppresses melatonin. This can result in waking up alert and falling asleep easily at the end of the day (if you’re lucky). Another common piece of advice is to avoid caffeine for the first 90 minutes after waking but to drink a glass of water to re-hydrate. I’ve been doing both these things for about two years and still have trouble sleeping but am afraid to discontinue in case I have even more trouble sleeping!

person sleeping on sofa near the wall

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One popular technique to help you fall asleep is to get out of bed if you haven’t gone to sleep within 20 minutes of turning off the light and read somewhere else other than the bedroom until you are tired again. (Michael Mosely, in ‘Fast Asleep’ recommends something really boring to read) Unfortunately, I can read for several hours without feeling tired and find this just doesn’t work for me. I was on some medication for a while renown for disturbing sleep patterns and finally took a sleeping pill prescribed by my GP. I did sleep but felt sleepy and tired most of the next day, too, so didn’t try that again.

Apparently, if you have good sleep patterns and rotate through the four stages of sleep several times during the night you shouldn’t need an alarm clock to wake up, you will naturally wake up when your sleep-wake cycles causes you to wake up.

Asian attractive young man turn off alarm clock ringing in the morning. Handsome male feel lazy and tired lying down on comfortable bed in bedroom ignore noise and keep sleeping don't want to wake up

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I’ve read so many books, online advice and talked to my GP and pharmacist and still getting a good night’s sleep is a bit random. I try not to check my sleep score on my Fitbit unless I’ve slept well! I’ve had some terrible scores. I’ve found magnesium, melatonin, meditating and some over the counter products helpful, but what works changes without warning. What worked two weeks ago can have little impact now. Other things regularly appearing in the literature include spraying lavender scent on your pillow, having a warm bath or shower just before you go to bed and trying to go to sleep at the same time every night.

So, good luck if poor sleep is a problem for you and please let me know if you’ve got the solution!

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Monet, ‘One Life’ and Another Way to Minimize Landfill

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Monet in Paris

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We went to see ‘Monet In Paris’. Claude Monet (born 14th November 1840, Paris, died 15th December, 1926, Giverny) belonged to a group of artists known as Impressionists. This electronic immersive experience with both images of paintings and photos projected onto 7 metre high screens highlights the most famous works of Monet and other artists working during the same period. This list includes Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Camille Pissarro, Edouard Manet, Edgar Degas and Henri Toulouse Lautrec. These artists tried to capture 19th century Bohemian Paris and the lush French country side, highlighting the social and political environment of the time. When they exhibited their works, a journalist said they were more like ‘impressions’ rather than traditionally detailed paintings. The name stuck.

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The images at Monet in Paris were shown on huge screens allowing the viewer to hone in on the details of the paintings. These are not overly detailed works of art, they are ‘impressions’. The subjects are not posed in the traditional manner, but show people going about their every day lives. Accompanied by classical music and some intriguing moving visuals I found this show captivating. It was also very entertaining watching a small child nearby try and catch a fish and a dragonfly, both images projected onto the carpet.

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The invention of tubes for paint opened up the outdoors to artists. John Goffe Rand invented a type of syringe or tube in the 1840s which evolved into tubes for paint as we know them now around the 1900s. This meant artists could paint en plein air, to capture immediate and everyday images away from their studios.

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Many of Monet’s well known artworks feature his garden. He claimed to be good at two things, painting and gardening. His famous garden, Giverny, continues to attract thousands of visitors every year. He developed strict rules about mixing colours, shapes and surfaces, analyzed over time by many garden designers and historians. He admired reflections and movement on water so much he employed a gardener whose sole responsibility was to keep the pond clean and to ensure the water lilies were separated by variety. Many of his most famous later paintings feature aspects of his amazing garden.

‘one life’

It’s blisteringly hot in Perth at the moment so we went to the cinema. We saw ‘One Life’ starring Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn and Helena Bonham Carter. This is the story of (Sir) Nicholas Winton. Nicky, as he was known, was a young stockbroker living in London with his Mother. He set off for Prague in 1938 to visit a friend for a week. The Czech Sudetenland had been annexed by the Nazis and they were expected to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia imminently. He was confronted by the masses of Jewish families fleeing the Nazis.

Nicky Winton did what he thought was right. Overcoming enormous obstacles he organised visas, trains, sponsor families and the money necessary to temporarily home 669 Jewish children in the United Kingdom.

Nicky Winton was haunted by the ninth train he arranged being intercepted by the Nazis on the station in Prague. Fifty years later he is invited to a television program where it is revealed that everyone in the audience was a child who had survived and grown up in the UK, due to his efforts. Most had stayed in the UK as their families were murdered during the holocaust. This was a very moving film.

‘One Life’ is a beautifully told, one of many about repatriating fleeing Jewish families ahead of the Nazis arriving. All tell of immense bravery and determination to do the right thing.

‘If something is not impossible, then there must be a way to do it…’

Sir Nicholas Winton, 1909 -2015

minimizing fabrics going to landfill

Fashion is an enormous contributor to landfill or to the pollution caused by burning, especially clothing made of manmade fibres which do not break down quickly. Another source of fabrics to landfill has been decorative fabrics. These are often made of cotton, wool, silk or linen although cheaper curtaining and furniture covers are often synthetic or blends as are cheaper carpets.

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An interesting shift is occurring in the UK with the end of season, display samples or end of roll fabrics from decorative suppliers. Some fabric houses are extending access to their textiles by offering warehouse sales with considerable discounts offered, direct from their websites or instore sales. To view warehouse sales the shopper needs to register. Fabrics offered can be as little as 2m and up to 40m.

The smaller pieces are ideal for cushion covers, slightly larger lengths are good for stools, table linen, blinds and headboards, four or five metres will upholster a chair and the larger pieces will make generous curtains. Hope to see this become common practise, adopted everywhere.

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Dealing with Rubbish and Household Chores

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dealing with rubbish

Most suburbs in the area where I live, Perth, have several rubbish bins to enable green waste to be turned into mulch, available freely to residents of the suburb. Recyclable papers, plastics and other things go in a second bin and there is a smaller, third bin for food waste or non recyclable materials. We are encouraged to avoid food wastage and to compost what can’t be used. The access to three ways to limit landfill makes it very easy to sort out the rubbish.

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So what is the problem with landfill? The problems range from odour, smoke, noise and water supply contamination. The three most worrying issues are toxins, leachate and greenhouse gases. Landfill emits harmful gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, polluting soil and water sources. Landfill also requires a lot of space. It is a popular way to deal with rubbish because it is cost effective and generally in outer regions of cities and towns.

Many materials dumped in landfill are a problem as they don’t breakdown for a very long time. Plastic is a particular problem. The environmental and technical problems with plastic waste include the formation and spread of microplastics, with well research health risks. Microplastics, by their very size, are quickly spread in the air and by leachate.

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Plastic use is recognised in developed countries as a major problem. Plastic is everywhere, from cosmetics, cleaning materials, personal and pharmaceutical products, plus the fragmentation and degeneration of paint, waste water, fake grass and all plastic containers. A visit to a hospital reveals a shocking reliance on single use plastic. Recycling is not the answer as it creates major polluting problems itself, the answer is to find other less harmful materials to replace plastic.

Household chores

Christmas decorations have been put away. Apparently they should be taken down and stored by Twelfth Night, the 12th night after Boxing Day. Since I store most of the Christmas decorations in a very high cupboard, I took advantage of a very tall son to put them away. He was staying here until the 2nd of January so Christmas was packed up and stored by then.

The Christmas tidying up always reveals something I forgot to set during the festivities and this time was no different. I found a box of Cranberry, Pistachio and Cherry Nougat in the pantry. I was tidying up so thought it best to eat it immediately. It was delicious! Also tackled the fridge so some pretty odd meals have been served.

Another post Christmas treat was this Christmas Pudding, a gift from a neighbour who is a great cook. Although initially reluctant to ignite, it eventually got the idea and we enjoyed it very much.

My cousin caught up with us a few days after Christmas with a wonderful gift. She in the process of down sizing so gifted me these very beautiful Spode ginger jars. I really like blue and white china but these belonged to my beloved aunt, so a very special gift.

From very beautiful to very practical. Our son bought and cut a sheet of thick rubber to cover the tray of his new ute. There was a rectangle left over. I knew straight away I’d make a protective sheet to cover the carpet in the hatchback of my car. Using the existing piece of carpet as a template I cut the leftover rubber to fit, vacuumed the existing carpet and put it back in place with the rubber on top. Pretty pleased with the rubber cover!

Meanwhile, many other jobs getting done around the house. It is very hot here and paint and floors dry quickly as do skirting boards which have all been wiped with a damp cloth. Still a list of things I want done in the next few weeks.

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New Year Plans

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New Year Health and resolutions

On New Year’s Day, Michael Mosley aired a Happiness Special in the UK, based on the ‘Happy Mind, Happy Life’ book by Dr Rangan Chatterjee. His five tips for a happy life are

Writing a ‘deathbed’ diary, imaging yourself reviewing your life. He suggest defining three principles that resonate and work towards living your life to reflect those beliefs.

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Talking to people you don’t know, perhaps standing in a line. Chatterjee believes even short interactions with others will boost your mood.
Reduce your relationship with your phone. Apparently constant checking, answering calls and following social media can make you anxious and disrupt sleep.

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Simplify your life so you make less decisions, such as reducing your wardrobe so you have less choice, eat simply so there’s less stuff around you and ignoring social media as much as possible.
The final suggestion is to use setbacks and social challenges as immediate and cheap therapy! So if someone is rude to you, stop and decide why they might have said that to you. It’s probably something going on in their life and has nothing to do with you. Your happiness, according to Chitterjee, is the result of your own thoughts and beliefs. Be happy, be at peace!

Reading the weekend paper I found advice on choosing a word for the year, a word to guide your plans and measure your progress. I tried that last year but my goal didn’t take into account the increasing attention required for my 92 year old Mother to live independently in her own home. Her requirements can be urgent, demanding and unpredictable. So, no word for me but I know it works for some people. Search online for more information if it appeals to you.

There’s other advice about all the new trends for self care, including these from the UK Country Living site. Their list suggests these activities will feature in the pursuit of happiness and well being.

1. Supporting your natural energy with rituals and ingredients to balance your well being, such as good sleep hygiene, consistent blood sugar levels and a range of supplements.

2. Taking a regular digital detox and disconnecting from constant connectivity. This is linked with spending more time in nature, focusing on what is around you and ignoring digital contact.

3. Stay well hydrated, apparently a problem for 90% of people who responded to a survey in the UK. The suggestion is that water will have electrolytes added for post exercise recovery and collagen additives for improved skin elasticity.

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4. Consumers will expect to be better informed about sustainability, not just regarding packaging but also the products they buy.

5. Poor sleep quality is ringing alarm bells and apart from the common recommendations, travellers are seeking quiet and peaceful destinations to promote better sleep. Sleep tourism is becoming a thing in the UK.

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6. Soothing sound baths which involve getting comfortable and letting the sounds wash over you, resulting in inner peace and harmony. I find the sounds of the singing bowls at the beginning and end of yoga sessions very easy to tune into and drift.

7. Sauna rituals are becoming very popular. A sauna can result in relaxed muscles, improved blood flow and can promote cardio-respiratory fitness.

I hope you find ways to relax and feel at peace in 2024. If you feel like increasing your physical activity, one suggestion is you try to remember what you enjoyed doing as child. Since my playground favourites were skipping, hula hoop ( I still have my cane hula hoop in the attic) and juggling I’m still thinking about this hint!

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Still pondering things to make 2024 your best year ever? Although this list from the womanandhome site has lots of suggestions already listed above, a few ideas resonated with me. In reality, I’m not big on New Year resolutions but I am curious about well being and actively seek information on being healthy and active.

So, best wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2024!

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Post Christmas Occupations

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post christmas

The longest ever Christmas celebrations end today. Family parties, here and at my Mother’s, Christmas lunch with wonderful friends, a Boxing Day party with our lovely neighbours and some visiting in between. Enormous amounts of food prepared and eaten, thoughtful gifts and treats shared and slowly things are returning to normal. The fridge wouldn’t agree, but we’re working on it!

Our son had ordered a large ham and a turkey roast from his butcher then found he had to go away for a fortnight, only flying back late Christmas night. I’d cooked a smaller ham and turkey breast already, plus all the usual trays of star biscuits and shortbread to share and then the ham and chicken breast rolls he’d brought. So food, food, every where food, or so it seems.

The second ham, almost ready to go into the oven.

Christmas also brought each of us a haul of books, our favourite sort of present. My Christmas stocking included two luxe magazine as well (goodie). So, eating mostly out of the fridge and reading in between socialising and gardening. It has been dreadfully hot and the now rather large tomatoes need regular watering and staking.

When I planted the tomatoes in these troughs I thought I’d be able to protect them from the river rats by putting the cover over the frame but the tomatoes are way too big now.

marbling

Even as a child I really liked the marbled pages lining the front and back pages of books. They’re called endpapers. I especially liked the marbled lining papers in the family atlas despite the evidence of silverfish activity. Years ago I did some marbling using enameled paints but the paint was slow to dry, messy and awkward to clean up afterwards.

A newly covered journal with a marbled back end paper.

Then I discovered Japanese inks. The Japanese traditionally used calligraphy inks for marbling, but modern inks are easy to obtain and use. The Japanese embrace the concept of things not being perfect or unpredictable outcomes and developed techniques of floating the ink, or ‘suminagashi’ which involves dropping the inks on water. The inks naturally disperse but can also be manipulated by blowing on the water’s surface.

Recently I was reading about a professional marbler in the UK, Nat Maks. (natmaks.com Her works on her site are beautiful!) She marbles on sheets of paper 3m in length. These sheets are used as wall hangings and wall art. She has designed and had a 3m x 1.5m bath built to print these large sheets. Inspired by her beautiful papers, I assembled Japanese inks, gloves and paper.

I have always marbled on recycled A4 paper but this time I decided to print on some lithograph paper I found when I tidied the laundry cupboards. Bought when I was designing this house and doing lots of plans and drawings for the draughtsman, the large, once flat sheets had been rolled, then at some later date, squashed on a shelf in the laundry. I cut the paper to the size needed to line the front and back pages of my journals, then ironed the rectangles as the paper wasn’t flat. I experimented inking the rough and smooth sides of the paper and settled on printing the smooth side. I really like the soft, gentle colours created.

Don’t normally iron paper before I print but I cut these rectangles from large sheets of lithograph paper which had been squashed in a cupboard.

While I was ironing I gathered all the grosgrain ribbons I use year after year on our gifts. I really like large, generous bows. I bought a 50 metre spool of this ribbon years ago and recycled ever since it.

While the sheets were drying I covered some new journals. I have bought these black books with a red spine for more than 20 years but they are getting harder to find. I write every day. Sometimes I draw, too, or glue in photos or tickets or other ephemera from our travels. I list daily and long term TO DO lists and enjoy ticking jobs off as they are done. After I’d covered the journals I glued the marbled papers as front and back covers. Added a calendar. That’s my journals sorted for about a year!

I trim then smooth the photocopied images front and back, fold them in, glue then down then cover the end pages with a sheet of marbled paper.

VERY BEST WISHES FOR A

HAPPY and HEALTHY

NEW YEAR!

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Christmas Countdown and Prawn Stock

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christmas countdown

The cakes are cooked, the cards are sent, most of the gift shopping and wrapping is done but despite my determination to be super organised this year, I still have a TO DO list. We’ll be having two Christmas Dinners, the first when our son arrives late Christmas Day and the second when we go and spend a day with my Mother. Tidied up the fridge and freezer to accommodate the Christmas food and drinks.

The whole TO DO list thing is a bit controversial. Some people feel writing down their tasks to be done is really efficient. They tick off the jobs as they are completed and focus on the next one. Other people say they don’t remember to look at the lists, struggle to make lists to cover everything that needs to be done or the length of the lists makes them anxious. I lived by lists when I was working, running the house, walking the dog, establishing the garden, doing the shopping and cooking and trying to maintain friendships. Then life relaxed a bit and so did the list. Lots of things slipped by so I went back to making lists, especially for shopping. Works for me.

In the middle of the Christmas preparations and fuss, I discovered one of the downsides of having very good eyesight again. I noticed most of the door frames have chips in them! I pondered on this for a while and finally realised, looking at the height of the chips, most of them are probably from mopping and vacuuming.

It’s a very hot day and I knew I’d need to do two coats to restore the frames. I started by sanding them back, then wiping the dust off and working out which paint ( I have lots of tins of white paint) matched the best. The best match turned out to be a spray paint, so I used a piece of cardboard to protect the walls and got spraying. Two coats did a good job. Then I washed and wiped all the doors. I noticed a chip in the plaster near the front door but that will be a job for after Christmas!

A sheet of cardboard to protect the walls, a can of spray paint and some sand paper, too, and the job was done. Really pleased with the outcome.

prawn risotto

We get wonderful prawns from along the coast of Western Australia. Many people associate prawns with summer eating and particularly at Christmas time. I had a pile of them to peel to make a stock for a Prawn Risotto. My traditional way of peeling prawns seemed to be taking so long! I usually cut the body from the head, slit down the underside and peel off the shells with the legs, then a small cut along the back to remove the digestive tract. This method was taking so long!

Wondered how restaurants dealt with shelling prawns. They’d need a faster system than mine. So I looked up Gordon Ramsay’s method but it almost what I was already doing and after looking at a few more entries, finally accepted I’d be shelling prawns for quite a while, get on with it. Then all the shells went into a pot to make stock with water, tomato paste, sweated onions and garlic. ( Someone told me later that many restaurants buy prawns which have already been mechanically peeled.)

Asked my husband to help but that wasn’t a success. He doesn’t really eat prawns or crabs. When we talked about it he said he never ate them as a child. I grew up at the head of an estuary and ate a lot of crabs as a child and still eat then whenever possible. Some years ago, when I returned from Milan with a broken wrist, we were at a crab party and he was preparing crabs and handing them to me. I’d eaten quite a few and suddenly realised he wasn’t eating any. ( Lucky me)

Made the prawn risotto. Forgot to photograph it. I’m not a big fan of rice (which was awkward living in China for a few years and visiting frequently for many years) but the packet of Arborio Risotto Rice was in a gift pack and I don’t like wasting food.

Back to Christmas preparations, about to check Spotify for some old fashioned carols to add a bit singing and dancing to the kitchen routine as there’s many jobs on the TO DO list!

WISHING YOU A MERRY

CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY

NEW YEAR!

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Cherries and Other Christmas Things

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TECHNOLOGY and ME

I have no idea what kept going wrong with last week’s blog, nor why it published itself (obviously not, but I’m accepting no responsibility). I eventually just gave up! Pondered giving up entirely, but decided to try once more. Fingers crossed this week’s blog is a success.

CHERRIES

The countdown to Christmas no longer features Advent Calendars in our house, although I’ve seen some very lush adult calendars online. Instead, it starts with cherries. As soon as I know cherries are available, I want some! Just before my first eye surgery I bought an art and craft materials Advent Calendar and every so often open a window and enjoy using the paint, clay, pencils and pens and other little treats. So not a countdown to Christmas calendar, more a move towards being able to do the things I used to do before my eyesight deteriorated.

This bowl of cherries didn’t last long!

The fountain in the portico is decorated.

So is the front door. Since added more baubles to jazz the laurel up a bit!

This dear little Christmas cake, a gift, arrived in a clear bauble and was delicious!

RUMBALLS

For years I’ve used the same recipe to make rumballs. They can be made a week before Christmas and are very popular. Our son was here on the weekend and wanted me to wait until he was back before I made this year’s rumballs ‘ because you don’t add enough rum.’ Well, some of the consumers of our rumballs then have drive home, so I think I’ll be sticking to the usual amount of rum in this year’s mix!

Every year at Christmas time I cook multiple trays of shortbread biscuits and give them as gifts. No fancy homemade boxes this year but I have decorated each gift with a heart and added a bauble, too.

Shortbread biscuits in cellophane bags with air dried hearts and baubles decorated using paper napkins/serviettes. (here)

TOMATOES

These tomatoes all germinated from two tiny cherry tomatoes from my Mother’s plant. I squeezed the seeds from the tomatoes onto a paper towel, spread them out and let them dry. Cut the towel into six squares and planted each square in a small pot. I planted them about six weeks ago. About 50 plants germinated.

I planted them out at different times to have a good supply of tomatoes throughout summer.

I have given away about fifteen plants as we’ll have enough for the two of us and these are delicious little tomatoes.

This lot are in a raised bed, sharing with the chive forest.

The last lot to be planted out. I’ll transfer them to bigger pots in a week or so.

MENDING

These light woven baskets with a drawstring lining are ideal for so many jobs. I have several.

When the handle stitching came undone I repaired it using linen thread and a big blunt needle.

I share all this with you because it is SO exciting to be able to thread the needle myself! I have also threaded and used the sewing machine. So exciting, so satisfying. Up there with being able to drive again and read easily.

SQUEEZING LEMONS

My husband, the preferred citrus squeezer in this household, saw Jamie Oliver using one of these citrus squeezers on a cooking program and wanted one. Two days later we saw one in an Italian food shop and we bought it.

He is very pleased with it.

BEFORE, the old way.

NOW, the new way!

I hope all your plans for the holiday season are going well.

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Lasange, Three Favourite Books and Gnocchi With Fennel

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three favourite books

Currently, these three books are my favourites! I recommend them to friends who I know will enjoy them and I frequently refer to the recipes. These books are guides to gardening, preparing food and the last one is all about making, cooking and serving pasta. Our son was coming down to stay on the weekend so I began making sauces and gathering ingredients to make pasta. He has the pasta making machine so his pastas come out perfectly laminated, smooth and absolutely delicious.

His trip has suddenly been delayed! I already had the lasagne organised, I’d bought the fennel for the gnocchi, I’d bought ravioli and the ingredients to make a sauce for that and the pasta I thought we’d be making. The lasagne is from Nagi’s recipe tin eats (here) I use her recipes a lot as they really suit us. This lasagne says it serves six but it actually resulted in eight generous serves.

Garden Like A Nonno

This book is packed with information about growing your own food and flowers and utilising every asset available, especially if it is free or recycled. Jaclyn Crupi tells stories about both her (nonnos) grandfathers and their gardening habits and skills, how they preserved their crops, dealt with pests and enriched their soils. I found the hints on increasing soil quality really useful as I garden on grey beach sand. A good reference book.

Nonna Knows Best

Jaclyn Crupi”s second book and this time she describes the beliefs and habits of her two nonni (nonnas) and their contemporaries. The essence of this loving account about how nonnas live is simple; grow your own and shop locally, take care of your family, friends and belongings, be sociable and stay closely connected, keep things simple, love generously and unconditionally and be in touch with your spiritual side. Have a nap in the afternoon should probably be added to the list! Sounds easy, but these nonnas work hard in the kitchen and the rest of the house and the garden. Whilst maintaining the habits of the countries they left, often as small children, these nonnas make new homes and new lives in ‘the lucky country’.

Pasta Love

Jaclyn Crupi was born in Australia and spent a lot of time with her Italian grandparents, aunts and uncles and other relatives. She writes lovingly about the various regional pastas and the sauces eaten with them. Only one pasta maker referred to in the book actually weighs her ingredients, the rest just make a volcano shape with flour on the benchtop and add water or eggs until it feels just right. This book is a love letter to pasta but also tells about the Italian ladies, including her nonnas, she learnt pasta making practises from, their histories and how they came to be in Australia and the jobs available to them at that time.

You might have noticed all three books are written by the same author, Jaclyn Crupi. Australia is made up of so many cultural groups and we’re quick to adopt the best foods from every country. Genetically my family has no connection with Italians, but our tastes buds really like their cuisine. Their pasta in it’s many shapes and forms, the accompanying sauces, the vegetable rich soups, the beautiful salads, their amazing desserts and those cakes! What’s missing? Pizza! Apparently I am the only person in the world who doesn’t really like pizza.

I feel my family are multicultural in our food preferences. Along with Italian food, we regularly seek French, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and German food. We shop for food in an Italian green grocer, a German supermarket, an Indian supermarket, a Chinese grocer and several different Italian shops for cheese, bread, cold meats, biscuits and assorted other temptations. I have just eaten a bowl of Japanese rice crackers.

Yesterday I bought a beautiful fresh fennel bulb to make a gnocchi sauce I thought I’d read about in the Pasta Love book, but I can’t find it! All the online recipes I found had milk or cream in them and didn’t feel right. So no recipe as I’ve improvised and although we love the gnocchi in fennel sauce I’m not sure if I could exactly reproduce it!

Thinly sliced fennel was lightly browned in a pan with preserved lemon strips added after about five minutes. Then I added a roux made from chicken stock, butter, water and flour and let it all cook. No added salt as the preserved lemons were very salty. Lightly browned the gnocchi then added it to the sauce. Served with the fennel fronds (dill) scattered on top. Added some grated sheeps’ pecorino, too. I hope I can reproduce this as we really liked it.

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