It's been a busy few days.

Sunday afternoon and evening were spent slow stitching on my Winter Fairy Cross stitch. I'll take a picture next time I work on her and do a little before and after post.

 After work and a walk on Monday I got busy in the garden and the kitchen.  Firstly harvesting a whole bunch of veges which I then had to do something with. 

The spuds were easy, two for tea and the rest into a paper bag in the bottom of the pantry. Next, out came my trusty cauldron to make a batch of tomato/pasta sauce. 

I use this sauce every time a recipe calls for tinned tomatoes or a jar of passata. I got eight portions on Monday, I'll need to make a few more batches. I have shared the recipe before, if I can find that post I'll add it to my recipe page. Or I'll write it all over again!

While it was bubbling away I got busy grating zucchini.

And I made a batch of zucchini fritters. We had a couple with our cold roast at tea time, but they were better the next day when they were cold. I took one in my lunch box.

Then I sat down and did a little crochet before starting to pull it out. I'm not happy with it. I'm using scraps and left overs, different weights and plys of yarn and in places I have put two or even three together. It's ended up way too bulky, time for a rethink. 

Tuesday after work and a walk I was pretty tired. I had been working with a newbie all day My usual work partner is away on holiday in Japan and I was really missing her. I had to think of and pretty much do everything as I coaxed the newbie along. Usually there are two of us working while training a new staff member but we are short staffed again as people who didn't get a break over Christmas now take some much needed time  and we have two out with bad backs, two more with bad knees and COVID has just struck again. At the moment it is just a couple of staff members who have it no residents.

So Tuesday I didn't do much. Just some more ripping of crochet and rolling balls of yarn. But it counts right?

Yesterday was my day off. I was very excited and happy to start quilting on Windswept. Then the top thread snapped.....Then it snapped again! Then I broke a needle! When the bobbin thread ran out almost at the end of only the fourth row, I sighed deeply, turned everything off and walked away.

I'll get back to it another day. Maybe things will go a little easier next time.

So what did I do for the rest of the day?

First I went for a walk, it was a beautifully warm day and I enjoyed the sunshine.

After some lunch I wandered into my room wondering about what I might do....

I had a quick tidy up of a few things that had been plonked where ever, then pulled out a box, any box but determined to work on what ever was in that box. (No my project boxes are not labelled, sometimes I remember what is in which box and sometimes I don't). This particular box houses my Down In The Garden Project. I collected all of the parts as a BOM back in 2011. In 2019 I made a start on putting some of the blocks together. Completing blocks 1,2 and 3. After prepping block 4 I stalled.

The stalled block 4.

Yesterday I prepared blocks 5, 6 and 7. Putting them together and tracing the stitched designs on to the fabrics.

Block 5 is the center piece and has only stitching. 

Block 7 needs an EPP Dresden in the green gingham square.

There is also some applique butterflies and hearts to add.

I still need to prepare blocks 8 and 9.

This project is on my Chookshed list and  while chatting with Janice one day, I mooted the idea of taking it with me to Baradine in April. 

And that was my Wednesday.

Today is Thursday and I've already declined an extra shift at work, there was a message waiting for me when I woke at 5.50am. 

I have a couple of appointments to attend today and had planned a busy day around them.

First up, I got home from work the other day to find that Tony's father had left me two big baskets of onions for pickling, so last night Tony and I topped, tailed and peeled the first basket full. Here they are sat in hot water to soak off the skins.

I left them sat in salt overnight.

And this morning I have packed them into jars, added spices and hot vinegar.

Tony says he will help me to peel another batch tonight. 

I'm told there are more to come.

That leads nicely in to todays recipe.

Lou's Pickled Onions.

Top, tail and peel about 1kg of pickling onions. Tony cuts the bottoms off, but I just rip off as much root as I can. We both cut the tops off. Give them a rinse then place them in a non metallic bowl and fill with boiling water. Allow them to sit for 15-20 mins to loosen the skins. Peel and put them back into the bowl and coat with 4-5 tea spoons of coarse salt. Give them a stir up to ensue the salt is spread right through the bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to sit overnight.

Rinse and drain then pat dry with a clean towel. I use large jars with wide necks. I sterilize them in the the oven. 100C for about 10 mins before adding all of the following per jar.

1 bay leaf

1-2 dried chilli

1/4 tea spn black and yellow mustard seeds

1/4 tea spn celery seeds

1/2 tea spn black peppercorns or pink

1/4 t spn chilli flakes.

You can add pretty much any spice or flavourings you like, but I always add those listed above.

Sometimes I add a tablespoonful of honey, or black treacle or molasses. I have added whiskey, bourbon and even rum, just a couple of spoonfuls per jar.  A sprig of rosemary or peeled apple quarters add a nice flavour too. 

Pack the onions into the jars with the spices and flavourings. I use a mixture of sizes using the tiny onions to fill the gaps between larger ones. 

Next I heat about 1 litre malt vinegar per KG of onions. Add 1/2 - 3/4 cup of sugar. Can be white or brown, today I have used white stevia. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the vinegar is hot but not boiling. Pour over the onions. If I am just a little short at the end I just top up with cold vinegar, if I'm a lot short I will sweeten and heat more. If I run out of malt vinegar I top up with apple cider vinegar. Pop the lid on and tip the jar this way and that to loosen any air bubbles then top up with more vinegar before tightening the lids well and  store for 6 weeks before opening. 

No need for a water bath or other sealing techniques. 

Tony's dad loves my recipe since the first time he tried them and every year he brings his harvest to me for pickling. He even created a new garden especially for growing onions for me to pickle. LOL  I'm glad he likes them. 

So what does the rest of today have in store?

First a shower to get rid of the onion and vinegar smell. Then I might go back into my room and work some more on the Down in the Garden preparations.

I'm off for a hair chop at 10.

Then I'll need to go buy some more vinegar, I'm meeting a girlfriend for lunch then the afternoon is mine.....what to do?

Decisions,

decisions.

Back to work tomorrow for an extra shift.....I'll be the activities lady. 

I might take in our ring toss/quoits game.