Some of Summer

After work river swims.


Exploring new places. Taranaki and its beautiful beaches.


Lots of cuddles and playtime with this sunsmart munchkin.

Christmas kisses from my puppy, after a action packed christmas day, adventures on the river, time spent in a spinal collar, westpac helicopter, and then a christmas evening in the ED apartment.


Backyard wedding. Home made wedding dress made from a great great great aunts crocheted table cloth. (no cutting of the table cloth allowed)


Delicious berry treats, meals shared, warm long summer evenings.


Cake fit for a 9year old pirate.

Christmas gift made for Ben's 3yr old niece. I want one too.


Grapes from the next door neighbour, will be grape juice bottled and stored to warm up and drink on a wintry day.

Birthday

Last thursday I got one year older. This year was for many reasons the best birthday I can remember. I think this is a reflection of the wonderful people I have in my life and where I am with being me. I can honestly say I feel blessed.

I got the most amazing hoard of goodies which I am thinking I shall devote a whole post to.

I spent the morning as I do every thursday at the SPCA walking and hanging out with the dogs. Shared custard and fruit croissants and rocky road with the other volunteers, and had lots of cuddles with the puppies. Even took one home for the day.

That evening Ben planned a BBQ which I loved every minute of, being surrounded by the most genuine and beautiful big and little people. Yummy food, delicious lemon cake, sitting by the fire with the puppy cuddled on my lap and the ten year old next door neighbour along with her mum singing their hearts out. It really was perfect.

Elderflowers

The elderflower cordial tastes so amazing, sweet and summery and just like it should do. We have been drinking it with soda water. Trialled using brown sugar instead of white which made a beautiful amber coloured cordial but I think white sugar is the best.

This is the recipe, I wrote down a while ago. Most of the recipes I have come across are similar. Main difference was the soaking time of the flowers and whether to boil it or not. The following is what I did

Elderflower cordial

1500ml of water

1kg of sugar

50g of citric acid

2-3 thick slices of lemon

20 large heads of elderflowers

Boil the water, dissolve the sugar, add the lemon slices. Some say cool the water and add the elderflowers, I added the flowers when it was cool and then the next time added the flowers when it was still hot, seemed to make no difference.

I did'nt wash the elderflowers just shook them to get the spiders out. Leave the mix soaking for 48hours. I then added the citric acid and boiled the mixture pouring it into sterilised bottles.

Following the way I always cook I did a lot of estimating, some elderflower heads were little some big so I added them until I thought it looked a good amount, I also probably only put about 30g of citric acid. 50g seemed like a lot and it worked out fine.

In the garden

For the last two months we have been able to go out to the garden to gather the greens for salads. It is the most satisfying thing. We have had red, cos, and chinese lettuce, lots and lots of rocket spring onions and a little leafy plant called dutch corn. Coming home from work and spending time in the garden watering, weeding and checking up on progress feels almost as good as a back rub (almost!).

Plus all day I am washing my hands and sterigeling between patients and coming home and getting dirt all over my hands and under my fingernails feels rebellious.

I love the snap pea flowers and the tomato has gone crazy.

I have been monitoring daily for the apperance of the little broccoli head. It is amazing how fast everything can grow, it seems in a day the broccoli plant has formed what we know as broccoli and the zuchini has grown lots of little flowers.

I have high hopes for the watermelons, and hope in a couple of months I will be rocking in my hammock with a massive slice.

p.s photos all out of order but for some reason I cant cut and move them!!