New Year Catch-up

I have completed 2013 quite proud of myself as I have managed to maintain excellent records of our spending throughout the year. On analysis, I have found I have spent $4186 this year over and above the budget. So this year my focus will be to strictly get back within our allocated budget. Now if we sell our northern house during the year (that's the plan), we will be well within budget. 

What have I been doing this week?

I had the family for Xmas and my grand daughters for an extra 10 days, so we have been getting out and about bush walking and getting free entertainment at the Taste of Tasmania.

While bushwalking we came across this echidna

An example of the free entertainment

 I also splashed out to give them an experience, the younger one had never had. We went on a harbour cruise of Hobart on the historic boat the Emma Lisa.

I have been decluttering and have sold our old hot water service, dishwasher, ice cream maker, and treadmill (don't need that anymore now with the beach is on our doorstep).

Today, I harvested several round zucchinis (never grown round ones before) and sliced and froze for soups and to put into my home made dog food that Django devours.

 

Zucchinis sliced, bagged and ready for the freezer. 

The bearded wonder has rigged up an automatic watering system (what is it about men and water works?) to water all the gardens using our recycled water. No wonder things look so lush.

Here take a look.

Looking right

Looking left

Potatoes in flower. Have been eating freshly dug spuds for about a month now.

Scarlet runners promising a great crop in a few weeks.

Peas galore. Been picking for about a month.

Iceberg lettuces which have all come on together so I have been giving them away. Have planted more so they will be ready in a month or so.

Sunflowers for the bees and the chooks will benefit from the seeds eventually.

The chickens that hatched the week before Xmas are growing. Mum is a vigilant protector.

The thornless blackberries are going berserk.

Even the roses are looking great.

as are the apple crops which will be ready in 2 months.

Happy New Year to all and I hope all goes your way in everything you attempt.