Time Passes Quickly When You're Having Fun!

Well hello again lovely people - I can't believe how quickly time has flown since my last post; in fact it wasn't until I got into my camera and saw the different themes that had been rolling around in my mind that the realisation came that perhaps I should have been here last week!

I hope you all had a lovely Easter and didn't eat too much chocolate? Hey no, I was really good, honestly!

I promised last time to show you my latest 'Work in Progress' and so here it is coming up, although I really have done a lot of work on it since this pic was taken. The second front is well on the way now, which leaves the sleeves and bands to complete. I must say that although I have been mainly enjoying this knitting after such a long break from it, I am really quite desperate now to get back into some serious crochet that will allow me some changes, in colours at least. Having said that, I absolutely love this fuchsia shade, don't you?

The next subject I was planning to cover is Basil and Pesto - now that's diversifying is it not! We have some lovely healthy basil growing in an old wine barrel in our back garden - and we believe it's stayed healthy and relatively free of bugs because we (well, J actually!) planted marigolds around it; have you heard of that trick before? Anyway when one of our friends spotted the basil he suggested I make some Pesto with it, and as this guy is such a keen maker of chutneys and jams, I thought I'd better show willing! How could I not when he even supplied the recipe!

The recipe is a bit loose, give and take, but basically:

3 tablespoons pine nuts - I used macadamias cause I don't care for pine nuts

1 or 2 cloves of garlic

1 cup basil leaves, well packed

salt to taste

60 grams parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor  grind the nuts and garlic, then add basil leaves, salt and cheese. Once mix is smooth, slowly add the olive oil. After placing the pesto in a jar, just pour a little olive oil over the top before sealing, to help preserve the paste.

Voila! There we have it! It has a beautiful flavour, keeps well in the freezer, and because it's quite concentrated can be spooned out as needed and mixed with a little of the pasta cooking water  before stirring through the pasta etc.. Good also for spreading on the base of pizzas, or bruschetta. You hungry yet?  

It even makes gluten-free pasta taste good!

Next subject? Well we are having a bit of variety this post for we now go to driving in the country - ah how lovely to break loose and take in the beautiful scenery, freely provided, for soul-uplifting! After a busy Easter with family and feeling very overcrowded with tourists in our little town, we decided it was time to drive further around the South-West of our State to a couple of favourite haunts - Bridgetown,  and Balinup. It's a long trip to do, there and back in one day, and some people think we are quite mad, but we so love the drive through the forests and the interesting things we see in the couple of little towns we pass through in order to get to our destination. In fact, J says that were we in the UK, we'd have passed through 'forty-one' villages had we travelled a similar distance. And wouldn't that be nice!!! 

This curious shop in Balinup is filled with all sorts of oddities - hardly an antique shop to be strictly correct, but interesting nevertheless! 

But this, as far as I'm concerned, is the piece de resistance, and one place I'd be very disappointed to miss after making such a long trip to Balinup - the Tinderbox www.cheekyherbs.com - oh do take a look at their site: this is where I buy my essential oils, pure plant incense, skin care products - just walking into that place and smelling the beautiful aromas is the most relaxing, edifying thing to do!

Just around the corner from this fantastic place is a lovely little 'Rose Cottage' that you might like to have a quick look at - it's so pretty isn't it! Not the best time of year for the roses but you get the idea? And look at the beautiful colours of foliage all around - quite stunning I think!

I have more I wanted to tell you about, and show, but my computer refuses to allow me to upload any more pics at this time - I don't know why - so they will have to wait for another time. Annoying! Ah well, something to look forward to I guess!

Take care of yourselves and your loved ones, and please call in again soon; you're always welcome!

❤Joy