I am a little frazzled at the moment.
It all got a bit too much the other day, so I went outside, sat on the deck with the new heater on and a cup of herbal tea, and read my Kindle. At present, I’m feeling a bit like the photo I took – slightly washed out and raggedy around the edges. Life is so rarely completely smooth sailing. Nonetheless, I felt blessed to be able to sit quietly for an hour, enjoying the peace and serenity of our backyard.
Thankfully, our plans for the weekend involved old friends.
Mireille and Blake lived across the road a few years ago, and they popped in for a catch-up lunch with their gorgeous children. It was an easy and relaxing few hours spent chatting and laughing. Mireille brought me these beautiful tulips…
I baked sourdough rolls and dragon tail baguettes…
…and made Lorraine’s dip using a wheel of Adelaide Hills organic triple brie that I’d picked up at Costco for just $11.90…
The cheese was sliced in half like a sponge cake, then filled and topped with finely chopped garlic, homemade quince jelly and thyme…
It needed just ten minutes in the oven…
Gooey perfection for a cold and rainy Saturday…
Small Man, who has been home with a chest cold all week, is finally on the mend. I recorded a few seconds of him practicing his card flourishes…
…and building a stack of Tarata balancing animals…
Onwards we march. x
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Nothing like a whole lot of calories to make you feel better, Celia!
So true, Chris! :)
Love the videos and the tulips. And the bread of course, :D
I’m sorry you’re feeling frazzled- life has a way of ruffling our edges and obscuring the light. I’m praying for you to find all kinds of places of peace and refuge from the rough handling of the daily grind.
Love you, Celia!
Thanks love, onwards we march. Every day is a new day! :)
I hope that you find some moments of stillness so you can find your centre again. It’s so easy to take on more than we can without feeling the effects. Take care, Celia. (ps. must try that cheese dip but can’t us jelly, so I’ll put on my thinking cap).
Thanks Misky. The dip would be delicious even without the added sweetness, I think. Maybe a chilli sauce, or honey? (Not sure if you can use honey?)
No, not honey either. I am making some sugar-free berry compote today and that might do the trick.
Hi Celia… a long while ago I read a very wise quote somewhere that said something to the effect that ‘One of the greatest blessings in the world is to be able to be happy and find some serenity even when things in life are not going the way we planned’. It stayed with me and saw me through many a ‘washed out and raggedy’ day.
I love that you were able to sit quietly enjoying your back garden, and also break bread (and share gooey delicious cheese) with some very dear friends. Sending hugs your way. xox
Lizzy, I know you understand, thank you. The garden is a lovely sanctuary.. x
Celia, so sorry you have been feeling frazzled – hope your week ahead is a happy and peaceful one.
Small man certainly know how to handle a pack of cards – most impressive!
I just love what you did with the brie for with your fabulous bread and rolls.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy, thank you, this week is already looking up. It was nice to have friends over who didn’t mind a simple meal – I wasn’t up to too much more.. x
Wishing you a much less frazzled week ahead…Love the title of your post!
Danielle, thank you! :)
I love that picture of your back yard with your kindle in the foreground. One of my daughters in law says that she reads to ‘lose myself in someone else’s world’.
We all get to that point some days. Take care.
Pat, thank you – reading is a real gift like that, isn’t it? And so lucky to have something like the Kindle these days, makes it all so much easier!
I can totally relate right now. Brie and tulips are two of my favorite things, both would boost my spirits as it sounds like it did yours — especially with friends. :)
Judy, hope you’re ok too. We ate the last of the brie on a pizza last night, and it was delicious! Take care x
Udder Delights is not far from where we live in the beautiful Adelaide Hills :-)
Merryl, their cheese was fantastic! I’m trying not to think about how much fat was in the half a kilo we all ate over the last few days! :D
I love the photo of your deck and garden. Your cheese recipe sounds to die for, I will definitely give it a go. Feeling flat is just a normal part of life. It is temporary and easily fixed by a smile from a friend. :)
Thanks Lisa, the backyard is a very peaceful place. It’s Lorraine’s cheese dip recipe though, and she’s a genius for coming up with it! Here’s her original blogpost:
http://www.notquitenigella.com/2013/06/20/easy-brie-dip/
You guys have had a rough trot lately Celia, you poor old things! Why don’t you take the school holidays off from blogging and everything else and just focus on doing nothing but getting relaxed and well? I’m glad you could have some soul-soothing time with your friends and laugh- that’s the best medicine indeed xox :)
Ah Becca, blogging keeps me sane! Really looking forward to the holidays though! Thanks love xx
Dexterity!
Isn’t he great? Surgeon’s hands, a friend told me. :)
Glad to see you enjoying some of my local treats Celia. I hope it brightened your day. There does seem to be a nasty viral thing going around. My youngest has had it for nearly 4 weeks now. Antibiotics don’t seem to be helping and we’ve had to reschedule her year 12 singing exam twice now. Bad timing for it really.
Amanda, I’m so sorry to hear that, it really IS bad timing. I hope she’s better soon. I was so chuffed to see so much local content in Costco!
[trying to laugh ’cause have been pretty ‘frazzled’ myself the last few weeks!] – Now I am beginning to be convinced that the ruddy low pressure systems above us are causing a lot of knocks at our abilities to cope with setbacks and you are getting it worse than us: just don’t look at the synoptic chart for you and me for the next few days . . . and I have a wonky roof! Don’t have an eReader but a book and cup of herbal sounds just right after mailcall! al the best . . . [oh, ‘The Rose of Martinique’ by Andrea Stuart is probably the best book on the ‘ancien regime’ in France I have ever, ever read: you wouldn’t want to get up to cook dinner :) !]
Eha, we’re so influenced by the change in weather, aren’t we? The whole family has been off-colour, with Small Man copping it the worst. We’re coming out of it now. Hope you’re feeling less frazzled soon as well. :)
I love the glimpse of your peaceful garden Celia. How did you serve that beautiful gooey cheese? Have a good week – onwards we march indeed x
Jane, it was very plebby, we just scooped it onto our plates with the big spoon and dipped bits of bread into it, like a fondue. :) Hope your week is going well.. xx
Small Man is certainly good with those cards. What a talented boy he is – he has so many interests. I think we’ve all been feeling a bit ‘under the weather’ and this weather certainly isn’t helping. I’m glad you had some therapeutic time in your backyard. It looks like there was even some sunshine? I do hope life settles down for you Celia. I’m sure good times are ahead xx
You’re had a rough trot too Charlie, hope you’re on the mend as well. I think we’re just getting old, darling.. :) xx
Another wonderful blogger – shared this Eckhart Tolle quote this morning “Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because it is the one you are having at the moment.”
Your body appears to be giving you permission to take time out. It’s possibly it was giving hints before but if you’re anything like me, hints are wasted, and life has to go for the big guns to get our attention.
And in the midst of it all you still create and nurture. To me your pic looks wonderfully peaceful and abundant, how you look to the world belying how you actually feel.
I hope you feel better soon :)
ED, thank you – you made me laugh. My body gave me permission to take time out – with a sledgehammer. :)
Stop, take a deep breath, savour the moment and then carry on! Hugs my friend xox
Thanks Tandy. A wonderful friend said yesterday, “no matter what else happens, we can still bake bread, so we can keep our family fed!” :D
There is a bugger of a viral chesty thing happening in our fair city at the moment isn’t there. My little fella has been coughing for seven weeks now…seven weeks!
Frazzled is a word I could have used to describe things lately here too…or depleted. Sending a big hug your way dear Celia. xxx
Brydie love, it’s been too long since we’ve got together. Would love to catch up whenever you have time? I’ve missed you. x
Don’t forget to look after yourself in amongst all of this because I know you’re always busy looking after everyone else :) I’m so glad that you tried the brie dip and I wish we had some leftover! :P
Lorraine, it was fantastic, thank you! We used our leftovers in a pizza last night! It was sublime!
Never underestimate the healing powers of sitting in one’s yard with a good book. You don’t need to spend the day there but just a few, uninterrupted minutes can work wonders. I hope you find time to do it often, Celia. :)
John, thank you, I really do try to. It’s like taking a little “time out” from life (that’s a baseball term, right?). :)
Celia I do love that cloth in the background of the photo featuring small man’s animal tower. Hope the your frazzles fizzle away soon.
Madge, thank you – it’s a Turkish bedspread! We bought it from Maya at Turkuaz Motif, and it’s been on our big table ever since!
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2012/06/28/turkuaz-motif/
Here’s a slightly better photo:
Reading your blog is always a lovely relaxing thing for me to do and my family love some of the ideas it helps create.. Thanks and feel better soon.
Paula, thank you so much for your kind words. It’s comments like yours that make blogging such a rewarding experience. x
Hallo Celia, since a year or so I am a fan of yours!! My oldest daughter lives in Currimundi on the east Coast of Aus and I wanted to cook things you cook in Aus !!! So I was looking on my p.c. if I could find some receipts and than I found your nice blog !!! I love to follow all the delicious and interesting things you cook and make. I live in The Netherlands and I am very much interested in the lives of my countrymen in Australia. I even have several newsletters from Australian journals so I keep in touch with the lives out there. Kind regards from Hannie Poll – The Netherlands.
Hannie, thank you SO much for your comment! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the blog from so far away! I hope your daughter is enjoying it out here! :)
Sorry you feel frazzled – think the grey skies and cold toes don’t help sadly! Hoping for some sunshine, mugs of hot tea and the company of friends and family to help you get your balance back.
Thanks Claire, sometimes all we need to keep going is little pockets of joy – they help us keep our perspective! Would love some sunshine though – it’s been a bit gloomy, although yesterday was a bit nicer! :)
What a sweet glimpse you created in this post… you invited us in to your state of mind, and your home… just wonderful!!
Moira, that is very kind of you, thank you. I’m always grateful people are willing to read my mad meanderings.. :)
Its so easy to feel frazzled in this fast city. At least you have the serenity of your back yard. there will always be people to comfort you Celia…..just reach out x
T, you’re such a good friend, thanks darling. So nice to see you on Sunday! xx
Love the card tricks! Some days are “Keep calm” and others, at least for me, are “Inner piece through lowered expectations.” It’s important to take care of yourself. (raises cuppa) Maz
Inner peace…. I meant to say. (It’s still early here) :-)
Hehehe..I knew what you meant! Although I did think “in pieces” was a cute and unintended irony.. :) Thanks love xx
If only I could dip some of that bread into that gorgeous looking melted brie and quince jelly right now, it looks so tempting. Good for you taking the time to have some peace in the back yard, hope you’re feeling less frazzled,
Andrea, thank you! It was an easy meal and very therapeutic too! :)
What lovely tasty treats you made for you all & your friends! Waw even.
Everything food related looks really tasty! MMMMMMM!
Thanks Sophie! It was very easy fare! :)
Well Celia that looks like the perfect way to collect yourself. I can only imagine how delicious that cheese would have been on your fresh bread.
My first loaf of Kevin since I got back (Sat) is in it’s final rise on the bench and I can’t wait to bake it. I was a bit worried because I didn’t get anyone to feed him while we were away but he seems to have bounced back. Must have good genes!
Claire, welcome back! We’ve missed you! So glad Kevin bounced back! :)
Hope you and your family, especially Small Man, are back to your normal selves. I too love the gooey look of that cheese, could eat a few spoonfuls right now, forget about the calories.
Thank you, Norma! I forgot to think about the calories too on the weekend.. :)
I missed this post somewhere but send love to your frazzled self and love your photo of the porch, a real mood portrait eXtra big XXXs. Jo
Thanks darling. Wish I was having that cup of tea with you in person! x
Peaceful moments, visits with good friends, and a few delicious bites…I hope these have made things better in your life. Congratulations on achieving your rowing challenge, by the way.
Karen, thank you. Sometimes when we can’t fix big things, we can choose to focus on all the small things that make us so happy and they seem to all add up! :)
I loved the picture..what program did you use. We all need a time out and always its good to share good times…
Norma, thank you – I use the Hipstamatic camera app on the iPhone. This particular combination of lens and film is Libatique and Kodot XGrizzled. x
it’s amazing how a visit with really good friends can change our mood or perspective about anything. Love the cheese!
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