Lemons lemons lemons

 Hi everyone. I hope you and yours are all doing well. I thought spring had arrived but now we seem to be back into winter. 

I have loads of lemons on our backyard lemon tree, and it has started flowering again, so I picked a few yesterday to make Lemon Butter and a sweet French Marmalade. It didn't seem to make much difference to what was left on the tree. I need to start giving them away. It was a wet dreary day yesterday, perfect for a morning in the kitchen. 

I have blogged about the Lemon Butter making a couple of times before - if you click here you will find see more: Lemon butter

Here is the recipe: 

• Juice of 4 lemons and finely grated rind of three
• 500gm (1 lb) white sugar
• 250gm (1/2 lb) butter
• 4 eggs, well beaten together. Make sure they are well beaten so you don't get strands of white in your mixture. 
• 
  
• Place all in a large bowl stranding in a pan of boiling water on the stove. Stir constantly until the consistency of honey, but do not allow to boil. This takes about half an hour. 

Bottle and keep in fridge. Delicious on scones! or slathered on a sponge with cream. 

I also made French marmalade out of my old Australian Country Women's Association Cookery Book and Household Hints. This marmalade is a sweet marmalade made from carrots, lemons and sugar, and is so easy to make. 

3 large carrots - I always find this a difficult measurement - how much is 3 large carrots?

2 1/2 kg (5 lb) white sugar

4 lemons

8 cups water. 

Grate the carrots. Cut the lemons into quarters and dig out the seeds. Put through a mincer, including the peel. Mix the carrots and lemons together and leave in a basin overnight with half the water - 4 cups. 

In the morning add the rest of the water, and boil for half an hour. Then add sugar and cook for about 2 1/2 hours. Bottle immediately in hot jars. 

Note: This marmalade still seems very liquid when it starts to set, so please test as you go so as not to overcook. I just spoon a small amount onto a saucer and put in the fridge for a few minutes. If it doesn't move around on the saucer when cold it is ready. 

My friend in Malta made this recipe with half lemons and half oranges. She said it was delicious too. 

This is an old favourite photo of mine I created for a special friend on the other side of the world one morning a few years ago. I couldn't resist sharing again. Sharing a cup of coffee or tea with a friend doesn't need to be complicated. 

While the French marmalade was bubbling away I also made a batch of muffins from a packet I bought when we were out in the wheatbelt recently. These are gluten free made from lupin flour. They were nice, but a bit heavier and grainer texture than the muffins we usually make with normal self-raising flour. 

My quince tree has an amazing number of flowers on it this year for such a small tree. I love quinces. Do you? So delicious. I am already looking forward to quince season - but I will have to wait till around March-April! We always net the tree to keep the birds off. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. Do you make jam? Do you have a favourite? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. 

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Stay safe and have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

ps: what else is yellow right now? Wattle is everywhere! 
   
MosaicMonday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Sharon's Sovenirs 
Our World Tuesday
Pictorial Tuesday 
ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday
The Lovin' Life Team over at: Deep Fried Fruit

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Trying to catch time

I don't know about you but time seems to be flying by in a blur for me. You would think that now I am retired I would have more time to spend time relaxing, but alas, it doesn't seem to be so. I heard so many people say before I retired - "you won't know how you had time to work". And they are correct! 

So as my time seems to have evaporated before me, this week I only have a short post to share with you. A little of my week.

Making French Marmalade. Made from carrots and lemons and sugar, it is my husband's favourite and simple to make. It is not as bitter as some marmalades. Here is the recipe from The Country Women's Association Cookery Book and Household Hints:

3 large carrots -  I've always thought this an odd amount - how much is 3 large carrots?
2 1/2 kg (5 lb) white sugar
4 lemons
8 cups water

Grate the carrots. Slice the lemons into quarters, dig out the seeds, and put through the mincer including the peel. Leave all in a basin overnight with half the water. In the morning add the rest of the water and boil for half an hour, then add the sugar and cook for 2 1/2 hours. Bottle immediately in hot jars.
This marmalade still seems very liquid when it starts to set, so please test as you go so as not to overcook.

Upcycling Christmas cards. I decided instead of buying new cards this year I would upcycle old ones. I bought a box of 50 blank cards from the craft shop, dug out my box of old cards, and here is my result! 

I've also started on a new project I saw on the web. My friend who runs a gallery would like some to sell at her Christmas bazaar at the end of November. I've made the cones from pages of old Readers Digest condensed books. I just need to put them together. When it's done I'll show you the finished project. Watch this space. 

 Da da! Wreaths. I was going to make you wait to see the finished product, but wanted to share. I finished these two this morning and have more to make. I just have to get the paper cut and the cones made. The rest is easy. Do you like them? If you are interested I could come back with a tutorial another day. 

These can be hung as Christmas wreaths on your door, or decoration on your wall. The first one was done with pages from an old Reader's digest book - I love the feel of the paper and the slightly yellowed look, and the second one is from the pages of a magazine.  

My flamenco class is preparing for a performance next Saturday night. But on Thursday our founder gifted us this beautiful bata de cola skirt. Isn't it gorgeous. We are all looking forward to seeing our teacher Nicole, seen here modelling the skirt, perform in it. 

I also make time to volunteer in our local school library once a week, have started going to an exercise class (got to get these old muscles stretching), and try to walk every morning (although that doesn't always happen). 

We have booked a short trip for early next year and this afternoon we are going to a Senior's expo! Gulp - yes I must be a senior..... oh no! not yet! 
ps - after going to the Senior's expo I am sure I am not in that demographic just yet - I'm not looking for a retirement village, a chair that will stand me up, or a walking frame. However we did catch up with some people we know and chatted to a couple of stall holders. 

Time for a relax I think and enjoy the summer that has suddenly hit us this weekend.

 
Thank you so much for stopping by. What is your week shaping up to look like? 

The candlestick banksias are starting to bloom

 I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

 

Mosaic Monday 
Life Thru the Lens 

Lifestyle Fifty Monday Linkup 
Our World Tuesday
Through My Lens 
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Worth Casing Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday
The Weekly Postcard

Spring jam making

The warm spring weather with us, with some bursts of summer heat. We went away for the weekend, and I am sure bunches of tiny new grapes appeared over the weekend on our grape vine - promising of a good harvest for this summer's grape jam making.

A couple of weeks ago with lemons from our tree I made French marmalade (carrots, lemons & sugar) - not as bitter as some marmalades can be), and Lemon Butter (lemons, butter, eggs & sugar).

Here are the results -

The French Marmalade - 

The Lemon Butter -

Is there nothing as homely as produce fresh from you own garden..........

 The new bunches of grapes....

 

We live only an hour or so from grape growing and wine producing areas....the photo below was taken at one of the vineyards. 

I am linking up with Mosaic Monday at Little Red House and the wonderful work of  Mary and other photographers from around the world.

I hope you have a wonderful week.