As the seasons change so does the Domestic Executive routine.  Nightly chores include putting the chickens to bed, watering the vegetables and tucking up the tomatoes for the night in the greenhouse.  New habits take a while to stick but if I want to keep my greenhouse cargo safe from evening chills then diligence must [...]

You’d have thought I was sprinting for an Olympic medal to see me dashing down the garden yesterday.  Ok, it was more of a fast shuffle with arms waving wildly to keep my balance as I navigated bumps and slopes in my garden clogs but speed was on my mind.  I simply had to reach [...]

It’s hard to recall when I fell out of love with Nigella the cook.  I think it was something to do with her prepping her brined turkey wearing a negligee on her Christmas TV special.  There is a fine line between food porn and just plain porn and I think she may have crossed the [...]

You could be forgiven for thinking it was high summer in New Zealand and not early autumn. Although the mornings are darker and the nights arrive earlier this continuous sunshine is nothing short of marvellous.  I shall never tire of bright sunny days although at least two people I worked with this week dared to [...]

Won’t be long before these red beauties will be long green succulent beans and they’ll be palmed  off on anyone who shows and interest of adding them to their dinner table. It’s a complete indulgence to grow so many but I love the splash of colour they bring to the garden. A splash of red [...]

There is no drearier reminder that the holidays are over when Auld Lang Syne stops playing incessantly in one’s head and the Christmas decorations are taken down for another year. Expunging the carols, the colour and that frivolous yet satisfying seasonal tat is like a bugle call to return to normal life. At least here in the [...]