Crab-apple kitchen

I spent most of yesterday in the kitchen. It was good. My legs were letting me know by the end of the day but the results were humble and pleasing.
These pretty little fruits have been nibbled at by my human mouses over the past week so our somewhat small pickings became somewhat, ever so quietly, smaller. 

I've not made crab-apple anything before. I found a jam/jelly recipe on the ABC website . 
This requires the whole fruit minus the ever so clingy stems. I found a small sharp knife helped them to come away.

Seeing as the jam/jelly recipe uses only the water in which you cook the fruit I still had all that lovely soft-cooked crab-apple. I couldn't send it to the heap so went searching for a recipe that used the whole fruit, cooked, and came back with crab-apple butter. It contains, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, (just like hot cross buns!) perfectly seasonal, I thought.

It is a small harvest but a pretty one and I'm sure will be enjoyed. Already has been a little...those sticky fingerprints were found...

Oh, I kept a couple aside, just to look at a few days longer. Maybe to draw and paint, hmmm. I am so enjoying these. (Thanks Shemell!)

Wonder full: something for the senses

Something to hear, something to see, something to smell, something to taste, something to touch, or something to know....

Something to be thankful for.

short tales
Tonight I had my hand taken by a four-year -old and a nearly three-year-old and led out into the dark: 'To see the bats. They come to visit our fig tree.' We stood out there in the now present Autumn evening, bare feet cold on the wet grass, turned our eyes away from the light and watched as they flew over in ones, twos, fives and sixes. A couple came down to the tree so we hushed our voices and whispered about them, about where they might be going, about where they might sleep in the day and whether they liked our figs. A babe on my hip,and a babe in my hand, when we got a little too cold we wandered inside for a warm bath.

Extension, Ma'am?

Seems we've been given an extension on Summertime. And we're jumping for joy. 

Soaking in the sunshine.

 

Wearing those Summertime outfits just once more.

And loving the bare feet. Soles down.

And with it being so warm the past few days and trying to make our creating sessions Easter themed Mama came up with this one: a pineapple chicky with orange peel comb and beak, nested on a plum with grape eggs. No eyes, as was pointed out to me by a clever boy ('He got no eyes, Mama.')but still? 
The things Mama's think about at three in the morning, I don't know, seriously.
I even felt guilt free, look at all that fruity goodness. 
I needed to with the knowledge of those other muuuch less healthy treats in the pipeline...

Strength

This woman has been with us since we ventured ( pre-children!) to South Africa five years ago. When I first saw this image I felt she offered a sense of strength and pride yet softness and femininity. I was lucky enough to bring her home. I don't know anything about her. Just that her presence in our house brings me joy and strength. 

We hadn't found the right place for her until recently and now she's there for me when I walk through the door.

Crab-apple

Treasure from our good friend's tree. I had plans for these because I knew they were coming but at the moment I'm just enjoying their beauty.

They seem to blush every time I look at them...

And after a busy morning we had a quiet spell and sat outside with the afternoon sun on our back's and used those lovely water colour pencils to try to capture some of that gentle earthly beauty.

So many pictures of fruit...?


It is wonderful to be able to surround yourself with beauty and this week I just cant stop looking at those crabapples. 

Wonder full: something for the senses

Something to hear, something to see, something to smell, something to taste, something to touch, or something to know....

Something to be thankful for.

New born love

And so it goes

With daylight savings coming to an end this weekend I've been acutely aware of the last of the long evenings and we have dined outside more often than not. Spring really enjoys the table setting routine, and now my Autumn boy is beginning to contribute.

The play is going on longer than usual and we're loving it. Maybe clinging to it. One in, all in.

And then, we are also embracing the season we are in. The first serious sweep of the decking happened today with two helpers enlisted and a compost heap waiting.

And the fun to be had.

I tried a shortbread recipe this week. The recipe used the term  'dredge' in regards to dressing them in sugar. Kinda nice way to say it don't ya think? So dredge I did. And then dusted off a little before they entered the jar.

And we got into the festivities of the season. Hot cross buns are the start. So tasty as an after dinner treat out on the cool grass of these last Autumn time evenings.

Most enjoyable has been felting with the littlies. We made eggs, in the Easter theme. It's so simple and so tactile and they seem to feel a real sense of contribution. Autumn as much enjoyed squeezing the water from the formed eggs, with the towel on the floor, as rolling them. They are able to choose colours and the result is fairy rapid which is important when you're two. Full-time supervision is not hard with this one (provided Winter is sleeping). I forget how enjoyable wet felting is till I start again. And now that Seasonal table is adorned with small creations from happy beings. And I'm sure there are more to come. We so enjoyed ourselves.

Joys of the season and family.