Between the Showers........& An Award

Finding time to spend in the veggie garden has been near impossible over the last couple of weeks between huge downpours, showers and drizzle on most days.
The soil is much to wet to transplant seedlings ready for their beds, Kale, rocket and more beetroot will have to wait in the cold frame for the moment.
 I would love to get in some more lettuce seeds too but will just have to wait a few more days.

 There is plenty of growth happening even in this cold wet weather, onions, leeks, garlic,peas,broccoli and cabbage are all coming along beautifully.

      








  Not so the Spinach it was quick to germinate but has 
        then just limped along..........                                                            
                     







Elsewhere on the property the ground underfoot changes from area to area, we have a seam of rock running under the surface about 2 meters wide, this area is relatively dry and i have been able to plant quite a few new native trees and shrubs mostly small bushy types to attract and provide shelter for the small birds in the area.
Last year while doing some excavations an amazing amount of this rock was unearthed and left in a huge pile and then over the summer months the rock has hardened and changed colors.........Now what to do with all this rock ?

Well what else can you do on a cold winters day but build a Cairn.........

                                                        
Its a bit like a jigsaw choosing and placing the rocks but a lot of fun, a couple of hours can go by before you know it and then its time for a cuppa.

                                                      
It has been pointed out to me that a Cairn is usually placed on top of a rise, hill or mountain but as the rocks are extremely heavy i decided to build it where the pile was and feel it will look quite at home nestled under this stand of Red Box trees when finished..........................


Thank-you to Barbara at thenewgoodlife who recently nominated me for 
The Versatile blogger award, its great to know others enjoy reading my ramblings...........................
Upon accepting this award there are a couple of conditions, firstly to share 7 things about myself and then to pass on the Award up to 15 other Blogs that you like and/or follow...........


1. First up the number 7 is actually my favorite and lucky number!
2. I like to write letters and send them by post to friends and family, and i have kept every letter which i have received.
3. I LOVE reading and my very clever husband has just finished building me a new book case to house all my favorites. I couldn't wait to sort out all my books and stack them neatly in rows, Gardening, Cooking, Travel, Quilting and all the Novels................Bliss !
4. I can't sit still while watching TV, my husband thinks I'm crazy reading, knitting or sewing while watching a movie.
5. I use to work for The Walter & Eliza Hall Insitute of Medical Research and breed mice and rats.
6.When my youngest child was 4 yrs old i quit work and went back to school and completed Advanced Certificate in Horticulture.
7.In March 2011 i was on the TV program Postcards reviewing our Country Retreat and i had a little cooking segment, making Bruschetta with my home grown tomatoes and basil. I was so nervous.... they had to do quite a few takes !!


There are so many great Blogs in Blogsville that i wish i had more time to spend reading and following.............................
I'd like to pass on this Award to 3 Blogs. 
Claire at Sweet Birdy Love  a blog about Claire's beautiful sewing creations, her garden, market days, and life in general, always positive and inspiring.


Enchanted Moments a "Real" blog about life as a Stay at Home Mum, mostly i laugh along with these posts remembering the times when my children were small and at home with me but sometimes I shed a tear or two when Suzanne shares her personal experiences.............


Bowerbird Blue  Kirsty's love of her family and  her local environment shines through in this blog, always enjoyable to read and informative on plants and birds . Kirsty also shares many of her wonderful recipes from her Kitchen in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria.

I'm sure these blogs may be familiar to some but if not why not drop by and say Hello........................

Harvest Monday

The first of my Cabbages, and a couple more beetroot picked tonight by torchlight.

                                                       


  I was a little disappointed with the size of the beets, plenty of healthy strong leaves(the chooks will like them) but there's enough for our breakfast juice in the morning.

                      

Although small the cabbage had a lovely dense head and was very tasty

lightly fried in a little olive oil.

The other half will go into a stir -fry tomorrow night.

                         

Plenty of lettuce and kale, just pick a few leaves as needed............

Also planted out seedlings of Curly Kale and Beetroot.  More garlic cloves, I found an extra rope of garlic in the shed all fat & sprouting  so they have just been tucked in where ever I could find the space.

Joining in with Daphne and Harvest Monday, sharing whats in the Harvest basket with those around the globe.

Something New with Chard.

                        This week i harvested lots of Chard or Silverbeet.

I have plenty of young healthy plants coming along so I'm trying to find some new recipes for future harvests.

Probably hard to see but there are over 30 seedlings in this bed and i have already transplanted another 20 closer to the chook pen.

This following recipe i found in the March edition of Country Living.

Tian with spinach and potatoes.

A Tian is like the Spanish omelet or the Italian frittata.

                        Ingredients:
                

A Couple of large potatoes, boiled in their skins.

Olive Oil

A bunch of Chard ( 4-5 medium sized leaves)  Stalks off.

Garlic

Anchovy fillets

5-6 Eggs ( i only used 4)    

2-3 tablespoons of grated cheese ( i added cubes of feta cheese as well)

Cut the cooked potatoes into cubes and place into earthenware dish with 2 tb

of olive oil. Place in oven at 150C while you wash and and cook the chard very briefly in just the water that's clinging on it.   Drain.

Add the chard and 6 anchovy fillets torn into small pieces into a bowl with beaten eggs,add cheese and mix together then pour over potatoes .

Bake for 25-30 mins at 190C or fan forced oven 170C

    

 The Flavor of the Tain was much nicer the following day , served cold with a salad

of 7 types of lettuce.

  I'm already thinking of the different combinations of veggies you could use in the 

Tain.

This would also be suitable for those who are gluten intolerable.

What would you add different?

I'm Sharing today's Recipe with Robin at
The Garden of Eden and 
Thursday's Kitchen Garden.


If you are interested in another recipe using Chard pop over to Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome
and admire her Pasta with Chard/chives and Goat cheese................                                                                                                              

Harvest Monday

Lettuce, Lettuce and more Lettuce......................


Red and green Oak leaf
Red and Golden Cos
Rossa Di Trento
Brown Mignonette

                                                  
                                                  

Enjoying it in Egg and Bacon sandwiches
            &     Side salads
                                                

                                                    


Plenty of Chard and Perpetual spinach.
A few odd potatoes and parsley.

                                                     
 

                                      
I also picked the first crop of Medlers.
 Its an unusual fruit, small like a crab apple and its ripe or ready to eat or cook with when its bletted, when its soft and brown.
Its a little dry and taste like apple with cinnamon.


The fruit isn't quite bletted yet maybe a few more days and then i will attempt to make Medlar Jam and Jelly...........should be interesting!         

  
Lettuce,Baby Leeks, Parsley, and last years curly kale still going strong.


Joining in with Daphne and Harvest Monday a weekly post on what's been harvested from your plot ........................