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On Thursday morning, 2nd of April, the rain poured down here in Tasmania and our lives changed forever.
Our beautiful Ruby passed away peacefully, her daughter Margie at her side.

I, like so many others, are going to sorely miss our visits, cuppas and chats. (And lets be honest – the sponge cakes!)

Not all of us get a second chance at a new grandparent with the grand addition of extra family.
Margie and Ruby enveloped Jeff and myself effortlessly into their lives with so much love and laughter.
We have been so lucky.

Ruby was an amazing 103 years old! Towards the end she was still pretty sharp, albeit a little forgetful. She liked to inform me each time I dropped in that “I’m getting real good at sitting here doing nothing! I can’t ever believe it!!”

Ruby in the garden was such a familiar sight! She was so proud of being able to grow her own food for so many years! “As long as you’ve got a bit of dirt…”

Walking sticks were optional. Umbrellas, brooms, long handled gardening tools were often used instead: “Make use of what you have”

This photo makes me smile. I was busy swanning about after my big garlic harvest all proud of their large size and Ruby goes “Here’s one of my garlic bulbs!” Wow.
She taught me so much in the garden – it was great to have someone to talk veggies and planting with and get ideas and enthusiasm… she had enthusiasm to spare!!!

I loved catching her working in the garden. Sometimes she’d be doing something a plus 100 year old person most definitely SHOULDN’T be doing, and she’d chuckle unrepentantly and often let me take over said task.

Queen of the hothouse! She was as proud as punch of her tomatoes that season!!

I loved her milk crate gardening seats! She reckoned she could weed for ages sitting on one of those! Nice and easy to move around too!
To me this was just a classic Ruby image.

Birthday presents started taking on an unusual form… a trailer load of compost rather than a ribbon wrapped present!

If I manage to get to these advanced years, I would LOVE to be this photogenic!
I’ve spent a lot of time sifting through countless photos in the last few days, marvelling at how wonderfully natural and engaging that Ruby looks in all my photos!!

Ruby was so willing to pose for my endless photos – and took it all in good stride the day I wanted her to play dress-ups and empty one of her cupboards so I could get a realistic image of ‘Old Mother Hubbard’ !!

Dropping in for a cuppa – practically a cultural institution in itself!

“Put the kettle on”
Usually a home made bikkie or a slice of cake was on offer!

Over the years I have added some fabulous dishes or sauces to my cooking repertoire – her famous diary cookbook, stuffed full of amazing recipes.

And we are counting ourselves blessed to have partaken in a few amazing roast turkey Christmas Dinners where you could float into he house from the front gate on the delicious aromas!

Ruby was best known for many years for her formidable nursing skills. She called herself a ‘bush nurse’ and pretty much did the work of a doctor… not to mention instructing the doctors themselves what to do when they came into her domain!
It was fascinating listening to stories of times gone by and what the nurses had to do – in stark contrast in many ways to now. (I struggle to see Jeff sitting at a sewing maching making pretty tray covers for the new mothers for instance)
Different times, different needs. If they saw a need, they got onto it. In war time things were scarce, manpower was scarce and they did the best they could with what they had!

Jeff had a special bond with Ruby with his nursing. Often they’d sit for their nursing confabs while Margie and I would mosey up into the garden and leave them too it.
She’d always greet Jeff with a “How you going fella?”

I think he delighted her one day by needing her blood pressure cuff – she soon sorted him out!!

Ruby didn’t want to sit and let things happen. She wanted to help, to be involved and to be active.

Despite being almost blind, she kept knitting right up until near the end. She would have a few projects on the go so if she suspected a mistake, she’d put that one aside and pick up the next one.
Margie would fix things in the morning when needed!
Ruby really encouraged me with the knitting and crochet. Margie fine tuned my nearly non existent crochet skills and between them I embraced a new hobby (That still has my mother laughing)(I was so not the knitting type haha)
The portrait above is one of my very favourites.

Ruby was laid to rest today. Yes – on Tuesday!
Tasmania put on the most glorious weather. It was so perfect.
Amid the global pandemic, only 10 people were allowed to be there. I was absolutely honoured to be there in the sunshine with my extended family to bid Ruby my final farewell.
There were tears, there were stories, there were plenty of chuckles too.
The service was beautiful.
It was the oddest feeling to not exchange badly needed hugs, or head back with Margie to have endless cups of tea/coffee food and reminiscing. Such are the current rules and laws.
Of course, we plan for a future fabulous celebration of Ruby’s life when the world is a little less upside down!

It has been wonderful to be able to share snippets of Ruby’s life and garden with you all. I know you will feel sad to hear this news, but glad to have gotten the chance to ‘meet’ her across the vast distances of this Earth that can be made so small via the modern connections we have.
So next time you have a cuppa and a slice of sponge cake, lift your cup and remember Ruby xx

PS – We couldn’t help but think with today’s weather, this is where Ruby would have been – Make do with What you Have. xxx

Hi – How is everyone doing with their slower lifestyles – if indeed thats your case?
The weather here has turned pretty cold. I think there must be snow somewhere judging by the feel of the wind today!
Had the fire on all day!
Actually I did the Good Wife Thing and got up early to set and light the fire so Jeff would have a warm house to come home to – its his birthday – but it went out!!! It was going really nicely but just burned too quickly between lighting and him getting home.
Damn.

I really did not do a good job with my tomatoes!
Yes, they are producing and ripening but I gave up on looking after them long ago – now they are a jungle, sprawling on the ground and the cold weather has brought the slugs/snails back.
Still plenty to pick though even if they are going manky (The plants not the fruit)

Months and months down the track, the crazy tall capsicum plant ‘Mad Hatter’ has started with its fruit going red!

I had one in a salad yesterday and they are lovely and sweet!

Still plenty of zucchinis. I hadn’t checked for a while…. oops

The other night I sat in front of the telly (Stargate Atlantis lol)(The most super awesome thing about that show is that no matter where one goes in the galaxy – everyone speaks English (except the super bad guys)) and chopped all the tomatoes I had been collecting, put them on the stove and cooked them.
Nice lot to store in the freezer.

Yesterday evening I hear quite the racket outside and upon investigation, found a family of black cockatoos feasting in the apple tree!! Parents and a squeaking young one that got fed applesauce on the odd occasion! So funny to watch.
Hows the cheek of them!!! This fellow flew over the paddock with apple firmly clamped in beak!

I love these birds!!

So – thats quite the hint to get my behind out there and pick the remaining apples so we have some on hand this season!
The rotters often just take a bite or two out of each one!

They’ve not done a bad job really!!!
I bet the possums are coming in at night and gorging themselves silly too.
The European wasps have joined in the fun as well (Not fond of those – invasive bitey things – not to mention complete jerks)

Pip came out for a bit with me as there was a bit of time without rain.

Not a bad haul… will cook and freeze some and share others

I think I mentioned in a previous post that our other apple tree was about dead. This one looks to be on its way out as well.
I guess we should decide about removing at least the fully cactus one and replant something.

I’ve been out the back slug hunting with Support Chook – now its pouring again. She is pretty good at going into her shelter though. Its a bit horrible out there right now!!
Daylight savings has finished – and the days are shortening more noticeably.
Don’t think we’ll get that late summer I was all keen on!

I haven’t been back to the supermarket since I did my ‘last’ shop.
I was thinking of getting the milk delivered. There is a local mob who do it which might be a smart move. As long as they come up as far as us – which they might not.
Note to self… investigate!
Sharon should be in midweek to collect carrots, apples and other fresh food.
She sourced me some carrot seeds and is going to barter with farm fresh butter… so thats pretty handy! They will also be dropping off firewood sometime soon as we bartered a big macrocarpa log a while back for it.
So lucky to have the ability and connections to do this kind of thing!

Stay safe, stay happy
Cheers

Hi there!
Just some soap updates.
This stripey one was a bit of fun!

I really love doing this swirl thingy

The bottom

And the cut…

This one failed. Well… failed the bit I wanted to do. The thin black line was supposed to be more defined and certainly not smudged !! Oh well.
I am not fond of this fragrance either… ‘Alpine Fresh’ Its a bit harsh on my nose. Not often I am ‘meh’ about a fragrance, but not one I would get again.

I liked the blue effects though.

The leftover colours mixed into dragonflies or celtic knots I am liking too!

The back turned out a bit wild. 🙂

And another swirl… this time I used a chopstick instead of a paddlepop stick – more delicate pattern.

Thats about it on the new soap front!
Hope everyone is doing well – I’ve enjoyed hearing snippets of whats happening in your local area.
I did what I am hoping is my last shop for a while today… although I still need to post the last of the boxes before the weekend.
Then I could REALLY go all out and clean the house.
I think I get lazier about getting to that because I know people aren’t going to just drop in like usual haha.
Oh we have to take the silver linings where we can!
Cheers!

Hello!
Thanks for all the messages, well wishers and updates of whats happening in your area. I do enjoy reading snippets of your lives when you get the chance to swing past the comments section
My birthday was, of course quiet and low key.

Jeff got in a little late so we didn’t go for a walk… he was pretty done in.
He got me an awesome present… a merino long sleeved top to add to my hiking wardrobe!
I picked up a couple of merino tops a while back and I adore wearing them on the trail!
So happy to have another lovely one- its so comfy (Yes I was wearing it today!)

I really didn’t do much at all! I think I was on the phone to family for a lot of the day which was lovely. A big ring around catch up!!
I did manage to bake myself a cake.
I planned to make some soap but… just didn’t quite get there and I was dead keen on having some cake!

Support chook is branching out in her eating habits.
I was ‘donated’ a few bags of meat that… well… went funny in someones car because they were pregnant and forgot about it and she was horrified and upset and needed to offload the sorry package.
I chopped it all up small and froze it in bits…
I cooked up meat and potatoes and tempted Dianna with it. She eats the meat and leaves the potatoes (Progress)

Our other girls aren’t nearly so selective haha – greedy guts chooks!

Dianna (The Huntress) also seems to really like baked pumpkin!! Go figure!
Really went for it (That was just in some scraps and she honed in on it)
She is getting heavier. She still forgets how to drink properly from her container. So I let the hose drip for her to get what she wanted. Its a little tedious!! She pecks a little at the wheat now too.

But slugs!! Oh the slugs!
I collected her late tonight to pop back into her cat carrier… but as I came up through the top garden with my head torch on I could see lots of slugs… so I put her down and she woke right up and got into clearing all the slugs in sight.
Can’t say I’ve ever been spotlighting with a chook before!!

I’ve decided to set myself a little challenge. Jeff is on board (Has to be two of us in this).
I will pop back to the supermarket later this week and collect a few things that we will store or freeze and top up on food and kitty litter for Pip, then see how long we can last avoiding the supermarket.
We’ve got lots of food, stored or preserved – or frozen, so we don’t usually go to buy heaps of stuff generally anyway. Often its just staples that we can’t do ourselves.
A good chance to work through the freezers and be creative.
So… it will be interesting.

Thats about all from me.
Hope you are all doing well in your part of the world!
I’ll leave you with a photo of some gorgeous sunflowers that my lovely cousin Fiona dropped off to me!
It was so awesome and so weird. We are having a long distance chat over the driveway, she put flowers down and ran back so I could collect with the ‘wash your hands’ instructions!
Was a lovely boost to my day!
Cheers

Hi – I keep getting distracted and side tracked lately, then glued to reading stuff online and then thinking ‘I’ll blog tomorrow’
Everything is changing daily – its hard to keep up!
From today (its just past midnight) no gathering of more than two outside family groups that you live with and enforceable by law.

I did go into town today – I’d been waiting to do a few things at once.
I managed to sell 10 of the above packs (seeds and soap (and garlic)) via one of the facebook pages I’ve been helping moderate for a while now.
So I picked up post boxes (they didn’t have enough so hopefully when I drop the first lot off they will have their stock in)
It was a good boost since there will be no markets for a long while. (Seeds and seedlings are scarce at the moment since everyone wants to start a garden and raided all the shops, both real and online!!)

The supermarket was stressful! Its like running the gauntlet! I overheard staff saying they get their regulars in every morning as if nothing is going on!!
So many people were in there. This usually doesn’t make me feel anxious but today was different.
The lady in front of me – her two sole purchases were a box of coke and a bottle of fizzy drink.
In my world thats not an essential shopping trip.
(And then I got the guilts because I was second guessing myself about my post office trip being non-essential?)(Although everyone has paid me for these items so … )

I shouldn’t over think!

It was nice to come home and go on a slug hunt and dig worms with my ‘support chook’ 😀

Tomorrow is my birthday! (Well technically I am an hour into it) The last year of my 40’s coming right up!!
I can be pretty confident that there won’t be any surprise parties haha.
If Jeff is feeling ok after finishing his night shift, we think we know a place thats still open to go for a good walk and stretch the legs properly.
Fingers crossed.
I am lucky enough to share my birthday with my gorgeous niece, Emma – so no doubt we will get on the phone and sing to each other!! 🙂
No other plans except there are a lot of tomatoes to cut and cook and I am pretty sure I need to make some more soap.

Hope you are all doing fine and not going too stir crazy.
Cheers

Hi! My Nurse and Nurse-Bear encourage people to stay home where possible 🙂
My Nurse-Husband went off to bed yesterday to sleep off a nightshift and Nurse Bear gave me a hand with boxing up the potatoes.

And consulted with our odd chook out who forgets how to drink normally or eat chook food…

So… first up this morning, Barry from the market knocks on the door with my 32 bales of straw! (Well, he didn’t bring them to the door but you know what I mean!)

Nice timing Jeff going off to bed!
Just me and Nurse Bear and 32 bales of straw to relocate haha

Needless to say, I did most of the work…
I stacked most up in the carport and rigged a tarp over the exposed side so hopefully that will keep most of the rain from getting at it.
A few bales I will get into the garage to keep as dry chook bedding.

I lined a lot of the bales up along the fence in the garden and will start conditioning them with watering and blood and bone so they will break down quicker for nice mulch.
If I get thoroughly over excited and organised I’ll even try planting something in them.

And I used a bale to restock the chicken coop after an overdue clean out!

Of course, a few of them were in there instantly trying to kick it all back out… and Dora was spotted AWOL in the back paddock again!! 😀

Another task on my mind was to plant some more things.
I KNOW I insisted with myself about not doing a winter garden… and things may or may not work BUT – with things the way they are it seems silly not to just try.

This garden did reasonably well with some sunflowers, plenty of rocket and the marigolds. The sweet peas never showed!!
I collected a few sunflower seed heads then ripped the lot out.

Ahhh yes – potato.
Growing in the gap of the raised bed and the fence. How convenient!

With a lot of acrobatics I managed to wriggle and wrestle up a really nice lot of potatoes! (To add to our collection)
(I laugh to think of all the careful attention of preparing a plot and planting and making a huge to-do out of the whole thing – and left to their own devices I get gorgeous potatoes with no effort from me!)

Half the plot I planted carrot seeds, the other half I added in some of the cowpoostraw and planted spinach and rocket.

And of course I had help.

The forecast is for rain coming up so I thought I should have some shelter made up for Dianna the Huntress. I could put her in the hothouse but not many bugs and slugs for her there.
I worked on the idea of a blanket-fort and came up with this stunning bit of architecture!

Cosily decked out with straw.
I was happy to see that in the evening she bedded herself down inside! We are still putting her in the cat carrier and having her sleep in the slate room. She is still very underweight so I think she needs longer TLC.

Random garden and straw shot…

Tassie update: We are kicking all the tourists out by Sunday night.
Midnight.
I am a bit curious about how that is going to work…
Jeff and I went out – we had some separate tasks to do. I topped up some things at the supermarket and tried to buy too much chicken. Apparently there is a 1kg limit on deli chicken cuts. I think its a bit too small really. Jeff and I would usually have 800g in a meal between us, so a kg won’t do two meals which means going back which is a pain and doesn’t help if you are trying to avoid town… Not to even mention that what if you are a family of 5 or 6??
People who jumped the gun panic buying and hoarding need a solid kick in the pants.

We dropped off a box of food – eggs and veggies and shared some rice with Shirley. We chatted through the door (Lots of distance)
I also dropped into my friends shop. She was closing her doors today so I made last purchases before that happened. (Got to help the locals where you can.)
Dropped off another dozen eggs at a cousins front door before coming back home.

A friend dropped in and collected eggs and fresh veggies and she dropped off 5kg of onions that she got from a local farm.

It was like the long distance dance of the eggs and veggies today!

So… thats where we are at.
Hope you are doing well as you can in our crazy world!
Cheers

Hello there!
Check it out! Enough tomatoes to make relish! We were getting close to our last few jars which was alarming! We do love this relish!
The way things are going, I reckon I might get another batch – we shall see!

So, this is all yesterdays news. I left it too late to blog last night.
I decided to go out into the garden and dig that patch of potatoes completely up!

Not a bad haul of spuds considering I’ve been bandicooting them since November!

Somebody was at my side all day! I like having a companion chook!
She still doesn’t eat much of the proper food… but she’s a demon on slugs!
Sucks back those worms like spaghetti too!

I found a rogue potato plant under the zucchini, so Diana (the huntress) also had to come in and ‘help’

Dinner… so sweet!!

The ‘fend for yourself’ broccoli is being eaten a bit but they are all surviving so far

A few blackberries on the back fence. I ate this one and had to spit it out! Made my ears meet in the middle!! (sour)

Welcome to my problem child garden!!
Yipes what a mess!!
The hugelkultures are not a raging success – so far.
Although I seemed to have ticked one goal by having nasturtiums growing all over it! (I also wanted pumpkin but…)
The season was too late, the wind just blew stuff off, battered the pumpkins and remained cold. The blackbirds dug all the top stuff off before it could even think about composting… and I think there might be rabbits living in there!! Of course, the alternative could be rats or snakes but lets just go with the rabbit idea

And weeds – must return with gloves

I haven’t given up hope. I just need to rethink.

This one is worse in one way and better in another!
It looks a total wreck!!! It was MEANT to have cucumbers happily growing all over it. Again with the weather – my cucumbers in the hothouse didn’t even do much!
However – lovely potatoes growing in the sides and a marvellous lot of tomatoes on top!! Why do tomatoes just get everywhere??

The second plot of potatoes, despite all my neglect, seem to have something worthwhile under the soil!

I scratched around to see if there was something but I will wait until Jeff has some free time to dig this plot together. He enjoys that part of the season as much as I do! Don’t want to deprive him!

In among the weeds, I’ve managed to spot at least 2 butternut pumpkins! Again – need gloves to get in there and investigate properly.

So pretty! Going to have to have a taste of them too since they are edible! First time I’ve had them in the garden! At least something in this whole plot looks attractive!

Anyway – that was my day!
How was yours?
Fabulous I hope
Cheers

No prizes for guessing where we went yesterday!!
After a number of really gloomy wet days it was sensational to get out – not to mention away from the news for a while

We met our cousins, Fiona and Abbey and we did an extended loop over the Sisters Hills and Rocky Cape. (Its so weird meeting family and not doing the hug thing and staying separate!)
We went up along the coast before heading up into the hills

Picnic lunch at the shell beach where we picked up lots of cowries and generally enjoyed a bit of fossicking!

The rope netting mess still very much a part of the scenery – I hadn’t realised that the rope must have been underwater so long it grew coral!

Social distancing…
Jeff managed to get about 30 minutes ahead of us by the time he was done! Clearly taking the personal space thing VERY seriously haha

Leaving the beach…

We actually didn’t do the full loop – there was a ‘short cut’ up over another hill that met the main track, so we thought we’d try it out.
Wow… it was a fair slog up but the views!!

We encountered a small white lipped snake… laying directly across the path! Was in no hurry to leave either. Pity I didn’t get a snap for you. I did a lot of ‘shooing’ and it was taking no notice of me at all!!
Finally it mustered up the energy to glide off into the scrub!

Looking over the other side to Rocky Cape

Just lovely tramping through the hills!

I was really footsore last night and this morning – it was the first real outing my new shoes have had. Did I tell you I got new hiking shoes?? Jeff bought them as a surprise as my other ones were falling apart.
They really are very comfortable – the soreness was really from the impact I think as I haven’t done a lot of hiking recently

So – Whats changed in the last few days in your area?
Tomorrow, nationwide, pubs, clubs and restaurants are to be closed. Take-away will be ok. Schools were to remain open but three states are pretty much saying nope, we’re closing schools.
I am sure it will be all sorted in the next 48 hours.
Interstate travel is to be restricted.
The numbers of new cases are steadily climbing.
Again – Jeff and I living the lifestyle we do with no kids – we aren’t finding our daily life/routine a lot different. Except I try to go to the supermarket even less 🙂
Disappointed in small things like no soap workshops or markets, but easy things to go without.
The biggest conundrum I have is whether to visit Ruby or not!!
What is worse? A small tiny risk to visit? Or not visiting a 103 year old lady who really isn’t able to do much else but enjoy company when presented with it!!? We saw Margie in the supermarket today – keeping all nice and separate – and she worries about the same thing.

I wonder where we will all be at in 3-6 months time? How our lives are changing!!
Take care everyone!
Cheers

Hi there!
Bit of a gloomy inside day – did a quick shop run and took some things over to Ruby and Margie.
Thought you’d like to see how the Taiwan Swirl was done – although it would be better in a video!
Mixed 4 colours up and had my dividers in the loaf – last time I only used two. This time I did three…

Slightly fiddlier getting the mixture into the middle slots!!

Its amazing how the colours stay pretty well separated when I carefully lift the dividers out!

Then there is the fun bit of dragging the paddlepop stick through the colours blending them just perfectly!

Then by running the stick around the very outside of the mould a couple of times, it pushes the pattern into more of a pleasing slant!

Here is the one I did the other day!
You can see the pattern if I cut it vertically. Nice but not what I am after of course.
The horizontal pattern is what I am after!

I’ve settled on this slightly narrower and chunky cut. I only get 8 soaps out of a loaf instead of 12, but I’ll just adjust the price accordingly.
They should look really smart once I have beveled the edges and tidied them up!
I just went and cut the other soap from above while I was waiting for photos to load – and I am pleased with the design and colour mix!!

I might have made another batch of soap tonight but you’ll just have to wait and see on that one!

On the Covid19 side of things… Tasmania is closing. At midnight (Now gone by one and a half hours and where does the time go and why am I still sitting here?)
All non essential travellers into Tasmania are required to quarantine for 14 days!! (Thats tourism done and dusted for a while)
I think we only had 11 confirmed cases but our state is an easier one to control in that way.
Panic buying in supermarkets is still ongoing. Sigh. Now towns in reasonable proximity to larger centres are being raided and stripped by bus loads of people from cities!
Firstly. That’s rude. Secondly… social distancing does NOT include bus travel with a heap of other people!
No loo paper on the shelves today, no flour either but I did get some bread!

Hope you are all coping well,
Cheers!

Hello!
I put down the soap making stuff for a day and Jeff and I went out for a drive to find a potential new panning spot and also see a new waterfall.

A nice little area – far away from people although I saw a few hoof marks from riders.

I wonder how old this log bridge is? Was still sturdy in the middle.

Jeff found a couple of specks of gold, but we were being eaten alive by mozzies! Next time we will bring gumboots and insect repellent.

There was a bit of fungi about but nothing too exciting

We failed to find the waterfall – we were in the right spot but there was no track to be seen!! Again, upon return we’ll get some GPS co-ordinates, wear gaiters and bring a machete!

We were passing near by Sharons- so we dropped in!
Woman with a big chopping thing haha
She offered to take us to their local falls which we hadn’t had a chance to see yet!! The way in was dense blackberries (Must return with bucket)
So she hacked a path and in we went!

Jeff took Lottie over the worst of it!

Sharon giving those blackberries what-for!!

Amazing to drive through the logged areas and their unkempt weedy blackberries – down to such a natural and beautiful spot!

And there it is… a short walk along the rivers edge to a beautiful clearing and waterfall!

And yes… I did get my feet wet to get better angles for my photos! 🙂

Great spot for a kid to run wild in!

And a photo for you, Judy, of your handsome lad!

Well – thats us. Out and about in our beautiful area!
Hope your week is going well!
Cheers!