Christmassy Stuff

some christmas cooking for teachers..

kids-made decorations..

Our pony, not wanting to miss out...

Our tree at night, with a racoon doing back-flips over a branch..

Kindergarten Christmas  break-up..

Christmas cake with jewels on the top..

Mince pies for the cafe, where i work..

My pavlova with our blueberries..

merry christmas, if anyone is out there. kind of a  Pink Floydy greeting..might be comfortably numb after all the festiveness..

Hand-made, Heart-felt

A homemade present from a best friend..love it

Christmas Presents for TEACHERS

The presents for our wonderful school and kindergarten teachers will be hand-made, this Christmas. I'm not a scrooge but i hate the constant feeling of buying at this time of year. The feeling of making or baking is sooo much nicer. I've made so far, some rocky road, old fashioned shortbread and some potted succulents in tins decorated with William Morris design gift-wrap..If only, i didn't leave everything until the last minute..i am the most disorganised, forgetful mad woman going round..and i know i will miss something or someone. I suppose a list would help, and i should check it twice !! Who's naughty, who's nice !! and who is just in-between..

Xmas Market at Jinks Winery

Luca and i decided to have a stall, so we made our Muesli on the Saturday, to sell on Sunday. We did okay, too. We haven't made ourselves a fortune but a little bit to help with all the extra stuff you buy at Christmas.

Markets..

love to get to a few markets, before Christmas, but i am running out of time this year. Have not been to any. I was hoping to get to St Andrews, Rokeby and Jindivick markets but now that will be in January's plan. Although i might sneak in a market that is close to home on Sunday. i might even make a batch of muesli to sell there...

Baking..

I was busy baking yesterday for a friend who is getting married. She wanted me to make some home-style cakes for her wedding. I made an Italian Apple cake, Salted caramel and chocolate Tart, Flourless Orange Cake, and a Chocolate Mud Cake. Hope she likes them..

What's growing

Garlic, i planted in April, just starting to go yellow, will lift them soon..

Check out the weeds..

New potatoes i dug up. Boiled and served with butter and thyme. The broadbeans were added to a risotto with bacon.

After some rain and sunshine, things are growing quite nicely. I hope to spend this summer cooking from our garden. I still need to plant a couple of things, but have to get rid of  those wicked weeds first. Well, they are not too bad, sometimes i put them in a 20 litre bucket and cover with water and let them steep. That liquid I then put back on garden as a bit of a tonic. Just to give plants a little pick me up..