IF YOU PROVIDE IT, THEY WILL COME.
A bit of a scrub, an empty out and refill with fresh water.
Within minutes,they arrive. In for a dip, hop on a rock, shake those tail feathers and off they go.
Such a reward for just a little effort.
We so love our trees (even if they do involve pruning, raking leaves…. but of course, that makes fabulous compost and mulch)
Apart from the shade, flowers and assorted other beauty, trees and shrubs bring our feathered friends.
The Spangled Drongo is such a show off and don’t we love those ‘show-offy’ ways of his. If he’s not swooping and whooping and diving, he’s sharing his vocal talents with all and sundry. He’s a fabulous mimic.
Thank you Mr SPANGLED DRONGO with your shiny-green black coat and fish-tail.
The Little Cellar Rat likes to use sweet potato, English potato, eggplant, capsicum and carrot as a basis then depending on availability, $$ etc, add in parsnip, swede and even zucchini.
For potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, swede: Scrub and leave the skin on OR peel, (depending on how they look) and cut into large chunks or ‘fat fingers’. Microwave or steam for 4-5 minutes then throw into a deepish pan with chunks of capsicum, eggplant and zucchini. Massage everything with just little olive oil and roast in a VERY HOT OVEN, checking occasionally, until you get a chargrilled look.
Cool a little and put into a large bowl with torn basil leaves, de-seeded large green olives and a sprinkling of fresh lemon thyme if you have some.
buon appetito!!
It is the small touches that make a difference, touches such as some local Fortified Red (yes… we used to say PORT but that, joins the likes of CHAMPAGNE) When it’s chilly and damp outside, a nip of THREE RIGHT HANDS fits the bill nicely.
THREE RIGHT HANDS FORTIFIED RED – Made on site by hosts MARY AND TERRY BYRNE. Lipsmackingly good!
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift… that’s why it’s called ‘the present’.
It might sound a little corny but hey, corny’s good, just like the gift of a country sunrise, unfettered and available to all.
The Little Cellar Rat is really a lark, bathed by the sun each morning.
PUMPKIN AND SWEET POTATO SOUP RECIPE AS PROMISED:
500 g of diced pumpkin and sweet potato
200 g diced potato
2 x cloves garlic (minced)
750 ml stock or water (I use just water)
2 large tablespoons of coconut cream
2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut (optional)
2 tsp green curry paste
salt to taste.
Now I am not into gadgets, but I LOVE my KAMBROOK SOUP MAKER.
You bung everything into the KSM and let it do its thing – approx 22 mins all up. perfetto!!
IF you DON’T have one, again bung everything into a big saucepan and cook then blend with a stick blender. Maybe add the coconut cream at the end.
This will keep in the fridge for a week or more…. and improves with ‘fridgering’. (Yes, I made that one up. Like ‘cellaring’ for wine….. but you know what I mean.
buona cucina! buon appetito!
For various reasons we decided against trying to renovate old cane-cutters barracks.
Angelo and Dorelle La Rocca graciously allowed us to use these barracks to draw up plans for our dream of building timber cottages along the lines of original cane cutter dwellings.
Original cane-cutters barracks were often made of pine… and unfortunately a favourite of white ants.
Building from scratch gave us the advantage of choosing Cyprus Pine instead. Beautiful grain, gorgeous honey colour that ages well and best of all not on the Menu for Termites.
We are always aware that the history of this area is a living, breathing thing.
The sugar cane industry has been pivotal to the success of the Isis District and attracted people from all over the world to come and take advantage of the opportunity to make a new life.
They came, they worked, they built lives and raised families.
Cane cutters ‘barracks’ were a natural choice when we decided to open a Bed and Breakfast in 1997.
Come on a pictorial journey with us! It’s good to look back and see how much we’ve accomplished.
We hope you enjoy….
Needed to break the journey, called on the off-chance there was a vacancy. So glad we did. Did not expect to find this little gem: cottage ambience, furniture with a story, generously stocked, best sleep ever. Just hope there’s a VACANCY next time we are this way. Thanks, Mary and Terry! Glenda and Lance SUNSHINE COAST MAY 2019
The Perfect Stop-Over Point to
Explore South East Queensland
- Located at our winery - Hill Of Promise!
- Situated half-way between Brisbane & Rockhampton
- 40 minutes to Bundaberg
- 50 minutes to Maryborough
- 30 minutes to Woodgate beach
- 60 minutes to Hervey Bay & Departure points for Fraser Island & Lady Elliott Island
- 2.25 hours to 1770 - The departure point for Lady Musgrave Island
