I grew that

This is my first baby carrot, pictured with a Haviana for size purposes.  I couldn't be prouder if I'd grown it myself... oh but wait, I did!  It's brothers and sisters are still happily growing away, but I got impatient when I saw this one poking it's orange head above the soil and pulled it out.  I think I'll wait until the others get bigger because while it was tasty, there wasn't much to taste.

I included it into a simple pasta dish, served with a red wine sauce chock full of veggies.  I can't wait for the weather to be right to grow some more fresh produce.  At the moment I have carrots, garlic, mint, parsley, rosemary, spring onions, leek, pineapple and chilli growing.  I'd love to add some beans, tomatoes and other delicious spring time foods.  I've also got a compost bin on the go, so that ought to add some nutrients when required!

What does your garden grow?

Operation fascination

In outfitting myself for the wedding(s) I've been trying to DIY as much as possible, partly to keep costs down and partly because I like having our own personality stamped on the day.

I mentioned here that I'd unexpectedly found a hairpiece for my red wedding after brunch one day, but I was scratching my head (haha) about the white wedding.  While I was shopping on the weekend with a bridesmaid, we walked past one of those cheap hair/jewellery stores.  Just for fun (and to be thorough) we popped in to have a look.  End result - a few pretty little flower hair clips that will look perfect - especially from a distance.

Just a few days before, I'd been looking at an option that was going to be $60, and I thought it was cheap! Cost of these little pretties? $8.  That's a nice tidy saving that I can put towards something less frivolous than a one day hair accessory!

Chortle

I think that chortle is a great word; it makes me giggle a little every time I hear it.

 

In support of that word, I'd like to share some things which have given me a chortle this week.

• My regular coffee man always greets me by name and with a smile.  Not to mention that this is one of the few cafes I've found who use Bonsoy (many other commercial brands of soy milk just taste revolting).  This week I also got a little heart on my cup lid.  Soy chai, made with love! ('scuse the lip gloss marks) 

Dumplings. I love a good dumpling and last night, Mr Fork's mother made me a whole pot of steamed dumplings, stuffed with shiitake, cabbage, corn, carrot and peas.  It was delicious, and there was even enough for me to bring for lunch today.  That's saying a lot, because traditionally Fridays are my day to have 'tuckshop' and eat out, but those dumplings won hands down over buying lunch!

Puppy cuddles.  While it's still officially winter there have been a few cold nights, and although my furbabies are affectionate all the time, it's even more pronounced during cold weather when they can't resist a good snuggle (and neither can I).

Yesterday marked the beginning of birthday month, the countdown until my actual birthday.  I suggested to Mr Fork that perhaps he might like to mark the occasion with festivities and fawning but he didn't seem overwhelmed by the idea.  Not to worry.  I love birthdays myself and can fawn perfectly well on my own behalf!

I love a good freebie as much as the next person, and one of the things I did when I first got my Kindle was to sign up for a service on ereaderiq.com to notify me when books for the AU region become free.  So far, I've gotten a bunch of books which go for up to about 20$ when full price, and I'm expanding my reading horizons by picking up books which I mightn't have if I'd had to pay.  Wins all around!