Yesterday was mother’s day

I received handmade presents in bed 🙂

Time to go shopping

It is getting cold and I have no winter clothes!!! Last summer I threw out all my old stuff. Almost everything I owned had paint on it or holes in it so I tossed it all out and now I need a new wardrobe before I freeze!

Flukey bird shots

It is starting to look a lot like Autumn

Making butter in my Kitchen Aid

Today I made butter for the first time and it was so easy, and fun! I used Tasmanian Betta cream (1200mls) although I didn’t realise it has a few additives. Gelatine, vegetable gum, mineral salt, sugar and salt. Pure cream is best then you get a pure product, can control how much salt you put  in and avoid all the stuff you don’t need. I am going to ask Scott to see if he can get me some cream from a diary. Straight out of the cow.

So, I wacked it in my Kitchen Aid along with a tablespoon of salt, which I think is a bit too much. The salt helps to preserve it but I reckon you can leave it out. It might just not last as long. I used the whisk attachment and turned her on.

You have to keep pushing the stuff down around the edges. Maybe if you don’t make as much at once you don’t but I did. When it started to get really thick I changed attachments because I thought the other one would get more from the sides of the bowl.

Then off again. I started out on a lower speed because it was a bit splashy but by now I was on the highest speed.

After a while it starts to go a little bit grainy. This is when it begins to split.

The colour changes from creamy white to a pale yellow and the more it splits the more it begins to look like ricotta cheese, but by now it tastes like butter.

See above! if you look down the to the bottom of the side of the bowl you can see the buttermilk. (Sorry about the blurry photo)

Now you have to squeeze out the buttermilk. I put mine into a cotton napkin which was sitting inside a small siev. Then wrap up the butter and squeeze. It can be a bit messy.

Now you can mould it into a shape or divide it up or whatever.

You also have fresh buttermilk which is great for baking. I am saving mine for pancakes for later.

So there you have it! Butter!!! I think it will keep for a while in the fridge. Not sure what will happen if you leave it out. I don’t expect ours will last very long. I have a loaf of bread in the bread over for when Scott and the kids come home from fishing so they can try out my butter with warm fresh bread 🙂

A walk around our farm with Ruby

Rain

We have had a lot of rain this week but today is lovely. Sunny, cool and breezy. The kind of day you want to sit in a comfy chair by the window in the sun with a cup of tea and a good book and since both the kids are at school today that is exactly what I might do after I finish the morning chores.

Scott has headed off for a long weekend fishing competition and since he didn’t work today he stayed home and spent some time with the kids before school, helping Dustin read his ‘home reader’ and walking them to the bus stop. The last few days I had to drive them up to the bus stop because it was so wet.

#15, #16, #17

*This is actually Ruby with her head inside a sleeping bag but it reminded me of a crime scene. I like it because it is spooky.

Policeman’s Point North Eastern Tasmania

For Dustin’s 6th birthday he wanted to go camping again. Somewhere he could go fishing. So we went to Policeman’s Point about two hours East of us.

Dustin wanted a tent for his birthday so we bought him his own little tent which he shared with Ruby. We also got him a new sleeping bag and a light for his tent.

Of course we had a campfire… and marshmallows.

Dustin caught a HUGE fish! we were so proud of him. All the kids ate him for dinner.

Dustin made friends with a shag whereing a coat of seaweed.

We all had a great weekend. And thanks Anna, Anisa, Karen and Shane for sharing the weekend with us 🙂

My March