Last week

The wind blew and we had a few showers of rain but our school fete was a success.  My team of plant stallers made over $3,000, which is not bad for a little country school of 90 kids.  The school made over $16,000 for the day.

The white lilac looks so pretty next to the echiums.  It is such a straggly bush for most of the year, I always threaten to pull it out but then forgive it when it is in flower.  My kitchen helper has been busy making and decorating gingerbread.....

We've got a broody hen.  She is so grumpy.....

I bundled up lovely bunches of rhubarb to sell at the fete.  There is still plenty in the garden so I made these rhubarb muffins:

RHUBARB MUFFINS

Preheat oven to 180c.

2 cups rhubarb, finely chopped

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup toasted walnuts (optional)

2 1/2 cups SR flour

1/4 cup neutral oil (canola, grapeseed)

1 egg

1 teasp vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

zest and juice of 1 orange

Topping:  2 tblsp brown sugar, 2 teasp cinnamon

Combine rhubarb with dry ingredients, mix well.

Whisk oil, egg, vanilla, buttermilk, orange juice and rind.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix gently (don't overbeat) till combined.

Pour into muffin trays (I usually spray them with olive oil spray to stop them sticking) and sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixed together.

Bake for approx 20 minutes (15 in the baking oven of the Aga) until a skewer inserted into the centre of the biggest muffin comes out clean.

I usually put some in a tin and the rest in a plastic bag in the freezer for the lunch boxes.