Hey Guys *waves*

Well my computer is still in the shop! But on the upside I am getting so much done that I wouldn't if I was on my computer!!!! I have been re-decorating my kitchen and getting my bathroom ready for painting. I have chosen a cornflower blue for the walls and a beautiful country style print fabric for a skirt around my basin. It should all come together well!!!

Now, it seems I'm quite well know for my frugal renovations because I am featuring in this month edition of Reader Digest ! I was interviewed ages ago and had almost forgotten about it. If your interested its on page 52 in an article called "Ooops, Tales of Thrifty Disasters" hhhmmmm about sums it up hehehe.

As well as decorating I have been flat out baking as this is something I really enjoy. It cuts down the amount I have to spend in the supermarket as well. I bake a loaf of bread every second day because as I live by myself I can't get through a whole loaf any sooner! I buy a big bag of Lauke bread mix, I think it's 10 kgs in a bag? I keep it in the chest freezer so it's always ready to go.
I have been making some biscuits to take to work as well to try and keep the costs down.

I still have to fight the desire to buy cappuccinos as they are my weakness!

There has been a lot going on in the garden as well but as I don't have my computer I can't show you the pictures yet. Jamie has been building a fence to section off the vegie garden and cutting garden from the rest of the yard. This will help keep the chooks and ducks and turkeys out which will be good. As we are still building the fence I haven't bothered with any vegies so far because the chooks would just devour them. I am really looking forward to getting it all finished. Nhill is having a Back to Nhill in early October and as part of that we here atYanac are having a Back to as well. This will be a great chance for those who have ever lived here to come back for a look and to catch up with some old friends and neighbours. I am really hoping to get the side paddock cleaned up before then as it's looking a bit messy. I also wanted to get the side of the house painted but I think I may have run out of time. Might be finished in time for the next Back to in 25 years!

Ready for a ride????

Well I have had sometime to do some serious thinking in the last few days and I have had a brainwave! It was not so much my brain wave but a dear friend pointed out to me that the blog is my opportunity to be me, no one telling me what I can post about and I make the rules. I can't believe I had to have it pointed out lol. Sooooo, what next?
The answer is ME.
I don't mean that in a narcissistic way but I will be posting the things that I do, like, enjoy and things that bring happiness into my life.
Those of you who have read the blog for a while will know a bit about me but if you have just come across my blog I will give you a bit of an out line. I am in my mid thirties (I can't believe I just wrote that!) I live in a tiny remote town in the far side of the Wimmera on what I call a micro farm! One acre with 3 turkeys, 20-30 chooks, 3 ducks, 2 sheep, 2 adorable cats and 200 goldfish. Kitty and Harry, the cats, live inside with me to protect the native wildlife.
I work two days a week in the big town down the road and the other days I make and sell my handmade soaps. I also fill my days with tending my vegie garden which is up the back of my block nestled in and around my orchard of 15 3 year old fruit trees. I am in the process of fencing this area off from the rest of the back yard as I have big plans for it.
I also fill my days by baking bread and cooking from scratch (most of the time) Developing my new native garden and working where I can in my community.
I have produced a community newsletter and I want to continue working on this as I believe it is an important part of the community.
I also enjoy sewing and I will explore many projects I am working on here on the blog so maybe we can help keep each other motivated!
As I mentioned earlier I sell my handmade soaps online here and I will be adding further to the shop with the other things I create here. Things like head wraps, hand dyed scarves, cloth pads and other handy things.
Gosh I am really excited so lets get this party started!

Sourdough!!!

I love sourdough! About 3 weeks ago I made a sourdough starter from a recipe I found in an old book called Toward Self~Sufficiency Country Skills for City Dwellers by Bill Connor. It's a great book so keep an eye out in the secondhand book shops.

It gives a recipe for a basic sourdough loaf.

2 cups of starter batter

4 cups sifted flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl then add enough water to make a soft dough.

Knead for 15 minutes. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double in size. The book goes on to say to stick it in the oven now however I always punch it down and knead again for 3 minutes then place in the tin I will be cooking it in and let rise again. This makes a lighter sourdough.

Making bread makes me really happy but making bread for a friend is even better!