Rainy Anzac weekend

Rain, rain, rain, lots of it. Saturday night driving over Vince’s Saddle, Lower Longley, on our way to dinner in Huonville was pretty scary with the hammering rain and fog coming in. Made our Saturday night outing very intrepid (when just going out on Sat night is intrepid for us these days). Today in Hobart it is 10 degrees and expecting snow! I’d like to be at home by the fire.

Over the weekend I hauled out the ladder and picked the last of the apples from the tops of the trees in our garden. We’ve done well again from our three trees, which are old and neglected but just keep on fruiting and save us from buying apples for a couple of months each year. Also couldn’t resist making another batch of quince jelly – so easy: boil up 4 big quinces with the peel and juice of a lemon, 7 cups of water and 1 kg of sugar for 2 hours, strain and then bottle (thank you Sally Wise). The liquid always seems very runny but magically turns into a jelly in the jar - a pretty red colour and delicious on toast or rice crackers. (***Late tip - apparently if you add a crab apple or two the jelly will always set well.)

The young quince tree in my garden, which looked like not surviving is now doing well thanks to husband's grey water reticulation system (he loves that thing) – so hopefully in a year or two I will be able to use my own quinces.

Made two more bags on the weekend – had to have my sewing fix. Listened to the competing sounds of the fire crackling in the other room and the rain falling outside while I sewed away - a nice way to spend a drizzly morning. I am quite pleased with the results. Etsy shop here we come – soon...