Martha Goes Green

I’d like to think that I’ve been so called, “Green” for a while now, and that I’m conscious about what I put back into our environment.

I ride my bike most places.
I don’t use plastic bags.
I grow my own herbs.
I turn the tap off while I brush my teeth.
I hand make presents for my friends.
I don’t use sticky tape.

These little things that I try to do, I feel make a contribution, but one thing that I never really put much thought into was, what I was putting back into myself.

Being a vegetarian, my intake of vegetables, fruit and salad is already large, but lately, I’ve started to really appreciate home-grown products and living frugally, if you’d like to put it in those terms.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has really gotten me into this. Watching his River Cottage program has truly made me appreciate the joys of cooking and eating home-grown and fresh produce. The joy he gets from picking a fresh stem of broccoli or cauliflower and turning it into a dipping sauce for ripe artichokes makes me realise that beautiful meals can in fact be made from fresh products, without adding artificial sugars and flavours.

Sourcing food locally and seasonally, and learning to cook from recipe books that thrive on these products, has really inspired me to eat and cook “green”.

I’ve started to purchase a few new books to help me on my way, and quicker than a push bike on a downwards slope, I’ve taken to this style of cooking, with the help from Hugh, Jamie, Arabella, Ruth and Rosie*.

I personally think every little contribution to living eco, helps.

While I ride my bike to my sister’s to pick some fresh vegetables and turn them into a hearty soup, I feel like I’m only taking what I need from the environment, yet turning it into something fabulously delightful and nourishing for myself.

So snaps for that... and, go put a big stock pot on the stove for a soup to simmer away, while you sew up a storm and wrap all of your presents in brown paper packages tied up with string.

*I have found the most perfect, Carrot, Celery and Lentil soup from the cookbook, “Martha Goes Green”, by Rosie Percival and Ruth Friedlander – I’m in love, and so are all of my friends who have been given oodles, and oodles of soup.

Fishing on a Saturday

Yesterday Jake, Shane and I packed up the car and went fishing for the day; and it was really lovely.
I packed my bag with a few things – banana, sunglasses, camera and a few magazines, just in case I felt like lazing around and reading; this was not the case.
As we drove out to the “fishing spot” we actually ended up going four-wheel driving; I was juggling two coffees in my hand as Jake was lighting up a smoke and tearing through the mud. It was so much fun.
We carted all our gear down to the weir and set up camp for a few hours, while we cast a line and soaked up the sun. The boys then decided that they wanted to go for a wander down to a “better spot”, which meant traipsing through the bush, carrying rods, buckets and all that jazz; while managing not to fall over into the water.
I managed to get myself fairly stuck in the mud, and while Jake was trying to help me out, I sunk in past my knees... luckily; Bear Grylls has taught me how to wriggle my way out of sticky situations. My situation, definitely kept us entertained for the rest of the afternoon.
We then decided to head to another spot, and it was beautiful. We waded through the water, set up camp on some rocks, and I caught a fish!!
A few hours later and we headed home, for a BBQ after such a nice day.
Jake and Shane cooked me up some Salmon, eggplant and asparagus on the grill, and we sat around the fire listening to some good ol’ Creedence, Fleetwood Mac, Counting Crows and Powderfinger.

**I may or may not have drunk three bottles of red, fell off my chair and ended up dancing with those two crazies.

It was a fabulous day spent with my lover and his best friend.

Positive Post 1

I’ve decided to do positive posts – daily, weekly or monthly – to remind myself of the lovely things that make me smile.

I’m feeling very happy lately, and I think it is a combination of being happy in my relationship, loving all the writing I’m doing at work, and the fabulousness of winter that’s seeing me outside enjoying coffee and conversations with my family and friends.

So I’m starting my first Positive Post off with five things that made me smile over last weekend.

1. My herb garden growing out of control

2. A surprise trip to New Zealand

3. Getting to wear my loafers

4. Feeling cold enough to start to Crochet again

5. My mother getting the pasta sauce stain out of my new anorak jacket (that wonder woman could get anything clean!)

What positive things made you sit back and smile lately?

In the 80s!

Calvin Harris would have definitely loved us on the weekend.

Jake and I had a 30th Birthday Shindig, and it was a hurrah – everyone turned out in their finest 80s fashions, and I got to finally bring out the crimped hair. Thank god, I’ve been waiting to bust that bad girl out for ages.

It was fun to see all the 80s flair around the place. 

We listened to slow 80s pop, wore slap-on bracelets, and drank Pina Coladas...but we didn’t get caught in the rain.

In the words of that fabulous song, “I’ve got love for you if you were born in the 80s...the 80s!”

So here are some of the pieces that made my outfit; Jake wore a very cool tweed coat from an Op Shop, and fashioned a fake moustache, with red Converse shoes. I dug the shiz out of him.

Beth, Blackwater and Breakfasts all wkd

I write this post as I sit downstairs with a copy of the new Peppermint, and a fresh pot of Melbourne Breakfast. This little routine is what I do every weekend; except last weekend I had a tag along – Beautiful Bethy, was sitting across the table from me also enjoying a nice drop or two.
Miss Popcorn came to visit for the long weekend, and it was pretty dandy. I picked her up from the airport and we enjoyed a good ol’ fashioned breakfast together just like old times.
I looked forward to that breakfast for two weeks before she arrived. I really miss my friends when they’re away from me.
When we were in Townsville, we used to dine out for breakfast all the time. We’d be dropping in to Gloria Jean’s for a quick Chai Latte, meeting up in her lunch break for a dotty cookie, and our Friday and Saturday nights were permanently booked for movie and dinner dates.
I miss seeing Beth every day, so the weekend was a perfect three days spent in Central Queensland, sipping tea, eating banana bread and cruising around just like old times.

Bertie the Bike

My bike finally arrived, and I must say - it's wonderful.  I have grown very fond of Bertie (yes, I named my bike) and I ride her everyday. 

Today I took Bertie to the shops to buy the new Inside Out magazine, and then to my sister's house where I scored some home-grown eggplants.

I love the feeling of riding a bike.  It's very nostalgic actually, and peddling really fast and then letting go, is just as fun now as it was when I was little.

Bring! Bring!