Good old fashioned Lemon Cordial

I am starting this blog as I wait patiently for my jars to sterilise in the oven. Jars, you ask? Yep, I have just found THE BEST lemon cordial recipe. 

While in Victoria I got some lemons from my sister-in-law's tree. They are beautiful lemons. As we cannot bring fresh fruit south my MIL juiced them for me. And to finish it off, a yellow fabric jar topper and label. This one is for our guests. 

GOOD OLD FASHIONED LEMON CORDIAL - minus the preservatives 

2 kg caster sugar

1 litre water

30g citric acid

30g tartaric acid

Juice from 6-8 lemons, strained

Finely grated zest from 2 lemons

Heat the sugar and the water in a large saucepan until the sugar completely dissolves.

Add the citric and tartaric acids and stir them to dissolve as well. Let the syrup cool, then add the lemon juice and the zest. Bottle into sterilised jars.

Dilute 1 part cordial to 5 parts water (or to taste). Mineral water would add some fizz for a special touch.

Sterilising bottles in the oven

Preheat the oven to 120°C. Wash jars and lids in soapy water, rinse and place non-plastic lids on a sturdy oven tray. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and fill immediately with jam or other preserves.

Enjoy your cordial. I know that I am. I can also tick off another item I can make at home and not buy from the supermarket :D

Home Sweet Home

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort...Jane Austen

We are home after two weeks in Melbourne visiting family for belated Christmas Days (both sides). It was a wonderful time catching up with family and a few friends. We even made it up to Omeo to visit friends who moved from Tassie 12 months ago.

We took a car load, Essie, and two chickens, which were a Christmas present for my nephew. 

We returned with a car jam-packed, Essie, and two guinea pigs, which were a Christmas present for the kids from my sister and her family. 

What I loved: seeing loved ones

What I missed: my gumboots ;)

The road to Omeo

We were able to test out the new freeway, Peninsula Link, on its opening day.

There were only a couple of dramas while we were away. One being a gate that was accidentally left open allowing two big steers to get out and go up the road.  Our wonderful neighbours got them back for us. The other being two missing small hens and a few missing meat birds. I found four of these feather patches on the ground. I reckon something has come in, sat and eaten. Eagle? There have been a few about lately or was it a quoll or devil? Who knows and we probably won't ever know.

patch of feathers 

The ducks checking out the new comers to the yard.

tuckered out on the trip home

Our ride home :D

Poor Essie missed home. She was ok while we still had the chickens but when they went to my sister's place she was LOST! I can see why working dogs are meant for working and not small backyards. She discovered and rediscovered many things under Aj's parents' house and helped (NOT!) in the garden by digging. I think I have a very patient set of in-laws! She is so happy to be home and settled back into life herding and stalking chickens. 

There have been fires in Tassie. This photo was taken on our trip home.

The sunset through the Montumana fires.

What has been happening in your world?

xox

Yes, I do!!!

A friend wrote a blog and the first line was Some days I have sad days. Do you ever? My answer is yes, I do. I don't always know the reason. Sometimes it is simple things like the weather being overcast or a piece of creative work not happening the right way. Other times the reasons are more major. It is ok to have such days. Without these days we wouldn't be able to really appreciate the happy days, I don't think anyway.

Someone today said to me today 'I don't know how you do it', my answer 'Some days, just one foot in front of the other'. And that is ok. We put too much pressure on ourselves and others to lead these wonderful perfect lives but this only happens on the TV and they are fictional. Real lives have their ups and downs and we just learn to live with them. I have four independent, stubborn, beautifully loud children. My house is never spotless, there are always things on the counter top (which I hate, but often it includes my own things), crumbs and toys on the floor and I have days where I just can't be bothered.

Roses make me feel happy, comfortable and at home :) 

My response to my friend's blog:
This, Rach, is one of the major reasons I got off facebook. I feel this often. I have many people around me but don’t feel they all get or want to understand me or the way of life we are wanting for our family. I think of you often Rach, and although our two families do things differently, I know that you would understand and I take comfort in that. Never give up and give feel bad for having a cry, better to get it out than bottle it up. Much love!!!

Never give up peoples! Be yourself and be free to be so. xox

this last week...

Much has happened on the farm this last week. A huge thank you to Aj for all his hard work! 

I put up some picture frames and a ring (for making a material wreath) up in the dining room. Can't wait to fill the big frame.


New chicken shed for the meat birds is in the paddock and operational. New gutter style feeder. Just need to hook up a larger watering system for the shed now.

Taps and new lines installed in the poly pipe line around the place: We have a new tap for watering off the bore, as well as two new shut off points for water travelling around the perimeter. Fruit trees are all piped for watering too.

Hay is set up to be cut later this month, so we will have some new hay for this winter (and the old hay has been completely cleaned out of the hayshed).

Cows: temporary reels up so that the calves and older steers are separate. But they now have a larger area to roam. The steers are very close to being ready for slaughter.



And the mother duck, which has raised 4 chicks and looked after another 7 ducklings, has started to leave them to their own and has begun laying again! YAY! Duck eggs are brilliant for quiches and hold ingredients better than chook eggs. I like mixing duck/chook eggs for biscuits.

Pictures soon. 


On Thursday we had own old dog Tinker put down, he was 14. It was time but it was hard nether the less. He has been a wonderful, faithful dog. It hit MissZ the hardest 'But he was my friend!' she said through sobs. It has helped having another dog to take the attention and the kids have said no more about it. She has now asked for a rabbit and a cat, funny girl.


Enjoy your week! 

Happy New Year

Without a goal it’s difficult to score. What are your goals for 2013?

 

My two major goals are               

Being a better wife/mum by being more organised and less distracted.                

Getting a hothouse built and some vegetables planted.

Some minor goals are                   

Doing up the kids rooms

Separating chooks for breeding especially the meat birds. Got keep that cycle of life/eating happening.

Cutting the clutter and organising the house better – including putting up pictures.

Working more on the garden and kids play area.

These are goals that are attainable, I may have to work hard on them but they can be done. No point making goals that you just know will not happen ie: getting a new kitchen. 

I deleted my Facebook account this week. There were a few reasons why. The Facebookless me will be more focused on the real people in my life, it will be more focused on my family and making stronger, meaningful friendships. I have met some wonderful people through the Facebook world and I know that I will stay in touch J But for now, the blog will be my ‘social networking’ way of life.

I will still be creating and sewing so stay close to see these and other goings on at Providence Meadows. Follow us by hitting the join this site or follow by email buttons in the right hand column J  

A true gift!

I went into Woolworths today for some dinner items and the Christmas stock was being taken down, in fact it was almost done. To think that Christmas day was only yesterday. My first thought was I bet Easter eggs and hot cross buns will be out by the end of the week.

A friend, Christmas eve: ''Just saw a Coles ad that mentioned Easter. Surely that's a record, mentioning Easter on Christmas Eve???"

I don’t know if it is just me, but Christmas has become such a commercial day. The massive build-up and then bam! it’s done and dusted. Even with those around me I see that we as a society are forgetting the original meaning of Christmas. Whether you believe in Christ or not, without Him there wouldn’t be a Christmas. Why do we need to spend lots of our children: stuff that will be out-of-fashion within months and discarded? Why do we need to spend money on people who have it all? I have been reflecting a lot today and it occurred to me that Christmas isn’t even about spending time with family and loved ones. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that is a bad thing, but it’s about Christ first and foremost. He is the reason we celebrate. 

Christ was born, to die, to give us eternal life, if we choose to accept it.

We ate our duck for dinner tonight, Duck a L’Orange, with roast vegetables. It was lovely!!! A very rich and such dark meat. I was surprised at how little meat there was for such a heavy bird but what was there gave 4 adults and 8 kids enough. We were able to share the meal with friends and had a wonderful evening! Worth sharing such a meal like that! Such a great feeling being able to raise, slaughter and cook something that you have put time into. Great also knowing that he was a truly organic bird! 

This is the life.

With Christmas is only 3 sleeps away things are rather relaxed around here. I finished making some skirts that are presents for others. Oh and I got some housework done. I do need to wrap some presents now though.

We had two extras today as my friend was out on a wedding shoot. It was great as the older of the two is a year older than MrT and they get along so well. They spent much of their day outside or playing Lego. It was lovely to see.

We said good-bye and thank you to Mr Muscovy Duck and will be preparing him for Christmas lunch. Once again YouTube was a great help. A week earlier and he wouldn’t have had any big tough feathers. Still, we both found the job easier than with a chicken. Looking forward to seeing how it cooks up. Now to find a recipe…mmm… a cherry sauce or Duck a L'orange?

Tomorrow I will be making a Christmas cake. The last one I made was in Year 10 so we’ll see how it goes. I had wanted to make a pudding but reading the recipe was doing my head in, so I’ll try the cake. I’ll make some custard to pour over the top so no matter what it’ll be ok.

Both sets of parents have said in their Christmas letters that we are living the dream/our dream here in Tassie. Today has been one of those (sigh) wonderful dreamy days.

Our two English Game miniature chicks with their mum.