Well goodness me… it has been a while between posts hasn’t it! The last one was April 2022 to be exact. That is ridiculous. Anyway, let’s not dwell on that, let’s just get into 2023. How are you? I can’t believe it is the 16th January already, how on earth did that happen?
My oldest boy – Tom – graduated year 12 last year… how did that happen? Harry will be heading back to boarding school my himself next week and going into year 11 and Clancy will be commencing his last year with Mt Isa School of the Air. We have our Governess – Miss Ellah – coming back for a second year to finish Clancy’s primary schooling off and I can’t even tell you how happy I am about that! I never have to find another Governess! We are so glad she is coming back. That will be about 13-14 years of finding Govie’s! Done.
My mum – DD – has been up visiting for nearly a month. It has been so good having her here and the time has gone so fast. I would have gone totally bat shit crazy if she wasn’t here (I would have been the only girl on the station). I did go a little bat shit crazy there for a short while but we won’t discuss that, my lovely neighbour Shelly talked me off the ledge. I will be so sad when Mum leaves on Sunday, she is going to head into town with Harry and fly with him to Brisbane where he will return to school and Mum will continue on to NSW. We have had such a great time and have even been doing water aerobics which is quite therapeutic to be honest.
It has been very quiet here on the station. I have been cooking and DD has been my official taste tester and judge. I have even mastered the Vanilla Slice and it has made the cut into the new cookbook! It got the DD tick of approval and she is quite the Vanilla Slice connoisseur.
I have a new cookbook that I am about to send off to the printers very soon – Miss Chardy’s Bakery. It will be available for purchase in early March so stay tuned. Packed full of all of my favourite baked goods plus other random recipes. It will have a dedicated sourdough section telling you the easy way to make sourdough. Despite what all of the people will tell you – you don’t actually need anything fancy, just flour, water & salt. To get your starter going you just need flour and water. It really isn’t that hard. People love to overcomplicate and confuse the process. So stay tuned.
Now look, I could bang on for about 75 pages because it has been so long since we chatted but I am just going to go with “done is better than perfect” and “something is better than nothing” and finish up.
It is time for me to head over to the kitchen and feed Doughlene (my sourdough starter).
Here is our menu for this week:
Have a great week my friends. I would love to hear from you, please leave me a comment in the comment section below. Tell me everything. Happy New Year!
Looking forward to the new cookbook 😃
Absolutely love hearing what’s happening at your end of the world and what you’re cooking…..
Life does get so busy doesn’t. Here’s to 2023 to do more less mundane stuff 🍾
Happy New Year! My girlfriend put me on to your recipe book! Love it! My partner and I run the RTA depot in Katherine and I run the cattle weighbridge across the road too! I love reading and meeting people through social media. Although we are not in the outback as such I’m a WA girl originally and now in my early 50’s it’s nice to have an insight Into station life for other like minded woman! Also I love baking. Although I don’t cook to your extent we always have extra mouths to feed living and working in the depot. I look forward to your next cook book and following along.
I sound like a real stalker..😜 I promise you I’m not ☺️
I just love cattle and the industry we are in.
All the best for 2023
Cheers ( sorry not with a Chardy but an SSB )
Kendra
Welcome back – I’ve missed you. Hope 2023 is tops for you.
Dan it seems like a minute ago you were in Brisbane starting your eldest at HS! Wow! Congratulations on one finished HS, one in midst & last year of primary school for your baby! Wow! Love your catch ups
Looking forward to the cookbook and love your uncomplicated approach.
Lovely to hear from you Dan, all the best for 2023! I use your cookbook every week looking forward to your next book
Hi love your posts, and cookbook! Looking forward to buy the next one! Thanks for your enthusiasm for all things living in the bush! I own a cattle station, not as remote as you and love every aspect. Keep up the great work 😀👍
Morning Danielle. I’m going to be following your blog – why did I not before??? I find your cooking inspiring. Thanks for sharing. My Boarder -Chelsea- is home until the 29th then will commence Year 12. Toby just finished his first year of and Diesel Fitters apprenticeship and lives with us. Til next time …
Hi Dan! Oh my gosh I’ll be one of the first to get in line for your new book, I use your other amazing book all the time! Miss listening to you & Ed on your podcast but goodness life does get in the way doesn’t it!
We are busy down South, took 2 months to get through shearing with all the rain we had, which was nice though we have lovely green grass under the dry grass! We are heading off on a holiday mid next month hopefully, will be so great to get away for a bit!
Isn’t it crazy just how fast our kids grow up, you’ll be looking forward to no more school of the air!
It just occurred to me recently that this year that all our kids will be in their twenties after our youngest turns 20 in August!!
Anyway, I’m sitting in the ute waiting for my crew to bring a mob of sheep along so I’ll sign off.
Take care dear Dan.
Kerry xx
Hello I love your cookbook it was given to me as a present and since bought 2 to give to other lovely cooks. Love Grandpa Kevvies cheesecake, made it for a couple of Xmas gatherings. We live in Yass NSW and I grew up on our family farm moved away and have now retired and returned to Yass to live. I always enjoyed our shearing time when we cooked for the shearers and they were fed very well. I am related to Callum Hedges who worked for you a couple of years ago, he misses your cooking 🤩
Look forward to your next cook book, happy 2023, regards Helen
It is lovely to read you have had your Mum with you for a time no matter how old we are we always need our Mum’s. I am looking forward to your next cookbook as I love the first It is in my terms of understanding and makes me feel I want to cook. I hope 2023 will be a good year for you all.
Take care
Shayne
Hi from Central West NSW. Looking forward to your next book 🙂 Ive been working my way through your first book – totally in love with the caramel slice!
How lovely to have had your mum – yes – we always need our mums! I agree with Shayne. I too love that it’s all so easy to read, understand and follow.
Hope you are somewhere cool – it’s a stinker of a hot day here again today :0
Hey Dan!
Love the new look website!
Miss you & Ed on your great podcast on my drives to town.
Have ordered your new book, very excited!
Oh thanks so much Kerry, we promise we are getting our act together on the podcast front, we miss doing it and have to get our shit together!!! We can’t wait for a good old podcast catch up!