Adelaide the Festival City

The healthy being craves an occasional wildness, a jolt from normality, a sharpening of the edge of appetite, his own little festival of the Saturnalia, a brief excursion from his way of life.  ~Robert MacIver

There is no dearth of activities for one to enjoy in Adelaide, the Festival City at the moment.  We just enjoyed a long weekend and had it not been for our darling Ess being unwell on Friday (and then up and down over the weekend) perhaps we might have partaken in many more things.

There were drives in the Adelaide Hills to be enjoyed with stops at "full to the brim and overflowing" antique shops in Woodside.  They beckoned but the hour was late!  We had already stopped at Hahndorf for Pot Belly Pies ("the best in the country") and Strathalbyn to see our health practitioner.

We enjoyed the Fringe Family Weekend with lots of live music, dancing and wonderful performance on the stage under the lovely old trees.  There were drums to bang (see Eee and I above) and flowersticks to twirl (see below).  Ess enjoyed her workshop with Cirkidz.  Kindermusik was workshopping there as well and we said G'day to our lovely educator, Mr Geoff.  We found an amazing dragonfly made in Vietnam which can balance anywhere it seems.  Sadly we missed The Amazing Drumming Monkeys which were loved by all last time.  This is just a great festival.  I love going to see all the creativity there is lurking in the depths of this city and indeed around the world and also to remind myself that I am not the only unconventional person around.  Not the only one who enjoys innovative creativity from a smaller pocket of interesting and unique people.  It actually began as an alternative to the Adelaide Festival.

We chose the Fringe Festival over Womad this year.  Tickets to Womadelaide are very expensive although the line-up of performers there is huge.  It would have been outstanding as it was a couple of years ago when I visited pregnant with my second!  I was puzzled as to why both Womad and Fringe Family Weekend coincided but it didn't seem to matter as the Fringe Family Weekend was extremely busy as was the constant flow of walkers to Womad.  Yet this is Adelaide and we were still able to drive into town and park to get to our festivity.  We walked perhaps 10-15 minutes to get to our car parked (for free) in a sidestreet.  Just one of the reasons I love Adelaide and have no longing to be in Sydney.  Great entertainment abounds at very little cost.

Soon we will have the Clipsal 500 although you won't see us there.  Fortunately for me we have no car lovers in this house.  Yet it brings a big buzz to the city and everyone knows that it's here.  The track is in the centre of the city, for heaven's sake, I am still amazed at the transformation of city streets at the end of March.

There is absolutely no reason to be want of anything to do in Adelaide in March. 

Pork and Apple Bolognese

Politicians say they're beefing up our economy.  Most don't know beef from pork.  ~Harold Lowman

Image found here

I'd make a great politician this week I think.  Two evenings ago, as I began preparations for tea, which was to be Spaghetti Bolognese for the girls, I removed the meat from my frig and thankfully realised sooner rather than later that I had thawed minced pork rather than minced beef which I usually use for this classic dish.  I know some people do cook bolognese with a combination of pork and veal so I decided I'd just use my cooking nouse and prepare a bolognese sauce with my pork.  Honestly I didn't have the wherewithall to change my plans and cook my usual Sang Choi Bau with pork mince.  So we ended up with a most delicious Pork and Apple Bolognese which I hope you and your family will enjoy as well.  It improves with age.  My Generous Gentleman didn't stop "mmm...ing" during tea last night.  We enjoy this with Basmati rice but you could use ordinary or spelt spaghetti.  Ess enjoyed some little shell shaped wheat free pasta along with her rice.  Little Eee... mmm... let's just say she is being extraordinarily fussy at this stage of the game.  To be expected of an 18 month old, sadly.

Image found here

Pork and Apple Bolognese

Brown 500g pork mince, remove from pan.

Saute onion and bacon in some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, later adding garlic, until golden.

Add 1-2 teaspoons tomato paste.  Cook off.

Add 1 grated carrot, 1 grated zucchini and 1 grated apple.

Return the mince and add 1 can of tomatoes with the little bit of water used to rinse the tin.  Cook, breaking down the mince and tomatoes as needed.

Add dried oregano (which you have hanging in your pantry after pruning your oregano this summer).

Add a good glug of tamari or your own choice of soy sauce.

Simmer for 30 mins to an hour, without letting it stick to the pan, adding some water or stock if necessary.  Some say to simmer gently for up to 3 hours to form a delicious ragu.   But eat it when you and the sauce are ready in my opinion.

Add some fresh mint and parsley.

Serve with rice or noodles and greens.

Simple Beauty

A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world.  ~Leo Buscaglia

As I sat outside on this beautiful Autumn morning enjoying a piece of cake a friend had shared with us, I looked up and saw this pretty sight.  Right away the words "simple beauty" sprang to mind and the essence of those words filled my heart. 

Such simplicity to enjoy sitting in your little garden, with your little baby on your knee, eating a sweet snack and singing sweet songs.

With my baby on my knee, tra la la, la la la

I'm as happy as can be, tra la la, la la la

With my baby on my knee, tra la la, la la la

Tra la la la la, la la la la la.

A New England Nursery Song

We're off to Kindermusik Village this morning where we'll no doubt sing and enjoy this simple song again.

I am From

Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee

Calls back the lovely April of her prime.
~William Shakespeare

Today is my mother's birthday.  She is away visiting her sister who is also celebrating her birthday today.  My aunty is 80 years old, she is 13 years my mother's elder.  Knowing they are celebrating getting older makes me reflect and think about where I am headed and where I am from. 

I recently read this post of Kellie's on Don't Look Now!  I thought it was lovely that she was from a similar place to me but never thought I'd write my own poem.  Then, at times unsuspecting, the poem sprouted and before I knew it my poetic juices were flowing and I had my own history penned.   So if you think you cannot, you will not, I encourage you to let go and see what might flow.  It is actually quite cathartic.  If you do write your own "I'm From" poem please let me know so I can join you in learning more about where you're from.  If you follow the links from Kellie's poem you will find the original from whence it came.

So here's a sneak peak of some of me.

I’m From

I’m from tireless pioneers, hard-working farmers and long dusty trails. From blacksoil plains, deceptive mirages and vast, tree-studded horizons.  From small country town, regional farming community and “townie vs cockie” the former is me!  From Mehi River, Gwydir River, where rivers meet. 

I’m from maternal ancestors trekking across seas, across lands; from England to South Australia, into northern New South Wales, up to central Queensland.  From sheep grazing, wheat farming then cotton as well. Corrugated iron sheds, blue-topped cotton modules, and seasonal “snowy” cotton lined roads.  From worshipping in a country church built by relatives of friends.

I’m from aesthetic beauty: flowers in the garden, arranged in vases, floral shows as well.  From cakes carefully decorated by my mother’s own hand, from embroidery, crochet, sewing, handmade.  Fixing loose threads on my clothing, “not the good scissors!”, stashes of fabric, buttons, binding and ribbons.  Always dressing well to go out.  From Sylvia’s fabrics, pattern hunting and fabric matching.

Paternally from Denmark to Australia, right into Queensland, freezing to heat.  From food production, apple orchards, vegetable growing and home baking.

From awkwardness, confusion; leadership and faith.  From silliness and laughter with my treasured brother and sister.   From independence and competence, achievement and success.

From “hugs and kisses”, “hugs and kisses” among siblings at the end of car journeys, upon arrival at our holiday destination, the “Uh-oh better go to bed” and “I wear my sunglasses at night, to keep my panties on tight” fun play with siblings.

Photo found at  www.Redbubble.com

I’m from the bright yellow daffodil, pretty pink poppy and rich red rose, the calm Carbeen tree, breezy Belah and the beloved, guarded unique Leopard Tree.

From the smoking besa block incinerator in the backyard, the besa block “barby”, begrudged family trips to the dump.

From oranges, mandarins and almonds in the garden, lawns always watered through hot summer months.

From home-sewn school uniform and Dad-knitted navy cardigan, from tights keeping legs warm from pesky, shivery Jack Frost on our front lawn

From Sunday roast dinners and baked beans on toast, salad plate lunches, toast fingers with soup.  From Potatoes La Jolla, Herbed Chicken pieces from “promite, not vegemite” or “vegemite not promite” sandwiches in lunchboxes.

Piano lessons during lunchtime, then through swimming lessons in high school. Piano duets in my best friend’s Mum’s bedroom on weekend retreats from boarding school.  Boarding school challenges, fun and successes.  Singing and singing, and singing some more, “Yes, Jesus loves me”, Christmas carols and rhymes.  Renaissance polyphonies, madrigals, and contemporary and sacred choral works.

I'm from sharing my music, from teaching tiny littlies, imparting my intuition and knowledge to the families I meet.  From meeting my beloved and sharing in our union, from bearing two treasured, precious daughters who now ofttimes lead me in my journey.

And now I am me, here today, returned to the start, growing veges and living down south in South Australia from whence my ancestors came, living and loving creatively, following my Creator.

Farm photos courtesy of my brother and sister-in-law. 

Autumn Fall of a Very Special Variety

Look at this... can you see?...

Yes it is my gorgeous rose, my Children's Rose, beautiful as it is, with buds coming into colour.  But can you see something else, something more precious, more unique, more rare?...

Oh my, it is a raindrop!!  Raindrops in abundance even!!

Perhaps your sense of wonder at this precious commodity may not be so prominent as mine if you have been living in the northern or eastern parts of Australia recently, or in northern parts of our world.  However we have become accustomed to this over the last age (or it seems an age anyway!)  Heat, dry heat, and quite a lot of it. Even I, a well-known warmth lover, found this year's heat-waves and lack of moisture to be rather ridiculous.

Last evening we had a shower or two and I took the opportunity to photograph these beautiful blooms.  Oh how I wish I had a camera with a better macro setting (one that actually works) and a bit more camera knowhow. Raindrops glistening are such a pretty sight!

It hasn't really rained a great deal.  It didn't stop me walking to school this morning with my girls although it did prevent my neighbour. It's coming in fits and starts.  Just after my baby and I arrived home from our school drop off it came, quite heavily, quite satisfactorily.  We both enjoyed sitting and toddling and watching raindrops fall and puddles form.  Little Eee, who has seen very, very little rain in her 18 months of life, delighted at the sight and longed to go outside to play.  Had it not been only half an hour til her nap time, and had her legs been walking more confidently,  I think we would have ventured out to play.  Being from warmer climes, I am used to the combination of rain and warmth.  (It was 28degC this morning despite our maximum temperature forecasted to be 23degC - go figure).  I remember playing outdoors in the rain, enjoying the feeling of relief of a cool raindrop after the build up of humidity.  Down here in the south the rain usually comes with cold winds and much cooler temperatures.  Today is just so pleasant.  Dark with cloud cover, cool with a slight breeze and soul-filling, heart warming raindrops.

So here I sit talking of rain and it has stopped again... one can only hope!

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens,

brown paper packages tied up with string

these are a few of my favourite things!

My Favourite Things, The Sound of Music

An Autumn Morning...and the winner is...

Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.  ~George Eliot

'Twas early on an Autumn Morning, the first one of the season, that a little girl wandered outdoors to enjoy the breeze.  She heard two sweet, tiny birds fluttering overhead.  

They were twittering to one another with a look of confusion and bewilderment in their faces.

"Now where could our nest be?" one twittered to the other, "None of these are just like our own."

For you see their nest had become sprinkled with white.  Something unusual to the birds, not feathers, not fluff, lined their nest.  Tiny pieces of paper had altered its appearance beyond recognition.

Now one would assume that a bird would know, would sense which tree, which nest, which house was his.  This time, however, the destination was unknown.  Until a kind and gentle hand, a small and delicate one, came to help.

It plucked a tiny piece of white from the birds' nest and allowed the bird to see.  It's home was soon to be anew, a home with....

Little Toot will soon make his way from us to you to make his home in yours.  

We hope you have a special place for him to make his little nest.

I will email you shortly Sharon to find out your address and discuss which recipe you would like me to handwrite and share with you.  

Thankyou to all who visited and commented.  I have enjoyed visiting all your blogs and leaving comments for you there.

Have a lovely Autumn! or Spring if you are on the other side of the world, such as dear Juliane - thank you for your narrative inspiration.

Olive Oil, Honey and Nutmeg Biscuits

To a bee, honey is work
To us, it is leisure, luxury, pleasure.
If only the eating thereof
would fill us with the spirit of hard work.
~Corri Alius

I have finally perfected our new healthy biscuit recipe - Olive Oil, Honey and Nutmeg Biscuits.  These biscuits have very minimal sugar in them and no butter at all.  They are also made with wholemeal spelt flour but you could substitute your flour of choice.  They are reminiscent of the Arnott's Honey Jumble biscuits I consumed ravenously as a child - a little chewy and oh so delicious.  I was very lucky to eat the last half of one with my cup of tea this morning after little Eee begged for that last longed for biscuit remaining in the jar.  Yes, we shared it.

¼ cup castor sugar

¼ cup olive oil

small ¼ cup honey

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1¾ cups wholemeal spelt flour

¼ teaspoon bicarb soda

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

1-2 teaspoons nutmeg to taste 

(I like my nutmeg and put in 2 teaspoons to compliment the strong flavour of our honey)

½ cup raisins or sultanas

Preheat your oven to 180℃/375℉.  Line two oven trays with baking paper or your silicon biscuit baking mat.  Put sugar, oil, honey, egg and vanilla into a bowl of your electric mixmaster and beat for 2 minutes.

Sift the flour, soda, cream of tartar and nutmeg and add to the thickened wet mix.  Mix together until well combined.  Stir through the raisins.

Dollop in spoonfuls onto your tray to bake.  Decorate the top with tiny slivers of Fair Trade dark chocolate scraped with a knife to sit delicately on top of each biscuit.  We have tried decorating with raisins also but found that the time in the oven baked them a little too hard - they are yummiest when inside.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.  Rest on a tray for 5 minutes until cool.  You can then transfer them to a wire rack and see how long they last sitting around in your kitchen :).

Enjoy these little morsels of yumminess which are all good for you.  Really they are!  They are the perfect snack for a little toddler whose delicate mouth delights in the softness of a chewy bikky.

If you haven't yet entered a comment for my little giveaway.  Now is your last chance as we will draw the winner over the weekend.  So look out for an announcement on Monday.