Off grid in a caravan. Some musings about cooking

When I utter the words "We live in a caravan," I can see people's minds going. They are fascinated by the mechanics of daily living in a tiny space. When I go the next step and mention that we are currently off grid as well, then questions erupt. Bathroom, cooking, power, clothes washing.... But I have been thinking lately about what things I really appreciate having here in the caravan what we have stashed that we really could manage without and what more travel weight we could discard.
 

We have over the years collected some things and discarded others. There are a lot less of what once would have been essentials in my cupboards. And probably much more to discard when K is not looking. The longer we spend off grid, rather than attached to town electricity and water the less I utensils I use.


So to answer the cooking question .... Top of the list has to be the BBQ. Oven and cook plate in one package. Next has to be my coffee pod machine. Runs on the inverter. Followed by my coffee plunger for essential beverage production on grey sky days. Kettle to boil water. On second thoughts maybe coffee making first and BBQ second. We can always make a sandwich.

 

While I still have a full set of saucepans, which are still in the drawer cos K bought them specially on our first caravan trip, most days I get out either one medium pot or the fry pan the same size. I have a lid that fits both.
For larger jobs I choose a 26cm square fry pan with a lid and detachable handles. Two square light weight metal tins complete the regularly used things.


 I manage most stove top meals in one pan these days. Stove top pot roasts with vegies, stir fries and casseroles. I cook my meat in the pan and pop vegies with a bit of liquid and season in tin foil to steam. Either lazy or very clever. Not sure which.    


 Ditch the rest of the saucepans and free up a drawer I reckon. Plenty of tin foil, cling wrap and baking paper and I'm set.

Our outside kitchen consists of the BBQ and my portable two burner cook top. The BBQ doubles as my oven and the aforementioned saucepan, large fry pan sans handles and my loaf pan are my bake ware.  I double line the pan and use it for cakes and bread. The square saucepan is good for scones, homemade fries, and baked meat. I wrap things in tin foil and pop them alongside or in the pan.

 

Simple really.


Cheers Sue

Grandma duty.

Home made yogurt, stewed apples from a tree somewhere up the back of the farm and the first ripe wild blackberries for the season. I make a good breakfast.

I have been off air for a week or two. Family things filling our time. Both of the Crookwell farmers are out of action so Grandma is on school run and dog feeding duty. K is working elsewhere so I am solo in the caravan for a week or two.
Miss Nearly Five has just started school and the drive to school each morning is very exciting. Every truck, bike and animal on the way is commented on. Today the white horse was closer to the fence. The yellow truck was on the road in front of us and two boys were riding bikes. She waves at the dog walkers and stops to pick up leaves and things on the pathway into school.




Yesterday I was given a tiny yellow flower and told that I was her favourite grandma, which made me very proud. (To put that in perspective...Nanna is her favourite nanna, Mummy is her favourite mummy, Poppy is her favourite poppy.... you get the idea. )
The favourite day of the week is Tuesday. After school gymnastics in a local hall.

The school entered an art work of Miss Nearly Five's in the Crookwell show. She came first in her age. Very proud relatives indeed. It was apparently a rainbow in the car mirror!

Master One Year Old learned to walk while we were away after Christmas. He is now confidently getting around. He has also worked out how to open things and most importantly to insist on being lifted up for a cuddle. Melt your heart it does. He is a constant source of amusement. And boy can he move fast! And empty a plastics cupboard at lightening speed. His favourite thing, while we are on the subject, is to walk around with a sachet of his favourite baby custard in each hand.







So solo caravan off grid...... The power is good. Solar panels doing well in the sunlight. So morning coffee under control. Hot water for shower ok. I had to have a refresher in how-to switch the gas bottles over when they run out. Will have to empty the toilet cassette and pump water in from the rain water tank sometime soon. Ok with the second task not so happy about the first.




Cheers Sue










 

Family sheep business

Last weekend it was time for the lambs to get their next lot of inoculations. Our daughter called it "mother's and babies checkup". Truly it was a family affair.

Presiding over the proceedings was Miss Nearly Five, who can be seen above bringing the mob in. Miss Nearly Five is very comfortable around the sheep. And she is already knowledgeable about farm things. Great life for a kid.

Master One Year Old gave verbal advise from the arms of who ever was holding him at the time. That is when he wasn't playing in his pen or recovering from his hard work in his bed.

The big boss, our son-in-law was still a bit crook after surgery so he inhabited the supervisor in chief's chair, getting up to weigh a lamb here and there. (They are putting on weight nicely)

Racing around lifting, dragging, injecting and sorting were K, Aunty J, Uncle W and neighbour Zeb. And doing an enormous amount of work, including some crutching was our daughter. She looked quite professional with a lamb on the boards and shearing gear in her hand.

I was on baby watching duty.

Ewes and lambs were mustered, drafted, treated for any sign of flies. Lambs were injected, ear tagged and drenched, sprayed and crutched if necessary. Mothers and babies were united and moved out to the paddock. Dust, noise, ( believe me you haven't heard noise until you have been near a couple of hundred ewes calling for their individual baby among a couple of hundred lambs) heat, flies, in fact all the elements of a summer day around sheep.

 

The catering for these weekends of farm work is always impressive. Brownies with our cuppas, baked potatoes with all the fixings for dinner and a BBQ lunch with brioche buns and salad.

Silly  me forgot to take any photos so these amazing ones are courtesy of Master One Year Old and Miss Nearly Five's Aunty J who kindly gave me permission to use them. Good thing cos the pictures make the post I reckon.

Life is good.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move.

Window in the shed. Mr Fix It triumphs again.

This window left over from renovations in Brisbane travelled back with us just before Christmas. A great example of family contributing to K's collection of very useful stuff.

 Yesterday I popped my head into the shed attracted by the sound of metal shrieking to find K balanced on the arm of the old lounge and the step ladder creating a hole in the back wall of our little shed lounge room.

Soon the hole was finished and I got enlisted to help manoeuvre the window into the gap. (Lots of huffs are needed to make a window fit a hole).

Soon the thing was in. And I have to admit the increase in light as well as the air flow is very welcome.

Some screws to secure it and grey silicon to seal it and it looks like there was always a window in that spot.

Then K went hunting for the curtain and fixings we took out of the caravan front window when he put in the blind and like magic....no money spent......we have a front and back window with matching curtains. (The front window has spare caravan curtains as well)

Ok we did buy the bits for a fly screen today and he has to put the cladding in around the corner but I reckon that is a great Mr Fix It project.

Good job! And thanks kids.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move

Kookaburra sits under the sprinkler. And phone woes.

Kookaburras provide endless entertainment at Rathmines. This one likes to keep cool and clean. He appeared promptly to preen under the sprinkler as soon as it was turned on.


We were getting a quick water in a fortnight ago before we locked up and headed to the farm for a few weeks. I looked out the window and managed to grab this shot to complete the set I posted here. http://fergsonthemove.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/kookaburra-sits-in-pergola.html?m=1




We have pretty much stayed on the property since we arrived back and the phone signal has been atrocious. I think the phone gods have it in for me. Just as I am getting frustrated enough to consider buying new phones and wiz bang antennas to match we have three days in a row with two bars and enough internet signal to chat.
I get used to it and the next morning...not a flicker.




I have taken to saving my posts up until we are in town. Or driving up the road a km or two and parking under a tree. (They are grading the road this week so parking is a bit hazardous for my health)




Anyway that's my excuse for the lengthy silences between posts.





Cheers Sue


A Ferg on the Move

Drowning in Yarn. Me versus the yarn stash

A week into the new year already.

We are settling into somewhat of a pattern of moving between the caravan on the farm and our room here at Rathmines. (K is deep into his fixing here this week....Farm next week. Still moving, we are)

One of my aims from last year was to attack the yarn stash. In all fairness to K, since I am at him all the time about how he finds and wants to keep "useful things", I felt it was only fair to be ruthless with my essential junk as well.

So how am I going.? Only fair if I am to be honest. You see my daughter requested  this cot blanket for Master One Year Old. Loved the pattern. Got right into it. Yarn had to be purpose bought. On special of course. (I did knit a blue and white in the same stitch out of my stash first. One up to me)

End result pretty impressive. Yarn left over however so....(Sue one, yarn stash one)

Then an elderly friend downsizing after many years of crafting brought a huge bag of textured yarn to Bible School last week. Everyone rummaged through it and most of it went.

But.... Some balls of fluffy yarn in pinks, greens, blues and greys remained lurking in the bottom of the bag. Now I could have taken them to the op shop. Hmm. I tried. I really did. You can't blame me. My needles lept into my hands and I found myself doing the only thing that should be done with odd balls of yarn. Squares.   

No yarn in my collection for joining. So pink yarn from the op shop.

And a dozen 50 gm balls assorted fluffy green, blue and grey still in the bottom of the bag.( Sue one, yarn stash too many)

I have redeemed myself with this. A bedspread in its infancy. Using my stash of black beige, brown and multi coloured yarn. A bit of relief from fluff and pink. But yarn stash bigger not smaller.

I suppose this should teach me to be kinder to K when he finds some fascinating piece of usefulness. But the look on his face when I remind him that we live in a caravan is just too good.

Mind you I probably need to keep the comment inside my head for a bit. And sell some afghans soon as well. Cos there is no more room in the box for any more.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move. (and crocheting madly)

Kookaburra sits in the pergola

We have been at Rathmines at our Bible School all week. Very busy but wonderful time with friends as well as the Brisbane family and grandkids.

There have been kookaburras here for as long as I can remember, right back to when I came here first as a relatively shy 7 year old. They return season after season. Just like us. Often I am woken by their laughter. Sometimes at first light. Not quite so good a sound at that time of the morning.

As we were setting up for the onslaught of the hoards I looked out to see this beauty sitting on the line of sparkly lights supervising the setting out of the patio tables and chairs. He eyed me off and consented to a photo shoot.

Later in the week this one was perched above the BBQ. If a sausage fell he would guard it from his friends until it was cool enough to pick up then dive bomb the snag, and find a place to enjoy. Shake his head, break off a bit, catch it and swallow quickly.

Kookaburra swings on the patio there

checking out the placement of every chair.

Right kookaburra, left kookaburra

Looks good put right there.

Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree,

Eying off the sausages he can see.

Wait kookaburra, wait kookaburra

Soon cool they will be.

A bit of silliness on a hot night.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move