Welcome rain ...

We went to bed last night to the sound of rain on the roof.  It had stopped by the time we got up but later this morning it started again and has been steady for hours now. Nice, straight down rain which will do our garden and lawn lots of good.

Our rainwater tanks were down to about a foot left in each one so I am doing a happy dance here!

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I hope the weather in your part of the world is being nice to you, we've seen so much bad weather lately, I hope things settle down for while.

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Cheers - Joolz

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I got my plate stand up on the wall yesterday and I am really pleased with how the plates look.  I have two Spode plates (which are part of a set of 4) but I can't find the other two anywhere - I've tried Spode on-line, eBay, google search and just can't seem to find them.  It seems they are out of production.   Anyway, when I spied the middle plate in the antique shop yesterday and it was $25, I just had to snap it up!

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Joolz

Our Aussie Day weekend (Pt 2) ...

Sunday forming, we arrived back from the beach in time to unpack Ruby and put away everything, did some washing and then thought about lunch...

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A hot cooked chicken from the supermarket and another salad platter did us for a quick lunch...

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... and a lamington with a dollop of cream!

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Then we headed for Coonawarra and stayed the night there.  We tasted a few wines then went to dinner at Penola Station (web page here) a new little restaurant that has opened in Penola.  After reading their website, it was nice to see a young local guy as the head chef at the moment.

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Trio of quail, breast, leg, eggs, orange segments, candied walnuts, kipfler potatoes, baby spinach,

red wine jus

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Seared Scallops, salad of orange, Sicilian capers, radish, fennel, huile de noix,

Pendleton lemon oil, flying fish roe 

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Very good Redman 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

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Lamb rack, fondant potatoes, dutch baby carrots, spinach & red wine jus

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Eye fillet,  France baby porcini mushrooms, spinach, panchetta crisp, shiraz jus

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Lamb rack on butternut pumpkin puree, green beans and red wine reduction...

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Jaffa Cointreau chocolate mousse, white chocolate ganache, orange segments and double cream...

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I think the best chocolate mousse I have ever tasted!

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This morning  we got up and had breakfast in the main street then we wandered the shops for a bit.  I found this blue and white plate in Never Too Old - from the back stamp it says it is circa 1830 Minton China.  It has a few chips on the back edge but they are not visible from the front and I paid $25.00 so I am really happy with that.  I needed a third plate to go in my plate stand.  Happy, happy!

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We farewelled our friends as they headed back to Melbourne then headed for home ourselves.  Have spent the afternoon washing and catching up on housework.  Back to work tomorrow.

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Cheers - Joolz

Our Aussie Day weekend (Pt 1) ...

 We had a lovely Australia Day long weekend, starting with our visitors arriving on Friday night.

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 Saturday morning, I decided to make some lamingtons (Wikipedia definition here) ... First I made a butter cake in a slice tin...

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 They turned out well but they were a bit hard to work with as the cake was so fresh.  I made a runny chocolate icing mix with icing sugar, cocoa and milk...

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 It was a messy job but worth it in the end...

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 Ta dah!

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 Lunch was Wagyu sausages and beef shasliks with a salad platter and fresh bread...

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 then we packed up and headed for McIntyre's beach and set up camp in Ruby and a 3 man tent.

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 We had all the mod-cons!  Ensuite toilet... haha!

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 Once again, pizza was on the menu.  This is olive oil, potato, garlic, potato, rosemary, bocconcini  and parmesan cheese...

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 The cooked product - so tasty.

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 Then I did a few others with the normal toppings...  They just got better and better!

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 My pizzeria kitchen...

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 Sun doing down, glass of red and a slice of pizza!

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 Gus and Kelvin wanted one last pizza later in the night - this is their sad effort!

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 Our camp fire kept us warm, although the wind whipped up so it was quite chilly.

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 Enjoying the coastline...

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 Getting that camp 

fire going and sorting out a bottle of red...

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 Great sunset...

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 S'mores for our visitors (I know, not very Australian - but they are yummy) ...

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 A hot cup of tea next morning...

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 Scrambled eggs...

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Bacon and toast cooked on the barby with the eggs...

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We packed up and headed home, tired and wind blown.

Cheers - Joolz

Happy Australia Day !

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I just had to make some lamingtons to take to the beach with us today.  Yummy!
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Joolz

Squarking corellas ...

This is the ruckus we listen to each morning when the corellas come flying in and roosting in the gum trees next door.  It's not the best wake up call you could receive each morning!

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Joolz

January phone dump...

Wow, it's 25 days since the start of the New Year - here are a few things that I have been doing and have collected on my phone... 

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I made red velvet cupcakes for Kirby to take to her friends holiday house for New Years...

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Aren't the sprinkles cute?  May have to whip these up again for Valentines Day.

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Tard the Grumpy Cat always cracks me up!

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We played Monopoly Revolution - I lost! 

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A funny off the internet...

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Sweet Potato Garlic knot rolls... although I don't put the garlic on them...

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Peach spiced chutney that we had with roast pork - when I find the recipe, I'll post it.

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Juice - pink lady apple, orange & carrot - you can feel it doing you good!

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The cherries around here have been fantastic - big, plump and juicy - I have a container on my desk and I just munch away!

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Salad platter - salad leaves, baby beetroot, kalamata olives, dried cranberries, cucumber, my home-grown cherry tomatoes and cheese...

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Oven wedges - sprinkled with Masterfoods Moroccan seasoning...

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Served with rump steak off the barbecue... and relish!
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More sweet potato knot rolls - did I tell you we love them?

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Layered juice - because I am clever that way!  This is how it goes when it settles - green apple, orange, carrot & celery...

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My Chicken Penne - seeded mustard, sundried tomatoes, baby spinach leaves, onion, a little chicken stock powder and light cream...

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Cockies (Corellas) on our roof - I am so sick of them - they poop everywhere and squark at 5.30 in the morning.  Anybody gotta gun?

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More Tard - Mount Grumpmore?

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I just love that face, makes me smile everytime!

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Dilmah plate collage - beautiful!

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My tomatoes are producing a few each day - on the left is the ripening bowl, on the right are ones ready for eating.

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Cockies in the neighbouring tree this morning - I wish they would just go away!

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After a warm 34C day yesterday and a warm night, I awoke to the sound of wind and rain and it looked very bleak.  But it lightened up to a sunny day.

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This picture shows how many birds congregate in the trees...  I have video of them making a racket - I'll post it one day soon.

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Enjoying my tomato relish on toast for breakfast...

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Also enjoying my apricot jam and vegemite on toast too!  What do you have for breakfast?

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It's Australia Day here tomorrow - we had planned to go to the beach and camp the night but I don't think the weather will be in our favour - might just have a barbecue at home with our friends visiting from Melbourne.  We'll wait and see!
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Cheers - Joolz