The Diggers Club with a RabidLittleHippy

St Erth's - The Diggers Club, Blackwood, Victoria

Honest, its her blog name and if you haven't had the pleasure then here is the link to rabidlittlehippy.  The post I've linked was a catchup post and I'm expecting a similar one very soon as Jess has been a bit quiet lately on the blogging front.  The lack of a phone with a camera (I've remedied that today) has been an issue but i think she also just needed some time.  There is so much going on in her world i don't know how she keeps up.  A simple life can also be a hard working life and when you are still in the first few years there is a lot of that hard work to do building the infrastructure and waiting and waiting and waiting for things to grow. Add doing all that with three little ones, blogging time disappears or loses it priority.   So no guilt Jess, we are all just patiently waiting for you to be ready.
 

I grabbed the opportunity for a break away from the family today.  All women should learn to read "the signals" so that when an opportunity such as this arrives you can grab it and run before it disappears. All family members must be well fed and have planned activities.  Snacks must be available throughout your intended period of absence and there be some sort of resemblance of order to the house. Knowing of course that when you back it wont still be that way. Just Breathe. You have to be prepared for the odd phone call although it helps if you drive into a mobile reception black hole like we did today.

Despite an afternoon of chatter (i seem to have that effect of people) Jess has Laryngitis so it was like spending the afternoon with Demi Moore beside me, though way more interesting.  Once we escaped her family as well (I'm getting good at this) we took a quick drive to Blackwood to visit St Erth's, one of The Diggers Club's gardens.

 You Tube - The Diggers Club

See my gorgeous blond companion.  That bag looks like its full already but its full of empty bags in anticipation of  of a splurge.

Lucky for me she was there to let me know what will and wont grow and what to buy and what not to buy. I bought a Thornless Blackberry "Waldo" and a Thornless Loganberry in anticipation of my fence garden.  I also bought small bags of seeding potatoes (Buy 2 get 1 Free - Gotcha!!! - Nicola, King Edward and Kipfler) and a bag of climbing Sugar Snap Peas.  Jess added to the mix from her private collection at home some corn (six different colours) and purple cauliflower.   She knows how i love colour in my garden.

Jess browsing the wares.  

There are beautiful gardens to explore but i think we will come back and do this in spring when everything is in full bloom and the Cafe is open with coffee.  

We spent quite a bit of time in the car park talking, admiring the split paling fence and chomping on contraband.  

With Jess and I its a bit of a challenge to out gift each other.  I think she won today and apart from the excellent company i came away with some seriously big potatoes (that had been gifted to her), seeds, a bag of wood that Martin kindly sought and delivered to the car and some prize winning turnips.

I'm encouraging Jess to take this one on as a gift for the future.  It smelt divine but I'm not paying $7 a block.  Looks like something she could learn at Gav and Kym's advanced soap course coming up.    

Advanced Soap Making - 31 August

Once back at Jess's she took the lemons & butter i had brought, added some of her eggs and sugar whipped up some Lemon Butter.  Its took minutes of standing there watching (not stirring) in her Thermomix.  Do i need another reason to get one?  The price is not falling fast enough for me.

Look at the colour - you know it was her fresh eggs don't you?  

Several pretty jars later and i am stocked for not only myself but gift giving as well.   We had a lovely afternoon together and we are already planning a sleep over at my place.  Just the girls, Jess and Allegra.

Cheeky girl, i took seven photos before i got won that wasn't a blur.  Such energy!

Thanks for Visiting Living In The Land Of Oz.