Sunday, March 3, 2013

Rainy day blues


It has been raining pretty solidly here now for close to three weeks. The ground is boggy, the dryer is running almost continuously and the windows are misty with condensation. It was the  perfect weekend to take the kitchenaid for a spin and pop out some melting moments, that lasted all of about five minutes. Luckily, despite a hint of cool autumn in the evenings, the days have been warm enough to get out and enjoy the rain.


When the rain eased back to a drizzle we headed out to hunt down some puddles and some mud.


There were dams to build, and mud to splash in .



Miss Liongirl was keen to fill her flower basket.




We snipped a bouquet from the  huge native trees on the footpath blooming with flowers and full of feasting rainbow lorikeets.


And then we trotted home to enjoy some wonderful treats that came my way this week. Having crafty mates is fantastic when you have a birthday. My mum made me this lovely bag,


And one of my sewing group gals made this gorgeous one for me too.


And then just when yet another day of rain was enough to leave a girl slightly unhinged, an unexpected parcel arrived at Betsy's front door. From a blog buddy in another state no less.


Allison from Just Underneath sent me a little pile of  blue goodies to chase away the rainy day blues. A gorgeous tin for my fledgling collection, a lovely little vase and a cracker of a tea towel that is a pretty good match to Betsy. Al, you sure now how to perk a girl up.


And miss Liongirl so enjoyed filling up that little vase with her basket of teeny tiny plucked flowers.


We love it Al.


We hope now that we have more that half our usual annual rainfall done and dusted 9 weeks into the year, that the rain might move on, to other places that need it more. In the meantime, if you too are a tad soggy, I can highly recommend a batch of these.


Rainy day melting moments.

3/4 cup butter creamed with 1/2 cup icing sugar.
Add 1/2 cup self raising flour, 1/2 cup plain flour and 1/2 cup cornflour. Mix until forms a dough. 
Roll into small balls, flatten with a fork and bake for 12-15 mins in 160 degree oven.
Cool and make icing.
I cup of icing sugar, 2 tsp butter and 1 tbsp hot water. Mix until forms a thick paste and use to glue to biscuits together.
Makes nowhere near enough ( about 10 iced biscuits). Scoff with hot tea on a rainy day. Next time, triple the quantities. 

23 comments:

  1. Those bikkies look delish Mel. I am definitely over the rain too, but the kids don't seem to mind it too much. Looks like yours are making the most of it. xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love that tea towel!
    And am glad that you have been breaking in the Kitchen Aid!

    I am so over this rain!
    Actually, I like the rain but I am over everything feeling damp and being covered with mildew!
    With a toddler and a dog it is just impossible to keep any part of my house dry!
    Fingers crossed for some sun soon!
    And in the meantime, enjoy the puddle jumping!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a lovely treat from Allison, she is always finding amazing things. The tea towel is hilarious! Hoping the rain eases off for you soon. My sister is in Brisbane and is very much over it too. Found some milk glass for the first time ever the other day. Can't wait to show you! xo

    ReplyDelete
  4. What lovely native flowers and lorikeets. Isn't it nice when your birthday lingers like that. Please send some rain to us in NZ we desperately need some.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Those long flat vases are so sweet, they are such a relic of another era. I'm sure I have a few tucked away so you have inspired me to get one out and fill it with flowers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kitchen Aid melting moments are the best. creaming butter and sugar is so easy in it.
    You'll have to try pizza dough using your KA too.
    Lovely Allison sending such thoughtful gifts.
    x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such lovely pressies there, and those flowers are beautiful! :) x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great gifts Mel, especially the bag :0 I've never seen a vase like that. Love the color and so pretty with the flowers. Liongirl is so cute collecting flowers and love the expression of pure puddle joy on Legoboys face.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love those limey green gum blossoms Mel and your beautiful pressies from Alison
    (and your kids splashing in puddles) x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. golden penda:glorious everywhere in Bris right now , despite the rain!

      Delete
  10. Auckland's in near drought conditions - we would love your rain! And I am going to make the melting moments today ( and triple the recipe!). Gorgeous gifts too. I was in Sydney over the weekend and it was raining - I really wanted to jump in the puddles too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What I would give for some rain. Here in sunny Melbourne it's been over 30 degrees for over a month with only 2 days of rain in 3 months. To much of a good thing is tiresome. Good ol Allison is a champ, what a nice cheery parcel, the vase is lovely and that tea towel is a hoot.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love your still life photos here - the melting moments look amazing. I have never made them. And Liongirl's flower arrangement is gorgeous - I can't believe how much colour and variety there is in your garden!

    Gillian x

    ReplyDelete
  13. you are so welcome mel....at least it stretched your b`day out a little!...those blooms look perfect there. still raining here....good lord!
    Al x

    ReplyDelete
  14. golden penda!They are magnificent at the moment!:
    http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/stories/s1692654.htm

    ReplyDelete
  15. The rain was relentless wasn't it! Lovely pics though, I felt right there with you.
    xx

    http://www.mindfullygreen.com.au

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congrats Mel. You have won the Giveaway of the Shrink Plastic kit from my blog over at The Hills Are Alive. Can you contact me (email probably best) with your postal address so I can ensure you get your prize. Thanks for entering and Happy Crafting with it (look forward to seeing what you/your kids come up with), Take care, Michele

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Mel, I love all these lush rainy shots. Send the rain down here please. We are so desperate for it that if and when we finally do get a drop I think I'll dance in it naked as we are anxiously monitoring another bushfire right next door. Loe hearing stories of kindness between bloggers and love your goodies from Allison - the vase is super cute :-) Mel x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Now THAT's the way to make a rainy day unbluesy!! x

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love your Birthday treats Mel, good when the gifts keep arriving days/weeks after the day.We are eagerly awaiting a break in the rain around here too, the tree with the lorikeets in it is a Fairhill Gold (incase you were wondering)Ours is in full flower and full of noisy fighting birds.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Mel there have been plenty of them too (non fiction info books). I think it would be an even longer list than the novels. Books on Coeliac Disease and treatment of/food ideas for, books and webpages on ASD and all things related many many of those and on SPD. Will have to swap lists of those one day also. No time for sewing sad to say but I have finally unpacked my sewing machine and am about to get back into that again as I miss it. Inspired by your beautiful colorful dresses you posted on a while back. My little girl has put her order in for a horsey skirt so on the hunt for some material and working on that next I think. V v beginner sewer but want to do some more.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I thought I was escaping the rain when I decided to move up here from Melbourne, but no, I fear I've brought it with me! Your melting moments look delicious, I've been baking choc chip banana bread, the smell of baked goods certainly does help to distract one from the seemingly endless rain outside.

    x Shannon
    www.rabbitandtheduck.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. You had me at Melting Moment. The rest was icing on the cake. x

    ReplyDelete