Now that is what I call I life style. Last weekend was a long one, with Monday being a public holiday. Three days of lovely weather gave me three days outside in my happy place.
Glorious weather meant setting up the garden swing.
TOF had been out early to get plants for the sacred Vegetable garden, then I decided I needed to go to Bunnings to look at plants. I was after Carnations as I have fallen in love with their fragrance. I came home with Dianthus which all smell pretty good and a selection of other things. He came with me and after getting plants we looked at 'Tools' yeah I was so excited I tell you.
My selection up close.
All got planted over the course of the weekend but when the girls were all tucked up in their area, otherwise they tend to try to help with planting.
With a line full of washing flapping about in the breeze I set myself up outside on the swing seat for some guilt free reading. Not that I suffer much from guilt!!
I have been trying to finish this book I started a while back and just haven't got around to sticking my nose in it for some time.
Problem with that is you can forget the story line, but luckily for me, the story is good, out there, but good.
Another problem is that when out on the garden swing, I tend to swing, which sort of lulls me into a sleepy feeling.
Let's just say that with sunshine, a gentle breeze, the sound of nature all around me and the swinging, reading fell by the by and some noddy time took over.
Let's just say, I haven't finished the book!
Then there were all my visitors. One by one and thankfully at different times, this lot joined me. But the swing is a three seater so plenty of room for them all.
With the price of honey and the amount of bees that live in our garden, TOF and I are tossing up the idea of getting a beehive. Thinking some solid research will need to be done first tho.
I even did some baking on the weekend. Not that it was really baking as I made a 'No Bake Muesli Bar'. Does that still count as baking if it is called no bake?
So you put butter, honey, peanut butter and brown sugar all carefully measured into a saucepan and you melt it.
It pays to stir this while it melts otherwise you end up burning the bottom of the pot, I know this from previous experiences. I am after all the mother that burned boiled peas much to the joy of the lads.
Once all of this is caramel in colour and thickened it is ready to be added to the dry ingredients.
The dry ingredients you ask??
The dry ingredients are things like, crushed Weetbix, other cereals, coconut, rolled oats, basically what you have in your pantry.
Other things that get added are things like sultanas, or other dried fruit, seeds like sunflower and or pumpkin, nuts, and stuff like that.
Pour the wet stuff, what I like to call the glue into the dry stuff.
Then mix slowly together to make sure all will be sticking together once it goes into a slice tray.
Which by the way has been greased and all ready to have the muesli mix poured into it, flattened and put in the fridge to set.
Trust me, this is super tasty and there is a real recipe so if you want it just send me your email so I can flick it on to you. As I was on a roll in the kitchen, a room I try not to spend too much time in, I made what I call 'Ma Rennie's Sultana Buns'. Mini sultana and almond flavoured buns that lasted one evening, I joke not!!
With kitchen time done and dusted I ventured back outside and have made a start on clearing and tidying up a corner of the garden/back yard that looked neglected and slightly over grown. We have some pavers to lay in this area so everything needs to be cleared out then we can make a start on this corner's MAKEOVER!!
On Monday I ended up going with the Spare out to the Warehouse (shop). He was looking for man stuff so I went into the gardening section. I found CARNATIONS!!! 2 for $10, but which two to choose?? Then I found a clearance shelf where I grabbed 4 Gerberas that were only 50 cents each and in dire need of a large drink of something. They looked half dead but I knew that all they needed was some water. SCORE!!!
During the week I went to pick up a small cabinet I had bought of a lady. I was admiring her garden when she pulled out an entire Granny Bonnet plant and said take this one home with you. As per her instructions it has been having a good soak in a bucket and still looking good so maybe tonight I will pot it up. The flowers are huge two toned yummyness!!
There was some treasure found this week and all at one op shop, the SPCA shop in Dinsdale. Sue and I caught up on Friday and had lunch out then went to a few op shops near by. The shops seem to be full of the same old stuff or the prices have gone up. Or I have become fussy? I found a nice dress for summer but it and the orange pants I also found are currently in the wash.
We had rain during the week and then the sun returned on Friday, all of this certainly helps the garden continue to flourish. So this weekend arrived and we have been bathed in sunshine. Mind you the wind has been fresh!
We visited TOFs sister this weekend and of course her darling little dog Ginny took centre stage with me. She is all feet and ears at this stage of her life, super adorable even with her sharp baby teeth.
My SILs garden is lovely and colourful. We share so many things in common, gardening is only one of them. My SIL and BIL have moved back to the Waikato after 30 years in Auckland so it has been nice re connecting with them again. Nice for TOF to have his sister near by not that he would admit to that.
Another glorious day turned up this morning.
Perfect day for picking a spot outdoors to have yourself a cuppa!
Big joined me.
Then Oscar pushed his way onto my lap.
He left so Big took the vacant position.
We moved around the other seating spots in the garden,
test driving them all for Summer.
All PASSED!!
My Potato Vine refuses to die no matter how hard TOF prunes it,
GOOD FOR YOU vine!!
The Birds are busy in the garden gathering materials for their nests that they seem to be all in the throws of constructing. That and enjoying eating berries still hanging on in the Idesia Tree.
Can you see Sheba and Big hiding in the garden?
TOF was busy outside today and happy to see
Plums and Peaches
on his trees.
All the pets made the very most of the good weather in their own way today.
Daylight savings means more time outside, later dinners and longer evenings. So much time to do as little as you want if that is how you feel.
True story!
