Winter is here!

 Normally we ease into winter here but this year it has arrived early....at least that is what it seems to me. I can remember the weather being quite balmy at the beginning of winter a few years ago but that is certainly not the case now. At least the sun is shining again after weeks of overcast skies and rain and there is nothing like enjoying the sunshine on a cold, frosty and crisp morning. 

Today was the first time I have seen frost this winter although we may have had one last week and I was still under the covers staying warm and didn't see it but I was up a tad earlier today and crunched my way around the garden in my gumboots. I don't think my plants were damaged unlike last year when we had a severe frost.

When walking around the garden I can't see a lot of colour at the moment apart from ....

....the pansies I planted a few weeks ago. They always put on a nice show in winter thankfully.

I made some soap using Jan Berry's Palm-free soap, vegan, no butters from her book 'Simple and Natural Soapmaking' and added some fragrance oils that a friend sent me years ago which really needed to be used up. I had put off adding them to my soap batches as knew they would darken the soap but this batch was for the men and they couldn't care about the colour. I can't remember the names of the oils now but I think one was cinnamon spice and the other may have been pumpkin spice but whatever it was the soap spells delightful. I added some calendula petals as well. I dried a heap a while back so I really need to get organised and use them. 

I hope everyone is doing okay in these tough times. I know a lot of people are struggling financially and of course there is the issue here in Queensland of renters having to leave their homes which are being sold and can't find anywhere else to live. Some are living in their cars apparently. The recent floods haven't helped either as many houses are now unlivable. 

There are many good ideas on blogs I follow that might be helpful like Patsy's series For such a time as this . I have read Patsy's blog for years and she never ceases to amaze me. Annabel has lots of links to other blogs on her blog too The Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm.  Just look in her sidebar for them. There was also a young girl on TV last night who was sharing her saving tips. Her blog is Aussie Debt Free Girl. 

We have always lived frugally as it was the way we were brought up and also it was because we had to. I do feel for young people today who are paying off a huge mortgage and now interest rates have gone up. Thankfully we paid off our house in the first few years of our marriage and that is a real bonus at this stage of our life. 

Has anyone else noticed Blogger changes? I find I can't comment on blogs on my iPad as I get a message to sign in with Google even though I am already signed in. Then when I try to sign in again it just seems to go round in circles. Usually I can comment on my Android phone but the screen is so small it is difficult to write a comment. However, I still read my Blogger friends' blogs even though I can't comment so don't feel neglected. LOL! 

Have a great week and enjoy the sunshine if you live in Queensland.