Spring Time Happiness

Spring. 

The time for possibilities, dreams,...

New growth.

 New products

And experiments.
Cultured honey is a highly anticipated new product range I’m playing around with at the moment.
It’s looking promising, the only downside my impatience, the culturing process takes a couple of weeks!
I’ll need to build up my starter, to be able to tackle bigger quantities and hopefully have a couple of big batches started before it gets too warm.
It will hopefully produce a beautiful, thick creamed honey. While the experiments with added flavours are terribly fun. Taste wise, lemon myrtle will be hard to beat...

New beginnings.

Our septic system has been giving us headaches for many years. After the 5th time of opening up the trenches for tree root removal (not a very nice job!) an upgraded system was put on the list.

With all the gum trees around us, notorious water seekers, it was just a matter of time before they would be clogged up again. They found their way back in no-time. It’s a mucky, stinky mess.

With plans for a guest cabin as well, we decided to combine the two projects.

Making it also possible to have a toilet in the cabin.

Adding to the existing septic system with an extra tank results in the output of very high quality water. Evaporation trenches weren’t working for us, but sprinkles would be great. 

And so I have been thinking, that this area of 45mx15m will actually have the perfect base for an orchard. With a gravel bed for drainage, a necessity with our heavy clay soil, regular watering from the sprinklers and because of the slight dip in the landscape: proper soil.

So now I’m dreaming up an orchard... What to plant... Fruit trees, bananas, lemon myrtle, macadamia. And an extra row of natives.

Once established, we would really need a beehive... I mean reaaaaaly need a beehive. Right?

The new tank is in, but massive delays on the cabin is pushing everything back.

Next week the cabin will (hopefully, finally) go in. Just in time before my parents arrive, giving them a place to sleep.

The kids have been loving all these big machines: excavators, cranes, trucks and bobcats have all been paraded around.

The ultimate inspiration for pretend play...

After re-discovering an old cattle track, Tim and Sander have been going for bike riding trips,

Every day is Fathers Day, 

but what better way to celebrate then with your sons and a fallen over tree...

I’ve been enjoying myself in the kitchen garden which has gone unplanted and neglected for most of this year, while I was too busy doing other things.
But it’s great to see how quick everything gets back in shape, after having been buried under a thick layer of mulch, just push the mulch aside and you are ready to plant. The topsoil is actually in its best shape ever and teaming with earthworms. Having set up drip irrigation for the fruit trees and perennials in the border of the garden, it all came through Winter surprisingly well. All that was needed was a good trim, sprinkle of manure and a mulch top up. The fruit trees, one by one are, are sending out new buds and flowers.
After a long and very dry period with the rainwater tank going towards empty, there came the predictions of good rain for the first week of Spring, the end of the soccer season. My sign to dust off the gardening tools and get organised. And so I did, planting out herbs, flowers and all the big ticket items like zucchini and cucumber. Because however great and convenient sprinklers are, even hooked up to the rainwater tank, it has nothing on water coming straight from the clouds. Timing is everything and this year I grabbed it by the horns.

Rain, beautiful life giving rain. Yes, I’ve come a long way in the last 12 years, with rain being more or less the default weather in The Netherlands. I now find there are few songs or sounds prettier then fat rain drops falling on the tin roof. You can hear the sigh of relief from the trees and the happy twittering from the birds, not fazed at all by the naked kids splashing in the puddles.
Glorious...  everything washed clean, sparkling and bursting with colour.
Bursting with happiness, I plant some more flowers...

The kids are more then happy to help in the garden. David makes sure no earthworms are damaged, while we’re making pockets for new plants. He transplants them to a safe spot, with another plant. Sophie is like a gardening fairy, dropping seeds here and there, while Tim is more for hammering in stakes. Alex is happy to watch us from his perch, sharing with the parrots in the loaded mulberry tree.

With my last online order for seeds, I’ve gone a little overboard (again), this weekend we’ll have 12 types of heirloom variety tomatoes to plant, sunflower seeds, beans, lettuce, melons and the rest of the herbs. I’m trying to convince Sander that we should rebuild the green house, which had to make place for the swimming pool, for better seedlings... Spring time, a perfect time for dreaming...

May, in photo’s

Our annual photo shoot for Mothers Day.

The second shot had to do, already a week late. The battery ran out and there’s no way I can get them all lined up (and dressed!) again.

Harvesting the first batch of our wild pumpkins.

Which got me here...
Teamed up with a local nut grower, who keeps me in fresh pecans and macadamia’s.
My new Autumn granola: chockerblock with pumkin and maple roasted pecans.

For sale now, customers are raving about it.

 My cave man Tim, in charge of the fire.

Saturday morning soccer games, finding warmth wherever you can.

Tim’s team, such focus.

Alex, burning off some of that wild energy...

Help-coaching David’s Little Champion program.
It took me awhile to find my feet with it, but if there’s no-one else, you make the most of it.
Nowadays, I’m having heaps of fun and actually look forward to get all these kids having a very fun morning.

 My lone rider.

 Watermelon tastes so much better in a...

 Friday afternoon fun.

A pancake afterparty.
We still very much enjoy hosting our Full Moon gatherings.

Loving the hand-me-downs from friends.

 Little brothers rule!

 Focus

Adding a piano to the madness. Sophie has been doing lessons for the last couple of months, but all of us are keen to learn, adults included. Tim still plays guitar, but gets a real kick of being able to play his practice songs on the piano too. David often plays me make-up songs to keep me company while cooking.

Even in death, this tree was very stubborn... Thankfully, Sander is too.
This will keep us warm for many more months, Winter is near.

Loving life.

March

Alex and Sophie have joined Tim on the Aikido dojo.

Aikido’s philosophy stands for the art of peace (not pieces). 

Self defence, changing the energy of an opponents attack into deflection, without harm.

when it’s too hot to cook...
Dinner, has become a very simple affair at our place, afternoons are mostly filled with after school activities, not leaving much time to cook. Lots of salads, fruit, legumes and a bit of meat.
Corn has been our main carb stable for the last couple of months, making the most of the summer harvest. Leftovers are highly favoured, making the meals a bit more diverse and are providing me with lunch.

Rosie, our free as a bird new “pet”.

Alex’s 5th birthday party, his best friends and whole kindy class!

Dragon fruit in flower, so big!

The dam’s new vegetation along the dam wall is starting to look much and healthier, more important it’s becoming stronger! She’s at maximum level, it won’t need much to start a flood now.

Rainy days and rainbows, Summer has started to pack her bags,
but while I’m sitting here dripping with swear on a muggy 35 degree day, she hasn’t left the building just yet.

Sick days, 

our feisty 3 year old turns into a teddy bear, and only wants me as a pillow.

Inspired by a glut of eggs and a free Saturday morning.
Baking bread with a dark chocolate and walnut swirl.

Expanding the granola, 

now also in the kitchen and on the shelves at A Perfect Blend Espresso Bar in Grafton.

Launching the snack packs, rebranding one of my granola’s, loving a good pun.

Besides, I’ve started developing a new granola, something for when the colder days are upon us.

I love this part of my work.

Biggest Playgroup has come and gone, at least 200 kids turned up for the day and had a ball. 

A big event to organise for the committee, but a great way to showcase where we stand for: play and a strong community. 

 The main bathroom, finished!

Loving our very basic and natural new shower and vanity.
(Much easier to clean too!)

Soccer season,
the admin site of it is keeping me rather busy, many evening and free moment spend, 192 registered!
And now all 4 have decided to play this year!
Coaching session with Alex, lesson 1, there’s no climbing involved in soccer.

Loving the change we’re seeing in Sophie, she has been seizure free for 2 years, and spasm free for a year. Something to celebrate!
Last month we lowered her medication, a risk, but we suspected that they were making her sleepy, making it hard to concentrate, to take on challenges and learn.
Already she has so much more energy, she’s tackling things a school, has energy to play and wants to do things, it’s making my heart sing...
Piano lessons, aikido and now also soccer, because there’s more to life then academics.

I’m trying to hold down the fort, while hubby is in Thailand, with his mate Erik.

Tim spend all weekend building a hydraulic arm, David get’s to test it.
I love it when they challenge themselves while helping and encouraging each other.

Looking at my poor (pumpkin) overgrown garden.
My fingers are itching, but my back is sore, signalling me, it’s carrying enough and wants some down time. So I listen, for now.