A Day Out

Sovereign Hill, right here in our town, is a leading tourist attraction. It depicts the Gold rush era of this area in 1851. We are reading The Night We Made the Flag at the moment, it is a beautiful, beautiful book.

Over winter they try to turn it into a winter wonderland, This is Sovereign Hill's idea of snow, foaming bubbles! It's a laugh.

The boys dressed up, they are reinacting the convicts aboard the ship from England.

Sweet Alice ready for the voyage.

We come here often as we have a yearly pass, it's fun for the children, they get to make candles, ride the clydedales and or course pan for gold- it's very addictive, you can almost feel the gold fever comming on!

February lady cardi

Well I've finally finished what's been on my needles since march.

Everytime I visit 'A friend to knit with' in blog world, she has a new jumper knitted every week, I swear EVERY WEEK.

Can you tell I'm jealous?

So this pattern is February Lady
I knitted it in 5ply alpaca yarn, it's beautifully soft and light perfect for the weather we're having right now.

And in case your wondering, I am going to knit a pint size one for my little girl......I just can't help myself!

Fathers Day

Happy Father's Day Dan,
Thankyou for still smiling when I didn't wake up till 9.00am this morning.
Thankyou for not expecting breakfast in bed (that was the plan).
Thankyou for letting Alice eat most of your fish tonight. Next time I will order her own plate of food.
You were born to be a Dad, and everyday, everyday I am grateful that you are beside me, on this journey, because you are the strength of this family, and I couldn't do it without you.

Spring has sprung

The first of the lambs, born the day before, doesn't he look healthy

This clever Mama had twins!. Jim got to come and watch one of the sheep giving birth, His words were 'wow".

Oxtail Soup with basil pesto. This is my favourite winter soup, don't be put off by the name, it really is delicous.
1.5 kg ox tail
2 leek
4 rasher bacon
2 carrots
2 parsnip
2 potato
beef stock.
2 celery sticks
brown the oxtail peices, set aside.
saute the leek and bacon together and the veges all chopped finely, add oxtails back to the pan. add enough stock to cover, simmer for 2 hours till meat falls off the bone.
remove the ox tails and pull the meat from the bones add back to pan, add some parsley.
pesto:
small buch of basil
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/4 olive oil (I think, maybe more)
3 garlic
1/4 parmason cheese
whizz together in food processor
swirl a dollop through the soup when serving.
The pesto is a must, it really lifts the soup adding zing to a slow cooked soup.
ENJOY

Clothes for the first born

Well I can't believe I'm admitting this.....I own a knitting machine. There I said it.
It was my Mum's, I used to give her such a hard time about using it, I'd sit there handknitting ( my barbies had the most amazing wardrobe) in my Holier than thou voice, and say "I just doesn't look or feel right, it's cheating mum".
Well, I was wrong, 10year olds don't know everything.
I can knit a jumper like this in about an hour on the machine, come to think of it, Jim knitted most of it.
It takes longer to sew it together:)
My dear friend Sue, colour combination extraordinare over at Hawthorne Cottage dyed it for me.
The wool is a new wool from CSIRO, called optim wool, so it's soft merino wool that they somehow stretch so it behaves more like longwool, which makes it have a beautiful lustre, so the best of both worlds, lustre and softness, no prickle factor at all.

I love these pants, how long do you think I can keep Jim in plaid?
The pattern is in this years Ottobre for kids.
I've got some lovely wool denim fabric, I might do another pair.

Little red riding hood.

As you can see I did add a skirt, I get way too excited about sewing for this one.
Luckily she is not opinionated about what she wears.
It's probably wise though that the boys refuse to let me dress them, otherwise they would all look like Christopher Robin. According to the children's uncle, smock tops are not appropriate for boys over two.
What nonsense!.

Joseph's Six Birthday

I originally made the dragons hat that Flynn's wearing, when I foolishly asked Joseph the next day if he like his hat,he said a soft yes, and as Mothers do best, we probe further.
Joseph then asked if I could still sew well, and I proudly said yes, and then he annouced that he really wanted fierce eyes and bone-crunching teeth that go snap!
Oh, is what I said, I was thinking worse.
Could you make it Mama? he said
I think I mumbled yes as I went back to the sewing room
Next time I'll be more humble with my reply.