Fridge defrosting ice sculpture

Every three or so months I need to do this.

It's not so bad.

Using early season basil

Bruschetta in the making

Lamb Chops for Mia

Mia missed out the other night when I cooked for a bunch of mates. Not tonight, though.

Haloumi on Light Rye with a little Avocado

Fermented Red Cabbage with Chicken Pie and Avocado

Fermented Red Cabbage with eggs

Fermented Red Cabbage

Forget me not?

Haloumi

Halloumi, in that magical moment before it's time to turn.

Summer is on the way

I love this time of year. I think it's called an urchin cactus but every year I get at least one flower and it tells me that summer is on its way.

Ripstick gave us value for money

When our oldest boy was about 9 years old he out laid a huge amount of money for a thing called a RipStik which was a self propelling skateboard.

13 years later and after our youngest son using it like crazy, the toy finally gave up the ghost. But boy did we get value out of it.

Such an unexpected win.

Homemade minestrone!

How good is this! I bought a roast chicken the other week because Sylvia put it on the shopping list and sure we've had chicken breast for sandwiches and salads all week but the leftover bones and bits ended up being a stock this morning.

And then I thought to myself "what should I do with this stock?"

After finding a recipe for minestrone I spent a little while putting this together and I have fantastic ready to go lunch meals for a week or so.

I love cooking.

Back in the bumnuts business

When the weather gets cold, the chickens tend to either spend all their energy in metabolism - keeping warm - or growing feathers. But at some point in winter they are all feathered up and go back on the lay. And I think we are back in the eggs business again.

Rats or Birds?

I have mandarins getting eat out on the tree. I'm wondering if it's rats or birds. But on second thoughts it may be possums. I think we have more possums than either of the other two.

Crumpets on a cold morning

Simple things are good.

Poeached eggs are bullshit

Everytime I try to do poached eggs I get caught up in all the randomness. You have a saucepan full of boiling water and put your eggs into it and you scoop them out and that's all meant to be good?

Perhaps, but man there is so much left to chance. But maybe that's the point of it. I did wondrous then and man, everything went wrong.

But then I had some toast and My Egg was there and everything was ok. So maybe poached eggs aren't bullshit and it's just about technique and appreciation.

Where's the pork?

When you leave a piece of meat to settle there is an undeniable mark left behind. I will enjoy this pork chop.

Where's the pork?

When you leave a piece of meat to settle there is an undeniable mark left behind. I will enjoy this pork chop.

Drying figs

I've never done it but this is worked very well.

Stripped foliage. What the hell?

I've been blaming my chickens but I came back from 3 days away where the chickens have been locked in the shed the whole time.

And the rockmelon seedlings that had some nice big leaves on them - well no leaves anymore.

I am not sure but I think it might be rabbits possums or koalas that are terrorising my vegetable garden at the moment.

I hate my chickens sometimes

Sure they give me lovely eggs and I like the way they free range and keep them millipedes and earwigs down.

But the destroying of my rockmelon plants - not so much.