Oh, hello!

Hello friends...

Sorry for the blogging hiatus.  It's nothing personal, believe me.  But, I'm finding a family of 6 requires a fair amount of attention! And... my office is no longer in my home, so, you know... I'm relying more on Instagram and Facey than I'd like to.

Some general happenings...
My children keep growing. They keep getting older and smarter, dammit!
Is this happening to you too?

My body has been telling me that I'm perhaps pushing the envelope a bit much...
Was in hospital last week with a freaky intense pain issue in the belly area. Happened about 3 months ago too, so still investigating that one.
Hip surgery - went brilliantly - healed so well, and now... well, I seem to overdo it most days ending up with that pinching lower back pain caused by the whole hip impingement thingo.

(this is me with crutches and Gretta helping me... Bless!)

And I'm looking into Nerve therapy for my middle back which is out more time than not and causes me to be quite grumpy and in pain.  

Our farm is coming along smashingly.  We are planning on expanding our chookie numbers and are finding the dropping of the diary cows quite refreshing! We still get fresh raw Organic milk, but not with the huge commitment of being in the industry.

My little darling holding our new packaging...

This is part of the view that our new house will have!

...and from the other direction...

I asked Nic to bring some eggs back from the farm.  He brought me 4 trays.
He's an overachiever.

Well, I'm putting in applications to planning and rendezvousing with my architect friends that are designing our house that we hope to begin building by the end of the year.  We're grabbing the dream and doing an architect designed rammed earth house! Not too big - 3 bedrooms, and not extravagant - we're recycling building materials everywhere.  So, if you know of an old warehouse or farmhouse set for demolition - let me know, we'll go pilfer the structure!

Adios.  Until next time. xx
(all photos from my Instagram account... follow me on rubyhillsorganics

do it for our little girls.

Such a responsibility.  Raising little girls into women that respect and love themselves and their bodies.  By just watching this little tid-bit - it engaged me into a higher level of consciousness while speaking to my daughter about myself and my body and her body!

Do yourself a favour and watch this and then donate generously.  Here's the direct link to her kickstarter page:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/embrace/embrace-the-documentary-that-will-create-global-ch?ref=email

xx

Dear Grandpa

To the generous man that gave his all to his family – better known as Grandpa.

Anybody home?

It is with a generous smile that I write my memories of my dear grandpa.  My smile is as generous and huge as his personality was.  He was never the kind to not give a damn – because he did give a damn. He forgave. He loved. He made us laugh.

I will never again encounter a lemon that will ever compare to Grandpa’s lemons.  Was it really true that his secret was fish guts? Because I believe it – fish and Grandpa just go together like French bread and butter – like China and Camp – like coffee and McDonalds. 

Grandpa was so generous both with his time and his money.  There were so many times he’d roll up to me inconspicuously and wedge a twenty into my palm and say “go buy yourself a hamburger.”  He would take you out and show you the apple tree and tell you exactly how to prune it.  He’d tell you exactly where to aim your hook and where the “good eatin’” fish would be in the stream. He and Grandma bought tickets for me to come and visit last year.  I’m so very grateful. 

Although I’m sad that I won’t get to see him or HEAR him again I take comfort in recognizing that I have him in my life every day.  Since learning that he was gone, I’ve recognized that so many little parts of my day that have the grandpa stamp. 

All of his grandchildren share the common bull-headed, persistent, generous, sometimes loud and wooly personality.  Thanks grandpa – we owe our hot-headedness to you!! I think it’s fair to say however, that we’re proud of who we all are and wouldn’t have it any other way – nobody is allowed to walk all over any of us!

You had a wonderful heart, a generous laugh, a huge personality, an aire of respect, an appetite for deliciousness, and some incredible coined phrases that none of us will ever forget.  Can anyone recall one?

Some of my favourites are:

“that’s good eating!”

“that__________ (fill in the blank: “that Jarret” or “that Jimmy” or “that Savannah”)

“okay sweetie” or “your such a sweetie”

Goodbye my Grandpa.  Thank you for your love and memories.  I love you forever.  I will keep making you proud.  I will carry you with me for all of my days.

Love, Amy

Also known as Miss America

From Fish Creek to Walkerville

In a space of three months...

We've sold our cows. 

We've reeled over moving off our farm in Fish Creek. 

We've done solicitors. 

We've done land agents. 

We've done new banks. 

We've done tears and worry.

  We've dug up our fruit trees. 

We've scrubbed down a house that we renovated. 

We've leaned on the arms of each other. 

We've lived on carbs and caffeine.  

We've been excited.

We negotiated.

We bought a farm.

We've depended on families and friends.

We've fixed fences and tidied up.

We've sold a lot of sheep.

We've liquidated plant and machinery.

We've postponed my surgery.

We've done exasperating moments of anguish, stress and fatigue.
We've packed and boxed and threw out the excess.

We've packed trailers and cars and tractors.

We've watched our chooks go on the back of a big ol' truck.

We've watched our chooks wander and explore their new paddocks by the sea.

We've wandered and explored our new paddocks by the sea.

We've researched houses.

We've dreamed of houses.

We've discussed with friends and friend-architects.

We've decided that we will build a house of rammed earth.

We've drawn house sketches and talked and dreamed.

We've closed the door on dairy farming.

We've hand milked house cows.

We've rented a house.

We've had a day of Settlement.

We've landed.

It's been a wild an wooly 3 months.  Most times it seemed utterly unachievable. But I knew we'd get through it. I'm glad we've made it through without too many scars!

On this side of the move, we're making time for billy carts, trips to the beach, spending time with each other.  Finding spots for everything.  Enjoying our freedom.  There is still much to come, but for now... these school holidays we're about finding our feet here on the other side together.  What a wonderful spot to be after all of that.  There is much beauty around us, and the freedom feels SO amazing. 

Breathe in, Breathe out.

All is well.

oh yes, and little miss had a haircut.

and a new chapter begins

I don't know where to start with this post.

I've said it here on Instagram...

Twenty Fourteen. Be gentle to us. I'm feeling rather fragile.

Holding on to my little ones and my man while we discover what will be next for our business, our home, our future.

x A

Christmas 2013

 

A wonderful day with wonderful people.

Appreciating all that we have. Especially eachother.

As we contemplate the next chapter of our lives, we are finding joy in our home and our family and our friends.

Hope you had a magical Christmas.

So many questions for 2014.

Much to anticipate.

xx

Fritatta - zucchini and cauliflower cheese

Okay, say it with me - I must eat SOME nutritious food along with all of this holiday fare... 

Trying to keep the sugary bits to a minimum around here.  Essential to get the veggies and eggs in too.  Made a massive one of these last night to dole out to little hands that are begging for a snack.

Zucchini and Cauliflower Cheese Fritatta:

roughly chop up a 1/2 head cauliflower and 3 large zucchini's

drizzle with olive oil and dash on cumin.

Grill for about 12 minutes till softening and just getting some golden bits on the edges.

In the meantime, crack open 12 eggs and blitz together with 1/3 cup of cream or sour cream.

When the veg is done, tip into a 9x13 baking dish, sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of grated tasty cheese

pour over egg mixture

roughly chop about 12 boccochini in big wedges on the top. Generously salt and pepper. 

Bake 185C for about 25 minutes - test middle for wobblieness when set.  Cool completely on cookie rack.  Best left to completely cool - the eggs set perfectly and creamy.

Delish. Nutrish. 

xx Amy

real raw eggnog

It's officially a day of getting things done around here.

First off there was many cuddles, laughs and dancing in the morning by all -

(please play this and attempt to do housework without swaying your hips and shoving your hands in the air with a bit of congo line action thrown in. I dare you.)

--then it was down to business.  Wrapping, Cleaning, caring for poor Monty with a fever, Cleaning, Baking, Making - you know how it is.

Well I've hit the 3 o'clock slump.

Enter a nourishing warm drink on our cool Summer Solstice day.



Real Raw Eggnog:

3 cups raw milk
begin warming on cooktop
add 2T coconut sugar or natural sweetener
1t pure vanilla

mix together:
5 egg yolks
1/2 t cinnamon
and a great big grating of nutmeg

get your kitchen stick mixer into the warmed milk and sugar and make it go as you slowly add the yolks.

Will foam up to perfection.

Serve with a dash of brandy and another good grating of fresh nutmeg.

Then grab ahold of your day again before it's all over.

Off to the kitchen!

x