Slow Going

Wednesday 11th July 2012

Things on the home front have been mightily slow going of late.  I did manage to get some work done in the garden last week with fertilizing and a general tidy up.  I even managed to spray the zucchini with some milk and water to help with the sooty mould.  So far it seems to be working, but with the wet weather we are having at the moment it is hard to tell.  The sooty mould has certainly slowed the plants down but then again the cooler spell we are having at the moment doesn't help either.  I am getting plenty of snow peas at the moment so we have been having them cooked and raw in salads.  I love the crunch of fresh peas.

The grey cloth you can see is fly wire that is covering my cabbages.  I am trying this to keep the cabbage moths at bay instead of pesticides.  Hope it works!
Last Friday I made the trip out to the country to visit Emily.  She has now moved into a lovely house and her and Dave are making their own personal touches to it.  It was a long journey as I made the trip there and back in one day. 

The is a photo of their dining room.  Please excuse the blurry photo.  Emily took this with her phone and sent it to me.
I took our little dog with me as she loves going out and by the end of the day she was completely worn out.  I don't think she slept the entire time I was visiting but she certainly slept in the car on the way home.

While I was out there, Emily and I picked a bag full of lemons.  On the weekend I turned some into lemon butter.  I have been having it on my toast each morning and Ron has been having it on pikelets for morning tea at work.  My lemon butter recipe is super easy and made in the microwave.  I have been making it this way for years and it always turns out nicely.  When I get some more eggs I shall make some more to give away.

Another reason things have been slow going around here lately is I have had an infected finger!  Somehow I got an infection between my nail and the skin on one of the fingers on my right hand.  I has swelled up enormously and been extremely painful, so much so that it has been keeping me awake at night.  I headed off to the doctor on Monday and was prescribed some antibiotics.  The infection has made it extremely difficult to do most things as I am right handed and therefore any craft has been next to impossible.  I did however, get a start on a crochet project last week.

It is this cardigan shawl I found the pattern for.  I bought the magazine in a thrift shop and have been anxious to make it!  I decided to go outside my comfort zone with this and make it up in a green yarn.  This is only the back and I am on my third ball of wool.  I have bought 18 balls so hopefully I will have enough as I should only need 16.  I think this is going to lovely and warm but probably won't get it finished this winter.

The thing I love about this garment is the variety of ways it can be worn.  Very versatile.

Take care
Andrea