This is where I get my milk from.............

Colleen with  Buttermilk and her calf

Two little monkeys who came to watch

Liam

Liam and Stuart

Sofia

Na'uli

Calf trying to pose for the photo

Mrs Buttermilk

Check that out!!! That ain't all of it that's for sure

My cheese production in full swing

My latest devise for straining cream cheese

Thought I would share with you where I get milk from...My friend Colleen milks quite a few cows (well 5 at the moment) She doesn't milk by hand she has a small machine that milks 1 cow at a time but it takes up quite a bit of her time, as milking the cow is not the only job...bringing the cows in, cleaning them, milking, drafting them in and out, cleaning the bail, and putting the cows back in their paddock, then dealing with well today approx 25-30 litres of milk...man what a job...I brought milk home today that was warm enough for me to make feta cheese from without even reheating it!!! Can't get much fresher than that...I have Camembert, feta and cream cheese on the go and have enough cream to make a pound of butter tomorrow....pretty good I say!

Hand spun, Hand Knitted and Naturally dyed..............

My kids are very lucky, my Mum (MAMA) has knitted them a beautiful jersey and vest...these are both hand spun by my Dad (PA) and all natural dyed by my Mum....Clever I say...They are real treasures that's for sure and definitely one offs!!!!

Whats been happening around here........

Well yet another major shake to get over....just when we had all relaxed and weren't giving the E word a second thought....My kids are a bit more rattled this time round...I feel so bad for them as we are meant to be their protectors and the ones who reassure them that things will be ok...but yet again we find our selves not being able to do that....still having sleepless nights and the smallest of noises are freaking them out... well mainly little miss 10...we will get on but it does feel pretty odd that is for sure.... I am very aware of every thing I do and have these stupid planning sessions go on in my head... what if while I have a pot of milk(5 litres full to the brim for cheese making) on the stove and we have another good shake, and before I leave the house for anything what is  my plan if it happens again!! My priority is the kids but of course its not possible to have them with me all the time...so I guess just always letting people know what I'm up to and where the kids are at is all I can do at this stage....Heres a few shots of what has been happening around here.... Mum and Dad had the builders sort their fire out last week and we have finally had them here also ...we have our brick chimneys taken out down to the floor level and new flues put in and sealed up...we are just awaiting the instillation of our new log burner but have our old one operational in the meantime, and also have the heart of our home( the coal range) up and running again.. no more expensive power bills the hot water is officially  turned off and free hot water from now on!!!

My Parents chimney reinstated after the September earthquake...just in time for the winter weather

Gone are the days of 8 metre high brick chimneys...out with the old in with the new!!!with a little bit of brick work just to remind us of the beautiful chimney that was there before September the 4th!!!

Check out that mosaic tile I made that!!!

Zoe  riding Shiraz in the forest

Zac the cowboy rider

Love that face

Buying a horse float has made after school winter rides at the beach possible...got to love it!!!

Earthquake proof pantry shelves!!!!...feel a bit more relaxed about all my jars of ingredients that ended up on the ground

Who would have thought!!! Its like living on a boat!!

My clever chap whipped me up a cheese cupboard this afternoon and look I already have cheese in it!!!

Yet to mature cheese in the process of drying out at the top and 2 waxed cheeses maturing in the bottom!!! Hope they are edible its the first attempt at making them....

I'm mucking about with crochet....

A while back my sister very bravely tried to teach me to crochet!!! Just like once my mother tried to teach me to knit... Anyway the hat I tried first up turned out doll size when it was eventually finished after much undoing and frustration on my part and my sisters...I have since had a few books out of the library,which I have looked through( I swear I am following instructions illiterate!!!) and the only way i think I am going to learn is trial and error...I think the stitches i have made are unknown to anyone else and I may never be able to produce them again...but that is what makes my designs so unique!!! one off pieces...

Here is a couple of photos of my creations(nearly completed brooches)...I think they look ok...Mr on the couch watching telly gives a grunt when I show him so not much help there and the kids are away at their Dads this weekend and they are usually my positive indicators of what is cool and whats not....so really its up to you readers out there to give these the nod of approval...Don't hold back now will you!!!
I have also given you a sneak peak at what is also happening!!! Can you see a little string of these(cute little beach houses) kind of like bunting!!! I'll keep you posted on these and the others I have planned

about time I hear you all say!!!!!

After a couple of  " I'm missing reading your blog" comments I thought it time I resurrected the  problem...
I have been rather unwell for the last 3 and 1/2 weeks with a cold flu thing that has been so hard to kick...I have had antibiotics, I have had every home remedy and homeopathic  you can imagine(even tried drinking sage and fenugreek tea) but really it has been one of those ones that only time can cure!!! Today is the first day I could say that my symptoms seem to be disappearing....The rest of the house has had a touch of it but I seem to be the one it choose to attack the most!!! I just hope that I don't get it again for the rest of the winter..

Camembert growing its mould before wrapping

Cheddar cheese being weighted down

all the dishes and equipment used in the process

and more... I need a new room in the house to store it all!!

I have been keeping semi busy, but only doing what my energy levels allow so no major output really...the main thing I have been doing  lately is making Cheese!!! I have a very constant supply of fresh cows milk and I feel like some days all I do is process milk!!! Not a bad thing I hear you say!!! So Feta made, Camembert made, Lots of butter made from all the cream taken off the top, so what is left to tackle!! Hard cheddar cheese...that has been my aim today and I will keep you posted as to how it progresses I  have got the first step done today...