Turkey update

Just an updated pic of the turkeys at 7 weeks. 

They are gaining size on the ducks. 

In fact the have taken over the ducks yard. 

One duck thought he might try charging a turkey, then thought better of it.

Now, there is harmony amongst the birdies.

Happy 7 weeks turkeys, you big birdies you!

Caught up in the moment

You see that plane up there... well it brought someone pretty wonderful home this weekend. Which is why there hasn't been a whole lot of blogging going on over here. We have all been soaking up the time with over dearly missed daddydragon.

The girls wanted to take him all over the island and show him all the places and discoveries they have made. Down to the caves we went.

It turned out to be a beautiful day for it, but my camera batteries died again. I am starting to wonder if there is not some sort of magnetic field down there or something.

Do you see the seals behind this hatchling?

They came out to play. A family of five of them played peek a boo in the waves with us, following us up and down the beach. 

They are so darn cute!

We have been mostly busy enjoying the far too brief time we have before daddy dragon goes back to work, so forgive a little lack of blogging it will be daily again soon... far too soon!

First Kiwi

'You think it is a good idea to put this in my mouth!'

'Ah, I trusted you.'

'Does it improve over time?'

'Little bit tart.'

'You are going to blog this. Aren't you!'

Still snuggly

Our Aylesbury ducks started out life as messy little creatures.

Cute, but horrifically messy.

They are all grown up now, our drake finally has his tail curl.

And they sure make this hatchling happy.

This hatchling says, 'Look! She is an angel mama.'

The snuggle ducks love their cuddles.

And so do the hatchlings.

(And yes, just in case you were wondering, those were brand new trousers on hatchling no1, apparently they are more stylish now. Sigh.)

I'm going too!

This little guy

loves to know

he's going somewhere new!

Let's get this show on the road.

Busy morning

Today is a busy busy sort of day. 

All the animals seem to have developed time consuming chores for this morning, and a clean out under one hatchling's bed resulted in three more loads of laundry. Not that I didn't do five loads yesterday... I haven't even gotten to the sheets and towels yet this week, but I suppose they will keep.

We made time for a little finger painting.

A few rounds of hay bale tag,

and hide and seek.

We had to stop and throw apples to ridiculously cute cows as we walked the dogs.

Which really tuckers a hatchling out.

This adorable hatchling,

worked hard on crawling

while I hung all that laundry out on the line.

He's growing so fast, which is very bitter sweet, because he is such joy.

And now I shall go off and keep plugging away at this to do list, because the girls 

want a marshmallow roast tonight.

Which sounds pretty good considering I need to burn about a gajillion paper feedbags, and cardboard.

Ice cream days

Some days, are for sitting in the sun,

talking about all things tractor,

and eating ice cream.

Some days are good.

Partly cloudy

Excellent video, take a look.

Dinner time

Dinner conversation has grown in our house.

The addition of two little teeth,

has seen this hatchling sitting round the table, long after the meal is over, regaling us with his tales.

Not that we were short on entertainment, I should add.

I just thought I ought to mention, how meals and conversation have been improved by one wonderful little guy.

Painted cookies

Has the fog chased your sun away too?

Then maybe painting cookies will make the day a little brighter.

Painted cookies

Dough

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 small eggs, or 1 large egg and a yolk

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 and 2/3 cup flour

1. Mix dough and then chill covered in fridge for 1 hour.

2. Roll and cut out using icing sugar to prevent sticking.

3. Paint them with food colouring.

4. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 200F.

Enjoy.

Music

Perhaps, I should have expected it, when we named our first born harmony.

From tiny she has wanted to sing, and make music.

This year we have been very privileged to be able to indulge her wishes.

We started with recorders, and music theory.

Our eldest hatchling made a very impassioned plea for a piano, and now she has one.

One very happy hatchling has spent the morning doing hand exercises.

(We do have a piano bench, she sat on it, and the whole thing fell over... I think I now know where at least two of the screws Mr. HandyHatchling has brought me, came from.)

Child safety gate

Fail.

Potty, crafts, and cookies

It has been grey and foggy, a little bit rainy.

Well, it was a little bit rainy after I put the pushchair into the garage.

For the hour I forgot it outside, it poured.

Out came the craft tubs, and books. We have a lot of arts and crafts stuff.

Quite possibly enough to open a shop. Seriously. 

Anyways, my hoarding and lack of organisation is another post entirely.

One hatchling made up for my lack of indulging her shoe shopping habits...

another made elephants,

and one little left handed mermaid, made a mermaid of herself. Completely on her own, because left handed scissors rock.

This little guy had his first store bought cookie, because he has two teeth now, and well, he grabbed it right out of his brother's hand as he ran past.

A stolen cookie. 

See that concentration: It is intense. As he takes in all those cookie flavours for the first time.

Aren't babies wonderful?

One little hatchling has decided to begin playing relay race with the potty.

He says, 'Need da toilet.' and then tries to run through every room in the house twice before heading to the bathroom... and making a mess on the floor.

When I remind him, only poo in the potty gets a treat, he picks it up and tosses it in the toilet.

I told him doesn't count if it didn't get there first try.

He says, 'Awe man! I got poo on mine hand and everything.'

Sigh. 

One great thing about this being number four, I am just so over getting wound up about these things. 

(insert hysterical laughter)

Rice krispys

In this house, cereal is a rarity.

The hatchlings take turns picking out a box, which then sits in the cupboard, sometimes for months.

Until mama gets sick, or morning sick, at which point out comes the cereal.

Easy breakfast, I can almost stomach smelling in the first three months of pregnancy.

A gentle treat on poorly hatchling tummies when a stomach bug goes through the house.

Typically, cereal has been stored away in the top cupboards.

Yesterday, I needed a box, to send a parcel, to someone dear to me.

So, I stole the Rice Krispy box, and shoved the bag in a bottom cupboard.

Mistake.

This little guy has never been shy about helping him self.

He wakes up from a nap, and scratching the back of his head, he heads straight into the kitchen and opens the fridge.

It has never occurred to him that all food was not specifically placed there for him.

So, when I looked up from bathing the baby, and heard him saying, 'Mmmm... not bad. Little bit crunchy.'

I was not surprised.

When I found him here -

I was not thrilled, but not surprised. My bad. 

When I saw this, I thought I better forewarn you.

We left your boots by the shoe rack.

Sorry.

But forewarned is forearmed, right?

Makes my heart sing

This is the field across the road.

Swaying in the wind.

It is hypnotic, and peaceful.

The secret to happiness

When the world gets you down,

try a brownie to lift that frown.

Don't believe me?

Then try my turtle's brownies...

Turtle's Brownies

Brownie layer

1/2 cup butter melted

200 g dark chocolate melted

3 tbs cocoa

3 large eggs

2 tbs less than 3/4 cups of plain all purpose flour

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 cup of caster sugar

Bake at 200F for 25- 30 minutes.

Until the middle is still a little gooey... it will set, and brownies are better a little fudgey.

Once the brownies are cooling:

Pecans

Spread a generous layer of freshly toasted pecans over the top. About 1 cup.

Then make some caramel.

Caramel

1 tin condensed milk

1 tbs butter

2 tbs dark brown sugar

Stir together in a pot until it is bubbling for about 2 minutes and has thickened slightly.

Pour over those pecans.

More chocolate

Then melt another dark chocolate bar of about 150g.

Pour that over the caramel.

Then let set.

Serve with double cream.

Happiness on a spoon.

Road side flowers

All along the roadsides, in the ditches and fields, there is such an abundance of colour and texture.

A rich bit earth.

The hatchlings bring in handful, after handful.

We have cups, and bowls; teapots and a barbie bath tub, filled with wild blooms. 

I went to wash the bathroom, and found even my toilet bowl is full of purple clovers.

To smell pretty, apparently.

Hatchling no2 asked me, 'Why do flowers grow?'

I thought about waffling on about pollination, but truthfully, I think it is simply to make the world beautiful.

Kind of inspiring isn't it.

Today, I am thankful for beauty all around me.

And I hope I can try to live a little more beautifully myself.

Pizza night

Pizza night is sacred.

One night a week we make fresh dough and roll it out in semolina.

Bake it on a hot stone, and curl up together to watch a movie.

Genuine soul food.

Pizza dough 

500g bread flour

1 sachet dried yeast

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

75g semolina

325mls warm water

1. Add sugar to warm water and then stir in yeast.

2. Add water mixture, oil, and salt to flour.

3. Knead for 10 mins.

4. Leave to rise until double.

5. Roll out in semolina for that dominos like crust.

6. Top with anything yummy and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!