him

wildly approaching two
and all that means for a little boy....and his Mama
we live inside a whirlwind together
alternating between the confronting layers of concentrated energy, honest passion and the tenderness of one tiny boys love
mothering accosts me and kindles me, flattens me and fills me
it builds me inside the eye of the storm

lemons and lavender

When there is a surplus of citrus from various home grown, organic sources and a rather large flowering lavender bush that has been catching your eye for weeks.... there's not much else to do but let the creative juices flow, maybe do a little research then get baking and making.

We baked absolutely heavenly lemon and lavender cookies to be precise.

Seriously if you do nothing else this citrus season you just must try these cookies...I insist!

You can find the easy recipe I followed right here...it also has links to manual instructions if you're not an appliance type of gal like me. And I have to admit I simplified the manual instructions even further and we did most of the crushing and combining with our own little hands...well isn't that really the only way to cook?

And the making? Well, aside from plucking the delicate mauve spikes of that lavender bush to inhale every time we brush by, we made lavender wands.

Their sweetness now preserved in a pretty case to tuck delicately into our clothes for future reminiscence... and just maybe to inspire more lavender and lemon cookies...who knows? wink

There are lots of tutorials for lavender wands around but I referred to my latest library book companion for some simple instruction. This book is seriously great...though Australian. You just may find yourself, like me, eyeing off plants in your wanders in a completely new and inspiring light! Even the lavender.

running for red

Under a perfectly cloudless winters morning many happy little faces anticipated a day today filled with fun and colour and action..

I don't think they were disappointed.

Adorned in crimson and fresh green and sunny gold the little ones found there was running and jumping and ball games to be played.

And there were picnics to be eaten.

There were proud Mum's and Dad's to clap and cheer and photograph...

(and one almost spent Mama to chase a wild younger sibling who has not yet mastered the art of being either spectator or cheer squad).

Though best of all at the end of the day there was a happy face and tired limbs, warmed by a fill of rich sunshine, to drag home to rest and reminisce on her colour red and that she did indeed run in a race today.

random happiness and thank you's

1. Untitled, 2. Farm to Table - Strawberries, 3. Hold me tight and don't let go !, 4. Learned, 5. Untitled, 6. weekend evening, 7. afternoon snack, 8. the approaching ice age, 9. Sunday Afternoons in the Spring * beautiful clothesline *, 10. Odd One Out

The kind and lovely Tiffany from the delicious Owl and Fox awarded me this *One Lovely Blog* award very recently...

and the ever sweet Amber from The Nutrients of Life awarded me the *Watermelon Award*...

well, a little while ago now....

I'm ever grateful but unfortunately not very good at playing along with tags. Instead of sharing six things that make me happy I have randomly shared some of my Flickr favourites above to please the eyes and hopefully feed the soul...making you happy too....

and as a big Thank You ladies... your thoughtfulness touches the heart.

::: cumquat marmalade :::

It's that time of year, when the cumquat trees are bursting with tiny amber globes.
I like to think they hold a little bit of the Summer within their chubby golden bodies.
But loving cumquat marmalade as I do my small tree now stands quite bare.
I have been eyeing these off patiently through the autumn and now a more than satisfying bundle has gratefully and excitedly been harvested...

and after some slicing, soaking, boiling and setting.....

there are several deliciously tempting jars of cumquat marmalade in our house....yes, each holding their share of summer gone...trapped in a pretty glass jar....to be consumed with delight on warm toast.

I used this easy recipe here.