A Short and Happy Break, Florals, Froggie, Veggies & Mushrooms

I'm taking a little time away from the computer for happy reasons... we're having a visit from a Dear One and there's a few things I'm looking forward to doing before she arrives.

I've prepared this little post of  floral blissing and some 'this and thats',  and I shall catch up with everyone in a week or so.

Firstly, I always love to link with Riitta as she shows us what  Floral Bliss is all about:

"Tibouchina"
When I find a plant that really appeals, and that grows so easily from cuttings,
I overdose on it!
There are many Tibouchinas throughout our garden.

The thing I love the most about them is that when the flowers reach their end,
they create a little sprinkling of colour for many days afterwards
... I always think of it as their final hurrah!!

Autumn is a beautiful time of year
Cooler days (um... are you listening 2017?)
... and a time of changing colour in the garden

For absolutely delightful blooms, click on the image below:

🐸 Froggie's back!   
He loves to give the impression he picked and washed all these beautiful homegrown vegies... ah well, My Darling has a big heart and I'm sure he won't mind Froggie have some reflected glory ;D)

This funny little carrot made us laugh too!

Here's the real hero of the Veggie Garden
... My Darling man seen here preparing it using his home made row-making-tool

On the Fridge... something I cut out of a magazine to help get rid of possible residues on shop bought fruit and vegies:

This is the mix I use to wash the fruit and vegies we buy from the supermarket.
We once picked cherries for a commercial grower and, oh dear, I saw the
slurry water that they were "washed" in
Ever since, I've given the bought fruit and vegies a wash in this mix.

Here are some mushrooms sunbaking .... another one of my fads!
I happened to watch Professor Alice Roberts' programme in which she proved that leaving mushrooms out in the sunshine for an hour will increase their Vitamin D content.
So, here's ours:

According to Prof Alice, they can go back into the frig after their sun bath,
and the Vitamin D is still retained.

Well, I think that's about it for now.

Have a great week!

Recycled Pickling

We blame our Son ;D)

He suggested we try a certain brand of pickled onions and, boy, did we get hooked!

Anyway, with MD's onion patch bearing nicely... and two jars of leftover bits of pickled onions in the fridge, we both came up with the same idea that perhaps we could re-use the pickling liquid. It was very tasty and too good to throw out.

Turns out Mr Google said that, as long as the liquid hadn't gone cloudy, we could!  So we did:

First off, the picking/lifting of the onions.
⭄Note the handy onion-lifting thingy MD crafted... finger knotches and all!
He's always coming up with these nifty type of things - love my dear inventive man 💘

Into the sink for a quick clean-up:

OK... here's where the whinging starts!
Did I say "quick" clean up.  Oh goodness, I kept breaking into new layers. Clingy thin annoying sticky layers,
which then required more and more skins to be removed ... oh will this torture ever end, what was I thinking... blah blah

Finally,  all cleaned, topped and tailed, pickling brine gently
simmered for a little while, jars sterilised... pack in the
onions (hooray I calculated amount correctly - go me!!)

So pleased... even Froggie who watched on, fairly sceptically,
can't believe his eyes!

I'm getting a bit carried away here I know,
but I've never been one to bottle or pickle things
so it's a kind of a first in Susanland!
Two whole jars!!! and it only took ... um... a few hours (heh heh) ;D)

We've been eating them since I made this post.  Most delicious and very near to the originals. The onions had a lovely crunch too. 

~Thanks for popping over and reading this post ~

⚘ My proverbial hat off to those who bottle and pickle regularly ⚘  

(If anyone has a favourite pickled onion recipe - any hints, tips etc.  I'd really appreciate a link.  Would love to give it a try from scratch)

It's a wee bit damp here

Rain, rain and more rain.
Fortunately though it's coming slowly enough to flow through the rivers and into the lakes system and out to sea.

Look who I saw just outside our window.  Sooky's not happy

Just the weather for some comfort food.  Spaghetti Pie

I collect Pyrex cookware from Op Shops, and recently found theses two dishes.
Just the thing for my "one to eat, and one for the freezer" recipes.

In between showers, I roamed (squished) around the yard yesterday...

These pretty Correas certainly brightened up the day!

I have a real fascination
for these beautiful Tribouchina. 

Our resident tennis player.
He endures all weather and doesn't chuck a wobbly when things go wrong!

Squelching on, forgot to put on my rubber boots - ah well, now that sneakers and socks are saturated, I may as well keep going.
Down to the Orchard now .....

The Mandarins are beauties - our first crop.

MD's grapevines also had their first year.
They have endured hailstorms and all manner of bad conditions, however, they
continue to thrive.
Only 2 more years until we have grapes on the table.

Looking through a Grevillia at the grapevines

Back inside with my supply of fruit ... 

I also raided our lemon tree - its first year of production
and I've stripped it already.
We like to start the day with some lemon juice in warm water...  lol, have
forgotten why now, but we're in the habit and it's beaut having our own lemons.
There'll be a lot more next year I'm sure.

My two pampered succulents.
Bought them for $1 each at the Lakes Entrance Markets recently - love a bargain!
Will put them outside when the weather is warmer.

Oh and finally, here's Froggie - I've already shown this pic a long time ago, but he did remind me that HE had the good sense to at least wear a raincoat outside when its wet.

That's it for today.
Keep your tootsies dry to those in this part of the world.
Stay cool for those in the Northern parts!
Cheerio now :D)

Happy Christmas

♥ My wish for everyone at Christmas

 and the New Year 

is that each day is filled with Peace and Happiness  ♥

this one is for Claire

An Aussie bloggerfriend Claire of Sweet Birdy Love is in New York at the moment, suffering bad Vegemite withdrawal because, oh dear, she forgot to pack some.

While making brekky this morning, I thought of her.... and so, here you are Claire.... this one's for you:

... uh oh, guess who wanted to get into the act too !!

Enjoy your holiday Claire and cheers for now :D)

For any newcomers to my blog who would like to see Froggie's previous naughtiness adventures, hop on to this link: Froggie with Attitude

This started out as a serious post, but ....

I was going to blab on about the Green Oolong No 12 Tea we'd bought at Mae Salong - a gorgeous tea growing area in the far northern hills of Thailand .... and also show off my pretty tea mug.....

when, I turn my back for a moment and, look what happens ...

you guessed it... none other than FROGGIE !!

cut out that innocent look Froggie - the evidence is all around you.

Froggie has fallen... madly... deeply...

(Oh dear, I only meant it as a joke)

Link to previous Froggie With Attitude Adventures

Froggie's Bathtime

"[Was wondering when I'd get a
look-in on this blog again...]
I like it when it rains - fills the bath!"

For those folk who are new to this blog, here's a link to Froggie's other posts - enjoy!

A grizzle

I've decided that Blogger and/or our internet provider Activ8 need a good dose of fibre.

Froggie agrees.

waiting.... waiting.....

Froggie's in on the joke too

Shopping Day. I was copying my shopping list from the blackboard into my notebook. "Butter, shampoo & conditioner, powdered mustard, cat bran, aspirin, curry powder"... CAT BRAN ????  what?  *scratch head* we don't even have a cat! CAT Bran??? [oh boy, what project had I dreamed up (and promptly forgotten)  now?] .... come to that, what is cat bran? and so it went.  


Turned around to ask MD what he thoug.....   oh, the cheeky man - was sitting watching me and quietly laughing his head off.  


Mystery solved:  OAT Bran .... guess who rubbed half the O off!!! 


And, Froggie sat there all the time  -  in on the joke :D)

Bean Bag Froggie

No one in the house wanted to model the newly finished monster bean bags. However, Froggie stepped up to the mark and saved the day....

Bad Froggie

I'd harvested the remaining feral tomatoes for the season and
planned on a nice sandwich..... huh !

A Lazy Sunday

Froggie likes nothing more than to lie around reading the Sunday Papers .... what's your favourite Sunday activity ?

Fridge Froggie

froggie .... vegging out amongst the violas

Ah .... finally, I get a look-in !!
There's only soooooo much of those old nomads ramblin' on
about their desert adventures that one froggie can take !

there's a frog on our table!

Pass the salt yourself - I'm resting !