Checking in.....

Okay, I admit it: I've totally fallen off the wagon with Blogtoberfest.  On the plus side, my work in the studio has been prolific and I'm feeling fantastic about the output.  This is what it comes down to: something's got to give.  I have two little sleepless wonders  -- one of whom, thanks to daylight savings, prefers to get up at dawn with the birds, and isn't in bed for the night until about 8pm, and the other who wakes several times in between.  When I have so little time and energy to work, the studio wins over the computer hands down.   Also, it's beautiful outside and I've been preferring to spend any other leisure time I can muster going for walks or playing outdoors.

I doubt that the point of Blogtoberfest was to turn me against blogging, but the pressure to sit down every day and post has made it a chore.  So, in the interest of my sanity, and to preserve my good feelings about blogging, I hereby discharge myself from Blogtoberfest.  Like someone who jumps into a marathon without training or foresight, I've totally hit a wall.  I feel a bit guilty for letting go of my commitment, but I'm telling myself that it's fine -- it's my blog and I get to decide what's best. 

 

To keep things from being too gloomy and boring, here's a picture of a rainbow (refracted by a glass of water in my window) in the dishwashing bubbles.  Totally mundane, but pretty all the same. 

Congratulations again to Beck, winner of the giveaway!   I'll probably be posting again sooner than I expect.....once the pressure is off, I'm sure I'll be teeming with ideas and enthusiasm for this space.  Until then..... xx

No Rest For Blogtoberfest

 

This post was very nearly about how I'm taking the weekends off from blogging, Blogtoberfest be darned.  And then I realized I had already pretty much done my post for the day, and an idea for tomorrow (to recur on Sundays) had come to me while writing too.   If I need to take weekends off in in the future, that's fine.  Good enough is good enough.  And short and sweet is good enough too.

Inspiration came to me today in the form of baking.  I love these Anzac biscuits -- comfort food of my adopted home. In most ways, this is a traditional recipe, but I bake them in muffin tins rather than on a baking sheet, which creates a really nice crunchy outer and a beautiful soft middle.  Plus, they're big -- and bigger in this case is definitely better.  I made some for us and some for the kids' great-grandfather up in the North Island.  They'll have to weather a few days drive with my cousin-in-law, but I figure that's what they were originally designed for -- to travel well.

Ingredients:
3/4 c flour (I usually use white, but whole-wheat works as well)
3/4 c sugar (any type really -- up to your preferences)
1 c coconut
1 c oats
1/2 c butter
1 Tbs golden syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbs boiling water

Mix together dry ingredients.  Melt butter and syrup.  Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and add to butter mixture.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients.  Press into muffin tins (I really love baking with silicone -- easy, not greasy.)  Bake for about 15 minutes at 180 C (350 F) or until tops just begin to brown.    

Totally delicious.  'Nuff said.

Oh boy....Blogtoberfest!

Tonight while trolling my favorite blogs, I stumbled upon a reference to something called "Blogtoberfest" on Cadi's wonderful Chocolate Fishies.  Curious, I googled away and was led directly to an awesome new-to-me blog called Tinnie Girl.  The premise seems simple -- try to blog daily, try to keep it interesting.   I know I said I was going to take a bit of a break over school holidays, but things seem to be back under control as the flu-ishness subsides..... Oh heck, why not? A good challenge never hurt anyone.

I have a new button on my sidebar; if you're a blogger and would like to sign up too, just follow the link.

Wish me luck!