Sunday, March 3, 2013

Slow Living February 2013


Hello!

Well we have said goodbye to Summer in Australia and a big hello to Autumn, although I think the lovely weather is going to stay around for a few more weeks, Yay!

It ha been a really beautiful summer this year, the weather has been truly 'summery' and warm and sunny and perfect for outdoor stuff.  We have had a few ordinary summers in recent years , so it was nice to have a 'proper' Summer.

February has just flown along at a million miles an hour!  School and all the regular things have started up and we are back in the swing of 'normal' life.  It has been a lovely month, and it has felt like the holidays have continued as we have been able to do lots of relaxing fun things, with the weather being so good.  We had a couple of days of rain at the end to give the garden a good soak, just when everything was really dry, so very welcome.

Anyway, here is my Slow Living report for the month.....


Nourish - Well it has been another month of typical Summer eating around here.  Lots of barbecues,
 salads, and fresh veg from the garden.  I still threw a few roast chickens into the mix, just because they are so easy and it's a meal that everyone will eat.  I also made a few treat dinners with the deep fryer, a highlight being Chinese style lemon chicken - very delicious!  (thing I will post the recipe for the lemon sauce, easy and so yum!)


Prepare - I made a couple of batches of apricot jam while apricots were still plentiful, on batch is more like apricot sauce as I had a hard time figuring out when to take it off the heat and took it off a bit early. The other batch has set better and is like 'real' jam! So I have about 18 jars of apricot yumminess!


Green - Umm, not a lot doing for this one, we have sweltered through the heat without air-conditioning, so I hope our electricity use is down a bit,  and stayed cool by spending lots of time at the beach and my parents' place, who have a pool.


Grow - The garden has been producing well, even though it has been very dry.  We have been harvesting tomatoes, sweetcorn, beans, capsicums, lettuce, onions, carrots and a few baby potatoes plus various herbs.  I also have bed of cantaloupes ripening nicely as I hope they will be ready soon.  We have had very little rain so I have been relying on my tank and some mains water to keep everything going. There were some sizzling days where I lost a few things in the garden, but overall it has survived the summer fairly well.  My dahlias have also been putting on a beautiful display and giving my cut flowers for the house.


Reduce - I have been on a bit of a clutter reducing drive this month and have started giving our house a good clean up, I can see the surface of my gypsy dresser for the first time in a long while!  I have had quite a few boxes for the op shop, and there are more to come.  It feels great to have things in more order,  I hope I can get through the whole house with my new ruthless declutter frame of mind!




Create - Still working on my star stitch blanket and a few rows of the crochet along blanket, it has been pretty hot though for crochet!


Discover - I have spent a fair bit of time discovering how to set up an online store through Storenvy, and then setting it up, ordering stock, photographing everything, setting prices, etc !  Quite a big learning curve!  But lots of fun and very interesting and exciting!


Enhance - I have spent time at the Community garden and am trying to be a better blog community member up responding to comments left on my blog, something I am sporadic at, at best, even though I really like getting comments and appreciate everyone of them!    I also started a give away for my blog readers that has had a good response.  (there is still time to enter if you'd like !!) :)


Enjoy - February has been quite a social month, with a nice afternoon/evening spent with friends dining outdoors, many afternoons on the beach and a few evening beach walks.  I have also kicked my get fit plan into action and have walked over 150 km in the month, with a modest weight lose resulting  (3kg for the month) I am telling myself slow and steady wins the weight lose race! I am enjoying my walks and am finding the nike app very motivating!  




Joining in with Christine and the other Slow Living guys over at Slow Living Essentials.

How was your last month of Summer/Winter ? 
Are you looking forward to a new season too?



18 comments:

  1. It sounds like you have had a wonderful Summer. It seems strange that you are looking forward to the Autumn just as I am so looking forward to Spring - I feel like I am on 'catch up'. Your dresser is beautiful - I see you like CK! x Jane

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  2. In Holland it is spring, so hopefully it's getting warmer soon. I can't wait for the summer to come.

    Your veggies looks delicious.

    Nice to see a part of your lovely dresser again. I love those colours!.

    Groetjes, Monique

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  3. that colours more beautiful it have vegetables,you eat very ecological I love see this vegetables.
    Here started the spring soon will stard to sprout flowers and vegetables for can enjoy
    their.Hope well week

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  4. There in the north the spring is comming..it's cold yet but i can wait to prepare my all garden for the summer.
    Alwayss I love every picture in your blog.
    I hope you have a beautiful day

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  5. Hi there! Here in Portugal the winter is ending, but the rain and cold stil remain...we are ansiously waiting for the sun!!! But until that I work on my projects in crochet..., by the fire place.. See you soon...

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  6. Hi, It all sound just marvelous and what a wonderful bounty of fresh veggies you had!! I am really looking forward to winter, for the first time ever!! Our summer has been unbearibly hot here in South-Africa.
    Love
    AMarie

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  7. Hello, here in germany starts spring. It was snowing very long that winter and so we all are looking forward for some warm days now.
    Love all your nice pictures...have a good week
    greetings Birgit :)

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  8. I'm the same with replying to comments, and generally leaving them too! The problem is I read at work during lunch & then forget, getting much better now though.

    Looking forward to seeing your shop :)

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  9. What a pretty hutch - it's so colourful! It always feels like such an accomplishment to clean out and reduce clutter, doesn't it?

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  10. as you are saying goodbye to summer and hello to fall, my area of the worlds is saying a very happy goodbye to a long,cold winter! Spring is on its way and I can't wait! :) Love the picture of your veggies! getting my garden ready soon!

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  11. It's great that you have set up your shop! it must feel good. All the best with it, Heather x

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  12. How funny that we can look at the same summer so differently! I can't believe how hot, long and parched summer has been. I feel like I watched the life sapped out of the world around me. Very depressing! It looks like your garden has done wonderfully and you've had an amazingly productive month! Well done.

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  13. Just coming out of a cold winter here in the UK can't wait for Spring managed planted some polyanthus up yesterday though it so cold, you're garden must be amazing producing so many home grown goodies.I love you're dresser by the way, so pretty. x

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  14. I love your gypsy dresser, and your blanket is beautiful!

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  15. I love the colours of your dresser, it looks so cheerful with your collections nestled in it!
    I'm ready for Autumn, but she hasn't showed up yet! All in good time I suppose :-)

    Sarah x

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  16. You have such a fabulous blog! I truly envy your dresser and your seasons! I'm writing from Hawaii where the two seasons are sunny and slightly less sunny with a 50% chance of rain. Can't complain, though! Look forward to reading more from you.

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  17. wow those tomatoes!
    if you crack open the apricot kernels there's an edible nut inside: add it to the jam as it adds a surprise crunch and helps with the thickening:
    I like to stir in some freshly crushed cardamom seeds too:
    oh and I have blanket envy!

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  18. Your apricots are gorgeous. I'm looking forward to having them here.... in just a few months. ;-)

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Thank you for taking the time to add your comment, I love to receive comments and read them all, even if I don't get around to responding to you, I am just not that organised!