Organised camp cooking ... the dream pot

I so wish I had a better picture. Check out the website Dream Pot for better pics.

Basically, reminiscent of the old hay box cookery theory, the dreampot is a thermal cooker. You start the cooking on a stove/fire/gas burner, get heat into it, then put it into a big thermal container for up to 8 hours while it cooks.

It's like a slow cooker without the electricity - but better! No burning round the sides like a slow cooker (cause there is no heating element). And the flavour is better. More like the flavour of something slow cooked in a slow oven for hours on end.

We made stews, a mexican mince dish, with a side of brown rice, baked custards and creamed rices.

It was perfect to help us eat healthily, but not waste a lot of time cooking.

And yes - after 8 hours it was still PIPING hot.

I loved this! So much that I will keep using it at home. Watch this space, I'll post recipes as we try it!

For the kids ...

I love a place that caters for my girl. It makes my day so much easier if she can have fun first!

I really love a place with makeshift instruments for her to play ... thought I would post a few pics for ideas ... I'm thinking of making some for home!






But what I really really love is this!




A grandy who would make a lagerphone for his little Miss E.
So country. So aussie. So much love in it.


Miss E told everyone "Not everybodies grandy loves them enough to make them a lagerphone!"

The old timers loved it. She jammed around a few campfires.

And I think it brought back memories for some bush poets that lived close by.

It made our muster really special

Of course ...

Some people go completely over the top.





The infamous Swill Hill!

Pack well!

We don't have a big car. In a campsite that is over run with 4WDs and motorhomes, our car is a bit of a novelty. (actually - our car IS unusual here in Australia, and it IS a novelty!)

I know it amuses my parents every time we pull up in our overrun car, but trust me ... it IS organised!

There is a place for everything ... and as long as I pack the car then I know it can all be found if and when we need it. And I am getting closer to getting it right. We used almost everything I packed this time.




My greatest compliment this trip was from an old bushpoet who we sat around a campfire with on the final night.

He said "you rolled up in this funny car and dragged the tent out ... and we thought we'd get a laugh at you city folk. But then it was like MAGIC. The tent went up ... and everything came out. It was magic."

He went on to say "And the next morning you and your daughter got up and I realised you even packed the gumboots and you somehow had room for them!"

I laughed. It's gympie. When it rains it turns into a mudpit. Of course we packed the gumboots.

Muster On!

We love the Gympie Muster. Think 6 days ... 13 venues ... 79 acts of country, blues, rock, dancing, comedy ... and quite a bit more.

It is an amazing project put together by the Gympie Apex Club. This club of young volunteers (they get kicked out at 45!) put this on as their major (actually their ONLY) fundraiser of the year.

Every year the club takes one month off ... then preparations begin for the following muster.

Some of the biggest artists in Australia hit the muster every year, but it's not just the music ... it's the spirit of the muster that keeps us coming back.

Some people go a little overboard with the muster - some pretty impressive campsites eventuate ... like this (and this isn't even an impressive one ... but I couldn't believe they took the pool table!)



We however try to keep things simple. We are really only at our site for breakfast and to sleep ... so there is no point getting too elaborate ... we are quite comfortable tho thank you ;)







Anyway ... all this to say ... that I thought I'd do a few totally self indulgent posts on our few days away. I'll share a little wisdom of what works for us ... but mainly share some of the things we love.

The muster gives us time to reconnect as a family, and as a couple. We get away from it all, get to do something we love, and take time to talk and make plans.

And make plans we did. There will be a few changes in our home and a few new projects for the blog! Exciting times ahead!

We are HOME!

It's been a fun, cold, warm, dusty, dusty (did I say dusty?) week with just a little mud thrown in for fun.

Where from? The National Music Muster in Gympie!




I'm tired and just veging out tonight (while doing copious loads of laundry) - but I can't wait to share our adventures ! (and some tips while I'm at it!)

Be back tomorrow with the goss!