Here & Now: August 2018

12 August 2018
Hello August, where did you come from?

The last month of winter (although, from memory Canberra will continue to swing between warm and cold for quite some time yet). Lots of icy winds, but mostly sunny days. A few more rain clouds and their raindrop counterparts would be welcome - as they would around most of the country at the moment.

Lunch enjoyed with a friend in the late winter sunshine.


We have only been 'around here' for part of the last month after taking a two week break to chase some sunshine. It was glorious. But while we have been around here I've been....


Loving // Harvesting a few things from the garden, including my first (small) purple cauliflower.

Eating // Anything that can be cooked in the slow cooker. Honestly I can't believe I lived so long without one. Soups, stews, lasagnes, risotto....warming comforting foods cooked with a minimum of fuss on busier weekdays. We've also been eating homemade pasta - yay!

Small but exciting garden harvests.


Drinking // I probably don't even need to answer this one....lots of tea, mostly black or green.

Feeling // Refreshed and defrosted after a couple of weeks away. Trying not to wish away time until the warm weather arrives but it's always hard at the end of the season to resist.

Making // Lots of food to replenish the snack stocks (constantly replenishing) and the back up stash of bread items in the freezer.

Stocking up the snacks - simple banana muffins.


Thinking // About sewing plans. I've been researching (some might say over researching) ideas for a few pieces to refresh my summer wardrobe. Over the past few years I've been aiming to actually wear out my current clothes rather than buy new and at the end of last summer I ditched a lot of things that just weren't right. So, I'm thinking of some plans for a few dresses...not sure where I'll find the time to make them but I'm thinking (and researching!).

Dreaming // About warmer weather and summer garden plans.

I was a little excited to see the crust when I pulled these out.


What's happening here & now for you? Join in with Sarah if you feel like playing along or let me know in the comments.

10 comments

  1. Good to hear you are going to be doing some sewing, I have just been looking at a site called 'notPERFECTLINEN' It might give you some ideas for lovely simple designs...I love the overalls, just the thing for after a nice cool shower at the end of a hot day.
    Canberra is such a contrast of climate, freezing in Winter and boiling hot in Summer. A very interesting place to live.

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    1. Thanks for the tip on the site. I had a little look and absolutely loved the fabric - linen is so nice to look at (although no fun to iron!). A few nice simple designs on there to keep in mind for sure.

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  2. Ahh while you are dreaming about warmer weather, I'm looking forward to cooler months. It's unbearably hot and humid here.
    Are those anchovies in the first photo? Yum yum!

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    1. Hope you get some weather reprieve soon Nil. I don't really enjoy the hot humid climate. The places I've lived in Australia have all been hot and dry - no picnic wither but I 'handle' it better - although it's probably about acclimitisation I suppose.
      Ii do love anchovies too, but they are actually my pickled eggplant - not particularly pretty looking but definitely tasty!

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  3. We are back home now from our stay down in Canberra, Jo. Very cold! I enjoyed the chill of those days though as we rarely get to experience temps like -2C up here! I've been doing some sewing this afternoon, I'm making a simple top from some op-shop fabric. Had to get a bit creative with the neckline facing though I think it will be alright. Happy sewing and researching! Meg:)

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    1. Glad you had a good visit to the 'Berra Meg - it is a lovely place, although I'm a little biased.
      Look forward to seeing some pics of your sewing. I liked that sailor top you posted a while back - looks like just the thing for summer in linen or a nice cotton.
      Cheers,
      Laura

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  4. Your bread looks fantastic Laura, I can almost smell it from here! And the purple cauliflower is beautiful, too.
    Planning some summer clothes sounds like a good idea, and if you start now you should have them ready to wear when the warm weather arrives. Perhaps you could exchange the time you're researching for making them once you're ready to start? I once saw a blogger break down a garment she was sewing into small pieces in order to get it done. I think her goal was to sew three seams a day?
    I find things like that really helpful when life is full :-)

    Thanks for joining in again!
    Sarah x

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    1. Hey Sarah, thanks for dropping by. Thanks for the ideas about breaking things down too. I'm definitely guilty of looking at the big picture and feeling a little defeated before I begin when I'm trying to get things done around the kids. I've used that strategy in other things so I know it works for me - time to make a plan. Thanks for the push in the right direction :)

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  5. Congrats on the purple cauliflower, how exciting and well done!
    I love my slow cooker too - so good to come home to a hot meal after a busy day out in the cold! Cheers, Sally at One Family, One Planet blog

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    1. Thanks Sally. It was a little exciting to harvest as it's my second year attempting the purple caulis (last year my chooks scratched out the seedlings while I was away) and my first harvest.
      Cheers,
      Laura

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