Wednesday, April 30, 2014

taking stock (again)

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Hello you! I just realised that it's the last day of April. My how time flies eh! So in the spirit of capturing the moment I've decided to go back and visit Pip's list. Here goes….

Enjoying: right now. For a while we've been feeling like we are on the edge of something new. Like this is the slow, calm before the next big thing. But maybe it's not. Maybe this lovely, simple, farmy way of life is it. I hope so.

Waiting: for our biodynamic preps to arrive in the mail so we can start the journey.

Liking: finding Indi and Jazzy together in Indi's bed practising singing harmonies.

Sewing: not so much sewing but sewn. a couple of weeks ago I bought some patchwork fabric at a garage sale and a couple of weeks after that I made a skirt. It's been so long for me between sewing clothes that the maths hurt my head, but I loved getting back on the old Bernina and need to do it again soon.

Wishing: for some more sunshine filled warm days before we head into winter.

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Cooking: down tomatoes for sauce and podding beans.

Thinking: about heating up last night's leek and potato soup for lunch.

Feeling: like I am on school holidays after submitting all the writing and pictures that are due by the end of today. Yay!

Bookmarking: knitted sock patterns. I'm looking for an in-the-round pattern that is fitted and not saggy baggy.

Opening: the wood stove's door to chuck more wood in. (I think I've used that once before - is that cheating?)

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Making : knitted feathers, just because.

Wasting: time on Facebook and feeling completely overwhelmed and full of love for you and your support with my brand new baby Foxslane page.

Wondering: if we really could pack up and live overseas for six months next year.

Following: the trend and sprinkling chia seeds on everything.

Noticing: how late we are to the garlic planting party. Tomorrow!!

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Drinking : veggie juice and peppermint tea.

Reading: my way through this pile of wonderful. I think Wild is one of my favourite books ever and I'm trying to read Tiny Beautiful Things as slowly as I can to make it last and to try to remember it all.

Wanting: to have a play with shibori dyeing.

Looking: in the pantry for dinner inspiration. What're you having?

Playing: at denying the fact that I can hear mice in my roof!

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Loving: splitting two year old dry wood for the fire. Such great stress relief, exercise and fun. If it were five years ago I'd totally get a coffee mug made up saying 'Keep calm and split wood', it's true!

Hoping: that we can get back into the bread baking habit.

Marvelling:  at how magnificently Daylesford does Autumn.

Needing: to hang out the laundry that has been in the machine since last night.

Smelling: Indi's new perfume and wondering how my Mum coped with my high school days with Paris and Poison.

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Wearing: A cashmere Country Road jumper I bought at our school fair and waiting for someone to come up and tell me that it used to belong to them.

Knowing: how lucky I am to be working and living and parenting alongside my farmer boy.

Giggling: at Miss Pepper's sleep walking antics. Last night, very late, she came into the lounge room, looked around blankly, picked up her lunchbox (tiffin tin) and headed back to bed. About 15 minutes later she returned holding her tin with a very confused look on her face and asked us what on earth her lunch box was doing in her bed. She didn't remember any of it this morning.

Feeling: ready and excited to start the motif meditation journey tomorrow. I'll pop a linky thing up on my blog on the weekend and use the hashtag #motifdaymay on instagram so we can all follow each others' progress. If crochet isn't your thing but you want to play too, feel free to post whatever it is that gets you in the zone.

This was my April last year.
This was my Taking Stock from August last year.
This was my Taking Stock from January this year.

Hope your April's been ace!
See you in May.

Big rad love xx


22 comments:

  1. We are "wondering" the same thing...and I always love your book recommendations. xxx

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    1. ps. can I read Tiny Beautiful Things before Wild or is it best to read Wild first? x

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    2. Yes read them either way, they are completely separate.
      And so great! I'm excited for you to read them now. xx

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  2. Good stuff Kate...oh I remember Paris and Poison too, Poison was a very strong brew! Lime and coconut beef curry at our house tonight; so many limes to use up.

    Those knitted feathers are clever, how will you use them? x

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    1. I'm so jealous of your limes. And I have no idea what the feathers will be. Originally a dream-catcher, now maybe a wreath, or chicken? x

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  3. Your 'wearing' comment made me laugh out loud! I am reading 'Wild' at the moment and it is truly fascinating. I am interested to know where you are considering living for 6 months because I have the same idea and to live in France to be nearer to my parents and get away from this busy country of ours....just for a while x

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  4. I just wrote a big a reply & it dsappeared ( Google seems to be doing that often lately...) so instead I'll just say great post xx

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  5. Loving: your feathers. Thanks for a delightfully intimate look into what's happening in Daylesford these late April days. I find so much inspiration in your pictures, your words, your kids. I'm looking forward to starting the motif meditation journey tomorrow; crochet is one of my favorite crafts and I love mandalas so Bless You for starting this adventure with and for us.

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  6. I didn't know they were called tiffin tins!!! I didn't know they had an actual name!

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  7. Think I would like to jump on the motif meditation with you, however, I'm not very disciplined so I'll probably manage to joint in twice! LOL But I am going to try. I just wanted to let you know about a discovery I had last week. Hashtags work on Facebook!! So if we post pictures of our motifs to facebook and include #motifdaymay on them, then if you click on the hashtag it will bring you to a whole page of everyones posts about #motifdaymay. :)

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  8. I LOVED Wild, and now I am so excited to see Cheryl Strayed has another one. Yaysus!

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  9. Now that thing you're wondering about - where would you be going???

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  10. I was all about the Lou Lou. It makes me gag these days!

    Love those feathers!!

    x

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  11. Ooh I've not heard of these books. Will investigate further! X

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  12. Oooh, yes, do it do it! Go live abroad! Love your post baked pots, sausages, sweet corn and broccoli for tea as swimming tonight, as easy as cheesey peas! April has been: mainly dry (thank you to whoever!) School holidays, still cold, a fair bit of rain here in old Blighty, but the colours! The spring colurs are super vibrant! I read "the shock of the fall" by Nathan filer, the best book I've read for donks. The best since "the book thief". April was cool. Onwards and upwards in May xxx

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  13. Love your taking stock- beautiful!

    And those knitted feathers are gorgeous- if I ever get clever enough to get past plain knitting I'd love to make some:)

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  14. I have taken a whole two glorious weeks off work with no reason - no school holiday to cover, no grandbaby on its way to help settle into the world (though that's coming), no trips planned with itineraries and the like. I am almost to the end of the first week and I can see life starting to knock it's way back in.
    I think I can help you with the sock pattern. I just found a book of socks and gloves at the op shop and am soon to try my first pair for size. Just finishing off a spring vest (I know, ready for the coming spring).

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  15. Gorgeous taking stock! I made a Madras Chicken Curry last night - little effort, longish cooking time and delish result... And I have knitted socks in the round and have a link to the pattern here: http://bearlovesdove.com/2012/09/28/socks-a-blankie-and-some-pondering/ ... they were not saggybaggy to start off with, they were nice and shaped, but after wearing for a while did stretch a bit... tho that could be my knitting (it was my first go at knitting in the round). Bio dynamics fascinates the hell out of me! Wishing you chaos and harmony successes :-)

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  16. Oh my goodness. I tried to savor Tiny Beautiful Things and ended up reading it in one sitting on Christmas day. The year before I read Truth and Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett on Thanksgiving. Holidays are the only days I can get through an entire book. Wild is also one of my favorite novels ever, and I saw it at the top of this blogger's list and decided I should probably read the rest on her list: http://www.kbaer.com/books/

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  17. I like your knitty feathers, they would look fun on a mans hatband! the simple pleasures are the best- I love the smell of wood burning in my chiminea and the sight of it stacked is very satisfying. Betty

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  18. My friend lent me Wild by Cheryl Strayed and said " you will like this, she reminds me of you" then I read it and felt really powerful and humble all at the same time! I love that skirt and it is making me want to run upstairs and make one right now...I'm gone...Jo x

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  19. Those feathers are amazing! I made Egyptian style lentils last night, from a community aid abroad cook book. Fry an onion, garlic, 2 large chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tom paste and 1 tbsp of cumin. Add a cup of lentils (soaked overnight and drained) and 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil then simmer til lentils are cooked. I usually have to add quite a bit of water as it can take 45 minutes for the lentils to soften. I serve this with rice, risoni, chunky bread or some greens. It's a family favourite :). Oh and it needs salt and pepper too. Enjoy

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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