Cookies for a homecoming

November 25, 2011 at 12:26 am (Recipes)
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Dada had been away for the week and it has certainly had its ramifications. I am always amazed how the addition or removal of one dynamic in the family changes ALL the dynamics. We have all been a little topsy-turvy of late. No doubt when Dada comes home this evening there will be another period of transition as we adjust to him being around again. A transition period I welcome with open arms! To celebrate him homecoming I have baked chocolate coconut cookies. They are simple to make and very, very sweet. A bit like a coconut rough with some more sugar added. I wouldn’t recommend them unless you have great self-control, as they are quite moorish. I will endeavour not to cook them too often…. oooh but they are GOOD!

Thanks to Amanda S who passed on the recipe:

3 Cups Coconut, 1 Cup (or one tin) sweetened condensed milk, 2 Cups coarsely grated chocolate ( I use extra DARK), 1 teaspoon Baking powder.

Combine all ingredients, roll into balls ( this bit is STICKY!) place on lined tray. Bake at 150 c until slightly tinted. About 10 mins. Cool on tray.

Easy Peasy!

Look out, these are addictive!

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November 18, 2011 at 3:29 am (Family Life, Gardening, Musings)
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The wee gardener

We are gardening full swing! It’s been a delightful mix of sunshine and rain here in Tasmania- perfect for new shoots. Even the seeds that I have kept in the cupboard for far too long have pushed their way up through the soil to take in the lovely weather. We marvel at their tenderness and strength and hope that we too will be strong enough to grow and produce fruit. The children are always so astonished to see the change from seed to leaf. It really is a miracle that happens there under the warm soil. How does this dormant shell know when to burst forth? There are some things in this world that science can explain, but will never really know.

New shoots are always so encouraging

These little shoots bring me hope. They remind me that sleeping things can wake and grow, and things that appear stagnant can change and bring new life. I hope the same can be said for me…

 
The new shoots have also tempted the wildlife to come to our garden. Big Wallaby has been visiting every morning and lying in the sun by the woodshed. She doesn’t seem phased when we all troop out the front door and load up the car beside her. I guess experience has told her we mean no harm despite our noise.  Spindle the echidna tromps across the lawn in the twilight and sometimes first thing in the morning. Eat! We love that you tidy up the Jack Jumpers for us! And our friend the possum, (whom we grow all our vegetables for), had the hide to try and get in the loungeroom window last night. You’d think breaking into the vege patch would be enough of a thrill, but no! There is nothing like scraping crumbs off the drawing desks. Does anyone know how to teach sharing and manners to possums. I’d be happy to let him in the garden if he would leave some things for us.

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Praise God for goats!

November 10, 2011 at 1:59 am (Family Life, Fun, Gratitute)
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Saponifying! What a groovy word.

We will be clean for a whole year at this rate. I have just finished my second batch of goats milk soap. Although poor Milky the goat has passed on, her legacy of lovely soap lingers. ( I am thankful for the freezer which has stored barrel loads of her milk til I could face the stinky soap making process!) One hundred and fifty-three bars later, we are elbow deep in moulds and can rest until it is ready to cut. Thankfully by the time the children come home from the pool the vapours will have blown away in the warm wind. Tomorrow I will cut and rack it ready for 6 weeks of drying before storing it (or giving it) all away.
Aside from the smell, it is quite a nice process. Slow and steady, rhythmical. Stirring and measuring, humming and pouring. I have tried adding a few different ingredients this time. A bit of lard from Graeme and Sheree’s pigs, a dash of oats, some delicious scents. I had a bit of trouble using the lye calculator on the net…(google soapcalc) It is very straight forward, but I don’t use water to mix the lye, just the milk, and I couldn’t see where to put that in the calculator. So I took an educated guess and erred on the side of caution. Anyway, no explosions occurred and everything looks smooth and creamy, so I can’t have faffed it too much! It seems to be such a delicate art in all the book recipes, but my own recipes are always a little bit haphazard and they still seem to work! Maybe the goats milk is the key. Any soap is a good soap with such a heavenly ingredient… Praise God for GOATS!

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Great day for washing

November 7, 2011 at 11:03 am (Family Life, Fun, Gratitute)
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Great day for washing!

Such glorious weather we are having! We spent the weekend in the garden planting and weeding, raking and cleaning. The girls ran around under the sprinkler which we put on the roof of the vegie patch. We watered the plants and provided a great deal of entertainment at the same time. It is definately spring time. There is so much industriousness (is that a word?) going on in our home. Everything is being washed and aired and refreshed.

Sweet smelling dust baths for the chooks

It was even time for the chickens to have a bit of a spring clean. We mucked out their yard and put all that good soil into the garden beds. Replaced all the perches, put new straw in the boxes, and made some deliciously sweet smelling lavender ash to sprinkle through their dust baths. The “ladies” have painted feet and loads of scraps and are obviously feeling pampered because for a small brood, they are producing lots of lovely eggs. We may even take a page from Soulemama’s book and make them some bunting in celebration. I so love the springtime. Praise God for all things green!

 

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