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Everyday life, Food, home

Pasta primavera

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Pasta primavera

A few weeks ago Adam declared he was craving pasta for dinner. I love pasta, so it didn’t take much convincing to get me on board too!  It was as the weather was starting to warm and neither one of us fancied a rich tomato or cream based dish.  Searching for some inspiration before heading into town to do some food shopping, I started poking around online, looking for something that would meet our pasta craving, without the decadence of a ragù.

I stumbled across a recipe from BBC Food and it was a hit the first night I made it.  I’ve since whipped up the same dish a few more times and I’ve got a feeling it’s going to become a firm favourite in our house…

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Everyday life, home, Thoughts

The evening water

by wattleandash6 Comments on The evening water
The evening water

Daylight saving or ‘summer time’ arrived in our part of Australia the other week and with it came the start of gloriously long, light evenings.

It’s given me a renewed energy for the warm weather ahead and instead of coming home from work feeling tired and ready to hunker down for the evening,  I find myself wanting to potter about and get little jobs done, so they’re not eating into my precious days off.

One job though, I’m finding less of a chore and more of a wonderful little ritual…

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Everyday life, home

Going potty

by wattleandash3 Comments on Going potty
Going potty

Over the last few years I’ve developed a deep affection for having a garden.   In my younger days, it was a hassle – something that took up precious weekend time, but now I thoroughly enjoy watering, weeding and getting a bit of dirt under my fingernails.

Adam and I had a rambling cottage garden in the U.K., complete with terrace vegetable patch. I desperately wanted to replicate our bags of potatoes and pots of peas, tomatoes and lettuces this spring, but the timing of our trip back to England for our wedding, meant it just wasn’t feasible and we’d miss picking the fruits of our labours.

In a bid to satisfy my earthen cravings, I’ve compromised and decided this spring I’m going potty…

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Everyday life, Food, home, Travel

A taste of England

by wattleandash6 Comments on A taste of England
A taste of England

A few weeks ago I received an email reminding me I had a voucher to spend an online retailer specialising in books, music and films. I’d totally forgotten I’d received the voucher, so it felt like a real windfall – a chance to treat myself to something new to devour.

Scrolling through the pages of items on offer, I came across a National Trust cookbook and was immediately sold.  I ordered it and a few days later it arrived…

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Everyday life, home, Local sights, Thoughts

Daily delights

by wattleandash4 Comments on Daily delights
Daily delights

Perhaps it’s the warmer sunny days, the clean sheets I snuggled into last night or the fact I’ve got a three day weekend coming up, but life’s felt really cheery this week.

Every few months I like to take some time out to reflect upon the little things that make me smile (here’s my musings from July and February), so to mark the start of spring, I thought I’d share my current daily delights with you…

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Everyday life, home, Local sights

Wattle time

by wattleandash7 Comments on Wattle time
Wattle time

I’ve always been a bit of a scavenger.  Ever since I was a kid I’d pocket pretty shells, inspect interesting leaves or steal stems from the garden.  It’s a habit that I’ve maintained into adulthood and I love taking a wander a somewhere, just to see what I can find.

The Malvern Hills were literally a five minute walk from our house in England and I loved the freedom of having a wander through woodland, often coming home with a pine cone, pebble, or in the spring, wild garlic.

Now the weather’s starting to warm up in Australia, I’ve been spending a little bit more time outdoors and the other day I spotted the first of the wattle starting to bloom… Continue reading “Wattle time” →

Everyday life, home, Local sights

Winter weed, winter feed

by wattleandash3 Comments on Winter weed, winter feed
Winter weed, winter feed

One morning last week a pair of ducks appeared on our nature strip. Just the two of them, sticking close by each other, happily nibbling on the clover patches that have emerged over winter. I smiled to myself, noted how cute they looked and thought nothing more of it.

A day or so later, I saw the same ducks again – this time across the street in another yard. Now, I see them most mornings and I’ve named them our neighbourhood ducks…

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Everyday life, home, Thoughts

Signs of spring

by wattleandashLeave a Comment on Signs of spring
Signs of spring

August has only just arrived, but I’m getting the faintest hint of spring in the air.   The nights are still chilly, but the sun is sticking around longer and longer each day.  Its rays now have that distinct warm weather glow about them, rather than that feeble almost pastel-like patina.

This year’s run of frosty mornings have taken their toll on our little garden and a few plants have fallen victim to the sub-zero temperatures.  Others have embraced the cold and are almost ready to declare the arrival of the change in season…

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Everyday life, Food, home

The lentils to cure your lurgy

by wattleandash3 Comments on The lentils to cure your lurgy
The lentils to cure your lurgy

The dreaded winter lurgy arrived in our household the other week, and while Adam has now got past the worst of his aches and sniffles, I’m still struggling.

There’s nothing worse than feeling less than 100 per cent, particularly when it feels like the world around you is currently operating at 120 per cent.

Although I often go off my food when I’m poorly, I know how important it is to keep on fuelling my body so it can fight off the nasties inside.

And that’s where my lentils come to the rescue…

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