keeping warm in winter

Last winter my electricity bill went up more than it ever has (hanging my head in shame) I used the oil heaters that can be kept at a constant temperature with a thermostat and we had them on most of the time keeping the chill out of the house, but when we got the bill in the mail at the end of the quarter I discovered that the cost of running these was more than I expected. This year we have replaced the oil heaters with a gas heater that we run only if using the living room and temperatures are too cold to be comfortable just with jumpers and a leg quilt.

Gradually I have been putting up curtains as well as the blinds that were already installed when I moved in in some of the rooms. The most recent addition has been the lounge room. Out at huskisson last week my friend spotted these gorgeous curtains that fit just right in the windows (ideally I will get around to letting the hems down soon of course) They are opened up in the morning for the sun to come through and whoever is home first shuts them up to keep the heat in.

What are you doing to keep warm and save energy this winter....?

First prize at the show!

First I thought I would share my latest blackboard photo. We painted a blackboard in out kitchen, about the size of a door, where we can write messages, draw pictures, and of course ask others to contribute to the communal artwork. The latest one includes a picture I drew of a date J and I went on, a rainbow drawn by my neighbour, some scribbles by my 18m old nephew and my little toadstool...


It's now a clean slate and ready for some friends and guests to leave their mark....

To make your own blackboard, just buy some blackboard paint, pick a wall and paint about 3 layers of paint on... It's that easy. Paint is water based and works really well.


I also entered some produce and products at the local show this past weekend. I got first for carrot cake, zucchini, capsicum, roma tomatoes and plum jam, second for white bread, fancy bread (I made raisin toast) scrapbooking, set of cards and bottled mulberries in syrup.

Some judges have silly rules. I got nothing for the best collection of herbs, because a couple of mine were in flower, and only second for mulberries when I was the only one in the category because the jar wasn't full. I don't make these things to sit on a shelf and look pretty, I make them to eat! And with the herbs, the one they pointed out was Borage of which I only eat the flower... arghh. Someone needs to write a guidebook for entering things at the show...

Enough of my rant. I also got three highly commendeds for photos I entered, and I am going to use all the photos I printed as gifts to people through the year.

Upcycling - recycling but better.

Rhonda over at Down to Earth posted this week on recycling and asked others to talk about their efforts. My house, and the majority of it's contents are recycled in some way, in fact it's only in the last year or so that I have ever bought new furniture (although I did buy new whitegoods when I moved into my house as I had given my old ones away a year before when I moved from Sydney to the south coast to board with friends.

My garden beds are recycled from old fences, rabbit cage from an old chook cage that was chucked out on the side of the road, Some of my plants are recycled (cuttings, saplings from other gardeners, even a mature pear tree that someone gave us in return for digging it out of her garden.) About half of my kitchen equipment is recycled, handed down by an aunt when she replaces things, collected at op shops and garage sales etc. Clothes the same. The list could go on....

Probably my favourite example of recycling/upcycling is my wedding. (click on hyperlink to go to photographer's blog) I got married in June and a lot of things were recycled. Candle holders from op shops and markets, vases from a friend at church, ring holder made from an antique prayer book by inserting a secret hole by cutting out with a punch. We also had a friend drive me to the wedding in a recycled boat (he bought it worse for wear and did it up) some friends were taking bets that I would fall in as there wasn't a proper jetty and we had to walk off the front of the boat

The most important upcycled item was my wedding dress. I purchased it over ten years ago (about 9 or so years before I met my husband but anyhow, it was a steal) in a second hand shop as it was beautiful and fit me like it was made for me... It was a bit old in style though - think lace sleeves with frills over your hands, high frilly neck. I unpicked the sleeves and worked out that I could modernise the dress by pulling it to the sides. Lucky for me I have an amazing friend who studied fashion design and together we recreated the dress....
And it was an amazing wedding!

This last photo is a photo of us recycling a shed - It was originally recycled with old corrugated iron roofing, built around an old cottage fireplace with chimney - to use as kitchen for a camp, and storage when camp not on.

It was blown down in storms last year in September (on father's day - Aussies will remember the weather on the south coast) and we rerecycled it.

Light

God is light, in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not walk in the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7-9

This is my kitchen - window being replaced and enlarged. Lets in so much more light. Previously two small sash windows with wooden middle panel and thick wooden surround.

I have replaced it with glass... need to paint the surround, maybe first coat tomorrow morning

Kitchen Renovations are Go

Change.

I am slightly distracted from other things I should be doing by my kitchen renovations....

I have ripped out all the cupboards and a wall, plumber has removed taps and disconnected the oven - now for sale on Ebay. Wednesday was new window. Old one was broken sash window - sash and glass broken. Didn't let much light through. In this photo builder is cutting the window space larger to let more light in!!!! It looks so good now.

Spent yesterday jackhammering removing the tiles from the floor. So much easier than by hand! Thanks to a builder friend who lent me the (massive) tool. Luckily I got it all done in the morning and went to body balance class after lunch.... stretched all those muscles out before they could get too painful. The guns are massive today...lol.

So now only need to do the electrical work and paint the ceiling before the new kitchen goes in...

Have a happy day.

Hannah

Stop

My life gets really busy, Work, family, church and social commitments can really take over to the point where there is no time left.

My training is in the area of social work, and so is my employment, and one thing that we really focus on is reflective practice. It's all well and good doing the job, but if we can take the time to reflect on what we are doing and ask some questions - why do I do that? How does that make me feel? what am I trying to achieve by doing that? - If I can do this I have more control and start to work in a proactive rather than reactive way. I have a great manager who supports us working in a critical, reflective way and encourages us to take time to do our work well, not just do our work.

But, isn't life the same. Shouldn't we value our life enough to stop and look at how it's going, what we are using our time and energy for, and where we are going?

A friend of mine has set days each year when he reviews different aspects of his life. At the beginning of each calendar year he looks at his life, his life goals and how he is going with achieving them. Around Valentines Day each year he revealuates his relationships (including but not limited to his marriage) and resets his goals for that area of his life. Around the end of the financial year he takes time to look at his financial situation and his goals in that area. He also tells me that every now and then he sets aside time to be creative. To imagine.

I like that idea, and also work well with goals, but am not as disciplined as my friend about reviewing them.

Life: This year I have been to new zealand, gone campervanning, and hiked and camped in the snow. I have begun a weaving course to learn how to weave the wool I am spinning with my weaving loom. I took on the role of camp director for a camp I have been involved with, a role I have never done before. I bought a house and am working on converting the garden to a productive and attractive space.

Life Goals:

Go Hanggliding

Climb Cradle mountain - overland track (planned for October this year)

Write a book - need to work on that one

....

Relationships: I'd like to say I met the man of my dreams etc but it hasn't happened yet. Too bad it takes someone else to realise that goal. I did however do my foster care training and now provide regular respite for an adolescent girl who is in a long term foster care placement. I have developed new friendships and deepened existing ones and especially value my back fence neighbours who are like family.

Relationship Goals:

Be bolder in relationships with the opposite gender (and eventually meet a godly man who I love and spend the rest of my life with)

Be a better sister/daughter/friend

Build relationship with the girl I foster

Build closer relationships with my neighbours and those who live in my street.

Financial:

This year I bought a house, and have (with a little help from falling interest rates) been able to pay off a significant amount above the required repayments, saving up a reasonable emergency fund I am able to redraw and reducing my interest.

I have begun to sell my produce through a local cafe

I have joined the local community exchange (similar to LETS) which allows me to exchange goods and services with members of my community without using cash!

Financial Goals:

To pay off my HECS debt this financial year.

By the end of next financial year to have saved $20,000 and purchase an investment property.

To continue to reduce waste

To be generous in my life, continuing to support my sponsor children and financially contribute to my church and other ministries.

However, more than setting goals, I think it's important to set aside time that is to be still. To stop. It's easy to fill space with activity, with tv, with music, with books, with phone calls. It's almost as though we are afraid to spend time with ourselves. Are we afraid that we won't like the people we are?

I think it's important to take some time by yourself. Journal, paint, pray, meditate, just be. Be aware of yourself, of the world around you and of who you are. It might be hard at first, but generally you'll find that you aren't so bad and it's fun to hang out with you.

If there's anyone out there who this speaks to please leave a comment, share a goal or a success.

God Bless

Colour inspiration

These roses are so rich that they almost look fake.

They are heavenly to smell, and I think I could almost eat them...

The rose bush is as old as the house I imagine, and I've always wanted these roses in my garden.

They make me smile.

....After!!!

I'll have to take another photo of this part, this photo doesn't show it well at all. I have removed all the pebbles that were there and planted a row of raspberry canes given to me by some friends whose raspberries had gone beserk. No complaints from me. Dug them up and had them in by the end of the day. My friend Debbie came around and helped me as my back was hurting a bit. She dug the holes and I put them in.
But the other side of the driveway is where things are really happening. I put newspaper and cardboard down, brick edging, and filled the space with the pebbles that used to be where the raspberries are now. My garden chair went on top. I planted my grafted apple trees on the far side, there are some strawberry plants there as well, close to the edge for easy picking.
In the forgroung you can see one of the iceberg roses, which needs hard pruning and probably relocation away from the edge of the garden. Behind it is my apricot tree (Newcastle Early) which was already in leaf, and some flowers as well.

On the far left with mulch around it is my nectarine (Fantasia) which is budding, but no leaves yet, and in between them are my three asparagus plants. The rest of the ground is all coved with green manure seeds, figure I'll grow them until I have things to plant in their space, and they can improve the soil while it waits.

Yesterday I relocated the compost bin to the front yard, i'll move it round occasionally, my aim is that it will attract worms to break up the (quite compacted) soil and improve the quality and quantity of soil too. As I move it around I can then follow with planting some veges in the empty spaces.

The front of the garden faces north east and has the most lovely feel in the morning when the sun comes up. The trees should be protected from the hot westerly sun by the house, and from the wind as well for the most part.

Before...

My garden transformation is starting to happen. I thought I would post the before photos today, and hopefully (if I can find my camera) I'll post the updated photos tomorrow.

It doesn't look like this today. It's raining and thundering, and I'm sure if I could see outside there would be lightning as well. Regretting not having put my rainwater tank in yet as I hear the rain going down the drainpipes. Some of it is retained on site, but not working well yet. It's on my wishlist.

New Blog

I hope you all find your way over here, I am sorry to leave the other blog, but I needed a blog linked to my work email account so have started a new one. Older posts can be found at
www.swirlyness.blogspot.com
I figured to make this one easy to find if you know me. So the new address is www.hbrumerskyj.blogspot.com

Caminho de Vida? It means Path or Way of Life. For me this relates to my house and garden and my life. In my life, I am on a journey in faith. I hope I never stop learning about and growing in relationship with my creator God, and teaching others about and encouraging them in their faith as well.

I have been looking for a name for my house for a while, not wanting to rush. I felt maybe to give it a name in Portugues, the language of Brasil. This is my second language, having lived there for a year after finishing school and loving it. I want my house to be a house that brings life to people. Good food and good fellowship. I don't want it to just be my living area, but to bring others in. Possibly to foster children, and allow them to experience my life. I want to live in community with my neighbours, and also in my house.

This relates to my garden as well, which I post about regularly in that my garden does sustain me. It sustains me physically, by growing food in it. It sustains me emotionally, as I relax after work by going to the garden, planting, nurturing. It sustains me spiritually as I look upon the wonder of a seed that grows into a plant, the wonder of God's creation. I hope that in the future, it will contribute to sustaining me financially, that there will be a surplus to share, to exchange/barter and to sell.

Hope you will join me on the next part of my journey, and please leave some comments behind as you visit.