It's Tuesday and I haven't left our farm since last Friday. It's been too cold and really, there's nothing out there in the big wide world that I need.
I guess winter is the season we have been preparing for during all the others: we have a freezer stacked to the top with containers, our pantry is groaning under the weight of filled Fowlers jars and there are piles of kindling and firewood ready to burn to heat our house, dry our clothes and cook our food.
It's Tuesday and for the first time in days it's not rainy or windy or both. Today feels like one of those days where winter stops for a second and catches it's breath. It is still freezing cold but it is calm and it's still. We'll rug up to go out to feed the animals and collect the eggs, but then instead of rushing back inside to shelter, we might venture further.
We might check on the crops growing in the market garden, make plans to mulch the garlic, weed the beetroot, spray the orchard, whipper snipper between the trees, bring in another load of wood, move the chickens, pick the rhubarb and start pruning the apples.
The winter jobs might be fewer but the days are shorter and mostly nastier, so we'll study the weather forecast and work when we can.
It's Tuesday and although it's only the second day of the school holidays, I think I might get the girls all rugged up in their winter woollies and make them come outside with me too. They've been crafting up a storm all morning but I know that a few big gulps of fresh winter air will do them so much good.
We'll run down the hill, watch the water streaming past us, listen to our boots squeak in the wet grass and chat to all the animals. It'll be so cold that our eyes and noses will sting but we'll feel alive in the iciness and it will make us run faster and scream out and sing.
It's Tuesday, the first day of July and the second month of winter.I am not a winter person. Not at all. But I am a person who loves coming back inside after being out. I love getting the fire cranking, putting the kettle on the hot-plate, stripping off my wet weather gear, making a soup and settling in with some knitting. That I can do. That part I am good at.
Happy Tuesday lovely friends out there, what have you got planned for the day?
xxxx
Look how fecund your garden is! The leeks are just begging to go into soup and risotto :) I love winter but, like you, also love escaping from the cold in front of the fire.
ReplyDeleteFecund!! I love that word but until now I've had no idea how to use it.
DeleteI think I'm going to make it the word of today now.
Everyone here has to use it at least 3 times.
Thanks for that. Yay!
x
Your veggie boxes are looking so lovely and lush. I love the cheery red boots. I dragged the kids out on a bush walk this morning which turned out to be heaps of fun with fallen trees to climb on and rock caves to explore. We even saw some black cockatoos (rarely seen around here) and a pair of king parrots. We picked up leaves and guessed which tree they came from. Good cheap and cheerful fun. T x
ReplyDeleteHopefully your wonderful morning will be our afternoon.
DeleteThere is so much to discover, so much adventure to be had in the forest after the rain. x
Heater is ON in the clay studio, sour dough rising on the Aga, kiln waiting to be unloaded and reloaded..and Im sitting here in the kitchen about to put on another layer and a beanie & head out there... in a minute..maybe after another pot of tea... or lunch ...
ReplyDeleteAlways another hot drink to be made and drunk, I do that too. you do sound like you are rocking winter Miss Adriana. xx
DeleteI'm currently sitting on top if a mountain at Falls Creek. The weather is stunning. Fresh snow, sunshine and an amazing view. Really appreciating the hot chocolate I'm enjoying which makes the freezing cold out there so much more bearable along with knowing at the end of a day of skiing, a warm fire and a hearty bowl of soup awaits.
ReplyDeleteSounds perfect. Every single bit of it. x
DeleteNot cold here yet, but snow a cold southerly with a possibility of snow is predicted for tomorrow and Thursdays. Yes! and I agree, the fecundity of your garden is so impressive, even in winter it's just shining with life. PLEASE tell me how you get your celery so healthy, mine is dismal, usually sort of rots and I can never find organic celery in the shops-gah. Do you companion plant with anything?
ReplyDeleteHa! This is our very first year of growing great celery and I'm a bit thrilled.
DeleteAnd to tell you truth it's just happened, no secret special treatment at all.
So I guess my advice is don't ever give up - soon you'll be crunching and juicing and souping all the way home. x
Your kitchen garden looks so awesome Kate! You have inspired me to get out into my sad example of a kitchen garden and get planting, I think I just procrastinate in the cold so long, things don't get done. Love all your kale plants so healthy looking, in fact it all looks like it is thriving! My sister and I are going for a winter beach walk this arvo, don't think I'll be able to convince my boys to come, although I'll give it try.... Julie xx
ReplyDeleteI'd give you half my garden for an afternoon walk on a nearby beach Julie. Sounds heavenly. x
DeleteHi Kate, it is so nice that it's not windy and raining here. I'm not watching my gum trees like a hawk, praying that they won't fall down. My main goal for the day is to keep my fire going to heat me and my 3 girlies and all our clothes so they can dry!
ReplyDeletelove to look at your frozy pictures meanwhile the sun is shining an it will be hot again :-)
ReplyDeletei'll make some mango vinegar today, it's so tasty with salad ;-)
I desperately want to do some gardening, washing, meal prepping, baking, knitting, sewing and de-cluttering...but today i am dealing with screamy baby who is tired but won't sleep and hungry but won't feed =/ You're veg garden always inspires me, so pretty!
ReplyDeleteOh Kate...is there any better feeling than school holidays with a well stocked pantry and freezer? No where to go, no school routine to wrangle. Just life to live with crafting, reading, growing, baking and taking care of animals. In our case there is also a lot of Lego play and horse riding to be done. Your kitchen garden looks like a beautiful place to be xx
ReplyDeleteFecund! I've never heard of the word fecund so I'll have to look up fecund in the dictionary and then I'll know what fecund means! There you go Kate, I've used the word fecund five times!!! He he!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are gorgeous. I too love being at home. If I didn't need to buy groceries and drive my kids to their sport etc i don't know if I would leave our home much at all. I have spent today driving my boys around, doing the washing and some cleaning up. I will be knitting and maybe reading tonight. I'm hoping tomorrow is a sunny, still day so I can spend some time in the garden. Yes, these winter days may be cool, but there is still plenty of things to enjoy. xxoo
It's warm and humid here in Japan, but in a month, I'll be sharing your wintry woes. I'm not a huge fan of winter, either, but with warm fires and purring cats, there are compensations. Not to mention big pots of tea!
ReplyDeleteI'm so looking forward to gardening again. Your veggie boxes are very inspiring!
Gem
Today, the kids and I went on an outing with my late husbands mother. We went down to the river, explored the foreshore, talked to pelicans and watched two correla's 'making out'! We went on a bush walk and the kids climbed rock faces too high for me, so I watched and Nana closed her eyes! We got some takeaway hot chips and sat on the grass and were joined by lots of bush turkeys and a gorgeous rooster! The weather was cold but the sun was out and the fresh air cleared all the cobwebs from our souls.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog & I'm learning lots too. Forgive my ignorance but I didn't realise any part of Australia got so cold in winter! We'll hit 21c here in Southern Ireland today which is good going for us, higher than our average daily summer temp.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful abudant garden. I love leeks at this time of year. The other night I sent the man (not so familiar with the garden) out to get some leaks and he braught in the hole Clump! I told him to leave me three and go back outside and re plant them. I hope they live for another cold night when I want cauliflower and leek soup! Your garden is inspirational.
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks lovely, Kate. Unfortunately for me I had to leave home to go to work today, but it was great to get home and change into my PJ's, put the fire on and hang with my girls. It's not raining up this way; the days are crisp and clean and cold. Just how I like it. Winter is my favourite time here in QLD
ReplyDeleteKate your garden looks just beautiful. Actually it looks beautiful in all seasons. How lucky you are to step outside to that?!
ReplyDeleteDespite the winter weather your gardens look wonderful. Ours are in summer growth and gearing up to produce their summer crops. By our second month of fall everything looks dead and wilted. We've cut most of it back and prepared it for the winter snows to come. It is interesting to see how it is different across the world.
ReplyDeleteWe had our first lettuce and spinach results this weekend. We are surprised that our asparagus that has never lasted past the end of May is still going strong in July.
I love how you use so many old, reclaimed materials in your garden. It might be from a practical, this is what we have to make do, reason, but it gives it such a personal, homey feel.
ReplyDeleteHello, I am new to your blog. It is lovely to see your vegetable garden and what you are growing. I look forward to seeing more in the future. I hope that you don't find the winter too horrible, and that the nicer weather will return with abundance! xx
ReplyDeleteKate this is the most beautiful post that's been in my feed this week. I love winter although I do react to its bleakness with a sense if loneliness sometimes. Does that make sense? It's probably why I enjoy the sunny blue winter skies of Canberra so much. Your photos of your garden are incredibly evocative of a slow and still growing season. Reminds me to make time to get into the garden this weekend. Sadly it's dark when I get home after work these days but as I walked out the door this morning I noticed my feral tomato plant was still fruiting and ripening despite the sleet and the frost! And if a feral tomato plant can survive winter in Canberra then why shouldn't a feral Queenslander do the same?!
ReplyDeleteStuck at work, I am sneakily reading blogs and wishing I was in the country instead, wandering around Winter paddocks and looking forward to heading back inside with the warmth. I never used to be a Winter person but now it seems to be the second best season after Autumn.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a lovely Tuesday.
Your Winter looks so pretty, lovely pictures - makes me positively look forward to our wet miserable UK Winters!
ReplyDeletenothing like a bit of frost to cast a sparkle over the landscape. Betty
Your garden is looking so magnificent Kate!xx
ReplyDeleteVotre jardin est magnifique! Les photographies sont à couper le souffle. Félicitations!!!
ReplyDeleteLucie x
Think that's the best bit, getting all cosy after a wintry walk! :) x
ReplyDeleteIt's so interesting to see different parts of the world -- where you are just facing winter, we are just starting our summer (I live in the US). Your garden looks lovely, and I love the bits of frost + dew all over.
ReplyDelete"Today feels like one of those days where winter stops for a second and catches it's breath." -- This is such a beautiful line + creates such a clear visual :)
Your garden is so inspiring! I love to come inside in winter, too. Although in the middle of the day here in Sydney it can be warmer outside in the sun than inside ... But inside is where the food and crafts are :)
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks so amazing! I love that you added buntings - it makes the whole garden so special!
ReplyDeleteIt's really hot over here in Germany today - I wouldn't mind sending you some of our warmth...
Take care
Anne
http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.de
I enjoyed looking at your blog. I noticed you are growing leeks and am wondering how you use them. I am attempting to grow leeks this year, but have never cooked with them before.
ReplyDeleteWe mostly use leeks in soups, stir-fries, pies and other places where we would use onions. I hope yours grow tall and thick and delicious.
DeleteThat sounds like complete and utter heaven. What an absolutely wonderful world you are bringing your girls up in.
ReplyDelete