Art for Heart's Sake

Brrrrr.... Yippeee!!! Now If I Can Just...

.... keep my feet warm in the farm shed!!  It's a rather chilly morning - it started at about 3.9 degrees C and then the cloud came over!  The sun is trying to peek through now and then but not very successfully.  I, for one, adore cold weather but the one thing I struggle with is keeping my slim French feet warm.  I have two pairs of socks (one wool, one not unfortunately) in my gumboots but my feet are still frozen in the farm shed.  I don't have any pure wool socks of any description, silly me I fear!  I think I'm going to have to invest in a pair of possum ones.  Let's face it, if my feet are cold, I'm cold!

I'm madly pricking out seedlings at the moment and then I'll sow some seeds.  Things have definitely slowed down growth-wise but I still need to keep sowing things to keep up a small supply of everything over the winter.  People that have raised vegetable gardens tend to plant all year round.  

I'm not sure whether I'm going to plant anything else in the kitchen garden or not.  I have quite a lot of things planted and I've staggered them so they ought to give us a supply for quite a long time.  One slight hitch is the soil temps will be dropping rapidly now so the things I planted a week or two ago may be quite slow!  I might have to go and give them a warming talk!

I phoned the vet clinic this morning to let them know about Chester's seizure on Saturday night.  They agreed that it could have been the smoke and the high pitched occasional beep of the smoke alarm that could have triggered it.  Nevertheless we need to keep an eye on him for the next 2-3 weeks in case he has another one.  If so, back to the vet and possibly a higher dose of meds which is NOT ideal because he's already on a high dose.  Fingers crossed, please keep strong thoughts!  It does take some of the  joy out of having a dog especially as he developed epilepsy when he was just over 1 year old!  Crikey.

Well I'd better get back out to the farm shed!  Hear that feet... beware!  Giggle.  Smiles..

Hi, oh boy am I glad it's Sunday because it means yesterday is now behind us!!  What an evening we had.  As I mentioned we had a near-miss fire - I can't believe I turned the wrong element on.. crikey!  Here are a few more details.  I put on an element on the stove to heat some pasta water... I was in the bedroom helping John sort out some clothes when we both smelt something. At first we thought it was the bedroom bedside lights because it was a sort of electrical smell. We checked the plugs behind the bed (no mean feat because bed frame weighs a tonne!) the John suddenly said ''is something on the stove''... I ran to check and oh my lordy yes... smoke pouring from the silicon handle of the wooden spoon I'd been using to stir the sauce. I quickly dumped it in the sink pouring cold water over it and turned off the element (yes because I was sidetracked and tired I'd turned on the wrong element). A thick layer of very acrid smelling smoke at ceiling level throughout the house that we hadn't seen in the bedroom! All doors and windows thrown wide open but both of us inhaled quite a bit of that smoke.. yuk!! Our smoke alarm hadn't warned us it was out of battery and yes it didn't go off!! Needless to say today John bought a top quality new one! Those of you who know me, know how petrified I am of fire.... I'm still shaky!! 

To top things off not long after that Chester had his first epileptic seizure in almost a year!!  We're not sure if he was triggered by the upheaval or the high pitched beeps from smoke alarm when we got it going again. Either way, I was howling tears... I cannot handle him fitting at all....he was SO unsettled afterwards, after a bit of growling and demonic barking. Hope he doesn't have another one anytime soon or his already high meds will have to be increased. Poor dog and wish I could handle it better.... I just get so upset.

Needless to say I'd well and truly had enough of dramas!  I managed to pull myself together and we enjoyed the pasta bake I'd made.  I can't say I slept very well (didn't on Friday night either) though.  I woke up in the middle of the night and started thinking about Chester.  I SO wish he didn't have epilepsy, it's just so horrible.  Still, it is what it is and we just have to deal with it.  I need to find a way of coping with them - it's just my ''need to fix everyone'' soft heart that means I completely freak out!

On a brighter note, it's stopped raining - we had around 80mm, that's over 3'' which is AMAZING!  Everything is pretty squelchy underfoot though so I'm ''pussyfooting'' around when I go out to the tunnel house or to the chook house in the paddock.

I'm in the farm shed doing some pricking out at the moment (well not while I'm typing this, giggle).  I know, I know, I'm not meant to be working during the weekend but I didn't get time to do any pricking out on Friday pm so I NEED to do it today.  I'm not doing all of it, just the ones that are slightly too tall, or will be by tomorrow!  Back to it I must go!!

Please universe, no dramas today!  Smiles..

Hi there, a super quick post because dinner is almost ready.. we had a fright tonight.. our smoke alarm didn't work when I was busy helping John sort out clothes and unbeknownst to me I'd turned on the wrong element resulting in a very acrid smoke producing handle of a silicon handled wooden spoon! Crikey we thought it was one of the lights in the bedroom because it kept getting stronger. Needless to say a new and better smoke alarm is on the shopping list first thing tomorrow! Must fly to get dinner which luckily wasn't ruined. Gave me the fright of my life I can tell you!! Smiles... shaky ones!

A Busy But Great Day!

Hi on a rather chilly Friday evening.. brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  Since I've been doing ballet I've lost a few kilos and I can tell you I am noticing it now that the weather is getting colder.  I love this weather but oh boy I need some REALLY warm layers!  I only have long sleeved cotton t-shirts and one very thin merino top that I put over them.  I do have a lovely old pure wool jersey (jumper) of John's that I wear only around the property too.

This morning I felt very virtuous because for the first time EVER I started a batch of Mum's butterscotch biscuits at about 7.40am!!  I measured all the ingredients that go into the pot, brought them to the boil and then left them to cool until I got home from ballet class (which was just wonderful) and had lunch.  They are now baked after adding vanilla extract and sifted flour and we had one each for afternoon tea!

Just after I finished baking them I shot next door to do one hour's gardening and then was home in time for an appointment we had here with someone.  Needless to say by the time they left my feet were FROZEN from sitting at the dining table.  First thing on my shopping list tomorrow is a pair of slippers!

Well I'd better go and check dinner.  Big smiles...

My Motivation is Hiding!

Hi, it's lunchtime on Thursday and I've been struggling to find my motivation all morning!  It all started when I woke up and heard fairly heavy rain on the roof.. what????!!!!  I love it but I had it in my mind that I would garden at my neighbour's for an hour or two this morning, then work on some tags before going to ballet class via plant delivery at Bay Landscapes.   The rain stopped fairly shortly after that but then we got 2-3 HUGE showers of rain that lasted quite a while, by which time the thought of gardening just didn't thrill me, especially as everything is so wet.  

I have managed to do some work on some tags but at the same time I was feeling guilty for sitting in my studio instead of being in the potting shed or somewhere.  Crikey, I need to get over this feeling because while I am in my studio I'm WORKING, not just playing.  I have to get that through my skull!  

Needless to say since then I've been trying to settle to SOMETHING, ANYTHING but to no avail.  I think it's time I went and got some lunch and then I'll have one hour or so before I leave.  I will FORCE myself to do SOMETHING in the farm shed then.  Humphhhh...  giggle.  Smiles..

Squelch, squelch!!

Hi there, it's Wednesday pm I've been squelching around the property after rain off and on since yesterday late pm.  I have just finished pricking out some broccoli seedlings.  My seedlings' growth is slowing down now as we head into winter so not everything is ready to be pricked out at the same time.  I have another 21 punnets that have sprouted but aren't quite at the right stage yet.  I grow one type of broccoli called ''De Cicco'' that has a main head, then side-shoots and this particular variety always has very tall seedlings so I have to prick them out before they get their true leaves (i.e. while they are still just seed leaves).  This isn't ideal normally but I am incredibly gentle with them and if they get any taller they are almost impossible to get into the punnets of potting mix without damaging their fine stems.

I have some flower seeds to sow this pm too.  I've found it a bit hard to get motivated this week for some reason.  

Yesterday I had a very busy but lovely day.  I played hooky from my seedlings and tags and really enjoyed the screen printing class I did in the morning.  I did two tea towels - one with swallows on it (my favourite!) and the other with several fleur de lis.  I still need to heat set them with an iron but as soon as I have I'll take a photo for you.  From there I went to ballet practise which was just lovely again and then home via Bay Landscapes.  

Back to the farm shed I must go while I still have the remotest amount of motivation!  Crikey!!  Smiles..

My ''White Ghosts''!

Hi, I have a REALLY busy day today so I thought I'd share some photos of the ''white ghosts'' in my kitchen garden.  Yes, you guessed it, it's my Pukeko-protected vegetables!  

This morning I am rushing out the door to go to a 2.5 hour screen printing class.  One of my friends is taking a course at a delightful ''Old Post Office'' in a small settlement about 15 minutes drive from here along one of my favourite country roads that we join at the end of our road.  It has lots of gorgeous corners and I love driving it.  There was an opening in the class just for tomorrow so I thought I'd have a go.  I remember doing screen printing when I was at school and loved it.  I will be going from there straight to ballet practise, possibly in a bit of a rush (hoping to be able to scoff some lunch at some point because I can't dance on an empty stomach!) then coming home via Bay Landscapes.  I'll leave home around 9.30am and get back at about 4-4.30pm, pant, pant!

Here are the photos for you.  Smiles..

Sometimes I Just Have To....

.... take a moment to soak up the pure joy that is our property.  Needless to say I ADORE where we live even though the weather could be more exciting!!  A day doesn't go by when I don't almost literally pinch myself because we have a 3 acre (or thereabouts) paddock that we can wander around when ever we like.  Our trees are well-established and forming copses now, plus the grass in the paddock is 1,000 times better quality than it was when we moved in 11.5 years ago!  Crikey, it's been that long.

Yes we have traffic noise from the coastal highway that is 250 metres from the bottom of our driveway but we also have incredible birdsong that fills the air all day, every day.  The traffic has increased A LOT since we moved here but there is nothing we can do about that.  We are also only 10 minutes away from Richmond where we do most of our shopping and 25 minutes from the gorgeous city of Nelson so what more could we want really.  Oh yes, I know, MORE CHANGEABLE WEATHER!  Giggle...

This morning I've gifted myself some time in the kitchen garden and I'm about to plant our garlic, plus some more broccoli to make up for the ones the rotten pukekos smashed to smithereens.  I'll sow some flower seeds this pm too.  My seedlings are growing more slowly at the moment so I don't have anything to prick out today.  I'd say it might be about Thursday before I'll be doing them.  Hence my gift of some time in the kitchen garden.

I did something completely mad (well for me anyway) this morning - I made pumpkin soup at 9.30am!!  This is unheard of!  Needless to say I'm looking forward to having some for lunch.  I'm going to be doing a 2.5 hour screenprinting course tomorrow, screen printing two tea towels.  A girlfriend of mine is doing a several week course but they suddenly had an opening for tomorrow so I said I'd go.  It will mean a rush from there to ballet practise but it was too good an opportunity to pass up.  I'll take some soup in a flask because I'll have to gulp on the run.  I can't dance on an empty stomach that's for sure.  

Well back out to the garden I must go.  It's a beautiful sunny but chilly day.  It was 2.6 degrees C at 5.30am this morning so our weather station told us when we looked at 7am!  Crikey, yes the cooler weather is here, bliss!!  Smiles..

It was Scrumptious!

Hi, oooh my hot pot was absolutely scrumptious last night.  The lamb was 'melt in the mouth' and the vegetables tasted divine!  Needless to say we ate the lot!  Tonight we're having roast chicken, roast potatoes, roast pumpkin, peas and home-made gravy.  Yummo!  As you can tell when the colder weather hits I start thinking about warming food!!  The idea of a salad just doesn't cut it somehow.

Today we spent more time sorting out the foliage etc from the eucalypts and then at lunchtime we decided to go out to our local mega hardware stores after treating ourselves to a shared plate of nachos at a local pub.  I hardly ever eat those and yes I feel piggy now especially with a roast for dinner.  I'll have to dance harder on Tuesday at practise!!

I bought another three aluminium hoops that make up a ''cloche'' complete with frost cloth so I can plant some more broccoli to replace the ones the pukekos ate yesterday.  I'll take a photo of all the white ghosts in my kitchen garden tomorrow for you (i.e. covered vegetables!).

Well I'd better phone Mum and type her weekly letter for her.  She sends a letter to the family and has done for as long as I can remember.  When I was a child she used to sit and type it on a manual typewriter with carbon copies that were then posted to everyone.  She eventually graduated to an electric typewriter and then finally to a computer which she gave up on when she was about 86.  It just got too much for her so I offered to phone her and type her letter each week, emailing it to everyone.  

More tomorrow.  Smiles..

Eucalyptus Foliage Chopping!

Hi there, it's Saturday evening and I have a Philippa-style ''Lancashire Hotpot'' in the oven as we speak.  It's been slow cooking since about 2pm and looks amazing!  There is nothing like a slow cooked meal to make you feel warm and homely especially after a day of fairly hard work!

This morning we started tackling the huge piles of large branches etc of the eucalyptus trees that were felled last weekend, using loppers to cut off the top foliage and putting it into a huge pile ready to mulch when we hire a mulcher.  We have one but it crushes things and is totally pathetic and doesn't handle eucalypt foliage at all well so no point in using that!  John was using his small chainsaw to cut up some big branches and make room so I could reach the smaller branchlets that I could cut with the loppers (they cut up to 1.5'' wide or so), flaming hard work though.  I get really irritated when I realise I'm not strong enough to cut past about 3/4''!!  Bah!!

We have made a dent in the debris thank heavens.  There was a moment this morning when I think we were both thinking ''oh my word we will NEVER get there!!  One thing about me, I'm an incredibly determined creature and when I set my mind to doing a task I do it NO MATTER WHAT.. sometimes to the detriment of my small frame!  When I think my legs and feet are now very precious because I do ballet and don't want to stop, it does give me pause for thought sometimes.

Well I'd better go and check dinner.  Smiles..