Family visits

Its been much of the same this week and I wonder if anyone really wants to hear about it. But Tuesdays when bub is down to sleep is my time to bring it together for myself to acknowledge what it is I have achieved through the week. I don't tell all (almost sounds naughty), but the highlights - if you can call them that, keep the motivation and persistence in myself to head into another week of life at home with 3 under 5 and a never ending list of self created (and more) jobs/tasks ahead of me. Now I don't feel weighed down by any of this, in fact I feel I have a sense of purpose about me and a certain satisfaction of knowing that everything I achieve around my home creates an abundance of wealth (non-monetary of course) for my family and those that are welcomed into my home. My little sister is coming to stay with me this weekend with her son and I am so excited. I haven't seen them for a little while as they live in Qld, so its always a very special time when any of my extended (Qld) family get to hang out with us.

My first knitted dishcloth and the start of my second.

Tiny and a little sad paw paw's starting to ripen.

One of my linen cupboard shelves filled with wholesome goodies.

 Life in the kitchen is as constant as the garden. I really am backwards and forwards between the kitchen and the garden all day as long as the sun is shining. Often the kitchen hours continue long after the sun has gone down, but I try to find something else to keep me occupied after the wee ones have gone off to sleep for the night. My favourite thing to eat at the moment is homemade sauerkraut. I have it with almost everything (except vitabrits....). My linen cupboard has become more of a storage cupboard for my various attempts at fermenting and preserving. I love opening the door and seeing my collection of treats of which I add or take from. The kidlets tastes are becoming more accommodating to these wholesome foods as well. Especially the purple sauerkraut - it is very pretty and vibrant. I have just finished fermenting our bounty of radishes and they will be ready to enjoy with dinner tonight - which reminds me I need to get started on straight after I finish writing this. Hubby has been making his own coconut milk from fresh coconuts and told me I need to use it sooner than later, so I will make a curry of some sort tonight. I also saved the coconut shreds and used them in the soap I made today (will tell you all about that soon). And the rest of the coconut shreds will go into my banana and coconut loaf that I will make this afternoon to take with me to my mothers group catch up.

Sunflower baby on its way.

Fermented radish(from the garden) and garlic.

Corn and radish buddies.

The garden is blooming along perfectly. The beans are popping up daily and the kidlets eat them straight off the bush - no complaining here! I planted heaps of new seeds out over the weekend and I am imagining with all this nice warm weather they will be popping up in no time. I am a little concerned about water usage and I predict we will be using a lot over this season and perhaps the coming seasons also with this el nino pattern of weather we are dealing with. I try to do my best on water saving. We are yet to have a tank and grey water installed but I do manage to save the water from the kids bath and fill up about 4-5 watering cans which I use on the garden each morning. I am also getting a bit of a workout from it too as I have to go backwards and forwards and up and down the stairs each time. Again seeing the benefit of something that could easily be an annoyance!

Homemade natural yoghurt.

Zucchini starting to provide.

Beans on the go.

Well plenty more to do, the sun is shining (although it is a little windy today), good times are ahead with my little sisters visit and I can hear the kitchen pots calling me to action. Take care. x