Colours of Summer

Fresh from the garden.
Each evening we are enjoying crackers with fresh tomato, pesto (from a jar, our basil is not producing a whole lot) and fetta as a pre-dinner snack.
Yum!

Vintage Thingie-Thursday Picture Books

This book belonged to my aunt as a child, which dates it to the late 1940s, I guess. The author and illustrator was Peg Maltby (1899-1984).


They are quite large paperbacks, about the size of an old scrapbook or colouring book, and most of the pages are in black and white with some full-colour pages scattered throughout. The pages are brown with age, but still holding together well.

I guess my aunt thought perhaps it was a colouring book:

(Which reminds me that I once did this too in an old picture book at my Gran's house when I was staying there. Gran was horrified, and I was mortified. I really did think it was for colouring!)

The illustrations are just so cute! I love those vintagey colours!


And those rosy cheeks!

Thanks for looking and check out more vintage goodies here.

Sunrise Walking

I've started walking in the mornings again, waking before 6.00am and walking to a local park to walk laps. I listen to a sermon and come home refreshed.



This morning was cool outside, compared to inside where it was still 26deg from a hot day yesterday. The sunrise was amazing. I took these photos at the park with my phone.

Labour of Love

I just spent over half an hour stitching, mending Bunny. At twelve years old Bunny is worn and thin after years of cuddling and rubbing and coming along with Emily. Long ago she lost an ear but the other holds ... just.

Today's procedure was to mend the gaps, to keep the stuffing in. I couldn't do the paw, I'll need to patch it one day when I have the right fabric.

This morning Bunny received some new clothes! Emily spent some birthday money at Pumpkin Patch and Bunny has a new tracksuit and t-shirt. She is one well-dressed and well-loved Bunny.

And all just in time for Bunny to go on camp, with Emily, tomorrow. Because Bunny hasn't been away for 5 days before and Bunny needs all the love and support she can get.

Swimming Pool Cake and Birthday Fun

Emily turned 12 yesterday (I can't believe it!) and we celebrated with an outing to an Aquatic Centre with two cousins, which was lots of fun!

Emily & Laura swimming upstream in the whirlpool

I made a swimming pool cake for the occasion, complete with Polly Pockets.

After baking and cooling the cake I put it in the fridge for a few hours then cut a pool-shaped hole and filled it with almost-set double-strength blueberry jelly. I had to transport it, so I decorated it and carried it in a Tupperware container.

I almost left the jelly a little too long before putting it in the cake, so I was lucky it set just right - almost flat but not glass-like, just like a real pool!

After swimming we went to a new playground by the water and had the cake - yum!
My parents came over for dinner (Emily requested burritos & cheesecake).

We gave Emily a mobile phone now she will be a high school girl. Between the new DS (Christmas present) and now the phone with music, I need to plan to make time with her "unplugged". But we are all enjoying the technology so I'm not complaining, I got an identical phone myself, after all!

Because I've been busy all week tidying the house, decluttering after Christmas and moving some furniture, and I still hadn't finished yesterday, I found parts of the day quite stressful. But now I look at the photos and think it was a good day. Thank goodness for photos - already I am remembering only the happy times!

Tomatoes from the Garden = Bruschetta

At last we have some real success in our vegetable garden, in the form of 4 very healthy tomato plants. We have now picked about 6 tomatoes and there are over 40 green tomatoes still growing! After our mixed successes with other crops we are really enjoying watching the progress of the tomatoes.

The tomato above has been our biggest so far, measuring about 10cm across. We made some delicious bruschetta with it on some Italian bread for a pre-dinner snack for the working husband and his wife.

Yes, after 6 months out of work, having been terminated in his previous position, Steve was overwhelmed with offers from multiple companies wanting him in early December. After a big deciding week he accepted a promising new job, and began this week, which means a new routine for us all.

Bruschetta
Grill some bread (on both sides) then rub with a cut garlic clove and drizzle with olive oil.

Mix together:
Tomato - de-seeded and finely chopped
A little red onion, finely diced
A few torn basil leaves

Top the bread with the mixture, and enjoy with a cool drink.

And wondering what to do with those seeds you took out of the tomato?
I read in a book to dry them (after rinsing) on a papertowel in rows to sow for next summer. The seeds stick onto the papertowel. Next spring just cut off rows of seeds to use as required.

Happy New Year!

Wishing you a wonderful 2010!
This is a vintage card I bought in an antique shop a while back.
I just love it, especially the glitter!