FNSI September

 Thought i'd have a change for FNSI sewing. I dragged out Lucy to make an effort of prepping the last 13 blocks i need. I managed 3 -1/2 blocks. :)

As i was taking the photo from my kitchen window(in last blog post) i thought about all the lovely flowers in my front garden which i hardly see because of the way this house was built. "Hmm i really should plant flowers out back". I have some rather large pots which i could use but though a half barrel would be good. Well lo & behold a few days later i discovered them in Aldi. I only bought on but really should have grabbed 2. :( Off to Bunnings for potting mix & flowers & voila I have a lovely view outside the kitchen window. It contains petunias, pansies, snapdragons, alyssum & dianthus.

I was quite excited the other day upon examining the 2nd olive tree for signs of fruit & discovered some. Just tiny little bright green dots at the moment.

Son number 1 brought home a random citrus tree many years ago & we've been wondering ever since what it is. I found 2 flowers on it so cross fingers we may find out what it is.

Last week i had just started to walk out the back to talk to son number 2 when i heard croaking. Upon investigation i found the frog hiding in my large Bilbergia plant

I hope he hangs around. seems to go between being in the plant & being in the pipes. :)

Pop over to visit Wendy to see who joined in for FNSI.

Happy Stitching,

Sourdough adventures

 Recently i was talking to my son about getting some starter & having a go at making my own bread. I'd been going to order a starter through a company in South Australia but he said "got a jar i'll get some from work". He is a baker you see. Found said jar which he fills(with permission) & his boss asked him about it & he said why. Boss then said why don't you just take her some ready baked. "No, Mum wants to have a go herself" I think his boss thought i'm a little crazy. :) :) Maybe i am. LOL. I then had to find larger container to transfer the starter into. Luckily i had this in the cupboard.

Starter fed it was time to make a loaf. I had to nip over to Kmart to buy a dutch oven to cook it in.

It came out better than i thought & the baker gave it a thumbs up. :) :)

Yesterday i gave making choc chip sourdough cookies a go

They are yummy. Next time though i would make the balls smaller. The recipe said makes 24 but could easily make double that.

As i was prepping my 2nd loaf my bits & bobs for making sourdough arrived. Good timing as i could use the banneton & the lame for scoring the top.

Glad the whisk finally arrived so i don't have to mix the starter by hand anymore. lol.

todays loaf slowly rising, nearly ready to bake. Next loaf i'm going to try olives in.

The lemon tree had a few lemons on it but they weren't really that great. As i only wanted the rinds i a wasn't concerned about the juice or lack of.

Limoncello in the making. 

I'll leave you with a view out my kitchen window. 

The bottle brush is so pretty. The azalea in the bottom corner is the one i thought was going to die. It looks wonderful all covered with flowers. Top left is one of 2 olives. It has olives starting to form but the other doesn't. It's only the 2nd time its fruited since i moved here(both fruited last time). Cross fingers i don't have broken foot this time around & i can harvest them.

Happy Stitching,

FNwF September

 Yesterday was FNwF hosted by Cheryll & i had sewing plans. :) Those plans went out the window because it was time for the little annual local quilt show so off i went to see all the beautiful quilts. Sorry i didn't take photos. Fast forward after my day out & it back to stitching this

I managed to get this far before bedtime

I've been checking my bulbs daily & sadly so far none are showing any sign of having flowers except these 2

The freesia has now opened & the smell is divine

This one has had about 6 flowers on since i took the photo.

I'd been to Bunnings recently & bought some pansies, petunias, marigolds & a viola.

i bought a purple/black viola

today the 1st petunia flowered

The azalea i thought wasn't going to survive has burst into bloom

half the bush is now covered since taking this photo. :)

The lavenders are both flowering, the snapdragons from last year are putting on a show & all the daisy type plans are starting to flower as well. So spring has certainly arrived.

This succulent was here when i moved in & for some reason had died back & i thought that was that but somehow it's hung on& growing outside the driveway fence instead of in the garden where it is supposed to be. :)

Now i'm off the get my sourdough bread going. Handy having a son who is a baker as I scored a well established starter from his work. :). Now i need the loaf to turn out well so he doesn't judge me. lol.

Happy Stitching,