Pumpkin stuff

School holidays weren't the creative, relaxing time I had been looking forward to. I got a couple of sleep ins but four kids from 2-14 and a few wet days thrown in had me at the end of my tether in the first week. I really tried but to be honest the "red head" drove me nuts! I kind of snapped out of it though as I listened to reports about the world food crisis. My silly middle class problems are nothing.

I did a bit of Therapy:
Overdue harvesting, planning to put mustard and cleome in along the fence as catch crops in spring, the neighbours trees suck all the nutrients there anyway.
I love all things pumpkiny.Sorting and tidying always makes me feel better.

Pumpkin and poppy seed bread. Seeds harvested from the garden.

I've resolved to do a better job with my seed saving after the rain nearly ruined my cannelleni and berlotti seeds. Besides you never know when you'll seriously have to feed your family from the garden. Practice makes perfect.

Pay it forward

Okay, so I’ve pledged to Jasmine that I would play along.
First 3 people to post a comment and pledge to pay it forward will receive a handmade pressie from me sometime in the next 12 months.
BUT
You have to put the same post on your blog and send a pressie to the first 3 people to do the same on your blog. ETC etc etc.
SO…if you’re want a pressie from me, leave a comment.

My downshifting week is not perfect but the effort is being made.
* I cooked a meal from scratch with ingredients from my garden and am trying to keep it up all week. So we'll be vegetarian or I might make bacon bone soup from pigs my Dad raised, I think that counts as downshifting cos they're not from the supermarket.
* I gave away some re usable bags, used mine twice but forgot them once. Still want to make and give some more.
* Harvesting and storing things from the garden, more on that later in the week.
* The TV went off but we didn't play scrabble we read instead.

To really be a genuine down shifter I feel like I shouldn't be using the car. Until I manage that I have to admit I'm not being a true down shifter. We only live 8km from town so I should at least bike once in a while.

Here is Skatey Boy's recipe for downshifting week:
Fruit smoothies
Makes enough for 5 glasses

Into your blender put 3 cups of berries and a cup of fruit juice. We used raspberries and blueberries we froze earlier in the season and the last of the fresh strawberries. Peel 2-4 fejioas and add them too. Bananas could be substituted but fejoias taste beautiful. Ice cream can be added but we think it's better without.
Whizz it all up and pour. Easy and delicious.
Check out Homemade Rainbows for more downshifting activities

Downshifting

Response to comments from my last post. The Giraffe pattern is from Kate at "Two Little Banshees" Check out her blog or Esty shop. Adorable softies and bags!
The Softies book I featured is a collection of blogger's patterns. I first saw it in the Motueka Public library and immediately ordered a copy for myself and a friend. It doesn't give an author. Rather says Viking an imprint of Penguin books, It's just titled "Softies". I love blogs but am totally addicted to books. Before I had children I spent at least 2 hours a week in book shops. Now I'm lucky if I get 2 hours a month. Every now and then I treat myself to a special book. Hope you all still do the same.Look at what I got in the mail from Helen this week. Buttons, fabric, artwork and collage cards which made my day! I really admire Helen's craft work and poetry. I've already sent one card off as a thank you to a friend and am on the look out for old books and magazines to do some card collages with the kids this holidays.
As of today I'm on two weeks holiday, THANK GOODNESS! I hope to use the time to be a good friend and to participate in International downshifting week. 19th -25th April. I've started by donating some bags of pre- loved clothes to the Sallies today. I'm going to cook a meal for my Mum for her birthday on Sunday instead of buying a present.I'll make pumpkin soup from ingredients I have in my garden except for nutmeg and cloves which I can't grow, on Monday night we'll turn the TV off and play Scrabble instead. I'm going to sew some fabric shopping bags to give away to encourage friends to stop using plastic ones and when I shop I'll remember to take mine from the car into the supermarket. I hope every one who reads can make some conscious effort this week as well. If nothing else plant some winter veges, try spinach, brassicas, lettuce or peas.

My best garage sale find in ages. A lovely big crock in perfect condition. My Aunty use to do salted beans in hers, I'm just displaying mine in the entrance so I can enjoy it as I come in and out. $5. For once I bet the dealers to something great.
I've been doing a little bit of everything in the last few weeks.

Got loaned this great book written by Paul Moon who spent a good deal of time talking to an old Maori Tohunga (Shaman/medicine/spiritual man). It offers a spiritual or traditional approach to gardening in N.Z. Things which really stuck in my mind were saying a prayer before working in your garden to rid yourself of any negative energy which you might pass onto your seedlings and veges. Also the traditional way of community gardening which I think people are beginning to move back towards. As people garden together they share their knowledge, pass on their traditions and strengthen their community. In Hohepa Kereopa's old community they all planted the crops together, then at harvest time the person who travelled the farthest got first pick of the crop while the plot owner got last, but when it was their turn to travel the farthest they got first pick. The book has information about traditional planting methods, including for Kumara, native medicinal plants and flax weaving traditions. I was inspired by it because I have real hope that we can create communities that care about each other and the land.From another book I've been making a few Softies. I'm enjoying doing a bit of hand embroidery but was very frustrated at myself and Mum for not knowing how to do a simple French knot despite having a diagram and instructions right in front of me. I'm one who has to be shown. He still looks good even if he hasn't got french knot nostrils.
Other sewing attempts have been disastrous so I've been sowing seeds and making compost instead.

Gardening and sewing

We've had beautiful autumn rain this weekend, I bet there are mushrooms popping up everywhere today. I have been pulling out tomatoes, beans and weeds. I uncovered the blueberries that had got a bit neglected in the last few months. I'm going to mulch them well with bark chips off our firewood. Hopefully this will give them a head start for a good crop in spring. I love autumn, getting the garden tidy again and noting what worked and what didn't over the season. I definitely planted too many tomatoes closely together. I think the lack of air flow made them go brown and mushy too quickly and it was too difficult to harvest them without standing on other plants. They did work well in this spot though and like to be in the same spot each year so that's easy for next year. Also they enjoyed being inter planted with beans, peppers and basil. Never really got on top of the stink bugs but in pulling out beans and weeds I'm destroying alot of their habitat for now. I intend to plant much better catch crops at opposite ends of the vege patch next year to try and keep them away longer. I noticed mustard and brassicas going to seed attracted them well.

I like the way the brassicas behave themselves in the garden, they don't wander all over the place and grow nice and fast keeping ahead of the weeds. I planted them a bit early though as some are already ready to eat. (Should get some more in) I've got spring onions, celery and peas companion planted with these and my colony of paper wasps are doing a pretty good job on the cabbage white butterflies.

Yesterday was productive. The market season is over so I sewed the "red head" some pairs of winter jarmies he's pretty pleased with them.I even sewed for the" teen" and the "skatey boy". Teen lost his pencil case last week, he was very cheesed off to have lost his beloved scientific calculator and highlighter pens and I was cheesed off to have to go and buy more. He really surprised me saying yes when I offered to sew him a pencil case. He complimented me by suggesting I make more to sell. Skatey boy nagged until I made him one too.

Plain gray denim, a coloured zip, matching top stitching and their name sewn on with my lovely new (pre-loved) Bernina.

Hope every one else had a lovely weekend.

Four things

Sally Ann tagged me awhile back to tell "four things". I was too busy with the Easter Fair preparations to do it at the time but I've been looking foward to it cos it's my first time being tagged.

Four movies I'd watch again

Shrek 1 and 2

Finding Nemo

Ice Age

Land before time

( I know I'll watch these again cos the "red head" watches these when I sew. We love the songs in Shrek)

Four places I've lived

Augathella, Australia

Masterton, NZ

Motueka, NZ

Queenstown, NZ

(wishing that read a lot more exotic)

Four TV shows (i'm embarrassed) I watch

Shortland street (I yelled at the TV the night Joey died)

Survivor - it gets worse.......

Americas next top model ( I'm cringing at what this reveals about me! My friends think I have the TV viewing maturity of a 16 yr old)

And because I'm a farm girl at heart Country Calender.

By the way don't ring me when any of these are on cos I won't be listening to you.

Four places I've been

Farewell spit

Fox Glacier

Castle point

Adelaide

Four people I email

Workmates and family who'd kill me if I named them here.

Four things I love to eat

Woodsmoke marinated mussels

Feta cheese

White bait

Anything from my garden especially pumpkin

Four places I'd rather be

In my garden

At my Grandmas house (now sold)

"Upperhale" the farm of my childhood

Motueka Valley River ( it's magic)

Four things to look forward to

Changing seasons

My children growing and being happy

Knitting shawls for my grandchildren

Living on a farm

Four people to tag

Anyone who wants to.

Two totally unrelated photos from our ramblings in the native bush

Do you see the weka?

Fresh breakfast

I was in a weedy, seedy part of the garden this morning because I needed bay leaves for dinner going into the slow cooker. Right over in the back corner of my garden I noticed my breakfast sitting waiting for me. (No I don't eat spiders) About half a dozen big figs, what surprised me was the fact the birds had not beaten me to them and that they were not at all dry given the fact they had no extra water this summer. Hooray for home gardening.

I have been chopping into that big fabric stash this weekend some beautiful wool fabric that was going to be trousers has become two new bags. It's got me thinking of appliqued cushions too. No time this week though. The teal coloured one with the odd design is supposed to be a paua (abalone) because the lining is the lovely paua print I won from Sally Ann. Here's where I should link to that. Sorry off to sew.

Collecting

Helen's collecting post looks like fun. L and I are collectors too, except our collections tend to turn into clutter!

Collecting now:
seeds and plants,
cook books ,
baskets,

kitchen stuff,

flowery fabric,
paisley fabric,

old bags,
Enid Gilchrest books,
thimbles, darning mushrooms and pin cushions,

teacups and flowery china,

our family stuff - bibles, postcards, pictures, stories, wedding dresses, baby clothes, books



Things we collected in the past and I'd love to get rid of: (L won't let me!)
Old tins,
old toys,
old sewing machines,
old cameras,
old pottery,



Things I'd love to collect more of:

1920's dresses and purses,
Floral teapots
vintage baby clothes
more family stuff, especially secrets!

heirloom fruit and veges

The bag goes to...

Shaken round in my peg basket, congratulations Helen.

Bags available for sale at Mapua Easter Fair and maybe online later in the year if I can get organised enough.

2008 Harvesting

The last two days have been lovely. I'm beginning to think staying home in the garden all day would be the best way for me to keep my emotions on an even keel because I feel relaxed and satisfied after doing it. It is hard to see all the goodies in the garden as they are getting overtaken by weeds and seeds but I know where to look and was thrilled to find all these chillies, tomatoes and peppers that were red and not rotten hiding under the rampant growth in the tunnel house. Now I just need to make the right contacts to be bartering these goodies with. When I was a teenager there was a green dollar system set up here in town. Wouldn't it be great to be able to use your sewing, baking and gardening skills to pay the plumber, Dr, mechanic etc. I suppose it would be a nightmare to administer and before any of you suggest it, no I'm not up to it at all!Look at that though, real milk with inches of cream on top. Guess what I bartered for this? Live rats! I know! Brilliant!

Keep the comments coming below to be in for a bag, remember to add your name/contact. I'll draw it sometime on the weekend. I'm quite excited.

Belated 100th post giveaway

I'd been looking forward to doing the 100th post giveaway but when I looked I was up to 105. I've really enjoyed sharing my garden, crafts and family challenges benefiting alot from the feedback I've been receiving. Bloggers are a great bunch. My favorites make me laugh, make me think, and inspire me often. Thanks so much.

The top bag is my current favorite and if I didn't already have about 10 bags I'd keep it for myself. I'd love to give it away instead of selling it. The handles and contrasts are made of leather, the fabric is old curtain fabric and it has a simple pocket inside. The bottom one is also old curtain fabric, another favorite because of the colours. I'm offering it as a vegetarian option cos I know not everyone approves of leather. (I use leather that would otherwise be going in the landfill though) The middle one I would have loved when I was 18 cos purple was my favorite colour, orange is now.
So please post a comment weather you've commented before or not. I'll draw one winner and they can pick the bag they like best. I'll send anywhere in the world.

Just words for now

I'd prefer my blog to be a positive place that's why I havn't been here I guess. I've been away from my computer concentrating more on my kids who are missing their Dad and giving me a hard time. It's a real challenge not to snap back at them, we're all tired.
My beloved Bernina broke last week too, in the middle of the "Taste Tasman" sewing frenzi and a trip to the Bernina fix it man in Nelson only made me want a new Bernina which can sew leather without a walking foot. Dreams are free or so they say.
I'm making retro jam instead of sewing.
And I am celebrating the small triumphs. The "red head" has finally decided to do no. 2's on the toilet instead of on the grass or the carpet in the sunroom.. Yeeee haaaa fourth child nearly out of nappies!! I'm certainly a long way from where I began washing square naps in a stream whilst living in a 12 metre house bus on the West Coast.
-Slowly remembering to count my blessings.

Days like this.

A peaceful day was had here until 3 o'clock. I've been sewing for the Murchison A and P show. (remember plenty of water middle of nowhere) A and P shows are pretty old fashioned community shows. All ther farmers bring their best animals to be judged and the housewives bring their sewing, knitting, baking and bottling. When we were kids these were the best events of the year and now I quite enjoying entering, bit of a competitive spirit I guess. Murchision has a great selection of catergories and stiff competition. So here are a couple of entries from me for this year.

The same pattern as the skirt I showed a couple of weeks ago, except I sewed this one really carefully and hemmed it by hand.

These softies took most of the day to complete giving me new found respect for toy makers and the price of handmade toys. PJ came in from school while I was stuffing them and immediatley claimed the one on the left so the other one will go to the show. The pattern came from a new book in the public library simply titled "softies" and most of the patterns are from bloggers! Pairie mouse contributed the monkey and some other patterns in the book which I might just have to buy for myself because I don't want to give it back to the library.

Anyway as I was saying life was great until 3, I had watched Dr Phil and was feeling all calm and inspired to be a thoughtful Mum but dispite my best efforts the kids were determined to be grumpy and horrible all afternnon, grumbling and fighting til about 10 minutes ago when I sent some off to bed and some to have showers and do homework. I'm missing my partner, I havn't got anyone to back me up when I have afternoons like this. To top it all off, now instead of conversing with bloggers and searching for the ultimate piece of fabric on "Trade Me" that everyone else has over -looked, I will go and fold washing among other boring household chores and put myself on auto piolet til the weekend as the diary this week is full of things I don't really want to do but feel I have to. See you on the other side. (of the week I mean)

Remember fingerknitting?

I have offered PJ crochet, knitting and crafting oppourtunities alongside me for years but I'd completly forgotten about fingerknitting. She's acting like I do when I've got a craft project in motion, can't put it down and showing everyone. My neighbour who has three girls taught her how to do it yesterday and there has been a fingerknitting frenzy here since then, see the pile growing next to her. It's exciting to see her enjoying crafting stuff as much as I do!! I might have to keep an eye on my stash of wool though.

Beach bag.

The big kids have been away with friends this week so the two small ones and I have developed a routine that suits us all perfectly. Housework, sewing, knitting, gardening or visiting in the mornings. A wee nap for the children after lunch and the reward for not teasing or yelling at each other during the day is a trip to the beach about 10 mins from home. It's working so well I wish summer holidays could go on for weeks. Today I set about making myself a bigger beach bag, I was getting sick of carrying about 3 bags and one toddler down to the shade. It's big enough for towels, clothes, toys and food with 3 pockets in a row for keys, phone etc.

Watch this space for a bag giveaway soon.

Our water

I know I've posted pumpkin pic's before but I just love their form. This one is my favorite to eat called "Marina de Choggia" absolutely delicious to roast or make soup with.
Immature butternuts, can't wait for them either!

Another great thing about pumpkins is that you don't really have to water them once they're established. Water is so precious here at the moment, our area has water restrictions in place and even though we had a bit of rain recently our bore ran out of water in the weekend sending me into a panic and then a bit of a tantrum at L to get the plumber in immediately. We held off until this morning though, the plumber had to blast out our well to unblock it and lengthen the pipe so hopefully that will do the trick. He did advise us to start saving to put down a new well. Yet again I feel frustrated that the local council and government don't give loans or subsidy's to install rain water tanks, solar power etc. SURELY it would be a good investment in the future. L and I are not at all in the position to install a rain water tank or sink a well. I did suggest we have a hose going from the washing machine straight to the garden, in fact I even tried stuffing a garden hose up the outlet pipe myself but the pressure just blew it out. L replies with lots of reasons why things can't be done (I know there must be a cheap way). I shall just have to carry on with the bucket line up for now. Lucky a lot of the garden just needs to ripen now so will not need too much water. At the height of my tantrum (picture 34 yr old pouting and stomping) I threatened to put the house on the market and look for one in Murchison. (plenty of water, middle of nowhere)

Old shed pics

Our old sheds.

Playing with black and white.

Wind and rain

We got our much needed rain today, a great excuse to do some sewing. Usually when I make things for myself they're too big or too small but this skirt was spot on. I only got the fabric yesterday, in a previous life it was a halterneck dress that didn't suit me at all. I over- looked it at first but when I didn't find any other goodies I bought it for $4. I'm so glad I did now cos I have heaps of tops it will go with.
I have to keep myself busy during storms because high winds really freak me out, the wind blew over my sunflower house and 3 out of 4 plots of corn but every thing else survived and is looking much better having had a good drink. I was very relieved when it stopped blowing that all our old sheds still had their roofs. I finished sewing up a woolly vest for the "red head" pity it won't fit him till he's four. That will teach me, I'm always too impatient to do a tension square.

Sunday afternoon

The setting was beautiful...We found a lovely spot in the shade and relaxed for the afternoon. The red head took the photos. I gave him the camera in desperation after he kept running off to the huge water slide. He is going to be a metal head I think, he rocked with his one fingered air guitar when young local mettlers were on. I just like people watching, can't help giggling at some peoples dancing but admit I'm too chicken to get up any more. Love seeing what people are wearing, came home with some ideas!
Enjoyed music by AJ.

I've been lurking around other blogs and not showing much energy or commitment to my own. I had a scary virus for about 2 weeks which made me very dizzy and tired. It freaked me out alot as I was on my own, thought I was going to fall, hit my head and die. I missed the usual sewing frenzy in the week leading up to the Pokororo fair but decided to go anyway as I felt slightly improved the day before. HUGE mistake, I arrived and set out my somewhat depleted stock while using every ounce of concentration not to fall over. There was a happy ending though, I went home to bed while a friend and my teen took over at the fair. It took 3 visits to the Dr. over the two weeks to determine that I was just suffering from a virus. Mum came over and cared for the kids while I lay on the bed imagining brain tumors and obscure diseases. Thank goodness it's over. Made me think though that I might have too much on my plate, I came very close to resigning from my job and am kind of hoping a clear path for the future will appear this year. I do tend to let fear of change stand in my way a bit.
Using the fence line for fruit: grapes, nectarine, nashi, raspberry, sunflowers, elderberries.

The garden is going nuts in the hot dry weather with lots of seeds and fruit swelling. Autumn and winter crops are being sown and I'm getting the urge to save things for winter. I made a start on the preserves with raspberry jam and plum sauce because they're easy. I've been rummaging at the recycle centre for jars and bottles while being easily distracted by wool and fabric of course. With L away I'm doing less craft work though, I need to spend quality time with the children. This weekend we're looking forward to the Peace festival being held at Riverside community.

My partner L now lives and works 3 1/2 hours drive away from us coming home for three day weekends. Because we're all in summer holiday mode it hasn't really sunk in yet as the kids and I are sleeping in, going to the beach and spending time with friends and family. I have noticed I'm alot more tired. I didn't really give L much credit for doing stuff around the house but have certainly noticed the subtle ways in which he helps in his absence. He's happy in his new job and hopefully the family (mainly me) will adapt OK. I think I may have to concentrate less on my hobbies and work though as the kids will only have me to turn to. I am a bit nervous as to how this whole thing will turn out. For me having alot more money doesn't necessarily mean being alot more happy, in fact I think it may turn L into a carbon omitting consumer judging by his weekend spending spree. He doesn't get it though.

Life in the backyard on the other hand carries on as it always has. Beautiful poppy seed heads ripening, promising delightful little black seeds for topping bread and baking.
Garlic drying well in the hot weather. Enough here for the family, pets, seed for winter and some to barter or sell.

This plant is new to me a friend gave it to me for Christmas she calls it "lambs quarters". Apparently the pink powdery leaves rub on as a pretty eye shadow or lipstick. I love new plants and this one is fun.

One more thing we had a killer hedgehog! One morning I went out to feed the chicks and found one with it's head eaten off. My thoughts were cats or stoats, but my neighbour popped her head over the fence later and told me her husband had heared the chooks making a commotion in the night and shone the torch over the fence, where he saw a hedgehog in our chook run chasing after the chickens. The next night he caught it after his chooks and did something very not Buddhist with a nine iron!

Celebrating summer

Rush, dig, rush,

chooks in the garden,

visitors coming,

kids hot,

floor dirty,

garden wilting,

sew, smile, sew,

plums saucing,

2am,

jam making,

water low,

garlic plaiting,

breakfast, lunch, dinner,

sandcastles,

sunblock,

chardonnay,

cultivating:

family ties and friendships.