On Friday afternoon we hitched up the caravan and we drove to the beach.
And we found the selves we had been looking for. Our beachy, slow, relaxed, funny, adventurous selves.
And we found time. Time to hang out, to crochet, to colour in, to eat out, to op-shop, to do magazine quizzes, to spend one-on-one time, to drink lots of coffee, to wander, to explore, to shoot photos for my book and to swim.
We would live in a small cottage with a sun room facing the beach. Every morning we would wake up early and go surfing or swimming. Our girls would home school and go to nippers, their hair would beach blonde from the salt and sun. Indi might even have a beachy romance. And me and my farmer boy would have a break from organic farming for a bit. One of us would make coffees in the local cute cafe and the other would plant a flower and vegetable garden. I would leave the dresses and clogs behind and wear jeans and pastel coloured tees and sandals. And we would have time to read books, and sit in a hammock and walk for miles and miles and miles.
I don't think I want to be a school mama for the next 13 years.
I think it's time for us to plan our next adventure.
How are you doing?
Did you have a wonderful weekend?
Are you dreaming about a whole new you? A different way? Another place?
I hope your new week is such a happy one.
Bye! xx
Beautiful pictures and interesting thoughts!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day,
Sarah x
we tree changed instead of beach changed. sometimes I think about that a lot..... quite a lot. I'm looking at a snow change this winter. maybe.
ReplyDeleteLovely! That sounds so idyllic and probably pretty doable. Your family are so beautiful. xx
ReplyDeleteHi Kate, looks like a great break, I love doing the beachy thing, in fact that is what we do do, living in a coastal village, I love it!
ReplyDeleteJust wondering, those photos look like you're at Anglesea with the river mouth and Point Roadknight in the back ground? Maybe not, but if you are, you're right, it is a pretty idyllic place to live. My husband grew up in Anglesea and had a lovely childhood there, I used to love going down there when we were first going out. It;s always nice to daydream of other ways to live I think, lucky you with another adventure to plan! Julie x
You got it Jules!
DeleteThat's exactly where we were.
Such a magical little spot with a caravan park right on the water.
Counting the weekends until we can get back. x
love Anglesea, dreaming of living there one day, the angahook cafe is for sale (just saying)!
Deleteglad you managed to get away
Sounds fabulous! But then your real life sounds very nice too. We're big dreamers here - it's good to try for a better way of life- but also learning to accept just how great we've got it, and how beautiful it is here. I guess nowhere's perfect, and there's no escaping some problems. xK
ReplyDeleteI've spent the better part of the last week wondering whether I've made the right decision about M's school... but I do know I'm not cut out for the commitment of home-schooling.
ReplyDeleteSomeone else commented above, and I agree, how interesting it is that many of us read your blog and envy your lifestyle and yet you also dream of living something else! I guess we all have a bit of that need for change/grass is greener going on in our lives, on some level.
Could you do a house/farm swap for a cute little beach shack?
Hope your week goes well lovely.
x
Hmmmm that grass is always greener thing eh.
DeleteEven in my mind the thought of moving to the hills and growing organic vegies and fruit sounds idyllic.
But this year everything is so dry and brown here.
But I do know that beachy soil would be sandy and salty...
xx
Oh, you know Kate I think you and Bren are the hardest-working peeps around, so I can totally understand you wanting to rig up a hammock and do the sea-change. In reality I'd last about 5 minutes living your idyllic farm life!! (But I do so very much love reading and dreaming about it.)
DeleteHey, we have heaps of green, green hills and lots of beaches up north. Just sayin'...
xx
xx
We were dreamers in the city for years and years, then nine years ago..almost..we moved to a small country town and haven't looked back. I love the friendliness of a smaller community and there is never a traffic jam. I did miss David Jones and Grace Bros., at first but now have found other places to love!
ReplyDeleteEven if the beachy lifestyle is a dream - it's a wonderful dream. Gorgeous photos as always - just the seaside break I needed in this hectic day. Thank you :-)
ReplyDeleteInteresting post Kate - we caravanned the same year as you guys and sea changed from melbourne the minute we got back. i work in a winery, hubby in the garden - almost exactly like your post. it's great, but if you gave us half a chance, we'd be hitching on the van and doing that lap all over again! Maybe it isn't the grass that's greener, maybe it's just the lure of the open road....
ReplyDeleteGo and have an adventure xxx
ReplyDeleteCertainly sounds like it would suit you all rather well! Hopefully coming back home, though, is not too terrible. Wishing you the best in your schooling dilemma - home schooling could be fun, especially with a beach handy!!
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Sounds like a great life on the beach! Beaches here in the Netherlands are often rainy and cold so no beachy life for me here. But I'm pretty content where I am right now :)
ReplyDeleteLove, Kirsten
This is an awesome post Kate. It makes me think anything is possible and when things aren't working it is possible to make change and have adventures, a perfect post for me to read right now. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteHello! I have been following your blog for quite a while but never wrote a comment but today I wanted to let you know that we just made our dream come to live.... We left a big city in the middle of Germany to move to NZ into a smal town between Christchurch and Dunedin an we like it a lot it's small great for the kids and lovely people.we dreamed of it a long time and we don't regret a single moment.
ReplyDeleteI recognise that beach and it is a lovely beachy village, we live down the road in a slightly bigger village and we love it! It is a beautiful spot, but if you had come down the weekend before, when holidays were still on, it may not have been so appealing. As long as you make the 6 month change before the summer hits, it would be amazing!! We are thinking of a change ourselves and heading up the coast, in a tent with two little boys, for a little while. We love our beach village, but thought it would be fun to check out some others.
ReplyDeletenice saltys... I've got hot pink ones! I have been feeling like you these last few days - my five year old started kindy the other day (my first)... have been feeling so wretched ever since. We have a funny relationship, not sure that we quite 'get' each other a lot of the time, but I sure do miss her. She cried and cried on the first couple of days, wanting to come home with me and her little sister... heartbreaking!! I know she will get used to it, but I feel a bit like you, and feel a little unsure about wanting this whole school thing - which surprises me no end! Still dreaming of my caravan adventure since being inspired by yours, and my farmer says we will do it. Just when, I don't know. I am still loving your blog Kate, and am so looking forward to your book.
ReplyDeleteI was in the newsagent on Saturday morning when I thought I recognised a certain farmer, and a crafty lady and some very gorgeous wee colleens. We feel the same way about Anglesea- our home away from home. Glad you had such a lovely time.
ReplyDeleteDesperately questioning my tree change. I love it and dont want to swap but geez you need a break. We haven't managed it for a couple of years. Who'd look after cattle, dogs, chooks, veggies? Looks like a gorgeous weekend...
ReplyDeletei love this...well done you for getting out there and dreaming. i so need to do that. i feel changes afoot! it's not what we are living, but what feels right for us and our families. no-one else can see and feel what we do. i live by the beach and homeschool and freelance ...its a balance, a juggle and a squeeze sometimes but those are high class problems. its a beautifully crowded life if you live it fully. simple, beautiful, heartfelt and with space to wriggle free and run down the beach laughing if we need to. thank you for sharing this process of questioning with us, i think its necessary to do if we want to live an honest life.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like a good dose of beach for the soul is there?. We are lucky to live close enough that we get there several times a year, but we also love reading about your wonderful farm life too. I have the same salties and when I wear them I am always in a positive mood. mel x
ReplyDeleteOnce again funny you should say that I think...hmmmm no i could happily leave the schooling life and hit the road homeschooling. Yes I think often of jumping into a new country or area and re-exploring with my babies by my side. xxx
ReplyDeleteOh so lovely to see a beach....still can't get over the fact that you have sunshine and are wearing shorts whilst we have grey skies and are wearing wooly hats!
ReplyDeleteLucky you and yours
daisy j
A beautiful post to read. It's great enjoying the imaginings of any possible life we can imagine!! Not good English there! Bumbled in my excitement! I too live a blessed life which many confess to envy from the cover looks, and within I am wondering about the possible other selves which find fulfillment in other dreams.. It's a surrender and then someone wise says life is not a dress rehearsal! Follow your bliss and doors will open. All the best with finding your peace and the balance of everyone's needs.
ReplyDeleteRoselinde
I love this post Kate. We moved from the beach in NSW to the dry hot hills/bush of WA. I still miss aspects of our old lives but after 6 years its starting to feel like home. We still dream of a different life at times- more land, more remote location, a different state. It's nice to dream.....
ReplyDeleteSix weeks ago we moved from the dry hot hills of WA to the water on the South Coast after asking ourselves "is this all there is?". All it took was a leap of faith. And overcoming fear!
ReplyDeleteGoing to the beach always prompts reflection. I think that is why so many people enjoy going there! You are one with nature and have such appreciation for it. (sorry that was a bit deep!)
ReplyDeleteThe beach sounds amazing. Here in Oregon it is 23 degrees with wind chill.....
ReplyDeleteI was home schooled and I loved it. We had the time to raise our own meat and veggies, and my siblings and I played outside constantly, AND I got English student of the year last year at University, so the school part worked out....i'm definitely an advocate :)
got a great deal on a camper at the end of the season, but now we just look over at it all wrapped up for winter and anxious to escape in it!! april or may...impatiently...
ReplyDeleteWe are in a similar position with the dreaming of a different life. We only moved to Melbourne 6 months ago, but sadly hubby's job isn't at all what he was led to believe and instead of getting ahead both financially and improving our lives, we are heading backwards in every way.
ReplyDeleteWe aren't happy and feel terrible that we have made the kids move here and leave all their friends behind in SA. We dream of a tree change or a sea change, either will do. Hubby desperately wants us to get a business where we can work together and lead a life not dominated by a boss, not dominated by last minute travel for his work and being able to enjoy life.
Maybe its a pipe dream, who knows, but when he returns from his current overseas trip on the weekend, we want to start looking for an alternative,,,,,,there has to be something doesn't there??????
You are right when you talk about the school life. My eldest just finished year 12 last year and my youngest is currently in year 5. Now the school year has started and the homework has begun to roll in, I often sit here of an afternoon and wonder how on earth I am going to do this routine for another 8 years.
I wish you all the best with your hopes and dreams and have my fingers crossed that all of us can come to some compromise that will make us all happy.
Take care
Luv Colleen
We often dream about living in New York City for 6 months, eating at amazing new restaurants and caves for every meal, having a million little art galleries and big galleries and allowing Marlo to explore all that a big city has to offer, to learn trapeze if she wants too!
ReplyDeleteCafes as well as caves! We think about not having to weed the garden and deal with the small town -ness that sometimes feel suffocating, to be anonymous would be so good sometimes. To just hang put all together all the time just waiting on about $100000 to fall from the sky.
ReplyDeleteYour description of what you would wear made me laugh- jeans rolled up a little as they would always be a bit salty from the ocean walks. It sounds so great. Xx
love this. after our 6 month adventure we feel the same and are planning another ( although ) it will take several years to realise. so are spending weeks in small places imagining. i think the thrilling part is we still just all want to be together. Hoping a combo is the next thing on our list so every journey no matter how small feels like a holiday
ReplyDeleteAs a beach residing mama, you'll still need your dresses.. My jeans are only really for winter wear... Under my dresses. And your salties are perfect, my clogs rarely get a look in.
ReplyDeleteXxx
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