A Week in Lock Down

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A case of community transmitted CV-19 was discovered on Sunday so parts of Western Australia are in Lock Down until this (Friday) evening. We have to wear masks if we go outside, we can do food shopping or visit doctors or make healthcare visits and we can exercise with one other person for an hour a day. It is very quiet and peaceful! I hope it only lasts five days. A long Lock Down would be very difficult.

When we had a much longer Lock Down period last year I found yoga sessions on Youtube, made all sorts of bread, found and watched a whole range of TV series on demand and walked and walked. I listed jobs to be done, things to be sorted, people to contact. Ticked things off my To Do list. Calm but satisfying days.

This year feels different. It is again very quiet, we walk the dog wearing our masks, I potter a little outside but we are experiencing blisteringly hot weather, so very little gardening this time. Is it because we assume it will end in a few days? No other cases have been diagnosed despite the huge number of places the infected person visited in the days before he was diagnosed.

Worryingly, two of the vaccines, the Nova Vax and the Johnson and Johnson Vax are proving to be only 60% effective against the South African strain of the virus. The other two options are untested.

Painting whatever is available, in this case a hydrangea bloom and the next day, an olive branch.

No painting this week, so I have settled at the table and done a quick painting each day. I talk to my Mother who is also in Lock Down. We walk the dog, wearing our masks. We’re eating what we have in store, having done a rush shop just before Lock Down begun. I also read blogs written by people who have been experiencing these limitations for weeks and draw inspiration from their comments.

No yoga or Pilates, but so far no online exercise for me, either. No mahjong, no Fringe Festival sessions, but some lovely long chats with friends online or on the phone. We’ve cleaned the house, which took us about five hours to do properly last year! Same this year. I think we are slow workers. It was also an opportunity to sort and put things away, or pack them up to leave the house!

Like so many people during Lock Down we have emptied, wiped then repacked some cupboards. We have a verge pick up this weekend, when our local council removes all our unwanted things from the verge and attempts to recycle them.

Not only are we experiencing Lock Down but also shocking bush fires. Eighty one homes on rural properties have been destroyed, livestock and enormous amounts of summer feed are gone. We are experiencing constant and awful winds which whip the fires along. So distressing.

Australia has a 150 strong air fleet to fight fire. They go where they are needed. There are 150 fixed wing or large helicopters in the fleet including the water bombers. Each carries water, fire retardant or firefighters, who can be winched into remote where they are required. The fire is still out of control.

READING

Image without a caption

Spent a day reading Alex Michaelide’s The Silent Patient. A psychological thriller with so many twists and turns. This is a gripping book. Clever and fast moving with an unexpected ending. A great read. A film adaptation is on the way.

WATCHING

Photo BBCtv

A few years ago I read the book ‘Love, Nina; Dispatches From Family Life’ by Nina Stibbe so was interested when we saw it was available as a series on Netflix. Nina has left school and, at 20, left Leicester to be a Nanny to two boys in London. The series is based on her letters home to her sister, each signed ‘Love, Nina’. Her letters describe her trials and triumphs working for a bohemian family. She can’t cook, she knows nothing about children and she’s often taken aback by the lifestyle she encounters. Sharply observed and laugh out loud funny, watch the series if you can! There’s five episodes in the current series and another series planned.

February is Ovarian Awareness Month, intended to highlight the symptoms of ovarian cancer and to raise money for support programs. Be informed www.ovariancancer.net.au/

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8 Things About Summer

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It is the middle of summer in the Southern Hemisphere and Western Australia is at the end of a heatwave. It has been very hot and unusually humid. Summer brings its own activities and for many Australians, a ten day break between Christmas and the New Year. The school year finishes before Christmas and goes back at the beginning of February.

What does summer mean to you? What are the seasonal foods and recipes, the daily occupations, the things you do that are particularly related to the long, hot summer days?

FOODS

Stone fruit, watermelon and rock melon (cantaloupe), cherries, grapes, figs and so many salad vegetables. Masses of different tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers. They’re all in the shops in an array of amazing colours and aromas. We shop at a greengrocer who only has seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs. All delicious.

Luscious seedless grapes.

2. SUMMER FLOWERS

pink roses in close up photography

Masses of roses, lilies, hydrangeas and agapanthus, but almost nothing in my garden! A recent heatwave has decimated everything except the hydrangeas although the roses are beginning to bloom again.

3. SUMMER ACTIVITIES

River picnics, going to the beach, barbecues and eating outdoors when the sea breeze comes in (aka the Fremantle Doctor) and watching the cricket. Lots of time spent reading. Walking the dog after dinner; it is still light and much cooler. Jugs of iced water with lemon or lime and maybe mint. Anything to stay cool. Many of my friends are teachers and still working. It is the Summer Holidays for them, nearly six weeks off, so lots of lunches and catching up, which I really enjoy.

4. SUMMER ENTERTAINMENT

The Fringe Festival in Perth, running from 15th January until 14th February, has attracted over 500 local and Australian acts, but travel between the states is limited due to CV-19 hot spots in other states. Some overseas acts were already here and have stayed. I’ve been to two shows so far. I’m off to another comedian this evening. Enjoy a good laugh!

The first was a British standup comedian, Gordon Southern, who was working on a cruise ship which terminated in Sydney due to CV-19 cases, so he stayed. A comedian for over 23 years, ‘Nicolation’ (pronounced Nice-o-lation) was Southern’s fast paced commentary about making the most of his year ‘stuck’ in Australia. Had a good laugh!

This was followed by ‘Brassy Broads’ which pays homage to some legendary jazz and cabaret singers. Some of the amazing women featured were Eartha Kitt, Edith Piaf, Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald. Energetic, loud and very entertaining.

5. SUMMER SHOES

This summer means espadrilles, old ones and new ones. The espadrille fashion first occurred for me when I was at university and involved lacing long cotton tapes around and around our ankles and partially up our legs. The next time the fashion came around I had a beautiful pair with soft leather ties. I loved them! They were cream and went with the floaty, pale clothes of that summer. I wore them all the time and eventually the rope soles began to disintegrate so off they went!

I have bought two pairs this season, mainly because I’ve bought dresses this year. I haven’t really worn dresses for so long but bought one for a wedding. Then I bought another one and since then two more. They are cool and easy to wear. So are espadrilles.

6. SUMMER HOLIDAYS

Western Australia’s hard border fluctuates depending on CV-19 cases in the eastern states. This makes any travel plans outside W.A. risky. Australians can’t plan overseas trips either. When we return from anywhere outside our state, we need to quarantine for two weeks.

Perth across the Swan River.

This has resulted in a boom in travel within W.A. We have no travel plans for a few months but many West Australians have flocked to coastal resorts. Cafes and restaurants are full. We’re able to freely visit the cinema, Fringe Festival events and shopping centres. Social distancing is evident but not always enforced as in W.A. we have been Covid free for over 200 days.

Rottnest Island, everyones’ favourite island holiday destination.

January and February are very hot months here. Activities centre around the river, pool and the beach. Light food and casual clothes rule. Thongs (flip-flops) are popular!

AUSTRALIA DAY

Australia Day is celebrated on the 26th January every year marking the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British ships to arrive at Port Jackson in New South Wales. It’s a public holiday in Australia. Four out of five Australians consider this an important day of celebration, not just a ‘day off’. Over 16 000 immigrants choose to become new citizens on this day every year.

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10 Things to do in York, Western Australia

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York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia. It is situated on the Avon River, in the wheatbelt. York has been recognised for it’s important buildings with Historic Town Status. Established in 1835, the area was important for cattle, sheep and wheat, sandalwood harvesting and goat, pig and horse breeding. York now attracts visitors for its buildings, festivals and fairs.

It’s an easy 90 minute drive from Perth to York on good roads. The forecast temperature was 35°C so we left Louis, our dog at home and took hats. I’d made a list of things TO DO and it was easy to complete the list. York is a compact town with many interesting things to see and do with guided walking and cycling maps available at the Visitor Centre.

One of the most interesting aspects of the townsite is the hotels, homes and shops. You can drive around the streets of York and admire the architecture. Most of the houses are privately owned and many have been carefully restored and maintained.

10 Other Interesting Things to do in York

1. VISIT MT. BROWN LOOKOUT

We started at the Mt Brown Lookout to put the town into perspective. Standing here we could view the York townsite and across the Avon Valley. The lookout is a short drive from the town.

2. GALLERY 152

The York Botanic Art Prize 2020 Exhibition of the Finalists is what originally motivated us to go to York at this time of the year. Usually we’d wait for a cooler day so we could walk around the town, enjoying a slow look at the old buildings and parks, especially along the Avon River.

The Gallery has an exhibition area, a gift shop and a cafe all housed in a beautiful old building with outdoor eating areas. The York Botanic Prize, the current exhibition, featured paintings, prints, jewellery, ceramics, pencil and photographs all based on local wildflowers. There are regular exhibitions throughout the year. We enjoyed the coffee there, too, despite the slow service! I think they forgot our order.

3. THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE

The original suspension bridge crossing the Avon River was built in 1888, but was totally renovated in 1988. It’s a bit wobbly but fun to walk across.

4. THE YORK MOTOR MUSEUM

The Motor Museum, established in 1979, is in the main street. There’s so many exhibits, plan to spend quite a bit of time here. There are motor cars, motor cycles and pedal cars. See cars once owned by the rich and famous, land speed record breaking cars, vice regal cars, racing cars and old and rare cars. Knowledgeable staff, too.

5. COURTHOUSE COMPLEX

The Courthouse Complex is a collection of colonial buildings also in the main street. Construction began in 1852, prompted by the need uphold colonial law and order. See the lofty court room and the stark prison cells complete with graffiti and other archaelogical finds.

6. PENNY FARTHING SWEETS

A shop full of old fashioned sweets. Intriguing for young and old. Delicious finds. We weren’t the only adults gleefully recognizing old fashioned lollies and buying childhood favourites, too. Also in Avon Terrace, the main street.

7. THE YORK TOWN HALL

The imposing Town Hall, built in 1911 and renovated in 2000 also houses the York Visitor Centre. Here you can collect maps and local information. While you’re there, enjoy the imposing Hall. Go upstairs for the best view.

8. THE YORK RESIDENCY MUSEUM

The Residency Museum is currently closed for renovations. It is undergoing remedial works to strengthen the building and chimneys against earthquakes and other natural disasters. It is expected to be open again in July.

We have visited in the past and hope it retains many of the displays we saw and enjoyed. This included displays about the Aboriginal people in the area and interactive displays for children.

9. THE PARISH CHURCH OF HOLY TRINITY

The Holy Trinity Church of York was consecrated in 1858. The tower plus other additions to this beautiful building were added between 1891 and 1905. There’s an Alfred Pearse pipe organ and windows designed by well known West Australian artist, Robert Juniper.

Across the road is the Holy Trinity Rectory, although only the kitchen remains from the original building.

10. THE FLOUR MILL

Now housing antique shops, crafts shops and bookshops plus a gallery and cafe, the Flour Mill was built in 1892. It played an important role in a region well know for its wheat and grain exports. Milling ceased in 1967.

We ate lunch here at the Mill Cafe. There’s indoor and outdoor seating. The Visitor Centre has a list of the cafes and restaurants and their opening times. We ate here as we met my brother and sister in law for lunch and they’d eaten there before. Very generous sized meals!

Near the Suspension Bridge along the Avon River is the Avon Pioneer Park, with picnic facilities, public toilets, a barbecue area and really interesting looking play equipment. There’s easy parking available. We found parking easy everywhere we went in York.

There are many shops housed in the historic buildings along the main street, Avon Terrace. There’s intriguing antique shops and second hand shops, plus clothes, furniture and craft, a supermarket, a chemist, a Chinese restaurant, a vet and the amazingly tempting sweet shop. There’s several old hotels on street corners, many with restaurants, plus several cafes. The sporting club also has a restaurant.

The Visitor Information Centre can help with accommodation and there are many options online if you want to book somewhere to stay. Enjoy your visit!

Apparently, yesterday 21st January was Hugging Day. I think every day should be Hugging Day!

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How To Avoid Food Wastage

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Wasting food is throwing out food. Apparently, in Australia, it is estimated 330 kg per person is thrown out every year. (here) This creates two problems: firstly the wasted resources in producing the food ( water, labour picking, packing, transporting the produce, marketing and advertising, selling, money used buying it ) and secondly, landfill and the resulting methane.

About a third of all food produced in the world gets thrown out. This results in 8% of global greenhouse gases and costs our economy $20 million a year. We throw out 7.3 million tonnes of food a year or one in five bags of groceries. So every fifth dollar spent on food goes into the bin.

www.environment.gov.au

How do we avoid over buying food? Generally food planning or menu planning is recommended. The internet is awash with lovely looking meal planning pages and clever tips on using everything. I’ve tried to use them.They tend to be very attractive. It just doesn’t work for me. I am the planner in this household. I know what is to be used and when it needs to be used. We rarely throw out food and usually shop once a week.

My own system works because we have a stock of salmon, white fish, chicken and beef in the freezer and rotate as the mood takes us. We talk about what we’re cooking for dinner then put that to thaw in the fridge, if needed. This is supported by a weekly purchase of fruit and vegetables plus frozen vegetables, too. We go to a green grocer who only sells seasonal produce so it is well priced and fresh. We regularly eat the same sort of things for breakfast, such as fruit, yoghurt and toast, and the same sort of things for lunch, too, as well as leftovers.

We share the cooking. My husband prefers cooking steak or fish and adding vegetables. I usually get inspired after I’ve checked what needs to be used or what is available. We have a well stocked pantry and buy fresh bread every two days. I make my own rye sourdough.

I really dislike wasted food. I can turn leftovers into frittatas, souffles, pies, pasta sauces, fritters and soups. We always have eggs and stock, both frozen homemade and bought. Having fresh herbs growing in the garden adds flavour and interest. Neighbours happily share fruit from their lemon and kumquat trees and we have a lime tree.

Today I wanted to use some chicken from the freezer. I have had a post-Christmas clean out of the fridge. I like to make recipes which result in two or three meals for two people. The recipe I’ve made is loosely based on Jamie Oliver’s CHICKEN CACCIATORE. I used

2 small brown onions
1 tbspn crushed garlic
250gm smoky bacon
large sprig rosemary
650gm butternut pumpkin/squash
1 jar tomato pasta sauce
4 large chicken breasts
8 large olives

Normally I would add mushrooms but I didn’t have any. I also added 4 anchovy fillets because I usually do, but this recipe did not include them.)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 170°C/375°F. Peel the onions and cut into eight segments. Put into a hot, oven proof pan with a splash of olive oil. Add the garlic and the chopped bacon (pancetta is better, but I wanted to use up the bacon) and the chopped rosemary plus the bay leaves. Cook for about 10 minutes. Stir regularly.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the pumpkin/squash into bite sized pieces. Add the chicken to the pan and brown , turning it regularly. Add the pumpkin and the sauce. Fill the tomato pasta sauce jar ¾ with water, shake with the lid on, add to the mixture. Add more liquid (water, wine,tomato juice) if necessary. Toss in the olives.

Bring to a simmer, put the lid on and put it in the oven for an hour. Season. Remove bay leaves. Serve with vegetables, rice or bread. SERVES 6.

I’ll freeze a third of it and we’ll eat the rest for two dinners, once with bread and once with vegetables.

Some food scraps can be regrown, such as celery and bok choy, or fed to worms or the compost pile. I do not make compost, I make evil smelling muck, so sympathize if this is a problem for you, too. I do not dig scraps into the garden beds either, as this would encourage the river rats who need no encouragement.

Effectively storing all food requires preparation and organization. There’s plenty of information online about what should go in the fridge and what should go in the pantry. If it seems you wont be using what you’ve bought, freeze it or cook it and freeze it. Having a stock of frozen ready to thaw, heat and eat food is very handy for busy days. Or days when you just want to sit and read.

Avoiding single use plastics can also require some planning. Glass dishes with rubber or plastic multiple use lids are good. Some people rave about bees wax wraps. They can be added to the compost when they reach the end of their lives. I just don’t like them! The ones I tried come off in the fridge regardless of how carefully I wrapped and folded and tucked the edges under the container. I use silicone multi-use covers. I’ve been using the same ones for over two years, but they cannot be recycled. I also use hotel shower caps for bigger bowls! Just rinse and hang over a tap to dry, reuse. I like being able to easily see what is in the container.

We use this size glass dish often for cooking. Leave the leftovers to cool then add the lid and put the dish in the fridge, easy.

Silicone, stretch and seal wrappers, work really well for us. These are about two years old.

Storing leftovers so they are immediately visible when you look in the fridge is a good reminder. I know someone who has a special shelf where only leftovers can be placed. Someone else puts things needing to be used on the shelf at her eye height, right in the middle.

Fittingly, January 13th is Organise Your Home Day. How you do that is your own business! January 15 th is Strawberry Icecream Day, so that might be easier to celebrate.

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Do You Make New Year Resolutions and the Vikings

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The New Year has begun with far less fanfare than usual, but also with the fervent hope an effective CV-19 vaccine will become widely available.

Do you make resolutions? I asked around and most people want to lose weight, exercise more, earn more and declutter. Wistful comments, too, about traveling to see family or just traveling.

I want to lose more weight, too. Last year I lost a lot of weight but want to lose a few more kilos. My nutritionist talks about “set weight” and ignoring the number on the scale. She advises being happy with how I feel, consider my blood results and ease at buying clothes, but I’ve cruised along at this weight for a few months now. I feel ready to get going again.

Part of my plan was also getting fitter. I’ve worn a Fitbit since 2013 and increased the number of daily steps every year, plus done yoga for the last few years. Last year I added Pilates but the research suggests 3 hours of intensive exercise plus 150 minutes of gentle exercise (fast walking) a week is necessary for peak health. Bit overwhelming. Any clever ideas?

Earning more money is interesting. There’s so many sites online about saving money so maybe a balance between earning it and spending it is best. A friend of ours was bemoaning his lack of money. He was quite frank about his income so I was surprised he had no savings. We discovered he pays $130 more a month on a phone plan than he needed to ( $ 1560 saved over a year). He could save another $1200 this year by not buying a new model phone and using the existing one for another twelve months. Comparing prices and bundling the two insurance policies he has could save nearly $600. And so it went on. He was worried about spending $5 a time on coffee but meeting friends and chatting is a big part of his life. Save in other areas.

Decluttering is a bit of a challenge. I think I’m very sentimental, so keep baby teeth, old photos, loving handwritten messages, gifts from special people that I don’t really use, family pieces passed on to me and so it goes on. Do I need 23 vases? I use them for different arrangements at different times of the year. Needs more work.

So, good luck with your plans for 2021. I think many people have reassessed what really matters to them during last year and will maintain changes for a more simple, less frenetic life.

THE VIKINGS

Warriors of the North, Giants of the Sea

The Vikings: Warriors of the North, Giants of the Sea at the Maritime Museum in Fremantle, features the largest collection of authentic artifacts to come to Western Australia from Denmark. Developed by the National Museum of Denmark, this exhibition depicts the lives of the Vikings as warriors, traders, farmers, engineers, shipbuilders and seafarers.

The women are portrayed as artisans, fearsome matriarchs, warriors, traders, caretakers and explorers.

When discovered and explored, a burial site in Birka, Sweden was thought to contain the remains of a warrior, his weapons plus his two horses, one bridled for riding. Further investigations revealed the body to be a female, estimated to be 30 to 40 years old at death. Both Icelandic and Norse sagas and some medieval legends refer to shield maidens, females who wielded weapons and fought in battles.

Weapons included shields, spears, swords, axes and bows. Chain mail and helmets apparently were seldom worn.

Replica of Arabic gold dinar 800-1000 CE

Mount of Anglo-Irish origin 700-900CE

The bronze belt buckle is of Irish-Anglo origin 700-900CE

Stirrup and Bridle. These artifacts date back to the 7th century.

Intricately decorated stirrup iron. Everyday artifacts featured beautiful engraving.

This is a replica of the Cammin Casket c. 1000 CE

Gifts played an important role in trading relations between European and Scandinavian rulers. Until World War 2 this wooden box covered with thin, carved sheets of elk horn and gilt bronze bands was kept in the Cathedral of Saint John Kamién Domolski in Poland. It then disappeared. The original box was probably a diplomatic gift. The style of the box suggests it was made in the late 10th century.

The Åby Crucifix and a Victorious King

This crucifix was made about 1000 years ago from gilded copper plates on a wooden base. Christ is shown as a triumphant warrior, eyes wide open, a Viking moustache, noble robes and a crown.

Terminal from a harness bow depicting an animal head. Norway 900-1000 CE. The jewellery and every day metal pieces are intricately decorated and very beautiful. Unexpected levels of detail and fineness.

I also wandered upstairs to look at the re-enactments and other crafts associated with Viking life. The fine linens and woven wool in the costumes are apparently accurate replicas of found objects. So too were the clasps, buckles and broaches. The basket weaving, long bow and arrow activities and metal work were all interesting.

This exhibition is at the Maritime Museum in Fremantle until May.

Did you know January is BRAIN TEASER MONTH? So gather up your crosswords, codeword puzzles, sudoko, logic riddles and enjoy! All you need is a puzzle that needs some thought to solve.

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The Week Before Christmas

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giftboxes with shortbread and chocolate ginger

Lots of lunch catchups this month so I’ve made giftboxes with shortbread and chocolate dipped ginger as little Christmas presents. I added the gorgeous 3D birds because they are so pretty.

These gorgeous birds are from here. I printed off these Blue Bird of Happiness images and glued them to brown paper to make the finished bird a bit stronger. They are small and fiddly and took ages to cut out. I used a craft knife where possible and small scissors for the other bits. They look great but I don’t know if I’d do it again. It’s too busy this time of the year!

I have been using this tatty template for years. It began as a download from a long forgotten source but over the years I have modified it to suit my needs. There are many similar templates available online. I glue the printed side of the template onto the gift wrap I am using to make the gift boxes as the fold lines are still apparent. This way the inside of the finished box doesn’t really show the printed lines. I fold the lines using an old school ruler, and that works well, but a boning tool would be good too.

Completed boxes and the little cellophane bags of shortbread and chocolate dipped ginger.

The finished boxes ready to give to friends this week.

I dipped pieces of crystallized ginger into melted 90% cocoa chocolate using a skewer. Left them to set in the fridge, peeled them off the baking/parchment paper and sealed them in little cellophane bags. Tried not to eat too many. Very, very delicious. These I added to bigger bags of shortbread I’d also made that morning. Both went into the gift boxes.

Then I began on cellophane wrapped bowls of shortbread, rum balls and chocolate ginger for our very special neighbours. These pretty little bowls are fine to take up and down the street but the lighter boxes are easier to carry to lunches.

Gifts for neighbours.

two book reviews

One of the good things about being away was time to read without the distraction of jobs that need doing at home. So I have read two books, both thought provoking.

The first is journalist Frank Langfitt’s ‘The Shanghai Free Taxi, Journeys with the Hustlers and Rebels of the New China”. He writes about his time in China in Shanghai 2011-2016. We also lived in China during the time of his earlier posting in the late 1990s. He lived in Beijing, we lived in Guangzhou.

To talk to locals and really understand their beliefs about modern China, Langfitt offers free taxi rides, not just within the city but also carrying people to weddings and other celebrations in far away provinces. He assumed everyone talks to taxi drivers and his premise seems to work. He is fluent in Mandarin and also has an interpreter with him.

Conversations cover wide ranging views of modern China, the difficulties created by leaving family behind in their villages and finding work in fast moving cities. Many people not only leave their parents and extended family for 12 months at a time, only returning, if they can, for Chinese New Year, but they also leave their only child in the care of family.

This is a thought provoking book. The author compares Chinese beliefs and political systems of America and China and relates this to various conversations in his taxi.

The goals of modern China result in frequent change. Wide sweeping, interesting and sometimes hard to believe how people in China still live and the rules they must follow but always very readable.

The second book is JD Vance’s ‘Hillbilly Elegy, A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis’, an autobiography about growing up poor in Kentucky. I think of an elegy as a sung lament. This account is certainly a lament, but also a call to action.

A member of a sprawling, under educated family group, Vance writes eloquently about his multi partnered/married Mother and her battle with addiction, his grandmother and her belief in him and the ever present violence and poverty. These are the problems facing all under educated children in all first world countries, not just America.

Poor nutrition, unstable homes, school systems with few expectations of student achievement and casual violence is self perpetuating. Vance, who regularly lives with his Grandmother, hasn’t done well at high school and signs up for the Marines. The discipline and expectations of the Marines shows Vance possibilities away from Middletown and the future there.

Through hard work and observing how other people live plus support from the Marines, Ohio State University then Yale, Vance becomes a lawyer. Completing the course requirements was not easy as his Grandmother, his chief support, dies during this time and his Mother succumbs to drug addiction again and becomes homeless.

A testament to human strength and determination, this book has been made into a film of the same name showing on Netflix. The film cannot convey the shocking deprivation Vance describes in his book which should be a set text for every politician and educator.

the summer garden

This hippeastrum flowers for months at a time.

Lots of flowers on the passion fruit vines, so lots of fruit to follow, I hope!

Glorious hydrangeas.

As this very strange year draws to a close, I keep hearing people saying they’re having a low key Christmas. Big family gatherings and all out partying sit uncomfortably with the events of CV-19 and this year. We too have planned a small and fairly quiet Christmas. My Mother and our son are staying with us. I’ve cooked a ham and roasted a turkey breast and we have a cassatta in the freezer and a Christmas pudding, too, but mostly we will eat simply and be grateful for the company of family and for good health.

Merry Christmas

and Best Wishes for a

Happy New Year!

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Fine Bone China, Spring Flowers, Grazing Platters and a Book Review

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fine bone china

This is my ever growing collection of fine bone china mugs. I generally drink double espressos, so about 150ml of coffee, and I really like drinking from these mugs! They are illustrated with rollicking and frolicking mice and are a pleasure to use.

I first discovered Anita Jerman’s whimsical designs years ago when my son gave me a card featuring her Two Bad Mice design. He was attracted to it initially as the mice are very similar to ones I’ve been drawing for years. Loved the card and my first Two Bad Mice 300ml mug followed. These fine bone china mugs are hand decorated in Staffordshire, England and portray the mice involved in everyday activities, such as eating cake (Sugar Mice), painting (Art Club), shopping (Retail Therapy) , frolicking with the butterflies and flowers (Urban Jungle) and enjoying each other’s company (For You)

The thin lip makes these mugs lovely to drink from. They are illustrated on the outside and the inside and there’s always a little message at the bottom, to entertain you when you’ve drained the last drop!

spring flowers

This has been a bumper year for all the spring flowers in Western Australia. The roses have been blooming like mad! Some of these are from my Mother’s garden and some are from our garden. The flowers at the back are alstromerias which grow year after year and would happily inhabit the entire garden. They need to be kept firmly in their assigned bed!

grazing platters and a bed bowl

I can’t remember what we called platters of finger food before they became grazing platters. Surrounded by bowls of other finger friendly foods, the platters are an easy way to entertain. I made these as it was my husband’s turn to host his book club this week and the focus is on the books, so easy to handle food is essential. Nothing hot or fussy, just tasty, easily picked up, finger food.

I place various cold meats and cheeses, a soft, a firm and a blue veined, on the platter, then add quince paste ( plus fig and walnut paste this time), strawberries, two types of meat and a variety of crackers. I put a tub of hommus or dip in the centre of each platter, too. Other bowls held cherries, blueberries, cherry tomatoes, cashews, olives and more crackers. Add side plates and napkins and the food is done.

This morning I finished reading Ian Rankin’s latest book, A Song For The Dark Times in bed, before I got up. The minute I put it down my husband picked it up and didn’t move for a long time. I made him tea and took him a bed bowl, a little relative of the grazing platter, involving cashews, strawberries, cherries and blueberries with some crackers. He’s not a big fan of cheese, which is good, as I’m happy to eat the leftovers from the previous nights feasting. Bowls are easier than flat plates for eating in bed.

reading

This book is about planning and building affordable energy efficient and water wise housing. Many of the tips are relevant to existing houses and also a good reminder about doing easy things to use less water and energy.

Josh Byrne is a presenter on Gardening Australia, a weekly gardening program on television. He is globally recognised for his research into efficient use of water and energy. His ideas about using main stream builders and materials to create efficient housing make his recommendations affordable. The process he describes for choosing where to build and how to build is easily understood and often thought provoking.

Byrne shares ideas about monitoring the ‘effectiveness ‘ of your existing house and also how to maximise these aspects in new builds. Each of the eight chapters encourages consideration of each step in building, renovating or just refining current aspects of your house to make it more efficient.

An interesting book, full of information. As usual, I borrowed it from the library. A quick search of your local libraries online catalogue will reveal many books about making the most of your local environment and living more efficiently.

Some saints

December 4th is Saint Barbara’s Day. Venerated as an Auxiliary Saint or Holy Helper, she is the patron saint of artillerymen and miners. In more recent years her authenticity was considered questionable and she was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969.

December 6th is Saint Nicholas Day. Saint Nicholas, a Greek priest was a Bishop in the early Catholic Church. He gave up all his belongings to follow Christ. He gave freely to needy people, but especially to children. He was well known for throwing gold coins into the windows of poor homes. St Nicholas became part of European culture.

In the 1800s, in America, Saint Nicholas began to evolve into Santa Claus, but gold coins, both real and chocolate ones still feature for many children at Christmas, a remnant of Saint Nicholas’s kindness and charity.

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Working, Decorating and Cooking and Eating

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I have been working for the past three weeks. I worked as an invigilator or supervisor for final year secondary school exams. This year has been very different for all schools and especially disrupted for final years students.

We have been very lucky and safe in Western Australia. Until recently, the hard border isolating WA from the other states of Australia meant our only CV-19 cases were people returning from overseas. These cases were managed with well organised quarantine arrangements. A range of assessments will be considered for university entrance to reflect this disruption.

Starting on Wednesday I am back to my usual occupations including Pilates, Mahjong and Yoga. Working is stimulating and satisfying but returning to my usual day to day activities is relaxing . Well, Pilates isn’t relaxing, but I’m sure it is good for me!

advent calendar

When our son was little we had a lovely fabric Advent Calendar with numbered pockets. These had tiny boxes of Lego, gold coins, chocolate treats and other toys tucked into them for him to discover as we counted down to the Big Day. We have no need of an Advent Calendar now, but I couldn’t resist this wooden house with it’s tiny drawers. The inside of the drawers is painted red, which I really like. Slowly filling them with grown up treats such as chocolates, messages about fun things to do each day including special walks for Louis, the dog and some lottery tickets. Christmas is different when there are no small children visiting.

framing botanical prints

The prints framed.

The rather gorgeous print from KMart and the newly framed botanical print.

My Mother gave me these two prints, a tulip and a hippiastrum (amaryllis). I paint botanical water colours and have done so for years. I was going to frame these in Ikea frames but the dimensions just weren’t right for the size of the prints. Walking through KMart I saw a gorgeous floral wall print but what really attracted me was the dimensions of the frame. It was perfect for my botanical prints! Bought two. Then I pondered for ages about mounting boards. Eventually I decided to try doing that myself, too, and bought some heavy (300gsm) Arches Water Colour paper. It is thick with a slight texture.

The dimensions of the frame with this art print were just what I wanted to frame the botanical print.

Positioned the print and then measured the area to cut out. Ruled the lines, used a trimmer to remove the centre piece then used UHU glue to adhere the print to the mount along the top.

Removed the original staples along the sides and base, but re-used those along the top. I didn’t remove the top ones but simply tilted the backing board, inserted the newly mounted print and pushed the backing board back into position within the frame. I had no way of re-stapling, so I used tape instead to secure the backing board.

Repeated for the second print, which was a bit faster to do as I knew what I was doing this time!

afternoon tea and DINNER

These chocolate strawberries are a new favourite. Strawberries are plentiful now and although melting the chocolate takes a while the actual dipping process is fast and easy. When all the strawberries have been dipped I put the tray in the fridge for a few hours before serving. They are proving to be very popular and pretty, too. Search for an online tutorial.

An early afternoon tea so I served light, easy finger food. This was almost “finger” dessert! Apart from chocolate dipped strawberries, there’s Christmas cake, ginger biscuits, some bought Italian biscuits and Turkish Delight, crystallized ginger and chocolates. Quick, easy, delicious.

Tray bake dinner with sautéd cabbage. The butternut pumpkin “chips” were partially oven roasted, then the broccoli was added and finally, for the last 20 minutes, the salmon fillets. Drizzled with a marinade of 2 dessert spoons of mirin, soy and maple syrup with a generous squeeze of lime juice. I turned the fillets after 10 minutes to crisp up the skin.

The chopped up cabbage is pan fried in butter and when the edges start to brown or caramelise, I add a generous splash of Apple Cider Vinegar and let it all cook until the liquid has evaporated. Good grating of black pepper finishes it off. We really like cabbage cooked this way.

Using the same pan I cooked the cabbage in I roast some sesame seeds to sprinkle on the salmon to serve.

This will make two dinners for us as I will cook more vegetables to add to the leftover heated salmon and pumpkin chips. The remnant marinade keeps the salmon moist when reheating.

November 18th was World Princess Day. I have no idea how a princess celebrates her special day, but it did remind me the next series of The Crown has started. So have many articles disputing the accuracy of the events portrayed. It seems this series is loosely based on historical events, many occurring within living memory and open to interpretation depending on your political and social affiliations. This is a drama production, not a documentary.

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Sewing a Fish, Mending, Recycling, Celebrating and Growing

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SEWING a FISH

Our son has this gorgeous ceramic sardine shown above. Inspired by blogs written by Ann Wood (here) and Kate (here), who have both been making stitched fish, I gathered the materials to make a Christmas ornamental fish, too, based on this ceramic sardine.

I cut a pattern from paper, following Anne Woods template, but later I modified the fatness of the body to better reflect the shape of the ceramic sardine.

Sewed the fish pieces together, eventually. Went upstairs to my sewing machine and discovered it wouldn’t work. Baffling as I’d used it last weekend without any problem. Fiddled about but made no progress so went looking online. Thank you to all those wonderful sewers online who have written about solving problems with sewing machines. So helpful! I finally solved the problem and sewed the fish, leaving the tail open to stuff it.

Stuffed the fish with polyester wadding, poking it in with the scissor blade, then hand sewed the end of the tail. It could have been machine sewn, too, but this was just as easy.

Started pinning on pieces of ribbon, leaving enough on the middle one to create a hanger. Hand sewed the ribbons on when I was happy with their placement. Added a bead to make a hanging loop on the longer, middle ribbon then worked on the face. Tossed up between button eyes, as on the two blogs I refer to above, or sequins, which seem shiny and more fish like. Although I had lots of buttons to choose from I thought they all looked too big. The only sequins I could find looked strange, too, so I ended up stitching the eyes in place.

My mother harvested anything reusable off worn out clothes, including hundreds of buttons. I now have those jars of buttons. Looking through them was quite nostalgic as I recognised some from my childhood clothes.

The finished fish, ready to hang.

PERSIAN CARPET REPAIR

Running up and down the stairs, trying to get the sewing machine working meant I saw this chewed Persian carpet again and again. It’s not new damage; it’s the result of Louis teething one day when we were both at work six years ago. I’d done a temporary repair a few years ago but actually sat and fixed it properly today. Lots of stitching and trimming and eventually the edge is secure but a little misshapen. Louis lay next to me watching carefully. Such a help.

The finished repair. I used embroidery thread and some wool to secure the frayed edge.

MINIATURE PICTURE and EASEL

Last term our painting tutor gave us each a tiny canvas and easel to create our own miniature. She has a collection of traditional miniatures and some she has done herself. I painted a bird in a bird cage hanging from a branch. It was all right but not great. Time to repurpose the little canvas and easel.

Went looking for something to cover the painting and add interest to the little collection sitting under masses of pink roses.

Printed off a pretty peony image and glued it to the canvas leaving lots of paper to fold around the edges. I used Mod Podge to glue and seal the image. Smoothed the front and left it to dry, then folded and glued the edges. I cut the surplus paper from each corner to create a sharper edge, then glued them down, too.

Much prettier. Don’t know how long it will last before I want to change it again but for now the pretty pink peonies work well with the masses of pink Pierre de Ronsard roses I’m picking from the garden.

JACARANDA DRIVE

This time of the year the jacaranda trees are in full bloom. Heavy wind and rain has resulted in less dense flowers but I still really enjoyed driving around the older river suburbs to enjoy looking at the trees. My mother, who went to school in this area, remembers planting the jacarandas on Arbor Day. They are very beautiful.

CELEBRATING

Celebrated my birthday last week. Birthdays seem to come around rather too quickly these days. Way too many candles for my lime tart, but loved these number sparklers. Reminded me of Guy Fawkes night, which was such fun when we were children but was banned in Western Australia in 1967 to prevent personal injury and bushfires.

Our son came down from Kalgoorlie for the weekend and we celebrated my birthday by going to yum cha, one of our favourite family foods. We hadn’t been to the yum cha restaurant since early this year due to CV-19 concerns. We wont be going again for a while, either, as our hard borders came down last Friday night, allowing Australians from most other states to return or visit. Unfortunately the first plane load of visitors came from South Australia where there had been an unexpected CV-19 hotspot. We now wait to see if this means we now have active cases in Western Australia.

GROWING and PICKING

Cut the cos lettuce, washed the leaves and picked them over to remove any discoloured ones, then patted them really dry on a tea towel.

Planted a punnet of cos lettuce about two months ago and have begun eating them. Today I made a Caesar salad, without bacon as I didn’t have any left. Some recipes use anchovy paste in the dressing, I use finely chopped anchovies in mine. This is a classic salad using cos lettuce and tasted very good. A simple family lunch with cold roasted chicken, baby romano tomatoes, potato salad and the Caesar salad.

Friday November 13th was World Kindness Day. Well, that was easy enough to celebrate, wasn’t it?

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Should We Eat Quinoa plus Chocolate Strawberries, Christmas Cakes and Remembrance Day

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THOUGHTFUL EATING

Disrupted food distribution this year has highlighted the amount of food Australia exports and imports. We have benefited from local asparagus, prawns, cherries and crayfish being readily available at good prices. A lot of our seafood, harvested from clean waters, is sent to Asia. But what is more disturbing is the amount of imported food we have and the impact of that on the countries producing these foods.

Earlier this week I was reading Nat Locke’s Opinion column in The Sunday Times Magazine (8/11) and was reminded of some of these imported food facts. Quinoa, that beloved superfood, has been eaten by the indigenous people of Peru, Chile and Bolivia, Argentina and Ecuador for thousands of years. The Western passion for this seed has driven up the price to the point where the locals can no longer afford to buy it. It is cheaper to buy junk food. Land used exclusively to produce quinoa has eliminated diversity and totally changed the diet of these people.

Keen on coconut milk for your curry, as a plant milk alternative or protein ball snack? Well, much of it comes from Thailand where monkeys are captured in the wild and forced to pick thousands of coconuts a day. Training a monkey to pick coconuts is a brutal process, too. Milks from Brazil, Colombia and Hawaii are usually harvested by tractor mounted hydraulic elevators or humans on ladders. Check the label then look online for more information.

There’s a problem with almond milk, too. Eighty percent of the world’s almonds come from drought-ridden California and require enormous amounts of water to grow. On top of that, we should consider the carbon footprint involved in getting them to Australia. Look for almond products from Australia. We now are the second largest almond grower in the world.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRIES

I’ve been working all this week and felt pretty time poor but also wanted to make a little treat for a dear neighbour to celebrate her birthday. Strawberries are plentiful here and I had some 80% cocoa dark chocolate in the cupboard so decided to try making Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. I’ve never done this before but found easy directions online.

While I waited for 150gm of broken up chocolate to melt over boiling water I gently washed and dried a punnet of strawberries. I made sure the boiling water didn’t touch the bowl with the chocolate. Stirred regularly. When the chocolate was melted, I simply dipped the strawberry, using the stem as a handle, into the hot chocolate and rotated to cover it evenly.

I allowed a brief drying time then set the strawberry on a sheet of baking/parchment paper on a baking tray. Some sat well on their tops, some leaned against each other and some fell over, but they all set well.

I left them in the fridge to firm up until that evening. I made a little “bowl” using the saved lid from a cardboard cylinder. I lined it with paper towel, arranged the dipped strawberries then tied it in cellophane. Added a rose to the ribbon and took it next door!

Leftover chocolate and another punnet of strawberries became my husband’s dessert that evening. I reheated the chocolate in the microwave, firstly for 30 seconds and then for 20 and it was perfect.

Quick, delicious and pretty. And fairly healthy, too.

CHRISTMAS CAKES

The fruit for these cakes was put to macerate in brandy mid October so it was time to make this year’s Christmas Cakes. Fruitcakes seem to divide the masses; some people love them, some people don’t like them at all, but most of us really, really like them! Soaking the fruit and then making and storing the cakes to mature is very much part of my family’s traditional Christmas planning, a tradition which may die with our son who doesn’t like fruitcake at all.

I use a double layer of thick brown paper and then baking/parchment paper to line the cake tins. This ensures slow, even cooking of the dense cake mixture. The almonds are blanched, ready to decorate the top of the cake along with some glacé cherries. In the past I’d roll out and carefully apply a layer of marzipan over apricot jam topped off with a thick layer of white icing. So much fiddling, so much sugar. My mother always decorated with almonds as we had an almond tree in the garden, and now I make a pattern of almonds and cherries pressed into place before the cakes go in the oven, too.

All held in place using one of my favourite tools, pegs! They are removed after the first spoonful of mixture holds the paper lining in place.

Mixing, enjoying the scent of brandied fruit, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, almond essence and vanilla essence. We both made a wish, then into a slow oven for about three hours.

Left the cakes in the tins in the oven until the oven was cool and then put under a tea towel on the bench to completely cool overnight. Slow cooling prevents cracks on the top.

In tins and into the cupboard to mature. A little drizzle of brandy every few days adds to their richness.

REMEMBRANCE DAY in AUSTRALIA

On the 11th of November Australians commemorate Remembrance Day. This day has been observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of WW1. At 11 AM on 11th November 1918 the guns on the Western Front fell silent after four years of continuous warfare.

Since 1920 Australians pause at 11 AM for one minutes silence to remember those who have died in all conflicts and peace operations around the world.

In Perth the official Remembrance Day service is held at the War Memorial in Kings Park, high on the escarpment above the City. Buglers at each main intersection in the CBD sound out The Last Post in synchronization with the Kings Park bugler just before the Minutes Silence. When I was a small child all the traffic halted and men stood to attention with their hats off and in classrooms the children all stood by their desks. World War I touched Australia in a way that our other wars haven’t. Nearly all our fit men aged 18 to 40 went, so almost everyone’s grandfather and father was an ex serviceman. Red poppies have been a symbol of commemoration since 1920. Poppies were the first plants to bloom on Flanders Field in Northern France and Belgium.

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