30 January 2022

The Week that Was 30/1/2022

Yesterday was our 33rd wedding anniversary. Where have those years gone? It doesn't feel like 33 years, it barely feels like any time has passed. Love, loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, caring, humour and adventure have filled our years together, and it's my dream they do for at least another 33 years!

Hannah brought me 10 kilos of onions and my plan was to slice and dehydrate, but the humidity wasn't good for dehydrating, so they have been sliced and frozen and I'll do them this week when it is cooler. The rest were sliced and turned into caramelised onions for the pantry. 

Wednesday was Australia Day, and we spent it in Bunyip State Park with a friend, just four wheel driving and enjoying being out in the bush for the first time in ages. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny, and we had fun!

I had a quiet week in the craft room. It was hot and humid and just plain energy sapping.

A while back a friend gave me a sheet of clock faces to use on cards, so they were cut out and put in the box to use.

Cut out some apron card bases ready to decorate.

Of an evening when it cooled down, crochet was easy so two shower pouffs in lavender were completed. They will go into one of the gift tins/trays for Christmas.

The laces and ribbons are out of control, so small pieces of card and paper have been turned into bobbins and I'll wind them while I watch TV. I made quite a few of these last year and didn't keep any, but now I have a craft room the laces and ribbons can be on display, and the bobbins will keep them neat and (hopefully) look pretty.

While the bits of paper were out I made up some seed packets. I have an idea on how to use them to create gifts.

AJ gets coffee in little glass bottles. Sprayed them with chalk paint. They will be lovely on a white metal tray on my desk.

Lastly is the clock. The craft room needed a clock, and I wanted it to be pretty. A clock we had was redecorated and I love it.

I have a funny story. Hannah has been bringing Lacy down with her when she comes home for weekends, and she has been so good. I was worried about the garden but she's just pretty much ignored it.

Well we have rhubarb in a pot, and it was getting big, so I was very brave and split off a crown, the first time I've done it, and planted it in a pot next to the herb pots. It was growing so well, I was so proud. 

So the saying pride goes before a fall - well on Sunday just before Hannah left we were outside and she said "oh, oh, Lacy's been digging in the pots". When I had a look she had, but the rhubarb was gone! The pot was empty! I was devastated, almost cried. Then I thought that would teach me for being so proud.

On Friday night when they arrived, Lacy came in the front door and trotted straight out the back (I was thinking what a good dog she is, she knows to go straight outside) and I followed her.

Well that cute dog went straight to the rhubarb pot and started digging. I growled at her, but she kept digging - and she dug up the rhubarb plant! She had buried it!

Well I just laughed, what else could I do. Then I replanted the rhubarb and it's been a week and it seems to be doing OK, even after a week underground!


09 January 2022

2022 Canning and Preserving Plan

Interest has been shown in my canning plan for the year, so this year, after watching and being inspired by Leisa from Suttons Daze, I have created a written plan that is decent enough to be shared. Usually I just jot down in my planner what I've done, how much and when.

I'll update it through the year as things get added to it, and hopefully it will also act as an inventory so at the end of the year I should know exactly what is in the pantry as far as canned and preserved foods goes.

Here's what I came up with - bare in mind that it may, and most likely will, change through the year, depending on what produce and meats are available. And it's just a basic list-  it may, and most likely will, end up being significantly bigger.

My plan differs from Leisa's in that I've noted how each thing is to be preserved - hot water bath, pressure canning or dehydrated, and I've included half pints, pints and quarts as the jar sizes because they are what I use most of. 

There shouldn't be a lot of freezing happening as I want to get away from being freezer reliant for our food storage. I just have the thought that if the power is out for any length of time, even with a generator, keeping three freezers frozen is going to be very hard work, if not impossible. So shelf stable preserving is becoming more and more appealing to me.








That's it for now! It can and will change, but by the end of the year it will all be well and truly done and on the shelves.