the path

Last Thursday Little Red Pepper dressed up to celebrate the end of Fairy Tale learning at school and I rugged up in two pairs of woollen socks, tights, leggings, a singlet, a long sleeved top, a woolly jumper, cover-alls, a rain jacket, a scarf and a beanie. She looked adorable and I could barely move.

A few days earlier, the principal of the girls' school had asked farmer Bren if we could come and lay some pavers between the preps' classroom and the main building where the high traffic and the wet weather had made a muddy, slippery mess. One parent had donated the pavers and we filled the back of the ute with shovels and trowels, a rubber mallet and a broom and we drove to school to get to work.

First we marked out the winding path, then we cut out the dirt and grass and levelled it, filled it with buckets of sand-pit sand, laid the pavers, banged the pavers in, poured sand over them, swept the sand in the gaps and cracks, built up the edges with the dirt we had dug out and then stomped on the whole thing back and forth a few times to make sure it didn't move.

And although we had chosen Thursday because it wasn't meant to rain, I think it was one of the coldest days I can ever remember. The clouds were so low that we couldn't see Wombat Hill right behind the school, the ground I was kneeling on felt like a wet block of ice and I'm certain my fingers and lips were blue. But gosh we had fun and laughed a lot.

I loved spending the day off the farm with Bren working hard and doing something really constructive. I felt warm and fuzzy every time a teacher or parent or student walked past us and chatted and thanked us, I loved how excited the kids were with their new path and I enjoyed that exhausted feeling of a job finished and well done at the end. But by far the best bit was at home time when we stood with a bunch of school people at the end of the new path and watched as one by one people danced and moon-walked and shuffled back and forth down the path. There was so much laughter and silliness and happy community feeling. It felt like we were part of something wonderful. Something really good.

I have no doubt that by next week the path will be just a path, used but not really noticed, but that afternoon it was something more.

Later on after we got home, showered, changed, had a few cups of hot tea and finally thawed out a little, I told my farmer boy that that day had been one of the happiest I could remember. I feel like we are so lucky to be a part of such a special school, so blessed to be able to spend our day together getting stuff done and I am so grateful for the kindness we receive in return.

And then my farmer boy told me that he believes that the real key to happiness is doing things for other people.

Yeah!! Real, true happiness is not a selfish act. Real true happiness comes from giving and from community and from a place of generosity.

And then I had one of those moments where everything becomes really clear and makes sense. I love it when that happens. Now I can't stop thinking about how to put all that into play in a bigger way in my life.

I hope you have what you need friends.

Happy solstice!



xx



The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.

His Holiness Dalai Lama

Hello happy & beautiful (almost) winter list

It's freeeeeezing cold here. Today was dark and grey and stormy and wet. Winter feels like it has well and truly settled in two weeks early. Although this weather feels like it could drag me under, this year I am determined not to let it. I'm determined to stay on top of it all. And what better way than by noticing and remembering and appreciating and being grateful for the good in my life. The great in my life. The beautiful in my life.

So here we go, here's my HELLO HAPPY and BEAUTIFUL (almost) WINTER list.

I love watching my little girls and their dogs. It reminds me of what we wanted, what we dreamed of, when we decided to move to the country to bring up our family. Jazzy and Willow.

I love the bits of bright colour in our garden. We're pretty good at growing the edible and the functional, but we often forget about the purely decorative. The decorative serves a pretty important function too, so I am learning.

I'm so happy that the kitchen garden is looking almost ready to take on the winter months. Kale and lettuce and rocket and herbs and garlic and broccoli and carrots and beetroots. I've got a bundle of seeds to plant in the hot house next time I get a chance too.

Pom pom parties!

We bought a Clover pom pom maker last weekend and it is rocking our world. It is quick and fun to use and makes the best, fluffiest pom poms around.

It may be freeeeeeeeezing, but Daylesford does autumn beautifully. This tree up near the poly tunnels seems to change colour and glow as the day goes on.

A sneaky, mid-week, wintery getaway with my farmer boy. We had the caravan park and the beach to ourselves and spent a whole luxurious two days alone. (Thanks heaps M and D xx)

The very last of autumn's colourful bounty. Yesterday I spent a bit of a disgusting few hours poking through the sloppy, mouldy vines in the poly tunnels for the final time of the season. Tomorrow the chooks will go in and clean them up. It's been a wonderful season but the time has come to say farewell.

A sunny Sunday's work in the kitchen garden resulted in a ute load of garden scraps for the compost. Out with the old and in with the new. Hooray!!

I've been catching glimpses of the cubby-house in different lights, from different angles and falling in love over and over again. 

Keeping the home fires burning. Cooking our food and warming our home. Late in the evenings we like to pull chairs up to her and open an oven for extra warmth. Then my farmer boy reads some Michael Pollan out loud and I knit. It's cozy. And MP is a great writer. And my farmer boy is a great reader and he took that photo and he's a bit cute too.

Ahhhhh, I feel better already. I think I might have to make this a regular thing.

Do you want to play too? Here in the comments or on your blog?
What are some of the little things making you feel up and happy at the moment?
What's chasing your grey away?

Big love peeps.
Be good. xx

My 'what makes me happy' to-do list.

Hello day before summer and very last day of November!!

What a crazy time of year you are.

I don't know about you, but I'm finding my days are disappearing in a sea of pick ups and drop offs, final this and preparing for that, make lots of this and rehearse for that. There's costumes and projects, and food shares and transitions and meetings and excursions and parties and inspections and reports and dead-lines and concerts and dances and assemblies...and there are three, tired, fragile children.

Yesterday I drove in and out of town nine times!!!!

And so being the disorganised person that I am, I've often found myself feeling like I am drowning. Overwhelmed and out of control. And that all the stuff I love doing, the stuff that makes me-me, gets stuck right down the bottom of the list.

So this morning, when I stepped back into my house after the first drop off of the day, and I contemplated the mess that needed sorting out and the list of housey chores that needed attending to, I decided to make myself a what makes me happy to-do list.

On that list I wrote things that I love doing, but that aren't exactly priorities. My happy stuff. The stuff that makes me feel passionate and inspires me.

I'm hoping that having this list will keep me more focused and motivated and on task. If I hang and fold all the laundry, then maybe I can do something for a little while that I love, like crochet a coaster or plant out some of the basil.

Like make a new type of bread or sew a dress.

Like thin out the lettuces or sew some bunting.

Like soaking and blocking my just cast off cardigan.

Like taking photos and writing a blog...

And you know what? It might seem small but for now I feel like writing that list has made all the difference to my day. I feel like the shoulds will be more doable if there are some loves in amongst them.

Oh after a bit of contemplation, I just deleted all the games off my phone too. I reckon I could have crocheted an entire blanket in the time I've been wasting lately.

OK here I go, off to tackle the kitchen with my rewards well in sight.

I hope you have the most fabulous weekend.

But before you go, I'd love to know a few of the things that would make it onto your what makes me happy to-do list.

Bye! xx

Sew grey and happy.

Monday morning started off bad. Dreary and grey and icy cold. I could barely see the forest trees from the windows. Then came the Monday morning eight year old grumps and the four year old tears. Surprisingly the pre-teen remained pleasant. And then I broke two glasses and fell over into a blackberry bush. Ouch!

By the time I had gotten them all to school, run into some more problems and my morning chores, I felt as grey as the day.

I announced to my farmer boy that I was writing the day off and was going to have a shower and wash my hair. I kinda like the shower cry. Its soothing and cleansing. All that warm water.

But he didn't let me. He told me I should go and sew instead.

I know he knows me best so I listened and I did.

I gathered some op shop cord that was grey as the day.

And I cut and sewed.

And then I crocheted.

I used a 2.5mm hook and some fine cotton.
Pattern details Ravelled here.

And when I ended up with a dress I was glad that I had.

Miss Indi said it looks exactly like me. She said she could even see herself wearing a dress like this when she is old. Miss Jazzy asked me to make her one the same. Miss Pepper said she loved it and loves me. And my farmer boy was pretty happy that I was smiling again. He said I might have finally fixed the looking pregnant in dresses I make issue. And he said he loved it.

I'm really happy with it. It's comfortable and tough. Perfect for a farmer girl.

And I love it with my OK OK tights.

And speaking of tights, without further ado, the winners of the OK OK tights are Jules, Frances, Tricia and Ellie.

Congratulations girlies. Email me your postal deets and I'll get them in the post asap.
Thanks so much Emina for the awesome giveaway and tights. I adore mine. xx
And thanks Farmer Bren for humouring me with the photos on the stump in the middle of a chook move. xx

I hope you have a wonderful week.
I hope your sun shines.
I hope you have a nice dress to wear and some fun things to do.
I hope you know how to turn your grey days into blue.
What works for you?

OK, I'm off to squeeze some juice with my smallest.
And then maybe I'll hook up another collar, I'm a bit addicted now.

Big love. xx

Pocket skirt.

I've had the most gorgeous week.

Despite the fact that we've had two with the flu and a rather large dose of middle child syndrome, it's been lovely. Filled with the perfect mix of outside and inside. Lots of cooking (old faves and a few experiments), lots of kitchen gardening (weeding and seeding), a bit of knitting, some family time, a few new friends with the same names, an improved reader, less counting, plans for an exhibition, a night out with my boy and some winter sun.

And to finish it off, I've had a little pocket of time to sew.

A not so successful sewing session a few weeks back left a dent in my sewing self. But I'm pleased to announce that after an uninterrupted hour, Nina Bernina, a pattern taken off a skirt I love, a zipper, some stashed fabric and my bias binding maker, I love to sew again.

And what better way to start the weekend than with a brand new pocket skirt?!! Yay!!

Now I just have to find some treasures to pop in my new pockets, start making some food for our gorgeous Saturday guests, feed the fires, download a family movie for tonight and it'll be time to get the girls. Phew!

Have you had a lovely week this week?
Has the sun been shining where you are?
Have you had time to knit/garden/sew/cook?
Do you feel like adding pockets to everything you own?
Do you have plans for the weekend?
Are you happy it's Friday?

See ya!

Thanks Emina for the tights.
Thanks farmer Bren for the dresser pics.
Thanks Mother Nature for the sun!!! It changes everything.

On leeks and optimism.

I've written before, on my other blog, about farming and gardening and optimism. About the hope for the perfect weather conditions to enable the crops to germinate, to grow and to thrive. The hope for days that are not too hot, too wet, too cold or too humid. The hope that the irrigation pipes don't block or burst, that pests leave that crop alone, that there are no diseases, not too many weeds and enough water to irrigate. The hope that there is no flood, or fire, or wind storm. The farmer/gardener hopes that Mother Nature is kind and enables a delicious crop to be picked at the end of the growing season.


Today my littlest, my farmer boy and I spent the day in the kitchen garden and my heart felt full of that optimism. That love of growing clean, whole food to feed our family. The knowledge that the moon is waxing and it is the right time to plant roots. That warm winter sun on our backs. That feeling that comes from sharing an experience I love with those I adore. That hope that we are passing important knowledge on to the next generation. And that hope that if all goes to plan, in a few months time we will eat the fruits of our toil.

This morning we took the leek flower heads that we had saved from last year and we pulled off their seeds.

Then farmer Bren let the wind and a colander help him separate the seeds from their pods (winnowing).

We made a seed raising mix from our compost and sand.

We sprinkled leek seeds in rows.

We covered those seeds with more seed raising mix.

And then my farmer girly carefully wrote labels for the trays.

I cannot think of many better ways to spend a morning.

And I feel full of inspiration and optimism that spring and warmth and bounty are just around the corner.

Do you feel it?
How and what does your garden grow at the mo?
Is there dirt under your nails?
Have you ever grown your own leeks before?
What's making you feel hopeful and optimistic?

Bye!

My list of wintery wonderful.

And just like that the warm, sparkly days are over and the cold weather has moved in.

I know lots of people who love freezing cold days.
They love dressing up in tights and jackets and boots.
They love snuggling inside and doing wintry things.

I do not!

I feel trapped by wintry days.
Grey days make me grumpy.
I need sunshine and warmth for inspiration.
I like hanging the laundry outside, pottering in the garden and having picnics.
I like sun dresses and summer fruits and sandals.

The only thing I like about winter is soup.
I love soup.
Oh and I also love watching my gang wearing the woollies I have knitted for them too.

But that's not really enough is it?

Winters are long and cold in these parts.

So I am wracking my brains trying to come up with a happy winter list.
A list of things to get me through the cold months ahead.
A way to forget the funk and remember the fabulous.

So here it is.

MY LIST OF WINTER WONDERFUL!

(yes, I know it's not officially winter but it may as well be.)

Keep the house looking lovely. As clean as possible and fresh.
Change the bed linen often.
Keep jars of fresh flowers around the house.
Keep going with the painting and decorating.
Play music and dance about the house.
Buy a new front door.

Walk/run often.
Get outside whenever we can.
Rug up and do the farm stuff.
Light bonfires.
Explore the bush.

Spend time with my boy and my girls together and alone.
Find and buy some fun tights.
Make some plans for a road trip.
Go out.
Make arrangements with good people.
Make and have handy a stash of scarves/hats/leg-warmers/gloves to brighten up an outfit and keep cozy.
Always have something to look forward to.

Menu plan and menu shop.
Eat from the kitchen garden as often as possible.
Take spirulina and vitamin B.
Eat seeds and honey and legumes and farmer Bren's bread.
Experiment with lots of different types of soup and hope my kids wanna play too.
Buy a new bottle of Kahlua.

Build up my yarn stash.
Make, make, make.
Buy some oils and candles for bath time.
Write some patterns out and have them tested.
Stay inspired.
Have a project or two on hand all the time.

And spend lots of time with this kiddo.
See the world through her four year old eyes.
Play with her.
Be present and patient.

So that's it - My List Of Winter Wonderful.

Do you have any suggestions for getting through the chilly months ahead?
What do you like to do when the days get short and cccccccold?
Are you a hot or a cold weather person?
If it's warm where you are, can I come and visit?

Have fun out there and stay warm.

Bye. xx