Bounty

Don't you just love it when you can pop into the garden and enjoy the fruits of your hard labour (not that hard) and pick some beautiful bounty of fresh vegetables and herbs? Honestly there is anything so sweet as a home grown tomato, chemical free of course, but the taste is amazing? I am not sure what those red objects are in the supermarket but they don't taste anything like a tomato to me. I have some grosse lissy, large and juicy ripe and ready for picking and some with bugs, well lost a few, but there are so many more for me to enjoy. I made some marinated feta with herbs from the garden, like thyme, rosemary, chilli, garlic and some fresh lemon rind. I spice it up with some oregano and a few peppercorns and then I pop in a few bay leaves. A sprinkling of olives and top off with some nice light olive oil, which is left over from my soapmaking, LOL!

Yet to be devoured are fresh beetroot which has taken a while to grow. Today it reached 39c so the poor things are taking a beating (sorry excuse the pun). The zucchini are so sweet - and I fry them lighty in olive oil and cook one side and then rub some freshly micro grated garlic a pinch of salt and pepper and then fry off some chunky bits of proscuito which adds a wonderful flavour to the zucchini - and you have a lovely side dish.

I did not know that cherry tomatoes reach 7 feet! They must like this position because they look like they will keep on growing! Today for lunch I enjoyed some sliced sweet cherry tomatoes, red onion slices, freshly ripped basil leaves and a drooling of the feta oil which I made earlier served on sliced rounds of sour dough bread. Not to mention there a few small bits of proscuito to add to the taste, mmm. OMG this all sounds like a cooking show! I really do love growing things and it's a shame I will not have the space in several months when I move to a new place. Right now I am making to most of the backyard. I will have some area but I will have to bring in soil as it pretty hopeless sand where I am going and I will need to build it up a bit.

If this is not paradise, I don't know what is, but to me this is the ultimate in a relaxing hut.
Last weekend I had a lovely break away with the twins and a couple of girlfriends. We took a long weekend to Bali and lapped up all she has to offer, food, warmth, shopping & massage. Yes it was the perfect holiday for me, spending time with my beautiful girls, watching them squeal when they saw Guess bags and shoes (originals not knock offs). Most of all just to get away and eat delicious nasi campur (my most favourite dish in bali). It was mighty hot there this trip. It was one of the few times we had to crank up the aircon in the room just to survive. The pool was really like bath water - REALLY! As I relaxed on a noodle (the floating kind) the girls ordered milkshakes, delivered to me on my float and we had fries at the pool bar for a mid afternoon snack - BLISS! I have heard through lots of friends there are some really cheap flights to Bali at the moment, lots and lots of friends have either just been or just going. I think it would be the ideal place to have a art/spa retreat. Yes put up your hand! Can you imagine?
Lauren left and Danielle, right outside Matahari Department store in Kuta Square. Lauren picked up the embroided top she's wearing from out friend Wyan for 40,000 ($4.65) so she was happy!

We caught up with longtime friend Agung who now has this fabulous car! We all went shopping to Denpassar and then to Seminak for lunch by the sea.

Oh, I had a wonderful friend come visit this week. My good friend Crozza popped over from Melbourne to stay with a very talented artist and whilst she was here we went to dinner, shopping and more shopping. Was good to see Dawnie and Jane from SAJ's and we had a nice meal at Hogs Breath in the city. Jen brought some resin bezels that she has on her blog, well I can tell you in the real they are so amazing! Jen had also created the bezels herself and they are miniature works of art! Go take a look.