Firstly, thank you. To everyone who reached out after the last post and offered to come and be part of the working bee on the farm—what a joy. I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone, sharing this space with you, and spending time together doing something meaningful.
Last weekend, our son Kobi flew off to Japan for a two-week holiday with a friend. He’s called and messaged a few times and it sounds like he’s having the most amazing time. It’s such a thrill watching him stretch out into the world like that.
Back here, things have eased a little. Maybe it’s the colder weather, or maybe it’s just where we’re at—but the pace feels slower, gentler. It’s been so lovely. Since moving here, we’ve started a little ritual — the #sunriseclub. Every morning at sunrise we sit on the front deck with a coffee, watching the birds wake and the world slowly come to life. It’s such a peaceful, grounding way to begin the day. We’ve had the fire going most days now, and the rhythm of our time has shifted into something warm and wintery. I’ve been leaning into it too—lots of slow-cooked meals, sticky date pudding with rum caramel sauce (because why not?), and a batch of jam drops, which are Benji’s favourites. Both recipes are from Donna Hay, and I’ll share them at the end of this post.
Benji and I brought out an old shelf from Brisbane—one he made years ago that had been sitting unused. It’s now by the front door of the farmhouse, home to muddy boots, garden trugs, baskets for harvesting, and a few of our most-used tools. I’ve also repurposed my dad’s old toolbox—the one he had before I was even born—to hold all sorts of little garden odds and ends. There’s something so grounding about surrounding ourselves with things that hold stories. Pieces from the past, woven into the daily rhythm of farm life.
We had some beautiful friends come and stay over the weekend. The kind of friends that make everything feel easy and full. We gave them a little tour of town, had lunch at the pub, cooked lots of delicious food, and sat around the fire chatting late into the night. I gifted one of them a crocheted scarf and ended up teaching her how to crochet by the fire. We drank wine, laughed hard, and talked deeply. My kind of weekend.
Earlier in the week, Benji and I netted the veggie patch. The cabbage moths have been absolutely relentless—every day I’d be out there plucking off caterpillars and inspecting every leaf. The plants were struggling, so I’m hoping the netting helps them bounce back. Fingers crossed.
I’ve also been working away on the paddocks. It might sound ridiculous, but I’ve started mowing the top half of the 40 acres with a ride-on mower. It’s completely covered in love grass—a persistent, overgrown mess that smothers the good stuff. The cattle will eat it when it’s short, but they avoid it when it’s long. We had an agronomist out a while ago who recommended slashing and mulching to help manage it, but since I don’t have a tractor, hiring someone to slash this much land would be incredibly expensive. So I’ve decided to slowly chip away at it myself. It’s oddly satisfying, and I’ve got this idea that by spring I’ll be able to start strip grazing the cattle. I’d also love to bring in some sheep, since they’ll graze down the grass and help fertilise the soil too.
Of course, I managed to get the mower bogged earlier in the week. There’s a little trench through one of the paddocks that the previous owner dug for drainage, and I somehow got the back wheels stuck in it. You should have seen Benji’s face when I came back up to the house and said, “Umm... I think I got the mower stuck.” Luckily it didn’t take much digging to get it back out.
In knitting news, I finally finished the hot water bottle cover using a free pattern I found on Ravelry—shades of pink and so cosy. And now I’ve started on a pair of gloves, though I have no idea what I’m doing. But I’m loving the challenge and the change of pace from all the beanies.
It’s been a week of slower days, small wins, and moments of connection. And really, that feels just right.
Tash xxx
Here are this week’s recipes that I used and loved…love to hear what delicious recipes or knitting projects you have been creating…?
Rum and Date Cake
https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/sweets/cakes/rum-and-date-cake-with-caramel-sauce
Jam Drops
https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/desserts-and-baking/cookies/jam-drops
Hot Water Bottle Pattern
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hot-water-bottle-cover-48
