Everyday beauty

On a foggy morning recently I discovered all these cobwebs. Without that crystal dressing of dew they are almost invisible.




Nature's chandeliers.

What clever creatures.

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 creative need that will find any resource to fulfil it. An amazing soul.

The birthday that nearly wasn't

It was Dada's birthday was this past week only he's been so busy it took three days before we saw him for long enough to share it with him. We adults had a dinner organised, Surprise!  A few family and friends gathered to celebrate, babysitters aplenty, and enjoyed each other and made light of the empty seat.

The kids and I raced around like sillys on the day and then deeply exhaled when it wasn't to be. We made the cake. And wrote in the mess on the floor. We continued to ready the next day then deeply exhaled again. We iced the cake. (We did allow ourselves to nibble a little cake trimmed off before we iced it) 

These little people have been so admirably patient. 
So, in the meantime there have been many other goings on.

Because really, there's alot of excitement around such days when you're little but perhaps a little less fanfare when you're older. It's nice to have that excitement there to share.

Then we sang and ate and shared plants and flowers as gifts. Happy Birthday!

Preparations

We are about to embark upon this journey. We are so fortunate for so many reasons to be able to do this. The planets did line up for us. Wow. 

In a few weeks we will begin a five month journey, basing ourselves in England and exploring a little and sometimes just being, a little. 

We hope to spend much time with family and alot of time as a family.

But right now we are in this odd state of completely and utterly living here whilst knowing in a few weeks this home will be lived in by others, with very little trace of us. We continue to bake, and knit and be with friends and family and our babe takes more independant steps each day.

Soon our hourly, daily, weekly habits will be changed, and for a short while our body clocks upside down. We have just had the Winter soltice and will soon be wandering around very close to the Summer one.

But while we are here we do the little and not so little preparations that are neccessary. Often that means all of us, like trying out the porta-cot, other times just Mama or Dada. There are times when I feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day because the week-to-week seems monumental. At these times Granny's voice helps me through..'Do your best and leave the rest, it'll all come right some day or night.' And it will, because no matter how much dirty washing there is we are off on a journey. And plus there'll be plenty of dirty washing to keep us occupied there too!

Continue.

The one she's been waiting for

Oh, so patiently. 
And then sometimes, not so patiently.
Mama. Have you finished my dress? 
Nearly. 
Have you done the pocket?  My pink love heart?
I just have to sew it on. 
OHHHHHH! (in perfect four-year-old manner)

When it was complete it was worn immediately and has been again, many times since for varying activities, including cuddling guienea pigs (namely, Ginny and Piggles...).

I think she loves it. She seems to put it on alot. I wonder...if I put a pocket on all the things I knit maybe she'll love all of them. She told me she needs that pocket, it's for her treasures. (Ravelry link)

And there are alot of treasures everyday with this gatherer child. Just like her Great Grandmother and Aunt before her, she carries on a wonderous tradition. 
Mama will make as many pockets as you like My Love.

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
the other morning while Dada was having a little lay down in front of the warm fire after a busy and long day previous little man Autumn was talking with him and playing with his face (as children do).
'You got stripes.' He says, running his fingers across Dada's forehead. 
Us big people call them wrinkles or creases. Oh, to see the world through the eyes of a child.


(...perhaps we are not aging...but changing, into creatures; caterpillers, tigers, zebras, fish anything apropriately stripey or otherwise patterned...maybe...)

Black Cherry Lady

These went in the post on on Tuesday and arrived at their destination yesterday. They are a little late. 
They are a birthday gift for my wonderful sister who so cleverly makes words come to life on a page. She paints pictures, with words. A recent converstaion let me in on the fact that those tapping fingers were feeling the cold when hard at work, immediately I pictured these gloves. (Ravelry link)That's what stash yarn is for, right?

Born in the heart of our winter months birthday celebrations were wintery and rugged up and somehow, she always got a public holiday for her celebration. The whole nation celebrated her coming. Only they didn't know, they thought it was the Queen of England's birthday. I knew though.

Little lady spring happily modelled these for us. 

And we decided to include a few crocheted flowers for her to sew on if that's how she saw these gloves to be. I thought that would be a decision best made by her. I had faith that if they weren't added to the gloves they would've found a home somewhere else. She's clever like that my sister.

Love you Tanti

Today

I am 

• smiling at the concentration chocolate chips can call for
• not minding the slightly 'hi-bake' biscuit batch we made this morning
• because the reason they were forgotten was three consectutive calls from three dear friends
• loving baby toes in tights
• and a brother's bottom in his sister's pants (he insists they are too big for her and plus 'dey are bery warm')
• ignoring the mound of washing to be folded on the dining table
• looking forward to a visit from a friend this afternoon
• accepting that we are not going to make it to dance class today
• geting excited about the adventures afoot
• and trying to organise all the little bits thay go with this adventure
• sweeping the kitchen mutiple times knowing it will need to be done again before the day is through
• relishing the moments I find to click a few stitches and get a little closer to finishing a jumper for the season we are headed to

Activity Quiet

There are some activities which all Mamas have tucked away in the corners of their mind for when calm but busy is needed.

Here are some of our favourites.

Colour mixing: Oh my how they love this (and so do I!) All those magnificent colours to play with and change into more magnificent colours. Sometimes indoors, sometimes out.

Water displacement with pebbles: this is quite sensory with those smooth colourful pebbles and the slippery, magnifying water. 

Blocks: any size any shape any colour made into anything you like. I'm not sure there is much better.

Postman: this comes mainly courtesy of my beautiful cousin who made this set for Autumn last Christmas (and we added a post box). We all change roles; who's the postman, who's posting a letter to a friend, who's open mouthed and excited...'For me?'.(The last bit is extra chuckle worthy)

 (And then there's the washing, which can be seen in the background of this pic, more of a Mama activity but sometimes I gather a few helpers)

There are others too. What's in the Mama activities corner of your mind?

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.

Friends who love your kids,

and kids who love your friends.

A new Harry

We gave a homemade beanie to welcome a friend's new bub into this world but he has gone and outgrown it. So, he needs a new one to keep that sweet little hairy Harry head warm in these cold winter months. Especially 'cause his Mama and Dada do enjoy the great outdoors so much. He's a bit of an outdoor bub.

So this week I made this for him. I put a little H on the back side with overstitch, just for fun. (Ravelry link)


I borrowed little Winter's noggin for show and tell purposes. She's at the age where hat wearing doesn't last long unless immediately distracted. The little top notch was entertaining though!

Everyday beauty

A rose in bloom, a tree stump, clover collection, a sillhouette for the season, bouncing rain drops, clouds on a long drive home