Her nest under the window

I know I've posted photos of sleepy Till before, but how could I resist these? Harry had a sleepover at a friends place on Saturday night which meant Till wouldn't sleep downstairs all on her lonesome (and nor would I have expected her too). So she set herself up this cosy little nest in the gable window bay of our bedroom. The tiny space prevented her from stretching her legs out, but as she pointed out "I sleep curled up Mum"! In her awake hours Till is such a confident independent girl, but fast asleep she seems so little and fragile. A few months off turning seven, Till is still our baby!

He goes UP

Once upon a time, there was a boy who didn't like heights. His name was Harry. Yes, this poor little fellow suffered a condition commonly known as... 'A fear of Heights'!!! When Harry was a toddler and his friends came to play they always climbed on top of his toy box, but not Harry, no no, he had his feet planted firmly on the ground.  As a pre-schooler, if Harry visited a double storey building he had to be carried up the stairs, sometimes crying (oh dear) and often protesting loudly. When it came to descending a long staircase, Harry would plonk down, frozen to the spot, refusing to move an inch. But then a remarkable thing happened. Harry grew older (and wiser) and taller and taller and taller still and with all this extraordinary growing his fear of high places lessened. His condition really improved when he moved to a magical place called Norfolk Island. For here on this special island, Harry had to become comfortable with big cliffs and stairs. Particularly stairs as his family moved into a double storey house. After a time Harry took up horse riding and he gradually started to feel secure perched high upon a horse. And well, you should this see Harry now...for these days (so the story goes), he's a boy who willingly climbs trees!!!!!!!!!!!! True. Here's proof...

The pretty and the purposeful

Orchids. 

These were given to us by our neighbour. 

They are stunning, don't you think?...

Much prettier than...

But I must say Ben's decision to keep the spinach in a vase of water does seem to be paying off. Normally we store fresh spinach in the fridge...but it always looks so limp and sad after a few days!

A slow blog week? It must be. Hopefully I'll have something exciting to write about soon. Or the next blog post might be photos of the grape fruit in our fruit bowl (well, they are HUGE you know).

Mr Fix It

Ah the smell of hot solder. Funny how familiar that odour it is to me now. Look at him would you! Like a pig in mud. Yep, that's my Mr Fix It. His mobile phone was on the brink...I suggested he buy a new one. No way!!!!! says Mr Fix It.  So he just pulls it apart, pokes around in it's electronic innards until hey presto...a diagnosis...it's just a little bitty broken solder joint. When it comes to operation electronics, he's the man for the job. There's nothing this guy can't handle (trust me, we've had everything from TV's to washing machines pulled to pieces on the kitchen table). And he loves every minute of it.....I think it's because he gets to wear that handsome head gear! Sure makes me go weak at the knees - just kidding.

PS If you phone Ben now, you'll be able to hear him and he'll be able to hear you! It's makes having a conversation somewhat more achievable!!!!!!!!

Good old fashioned snail mail

It's exciting when something besides a bill appears in the post box. A large envelope filled with letters arrived in the mail this week! Some were handwritten too. It was so lovely to read real letters. Lovely that we could hold them in our hands. Lovely that it didn't involve a computer screen or a keyboard! Lovely that we can read them over and over again.  In the days before email I used to write letters all the time. Now I have a good reason to write a letter once again!

Thanks Peri, Josh and Crew - We loved reading all about your latest adventures in SA!

In our library bag this week...

Ben came across this really cool book in the school library. Harry and I have read/flicked through it over and over again. It's the type of book you take something new from each time you look at it. So what's it all about? Well, it's an ideas book really. Have you ever heard of a not-for-profit company called We Are What We Do? The company creates ways for millions of people to do more small, good things. They have created a list of 131 simple actions we can all do that can change the world and make it a better place. Many of the "actions" are things we already do on a daily basis and don't take much time, such as Action #101 Make someone smile! (the book says we see 300 people every day. If one million people smile at 300 people each, every person in Australia will get smiled at 14 times. Don't you just love that?)

The philosophy of We Are What We Do is that by making small changes to our everyday actions, we can make a big difference. Take for example Action #118 Don't sing in the shower (take shorter showers, save water and save your singing for the rain). They insist that when lots and lots of us make small changes to our everyday actions, together we can change the world! Such as Action #122 Don't charge your mobile phone overnight (the idea being that mobile phones charge in under two hours, therefore charging them all night long is a waste of energy). But my favourite is Action #102 Walk your Dad (apparently like dogs, grown-ups get cranky when they stay indoors all day long). Hilarious!

This book shares just 31 of the 131 ideas - so obviously there are other books in this series. And isn't it great that the ideas in this book were all thought up by kids!

I love Kids Art

I really do. Kids create amazing artworks, wouldn't you agree?
Harry and Till have produced some pretty cool artworks of late. I thought you'd like to see them...

First up, a little drawing Till whipped up recently. It depicts herself and Fletcher dancing at the Bounty Ball. In the background are the judges and well, are you wondering what those gold things on the table are? The trophies of course.

Till made this pig money box at school. It took weeks and weeks and weeks. The paper mache surface has to be touched to be fully appreciated. You can't imagine how smooth it is - yes, one might say we have a little perfectionist on our hands here (I don't know where she gets that from???).

Harry drew these detailed pictures...

This is St Barnabas Chapel here on Norfolk. This drawing was recently sent to the Solomon Islands for the 2012 Festival of Pacific Arts .

Harry used pencil, pastels and water colour paints to create this beautiful depiction of 'The Four Seasons'...

And last of all....a drawing Harry did of some planes. He's right into anything related to aviation these days and is often tucked up in bed reading encyclopedia style books about flight! He brings home these HUGE heavy books from the school library and reads them from cover to cover. And boy does he know a thing or two about planes!!!!!

Plenty of R & R

Holiday time meant...pizza making, sleep-overs, play-dates, nature walks, Polynesian Dance class, picnics, sunsets, birthday parties, bike rides, ukelele playing, archery, craft....and much MUCH more!

I guess all good things must come to an end. But how sad the school holidays are now over. At the start I created in my head one of those earnest, overly zealous LONG lists titled 'Things I MUST get done these holidays!'. Those lists can be a bit debilitating don't you think? Normally I beat myself up if I can't smugly cross off the tasks on a list.  But this holiday was different somehow, I'm getting better at chilling out! I don't mind that half of 'The List' didn't happen. The fun spontaneous moments more than made up for it. Actually, the last two weeks have been incredibly relaxing!

And so with our batteries re-charged and our engines revving, we take our place at the starting line ready to speed through the next exciting 10 weeks.

Abracadabra!

I was given a magic kit for Christmas a few years ago. It contains everything you need to make a magic show. It came with an instruction book that teaches you how to do certain tricks. My Dangerous Book For Boys also has a chapter on magic tricks. I've been practicing these magic tricks a lot lately. 

Last Monday Ellie & Abbie came to play at our house. We rehearsed and performed a magic show for our mums. Some of the tricks were: The Disappearing Act (I made Till disappear without a trace), The Coin Trick (I made a coin disappear AND reappear in an audience members hair!), The Colour Dice Trick, (I chose a member of the audience to place a colored dice in a box without me seeing the color that faced the top and then I told them which colour they had chosen - without looking). Ellie and Abbi also performed a number of magic tricks such as The Floating Magic Wand and The Magic Ball Trick. The best trick of all was when we made Abbie fly. The audience was SO IMPRESSED! Making a magic show is great fun.  Written by Harry

Fairy Snow Globe

Hi. My name is Matilda. I am 6 years old. On Sunday Mum and I walked to Zoe's house. When we got there, we made snow globes. It was a very fun afternoon. I will explain how to make a snow globe so you can make one too!

What you need:

a glass jar
some glitter
glycerine
water
beads and sparkles
something to glue inside your snow globe (like a fairy)
a hot glue gun
newspaper (for the mess)

Steps:

1. Glue your object on the inside of the jar lid
2. Sprinkle beads and glitter into the jar
3. Half fill the jar with water
4. Fill the rest of the jar with glycerine
5. Put hot glue around the inside of the lid and screw it on tight!
6. Use leftover beads to decorate the top of your snow globe
7. SHAKE IT UP! Look how pretty your snow globe is!!!

PS. If you make a snow globe can you tell me about it and maybe send me a picture of it?

Put your glad rags on!

It's been a big six months - Ben and I have both been working full-time! Whilst the house went to ruin, our kids have been incredible. They have spent many hours at work with us, during the week and over the weekend. Ben and I have really appreciated their patience. So we took them out to dinner, to say THANKS! Our restaurant of choice was Norfolk Blue. The atmosphere was warm and cosy, the service second to none, but most importantly the food was scrumptious!

All is well

Today is a beautiful day.

When I woke this morning, the first sounds to reach my groggy ears were the subtle shuffles of furniture being arranged in the dolls house. Till talks to herself quietly while she plays - it's like listening to music. Next, my nose caught hold of an enticing aroma...cinnamon and fruit wafting up from downstairs. Then the best surprise of all...Harry walked though my bedroom door carrying a plate of freshly toasted and thickly buttered raisin bread - Oh my lucky stars. Ben (our resident early riser) had already returned home from buying the weekly veg supply at the Farmers Markets. He always stops by the bakery and sometimes pops into the butcher as well. Ben does this every Saturday! What would I do without him? Starve most likely.

After breakfast, we spent the morning out and about the place. Our first stop was the local library (and woohoo, they had a copy of The Clan of the Cave Bear - which Mum and Lou have been insisting I'd love and must read). Then we stopped by at one of the best garage sales I've been to in a long time. I came home with many great treasures; two t-shirts, a pair of pants, several never used soy candles, some home-made talc and piano music by the TRUCK load. Plus a few other interesting bits and pieces. A whole box of goodies in fact. On our way home we briefly stopped in at the op shop and found even more goodies; an almost untouched lift-the-flap Usborne book about Rome (well Harry spied this find), a Ralph Lauren 100% cashmere jumper (swoon) and a large piece of  denim fabric just perfect for adding to my sewing stash.

And here we are now. All four of us together in the kitchen, each doing our own thing. Ben is trying out all that new piano music. I could sit and listen to him playing all day. Ben doesn't think he's that great, but really he is. Harry is already half-way through a Horrible Histories book titled 'Dark Knights and Dingy Castles' (a new library book) and Till is reading over old notes she has received from the fairies in our garden. She keeps ducking outside to where they reside, under our fig tree. No doubt she's making some arrangement for them. Oh wait, here she is again. Ah....she's writing them more letters. Is there anyone more devoted to fairies than our Till?

And so it is, that I sit here with an overwhelming sense of contentment. It seems I may have worried a few of you with yesterdays post.  I'm fine. Honestly. Better than fine. I don't regret writing what I did. In doing so, I confronted what was bothering me. The healing power of blogging perhaps?!

I hope your Saturday is turning out to be just as lovely as ours is!

We are just about to head out for picnic!

Words

Beautiful.
Powerful.
Dangerous.
I read so many wonderful words. They shape how I feel, how I react, who I am.
I love words....mostly.

Sometimes I think I have a gift for choosing the wrong words. Blurting them out without thinking. It's a family trait. We are a pretty outspoken bunch - sometimes pushing each other off the soap box just to get our say. Oh, together we "solve" all the world's problems, so these (sometimes passionate) discussions are not always a bad thing.  And they usually end in laughter.

But words. 

Simple little words. 

Once spoken, they can never be taken back.

I cherish certain words and phrases. I read quotes and messages for inspiration. It doesn't matter how many times I hear the words 'I Love You! - I'll never grow weary of them. Some people are masterful with words. They have a gift I envy.

But words.
Dam those words.
They can be so cutting, so unforgiving.

Sometimes it's just plain hard to find the right words. I'm not very good at backing down and as for apologising, well I may as well be hiking up Mt Everest dragging an elephant - yep, the act of saying sorry feels THAT impossible for me sometimes. And they are just words. What's the big deal, right?

I have words rolling around in my head at the moment. They hurt.

Words. Spoken. 

Intended for me....perhaps indirectly, but pointedly all the same. And not of the feel-good variety to be honest. They drift away, forgotten for a day, but like pieces of rubbish wrestling in the tide they keep washing to shore. They've been niggling like a stone stuck in my bike tire; I know the rock will dislodge eventually, but it's probably best if I just pull up and rip it out myself.

So that's what I'm trying to do. I'm pouring the toxic words down the drain. We hear words we don't like, that's life. It's what we do with them that matters. I'm learning to sift through, to find those words which empower me, make me feel good. I'm throwing the rest away. Especially when there are so many fabulous words to focus on instead!

The shoes of my loved-ones. This photo captures a funny moment (I might share it one day).

 PS Sometimes we just need to get words off our chest. I feel a bit better now.

A Trophy Winner

Look at that face! Could he be any prouder? 

And deservedly so, for this is the photograph of an archery champ -
2ND PLACE in the 'Cub Bare Bow' category!!!
Over one hundred archers from near and far participated in this tournament -
Our Harry was the youngest!

Well done Harry - you are a legend!

The Explorers

We have just had such a glorious afternoon. It started with a picnic lunch at Two Chimney's Reserve, followed by a long walk that led us to parts of Norfolk we have never explored before. Far out this place is picturesque! Hence why you are about to be bombarded with photos - I just couldn't pick.

Citrus and couscous for lunch - simple but yummy!

We followed a creek which led to the cliff and a spectacular view!

Don't get too close to the edge folks!!!!!!!!!!!

Rock hopping is hard work - time for a rest!

That's a jumper shoved up Till's shirt (saved having to carry it apparently)!!!!!! I laughed every time I looked at her. She was such a good sport this afternoon.....just as we set out for our walk, we had to cross a creek. Till of course managed to step one foot into muddy water which left her with a dirty wet foot for the remainder our trek. 

NB. So it seems I've published a blog post everyday this week. Ah school holidays.....how I love thee.

The Yoghurt Trials and other Dairy Adventures

I read an article today titled '12 Things you Should Eliminate from your Fridge'.  Apart from some obvious suggestions such as ditch your sugar filled tomato sauce and soft drinks, the author claimed we should rid our diets entirely of all dairy foods. Naturally, she went on to elaborate with a whole host of reasons emphasizing why all dairy is such a poor food choice. HA! Imagine! I can't. Oh how we relish in our full fat creamy NZ butter here (which we cook with on a daily basis - poohoo to those nasty veggie oils). And what would home-made pancakes be without lashings of cream? Or crackers without a thickly spread layer of home-made labneh? Who could honestly contemplate eating a taco or baked spud without a generous mountain of grated cheese plonked on top??? And pasta without Parmesan???? Give up dairy!!!!!! Not likely. For us, it's here to stay. Let me tell you about the dairy related experiments I've been dabbling in of late...

I've been intrigued with the idea of making yoghurt from scratch for a while now, but I always felt it was out of my depth. Our family has been using the EasiYo system to make yogurt on a weekly basis since coming to reside on Norfolk. The availability of fresh yoghurt here is limited and not to mention quite expensive. We have been reasonably satisfied with both the EasiYo Greek and Natural Yoghurt mixes, but I've always been bothered by the fact that they contain a soy based emulsifier. My friend Heather recently steered me towards a great Australian website that sells everything from cheese making kits through to cultures for making home-made salami and vinegars. Of course, they sell yoghurt cultures too. We decided to order some together and give it a go. Heather had heard from a friend that it was possible to make almond milk yoghurt and coconut milk yoghurt. I've been making both almond and coconut milk all year and love them both. This sounded too good to be true.  I know I always harp on about how much I hate cooking and spending time in the kitchen, but the lure of making things from scratch seems to be winning me over these days. I'm becoming addicted to that satisfying feeling... "I MADE it MYSELF". (Cue superhero music...) It makes me feel all powerful hee hee hee!

Oops, digressing a little. Well, our live culture arrived in the post a few weeks ago, but I didn't jump in straight away due to feeling a bit overwhelmed by the VERY specific instructions. After Heather divvied out my share, I promptly stored my portion in the freezer (as suggested) until I could fully get my head around the actuality of putting the complicated process into practice. This "thing" (culture) living in my freezer is alive after all. What if my actions caused it to become contaminated? It sat untouched in the freezer for over a week when I finally told myself to stop being such a scaredy cat. It's just bacteria after all!

Despite my original intention to attempt making a non dairy yoghurt, I decided to make my first batch with cows milk. I figured it would be best to try making the real deal first, just to familiarize myself with the how-to. I'm pleased I did. Let's face it, almond milk and coconut milk were never really destined for a metamorphosis into yoghurt!

For my first try I purchased some fresh cows milk from Foodies (our supermarket here). Fresh milk costs a bomb on Norfolk as it has to be flown in once a week from New Zealand. Most islanders buy UHT instead. It's possible to make yoghurt from UHT, but I wanted to be a bit more authentic, even if just once. But I have to say, knowing how much I'd spent buying a litre of fresh milk only added to the trepidation I was feeling -  I just didn't want to stuff it up!

It turns out the whole process isn't particularly tricky, it just takes some patience and a watchful eye.  I won't take you through every step of the process - that might put you to sleep. But I'm pleased to report my first batch of yoghurt turned out fine. I wouldn't say the flavour was exactly as I like, it was very milky and mild (Ben and I prefer a sharp tart yogurt, you know, the kind that sucks your face in!). Harry and Till (who don't appreciate suck face causing yoghurt) thought it was the best ever tasting yoghurt!

Since that first try, I've made two more successful batches (and tried a different technique that involved using the slow cooker). Recently, we were lucky enough to find ourselves in possession of 3 litres of fresh local cows milk. We witnessed the cow being milked too (see pic above), a skill I hope to acquire one day. You can't get fresher than that - talk about liquid gold! Our fridge was starting to groan under the weight of all this white creamy goodness so I had to start thinking outside of the square. I turned some of it into labneh (a yogurt cheese of middle eastern origin that is SUPER simple to make) and some found it's way into our ice cream making machine to end up as blueberry and honey frozen yoghurt....deeelicious! As a side note, um, we bought 24 kilos of raw local honey just the other day. Honey anyone?

Yoghurt making is fabulous! And I now appreciate what an art it is. But if I'm honest, I don't think I'll add yoghurt making to the list of things we do here on a weekly basis (might have to stick with the EasiYo). At the end of the day, fresh milk is just too expensive and local milk hard to come by. I can make almond and coconut milk economically so I still hope to try the yoghurt making process with these non dairy alternatives.  I'll let you know if I'm successful. In the meantime, have a go at making a batch yourself. If I can do it, anyone can! And if making your own yoghurt sounds too strenuous, at least make some lebneh. Here's a link to give you some encouragement. It's SO easy and once you make it, you'll never buy the supermarket versions again!

Happy dairy eating everyone (unless you are allergic of course).

The Archer

Here he is...our little archer! Harry started archery about 16 months ago. He is so taken with this sport and it's easy to see why it appeals to him so much. I'm half tempted to take it up myself! This week Harry is taking part in the Norfolk Island Archery Championships. Today was his second day and we tagged along to quietly cheer him on (and take photos of course).  I say quietly because this is a sport that takes great concentration, and we hardly dared to breathe whilst some of the archers were lining up their arrows!

The setting for this yearly event is magical and I could spend all day wandering around this part of Norfolk. It was great to be outdoors this morning, filling our lungs with fresh air and basking in some much needed sunshine. Till did very well to be still and quiet each time a member of Harry's group fired a shot. It was a big walk for little legs with some of the terrain proving to be extremely challenging (think muddy, slippery and steep slopes in parts).

This gives you an idea how dense some of the forest was!

Harry's task today was to shoot twenty 3D targets; ranging from a very large lion and bear, through to several turkeys and a skunk. Of course you don't just aim randomly at the animal, hoping to hit anywhere. Each 3D model is marked with a target (a series of very hard to see rings). The points earned relate directly to which ring your arrow lands in. It is harder than it looks! 

Today the "animals" were spread out over roughly 25 acres so the course took a few hours to complete. Some animals were placed in open fields, while others were nestled amongst trees in dense forest or hidden in grass close to creeks. There were some very challenging shots to be made, including a hyena placed precariously next to a large rock (a sure way to wreck an arrow is fire it into an unforgiving rock). Another tricky position was having to shoot a warthog that was positioned on the far side of a dam (I was imaging at least one arrow would have to be fished out!!!! But I was wrong). Harry did tremendously well throughout the course, especially considering he was performing in front of his family! He came home without having lost a single arrow.  Today Harry was placed in a group with three other experienced archers, one from NSW and two from QLD. Yesterday his group consisted of two WA residents and one NI local. One of the great things about participating in events such as these is the opportunity Harry gets to meet people from all parts of Australia and New Zealand. And certainly he has been witness to some very skilled archery too.

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

Here on Norfolk, avocado's are in season right now. Certainly they are impressive too - nothing like the poor sad versions you get in supermarkets. Norfolk avo's (which don't spend a holiday in cold storage) are generally ginormous, full of flavour and most importantly, chemical free! Whilst growing up, I was never a huge fan, but it seems my tastes are maturing with age.  Some folk LOVE avocado's - hmmm,  that's not me. Certainly I won't be digging into one with a spoon anytime soon (like my kids do). I cope a bit better when avocado is paired with other flavours; poached eggs served with smoked salmon, toasted sourdough and a few slices of avocado on the side - oh gee, that's got me salivating! Yep, the ultimate indulgent breakfast I think.  And don't get me started on guacamole, how delicious!!!!!! Oh and there's nothing tastier than a fresh salad roll buttered with thickly spread avocado. OK, so it seems I do like avocado, just not when it's plain avocado! 

Recently I stumbled across an unusual recipe - Avocado Chocolate Pudding. Strange? Um, yes.  I've made it twice now and I'm still not sure what I think. It's very rich and extremely filling.  The texture is smooth and thick like chocolate mousse. Surprisingly it doesn't taste too much like avocado (well, OK, maybe a subtle aftertaste). I actually found it too rich by itself and diluted it with a small scoop of plain ice-cream. The kids love it so I thought it was worth sharing.

 What you need:

2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup of honey (or maple syrup if you are in a vegan mood)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp of raw cocoa powder
3 Tbsp cold pressed virgin coconut oil (melted)
1 tsp of vanilla essence *

Makes 4-6 serves
 
The how to:

It's not very tricky. Just put everything in a food processor and whiz until smooth (I used the S-blade). Spoon into dishes and top with cream or ice-cream. Left-overs will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge but just like with guacamole, store the seed with the pudding to maximize freshness. To be honest, on the two occasions I have made this I didn't have to store it very long, the little munchkins polished it off! You'd have to say this is a pretty healthy dish though.  Avocado, coconut oil and raw cocoa powder are amazingly beneficial foods! So while this dessert is a bit weird, it's worth trying. You may be quiet surprised.

*The original recipe called for one vanilla bean sliced and scooped out, but seriously, who has one of those just floating around the pantry? I used a cap full of vanilla essence instead.

Less Rubbish - Homemade Dishwasher Powder

Here's a really easy way to save money and create less waste....make your own dishwasher powder! Commercial dishwasher powders are over packaged, expensive, and filled with nasty chemicals. Over time these chemicals build up on the surface of your plates, glasses and cutlery - so ultimately, you are digesting those nasties when you eat!!!!!!! For me, that alone is reason enough not to use store bought dishwasher powders.

 

What you need:

bi-carb of soda

table salt

citric acid

airtight container

This is such a SIMPLE recipe, and best of all the ingredients are easy to come by and can be bought in bulk (except for citric acid, I'm still searching for a bulk supplier).

Mix together 1 cup of bi-carb of soda, 1/4 cup of cheap table salt and 1/4 cup of citric acid. Store in an airtight container (this is very important, as citric acid becomes very hard and unmanageable when it takes in moisture). Use 1 tablespoon per load.  I also put cheap white vinegar in the rinse compartment of the dishwasher. Once in a blue moon, we run our dishwasher empty on the hottest cycle (with extra bi-carb and a bowl full of white vinegar) just to keep it clean and fresh smelling.

So does this powder actually work? Yes. I'm very happy with how this mixture performs. We run our dishwasher on the economy cycle, which means the water is slightly cooler than a normal setting and the cycle takes less time.  Given these conditions, our plates still come out squeaky clean. Sometimes our glasses are a little bit foggy, but in the big scheme of things, we don't mind.