Best laid plans

Best laid plans indeed.

We are experiencing what is being called a 'rain event'. Which simply put means 'lots and lots of rain that could result in flooding'. Our plan was to head out to The Channon Markets tomorrow however Nature is turning on a great display of watery weather. I am not complaining of course. We certainly are in need of if. It would seem that most of it is soaking straight into the ground and not much is running into the dam yet. 

The blue dot in the middle of the photo below is Doug resplendent in all his raincoat finery. Snug as a bug he is against the constant rain. This photo shows a moment of watery sunshine from this morning. The garlic crop at the top left corner is absolutely flourishing and we expect to start pulling out the biggest bulbs in about a month. The flowers are just now starting to sprout so we have to cut them off over the next weeks to allow all the growing energy to go into the bulb rather than the flower.

All my timber art has been put back on the studio shelf for now. I was so looking forward to being able to offer them to customers this weekend. It is so satisfying to see someone completely smitten with a piece I have made and walking away with it to hang in their own home.

We have a lovely big tub of sunflowers coming along in the back yard. The tallest one so far is about 5 feet tall (1.5 metres) We are hoping to harvest the seeds before the local parrot gang finds out about them and steals the lot for themselves.

Meanwhile I have made a lemon cake out of the very last lemons from our tree. We have had a great crop of lemons this year, our tree has done well. My intention was to take a photo of the cake once it had cooled however quite a bit of it has disappeared already. My Mum is here visiting from South Australia and Rob is home today...enough said! I am sure you can use your imagination to picture it whole. Ordinarily icing sugar can be sifted over the top of it, however I prefer to keep the cake to healthier ingredients.

I have tweaked this recipe to make it gluten and dairy free. If you are in a baking mood here it is:

LEMON CAKE
Ingredients:
125 (4.4 ounces) grams Nuttelex (soy butter)
125 grams dark brown sugar
1 cup gluten free Self Raising flour
1 cup almond meal
4 tablespoons rice milk (use soy or almond if you prefer)
2 eggs
2 lemons zested and squeezed

For the syrup 6 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, according to taste.

Oven 160 degrees fan forced otherwise 180 degrees (320 degrees Fahrenheit/356 degrees Fahrenheit).

*Cream the butter and sugar, then add eggs.
*Add flour, almond meal, lemon rind and milk and mix together.
*Pour into a tin and bake for 40 minutes or until baked.

Then mix the syrup together.

*After removing baked cake from the oven leave it in the tin and prick it all over with a skewer.
*Pour over the syrup while still hot.
*Allow the cake to cool in the tin until cold before removing from the tin.

This is Brigitte, one of my rescue cats who is half Abyssinian. I bought this foot stool for Mum to use and of course Brigitte has taken ownership of it. 

So it is goodbye from Brigitte and myself until next week. Have a fantastic weekend and remember to do what you love.

Market Relish

Next weekend we are planning to go to the Channon Markets in Northern New South Wales. Here is the link if you would like to check it all out:  https://thechannonmarket.org.au/  I will have my timber art available, Rob will have some bird feeders that he has made, as well as our spray free and chemical free turmeric. If you are in the area pop by to say hello.

Love Mandala

Last month I had this gorgeous henna design painted on my arm by the lovely Rose Miho of 'Henna Rose'. I am hoping she will be at the Channon Markets again this month.

The beetroot and onions in Rob's wicking beds are ready to be cooked up. 

I am a big fan of relishes and this home made beetroot relish is absolutely delicious.

I always keep all the jars in the fridge until we eat it all. The recipe is available here from Taste.com  I really like this website as the recipes are clear and simple and they always taste good!

We have had a spectacular storm here, hail stones and all. You can see the suspicious green areas in the picture of the sky above.

The atmosphere got very dark, still and downright primal. The sort of thing that makes all the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

So next week I will fill you in on our day at the market. Until then have a fantastic weekend and remember to have some fun.

Small Joys

Next month it will be three years since I decided to leave work and stay home a while. It would seem I have become a part of the landscape here as finches and wrens browse through the seed I left them just a few feet away from my head. As someone who has moved house 43 times in my life it has taken me awhile to feel like I can become still enough to enjoy the slow things. The still things. Listening to the trees waking up now that Spring is here. The small joys.

The glow of brocolli flowers in the afternoon sun.

The expansive overview of our plot of land.

Spring leaves on my new little Liquid Ambar trees.

It has been a slow week and I have nothing earth shattering to report, although...

...there are a couple of exhibitions coming up in the next few months that I am working towards as well as a couple of markets leading up to, dare I say it, Christmas.

So, as a fresh fight breaks out amongst the fire wrens I shall leave you. If you fancy a roam around my Etsy shop here is the link WildwoodArtShop

Have a wonderful weekend and take the time to notice the small joys.

Mandala Intentions

Today's choice of mandalas for you. These will be available in my Etsy store WildwoodArtShop soon.

Here they are without the crystals so that you can see the pattern properly.

I have made these circular ones as some people like to work with this particular shape.

What is an intention board? ….I hear you say.

You may have heard of 'vision boards' where a person puts photos and key words up on the wall to remind them of what it is they want to achieve in their life. A Crystal Intention board simply harnesses the influence of the particular crystals chosen and the positive intent with which they are used. The board is a physical reminder of what you want in your life whether it be a new home, a new job, love, abundance, anything your heart desires. It gives you the chance to use your own intuition. They also add beauty and charm to your home - a lovely natural reminder of our own interconnection in the web of life and how we can have a positive influence using our own mind and heart-felt intentions.

I thought to bring you a lovely photo of our wild fire wrens gathering together to enjoy the bird seed I left for them in the bird feeder.

You would expect there would be gentle tweets of delight and flutters of joy as they sit and dine amongst this culinary treat. However...

What ensued was something akin to a couple of rival gangs coming across each other in the 'hood. Disappointing and a little disturbing...

On another note...the wisteria is blooming.

Doug is eating and the garlic crop up the back of the paddock is looking good. All is well.

Apologies for being late with this blog update, I have been under the weather all week and in an act of self care I decided to let it go until today. I hope you have enjoyed it. Have a fantastic weekend.

Art and Soul

What moves you? What is it that instantly connects you to that part of you that is rarely felt, seen or acknowledged? Fills you with a heart-felt sensation that you know is your heart and spirit connecting, all at the same time.

Bee Mandala

I believe this is what artists are attempting to translate via their images whether they are carved, painted or photographed. When an artist creates something that you have purchased, you also have a piece of something that has stirred another's soul.

Is it a piece of beautiful poetry?

"When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound...
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light.
For a time I rest in the grace of the world,
and am free."                              - Wendell Berry

Is it the face of a sweet pet?

Is it the feeling of being deeply immersed in a dense forest that fills your senses and cells with dank ancient earth and the presence of old, watchful trees?

Is it the sight of a wild horse, rekindling memories of when we ourselves were once completely intact, with our own power and presence?


How much time do you spend amongst these things - reveling in them, connecting your heart and soul?

The combination of these colours of orange turmeric, blue and timber touch the artist in me! If only you could smell the house right now, it is unbelievably delicious! 
Here we have a portion of the powdered turmeric orders for this week.

Wishing you a weekend that has an element of your own personal connection to heart and soul to revel in.