Orange seems to be the colour of the month

I have noticed an abundance of orange lately

 Still lots of mandarins ... and  orange trumpet vine (info source Burke's Backyard)

 

This will be the last season for our vine which would be over 10 years old.  Orange trumpet vine is spectacular at this time of year in a lot of Queensland gardens I think.

Ours has been lovely, but past its best and the tree it grows on will be taken down soon.  Too close to the house and too messy.  I do like the shot of it peeping out as seen from the front driveway.

 

For those who are interested - today's vase was a recent op shop purchase - $1!

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My reply to comments on previous post 

Judith  - I did enjoy that particular post and indeed the whole blog.  She just mentioned a piano recital in the last para of Teenager parties.  What a lovely lifestyle!... . .. and I'd love to make rhubarb crumble if we ever get any jolly rhubarb!

Nelly said... hmmm the taste?  the apples were granny smith unsweetened and the crumble texture certainly turned out very crumbly.  I liked the addition of the toasted pine nuts and almond and will probably try that again.

Daffodil  - it was nice, but why just dream of it?   easy to make or are you avoiding any of the ingredients.  Actually, I'm guessing that you are just really busy? ...

delia hornbook  - I think the ginger really did it for me, I will have to use it again.  Hope your Mum tries it!  I would probably suggest more ginger (powdered or raw) in her case!...

Shaheen  - rhubarb crumble again!  I will have to buy some as ours just isn't growing.  I have to admit to not having tried rhubarb this way .   

saving for travel - I can imagine that muesli crumble would be Delicious!  Must try that also.

librarygirl  - Forget the crumble, I'm just pleased you read and enjoyed that book!   I'll miss your frequent posts while you are on hols.  Enjoy.

I've been apple crumbling

I can honestly say that I'm not one of the best cooks around.  Certainly I can feed the family without any dramas and entertain on a minor scale.

As mentioned previously, my big addiction is to reading food blogs and cookbooks.  The problem is that, just like decluttering, I'm great on imagery but no real action.

However I can happily say that I tried a new recipe and it was great!  I've been making lots of apple crumble over the years, and with many variation on the theme depending on what fruit was at hand at the time (apple and pear/apple and berry etc).

My usual crumble topping  mix is one I make up as I go along and most times involves a few weetbix, brown sugar and butter.  This recipe looked appealing and I had some ginger snaps in the cupboard so thought I'd give it a go.  Next time, because we all love ginger, I will be adding more - maybe grating some raw ginger into the apple mix as it cooks.

This is my adaptation of the recipe (that's another fault - I never stick accurately to a recipe!).

Gingernut oat apple crumble ( adapted from Allyson Gofton, Slow)

12 ginger nut biscuits roughly crushed (I just broke them up)

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup flour (I used wholemeal)

1/2 cup coconut (I used shredded)

1/4 cup sugar (I used raw)

115g butter melted

(I also threw in some toasted pine nuts/slivered almonds which I had in the freezer.  Probably about 1/2 cup)

Mix well together and place on top of stewed apples.  Into a ovenproof dish and 180 deg. oven to bake for 30-40 minutes.  The recipe suggests dusting with icing sugar before serving, but I seemed to have forgotten that suggestion.

Very very nice result, and well received here.  Nice hot or cold with or without custard, cream, ice cream or any of the above.  I even had some on my porridge one morning!  The ginger just seems to take it to a different level.

The original recipe uses more sugar (1/2 cup) and more butter (125g).  If you like your crumble mix to be more soft and clingy I would suggest using the original ingredients.  This mix suited us just fine as I always cut down on sugar.  I've always cooked the apple without sugar too.

Just wish I had some decluttering to report, but because it's school holidays at the moment, my main role appears to be entertaining teenage boys.  Maybe I should re-phrase that - entertaining my son's friends -  and driving -here there and everywhere -  work/  gym / footy training / friends houses / movies / having friends stayover. 

I know that many many people do much more than this with more children and I am certainly not complaining.  In fact I am always putting up my hand to drive/entertain because I know that this time next year he  will be driving!

So I'm happy to cook and drive and happy in the knowledge that he is so sociable..... and that his mates are all good kids too.  However,  Judith - I have to say my level of entertaining is not on the scale of lovely blog you mentioned (My French Country Home).  No piano recitals in this house - music of different decibels here!

I'm now getting cross-eyed from the number of links I've been doing - amazing myself really!  Let me know your thoughts on this commenting thingy - I'll be guided by the concensus.  You are the readers!

 

Cheers for now - Wendy

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Comments on previous post  

HAZEL  - you're right it could get a little busy and I could end up confusing myself with science!  Will just see how it goes, I'm hoping it will settle down into some sort of pattern after a few posts.  Just hope I don't miss out anyone when I do my cut & paste.

Nelly - not sure how the reply button thingy works, I'm just going to try this way and see if people like it!

Judith - Thanks - I'll just have to see how user-friendly it all works out to be. 

...... and because there were a few other comments on the Nasturtiums post ...

delia hornbook - thanks, the colours are so bright and happy.  BTW - I have mailed the vintage pillowcases off to you.  Hope they arrive soon.  

saving for travel  - thanks SFT they certainly are, and much under rated in my humble opinion!

A new idea for commenting on comments

This is a new-to-me concept that I thought I'd try and see how it goes - maybe let me know what you think.  

I thought that I might try replying to your comments on my blog by including them in the next post.

Personally, I know that it's nice if the blogger responds to a comment. 

This  way if you have commented on the previous post you don't have to scroll back through all the comments to see if I have commented on your comment!??!  Make sense?  Well it did when I first thought about it anyway!

By the way - I was excited to see that I have a couple of new followers.  Waving Hi to Kim and Tasmanian Vegan & Minimalist.  

Who will be follower #30 I wonder??

Cheers for now - Wendy 

So here goes -

 

Daff - they are lovely colour aren't they.  Go on - try them as a cut flower!

Lyndel -  I'm glad you like my little blue vase.  It's actually an old sugar bowl (T G Green Polo range) minus the lid which was lost long ago.    Nice to have those memories of your Nanna chomping on the petals!

Kim - thanks for your comment and welcome!  I know that a lot of people think of them as weeds, its certainly nice imagery of them growing over fallen timber.  I might try again with some other colours.

TV&M - hello and welcome too!  Thanks for your comment and glad you think they are gorgeous too.

Hi Nelly - maybe it's been too wet/hot/cold - who knows!  I just noticed them growing rampantly the last few weeks. 

 

Hazel - it's funny looking back on the things we used to follow so literally!  They are lovely for garnish though - sounds like you're happy with that arrangement. 

I'm thinking about Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums - how pretty they are and how easy to grow - but only that way when you're not trying!  I have planted different colour from seed, but they never seem to take.  However these bright orange and yellow ones power on, particularly when nothing else is flowering much in the garden.

Strangely enough I have only started picking them for the house these last few years.  I didn't think they would last long once cut, but they do.  These were picked two days before the photo and they are still looking happy.


My strongest memories of these flowers as a child would have to be the picking of the actual flower off the stem and sucking out the nectar!  I know the leaves can be used in salad which I do sometimes, but mainly I just enjoy the flowers in the house.

If I was asked, I'm guessing that I'd probably associate Nasturtiums with summer, but here it is, mid-winter and they are flowering wildly.  In fact I'm clearing some at the moment from my rose garden.  They do look pretty there but unfortunately they tend to attract aphids.  I'll still leave a few there - enough to maybe encourage some predator insects.

Do you have Nasturtiums memories?  Do they grow where you are?   Maybe you think of them as a weed because they grow so prolifically ?  I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on (what I consider) this pretty but simple little flower.


Cheers for now - Wendy

About that dish ...

In an earlier post, I featured this little dish which brought forward a few comments.

There is a story to this little dish, but it's not very complicated.  I happened upon the set at local thrift shop.  It had been marked down from $35 to $15.

I had a look at the brand (Alfred Meakin, made in England, Marigold design) and handed over my $15.  When I came home and googled, I found a similar set on ebay which I consequently watched until it sold for $78!

So, although I have heaps of other things I should be doing, and lots of other things of my own which I should be selling. .... this is just going to be a little experiment to see what it sells for when I do eventually put some more things on ebay.   

 Let's face it, it's less money than playing with the stock market, more classy than betting on the pokies (neither or which I do anyway) and just a little fun way to make some pocket money.    The set is so sweet though I am tempted to keep it ...... but I won't!

I hope to get a lot of things sorted in the next few weeks.  This equates to some decluttering (yes really!) and lots of listings on ebay.  It turns out that I might have some extra time on my hands.  More about that later.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Cheers for now - Wendy