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 collection

Today is a collection of sorts. 

Firstly, posssibly the best thing about this time of year, before the clocks go back but the weather is getting cooler, is that sunrise happens around 7am. So I see it frequently. This morning it filled the house with pink light. 

Today I type with a babe on my lap, listening to and watching the rain fall outside. The past weekend was the Australian Grand Prix here and while we don't go you can hear the cars from our place quite some distance away. 

We had the school Fete so Saturday afternoon was dedicated to baked goods to be delivered Sunday morn. We came home from the Fete with treasures. We have been attending this Fete for years now, prior to being parents at the school, and I am always impressed by the handmade goods and homemade goodies. So many knitted toys and clothes, home sewn dresses and bags and dolls, wonderful hairclips. A really diverse range of preserves and baked yummies. 

There is also trash and treasure. 'The Treasure' for this year would have to be these flippers. They are worn everywhere, slept with and mean extra long baths at any and multiple times a day.

 I've got myself a habit at the moment. A chocolate sauce habit. 

Ingredients

150gms dark chocolate

100mls milk

1Tblsp butter

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Melt dark choc  then add rest of ingredients heat gently for a few more minutes till well combined. 

Pour over what ever you feel like. Ice cream, strawberries, your tongue.

Last night I felt like a little bit of minty goodness so substituted the vanilla for peppermint essence. You could do this with orange essence or peel, almond essence, strawberry essence or even rose water I guess. Hmmm, I'll experiment again and let you know. If you do, please let me know how it goes.

And then there's been a little of Easter themed play too. Who doesn't love fairy bread? And the mother who helps them make it? Smiles all round.

to keep her warm

This went off in the post last week to arrive on Granny's door step. 

It's actually her birthday present. Her birthday is in November. Huh? Early? No. Late. 

This was so well planned and then various hurdles kept popping up. Including postal sevices in both England and Australia. There were Royal Mail lost postage claims and in the end international phone calls and international postage required. But it's now complete and safely in the intended hands.

It's a chunky scarf. And while the weather up there in that there desert bushland is remaining quite warm and somewhat humid I know that there will be cold winter nights in a month or so. I hope she has the opportunity to let this warm her.

This was lovely to knit. Such chunky soft alpaca yarn and big needles. A Joelle Hoverson pattern. (Ravelry link) I made this same pattern for my Aunt whilst we were in the UK and it was the first time I'd done an 'open work' pattern. It's lovely. There's a nice rhythm to it but it's not boring at any point and it does knit up quickly. Lace like but soooo chunky. 

I hope she like's it too.

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.

Chuckleworthy

There have been a few of these delightful creatures joining us in the garden the past couple of days. Little Man is so fascinated with them. They are his friends. 

I had to laugh...and grab the camera when tonight he came in to the kitchen whilst I was preparing dinner and said, 


'Mama, I found anuder praying mantis. He was my friend but den he went awaaay.' 
'Did he, mate? Where did he go?'
'I don know, he's just gone.'


At this point I am lead outside to be shown where 'he' was last seen. As I walk I start to laugh, and grab the camera. The praying mantis is on his head. He has no idea. Too sweet. Completely chuckleworthy.

........
And on a side note, wouldn't that be a great last name. Chuckleworthy.

'Hi, I'm Wanda-Linda Chuckleworthy.'


What's chuckleworthy in your world? :)

Weekend and more

We visited a Farmer's Market on Saturday morning and brought home these treasures. And some strawberries, and we ate hot buttered corn and rhubarb tarts, and bacon and egg rolls and listened, played along with and danced to sounds made by a happy musician. 

And some bulbs. I choose Freesias and Bluebells. Bulbs are lovely. Not only do they produce beauty and fragrance they also give me something to look forward to already. A link to Springtime. It can't really be that far away.....

I think some might go in the front garden, to greet us when we come home and I might even pot some for inside. Just the thought makes me smile. A kind neighbour drop by these dahlia sticks for us too.

Today is a holiday here and we had a beautiful sunrise and made hotcross buns in the spirit of the season. Mmmm, they were good.

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.

Fruit for all

Hi all, this was going to be posted yesterday but with a babe that needed comforting last thing at night it has waited till today. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. 

We've been enjoying figs from our tree the past few weeks. I was a bit concerned that they wouldn't ripen, despite being heavy with fruit. They didn't last year. But much to our delight they have and are ripening to squishy deliciousness.

However, it appears they are not only eagerly awaited for by us....

Our tree can be quite noisy by day and by night. At dusk the bats fly in and after dark the possums appear to get their fill. During the day, it's these guys.

These chatty birds are busy in the tree in twos or fives, or sevens. We watch them. Their magnificent colours draw your eye and hold it. They really are rainbow birds (Rainbow lorikeet). Even the underside of their tail is wonderful.

They remind us this book we always enjoy reading, Lucy's Cat and the Rainbow Birds. Although these days we have no Artemis to chase them away, so they stay for as long as they wish. 

They all leave quite a mess beneath the tree. Oh well, we admire their beauty and share their enjoyment. And they leave us the odd gift in the form of spectacularly coloured feathers.

'Fig leaves on terracotta: by Sunshine'.


So, while the shadows are changing and the sun is, just slightly, lower, we are nourished by the fruits of the season.

Grandma's things

Tonight as I sit here, on my own for five minutes, I can smell the cinnamon, corriander and cumin we cooked with today. My tummy is happy with the slow cooked goodness. I think about all the other people I know who search for inspiration each day, every week to keep meals interesting and inviting, especially to an often uninterested, unenthusiastic small crowd of critics. It can be disheartening sometimes. But we still do it again tomorrow. And tomorrow. And tomorrow. And every now and then it's met with a positive and that makes it worthwhile. 


Something that is keeping me thouroughly interested at the moment is what is on my bedside table. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. It's a bit old now and apparently there was a tv series made of it, although I think I may have been a little young at the time. I am enjoying being lost in someone else's story. It's a luxury. 

When we were in England I spent some time with my Uncle, sorting through alot of my grandparents things. I brought a few things back with us. This is one of them. 

It carries some signature Grandma habits. Her name and address are written inside the front cover. There are the odd small newspaper clippings throughout. Book marks made from old Christmas cards with the same poetic words on all three five (I've looked again). And it has a homemade slip cover, from what looks like old wall paper. 

Each time the pages flip I get a little scent. A scent of her, of her home, of her being. And each time I place that bookmark, I read those words and reflect on how much she loved poetry, how important it was to her. I'm glad she has placed these words before me. She chose some very good words to re write. 

It makes me smile and reminds me to think of her sitting, reading this book, enjoying the journey as I am.

What are you reading? Whare is it taking you?

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.

Moody evening skies

Distant love

I love to share homemade goodies with friends and family. However, so many friends and family live a long way from us. Granny has sent homemade treats to each of her kids many times and they are always recieved with a warm glow, bring back memories and leave happy taste buds. 

Last week was my big brother's birthday and I thought I'd like to send him some homemade love. And I have a good friend up north who I thought would like a little love.

So, I did an extra large bake of hazelnut biscuits and some choc-hazelnut spread. The idea being you squish a larger than healthy lump of spread between two biscuit and there you have it. A large dose of sister-love. With him being away from his home all this week I held off till yesterday to express them to him, hoping they'll be there for the weekend.

It's often in the middle of our daily activities that I find myself thinking about those whom we love who are far away. Baking biscuits, reading stories, walks, bath time and everywhere else.

So, I'd like to send some love to all of you who are far away. We think of you all.