Gifts

We recieved a gift this past weekend. 
A few days with Granny and Pompa.


Not only did they bless us with their time but a few other gifts aswell. One of which was a pasta machine!

Spring has used a pasta machine before, with Granny, and was very good at sharing her knowledge and helping her little brother. There's not much that warms a Mama's heart more than seeing your little people get along and enjoy each other. (Especially when they're wearing Granny knitted fair isle, funny the things you don't pick up till you take a picture.)

There's really nothing like learning by doing and this I found quite simple for them both to do. While my little Winter slept of course.

So while Granny and Pompa patiently waited for a delayed flight after being dropped at the airport this morning we were making and eating delicious pasta thanks to their thoughtfulness and guidance. With nothing but tomato and parmesan we couldn't have asked for more on a cold day. (Note small hand rapidly moving toward bowl for raw nibbling)

We wished we could share.

Wonder full: something for the senses

Something to hear, something to see, something to smell, something to taste, something to touch, or something to know....

Something to be thankful for.

A parcel in the post

A parcel was waiting on the doorstep this morning when we returned home. Always a nice welcome!

This is my first dabble into fabric design. Not that I'd call it design at this stage but I wanted to have a play to get a feel for it. I have imaginings growing in my mind. Not for now but for in a wee while.

I've used a couple of my sketches to print these. Crab-apples and a daisy from the front garden. I have a great deal to learn but that's part of the excitement.

I am so thrilled that there is the option for anybody to create their own fabric. Such a wonderful idea. Hooray for Spoonflower.

A whole village

Those fairies, we think their population must be growing quite quickly because new homes and businesses keep popping up. 

We think we've figured which one is the bakery, the shoe repair, the medicine woman and which ones are homes.

This one we're still deciding on, it is so tiny and sweet it must be something to do with newborn fairies...

What do you think? Who lives where?

Wonder full: something for the senses

Something to hear, something to see, something to smell, something to taste, something to touch, or something to know....

Something to be thankful for.

short tales

I called the kids in to say good-bye to their pup. 

As they walked Autumn suggested 'We can sing to her.' 

'Yes, that's a good idea. What would you like to sing?'

'Baa, baa, black sheep.' said Spring.

'Lovely.'

And so we sang. Through tears we sang.

'Anything else?'

'Mazing Grace.' said Autumn

'Ok.'

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.....

There are many times in life when little people get it oh so right.

Raina

I remember her coming home with us, cradling her in my lap and me being upset. I felt sick at having been part of her leaving her mother. She was so little, just weeks old and the first to leave the litter.

We kept her close and cared for in that Autumn time. And eight more since. She was the first dog in my life.

This week we lost our dear companion and I'm still being caught in odd moments. I continue to look for that box of photos that show her as a puppy.

She arrived before we had babies and when each of the babes started moving she was one of the first toys they found to play with. She was a dear playmate for Autumn. 
She is part of the family picture.

I find myself opening the laundry door to get her up in the mornings. I hear a noise and subconsciously credit her gentle presence, I look for her when there are apple cores to be shared because these were a favourite treat. I hear her crying to join when there's a ball game. I ensure the front gate is always closed so she doesn't choose to go visiting people of her own accord. I hear her nails tapping as she walks through the room. I hear her groan in her sleep as she resettles, or scratch around in her bed in the middle of the night to make it more comfortable. 

Our lovely furry friend who would find the warmest, sunniest spot in the house, just like a cat. She shared her love and affection with many family, friends, neighbours and aquaintances, and it was returned.


A gentle, patient soul.

She has left a mark; muddy and smudged in places, clear and reflective in others. 

Rest well my friend.

Heart

Please excuse me while I step away for a few days. 

Bah humbug!

This is neither trickery or deceptive.
Neither is it hard and peppermint flavoured.

It's actually more marshmallowy (I'm sure that's a word...). Well the yarn colour is mallow and it's quite soft and squishy. Especially with a squishy inside it!

This was a joy to knit. Both the pattern and the yarn are lovely. (Ravelry link) I will use this yarn again (In fact I have a couple more skeins in a different colour, just waiting). I enjoyed watching the variation in the yarn as I knitted, the slight difference in texture, thickness and colour. The colours are soft and graduating, cream then pink and then through to dark grey, but there is one small spot, a centimetre maybe, of pure black in one of the skeins and I love that little bit. I love knowing it's there, recalling knitting it and admiring it's beauty. Black beauty.


And I have a whole skein of my friend mallow left over, a slight miscalculation...in my favour. He, he.

P.S. Put those lips away!


P.P.S. Blogger has been in maintenance for most of the week & I've been unable to publish. All really does seem good now.

Camping

We went camping for a birthday party this past weekend (hence the running with balloons!). Camping isn't something we have had much opportunity for till now. It is such a wonderful thing to do. For all of us.

As a child camping involved hard, dry red earth and rocks, steep mountain ranges, distant horizons, crisp clear skies with blazing sun in the day and the most crystal filled sky one could imagine of a night time, dingoes, emus, lizards and often, a good dose of flies.


This was different. Cold, foggy air, birds singing, sleeping to the sounds of the small river running nearby, grass underfoot, tall, tall, trees framing the sky and shading the earth. Kookaburras visiting, toadstools growing.

This babe wore jeans for the first time becuse we thought it would be a good choice for a baby crawling around in the cold and sometimes wet. And it worked but I won't be in a hurry to put them on her again. She looked too grown up. (A behaviour Mama dosent encourage any more than is absolutely neccessary....deep inhale...)

No matter where we camp, no matter what the temperature, there must be marshmallows over the fire. And there were. Many, both before and after dinner. He, he, he.

We woke to find ourselves sleeping among the clouds, literally. And then the sun shone through all of it.

A wonderful way to spend some time. 

And then we came home to a warm bath.

And a happy mother's day.

p.s. we've had a little technical glitch for a couple of days but now all seems to be working.

Wonder full: something for the senses

Something to hear, something to see, something to smell, something to taste, something to touch, or something to know....

Something to be thankful for.

 Warmth

 to hear

to see

to smell

to taste

to feel

and

to know

Bits and parcels

Today was just that. 

A parcel arrived mid-morning. (Shortly after I had pulled the fridge out and cleaned behind it looking for the source of that odd smell I'm not liking. The parcel was a welcome interruption.) The packaging was great fun.

It contained varied things, least of all shoes for the littlest lady whose spending alot of time soles down.

Books of words, words, and more words for Dada. But anything is exciting when you've had the chance to open the parcel.

And some books for Mama, like this one 'Aran knitting' by Alice Starmore. I'm not up to knitting an Aran but I'm interested and ready to learn.

We were doing alright; a warm fire to sit by 

and still some birthday cake to go around,

mittens from Mama's childhood called in to action(apparently necessary for catching a cat?!?),

Paper Sharks and phones, keeping us in touch with those we love whilst being eaten alive...
Mine rang all day.


And somehow we made it to a special cousin's 5th birthday party. 


Whew.