PSS I have had very little time of late to visit others' blogs, much as I love to. Please understand and I will visit you all when time allows. xxx
I have finally finished my mini en suite bathroom makeover. At least, it was finished a week ago but the weather has been so dark and grey that it has been difficult to take photos. Although you can't see it in the photo above, my window treatment is held together with pins and hot glue.
I tried nailing it to the window, but when that didn't work -- I was standing on the toilet and hammering at a very strange angle -- I stuck it to the window using hot glue.
At our red house my 5 year old son has prepared an army for battle.
The soldiers are in formation and ready.
The army is backed by a castle with its weapons charged.
Yesterday my daughter and husband went on a 10 km bushwalk at Mt Dom Dom east of Melbourne with Miss 11's scout group. So today's post is some of the photos taken by my daughter during the hike.
I know some readers are disappointed that I don't show more of the Australian bush on my blog. One reader expressed disappointment recently that my backyard looks just like an American backyard!
However, just outside of Melbourne there are lots of beautiful places to visit that have wonderful bushland. If you go to the out and about category on my sidebar you can see some of the places we have visited over the past year, both in the city and beyond.
My husband left yesterday morning tired and rather stressed and came home relaxed and invigorated. There is nothing like the beauty of the natural world to put all our worries back into perspective.
and a pink-wrapped gift.
So thank you again, Tracy, for your generous, thoughtful, delicious and pretty gifts. I am honoured to have you for a blog-friend.
Kate xxx
I read about the Simon & Schuster promotion on The Freebies Blog. I discovered The Freebies Blog a few weeks ago when I was googling for Australian supermarket coupons (apparently non-existent), and it really does offer some good stuff. There are lots of samples of beauty products, free downloads, low energy lightbulbs and other goodies.
Over the winter months, when there are lemons on our backyard tree, I often make this delicious, sticky cake.
Pour into tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the cake comes out clean.
Do you have a china cabinet at your house? And if you do, what do you put in it? China? Knick-knacks? A precious collection?
We have two china cabinets at our red house, both of which have been passed on to us from other family members. They both have a mirror back, which I like as it makes them look larger. The one I am showing today is in our living room. We use it to display our silverware and crystal, all of which has also been passed on to us by other family members.
Although it is now winter at our red house, today is the kind of golden, sunny day that would lift even the most troubled spirits. Perhaps it is the lower light or longer shadows, but the yellows in my garden seem deeper and stronger and less washed out than they do in summer.
Dandelion flower: meticulously made despite being a weed in a crack in the paving.
Kate's Tips: I whisked the mixture continuously while the butter was melting and the mixture was coming to the boil. You don't want eggy lumps in your lemon curd! Once the mixture was boiling I stirred it to avoid sticking.
Don't forget to sterilise your jars and lids. Pour the lemon curd into the jars while it is still hot, screw on the lids tightly, then tip the jars upside down for ten minutes. This will sterilise the inside of the lids more effectively than can otherwise be achieved and help prevent mould in the lemon curd.
I use lemon butter on scones, as a cake filling, in tarts as Molly suggests, on pancakes and on toast. It is s-o-o-o delicious.
More yellow. Isn't it lovely?
Kate xxx
Lemon Syrup Cake
