Butterflies and Breezes

Dec 13, 2011

Bit of this and that

It seems forever since I was here blogging. So many things going on, and sadly I have just not had the energy to share them. It has been my first Christmas running my soap business, and I have been blessed it has been so busy, however I had not been 100% prepared for the rush. I have been working sometimes 6 or 7 hours a day.. next year, I will have a better idea of what to expect. A couple of little challenges have been popped up, throwing a spanner in the works, an unexpected night at the hospital last week and more Drs and tests this week and next.. all little things that make settling down to blog, just a little harder.

However, we did get the tree up on Sunday, we opted to replace our tired old artificial one, with a real one from a Tree farm.. the house smells so nice, with the fragrance of pine.

Today, I got the cake done, a bit late on it, but last week I managed to get all the cake fruit soaking in a serious amount of booze, thanks Delia Smith for the recipe I didn't take photos as I was doing it to share, but when the cake is turned out I will take a few. From what I can see and feel this is a very moist cake..
I have recently started to get some beautiful raw milk, oh it is so nice... last week I bought a small pot of cream and today, I used the cream skimmed of the milk mixed it with the cream and made some beautiful butter. I did not add enough salt for my husbands taste buds, but it is so smooth and silky and how natural does it taste!

This was the butter after about 3 minutes mixing

Draining off the buttermilk..

While I had not added enough salt, this buttermilk was a little to salty to use, *shame faced* I threw it away, I didn't know what to make with it.

This was after I had "rung" it out and rinsed it a few times in ice water, to get rid of the last buttermilk.

The finished butter... ready to eat

Well, thats me lot really, aside from a pot of cherry jam, made when the power went out for 8 hours the other day ( got to appreciate a gas cook top in a power cut)

.. luvely stuff :-)

Nov 11, 2011

Remembrance

Every year, on 11 November at 11 am – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we pause to remember those men and women who have died or suffered in all wars, conflicts and peace operations. Today I will bow my head, and remember. I will stop what I am doing and remember, those men and woman who gave their all for our freedom.

There is nothing sadder than watching a ramp ceremony..I will remember the families of these men, who arrived back in Melbourne, Australia just days ago.. There are days when can I take what these men and woman do for granted, yet I will also be thinking of my husband who next week will have given 30 years of his life to this country. I will also remember those who are my neighbours and friends, offering a quiet thank you to them and those who still actively serve this country. When I wander around the base and see the uniforms, I am often humbled by their choice - to fight and lay down their lives in time of conflict. No greater gift can be given.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning.
We will remember them..

Nov 2, 2011

New Article

My article for this month over at PaganPages - if you feel like a quick read pop over to PaganPages - Hearth and Home

Nov 1, 2011

The wheel has turned ...

To those of you who are in the North and who celebrate in welcoming the ancestors home Blessed Samhain / Happy Witches New Year / Happy Halloween my friends and to those of us here in these Southern lands Blessed Beltane, may your balefires burn bright and your paths be rich and fertile. May you all be blessed by the God and Goddess, with health, abundance and success. The wheel has again turned and the veil is
thin.. Blessed Be

Oct 30, 2011

Fingers Crossed

We have just sent an application to Animal Rescue, to adopt a 10 year old, blind Maltese terrier who has had a hard life.. we would love to enrich his life, as he would ours.. soooo prayers and crossed fingers please, so that if Kedron is our new doggie, it will come to pass.

Oct 26, 2011

A little nourishment

Recently, I have noticed my body has not been to happy when I eat red meat and last week I was feeling lethargic and a little seedy, nothing I put in seem to agree with me, and funny enough I started to crave kefir, be it milk or water kefir - I really believe now my body is now acquainted with kefir, it knows what it needed so that was close to all I consumed. The natural healthy bacteria in Kefir, cling to the lining of the stomach and colon and stay there, this is a good thing.. I was given some water kefir from Narelle over at Just Like My Nan Made it has been a wonderful gift, one which I have already been able to pay forward, here is some of it in apple juice, one of my two favourites, I love kefir blueberry juice as well.. *laughing* I think this though, is turning into cider, might need to get a hydrometer to check the alcohol content.

Yesterday, I strained and bottled it for a second ferment.. I had some of this juice this morning with some rice pudding for breakfast.. for lunch I made some lovely mushroom soup.. it is so easy and quick..
the recipe needs
Mushroom Soup
500 grams of mushrooms
1 onion
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons of flour
1 cup chicken stock or vege if you prefer
2 cups milk
salt and pepper
a little lemon juice
Melt the butter and fry finely chopped onion until just transparent, add finely chopped, peeled mushrooms, cook 2 or 3 minutes, add the flour and stir.. add milk and stock and cook until thick about 6 minutes, now I like it a bit smooth so I take out a cup of the soup, then blend the rest a little with a stick blender, pop the missing cup of soup back and stir.. now if your like me, I do not like it to thick so I add about 3/4 cup of water, bring to the near boiling, add about a tablespoon of lemon juice and serve.