In my front garden the last few roses are blooming, the hydrangeas are shooting, the lavender is pushing up a few flower heads, some winter bulbs are coming up, and the gorgeous Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise) growing by my neighbour's front driveway is really spectacular. The yellow flower you see in the top row is Hibbertia - a Western Australian native.
In the back garden,
To keep reading and see more pics, please click on "read more" .....
the grape vine has dropped most of its leaves and my lemon and orange trees are offering up their bountiful crops, but my herbs are not looking that great. Amazingly my tropical theme green patio garden is looking really good despite the cold weather we have had. We have managed to resurrect some elk horns, and my old maiden-hair fern in a pot is looking wonderful.
It has been very cold here today, so we put a pot of Pea and Ham soup on the stove.
It is so easy - just a cup of dry split peas, a ham hock, and whatever vegetables you like - onion, carrot, pumpkin, celery, turnip, parsnip. Just chop the vegetables up roughly, add boiling water, and cook till soft. When cooked, take out the ham hock and chop off the meat into small pieces. Mash the vegies in the saucepan with a potato masher. Return the meat to the pan and reheat. Eat and enjoy! You can have it thick, like in this pic below, or water down if you like a thinner soup. Don't forget some crusty bread.
I love home made soup. There is nothing like it. Do you make soup? What are your favourites? Here are some of mine.... Pea and Ham, pumpkin, minestrone, Mulligatawny, and an old family staple - lamb shank, vegetable and barley soup.
Minestrone with tomato and herb scones. I make the tomato soup base during summer when we have tomatoes in the garden, and freeze it in containers for making minestrone in the winter.
Did you know that Mulligatawny soup dates from the days of the British Raj and was introduced to Britain by colonists returning from India in the 18th and 19th centuries? The names comes from a Tamil word, milagutannir, which means "pepper water". Ingredients include curry powder, ginger, cinnamon and turmeric. Delicious and certainly a winter warmer!
And those lemons? How about some lemon meringue pie? It is my favourite and my eldest son's favourite, and I think my son's eldest son's favourite too! In fact I think it is our family favourite! We always want a second piece when I make it.
So there you have it, a little look at winter in my corner of Western Australia. Thanks for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful week.
 | |
| Lamb shank, vegetable and barley soup |
Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Our World Tuesday
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday
Oh The Places I've Been
OK, I am going to begin with dessert...My mother's homemade lemon and, or lime meringue pies were amazing and I miss them so much. I have tried my hand at them, but sometimes the crust is a wee bit soggy after the first servings, or sometimes the crust edges get too done...but we eat them all just the same, and I am thinking those along with strawberry/rhubarb would be my very favorite pies....now then blackberry,or mixed berry cobbler... ;) I adore ham and split pea soup, and so I am thinking that your homemade soup would suit me just fine, it looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing Jill and have a lovely week~
ReplyDeleteLovely winter photos. Very wet here too and the soup pot is in use, pumpkin at the moment.
ReplyDeleteJill, it does not look like winter with your pretty flowers blooming.. The soups all look delicious, thanks for sharing your recipe. The lemon meringue pie is my favorite too. I wish I could have a piece now! Wonderful post, have a happy week!
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to go make a piece of toast as the direct result of reading this post! Wish I had a piece of that lemon meringue pie! Winter looks lovely so far. How much colder will it get there?
ReplyDeletedays can be around 15 degrees C, and nights can go to just below zero C occasionally. I know...not as cold as if it were snowing. We don't have snow where we live. But it is bucketing down with rain at the moment. The farmers need to so I try not to complain.
DeleteGreat post Jill, lovely idea. Your soups look great.
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious....
ReplyDeleteAwesome Jill, I can just smell the goodness :) Fabulous pics as ever.
ReplyDeleteI am literally salivating over those delicious looking Winter Soups and those homemade scones - Oh my! Fabulous photos Jill.
ReplyDeleteLemon Meringue pie was my grandfather's favorite! :)
ReplyDeleteHot and humid in my neck of the States / I'll take a blast of your cold air, sure! :)
Hi Jill,
ReplyDeleteYour gorgeous food styling and equally spectacular photos are actually making me long for winter!! What warm and comforting winter fare you are offering us with your scrumptious soups! Like you, I prefer mine thick and always with a piece or two of warm, wood oven baked bread! Your garden is vibrant with pretty flowers, many of which grow here, too. Thanks for sharing all your winter goodies and have a wonderful week!
Poppy
That soup looks delicious! And such gorgeous flowers.
ReplyDeleteOOh my, looks like you are eating a wonderful feast!
ReplyDeleteYou are making me so hungry! Is the little gecko in the center of the collage real? He looks almost too perfect.
ReplyDeleteNo not real - just a cute ceramic decoration
Deletelovely images! You can come and cook dinner for me anytime!
ReplyDeleteYou know what!? I love summer but looking at your pictures make me feel so... impatient for winter!!
ReplyDeleteLoving your winter warmers, oh how I love the comfort of winter food ... soups, stews, yummy puddings. It is a bit warm here for them though, well mostly. I haven't had minestrone soup in ages, I love it. I got to have some short soup when visiting family a few weeks ago, so good.
ReplyDeleteOh I forgot ... I LOVE lemon meringue pie! Your one looks very tasty.
Deleteshort soup? I am curious as to what that is?
Delete