Feijoas.

I was meandering round the section today, admiring how damp everything seemed, (we had heaps of RAIN in the last 24 hours - exciting as we've had barely any for four months), when I came across these:


My very own, homegrown, perfectly formed, luscious green FEIJOAS! I was totally surprised and totally amazed and totally over the moon!

I had seen some little baby feijoas forming on our trees a while ago, but figured they would drop off in the drought. These trees have done it hard. They were one of the first species we planted out here about four years ago, we weren't even living here. Very neglected, left to rough it in the howling gales. This year they have reached the grand height of up-to-my-bum.


But they produced these for me! The little darlings! You don't pick feijoas or they are too hard and sour, best to gather them from the ground when they fall. There is still a handful on the trees, I'll be checking daily now in anticipation.

There's not enough of these to cook with, we'll be eating them by cutting them in half and scooping out with a spoon. But when I do cook with them I love them in a crumble, or stewed on breakfast or over icecream. They are also nice in an apple spice cake instead of, or combined with, the apple.

*sigh*. Is there anything as satisfying as your own homegrown fruit and veg?



Edited: Elaine's comment has made me realise that not everyone will know what that fruit is!



Feijoas are a subtropical fruit, preferring to grow somewhere a bit warmish (but still very hardy to wind - ours can testify). Glossy, dark green leaves and a smallish tree, they can make a nice hedge - productive in more than one way - excellent! The fruit range in size from golfball to duckegg size (I don't work in imperial so you get object approximations!) and taste? Well, quite aromatic, a cross between a pineapple and a .... I don't know, but they have a slightly grainy texture like a pear and I think they are a love or hate fruit. I love.




So I chopped one in half for you to see the inside and then I had to eat it, yum. Mine are small fruit (blame the drought), they usually have four seed divisions.

Hmm, I think I'll go have another.

Blogversary!

I started this blog a whole year ago today. Wow! Here is my first ever post word for word:

"Ok, so I mainly created this so I could comment on other people's blogs. I'm what I would call 'computer literate' but certainly not 'computer savvy', meaning I can turn the thing on, buy things on Trademe (!) and read blogs. But posting links, making my own blog....well, that's all new to me, so 'scuse me if I look a little dense sometimes! "

That was it, my entire post. And whilst I may have created the blog mainly to comment on others (not knowing then that I could just create a profile and comment), I have totally fallen for the bloggy world.

I used to watch TV in the evenings. Not much, but a few shows and documentaries here and there. Now I can't remember the last time I watched it. I'd much rather spend that time reading other people's blogs. I guess if television only featured shows on quilting, farming, homesteading....I'd be watching that instead.

When it all gets too hard, I lock the kids in a cage and go hang out on the net.

Blogging lets me blab on without worrying too much about what I say. It's allowed me to sort out my thoughts, to vent, to diary what's happening and look back on it. I've made friends I've never met. It lets me stay current with my family - complete with photos. And most of all, it has let me learn so, so much.



Someone asked me recently how I knew "all this stuff"? We were talking about gardening and chickens (and trust me, I am NOT an expert). I didn't really know how to answer because I'd never thought about it until then. But now, after a bit of reflection, I've realised that I've totally indulged my interests through the net and that's helped me pick up so much knowledge. The net lets me check out forums, blogs and sites where I can learn whatever I like. I can read about a book and put it on hold at my library with a few mouse clicks. I can ask questions of fellow bloggers and I can find how-to's on just about anything at all.



So, really, what I'm trying to say on my one-year anniversary is:

Thank - you!

Bloggy world, internet, and fellow bloggers - you are the best!

A bucketful of cute.

I grabbed the closest thing to put my latest chicks in today when I cleaned out their brooder (aka fishbin, nothing flash around here, folks). For the first few days they are hanging out in my laundry, which doubles as a bathroom, a toolshed, a potting bench, and a pumpkin storage facility.

I have three Light Sussex chicks.

Two Plymouth Barred Rocks.

Three Barnevelders.



Two Silver Laced Wyandottes.

Three Rhode Islands Reds.

And one funny, fuzzy wee Lavender Araucana.

You're soaking in it, luv.

My newest frugal tip. I can't claim this one, cheers dear sister-in-law.

I know I should probably wash the dishes by hand, and I WAS planning to when we moved into the shed. But some very kind people (gotta love the in-laws) gave us some money towards a dishwasher (she knows I hate washing dishes) so I just HAD to get one.

So to assuage my guilt at using lots of power and water every time I wash, I make sure to use eco-friendly powder. Plus it's also ok for when I use the grey water on my garden (which I do, a lot - there's a drought you know). This Eco-store brand has to be the best I've ever found - it even shines my copper bottom pots!

But, here's a trick to make it go further. Dilute it by half with baking soda (soda bicarbonate). Then mark the bottle so you don't dilute it again by accident! Still works just as good.

Now before you all send me recipes to make my own much cheaper, greener cleaners, I will attempt to make my own soap, clothes washing powder/liquid and my own dishwasher goop one day. But, just at the moment, I'm wrestling with cooking, baking, vege gardening, chickens, rabbits, crafting and quilting and children and that's enough for now. It's on the to-do list, but just a bit further down!

*And the title? It's a reference to an old tv ad for Palmolive dishwashing liquid, remember it fellow kiwis?!

Work in Progress Wednesday AND Wordless Wednesday (or I'm too lazy to write much today so you just get a pretty picture)