Homemade Rainbows

An ending...

2011-06-10T12:59:00.000+10:00

I won't be posting here at my little space anymore.
And I wanted to say goodbye to it....
It's not a permanent goodbye as I will continue to post on my new blog that I have been ever so slowly working on.
I won't be posting the link to it here publicly and it won't be searchable on any search engines either.
I'm trying to transfer some of the *feel* I have here....
and I'd LOVE you all to come with me to my new space too!
You see my plan is only to say goodbye to *here* and not you....
so I will be keeping this blog open and if I haven't got around to contacting you all individually (sigh...soon) please leave me a reminder here....ok.
It's bittersweet....truly

So just as I am learning to embrace my seasonal challenges I am going to embrace some other change as well.
I hope I can bare snippets of my soul together with snaps from my camera as lovingly in my new space as I have here for so many years....

:::Winter:::

2011-06-08T11:00:00.005+10:00

Still not my favourite.

But sometimes the sunsets just shine.

Again I am going to remember to embrace even the seasons that challenge me.

So here starts another weekly series of its little blessings.

Three months of the small things that lift me above....

sometimes with a string of words.... sometimes not.

farewell autumn

2011-06-02T10:26:00.007+10:00

Hello Winter.

I bade farewell to Autumn in a cute country cabin up in the hills overlooking the ocean last weekend. Oh my!

Although it was Autumn drawing to a close my escape was all about things wintry and warm.

Velvet equine noses and fluffy donkey ears....

Bedraggled chickens amidst a winter moult....

Misty mornings and golden sunsets over the sea....

A gold reflected in the hues of numerous citrus trees for the plucking, heavy with juicy fruit....

Homemade dough and wood fired pizzas, with accompanying red wine of course.

The only sad farewell was in the returning home for now.

But there's plans already to go back and join in some exciting nearby festivities. A pretty big way to celebrate Winter Solstice. Have a look. Can't wait!

I also paid a visit to Friends of the Koala's Inc. while I was down that way. My girl is working on everything *Koala* at the moment.

We had a one on one tour of their centre and facilities.

I can't rave enough about the amazing job these devoted people do with roughly a 50% success rate. With quite pathetic federal and local funding and a few home carers they rely heavily on donations, fundraising and sponsorship to provide medicine, food and shelter to their charges. Really with the fundamental causes of stress and the hideous diseases these little ones are suffering so prolifically today because of *us* (and honestly if you see them for real... it's absolutely heartbreaking)... diseases because of development, habitat destruction, road accidents and dog attacks...we owe it to them to help out.

We were lucky enough to see two little girls come in after 9 months home care to be transitioned at the centre before their release. So much work....such a great story.

Please at least have a look at the website and the amazing work these volunteers do for our unique eucalypt munchers.

procrastinating... again

2011-05-25T14:26:00.004+10:00

This morning was cold.

Windy and brisk.

But not quite brisk enough to see me lose the thongs today. I'm not a shoe lover, me. And it takes quite a decent amount of chill to see me don them. It's one of the things I'm grateful for about Australian Winters up here. Perfect for the casual non fuss don't hole me in kinda gal.

But aside, after morning school drop off today, and still flapping around in the flip flops, I found myself heading out as usual with a steaming fresh brew and a recipe book under my arm to my new *perch* in the garden. I'm starting to feel like there's something missing if I haven't ritually *taken my tea* in the garden before I really start my day you know? It's like that deep breath, splash your face with cold water awakening... and sometimes steadying.

On cold mornings like this I find myself coaxed further from my usual stoop to follow the sun which touches now in its warmest giving on the steps of the cubby house at the very back of the garden.

From this warmest of high posts I can look down on the garden and still plan my doings... and plantings and pickings of course.... and chat to the girls right next to me as I sip, while the hot steam condenses on my nose and the sun seems to magically fix itself to my skin all the way through those layers of clothes.

The plan today was to finish an assignment I should be working on straight after the last drip of my tea. But as I sat drifting in that intoxicated blissful sunned state, my vague scrutiny of the edible greens passing before my eyes, the heavy enduring line of chokos across my fence caught my attention again...and again. After all it was recipes of preserves I had that favourite of all recipe books under my arm for... though just not exactly for today.

But alas procrastination wins out again...

or maybe it's the need to not let any of my gardens yields go to waste?

Either way that assignment was (somewhat guiltily) put on the burner for tomorrow.

So with warmed toes and a tea filled belly I headed back indoors for a spell, my jumper quickly converted to a carryall and sinking from the weight of freshly picked fruit to boil jars and bubble chutney over the stove instead.

Well at least I'm a productive procrastinator.

oranges and lemons....

2011-05-24T12:16:00.006+10:00

the bells of St Clements...

I keep finding I'm singing this to myself lately.

Winter is definitely all about citrus.

And winter is also all about warm desserts.

You know helping you add that extra unwanted layer for warmth over the cooler months? Hmm.

Well this year, even though it's still not quite officially Winter yet, I've been blessed with picking my own citrus from the backyard. Finally. My first real lemon harvest and my first ever oranges.

A small modest harvest, yes.

A little seedy, yes.

But super sweet and *real* tasting, oh yes.

Am I a bit chuffed? Yes indeed!

And for me Winter citrus just has to be turned into a warm citrus delicious. Aside from a rustic apple crumble it's my next favourite cold night dessert. A creamy warm tangy self saucing pud with the lightest spongy meringue top. So so good with a hot aromatic cuppa.

So good indeed I've made it twice this week already.

So what's helping you layer your bones for warmth this season?

chayote truths

2011-05-16T14:16:00.009+10:00

Steamed...
Boiled...
Stewed...
Roasted...
Casseroled... (is that a word?)
and my new favourite Stir Fried with garlic and a smidge (now that's too cute not to be a word) of cumin. Yum.

My side fence is literally abuzz with bees.... which is exciting enough in itself... but when they are pollinating and helping my garden produce masses, and that is no exaggeration, of chokos it's kind of inhale, settle the warm fuzzy nerdy gardener tummy, and enter grin really grin territory here for me this Autumn.

OK I'm just a little overrun. And the girls at work have all had verbal lessons in preparing my giveaways. But I still have plenty of recipes and prep methods I'm excited about and yet to try out.

I'm really loving their homeliness right now and am honestly finding them most delicious. Maybe it's because of their homegrown stature? Certainly not because of any unfortunate choko reputation.

In fact the only reputation I do believe is their complete willingness to take over the garden and perhaps bury you under an abundance of green pear shaped fruits. I simply won't listen to any talk about them being boring or goodness forbid *yukky*....
and that's my not so ugly chayote truth.
Honest you can read more here if you're a disbeliever.

plus one

2011-05-11T20:35:00.003+10:00

Mothers Day this Sunday just past saw me sharing in the very essence of being a Mother...
the birth of a precious wee baby girl.
Plus one into the arms of our family fold.
Number one for my sister and her husband.

I've been wanting and trying to write this post for days,
but waiting for my beloved sister to share her news first...
and then waiting for the right words to come.
They still haven't.

Was it because it was the first birth, other than that of my own children, that I've attended?
Was it because it was my sister birthing and my niece being birthed?
Was it because of the concurrence of the day and the act?
Or just the miracle of delivering life into the world... this feeble sentimental statement being the very reason I spent so long unsuccessfully searching for the elusive right words for this post.
But whatever the reason for my awe and amazement and the complete euphoria of my experience....
the power of standing with my own mother, beside my sister and her husband as they became parents on mothers day, was palpable.
I breathed with her
and massaged her.
I encouraged her
and reassured her.
I held her
and swayed with her.
I tried to meld all my strength with her
and let my knuckles turn white with hers.
Amazingly I laughed with her
and of course I shed tears with her.
But there was only one thing aside from her pain that I wanted to take just a little bit of... and that was her strength and courage...and later pure joy. We could all do with some of that.

So welcome to motherhood my sister.
And welcome earth side little April Ruth.
We've been waiting for your plus one.
How we are going to cherish you so...
and how I am going to cherish the sweet gift of sharing in your arrival.

preserving autumn

2011-05-06T13:22:00.006+10:00

The last minute risky decision to sow my final few rosella seeds in the Summer garden has proved most fruitful this Autumn...

by way of blossom, fruit and jam for our chilly morning toast.

And even though the Autumn shade is encroaching on the garden... a little more than my green fingers would like... my bushes are continuing on with perfect bleeding throated blooms and fleshy finger staining calyxes.

There will be more peeling to be done on the deck... stirring over the stove and steaming thick red liquid locked in glass jars to make that sweet popping sound of a successfully preserved Autumn.

after the deluge

2011-04-27T12:35:00.015+10:00

In a forest last week...
scribbly gums
paper wasps
swamp hens
lagoons
makeshift bridges
frilly lizards
paperbarks
kangaroos
wild may

and a storm...
A storm indeed.
A storm that has made these the last photos my beloved camera (as she was) and I will take together in quite a while.
I dropped her off at the repair shop this morning.
Seems despite a snug fit down my front, fast running legs and desperately hunched shoulders one cannot keep a camera dry when several kilometers deep and just so slightly lost within a forest when a thunderstorm decides to hit.

Oh my goodness... soaked as soaked could be we powered on along paths that turned to mini muddy torrents, over creeks, up hill and down...between thunderclaps and heavy drops upon our faces that we drank right off our skin as we ran. The little ones were frightened and cold but perhaps like the Mama kangaroo that almost bounded blindly into us I reassured them and reminded them to laugh and feel, really feel, that beating wet and roaring wind for what it was...
wild simple adventure.

So while I may be camera-less for a bit... I am also a little *water* wiser... and somewhat more astute at reading maps... and I wouldn't give it back, that little adventure.

In fact I went back.
To the scene of the crime.... the next day.
Seven kilometers of beautiful forest filled with post rain frog call I walked, and emerged just post sundown. Tired yet dry, satiated and smiling again even if at the fact that that's how it should have been the first time.
It may not have been revenge but it was indeed most sweet and still wild after the deluge.

so far...

2011-04-22T10:14:00.003+10:00

I love school holidays.
The slow pace...
the pyjama's until lunch time...
the baking...
and the making....

Block rockets of course for the boy...
complete with stones for fire because a rocket must have the fire coming out of it's turbo boosters...did you know?

and of course there's the extra time for the garden.
And the girl has been working on the same at school...
which has carried over to the holidays too...
makes a Mama very happy.
So far, so good.

beaches and books

2011-04-16T10:13:00.008+10:00

I'm back from Byron
and was straight into the books.
Another exam down now...
no seaglass was found while I was away
but there's a lighthouse
shining
somewhere.
Can you see it on the distant cape up there?

sea glass

2011-04-05T11:54:00.003+10:00

I'm off in search of sea glass tomorrow...
Rubbish carelessly discarded then tossed, trustingly, by the wilds of the sea and sand, smoothing it's broken and jagged edges until it is a gem... ruined by man... a treasure of nature.
A bit like me.
Sunday I saw in 39 years tossing around in this universe. And let me tell you it was indeed quite a weekend of tossing around! Dinner, comedy, nightlife, 3am, family, half naked men sharing their skills in a ring, breakfast, cakes and a long long driveway at the farm filled with balloons and banners in my name! I don't think I've ever felt quite so loved by so many as this Birthday... and all over three days! I tell you I am blessed after all.
But tomorrow it is down time. Beach combing. Sea glass hunting.
A recovery of sorts. A breath.
Though a working holiday it is, I think the mecca that is Byron Bay is just the place for me to smooth my jagged edges for a bit, allow myself to be tossed again in the wilds of the sea for a week and then return home... hopefully another step closer to being my own little piece of sea glass.

yesterday

2011-03-31T11:06:00.012+10:00

Yesterday it rained.

A steady all day kind of rain.

It was a day for nesting indoors

and drinking tea

and listening to the lorikeets gently chattering as they gorged their colourful selves on the fruits from my golden canes.

It's how I know it's almost April.

steadying myself

2011-03-29T10:27:00.008+10:00

"Mama has the earth moved?"
That was the first question I was greeted with this morning as a sleepy eyed three year old boy ran in to me in the kitchen, fresh from dawn cloud gazing.
Of course it was just the clouds that were visibly moving... but little did he know just how timely his observation was for this Mama.
You see the earth has moved...metaphorically....right under my feet.
The demons that plagued this little family here won out just before Christmas and those demons saw me here managing alone with my babes and a big wound in my heart.
It's funny almost 4 months on that I feel I can finally put it out here now. Not that the earth has quite stopped moving on me yet... no way, those complications seem to have their exhausting way of prolonging their untangling.... but it just hasn't felt right before to share this change here, even though as a result this blog has also outwardly changed somewhat in focus, feel and commitment during that time. I wonder if you felt it?
I'm hoping now to turn that right around, though there may be more soul sharing in amongst it all as I travel and ever so hesitantly explore this scary path further. So as those clouds still blow overhead, the first guava's fall from our tree, the autumn snow peas poke their heads through the earth and the girls lay perhaps the last of their summers eggs, and as we prepare ourselves for the cool of winter ahead, I will continue to steady myself on this shaky new ground until the earth moves right around to spring for me again.

bassinettes, beads, bellies and babes

2011-03-21T17:26:00.004+10:00

There's a new little soul about to join our clan in just a month or so
and we've been busy trying to honour the Mama-to-be in just the right ways.
The century old bassinet has re-emerged, waiting, fluffed and filled with images for every Mama-past of this family of their own sweet newborns tucked tenderly within it... myself and my own included.
We've celebrated in her home by filling it with loving friends each supporting and connecting with her through wishes, stories, henna, maybe a few cupcakes and a precious strand of birthing beads....
and again later we've symbolically shared and extended that connectedness amongst this tight clan of ours with henna too.... even though the men folk may have found the car racing just as enticing after... the imagery of them above touches my heart in the warmest way.
Our beautiful Jen is about to join the blessed ranks of Motherhood
and she is entering it surrounded by the most amazing women friends and loved ones...
and one sister whose soul is just shining to bursting for her right now.

the last of summer

2011-03-07T14:11:00.002+10:00

We've been munching melons...
straight from our garden.

Opportunistic rogues who made themselves at home here thanks to my Summer compost shuffles and garden renovations.
The last juicy fruits of the season it feels like as today saw me in my morning spot outside with my hot tea at 6am...with sleeves! Yes sleeves.
There's a chill in that breeze that's come to visit for a few days after the rain.
So with thoughts of Winter veg in my head the garden has been planted again while fare welling the last of Summer...

other than just one more taste of melon that's stored in my fridge...
and welcoming what is to come with the Autumn.

gathering

2011-02-22T06:52:00.005+10:00

I've been finding myself gathering things.
Flowers seeds shells leaves feathers.... and strength.
But it's all the seeds from the garden, aside from their own abundance and beauty and purpose,
that have me thinking most.
There is something about their cycles and potential.
How much potential there is within a single one is something quite astounding.
And as I quietly gather and admire these seeds from my garden
I am also aware that to a certain extent I am gathering them for within myself as well right now
A little symbolism of life lately...
Gathering up exhaustingly for the harsh Winters of existence and hopefully awaiting the potential of a new Spring and a deep exhalation.
For like those I gather from the garden,
the seeds we gather for our souls can only attract the most beautiful things into the gardens that lie within us as well... right?

sunset

2011-02-06T08:29:00.003+10:00

the sun is noticeably shifting again
sunset is reaching the sill of my kitchen
and from the other direction sunrise is casting crystal rainbows through the same
it's still all about the flowers from my garden here
and sun
and heat
and trips to the sea
but then it is February now after all

just us here

2011-01-31T13:29:00.003+10:00

Wandering the garden this morning with my tea

As I find myself needing to do each and every morning

The bird song

The chickens

Fat boy awaiting my treats

And the bees

Just us here

2011-01-21T06:37:00.003+10:00

There are sunflowers standing tall and proud in my garden again

There's something about them that just makes me smile

I think it's a combination of their larger than life existence

The way they tower over my head

Their green leaves that could easily cover more than one dinner plate each

My eyes can't help but be drawn to their vibrant yellow and then skyward

and I dream of climbing them, just like Jack and his beanstalk

I wonder what sunny land would live at the top of such beauty

Floating in the Flood

2011-01-13T08:54:00.006+10:00

Seems all this rain has taken it's toll...
I've returned from a stay at the farm to a former river city that has quickly gone underwater....no *river* to speak of.
A raging brown torrent exists instead and deserted city streets strangely filling with calm yet dirty rising water.
The sun has eerily been shining here since yesterday
and the footage I have been watching on the TV has been so incredibly surreal.
Streets and places I have walked and driven are not even recognisable now.

but ever so gratefully me and mine are safe and dry and if not for the footage and the strangely quiet streets and empty supermarket shelves we would not even know what is occurring just *down the road*.
Homes submerged... restaurants, pontoons, jetty's and boats washed down river and out to the bay.

And compared to those in a neighbouring city up on the range we are the lucky ones.
My heart breaks for those with no warning. Lost.

Queenslanders are a tough bunch though. Even our animal friends are banding together.

It's a humbling experience.
The power of Mother Nature and our vulnerability even in the *big* city.

My heart is with those suffering...please spare a little of yours too?

Here's a little more on the disaster...

new days

2011-01-01T08:07:00.002+10:00

a new year...

new days...

1.1.11

Those very numbers must denote a new beginning mustn't they?

I was home alone last night

not through want of celebratory invitations and phonecalls and possibility,

but through a need for quiet

and contemplation

and quietness as my babes peacefully and innocently slept around me, oh so soundly.

Contemplation of life's twists and turns and meaning.

Today is a new day...coincidentally a new year... open to me...

a crossroad

a blessing and a curse

a challenge and a reply...

a look at what was reaped and sown throughout the last...

a slow deep breath after a long swim against the tide.

I'm not usually one for new year sentimentality

and truth be told I struggle to stay awake to even see one in,

just as I did last night...

but sometimes, just sometimes

the universe throws us a new beginning we need...

a reason to be sentimental

and grateful

and strong

and vulnerable

and me.

Happy new days everyone.

May they bring all the new opportunities and peace you need also.

yule

2010-12-27T15:23:00.005+10:00

I'm feeling this was the best Christmas in a long while
despite the persistent drenching from the heavens

and a few personal challenges prior
gifts of laughter
dear family
and a little decadence for the belly and soul
here's hoping your day was as blessed as mine

midsummer

2010-12-22T08:05:00.003+10:00

Happy Solstice!

We're enjoying some merrymaking and preparations this week.

As well as celebrating the sun...

when it appears that is.

Happy celebrations and preparations to you too.

the lunatic farmer

2010-12-07T12:56:00.002+10:00

Saturday evening saw me lucky enough to be sitting dry beneath an enormous red tent in the middle of Northey Street City Farm listening to just my kind of lunatic.
The awesome Joel Salatin spoke of many things that made complete sense to me... and everyone else there....several hundred in fact.
Wow that man is blessed... with the best job in the world and the ability to speak. Inspiring and truthful....
even if his neighbours believe him to be a bio terrorist.
I think perhaps the term lunacy has been applied to the wrong people don't you?
Bless you Joel.

war and peace

2010-12-02T10:02:00.005+10:00

There's been a little war and peace here.
Work to be done, work being done, goodies to nibble fresh from the patch, baddies being nibbled by goodies fresh in the patch and little critter friends....
A balance of good and evil, hard work and rest...

even if enforced rest...

We've been struck with a nasty tummy bug.... literally one by one within hours we each succumbed to it's assault... in an almost comical matter really even to the point of being forced to share the same puke bowls at certain points (it's hard for any Mama to care for others in the throes of ill when her tummy is doing the exact same thing). Sorry for the detailed visual there but that's been the reality in our house this last week. Good news is we are all on the mend.

Before that though life was all about shifting the contents of those numerous yellow bags up there and digging out concrete and demolishing one rotten side fence... finally. Excitement mixed with dread at the changes about to take place in my beloved garden and just how much work is going to be involved.
I've given you a little sneak peak in there of what my mulched paths are going to look like...some of it I managed to complete before being forced back indoors to nurse the ills. Three and a half of those bags are gone.....
and I know the others are still there waiting.....and with more pavers due to arrive today....
life will again get back to being about those bags and our garden....

War on the bugs...
Peace in the garden...
or is that the other way around with all that heavy hard work waiting?

nah
Peace in the garden it is!

in between raindrops

2010-11-23T09:16:00.003+10:00

in the garden is where we can be found lately
ambling in and out between rain showers
the raindrops are a good reminder for another cup of tea
to ponder our space
his creating
her creating (they are frogs by the way)
and Mama's creating
still shifting mountains of earth, slow but steady
it's all taking shape

to stay or to go

2010-11-17T10:55:00.004+10:00

That top photo up there was taken just yesterday afternoon.
Don't be fooled by a nice fat bowl filled with produce though....take a closer look.
Sadly the girl and I had just plucked every single one of those fruitfly bitten peaches from our tree.
What a abundant crop that could have been....look at just how many that tree was bearing and I had already thinned the crop out!
I know there are always wins and losses in the gardening stakes.... and organic gardening especially is a fine art of observation, timing, wile, guile and some sacrifice.
Sacrifice I was aware of. I knew the fruifly were going to wage a pretty wild attack on these little fuzzies....I mean it is a peach tree...in Queensland!....in Spring!
And I had bagged as many fruit as I could and that I thought we would eat and cook.
But as all is fair in love and war those little blighters somehow managed to bite the fruit right through the bags ....so fare thee well peach babes before any more hatch out.
In addition to losing all these I also threw about half a dozen of my capsicums to the chickens.
Note to self.....bag everything....if that even helps. Sigh.

So the question stands.
Should the tree stay or should it just go?

I guess in any decision making process there are the pro's and con's.
And there are pro's of course.
Obviously it's a good bearer.
It performs such a pretty Winter show...and brings bees (of all kinds) to the garden.
I've been adoring our little native resident lady leafcutter for quite some time now. There she is above busily cutting those peach leaves and making nests for her babes in our bamboo.

But I guess in any productive garden...and from a sense of self sufficiency.... is it beneficial enough to be maintaining a tree, not particularly suited to this climate, for the blossoms and bugs?

Care to cast a vote?

birds and bits

2010-11-15T09:23:00.004+10:00

With my permaculture garden taking shape in the backyard there was a need for the addition of a water element. Of course I had/have many plans for this but one we completed this weekend with the addition of a new bird (and bug!) bath.
We'd saved many parts of a tree we recently cut down (to make way for more and more practical growing space) to use around the place. How could we waste such an awesome resource? And the best bit we saved... the trunk crown...a place where Mia used to sometimes sit enjoying a birds eye view... has now made the base of our new bird bath. I dug (and dug!) it into the centre of what will soon be another large garden bed. I think it will keep all the birds that seem to be visiting us so much lately quite happy....

And for the bits... we have two new nature shelves, made from some garden hardwood.

This house seems to collect a crazy amount of oddities from the wild.

In every corner there seems to accumulate a myriad of rocks, stones, feathers, seeds, leaves, flowers, nests, bugs...dead bugs, live bugs, sticks, shells....you get the picture.

Secretly, or not so secretly, I love it....adore it.

So we made some shelves where we can let them collect together....so we can admire them all together, when we walk past or when we choose to curl up on the couch next to them reading from the book basket below or sit right there on the floor and sift through the treasures that have been collected.

I'm not kidding myself though... I have no doubt our goodies from nature will still accumulate in any other free (or not) space around here but it's still nice to have a relegated spot regardless right?

In other news...
the tooth fairy is sending us broke!
She's growing.

the whir

2010-11-08T09:39:00.006+10:00

Can you hear it?
Me neither, but it's there... that whir.

I walked to work this weekend.
I worked two twelve hour shifts over both Saturday and Sunday and I walked to and from both.
With ipod in one ear and bird song in the other I blissed out for a full 25 minutes at a time with only myself, my footsteps and the freshness that is 6am.
I have to add I have fallen head over heals with these guys, hence the ipod, otherwise it would have been just me and the birds I tell you. Like I said..bliss... (and maybe a little side *training* for a January goal)...although as soon as my bike is on the road I shall be making the trip via pedal power.
But aside from my moments of quiet and solitude stepping it out rhythmically in between work the only glimpses of home these two days were of the shower and my pillow.
It made me realise how lucky I am that the whir of time really does have it's slow moments for me amidst the other business of my days. Do I really kid myself so often that I am that crazy busy?
I noticed this morning (amidst reorganising the chaos that is two days without Mama home) that the choko vine had reached the top of the chicken coop...really? In two days?
And the tomatoes are so fat... and so are the rosa bianca's (I can't wait for those grilled aubergines!).
The sugar cane setts have sprouted.
And could those banana's really be fatter too?
Noticing such changes after a couple of days without pottering and garden gazing really does show that I must find and spend quite some time doing just that in my days. A little indulgent for such a busy Mama? Or has that too become part of what my own business entails. Blessed me.

So maybe that's why I usually don't quite hear that whir.
Because I'm usually quite aside from it... taking that mindful time out to notice and watch amidst all my other doings.
I am however a little glad I got caught up in the whir for a weekend because sometimes it's that *carrying away* that gives us our reminder of what we have created at home...and just how different and separate our own whirs are....
and how very good that is.

skoooooky

2010-11-01T07:29:00.004+10:00

Normally I guess like most Mama's I find myself helping the little ones with their pronunciation fairly often but in the case of skooky how can I just yet? Skooky is just so much darn cuter than spooky don't you think?
So it was skooky that was said numerous times yesterday as we celebrated our Halloween with treats from awesome inspiration via here...

and with some apple bobbing...

and our own witch's broomstick making. That was fun....from dried mulberry and lomandra prunings from the garden.

And after a trip out with friends to visit a real jack-o-lantern we lit our own candles at home for those no longer here but dear to our hearts who just may be that little bit closer in spirit on this special night...

and we bunked down in our pj's with pillows and blankets and teddies on the couch to follow in our other little tradition to watch our Halloween favourite... with just maybe a little chocolate to munch.

Happy All Hallows friends.

And happy longer... or shorter days wherever you may be.

I hope the ones you miss were closer by for a time.

procrastination is not a bad thing

2010-10-26T09:56:00.003+10:00

I finished a rag rug I've been wanting to make for the longest time!
And in the process I've figured out I'm a master of a couple of things.
I'm a master at coming up with new ideas and new projects or just simply adding them to my ever increasing list of things I want to do...
and I'm a master at never actually finishing too much because there is always something else or another new project to begin or dream about.
Procrastination?
Do you see that cute fatty of a white and green crochet hook up there? I think I purchased that three years ago. Three years! I blamed procrastinating on this project on waiting for just the right group of sheets to show up at the thrift shop.
Well I think I'm going to reinforce that excuse right now because I'm kinda glad I did because this little rag rug is hopefully going to be kept by my girl for a long time for its sentimental value.
You see when I was procrastinating the other week on working on my latest study assignment I picked up that fat lonely unused hook, walked straight to the linen cupboard with an idea popping in my head and grabbed Mia's cot sheets, kindergarten sheets and her first bed spread and began cutting. It felt a little wrong but I continued on.
And there it is.
Completed I tell you...completed!
One rag rug crossed off my list and now living on her bedroom floor.
I found her the morning after I completed it, after sliding it quietly into her room while she slept, curled up with wild bed hair on the floor lying across it. I think she likes it!
And it goes quite nicely with her desk. Do you remember we started that thrifted project a little while ago too. It then sat for a while chair-less... waiting for just the right one that met Mama's approval.
And it popped up during our latest trip to Pottsville in the form of my and my siblings study chair from our childhoods. A lick of white paint and it's just right... don't you think?
It may take years in some cases but even after, and sometimes because of, a little procrastination things do get completed and turn out just right in the end.
That's what I'm telling myself anyway as I sit here blogging instead of working on that assignment and finishing the painting of all our trims and doors that I started yesterday ( and has been waiting for probably close to three years too!)..... sigh.
I think I might just wander down to Mia's room with my cup of tea first and admire her rug just one more time before I get back into it.

sugar and sunshine

2010-10-18T06:51:00.004+10:00

It's been a while between drinks, friends.
My sweet sisters comments about not updating my blog in a while with some images and words for her to look at has found me motivated to be here again.
"I haven't even blogged in ages" I almost moaned to her last week after commenting on just how long it's been since I gave the house a good clean and nosed down into my studies properly. Exactly what have I been doing lately? Other than mothering, working, updating work training, pondering and setting some new goals for myself that is!
"Gee what's it been, almost two weeks?" I casually threw out there while we were out on a rare sister date on Friday night. (We went to see this by the way...)
"The 1st of October!" she ever so quickly replied.
The surprise must have registered on my face, so she explained her disappointment every time she clicked over here to see if I'd visited and the same date popped up in the post header.
Friday, October 1, 2010.
So it was.
Call it shaken, nudged or inspired...whatever...but here I am and that's a good thing. I've missed this space of mine... as have others it seems. Love.

Happenings around my world have been varied but mostly marred by rain. An enormous amount of rain! Gratefully received of course...the earth has been rightly soaked and the dams have been releasing water with warnings of floods along the river as a result. Quite the turnaround from when we were watching that same dam receding without a raindrop in sight not too long ago! How the worm turns and how mother nature loves to remind us who's in control. I love that.
But...I also do love the sunshine and the excitement that something we so take for granted can bring when it streams through the windows first thing in the morning after quite the long hiatus.
Thanks to the last two days of glorious sun I have made some serious progress in the redesign of the back garden and have even been planting (and nursing a little case of sunburn today...how silly...yes sunburn!) Oh yes and as quickly as a single area had been slightly finished, or in some cases half finished I found myself there on hands and knees sowing seeds and transplanting seedlings straight down into it!
My newly planted green babies include more papaya, roma tomatoes (now I know I can grow tomatoes!), pigeon pea, lettuce, coriander, basil, radish and a couple of things it's probably not the right time for like perennial leeks and broad beans...but ah I couldn't help myself. It's been so long.
I've also planted a choko vine on the chicken coop for fruit and shade as during our blitz out the back a few trees have now departed, and some sugar cane setts by the cubby which we acquired by the side of the road. Sweet sugar cane...planted not before a few sections were stripped and chewed of course.
We have also been joined by a raspberry bush and a loquat tree. Very exciting and very experimental...fingers crossed!

So amidst the mothering, working, training, pondering and goal setting, there have indeed been other things afoot. Between the rain, the sun, the digging and planting there has also been quite a bit of mulberry hunting and eating; bonding with a new *Charlotte* (we love our garden creatures here) and a new craft project for this Mama.
I guess the fact the house hasn't been cleaned in so long is not such a bad thing.
I'll take the sugar and sunshine over that any day.

grandad might be bored next week

2010-10-01T08:49:00.004+10:00

Our little trip down to the farm began with a looming shape hidden under old sheets in Grandad's shed.
With the little one's distracted it made it's way to the back lawn where it was introduced to the little *rocket boy* with hilarious shrieks of "no Mia no, it's dangerous!" as his sister ran to play in it.
After a bit of convincing it wasn't a real rocket but just a toy it could not have become anything else but the very favourite thing in our days away. Though the *self* convincing on the toy factor continued with the sound of a little voice saying every now and then that indeed this fantastical rocket was just a toy. A toy of the very best wowser kind...made lovingly by Grandad over the last week from completely re purposed materials together with a seat inside, twist doorbell ignition, flip switches (sorry Grandad I don't know what they are really called) and a red doorknob stop button.
It's coming home to land in our garden soon and Bam can't wait! Thank you Grandad!

And aside from all the trips to the moon and stars during our blissful time by the sea, we did manage to squeeze in a bit of wandering, cow gazing, beach combing, swimming, enormous carrot harvesting (and eating!), and magpie dodging too. We are much refreshed and stretched and our lungs and souls are full to the brim.

With work finished for this Mama 'til next week we now get to enjoy every minute left of our school holidays complete with a fun visit here yesterday for some great felting activities, delicious lunch and chatting. We are so grateful for a real connection with a fellow blogger and family...and she is indeed as beautiful and creative as her blog inside and out. Thank you Melissa... I will become a fellow felter in no time I'm sure.
Right now we are off to prepare for our last two full days in the garden...digging, planting, creating, egg hunting and getting very very dirty. Bliss.

a wander up the common

2010-09-27T07:53:00.003+10:00

So far the school holidays have been marked by beautiful rain.
Oh so great for the garden and all the digging I have to do re-designing the back yard....
but not so great for the little ones who have been just a tad restless and maybe a little tired of ducking in and out of downpours in order to get their feet and hands into the earth.
So when a morning of only looming clouds dawned for us we took advantage and ventured off to The Common in search of birds (for which it is much loved) and a good stretch of the legs and lungs.
So so good...
though we didn't quite plan on the biggest stretch of the legs coming from a chase by a rather protective nesting male scrub turkey! Handsome though don't you think?
Today the sun is out again and we are off to Pottsville for a few days of sea air and hopefully some more stretching of the best kind.
See you soon.

three unto the moon....

2010-09-21T08:24:00.005+10:00

This boy of ours turned three over the weekend.
Three!
And the boy loves rockets.
Let me tell you...everything in our house is either a rocket or a space ship right now!
So there was no other way to celebrate this milestone but with a rocket and space inspired celebration.
The table was adorned with the flowers of his birth.
There were rocket toys and paper and cake that bought squeals and the kind of excited smiles that could do nothing other than bring a tear of joy to a Mama's eye.
He danced along with wind up machines and then wore his safety glasses and made all the sounds a rocket could make until....
his real treat....
a wander to the park where we launched the real thing.
It's a journey to the stars with this little guy....he is still somewhere out in space and over the moon now...
even in his dreams.... how could he not be when he is still sleeping with that rocket and insisting on being called *super*!
Three unto the moon little man.
Happy Birthday my *Super Bam*.

in my kitchen

2010-09-16T13:38:00.004+10:00

Just some of my favourite things from the kitchen lately.
I can relax for the rest of this week and enjoy these simple things as I'm now looking at the back of the first exam of my studies.
I am feeling rightly challenged and a little invigorated by the whole process. It's been a while since I have had to ignite quite that much kindling upstairs if you know what I mean. It feels good. Really good.
Combine this with some warmer weather and the desire for fresh foods and you have a recipe for cheerfulness....
Lately I've been living on fennel salads and fresh lemon myrtle tea still.
My goodness there are some delicious sounding fennel recipes out there. I however have not moved past the orange and pine nuts yet but I'm thinking the haloumi might just get me to.
And then thinking about summer not being quite so conducive to hot drinks I also couldn't help but try out a recipe for lemon myrtle cordial I found from this wonderful little community for the upcoming hotter days.
After tracking down some local trees to *harvest* some more leaves from I discovered this cordial is a winner.
You must try the recipe out here.
So as you maybe start digging into your own summer salads (or winter breads depending on where you are) ...happy crunching and bottoms up!
There really is always something happy happening about the kitchen.

the overwintered garden

2010-09-01T14:08:00.003+10:00

I know I've mentioned a few times now about how neglected my garden has been these last 8 (already!) months since our back deck went in. And have I mentioned how clean and *itchy to get in the earth* my gardeners hands have been all this time?
Well, too clean, and oh so itchy!
In hindsight though it's all been more than ok. I've still really enjoyed the pottering and the watching and the planning.
Things have really continued to power along through this winter of deferred action and prolonged fingernail cleanliness.
Perhaps it was my will and watching alone that kept up some pretty delicious production in the yard... or somewhat like me maybe it was just the pure stubbornness of those remaining plants?
Nevertheless I am indeed grateful for the smallish winter bounty we have had the pleasure of enjoying here from this space. And I am steadfastly and enthusiastically awaiting the foreseeable and teasing bounty of Spring....
Yes there are many, many possibilities still to come.
I can see them in the apple blossoms....
and in the volume of small mulberries that this year hung tight and survived our late season westerlies...
I can taste them in the frittata made from many fresh eggs and parsley I enjoyed for my dinner tonight...
they are in the first fuzzy skinned peach babies on my tree...
they were in the capsicums that somewhere became child powered rocket ships...sigh
and they are in the fennel....sweet fennel yet to hang tight and survive the onslaught of many pecking chickens who share with me a favored taste for its aniseed crunch! Oh yes.
So independently but very loved, the garden has overwintered more than well... and for now I will still continue to potter, watch and plan knowing that as I do I will still miss its dirt under my nails and my hands will surely still itch...

::: winter :::

2010-08-30T10:11:00.004+10:00

:::winter:::

number 12

the last photo of the season

and the first eggs

brown and cream and, yep green!

oh yes there is much excitement here within our home

and much noisy clucking from within the coop

music to my ears

and my eyes in the form of warm runny golden goodness

welcome sweet spring

seems the chickens and the garden know you are perhaps already here

::: winter :::

2010-08-23T18:50:00.002+10:00

:::winter:::
number 11

enjoying the cloak of orange that comes with late winter afternoons

in between the odd days of rain

the umber and gold that comes with the setting sun

the shorter lengths of shadows

the stronger shroud of light

the warmth of night time fires

winter.... there are the things I will miss

::: winter :::

2010-08-17T10:13:00.003+10:00

:::winter:::
number 10
a Saturday morn with just a hint of Spring in the air
all of us outside
together but engrossed in our own thing
more cutting of the banana stump
some of this on paper
study with brain food
and painting the newest thrifted addition
he did
she did
mama did
papa did

I've found joy...

2010-08-12T19:18:00.007+10:00

quite easily now I've stopped to look....in the simple things.
Is it any surprise...really?
After all the drama and grief of late it really is no surprise it is indeed the simple things I have turned to to rediscover my joy.
Lately amidst it all there has been the elation in finding green tree frogs hiding in my bromeliads...
and just a little disappointment in finding this one who has only one battle scarred eye. But alas his beauty and green-ness and mere presence in my space is proof enough of the welcoming environment my garden provides to such delicate little beings...joy indeed I tell you!
And in addition to that there is the joy in teaching my girl to embroider. Oh yes.
Her own pattern drawn straight on some calico....who else but Zeus our beloved old chihuahua...who I think would truly prefer to be left alone than smothered in the love this girl needs to lavish on him. It's a funny tug of war this one. But one that has ended in a delightfully cute piece of stitching. I'm rather proud.
And then there is the joy of natural play. The kind of joy that comes after the nervousness of some serious pruning in the garden. Where the fear of the change actually ends in thankfulness for the courage....and some perfect prunings of hollow papaya and mulberry branches that make perfect drums and perfect drumsticks. A sound from heaven for sure.
Enough to go with winter garden colour and of course warmth.
The fire pit is still in use and has warmed many a toe after recent long emotional days.

And on that note I must say sorry for seeming so cryptic of late....
and without trying to continue on that theme....thank you for the wishes of wellness over the last two weeks.
I am seeing the end of the journey I hope.
Without ethically and legally saying too much....my job involves caring for those with an inability to do so themselves and who are therefore vulnerable and dependent in so many unimaginable ways.
It took until now to realise that the vulnerability I support and protect in others also stretches to reach myself.
Sometimes the very thing we work to prevent happens and we need to bid farewell and in doing so take a good look at ourselves, our morals, our fortune, our reasons, our strengths and our weaknesses. Sometimes things happen that make us revisit and question and frighteningly be questioned. It shakes us.
Sometimes things happen that make us wonder why we even do what we do....briefly. Sometimes they happen, I have realised, to confirm why we do what we do.
Sometimes an ending for some leads to, I believe, flight...

and eventually joy.

What is your joy right now?

::: winter :::

2010-08-09T12:12:00.004+10:00

:::winter:::
number 9

crisp quiet mornings

him watching the rubbish truck

from the top of the fence

mama watching him

the bougainvillea showering just above

::: winter :::

2010-08-03T19:35:00.003+10:00

:::winter:::
number 9

dandelions plucked and collected

rich in pungent and comforting yellow

followed by a feverish and flushed cheeked saturday afternoon nap

I am posting better late than never

and moving into the whirlwind that is week two

after my unexpected phone call

I may be absent a little longer yet but it's hard to stay away from this space

I am missing all my favourite places here

my moments of escape and inspiration

I know I'll see you soon

::: winter :::

2010-07-26T10:07:00.003+10:00

:::winter:::

number 8

just because I needed to post today

I was planning on making a phonecall

instead I got one

dreaming of bees

2010-07-23T12:44:00.007+10:00

I've been dreaming about bees.
Literally.
Since talking about them at the gallery and coming across them in the gardens the other week they've been entering my sleepy adventures.

This native carpenter bee was as big as the end of my thumb and so fuzzy I just wanted to stroke it.

And these little ones...the sugarbag bees....trigona carbonaria....are the ones I want to bring home to live in our garden. I've wanted my own hive of these for the longest time now. But at a few hundred dollars (because the chances and ethics involved in me finding a wild hive are slim) I still can't justify that just yet when there are so many other priorities. But luckily they do visit my garden regularly from somewhere wild in the area, along with their cousins, the blue banded bees who love to work my tomatoes when I have them growing...so I do get to enjoy their sweet little selves often enough. Just not their honey....yet.

And so this morning when I was admiring the beautiful dress my peach tree is embellishing itself with right now I noticed a lone honey bee working the blossoms. I'm not as adoring just more fearful of the honey bee I must admit. My body doesn't like it's venom very much and weeks of major swelling and pain can follow a little sting from these friends...but I felt really wistful watching his lone efforts and I appreciated his work at pollinating my flowers.

We used to have hundreds on the flowers in the front garden years ago. You could here the communal buzz from a distance. But the last few years...none.
Have you read about what's happening to the bees?
Thinking about this I snapped picture after picture (just click on them for a closer look...I really am a sucker for that fuzz!) of this fellow working almost every flower on that peach tree until he was heavy, and I mean heavy with pollen and off he flew into the blue.
It made me realise just how much we need our bees.
Thanks to them (I'm guessing/hoping) I do already have one early baby peach from my trees first winter flush of blossoms a month or so ago...and now after today hopefully soon many more.

Lets hope our bees don't just become a thing of our dreams.
I do like my peaches...and other fruit...and nuts.... and flowers....and trees...and honey.....

and I'm thinking homegrown peaches are going to be all that much sweeter.

spontaneous tuesday

2010-07-20T21:01:00.005+10:00

It's not often that I'm too spontaneous...in the bigger kind of way.
I like my plans and I like my rhythm...I like to know what I'm doing before I do it.
I don't cope too well with surprise and the unplanned things in life...even the good stuff.

But today...today I said *to heck with it*.
I was guilt free today because yesterday I emailed an assignment, I had I admit been procrastinating on, and now excitedly I'm ready to sit the first exam for this part of my course. Yay for me and yay for feeling free to throw caution to the wind and be spontaneous today.

I brushed off the Misters initial request via phone to go for a ride with him to a small job on the coast this morning. The rush of school preparation and trying to get two little ones out of the house fed and packed and dressed, with brushed hair, cleaned teeth and washed faces is not the best time to request anything of this Mama especially something spontaneous. But I quickly reconsidered after listening carefully to that little voice that was indeed whispering *to heck with it*. And luckily so.

While the Mister finished off his small job, the boy and I wandered across the road in search of the sand. We played for an hour or two. Digging, running, befriending the gulls who I know where just hoping for food scraps, and watching the planes fly over from across the Pacific to the airport nearby.
I breathed the salty air, sifted sand through my toes and devoured the sounds of the shore before meeting up with Kyle for a lunch date with our boy. A lemonade treat by the sea for him and something hearty and bubbly for us.

I think I still like my rhythm as much as appreciating the expected...I don't think that will change in a hurry but I sure do know that the *to heck with it* days can be pretty blissful especially when they turn out to be this kind of spontaneous Tuesday. And not an ounce of guilt in sight...well maybe only because our sweet girl wasn't there.

How was your Tuesday?

::: winter :::

2010-07-19T07:48:00.003+10:00

:::winter:::
number 7

taking advantage of delicious sun

perfect for shadow puppets

just popping by for tea at the castle

sown

2010-07-15T12:43:00.003+10:00

Yesterday saw my boy and I stealing my lovely sister from her office and tripping off to our Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens.
I had in hand, ready to deliver personally, two postcards I had put together for Sophie Munns' open studio week in *Homage to the Seed" and in celebration of the UN International Year of Biodiversity. I wrote about Sophie's call for Seedy Postcards from the blogosphere here.

It was such a treat to meet Sophie and surround myself in her work in person. The beauty of her art and her passion for *spreading the message* together with the abundance of work was breathtaking to me...truly inspiring.
As was the web and feeling of community, the branching and connection of people through both the open studio and Sophie's clever idea for the mail art show. The postcards were so diverse in their origins and creativity and thought. Beautiful. You really must visit Sophie's blog to have a look at them all and to see other happenings of the week there.

So after the warmest chat with Sophie (what an astute and gracious lady), poring over Sophie's wonderful journals, admiring the beauty of her art on the walls, touching and holding the most amazing array of seeds and pods and capsules, learning about soap nuts and tasting delicious fresh lemon myrtle tea I left for home. But not empty handed or hearted...I left with my own twig of lemon myrtle leaves, the plan to start washing with soap nuts (oh yes...how amazing!), the desire to pick up my own paintbrush and oil paints again very soon but most touchingly a feeling of connection to something budding, authentic and joyful. Indeed Sophie is planting the seed.

And on this slightly blustery afternoon here I have stolen a quiet moment to sip my own freshly made lemon myrtle tea and think about the significance of these ideas and Sophie's work in *Homage to the Seed*.

Thank you Sophie for the time you spent with us yesterday...I could have stayed in that glorious space all day.

::: winter :::

2010-07-12T14:03:00.003+10:00

:::winter:::

number 6

rondeletia

plucked from wherever I'm lucky to find it

makes winter smell divine

reignites memories of the old days

down on the farm

2010-07-09T10:50:00.004+10:00

Oh life is good down on the farm!

There is sea air to breathe, there are hills to whizz down in wooden rope driven go karts, there is walking to be done, waves to watch roll in, sandcastles to build, mangroves to explore and crabs and yabbies to try and catch.
There are dusky hours to steal away with Grandad fishing by the creek listening to a lone whip bird and watching the tide slowly flow in and then turn.
There are banksia trees to tangle your tackle in first cast and there are fish to be caught....and released back to their salty homes being not quite big enough for our dinner this time.

The sun we were following really only joined us in it's full glory for maybe one day....but it did not matter in the least.
We had sunny homemade lemonade to drink... juiced straight from the trees
and warm beds inside a beautifully crafted owner built country home...filled with new and old... family treasures passed down through time and all still holding their little pieces of their keepers. I really must get to photographing it all.
But best of all we had Grandad and Grandma and now the desire to escape back down there with them again soon.
But we are home now and in wind down mode for back to school next week.
I'm thinking the little man is going to be lost without his big sister for a while. They are a pretty inseparable pair which is warming to a Mama's heart.
So we are enjoying our last few full days together.
We all have a spring in our step here...
because life this last week was indeed very very good!

::: winter :::

2010-07-04T19:10:00.003+10:00

:::winter:::

number five

this last week we have again been nursing a couple of coughs and colds

not a great start for the beginning of the school holidays

but the slower pace and unhurried indulgent mornings have been perfect for healing and feathering our nest

the kind of feathering that happens when you are forced indoors thanks to sniffles and gloomy chill bitten weather
the last two days however have started with sunshine and almost cloudless skies

so here I post my winter pics early

photo's of our well feathered nest

because tomorrow the little ones and I are spreading our wings

and taking off into the (hopefully continuing) sunshine to *the farm* and the arms of Grandma and Grandad for a few days

fishing

wandering

beach combing

maybe canoe-ing

breathing

and there is talk of more fire

ah a little feathering for the body and soul.

a tooth for a star

2010-06-29T14:33:00.005+10:00

Last night while we slept the tooth fairy paid her very first visit to our home.

Today there is a slightly lispy and excited girl with precious coins jingling in her pockets.

Tonight we will be out looking for the newest and brightest star in the sky.

::: winter :::

2010-06-28T10:42:00.002+10:00

:::winter:::

number four

beautiful salvaged hardwood

an impromptu backyard fire pit

a quickly gathered circle of treasured family, neighbours and friends

a shared fire cooked Sunday night meal

a good red

planting the seed

2010-06-26T10:29:00.005+10:00

In celebrating the UN International Year of Biodiversity and the exquisite work of Sophie Munns and her residency project "Homage to the Seed", there is a call out to all bloggers to get creative with mail art and create some postcards based on the theme of Seeds!
Sophie is the 2010 artist in residence at our Brisbane, Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens and the work she has been doing in highlighting the humble and actually most often fascinating and beautiful seed and it's global importance is truly inspiring.
Sophie recently said to me... "In working with cross-sections I am trying to draw attention to a way of looking at seeds and capsules that many aren't used to... so in the effort to draw people to look more closely at seeds, perhaps think a bit - this was one vein of thought I am following."
Well it's working...for my consciousness anyway. I don't think I have heard the word seed nor viewed images of seeds without thinking of Sophie and her work since I first viewed it.
There are already works in progress that will even make their way here from across the seas!
What a special show this will make indeed.
I am going to join in too. My ideas have been bouncing around from grand, to well, manageable for me...I say with a smile. Perhaps just a print or two of some of my beloved photographs?

So I am passing on the invitation on behalf of Sophie.
Get creative and crazy....or keep it simple.
Make a postcard and join in on the snail mail fun by forwarding your very own piece in Homage to the Seed!
Just click on the picture above for all the details.

And while I am here....
I saw the movie Food Inc. on it's opening night here on Thursday. It was impressively sold out thanks to a change in decision from not screening it here after an email onslaught by like minded and passionate locals. I did feel, for me, however that it did not particularly break new ground especially if you have seen "The Future of Food" or read books like "The Ethics Of What We Eat" by Peter Singer or "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan (who is featured in the film), all of which I highly recommend. However it is a great piece and it is out there for mainstream viewing and that is a grand, grand thing. Here is the trailer....make the effort and get along to see it sometime over the next three weeks!

See you Monday for more winter-y images. Happy weekend.

the love of whacking

2010-06-23T11:59:00.007+10:00

My Dad parted with our childhood totem tennis set on the weekend.
It now lives breathing a new, but not unfamiliar, life in my backyard.
I had forgotten he even had it. In fact I had almost forgotten it even existed.
But now I've laid eyes on it again the memories have tumbled back home.
Australian summers of the 70's.
Barefoot and dodging bindii's in my Dad's backyard.
My big brother and I.
Terry towelling hats, riding bikes, making jumps, being jumped over! (the compulsory role of the younger sister isn't it)
And whacking that totem tennis ball.
It's been a long time.
Things have changed.
But let me tell you when I held those bats in my hands again the other day...and ahem each day since...that whacking came straight back to me. Except maybe this time harder, stronger and if it's possible, more fun.
Hmm Mama could possibly match that beloved older brother who used to spin that ball round and round that totem coil not allowing his little sister to have her turn...joyfully living in his own world of whacking. How about it bro? Rematch time?
All hands here have had a go at this new, old, toy.
It's even been used in dispute resolution with a challenge having been set to the Mister. It never happened but it all ended in giggles and a few hours of good natured "talking it up".
A good tool to remember.
So even though it's cold here now, it's standing out there again. Perhaps in training for Summer.
I wonder if it will survive my two little one's antics?
I wonder if they will grow up and remember the days of totem tennis where one outhit the other or where one needed to jump the bmx over the other....
Who knows but for now we can aim for that, except maybe with the occasional.....

"Stand back kids...Mama's going to whack this one!"

::: winter :::

2010-06-21T11:53:00.005+10:00

:::winter:::
number three
sunrises and sunsets
beach and backyard
today marks the shortest day of the year
that means more sun from here on out
joyfulness
happy solstice friends

the sea and six

2010-06-17T10:48:00.005+10:00

Our seaside abode and adventures of four days.
We left with a girl of five and returned with a girl of six.
With a long weekend falling on or near Mia's birthday each year and this year falling on the very same day of her birth to be exact, we decided to take advantage of it and spend a few nights celebrating by the sea.
Her only requests were to return to *our island* and that there should be no goannas...difficult but with the cooler weather I was confident we could fudge our way through without a close sighting anyway.
So we stole an extra day from school and took off on an adventure to sleep under a glorious starry sky...our southern cross shining brightest... and to indulge in the sound of the gentle lapping of the Pacific by day and night.

We spent complete days in the sand...
sitting, digging, looking, lazing, basking.
We parachuted from she oaks...
swinging, flying, bouncing, falling, laughing.
We played and fished and walked and dipped our toes.
We roasted marshmallows on an open fire and warmed those same toes beneath the blanket of night.
We indulged in the company of good friends.
We hung the birthday bunting from the trees and sang and celebrated six...
the sea and six.
No goannas in sight.

::: winter :::

2010-06-15T10:42:00.004+10:00

::: winter :::

number two

a little late but here is the view as I stood just yesterday at sunrise

early morning light and the gentle ebb and flow of the sea

I will be back soon with the tale of our escape

for now there is unpacking and washing to be done

calls of tired little ones and sand....lots of sand.

::: winter :::

2010-06-07T10:50:00.002+10:00

::: winter :::

number one

light streaming through windows touching places untouched before

candles during the day

il sole

2010-06-04T13:20:00.002+10:00

The sun was shining this morning.
Bright uninterrupted streams of warm light from a cloudless sky.
It feels like forever since we have had a clear day like this and I decided to lap it up.
I hung my washing on the line just knowing I will bring it in tonight smelling of light, with that crisp slight stiffness of being dried outdoors and that it just may still be warm when I plunge my hands into the bottom of the basket to pull it back out and fold it all.

The boy and I sat outside on the day bed on the front verandah, chasing the sun in the north, to drink our tea.
His chamomile, mine lemon myrtle.
Him swinging on my legs and me reading my gardening books.

Both enjoying the view to the garden and the streams of sun shining within it.

winter

2010-06-01T12:19:00.003+10:00

Winter joins us today.
And my peach tree is starting to bloom because of her.
Though I'll admit I'm not so much welcoming her this year at all, nor perhaps now each year to come.
I think I've reached that uncertain age where I can confidently make such a bold assertion.
Instead I am just assigning myself to her steady recurrent presence.
Meeting her with a comfortable yet equally icy reception.
I am going to be counting the days waiting for Spring...
the warmth, the sunshine (oh, the sunshine) and the smiles that seems to so easily bring...
But I will move through her with grace.
I'm planning to create another record of her visit with weekly pictures just as I celebrated the Summer, every Monday, because she does still hold beautiful things in her grasp.
I don't have to be her friend but I will be a congenial host.

"be sure to wear some flowers in your hair"

2010-05-26T12:55:00.005+10:00

it's camellia season
and I am mending well

Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

rolling with it

2010-05-24T13:28:00.003+10:00

We're still battling the cold weather bugs here.

The coughs have persisted as have the germs that finally got their claws into the Mama.

But I'm trying to roll with it.

So far we all did through another full weekend with Friday night dinner, red onion jam, work, a roller skating party (thanks Jen for the picture), playing with some of the book collection, and warming the hearth and heart.

Trying to ward off the chill.

I'm planning on a slow week, maybe with some Mama naps thrown in somewhere too... wouldn't that be just the way to roll?

ruffling a few feathers

2010-05-19T20:24:00.008+10:00

I'd been thinking about it.
Ruffling a few feathers.
I think I may have even said it out loud.
After all... cuteness and fluffy bums will only get you so far and for so long.
Even in my garden girls.
I know you heritage breeds are a little precious.
But you see we all still need to contribute 'round here.
No free rides.

And so it seems they may have been reading my mind...
Or perhaps they heard me...ahem.
Down in the coop.
Because it was this I found sitting there in the nesting box this afternoon.
Very sneaky goings on I tell you.
I heard nothing today.
I saw nothing.
Just as it's been for months....months!

I know it wasn't you Sophia because this egg isn't green.
And I know it wasn't you Emmeline or your sister Prudence because yes it's only small and brown...
not delightfully creamy and speckled.

And yes Millie you can also tell Olive I'm still onto you both too.
Like I said...

not green.

And I know it's not Henrietta.
She's too busy leaving peck marks on my toes and making me squeal and jump into the air.
Besides, her comb is too pale right now.
It's a dead giveaway.
Nope... not hers.

But... sweet... quiet... Harriet...
Our ever reliable girl.
I just know this is yours.
No don't turn away in pretense.

All I ask is please, please go and tell the other six to pick up the game a bit?
We do still love eggs here.

sweet jessamine

2010-05-17T10:15:00.003+10:00

she does this

my girl

by my bedside
last night it was sweet jessamine

nesting

2010-05-10T20:39:00.004+10:00

Reading, lounging, nesting.
That's what today was all about here with a cold in the house.
Sniffles and coughs and tired eyes.
I'm expecting we'll be back on our feet tomorrow and I have high hopes that the heavy feeling I had all day today is as far as this Mama's taste of it will go.
I think a day of books (including some of my own childhood faves), a floor covered in pillows, chamomile tea all 'round plus olive leaf and tissue salts is just the ticket for a quick recovery.
Let's hope we ward off the rest of the season's nasties just as swiftly.

today

2010-05-09T20:49:00.004+10:00

today....mothers day
handwritten notes to say *deeya mum...I larv you*
thrifted goodies and handmade things
fabric flowers
and real ones just because

the weekend view

2010-05-03T15:20:00.006+10:00

It's been another long weekend in our corner. Another long weekend without a camping trip because I've opted for extra shifts at work... you know the things we do to keep it all flowing.
But amidst a few somewhat grumpy tired Mama moments...ahuh there have been those... there has also been time to bake some gluten free cupcakes....oh yes!

And pick the first of this seasons guavas from our tree.

Then eat them in the glowing golden hues of a setting sun.

Delicious.

There was time for watery leaf races.

No one lost...we all won.

There were some stolen moments just sitting watching the dolls play on the deck...

And there was crafting and creative spelling.

Did you know wine cork turtles are pretty cool?

And so is the grin this gives me every time I pop into Mia's room.

Not too bad for a working weekend...

the weekend view from home is certainly worth keeping it all afloat.

as it spins

2010-04-27T19:57:00.003+10:00

life's twists and turns here lately...
sunrise and sunset
cloudy and clear
stillness and haste
disquiet and grace...

there's always room for grace...and a bit of muddy fun.

remember when

2010-04-13T12:07:00.005+10:00

Do you remember when it was so easy to make new friends?
I do.
Back when days seemed to go on forever and a year was just an eternity.
It happened so naturally.
Mia made a little holiday friend on our recent trip.
Goodness they were inseparable.
Goodness it made me remember when...

walk with me

2010-04-08T21:53:00.005+10:00

Care to stroll with me down some of the paths I've recently wandered?
On water and on land...

Some go to nowhere...
Some to everywhere...
Who can resist what might lie around the next bend?

beneath the mountain

2010-04-07T10:59:00.008+10:00

It was thanks to heavy traffic that we bid farewell to the setting sun and drove directly into the darkest of rainclouds that I unconvincingly told myself would pass us by.

Arriving at our destination in the pouring rain and pitch black we clumsily found our way bumping in the darkness between large rocks and the tall dark twisted trunks of numerous gum trees, completely missing the road most of the way, to a back corner of the property that would be our new home for the next four days. And admittedly with thoughts of then turning around and driving all the way home to sleep in my own dry bed and then begin our trek again the next morning, we set up our tents by the glow of car headlights and the thundering sound and wetness of the heavens opening.

With soaked hair and clothes clinging to every inch of skin and the ever so frequent looks to each other reassuring ourselves that things will only get better from here we succeeded in pitching our tent and tarp. After some mopping and ringing (yes ringing) of towels to rid our bedrooms of the puddles inside we had a dry and comfortable first nights sleep with dreams of conquest, the feeling of being watched over by another shadowy looming dark shape that seemed to cover half the sky and of a sunny day in the morning.

And indeed that's what we were granted. With the challenges of the night before seeming such a strange and distant memory we discovered what a pretty place we had set up camp amidst and that shadowy looming enormity watching over us the night before showed itself as the strong and ancient rocky face of Mt Edwards.

It's always such an adventure to wake in the crisp misty light of morning, with sun streaming through the cold air leaving swords of foggy yellow light between branches of trees illuminating the unexplored. Like a stripy wrapping paper on a much anticipated gift that you can now unwrap.

Oh and the things that that unwrapping revealed....

new friends....

outdoor baths....

gratefulness for remembering to pack the hammock....

and for the view to be admired while gently rocking there.

I celebrated my 38th year.

We dyed eggs with leaves and onion skins to have for breakfast Easter morning.

We canoed and boated (of which I have no photographs because there was quite a bit of indulgent playing with my new camera which caused the battery to flatten a just a little too early) ever so peacefully in the creek...unfortunately without spying the platypus that live there so I think an earlier row on the creek is required next time.

I made damper and cooked it for the little ones on sticks over the fire and they ate it with melted butter and raspberry jam while we sat mesmerised by the flames.

We collected eggs, fresh from sleep, around dawn on Sunday morning.

So yes, each dawning moment was an unveiling.

Quite the right way to celebrate all the weekend was.
A challenging beginning and a blissful end...all unwrapped beneath the mountain.

bunnies chicks and clicks

2010-03-31T21:12:00.003+10:00

It's all winding down to the holidays.
Tomorrow we set off for our days sleeping out... off into the crisp and colourful freedom that is our *backyard* in search of adventure, discovery, wild things, places to dip the toes and just sit and listen and be a while.
But in the meantime the sewing of rabbits and chickens for Easter baskets has been completed...

and Easter bonnet parades have been marched most proudly with pink bunnies on our heads...

and Mama has gifted herself with a much anticipated toy to capture the long long weekend...

and hopefully do a little learning in the process...boy there are a lot of buttons to play with.
Click click click.

a hat for her

2010-03-25T20:47:00.005+10:00

I've been sewing hats this week...
My machine has been gently whirring again these last two days thanks to a very early birthday gift from my sweet sister. She, much to my gasping surprise secretly heeded my (honestly)casual and inadvertent wish to the universe and filled my hands with this much desired little book last week.

And while red stitches zigzagged across rounds of fabrics, once belonging to the intended wearers Grandmother, and vintage buttons were placed and hand stitched in just the right spots for embellishment I couldn't help but think back to a conversation I had with my girl in the days before...

It was an ordinary drive home from school and a discussion began about what she wanted to be when she *grew up*. Expecting her wish to be a Princess to be declared again, I prepared myself for my own enthusiastic declaration that "of course you will be a Princess my darling".

Instead we proceeded through a huge list of amazing possibilities only to end in a slight pause from the Princess in waiting before she most assuredly, in her most assured little girls voice stated... "Mummy you know what? I just want to be me when I grow up".

Oh my sweet girl...if that's what you know you want to be already then my little one you will be perfectly happy in whatever hat you put on. Your Mama on the other hand is still figuring that one out... but I'm close.

By the way...she loves her new Mama made hat and even more so she loves that she has found something to sew her favourite huge button on... just to look herself as well.

around here

2010-03-17T11:58:00.004+10:00

It seems indeed, after all this time, I can successfully grow tomatoes.
Beautifully perfectly imperfect organic roma tomatoes.
And indeed the boy and I can sit in the sunshine while we easily devour half a dozen of them straight from the bush and grin broadly at each other.

to scout and to discover

2010-03-08T12:21:00.005+10:00

With Easter quickly approaching us and the talk of spending those days amongst the trees and the wild freedom of the country at risk of remaining just talk, we ventured out in search of some open skies and open spaces this weekend...

An adventure to...
ward off some wander lust...
relieve a large amount of captive frustration with the indoors due to the (lovely) ongoing downpours of late...
escape, for just a little bit, all the craziness that is living within a building site though it was only for a short while (I have to tell you our deck has far superseded our expectations!)...
and most importantly to discover and investigate possible camping locations for the impending holidays.

We found ourselves traversing down back roads and farm lane ways from the Albert river to Running creek.....

to dip our toes and stand together indulging in the great meditative art of rock throwing....

to find old bones to fascinate us....

to scout, to breathe and best of all to discover new places for adventure and ultimately an outdoor *home* for the coming holiday.
Hopefully the perfect nest in nature for us to escape to to nourish ourselves and celebrate it all.

::: monday's summer pics :::

2010-02-24T09:56:00.004+10:00

on a Wednesday... It was the last of the Summer series this week with the final day of summer officially landing on Monday.
I have only so subtly felt Autumn encroaching on us. Watching the lengthening shadows and the wee freshness to the air in the early morn but it is a slow change this year. Much slower than this time last... I wonder why. Maybe it is because it is still so very hot and well....the watched pot never boils.

I have thrown together a little mosaic of my summer Mondays and being still without a new snappy love I haven't any new pics to share right now...other than perhaps some rather rough one's on my phone of the works on the house.
And on that front all is adventurous, somewhat testing and never dull...
We are again sleeping in our finished bedroom (lovely) and are yet to tackle the dismantling and completing of the next...
The deck is well underway and is proving to be bigger and better than expected but not without some anxiety on my part in general regarding big change (I'm silly like that)....a sewerage pipe accident...and a little bobcat budget blowout....

But perhaps by next week I will be laying back out there... with a view of the patch... in my hammock I haven't stretched out in for years from lack of hanging space...sipping some new chai and really welcoming the light change of Autumn.

Happy days.

::: monday's summer pics :::

2010-02-15T11:26:00.004+10:00

Week 12.
Another from the archives. Almost this very same time last year.
Although this years golden sun soldiers aren't quite as grand as last, they have still stood proudly as our Summer garden friends again.

A note on why the archival pics....well....sadly my beloved little happy snapper is *broke*....and I am slowly working on an upgraded replacement (which is very exciting and *meant to be*)....but with big BIG works on the home in progress here I have been hesitating on loosening the purse strings again right at this minute....
all in good time.
So please I may be a little scarce in this space for a bit as the business of flooring, plastering, cornicing, painting, deck building and dreaming of new camera's takes over for a short while but I will not be far especially when the craziness of it all gets a bit much and I need an escape to my favourite inspirational places here....

::: monday's summer pics :::

2010-02-08T13:17:00.005+10:00

Week 11.
While still reeling from the fact we are in week 11...ELEVEN... of summer already...here is one from the archives (well this summers archives).
Appropriate because we are getting so much soaking stormy rain right now.
Beautiful after such a long drought...
and with the garden winding down and tired after our hot Australian summer it is giving it some greenness, saving it from looking too sad, summer bug munched and well...spent.
It's almost time for that overhaul.
The emptying of beds and enriching with compost.
The sowing of all my favourite nourishing leafy winter greens and beans.
Though with gratitude the *girls* are laying again...the worms are breeding and we've still been enjoying the last of the cucumbers plus cherry tomatoes (with beautiful swelling Roma's still to come), finger eggplants, sunflowers, mint, rocket, basil, strawberries and amaranth.
We are also looking forward to more papaya's, lemons, capsicum, chilli and probably an extra excess of banana's to come again now in Autumn.

And with each downpour and midnight storm we gently seem to be waking to subtly cooler mornings and shadows that lay just a little longer across the ground.
It's not just the garden that is winding down.

chambakka jelly

2010-02-03T14:48:00.005+10:00

With thanks to an Indian door to door salesman munching on a pretty little pink fruit we now have jars of sweet jelly in our kitchen.
Known as Chambakkas in his native language... or here (after a little investigation) known commonly as Wax Jambus or Water Roseapples.
They grow on the nature strip across the street!
A large tree I hadn't paid heed to before and neither it seems had many others in the neighbourhood because the fruit, abundant and pink lay fallen and uneaten across the grass, as well as squished so sadly in a mass of waste on the road.
A quick courteous visit to these neighbours was in order before Mia and I promptly filled our basket with fruit and made our way to the kitchen to get boiling, squishing and jelly making.
How could such a source of unusual crunchy deliciousness have been so unknown to us for so long?

It was with big smiles that that salesman left our door that day.
Him without a sale but having had a most friendly chat in a new *world* he admitted he had few friends in, plus crisp fruit reminding him of home... and me with an amusing lesson in his native tongue (it feels good to know my clumsy accent gave him a giggle that day) and the knowledge of another new tree full of exotic goodness right outside home here.
Did you know in India *akka* means fruit and *chamb* is this type of fruit?
I do....now.

::: monday's summer pics :::

2010-02-01T12:37:00.002+10:00

Week 10.
Swept back with pretty ribbons.

handmades and hankies

2010-01-29T11:50:00.001+10:00

The January birthdays are all over now.
The handmades are finally finished and the time is right to safely show one off.
An apron with a vintage family doily, my Grandmothers lace and a handkerchief for embellishment.
Actually the handkerchief was mine. A gift...one of three given to me on my holy communion day...some thirty plus years ago.
I thought the lemon rosettes went beautifully with the vintage sheet....another family goodie.
I simply copied this pattern from another apron here at home and made the rest up as I went.
I wonder if you remember the original pillow case?
The matching sheet was found recently which I claimed just for this project...the remainder of which is still sitting in my stash ready for some autumn lounge pants for the girl and I perhaps?
And with the serious doily love that is going on in this house of late maybe they will be embellished with the same somehow...
Oh yes...there is a stack of recently claimed doilies and embroidery here ( making me smile and flip through it every time I walk passed....a serious time stealer) destined for some big and delicious crafting...after the mothering and study is done of course.

In the meantime there are some gorgeous examples of doily love here from a book I am ever so desperate to get my hands on.....and seeing as there is a satiated supply of crochet goodies here for now maybe a book is on the cards for an April birthday? *wink*

::: monday's summer pics :::

2010-01-25T21:19:00.005+10:00

Week 9.

This was us today...just hours ago.

Enveloped and basking in Mooball Creek.

We took one last end of Summer holiday escape to the serenity of *the farm* and all the soul satisfying goodness it has to offer....

and to spend some time wrapped up in the company of my Mum and Dad.

We will sleep soundly tonight to the sound of aqua water lapping in our dreams.

excess and deficit

2010-01-21T10:51:00.008+10:00

We're still in the thick of cucumbers here. Giant Russian cucumbers.

Our little lemon cucumber vine has succumbed to mildew (unlike our, true to description, giant Russian vine) but not after giving us basket after basket full of crispy apple like fruit to munch freshly plucked in the garden or to fill our daily salads. It's space in the garden has now been quickly occupied by some rather pretty looking red Mekong amaranth. Mmm.

The giant vine powers on carrying close to half a dozen fast maturing gold beauties at a time. All carefully bagged of course to foil that pesky Queensland fruit fly. He is not a welcome visitor at our place that's for sure...but perhaps more on that later.
And so everyday I've popped out to cradle each hard fat small football fruit in my hands and wonder, as I smile broadly with a bit of pride at my successes in the cucurbit world, just what I am really going to do with them all.
And while attending to my garden meandering yesterday and plucking said giant golden cucumbers in preparation for my solution to our small glut...our excess....I spied the other protection bag I like to cradle often in anticipation.... it held the single apple on our little apple tree. And it was glowing slightly pink through the white bag and feeling rather excitedly round and plump until alas I felt that dreaded squishy feeling on it's base. Could it be blossom end rot from all the crazy rain lately....I couldn't be sure.

But what I was sure of however was that we were going to all eat that apple nevertheless (minus the squishiness of course), and with giant bites and squeals of pleasure at our small homegrown victory and the novelty of it, we passed it from hands to hands as we did exactly that. And it was the best tasting apple containing more of our garden's excess and deficit in that one swollen fruit!

And then, with my mouth still tingly with tasty satisfaction, it was back to the kitchen and the solution to our other excess which I found here. (scroll down just a little from her Mum's first reply)

And my oh my what a solution!

With memories of being teenage and *borrowing* jars of gherkins at lunchtime from the Home Economics rooms at high school (really what was I thinking...they are barely even recognisable as cucumbers.... and that acrid vinegar...well) I made this up last night.

And this morning we played here at home in the garden with our own homemade jar of fresh pickles and sunshine accompanying us... just for snacking of course... in excess

I highly recommend this super easy recipe. And I recommend you add the sesame oil.
I used just one giant cucumber and added a bit more pickling and I used white wine vinegar.

The chilli, well, I don't have any fresh fruiting in the garden yet so I added flakes from the pantry and my little one's don't mind a bit of zing...let me tell you they have inherited their Mama's love of pickley things...but I'll leave that up to you if you try it.

Happy pickles.

I'm off to pluck out another one...or two.

::: monday's summer pics :::

2010-01-18T14:57:00.003+10:00

Week 8.

Salads with homegrown sprouts, cucumbers, papaya, lettuce and chard.

Sharing fresh spoils and maybe an icy beer in the balmy fading light of afternoon.

Listening to the laughter of friends and the squeals of barefoot children as they delight in the wildness of the garden at the end of a hot day...

but not to drown out the sweet sweet sounds of beautiful Australian musical artists....

month of days

2010-01-13T11:37:00.005+10:00

January seems to be our family's month.
The birthday cluster month.
Do you have one of those?
We have six...yup SIX...close family birthdays within this luna cycle every year.

So we've been merry making, gift making (but Mama is still a little behind on some of that makin' and there is family still awaiting some special gifts from her hands...sorry!) and devilishly baking.

The birthday tablecloth has been pulled out and the bunting hung. The completed gifts have been lovingly wrapped and the homemade cards joyfully coloured and written in readiness for the post.

Phew. That's some celebrating.

Throw in some spotty/measly virus and teeth problems and our feet are truly off the ground and we are being swept along by our party wings alone.....
Maybe February, after this months blue moon, will see this Mama caught up and ready to sink herself (and her feet) into some homely steady comforting rhythm of the new months ahead....

::: monday's summer pics :::

2010-01-11T13:21:00.001+10:00

Week 7.

"Mama, wanna haf wing?"
"Sure Baby sure."

::: monday's summer pics :::

2010-01-04T08:07:00.004+10:00

Week 6.
Days (or is it weeks yet?) of wet and hot.
Like Summer's of my childhood.
The heaviness of storms amidst the rain in the middle of the day.
Garden's bursting in a greenness long missed.
Just a little bit of *cabin fever*.

festive snippets...

2009-12-31T08:59:00.005+10:00

I figure it's not quite too late for some festive snippets from around our parts.
But you know, to make an honest confession...
this Mama was lacking this year in just a little festive cheer.
My heart was just not thumping with that full Christmas-y feeling...you know?
Perhaps my heart was still on our island?
But, don't get me wrong.
It was filled with love watching the smiles and surprise on my little one's faces and feeling the warmth of their gratefulness and pleasure.
And I'm happy our house is filled with new treasure and creative pursuits just bursting with anticipatory making!
And I am joyfully wearing my new gift that I think I may just never...ever...take off.
And there were treats and lights and shiny things.
And there were several celebratory meals.
And there was an impromptu Christmas night in our home with almost the whole neighbourhood and their friends which almost saw the sun rise.
And I am certainly aware that this festive time was indeed filled with many, many blessings.
And, considering I did not have my camera in it's usual position permanently attached to my wrist, I did manage to capture these few snippets of our time...

And with all that goodness set in memory now... I am ready for a little settling down... and letting go of this year and moving with the motion of all the big plans we have for the next.
Happy new days friends.

::: monday's summer pics :::

2009-12-28T16:28:00.002+10:00

Week 5.
Anyone for dipping their toes?
A small taste from last week's island escape.

::: monday's summer pics :::

2009-12-18T20:11:00.002+10:00

An early Week 4.
I think we may be in a constant state such as this for the next 5 days at least.
Cool and immersed in sea water.... salty and tasting of the ocean.
Sleeping under the stars and waking to the sound of crashing waves.
Bare feet crusted in sand and faces kissed by the sun.

filling our days

2009-12-17T07:26:00.004+10:00

You know it hasn't been hard this week to fill in our days.
As the countdown to a certain celebration (and a much anticipated pre celebration escape!) seems to accelerate, we are achieving a lot....and a little.

This Mama has taken on some new projects...a little early for the new year but nevertheless most exciting... and this week amidst the happenings of our days I managed to achieve submitting my first assignment. I have undertaken a new venture in the form of some study again for the moment (of this ...and this for a refresher).
So amidst feelings of accomplishment after a little hard work I feel I can exhale now for a bit....for maybe the next couple of weeks until the festivities have died down and just...

be and make and prepare...

and immerse myself in the filling of our days.

The filling of our days that consists of....

watching the girl while the little one sleeps, set up with all manner of crafty supplies, make things of beauty.

(The angels are for our tree and the chicken is Daddy's Christmas gift. After all what Daddy with 7 live girls in the backyard doesn't need a lovingly made cardboard one...with eggs?)

The filling of our days that consists of...

early morning forays and discoveries in the garden...

of butterflies and kumi kumi blooms.....

of plucking giant Russian cucumbers from the vine and eating them by the slice....

And the filling of our days that consists of...

giant dreams and giant smiles.

And with that there is still more smiling and planning and preparing and dreaming to do here today and tomorrow...as we are venturing off at day break on the weekend to our little island paradise but I will be back hopefully tomorrow with an early Monday Summer Pic for you.

In the meantime, happy filling of your days....

::: monday's summer pics :::

2009-12-14T15:53:00.004+10:00

Week 3.
Alfresco dining every evening.
The cool change and small relief that comes with a late afternoon breeze.

narnies

2009-12-09T09:58:00.004+10:00

We're a bit *narnied* out here.
Yesterday I froze the last of our banana's that we cut down from the tree the other week. They were being eyed off for a while now by humans and critters alike and finally the day came for them to come down. Some were ready and were of course eaten straight away....others were still green and gave us a couple of more weeks of sweet goodness. But this week, and in this heat they were just ripening faster than we could eat them despite having shared hands with friends and neighbours too.
So some I just froze whole for those baking days and upcoming smoothie days (yum)....and others I sliced and froze in handy bags for a creamy cold treat whenever we feel like it.
And with the forecast today to be in the mid 30C's (just a warm one for here) I think we will be back in the paddle pool this afternoon nibbling on those very same icy lady finger delights.

::: monday's summer pics :::

2009-12-07T11:33:00.003+10:00

Week 2.
Bags of warm summer tomatoes....from the garden of course.

the countdown

2009-12-01T14:02:00.005+10:00

Today is the 1st day of December... and the first official day of Summer.
There is a lot to be excited about now like enjoying the true spoils of *Summeriness* and the festive season combined.
I have found some time for easy and long desired sewing and creating.
And we have consequently been decking our halls with everything handmade and Christmas-y.

The countdown begins...

::: monday's summer pics :::

2009-11-30T19:46:00.002+10:00

Jodi is hosting Summer photo's every Monday for the next three months....
and I'm joining her.
It's still super hot here and as a result there has been lots of water splashing about in the backyard lately.
Lots of wet fun and laughter.
Summer.

vernal flowers fruits seeds

2009-11-24T13:02:00.008+10:00

It's almost the end of Spring!
Life has been busy around here. Nothing spectacular just yet (though there are plans...yes grand plans I may share with you soon). It's just been the *simple* life which somehow and in some way with little one's and an impending festive season plus a fair bit of climbing that back fence, is just as busy as anything else can be... and in the meantime a hot hot Spring has been passing us by.
The garden has been a slightly neglected and needy constant...yet in it's constant way it has not disappointed me but provided.... in both small ways and large.
And so as promised I have a happy seasonal update for you from the patch.
True to the 12 weeks of Spring it is a photo heavy post with indeed 12 springtide photos from right out my back door....
My vernal flowers, fruits and seeds.

So yes there have been flowers and fruits and seeds this season.
There has been pretty coriander.
Rocket and basil to set seed to dry and collect.
There has been a *super* lettuce of the tastiest and largest kind that made us wait before it would seed in the most amazing manner. And right next door is the super beet that is still fattening and still not yet setting seed. But I am patient and will wait for such fantastic genetic pods to resow next winter. Maybe that spot in the garden should be labelled the *super* spot?
There have been herbs, chard, beets, mulberry treats and many many papaya's (still). Salads of all kinds!
There have been small harvests of golden zucchini....before the fruit fly broke my heart.
There have been changes of plans from eating more small golden zucchini to cutting my losses and sacrificing the plants and harvesting all the blooms for a delicious treat of gluten free smoked salmon and fetta stuffed zucchini flowers.
There are cucurbits to fill any belly. Lemon and giant russian cucumbers...quite the novelty....though with the extra heat around this year it is not as lush a display as last but just as productive.
And upon revisiting that the slowing down does sound good too though doesn't it?
With Summer and Christmas just around the corner a little post Spring slowing down could only be a good thing amongst all the munching and replanting of flowers, fruits and seeds that needs to be done here out the back.

P.S Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts last post. It is done now. There was heartbreak, surprising strength and peace that afternoon. And I will heal.

fur and feathers

2009-11-20T13:19:00.005+10:00

There has always been a lot of animals around here. Furry and feathered.
Last count there were 3 dogs, 2 guinea pigs, numerous fish in a pair of extra large aquariums and 7 chooks. Yep 7 now.
I failed to take the time a little while back when we introduced our newest three girls to the flock to then introduce them to you. I quickly fell in love with lavender araucana's and decided to get a pair from a breeder and in a moment of weakness ended up coming home with three...only one of which is a lavender but nonetheless all are beautiful. And with green eggs now gracing our nesting boxes and all 7 girls finally getting along amicably what's not to be happy about?
So here they are....
Sophia, the lavender...

Olive...
and Millie....the broody one.

and here is how pretty their eggs are.

But you know, on a much sadder note, with so many animals around they all eventually have to grow old and you're never really quite prepared for it. Kyle's dog suffered a little with dementia in his old age recently and started running away at the slightest breeze and has not returned from his last adventure.
And as I distract myself here blogging today I am preparing to say goodbye to my own best friend and longest companion this afternoon. She is 16 now and after losing an eye earlier this year and then months of me agonising over making the hardest decision one could ever make for a friend I finally knew on Tuesday that this week would be her last. It's time. And now today has come.

She's been my shadow, my cheering squad, my shoulder. She's been funny, annoying, devoted, loving and loud.

I found her at the animal shelter, quiet and husky from barking too much.

She was at the back and only little.

I didn't realise she only had three legs until I asked to give her a pat. I knew she had to come home with me and she did after the shelter gave me a 25% discount because of her missing leg! A story that always incites a giggle. But she was definitely worth the extra 25.

And so she came to live with me and I named her a variation of the Japanese word for three.

She's knows a lot about me this dog....she has seen many places and things before and after the rest of my little family now.

So I leave you with a picture of her in her prime....a long long time ago.

My dog, Sahn.

I'm going to try and be gentle with myself this afternoon and this weekend and take some more time out, but...

I will be back soon to this slightly neglected space with something much cheerier, perhaps an update on what's been happening in the patch over Spring!

Until then friends....