Snapshots from our week

We have winter potatoes. These spuds grew from forgotten potatoes that sprung up in my garden in Autumn, I replanted them in a sheltered place and they have soldiered on through the chilly winter. It's not a huge harvest, but enough for a couple of meals. They were a great find as we have just eaten our way through the Autumn harvest, the purple congos were the potato hero, storing the best of all the varieties we have grown. There are still plenty of potatoes growing, we are pretty self sufficient in spuds these days.

When life gives you lemons, there's nothing better than lemon butter. Made using this recipe, I feel like a traitor not using my Nannas recipe, but have to say this one was slightly easier.

I am working on a sourdough starter, it is only 2 days old and is yet to show signs of life. Hello wild yeast, please come to my jar.

The littlest is helping me make scones, a great winter treat to warm the house and our tummies. Made using my favourite scone recipe here, it uses cream and iced water. We had a stunning sunny weekend and ate outdoors. This is the cheats way to make scones.

There has been some bug antenna making, a practice run for a future Junior Landcare activity. The middle bowerbird found some unmade projects to play with in his room, a solar plane and a dragon lurking amongst the mess.

the fire is burning non stop, Drying our washing and warming our toes, I look forward to days when we can leave the doors open and let the fresh air in.

We got another box of delicious citrus, straight from the grower. I'm thinking about making mandarin marmalade.

Each day we run to the gate, the littlest staking first claim on checking the letter box, it's currently filled with mind numbingly dull election material. Does all that campaign paper really gain more votes?

Indian minors are a pesky aggressive bird, but this one peering through my window at me made me smile. I had the feeling someone was watching me, and when I turned around there was a beady yellow eye.

I have finally gotten around to making my own clothes washing detergent, using Rhonda from Down to Earths recipe. So cheap and working a treat.

Lemon Butter, rain and winter sun. Lazy Monday.

Stayed up too late reading Harry Potter last night (yes I know I'm a bit old for it) started the day slow and hazy.

 Proudly sent the kids to school with leftover sushi which looks like a very fancy, healthy, lunch - nice to pull one of those off now and then.

Sorted washing, did the dishes, organised the DVD collection. Cold and drizzly most of the day.

 The sun finally made a show and lit up this Gods Eye dream catcher thingy.

Sparkled on stars and wet leaves

 A gentle breeze drifted the smoke from our neighbours chimney. The camelias (or Chameleons as my 2 year old likes to call them) begun to open their buds and drew birds to their nectar.

 I looked at my bargain 50 cent seedlings that needed planting but shivered and left them on the BBQ.  I did weed the carrots while the littlest picked flowers and scented leaves.  Went back inside, fingers frozen, needing cup of tea to defrost them.

Breastfed the little one to sleep, left her on the couch where she wakes happiest, in the hub of family life.

 Gazed out the window at the native Hibiscus, first of its winter flowers unfurling.

Looked at the lemon bowl filled with lovely free lemons, donated by colleague at partner's work. It whispered lemon butter, which made me think of mum and nanna and childhood treats. remembered that mum had said you can make it in the microwave so went hunting for a recipe.

Grated 3 lemons rapidly with my microplane thingy that I am seriously besotted with, I have been a slow adopter of this wonderful kitchen tool.

Also baked the left over frozen rolls of Mexican wedding Cakes (in tin in background) already nearly gone.

the end result - two jars of delicious lemon butter.

follow link for recipe http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Microwaved-Lemon-Butter-L6487.html

I actually used the quantities below

4 eggs

3 smallish yet very juicy lemons

3/4 cup sugar

125g butter

Think I'll try the old fashioned way again as I felt like I didn't have much control when the bowl was in the microwave, so easy though - think I had a bad batch a decade ago (little eggy) and hadn't made it since - forgotten how much I love it.

 Kids took to licking the bowl with relish, "too sour" said the littlest, the bowl hardly needed washing when they were done.  Lemon butter sandwiches  for lunch tomorrow!

Fatigue made me absent-minded so the oldest one didn't have dinner (the unusual mix of pita bread falafel and fish) ready in time to go to Cubs.  Neither her nor I were too fazed, she did get her overdue homework done and enjoyed the slower start to the week.