Cone head

Since my sister the Photographer found out I'd started knitting she has been requesting I knit some baby things for her baby portraits. So I have gotten around to starting a project for her and here is the results of the hat I've been knitting.

Also I put my name down at Lindcraft a while ago for knitting classes and they rang me saying they are starting. And I have a pattern here for bummers, to go with the hat, I like but can't work out so I going to take it to class and start from there. (:

My long term goal is to knit a super Cardigan for my Daughter but this hat will have to be done as a step along the way.

And the winner is?

We have a winner folks. Simple, easy ,quick, tasty and warming on a winters day. ♥

Cauliflower and bacon soup

Serving size: Serves 4

This soup can be made a day before required or frozen for two months.

INGREDIENTS

½ large cauliflower
3 bacon rashers, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
60ml (¼ cup) cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

METHOD

Cut cauliflower into flowerets. Combine bacon and onion in large saucepan, cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Add cauliflower and stock, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes (or microwave on HIGH for about 10 minutes) or until cauliflower is soft.
Blend or process the mixture in batches until smooth. Return the soup to saucepan, bring to the boil, add cream and parsley, reheat soup, stirring constantly, without boiling.

Serves 4.

Save

In my last post (The Lost Seed) I expressed my desire to have the Potato Scoop that was advertised in the The Lost Seed's newsletter that I'd received from the The Lost Seed company. And just to show you I was serious about buying the Potato Scoop I went out and bought a cheap money box ($2.95), which is in the shape of your keyboard keys by the way, too help facilitate in the process of doing such a thing.

As you can see I written on it what it is for and at $2.oo a week with postage and handling it will take me 20 weeks to save the amount required which should give more than enough time to prepare my soil and get some spuds in the ground so I can give it a good ol' try out.

Cheers 'till next time

Stewart

The Lost Seed

I recieved my newsletter from the, The Lost Seed, (Purveyor of rare & heirloom seeds, organic garden products, books, ancient cultures and essential plant oils) company the other day and along with a host of other marvelous things this one really caught my eye and is now on my to purchase list.

Being the lover of gadgets man that I seem to be (I hope I'm not alone here) I just can't (read don't want to) help myself but at $38.oo (though the quality seems to be there) it's a bit on the steep side for me to purchase just on a whim so I'll put a little away each week and eventually I'll have enough to get it.

What's your favorite unusual tool?

POTATO HARVESTING SCOOP

Brilliant re-interpretation of a traditional potato 'grate' – for harvesting potato crops without damage. The bar across the end of the tines prevents accidental stabbing while the tine's spacing and shape allows potatoes to be sifted from the soil.

If using to harvest potatoes grown in the ground it is recommended to first loosen the soil around the base of the plants.

Forged from stainless steel, with hardwood handle and leather hanging thong.

The The Lost Seed has a lot of other interesting stuff as well and it's well worth checking them out. THE LOST SEED LINK

Cheers and 'till next time happy tooling

Stewart

Tucker time

Tucker time for the girls. The layer mash I buy is coated in molasses and there is black sunflower seeds (chicken lollies) in the mix which they go mad for.
A little fresh straw and away we go.

Popcorn anyone?

Riveting stuff hey? You can hear the traffic in the backgroung because we live a few houses from one of the busiest corners in Toowoomba.




The pecking order isn't hard to work out. The Isa browns, Bill(ie) and Ben(ita) seem to have control of the place even though they were introduced after the White Sussex, Shirlie and Anne Boleyn, who are second in order.
Then there is the random in-between supposed to be some kind of a bantam is third and then the, Andrews Sisters, three bantam Australthorps are last.

And this is what I get for all my trouble.
Two bantams are laying and it looks like the Isa Browns are laying.
I knew the White Sussex would be lazy layers which is why I got the others to pick up there slack, but I like the look of them.

Cheers 'till next time,

Stewart

Others

Other hands may fell the last stands of rainforest. Others may clearfell forest wilderness for woodchips to make wasteful packaging for goods we do not need. Others may release the pollutants that degrade the oceans, the rivers, the air that we breathe and the atmosphere that makes the Earth alone among the planets a haven for life.

Others are the agents, but we are the principals, or at least the aiders and abettors. It is our values that are expressed in these actions. It is our lifestyle that makes such vandalism profitable. It is the governments we elect that permit it.

Hal Wootten QC
President, Australian Conservation Foundation, 1986

What will you do to-day?