New Beginings and Growth

It's only the second last day of November and I'm already reflecting over the year.

What a doozy it's been.

There have been some life changing events.

And while I argue with the stars and the Universe that I'm not ready for these changes, I don't have a choice.

Things happen.

They will continue to happen.

And all I can do is hang on and hope.

But while I sit around feeling sorry for myself, completely absorbed in my own pity party, I know I'm supposed to be acting like an adult.

So I try to pull up my frilly knickers and get on with it.

That's what you do.

Life carries on so you just get on with it.

The kids still need raising.

The house still needs cleaning.

The garden needs watering.

I'm grateful for all that I have and try to look at the positive side of things.

All the changes are to teach me lessons.

My biggest lesson has been to make every moment count.

It's just plain cruddy that it takes such big changes to make me realize that.

Maybe I forget to always appreciate things and that's why the Universe keeps sending me these reminders.

But I'm listening now.

I'm tired and don't want any more big changes for a while.

None beyond my control/choosing, anyway.

One door closes and another one opens.

That's what they say.

I'm motivated to open my own door.

I just wish there was some way to know what the right or best decisions are.

Do I give the heart what it wants?

Or do I use my noggin and question everything so much that I twist it up and take so long to figure it out I lose the opportunity (I guess that would be the Universe stepping in)?

Usually the heart wins.

Stupid, romanticized, emotional thing it is.

But I'm actually putting a lot of thought in this time.

I'm guarded.

Walls are up.

How much more can the soul take.

I'll figure it out.

Or I won't.

Time to close my eyes, spread my wings and fly..

I just hope I open the door before I try to fly through it!

Blossoms and Blooms

The weather has been so upside-downy here lately!

Warm days where you just want to lay in a hammock with a cold drink, then before you can put ice in your glass its raining and you find yourself shnuggling down under blankets!

So on those chilly days while the kids are hogging the TV, I curl up nearby with whatever book I have chosen next from my 'to-be-read' pile.

I enjoyed every page of a friends copy of The Au Pair and am now getting into Gypsy Girl by Rosie McKinley.

It's incredible to read about her life as a part of a travelling family.

The things she got up to would curl the hair of our modern day parents - me included!

But she survived and thrived, and it has made for a great book.

When the rain clears up do you venture outside?

Or stay cosy indoors for a while longer?

I go out and breathe in that fresh earth rain mix of air.

Reminds me of my childhood.

Maybe I haven't gotten old and grown up too much after all ;)

The raindrops gently resting on the flowers are so pretty.

Little diamonds and glitter specks.

This rose looks good enough to eat!

Like a boiled lolly, super sweet!

I planted this wisteria a few years ago.. like maybe 5ish! and it quickly wound its way up a post and began weaving its way across the top of an archway/veranda thingo, but then it stopped and started to die off.

Not just drop leaves for winter but the ends of the branches completely died.

I trimmed it back to halfway up the post to where it was still alive and after reading that wisteria quite like stress on their roots, I got in there with a shovel.

Sounds crazy but apparently it works, so here's hoping!

Mine didn't go kaput after the shovelling so maybe it'll work, it did give a few flowers but no new runners.

I have a serious thing for roses lately and have a huge crush on this climbing one!

I've planted it at the opposite end of the archway/veranda thingo to meet up with the wisteria.. if it grows.

We strung up some solar fairy lights and I have visions of the rose and wisteria mingled together, twinkling lights amongst them, the sweet scent travelling in the breeze and petals gentle falling to the ground.

So romantic its almost cheesy ;)

Today we transplanted our sad apple tree into a pot in hopes to give it a boost and in its place put this amazing tree rose.

It reminds me of the Red Queens roses from Alice in Wonderland.

I am so in love!!

I threw handfuls of sunflower seeds all over the back garden months ago and what the chickens and wild birds didn't gobble up sprouted the biggest sunflowers ever!

I was amazed when this one grew taller than me but now I cant even reach the top on tippy-toes!

I can't wait for them to bloom.

I was super excited to find my first cornflower, I took this picture straight away.

Lucky I did because those cheeky (among other words) chickens had completely devoured every single leaf from it by the time I got home from work that same afternoon!

Another plant tucked away from easy sight has flowered a beautiful shade of dark blue.

I just hope it doesn't get a haircut too! 

The wind has been bonkers at some stages over the last few weeks but hardly any nectarines have fallen, yay!

The tree has oodles all over..

cross your finger and toes that the birds leave them alone while they grow!

The clouds were so pretty the other day.

I used to look at the sky so much as a kid.

I remember hot summer days on the school oval surrounded by dry native bush (literal bush, it wasn't planted on purpose, our school was right on the edge of the scrub. The whole town was, it was fantastic! I might need to do a post on it another day..)

.. I got sidetracked, as I do..

Anyhoo, on those hot days when we were supposed to be doing our sports lessons, me being the non-athlete that I am, would stand away from the crowd half-listening but eyes wandering around the bright blue sky, admiring the shapes of clouds or birds flying by.

Hmm.. I'm starting to realize some things about myself ;)

Some days when I look at the sky now I get a deja vu feeling from specific times from my childhood.

I'm glad for that feeling, it reminds me I still have that child in me, but it also saddens me that time goes by so fast and we can't get the old days back.

I guess it just goes to show we need to appreciate everything we have because nothing lasts forever.

Eep, that was a bit heavy.

It just occurred to me how random my posts can be, and how my mind is all over the place.

I would normally delete sentences or paragraphs when I feel myself veering too much but today I just want to ramble.

I want to look back at these posts one day and not see them neatly trimmed, showing all and nothing but positivity (which is my focus) but also see my sad moments, my loopy-doop thoughts, and irrelevant memories.

I'm already looking forward to looking back through these posts one day and reading about my childhood sky watching :)

*I honestly just heard my youngest go out the front door and say 'look at the sunset'. He's onto it.. the sky is dusk blue with pink, purple and orange clouds. He's definitely my son <3

As squiggly as my mind works I do slow it down.

I bought the pattern for this bobble heart square last night and tried it out immediately.

Nighttime pics don't turn out so well, it's actually a nice red.

I hope to make a sweet lil blanky of these squares.

The day is winding down, so are me and my lil family.

I'll wrap myself up in Boof's (Elvis' new blog-name) flannel shirt and go sit under the stars, watching them slowly appear.

Maybe watch the new fairy lights twinkle away and imagine how beautiful it will be when the vines have grown through them.

Gnite

❤❤❤

Blooms and Visits

For the last week I have been enjoying a break from work.

I think my soul has really needed this one.

My sons are out of town spending time with their dad so the house has been very quiet.

I miss them beyond words but know I have to make the most of this time, it wont be long before they are home and arguing with each other again.

I 've been keeping myself super busy doing things around home.

The weather has been amazingly sweet making the chores a lot more enjoyable.

If chores can be enjoyed ;)

I wrote myself a long to-do list and have crossed off all but one job.. painting the hallway!

I prepped it and was going to get stuck in today but Elvis has scattered things all through the shed and I can't get to the paints.

Maybe it's not a bad thing, the sky has been trying to rain and it's only reached about 18 - which feels like winter after the beautiful sunshine we've been having!

My body needed the day off too.

I've pushed myself quite hard to get through my list and finished big jobs like paving a crazy path, removing the garden shed to relay the foundation pavers and putting the shed (and the gazillion things inside) back in place, the giant spring clean inside the house.

Then all the other things that just needed to be done like mowing the lawn, fixing garden fencing, baking trays and trays of moon and star shaped cookies. 

*gaaaasp*

I am puffed!

It has felt good to be physical and productive, I just need to keep it up.

The garden is between seasons but giving little bits of yums still.

We had lots of cauliflower bakes the last few weeks and have pickled up some more jars of beetroots. Next batch will be chutney-ed.

One of my favourite things to grow is carrots.

I made a big pot of carrot and coriander soup with this bunch and am thinking strongly of another carrot cake for the next lot that are bursting to be picked.

Have a look at how big the chookababies have got!

This picture was about a week, maybe 2, ago and they are even bigger again!

We still don't know if they are hens or roosters but think that at least one is definitely a boy as it has some pretty colourings showing through and a comb developing while the others don't.

The boys have named them.

Blackberry, Rosie, Castaway (has always been a little bit left behind) and the yellow fluffer is called Barbara, Babs for short.

They are super cute little eggcups!

While I was doing some shovelling in the backyard a couple of days ago I smelt something.

It was familiar and comforting and made my eyes mist up with happy and sad tears.

It was my Dad.

A mix of his deodorant, his clothes, cigarettes.. it was all of him.

He was sitting with me in the garden.

I'm not crazy.

I'm a big believer in souls, the afterlife, spirits and ghosts, and I tell ya, my Dad was with me.

The house next door is vacant and I couldn't hear other neighbours out - and I was tucked in a bit of a corner where their scent couldn't have reached me anyhow.

It was like he was right beside me, sitting on the edge of the trailer, thinking as he did, dreaming up garden plans.

Since the day he left I have prayed that he would visit me.

I wish every day and night that I could talk to him, just talk about the nothings and the everythings we used to.

I needed to know he was around.

I love that that was the moment he visited me.

Just he and I, in the garden.

He was always doing work to his garden, making new beds, tidying up, fixing things, adding quirks.

That's what I was doing.

And I was using his tools that I'd watched him use since I was a little girl, shadowing him around the place.

It makes me happy, relieved, overjoyed and overwhelmed that he was there.

I hope he stops by again soon.

Well I need to go a get a box of tissues again!

And I might go get some air in the garden while the sun is peaking through, though the wind has picked up so I don't think it'll be a warm sun.

Please, wind, don't blow away my nectarine babies!

All Things Sweet

There's been lots of sweetness going on here lately.

Spring has given us some super~nice sunshine which I plan to enjoy more of over the weekend.

I did some baking a few weeks back for morning tea at work.

I tried a whole new thing..

Mini vanilla cupcakes with a cherry (canned) inside, vanilla bean mascarpone frosting and cherry glaze.

I thought they were pretty cute in their rosy cases.

And my piping skills have definitely improved, hehe.

They were oh~so~good!!

I might have to make some more this weekend..

Add it to the list!

I hope to get into the garden too as the weather is forecast to be nice.

I have weeding to do, lawns to mow and a big pile of soil that needs to find somewhere to go - probably on the lawn to level it out.

The new plum tree arrived and has been planted close to a fence along the side of the house to espalier.

Spuds are sprouting, flowers are blooming and...

Chicks are hatching!!!

OHMAGOODNASSSSS!!!

It was the most exciting thing ever to come home from work and check on our broody mama hen who was sitting on 6 donated, hopefully fertile eggs.

We weren't sure how many, if any at all were fertile, or how mama would go but she has been amazing.

The last egg wasn't fertile so mama hatched her first lot of fluffy darlings just perfectly.

It is incredible how quickly they grow!

A day old and they were motoring around over the straw in their box, too cute!

They are a week old now and yesterday had their first walk with mum outside the box.

Mum gave herself a dustbath and paid no mind to her babies, showering them with dirt and pebbles as she fluffed herself around!

The boys have named this cutie Barbara.

If they are roosters we will have to return them to the friend who gave us the eggs as we can't have roosters in our neighbourhood.

And I'm not a fan in any case, meanies they are!

I've been cracking along with the retro/70's blanket I started.

Some days felt quite tedious but I kept going and the end got closer, and closer..

All the squares were finally finished, hooray!

Then the joining.

Which I did, undid, did again, undid other places, did again the right way around, and finally got to edge!

Haroo! Hoorah!

I finally completed the whole thing!

I'm making such a fuss when really it wasn't complicated and only took 7ish weeks but I am proud of myself.

I am achieving these little goals, winding down as I go, and decorating my house all at once, WIN!

I am so grateful to my friend that motivated and re~inspired me to get back into crochet a bit more seriously.

When I was 11 my Grandfather passed away, it was my first family death and I took it pretty hard.

I developed anxiety and had several severe panic attacks each day and night.

It was the time I was learning to crochet and my mentor lady was giving me 'homework'.. "finish these granny squares by class next week so we can join them and make your bag".

I had put it off and put it off but in my desperation to find something to do to distract myself from the anxiety that overwhelmed me, I picked up a square and finished it.

Then the next one.

And the next.

I didn't realize it until the other night just how stress relieving crochet is for me.

Life was getting on top of me again but finishing this blanket opened my eyes to how I do still have time for myself after work, kids, boyfriend, cleaning, yadda yadda..

As soon as I start weaving the wool through itself I feel the tension just melt away.

My goodness I sound old.

But I'm getting there, so oh well, haha!

But anyway, THANK YOU to my lovely, amazing friend who has helped me in more ways than she will know! ;)

I have started a new blanket and am trying the bead stitch for my first time.

It's super easy and will give a cool texture.

I really need to not use the cheap wools as they are a bit on the scratchy and stiff side.

In the library.. I only read 3 books in the Flowers in the Attic series as the characters were just so unlikeable! I just didn't like a single one of them!

Judgy, judgy I know, but jeepers creepers there was a lot of extremes going on!

I will say though that it was well written, and to think it was possibly based on a true story..?

Goosebumps!

I read Beloved my Toni Morrison.

Again, goosebumps, but what a fantastic book!

Loved it beginning to end although it did break my heart a couple of times.

Next book on my bedside table is The Reckoning by John Grisham.

I bought this a while ago but it got buried under my pile of 'to~be~read' books which is getting bigger and bigger and bigger!!

I can smell my roast chicken dinner coming along so I better be checking on it, probably doing a taste test of the taties, too!

Enjoy your weekend

❤❤❤

Wintery Deliciousness

Here we are, one month of official winter left but today felt like spring.

It was so, so good.

Sun shiny.. warm breeze..

Perfect for building new garden beds!

The old bathtub has been propped for drainage, filled with good ol' dirt and is now the strawberry bed.

Two other tubs (not the bathy kind) were put in alongside.

We have planted some dutch cream potatoes in one and sugar snaps in the smaller one.

We have a plum tree on its way to plant nearby too.

What was once a wasted space is now hopefully going to be an extension to our fruit and veggie haul.

I have visions on baskets and buckets full of fresh foods to fill our bellies and share with friends.

Speaking of filling bellies..

My first bake in the new kitchen (which I'm lurrrving) was of course, cinnamon rolls!

Warming the milk and melting the butter..

Mixing with the dry ingredients..

A spoon is good to get it started, then its all muscle power!

Let the dough rest and rise and do its thing in a warm place..

Then more muscles..

Spread on all that deelish butter, brown sugar and cinnamon..

And rolllll it up!

Cut the log into thin slices, about 1 cm thick..

And bake til lightly golden *drool*

Drizzle, slather, pour, the icing.

You can use regular glaze or maple is awesome too!

Too good not to share, and too good to only have one!

Cup of tea with that?

I have started crochet project to keep myself busy, but that said, everything else has kept me so busy I haven't gotten too far with it.

I wont allow this project to take 10 years!

This is the start of my retro 70's blanket.

I'm copying a picture, not following a pattern, so it's causing me to squint a bit to match the right colours but it's straightforward enough.

The picture I'm following has 64 of this granny squares (some slightly different colour variations) but after the first square was done I decided to halve it as I only want it for a lap blanky for cool nights on the couch.

I'd love to see your creations, in the kitchen, garden, and crafty!

Send through links and I will pop over for a visit :)