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Sunday, February 16, 2014

Sunday 16/2

Finally the sound of rain on our tin roof. There really aren't too many sounds that are nicer. It rained on and off yesterday but not heavily. Enough to wet the earth a little and put a bit of hope in the heart for more. It did make outside activities much nicer too.
 

 Blackberry picking was on the agenda. It is one of those jobs that doesn't wait for a time when you are ready. It is either pick them quickly or the birds have them. Today my three blackberry pickers brought me back enough for four jars of jam. And with only one or two scratches each, I'd say that's a good day picking blackberries.


They were gone for ages though and when I checked the camera, I could see why. Resting up and snacking on berries by the creek probably took more time than the actual fruit picking.


 As you can see though it is mighty dry and brown in the paddocks. So hooray for this lovely rain.

I didn't make it down to the creek side to pick the berries, I was holed up in the kitchen dealing with zucchini. Making cakes and slices. I'll be grating some more tomorrow for fritters and zucchini burgers which are my favourite.




                                                     Chocolate and Zucchini Cake
Ingredients

110 grams butter, softened
180 grams brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 tsp coffee
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp bicarb
1 tbsp cocoa
2 cups grated zucchini, drained well
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
Grease and line a loaf tin.
Cream sugar and butter until pale then add the eggs, coffee and vanilla.
Sift in the dry ingredients and combine.
Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips and mix until well distributed through the mixture.
Spread into prepared tin and bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
 
 
This afternoon I'm writing letters. I received a couple of postcards last week and a few letters too. My letterbox was a very happy place.
Tracy

7 comments:

Joolz said...

Those zucchinis seem to be in plague proportions, everyone is groaning out the number they have.
One lady thought she'd only plant out 6 then so did her husband so they have 12 plants fruiting all at once!

Anonymous said...

Your post bought back memory's of my brother and I going off to pick blackberries and mum would make us blackberry pie with cream,so yummy,glad you got some rain Tracy.xx

Sunnybrook Farm said...

We have lots of wild black berry bushes but as you say, birds love them and we have these huge beetles called June bugs that get in with the berries to eat. When you disturb them they fly in all directions and sound like bumble bees. Takes some getting used to. Hopefully no troubles like that for your pickers!

Fiona said...

yum....
Hugz

Texan said...

I have to ask, silly a question as it maybe, are those cows? A really silly question coming from someone who lives in Texas. If they are we do not have cows here that I have ever seen that have hair like that.:O)

Endah Murniyati said...

Your blackberry look so yommy. You have a great land with the creek. So beautiful. You remind me to my childhood, play on the creek in my grandma farmland.

Anonymous said...

Delicious with chocolate. Good idea to use zucchinis..
Thank you..