The Portrait Series: 20/52

Afternoons are for the park.

The swings were out of favour for a while but they are once again the preferred piece of playground equipment.

The other day when it was time to go home for dinner he told me that I could go and that he would stay and swing.

Toddler C and I head back to the States in June.

And now everything seems like a countdown until we leave.

I don't like to live through days, just checking activities and chores off in anticipation of a big event.  

But despite my efforts, that seems to be what is happening around here.

We did just pause to celebrate Toddler C's second birthday.

But now it is back to thinking of what needs to be done and what should be done before we board the plane...and how little time there seems to be to get it all done in!

Last week I loved Bron's photos.  There is such joy in the photo of her little girl running through the park and her boy's smile is simply beautiful.

As always I am linking up with Jodi at Che and Fidel.

And as always, I hope that you have a lovely weekend!

Raising Chickens

Let me begin by saying that we have had our chickens for all of about three weeks now so I am not even close to being a chook expert!
If you have had chickens pecking around your yard your entire life, please chime in with tips and if I am doing the wrong thing, please steer me in the right direction!

Three factors have influenced our experience.

One, we wanted our chooks to be pets.
As ex-battery hens, when we brought Stick and Rock home with us, we knew that their laying days might be over...and we were happy to care for them without the promise of receiving any eggs in return.
Part of the reason we decided to raise chickens was to allow Toddler C to experience looking after them...checking their water, feeding them, and searching for eggs.
Since they were going to be pets and we wanted Toddler C to be involved in their care and really for our own adult convenience, we decided that their quarters should be relatively close to the house.  Our house is situated at the front of an extremely steep block...our back yard is very difficult to access and I did not relish the idea of traipsing down there every morning and night to check the chickens and I certainly did not want Toddler C to try to make his way down there without one of us supervising him.  So our chickens live in a coop built in the concreted area under our house, basically under our front verandah.
The pluses of this are that they are close and it is easy to release them in the morning, fill their water, feed them, collect their eggs, watch them peck about and tuck them in at night.
The minuses of this is that they are close to the front yard which we would prefer they not peck and scratch in and they have to wander through the rest of the concreted area under the house where my laundry is where and Daddy R's man shed is to get to the back yard where we would ideally like them to spend their day.

This brings me to consideration number two, chickens shit all the time.  All.  The. Time.
And they shit everywhere.  These are not fastidious birds.  They shit in their nesting boxes, they shit near their food, they shit next to their water and in our case, they shit all over the walkways that lead from the front of the house to the backyard.
I don't often swear but when it comes to chicken poo, it really is shit.
As someone who likes a clean and tidy house...including under the house...this shit does not sit well with me.
I find I have to clean their coop daily and I have to clean the walkways every other day.
I use the dog poo bags that council supplies in dog parks to pick up the chicken shit...we always have a bunch of those bags lying around as picking up dog poo is also part of my daily routine.  I collect the chicken shit and then deposit it in a bucket and then we scatter it in the garden.
Once the visible chicken shit has been picked up, then I use a hose to clean the paths.
Bear in mind I am doing all of this while wrangling a toddler who just loves to point out the chicken shit and often accidentally steps in the chicken shit and then demands that his feet be cleaned immediately...if only the chooks were as meticulous as my toddler.
Sometimes he has an egg in his hand while he is running around looking at chicken shit and it inevitably breaks and then I am dealing with chicken shit, a broken egg and a crying toddler.
And the dog is generally trying to herd the chickens.
And the chickens are pecking at the dog's nose.
Oh and did I mention that the walkways under our house are all precarious and wonky and so while I am doing all this I am trying to prevent Toddler C and myself from taking a nasty tumble.
Needless to say, cleaning up the chicken shit is not one of my favourite jobs.
In researching chicken shit, I came across diapers for chickens.  If I didn't think that wrangling chickens into diapers would be harder than picking up their shit, I would seriously consider this option!

In addition to shitting all the time, chickens seem to eat all the time.
Because they are ex-battery hens, ours ate only pellets the first week and since then we have slowly been introducing table scraps.
Now they get a mixture of pellets, grains and scraps.  Depending on what kitchen scraps I have to feed them, I will sometimes cut them up and even mix the scraps in porridge to make it easier for their damaged beaks to peck the food.
They get veggies, herbs, fruit, crushed egg shells, rice, pasta...really whatever we eat, they eat.
I did read that the two things you should never give a chicken are avocado and potato peel.  But I don't know why these foods may be bad for your chook.

So.  Recommendations for raising chickens.
Consider how you will deal with the shit.  I suppose if your chickens are not completely free ranging this won't be as much of an issue...you will still have to clean up the shit obviously but it won't be all over your yard.
Think of how you will save scraps.  We use those plastic tubs that things like mushrooms come in...the tub sits next to the kitchen sink, throughout the day it gets filled with scraps and then I chop the scraps up and give them to the chooks for dinner.
Get a pair of "chicken shoes" for each member of the family.  These shoes stay outside.

Do you have chickens?
Do they wear diapers?
What am I missing?

Sunday Styles: A Nice Day For White Weddings

Actually it was neither a particularly nice day nor were the weddings strictly speaking traditional white weddings...but I can't resist Billy Idol.
And no, weddings is not a typo.  There were two of them.
We don't get invited to a wedding for years and then we get invited to two weddings to be held at the very same time on the very same day.
And yes, we did manage to get to both of them!

I think weddings are so special...that public declaration of love is not to be taken lightly and it is a privilege to witness it and to be a part of the following celebration.
Both brides looked absolutely stunning.  And both grooms looked absolutely smitten.
I have no doubt that both couples will live happily ever after.
To the brides and grooms!

Here is what I wore.
I apologise for the scowl...my look when the sun is in my eyes is not a good one.

Dress: The dress is a DVF wrap dress that I bought on Bluefly back when Bluefly was a new thing.
Yes, I was an Internet shopping pioneer.
I remember scrolling through the pages of DVF wrap dresses, knowing I could only kind of afford one and agonising over which one to choose.
I don't remember why I finally settled on this one but it has served me well over the years.

Sweater: This is the same Forever New sweater that I wore two weeks ago.
I told you it was going to be my go to winter sweater!
As you can see, it was not warm and in addition to my sweater, I probably should have worn a scarf.

Shoes:  These Witchery flats were the bridesmaids shoes from a wedding I was in almost three years ago...which I think was the last wedding I attended before the two this weekend.
I have gotten so much use out of them.
I haven't worn the bridesmaid dress again...it is a lovely dress but I think once you associate a dress with being a bridesmaid then it is difficult to see it as anything other than that.

Have you ever been a bridesmaid?
Have you worn your dress again?
And happy Mother's Day!

The Portrait Series: 19/52

Taken on his second birthday.

He woke up and asked for cake.

I thought that my baby turning two would be an emotional time for me.

But while I have had moments where I have felt sentimental, mostly I am glad that he is two and that he is the exact two year old that he is.

He is a bit of a clever clogs, he has fantastic sense of humour, he is good natured and he is kind.  

He is my gorgeous boy.  

And he always will be my gorgeous boy no matter how old he is.

My favourite last week...and amongst my favourites every week...was Lamb Loves Fox.

As always I am linking up with Jodi at Che and Fidel.

And as always, I hope that you have a lovely weekend!

Helping

In my last post, I mentioned how unmotivated I am feeling.
I just do not want to deal with life...I would much prefer to crawl back in bed with a good book and ignore all of my adult responsibilities.
Obviously, life refuses to be slighted and so I carry on.

My usual modus operandi when I am fumbling and feeling stressed involves a take away coffee and a muffin from the cafe in the morning, another coffee for lunch, sneaking some chocolate while Toddler C is napping, feeling shaky in the afternoon and so supplementing with more chocolate or perhaps another coffee and then finally finding some nourishment in dinner.
This leaves me feeling hungry, moody, and with an inevitable bout of tonsillitis.

I must be getting older and wiser because this time around when I noticed I was slipping into these less than ideal habits I decided that I must not succumb.
Now I have a few simple routines that are helping me from feeling completely overwhelmed.

Porridge
Delivery box
Tea

I start my day with a bowl of hot, creamy oats topped with banana and a very generous sprinkle of coconut sugar.  This porridge warms and fills my body and by starting the day with good intentions, I am more likely to continue along a positive course.
Next to my steaming bowl of oats is my one cup of coffee for the day.
I no longer attempt to multitask while eating my breakfast.  I sit and I eat.  I try to be mindful of each bite and I certainly savour each sip of coffee.
Speaking of coffee, I have been buying milk from Maleny Dairies...the taste is wonderful and it produces the most amazing froth.

We have been getting fruit and vegetables delivered each week.  I generally add a few grocery items to our box...organic sourdough and marinated feta are part of standing order.
I used to open the fridge at lunchtime and, not seeing anything easy to eat, would turn to coffee and chocolate.  Now I toast up some sourdough, spread liberally with avocado or roasted garlic, and top with fresh vegetables and marinated feta.  It is a nutritious and delicious lunch that requires little effort.

I needed to find a substitute for all those cups of coffee.  I have found it in lemon tea.
Somedays I make my own with fresh lemon juice and ginger.  Other days I chose one of the Clipper or Twinings lemon teas.
I love sipping on hot drinks while I am working...inspiration often strikes in that moment when I pause and reach for my cup.  Plus our house, lovely and cool in the summer, is downright freezing in the autumn and winter and I need a mug filled with steaming tea to keep my hands and my heart warm.

While I do feel like I am struggling with all that needs to be accomplished, I do not feel that I am wearing myself out...and I certainly hope that I am not going to come down with the tonsillitis that I usually get.
I am trying to look after myself and I believe that I am mostly succeeding.  A bit more sleep would be nice.
I have one more month of being an adult until I fly home to my parents, revert to my adolescent self and let them look after me...and my son!

What do you do to care for yourself?

Stymied

I have had so much going on in real life lately.  And even more going on in my head.
After weeks of action and enthusiasm I seem to have reached a point of ennui.
I have stymied myself.
I look at my desk, covered in books, paper, bills, lists, coffee cups...the evidence of my reality and my dreams.  And I don't know where to start.
So I shuffle some paper, make a new list, get another cup of coffee and ultimately get nothing done.

A week ago I had fire in my belly.  I was busy but I was busy with things that I was passionate about and that made me happy.
This week it seems that fire has been extinguished.
I hope I can find a bit of energy smouldering within me and continue to forge ahead.
Because really, these things need to get done whether I am feeling enthusiastic or not.

What do you do when you are lacking in motivation?
Maybe I just need another cup of coffee?

Roasted Garlic Sour Cream...and Sweet Potato Burgers

When I started cooking yesterday I thought that the sweet potato burgers were going to steal the show...I love sweet potato and when it is mashed up with cannellini beans and some spices I really love it.
But the sweet potato burger paled in comparison to the roasted garlic sour cream.

I love roasted garlic.
I often roast some when I am making my weekly frittata...I just put some garlic in the oven when I put the frittata in and then leave the garlic roasting for a a little while after the frittata is done.
I love squeezing out a clove and popping it straight in my mouth.
It is sweet and creamy and has only a hint of garlic taste.
I have been known to spread it on fresh bread and cover it with tomato and basil and devour it for lunch.
This time I mixed it with sour cream and maple syrup.
Oh.  My.
I am going to keep this in my fridge at all times.  It is amazing as a spread.  And I want to try it a million other ways...as a base for salad dressing, on top of burritos, as a dip, and of course to sneak a spoonful or two every time I open the fridge.

Roasting garlic is easy peasy.

Just cut off about the top one fourth of the head of garlic.

Peel away most of the paper.

Let about a teaspoon of olive oil soak into each head of garlic.

Wrap each head in aluminium foil and cook it at 375F/190C for about 45 minutes.

Go ahead and roast a few at a time...I bet that you will eat one right away and you will need at least two for the sour cream.

To make the sour cream, mix a container of sour cream with the mashed cloves of two heads of roasted garlic and a generous spoonful of maple syrup.  

I actually used the cloves from two whole heads of garlic and then another half a head that was leftover from my garlic bread lunch.

I didn't add any salt or pepper but you certainly could...and you could add some other spices like smoked paprika or cumin.

You could leave out the maple syrup and instead add lemon and dill

There are so many options!

And I want to try them all!

Oh, and here is the recipe for the sweet potato burgers.

Pierce two large sweet potatoes all over with a fork.

Cook them in the microwave...five minutes then turn them over and cook for a further five minutes...until they are soft.

While they are cooling, rinse and drain a can of cannellini beans and mash them in a large bowl.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half, scoop out the insides, add them to the bowl, and mash them with the beans.

Add 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of salt.

Add 1 egg, 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup whole wheat flour.

Mix everything together.

Put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Once the mixture has cooled, form it into patties.  The mixture will still be very wet but it should hold its shape.  I got six patties out of my mixture.

Place the patties into a hot skillet...either nonstick or seasoned with olive oil.

Cook the patties for about six minutes on each side...since the patties are very soft don't mess with them too much once you have put them in the pan...just let them cook and then flip!

Serve on bun smeared with the garlic sour cream and covered with a few avocado slices.

Am I the only one who is so in love with roasted garlic that I want to marry it?

Cinco de Mayo

What is Cinco de Mayo?
It is Spanish for the fifth of May.
Why is the fifth of May important?  And why am I speaking Spanish?
Apparently, in regional areas of Mexico the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army's victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla.
In the States it is really just a day to celebrate all things Mexican.
You know...margaritas, Coronas, burritos, salsa, sombreros, chihuahuas.

Cinco de Mayo is actually a bit of a big deal in the States.
In New York it is right up there with St. Patrick's Day shenanigans and the Puerto Rican Day Parade...which is to say, you hole up in your apartment with your themed food and drink and party hard!
Jose Cuervo, you are a fried of mine!
I like to drink you with a little salt and lime!

So, in the spirt of Cinco de Mayo, here is a recipe for a mango margarita!

1 mango, pureed
1 1/2 ounces or 3 tablespoons of tequila blanco
1/4 ounce or 1 1/2 teaspoons of triple sec or Grand Marnier
1 ounce or 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice
1/4 ounce or 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh lime juice
ice

Blend the mango until smooth.
Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake and then pour everything, including the ice, into a glass.
If you want to be really fancy, combine some salt and lime zest on a small plate, rub the rim of your glass with a lime wedge and then dip the rim into the salt mixture to coat it.
Sip and enjoy!

The Portrait Series: 18/52

I don't know which he enjoyed more, the kangaroos or pointing out their poos.

A while back we purchased an annual pass to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary...we go and visit the animals about once a week.  

Our routine is always the same.  We see the koalas, the snakes, the turtles, the kangaroos and the sheep.

And then we have a little picnic and count how many rainbow lorikeets we can see flying high in the sky.

It makes for a really lovely morning.

Last week I loved Bron's photos...especially the one of Cappers and her gappy happy smile.

How do you chose your favourite photos from the week?

I generally look through the posts that come into my reader and if people comment on my post then I visit their blog.  Of those there is always one or two that strike me...sometimes it is the subject and sometimes it is the lighting and sometimes it is just because the photo makes me happy.  I think to myself I really must make a note of whose portrait was especially beautiful this week so I can mention it next week.  And then of course I forget.
So when I sit down to write this weekly post I revisit Che & Fidel to peruse the photos once more.  I always wonder if the photo that ends up being my favourite was my favourite from the start?
This week I am determined to write down my favourite when I discover it!  

As always I am linking up with Jodi at Che and Fidel.

And as always, I hope that you have a lovely weekend!

Chicken Quinoa Stew

It is the time of year when slippers end their reverse hibernation and crawl out from the closet, when toddlers and their runny noses are chased around the house with threatening tissues, and when afternoons seem made for pottering in a warm kitchen preparing a simple, hearty dinner.

I came across this recipe on Pinterest.
It came from Cookin Canuck...interestingly quite a few of the recipes I pin originate from that website.
Anyhoo, I tweaked it a little bit and ended up with a most delicious hearty and healthy chicken stew.

A warning, while this is fairly simple to cook it is the kind of thing that uses up just about every dish in the kitchen.
I would not have attempted this pre-dishwasher!

It would be easy to make a vegetarian version of this stew...just use veggie stock and add in roasted veggies and maybe a few handfuls of spinach at the end to fill it out.

Chicken Quinoa Stew

3 1/2 cups chicken broth
8 boneless chicken thighs
1 butternut squash, cut into 1 centimetre cubes
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can diced tomatoes
2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 handfuls of basil, roughly chopped

Put the chicken stock in a dutch oven or other large pot and bring it to a simmer.
While the stock is heating, steam the butternut squash...you want half of it to be just tender and the other half to be very tender.  I put all of the cut up squash in the microwave with a bit of water for 6 minutes...then I removed half of it to another bowl and set it aside and put the other half back in for another 6 minutes.  Once the second batch is well cooked, mash it and set it aside.
By now your chicken broth should be hot...add your chicken thighs, cover and cook about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate to cool.
Pour most of the broth into a medium sized bowl...leave a splash or two in the bottom of your dutch oven.
Add the onion, garlic and oregano and cook until onion is soft.
Add the tomatoes, chopped butternut squash and mashed butternut squash and stir.
Add quinoa and stir.
Add chicken brother and stir.
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes or until the quinoa is translucent.
While the soup is cooking, shred your chicken thighs.
After the quinoa is cooked, add the shredded chicken and olives and allow to cook for a few more minutes.
Stir in the basil and serve!

This stew will be in high rotation this winter.
What are your favourite winter warmers?

An Adage - Sponsored Post

Recently Christina at Christina Lowry Designs wrote about learning from aphorisms and it got me thinking about what words of wisdom I try to keep in the forefront of my mind.

The adage, "Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you react to it,"is one sentiment that I believe in.

Sometimes I seem to have a lot of control over how I react.
Sometimes I don't.  I react poorly and regret it later.

It seems I have more control over how I react to bigger life issues...I am generally able to remove myself from the situation, think, and then decide what my course of action will be.

My response to every day issues...speaking harshly to Toddler C for something that wasn't his fault, getting exasperated with Daddy R when really it is myself that I am frustrated with, not answering a phone call from a friend who really needs to talk because I am tired and would rather zone out watching The Voice...is definitely very in the moment and often very selfish and shortsighted.

This video is so beautiful and so powerful.
And I think it absolutely demonstrates that life is ninety percent how you react to it.
These women have obviously reacted to tragedy with grace and dignity.
I hope that if I were ever in a similar situation, I would do the same.
And I hope that I can learn to respond to even every day issues with patience and understanding.



Do you have any adages that you live by?
Or that you have learned from?

This is a sponsored post but opinions are my own.

Slow Cooker Tuesdays - Pea And Ham Soup

I didn't like pea and ham soup...until Mrs. Howard made some for me.
I can't remember if it was when I was recovering from giving birth or from having my appendix removed but at one point when I was in need, Mrs. Howard dropped off some soup.
She didn't come in.
She didn't ring the bell.
She just left the soup on the verandah...hoping that the dog wouldn't eat it.
Mrs. Howard is one of the great ones.

And her pea and ham soup is the greatest.
It is simple but somehow it tastes complex.
It is hearty...both in that it is filling and in that eating it makes you feel warm and loved.
And it is so, so, so easy to make!

Mrs. Howard's Pea and Ham Soup

1 onion, diced
2 carrots, chopped...no need to peel them
1 bag split green peas
3 or 4 bay leaves
1 ham hock...quality is key
1 litre of stock

Put everything in your slow cooker.
Cook on low until the ham falls off the bone...I cooked mine on low for 4 hours.
If you are around, check it as it is cooking and add water if it seems a bit dry.  If you are not home, you can add water at the end to thin it out if necessary.
Once the ham has cooked, take it out of the pot and place it on a cutting board.  Discard the fatty layer. Shred the ham into bite sized pieces.
Use the back of a ladle to smash the veggies into a very thick broth...this will give you a very rough texture, if you want a smoother consistency I am sure you could blend it.
Return the ham to the pot.
Serve with crusty bread.
You can most definitely make this on the stove too using essentially the same method.

And for the record, I still don't like pea and ham soup...unless it is this particular pea and ham soup!