Introducing...

Our newest family members:

Heather and Betty

These ladies are named after our maternal grandmothers - We have 2 more ladies coming and they will be named Gloria and Gelsina after our paternal grandmothers! Once I finally got Tim to come round to the idea the chooks simply had to have ladies names (He wanted to name them Godley and Creme!) we decided Grandma type names would be appropriate so why not honour our grandmas with our chickens.. we think its an honour anyway! These two ladies are leghorn crosses and apparently will be excellent layers. No eggs yet - but you can bet I'll be photographing it when it does happen! We eat about a dozen eggs a week here in chateau shinelittlelight, as vegos they're a great source of calcium and protein, plus I am a HUGE breakfast fan and we have a poached egg most days. Since living in Wagga it's been great helping my folks out with their surplus egg supply, but we've been wanting our own little flock from the beginning. Homegrown is the best peace of mind I can have about where my eggs come from, plus the taste difference is amazing.

When I grow up...

Triggered by this lovely ladies exciting news I found myself wandering in to the trendy flower shop in town. It was a complete whim. I asked if they ran flower classes/courses and they said no - but taking pity on me the lady struck up conversation and said I could come in and watch. It might seem strange but that was one of the most forward things I've done in a while, and it was kinda a thrill. I've been trying to think more about may be doing what I really want to do and what that might be. As well as keeping in mind my goal to be a life focused person not a work focused person. I guess when people say they're doing their dream job and it doesn't feel like work, I don't really believe them. Even playing with flowers or gardening every day would definitely feel like work some days. I think. Right? And I know from my 6 weeks of unemployment over summer that not working isn't the answer to that too - and I know that being self employed isn't the answer to either of those things either (thats a work never stops senario).

So what do I really really truly want to do... ?

I remember my Dad saying to me when I was a young teen that he reckoned you needed to live many lives in order to be happy - maybe he was quoting someone else, I'm not sure. But it's always stuck with me.

So far I've been: a student, a pet shop girl, a receptionist, a checkout chick, a dish pig, a barrista, waitress, bar tender, lighting crew, lighting designer, head electrician, lighting operator, blogger, assistant stage manager, stage manager and production manager (sometimes many at once), lecturer, tutor and supervisor (all in a theatre context)...

So far I've wanted to be: A radio news reader, a photographer, a cleaner (when I was very little and enamored with my grandparents cleaner - I think it was the sense of calm and control), an actor, stage manager, lighting designer, a blogger, a cafe owner, a gardener, a florist, an interior designer, a baker, a mother...

I'm lucky I've done a few of those. But dreams change don't they?... I really liked Tim Minchens speech (did you see it?) about whole heartedly chasing short term goals - that seems sensible to my mind. I'm not a very patient person - I'm a doer and I like things to happen!

So what to do? I dont want to do one of those online floristry courses that teach me how to make hideous bouquets and force me to stick to rules - and the lovely flower shop lady said that formal training would be of no benefit to me in the context of their store anyway. I am ridiculously lucky to be getting some experience next year - I am designing and making the flower arrangements for two dear friends weddings. Since helping with the flowers at this beautiful wedding too, I thought may be it's one of things that I might have an aptitude at - So I'm practicing on my own flowers... and thinking about what step might be next... Horticulture?

Are you chasing your dreams? Do you know what you're doing with your life? Do you think living many lives is a good way to go? Anyone want to employ me to do flowers for them?

Homegrown Bouquet

Nothing like taking a bottle of wine and a homegrown bouquet to a friends place for dinner.
Dusty miller, fennel fronds, ranunculus, sweet pea, freesia, queen annes lace and something from my neighbours garden which I don't know the name of!
*EDIT* Robusta is my missing plant name! (Thanks mum!)

switch off, relax, escape.

Last weekend we went camping to switch off, relax and escape, as well as road test Tim's birthday presents (tent & camp stove). We did just that. It was perfect and Lola did very well too!

Happy New Year!

2013. A complete new beginning for us. Again. A fresh start - with no muddy water dictating our year. I've sorted out my picture situation. The internet's coming tomorrow (and right now the library air conditioning is where it is at - 40degrees is for punks)... How was your CHristmas? Ours was perfect. The best present of all being back home... and the second best being the ENTIRE Footrot Flats collection. What? You hadn't picked me as a comic book fan? Actually I'm not - it's only cartoons of dogs that get me. But boy oh boy do they get me! 

*Our tree.
*Lola with her Christmas bow and squeaky present (now deceased).
*Our garden haul for Christmas dinner. (The parsnips are huge - the length of my forearm - and the carrots are tiny - the length of my finger.)
*The table setting in my Ma & Pa's garden (It was fabulous until the breeze blew all the pepper tree fluff into or dinner and we had to relocate!)
*And Footrot Flats heaven for me!!!!

Ruby - Puppy Love Ep.8

Everybody this is Ruby. Ruby - everybody. Ruby is the matriarch of the family - well the canine side of the family anyway. 

* Ruby is super soft.
* Ruby is calm and gentle.
* Ruby is old but at breakfast time she still bounces like a spring chicken.
* If the other dogs are fighting Ruby just walks over and they stop.

Ruby and my Dad used to go visit old folks homes. This is a wee video ABC Open made about working dogs. It's beautiful.

Rob and Ruby remember their pet therapy days from ABC Open Riverina on Vimeo.

In my backyard...

It's garden update time!!! (insert some catchy theme music here)
Spring is truley here (Hooray!) and we have all sorts of cool stuff hapening in the garden.

 The herb bed is coming along, with borage taking over, thyme, rainbow beet and strawberries.

I have chives and coriander, rosemary and mint. Tiny spearmint and parsley on its way... chillies and sage, asparagus and rhubarb. Oh the things we can grow! It's amazing!

Broad beans and snow peas, protecting our cut and come again lettuce and rocket, that miraculously the slugs and snails haven't noticed yet.

The potatoes are coming up, the lemon tree has been planted in front of the neighbours bathroom window (grow you good thing!) Note in the background the Lola proof fence! No more escaping for you puppy!

 The Euphorbia (yeah I know proper names and stuff) are being gorgeous.

 The mini fruit trees have mini blossoms and mini leaves dawwwww. This is a nectarine.

 The white garden in the front of the house is starting to look pretty again - finally!

And our glorious, glorious veggie beds are bird proof and make us so happy! We've even pulled the sprinkler out - which feels so naughty - but the dam is completely full, and I will certainly be doing my bit to make sure it doesn't overflow into my house again.

Winner!

I'm learning it's easy to be a winner in a small town! Just recently our local Sydney-esque cafe asked its Facebook friends to suggest items for their new Spring menu. Whichever suggestion they liked the most could come in and get a free lunch for two.

Well... as you can see I won! Annnnnnd I was the only suggestion... but pishposh! I ate my own invented breakfast at a fancy cafe for free and that was pretty cool. And then I instagramed it. Coz that's what you do.

Puppy Love*, Episode 5

It's been a little while since I shared the fur babies with you. Today I thought I'd introduce Ruski. Ruski is my little brothers rescue dog and he has been with our family for a good 8 years or so now. He's a border terrier mostly and like a lot of little dogs he makes up for his size with personality.

Ruski likes things to be the way they always where (Ruski has been known to poo in suitcases).
Ruski doesn't really know how to play.
Ruski is a grumpy old man.
Ruski asks and then jumps up onto your lap - despite this he's not really big on affection.
Ruski rolls over for his tummy to be rubbed and then he growls at you for not doing it right.
Ruski gets away with being on the bed - unlike all the other dogs.
Ruski runs three legged.
Ruski has a secret life and is often spotted trotting away from the neighbors house late at night with an air of superiority.
Ruski catches and kills mice and rats.
We think Ruski might actually be part cat/meerkat. Here he is:

More Puppy Love*

It's my birthday...

 

...and I'm thankful for: puppies on the bed, awesome breakfast, presents, singing along to loud music whilst driving through the countryside, my husband doing the baking, birthday phone calls and messages, fresh flowers, coffee with bonus biscuits, my bear brooch and glorious sunshine.

linking up....

Gifts

We  just had a little anniversary celebration this year. I received this incredibly wrapped incredibly cute teapot and Tim received the number 5 (to go with last years). And we had dinner out at our favorite Sydney restaurant. What with anniversary number 5 being wood - we plan on spending some money on trees for our garden too.
Also tim bought me a panda hat - as my childhood panda was recently errr.... taken by our furry baby Lola and thoroughly... loved.