{recipe} Cumquat Jam

A big thank you to my Aunty 3P for this cumquat jam recipe. I lost it twice and she was very kind to email it to me again. Thanks Aunty 3P!!!
We have a lovely big cumquat tree in our front yard (or used to be front yard, soon to be courtyard). I have always wanted to make this jam, but just never got around to it. When Aunty 3P and her daughter (cousin 3P) came to visit at Christmas time, I asked for the recipe.
It's a little fiddly to pick out the seeds, but the results are worth it. Mr 3P has been eating it by the spoonful.

Cumquat Jam

4 lb cumquats
6 lb sugar
1 quart boiling water
Thinly slice fruit, removing the seeds (usually plentiful) - tie seeds in a piece of calico or soft fabric.
Cover fruit and seeds with boiling water - leave overnight.
Boil fruit until soft (with the parcel of seeds, so make sure tied tightly, otherwise seed-search isn't pleasant) - take the seed parcel out when fruit is softened and squeeze all the goodies into the jam liquid.
Add sugar - boil for a good 30 minutes.
Then the saucer test - cold saucer, spoon a small quantity of liquid on the saucer to determine if it 'jellys', this step is probably one you already know?
Pour into pre-sterilised jars, wait till it cools and enjoy!

Yummy served on scones (recipe here)

I've only made jam a few times and the first time was in the bread machine (which worked well) and it was plum jam. 

I'm linking this post to

Kojo designs - Friday fun finds

A Beach Cottage - Good Life Wednesday

Memory Lane - Sydney Harbour

 Another Memory Lane, this time it's our Christmas Road Trip on the way home to Melbourne we stopped in to visit family in Sydney. It was the first time the pickles had seen Sydney and the first time I had been on one of the ferries on the harbour.

Sydney Opera House

It rained for the trip to Manly, but the sun came out on the trip back.

Mr 3P and Aunty 3P trying to keep all the pickles entertained on the ferry. They had their work cut out for them!

Harbour Bridge.

Luna Park

Pickle #1 being a poser.

We had such a great day. Later that night we travelled to Goldburn to stay the night and then  home to Melbourne the next morning.
I love our family road trips and hope they will form part of many wonderful childhood memories for my pickles. They are growing up way too fast.
Where to next?

I'm linking this post to A Beach Cottage - Good Life Wednesdays.

Extension Update & Thanks

The beams are just about complete and the whole frame will be ready for inspection in a few days! The roof will then go on...woooo hooo! 

Mr 3P had some help the other day with  the second half of the roof beams. Thank you to Uncle 3P and our friend Rob, but we'll just call him Jacob....he knows why.............

Sorry I didn't wear my little hat or make lemonade.

Maybe next time......

x Marnie, Mr 3P and the 3 Pickles

David Austin Rose

Mr 3P gave me a beautiful David Austin rose bush for Valentines Day. It's an Abraham Darby and he smells very sweet and fruity.
Aint he sweet? I'm talking about Mr 3P, not the rose ;)
It will sit in it's little pot until winter, then he'll find his new home somewhere in the garden. I noticed he had a little bit of "black spot" (now I'm talking about the rose). Not sure how to get rid of that. Looking much better than when he came home from the nursery (it was a little dark and dingy where they had left him)

Here's some other friends to keep him company.
Have a great day.

x Marnie

Spring Onion & Friends

Just  few photos of bits of our garden and some friendly visitors.
Our garden makes me happy.
I'm linking this post to Sarah's Good Life Wednesday
at A Beach Cottage.

This rose smells like lollies.

Plum blossoms.

Playing with RAW and hue sliders.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree.

Merry merry king of the bush is he.......................

The girls having a roam with Pickle #3

Farmer Pickle.

Have a great Wednesday

x Marnie


linking to
A Southern Daydreamer

Happy Valentines Day

We don't do much when it comes to V day, but I made this pic for Mr 3P and put it in a pretty white frame. The numbers represent latitude and longitude of where we first met. ;)
He liked it.
Hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day.

x Marnie

Memory Lane - Sawn Rocks, Mount Kaputar National Park, New South Wales

Back down memory lane again today, this time it's our road trip to Queensland. So many things to see on the way. I'm hanging for another road trip soon! Not sure where?

On day three, the final leg of our road trip to Queensland, we left our Narrabri bungalow for an early start. I thought we were driving straight through, with a few mini breaks and lunch, until Mr 3P started to turn off the highway and at the same time asking "Are you all wearing walking shoes?"
Wait.........What the.........????????
About half an hour later we arrived at the base of Mount Kaputar. The kids were moaning and groaning about turning off their DVDs (blessed little angels!!) And I was moaning and groaning (on the inside) about this walk "Better be a walk and not a climb!!".
Turned out to be an easy 1.5km return walk, with the end result being the coolest rock formation I have ever seen. Beats Hanging Rock any day!! (and I love Hanging Rock BTW)

Mount Kaputar National Park is located on the edge of the NSW north west slopes, centred on the Nandewar Range. The range's distinctive landform is a result of volcanic activity which occurred about 17-21 million years ago!

I can see a face, can you?  Reminds me of that Night at the Museum movie "I want some gum, gum for my dumb, dumb"

All these rock formations are not carved or sawn (like the name). they just look that way due to the volcanic activity, when the rock cooled quickly.

I'm linking this post to A Beach Cottage -http://www.abeachcottage.com/ Good Life Wednesdays

x Marnie