ONE STEP CLOSER

Last November, really?! In some ways, I feel I last posted only yesterday! What a summer and it's not over yet. I've been meaning to post here for some days (read, months) but, well, it slips low down on the list of priorities. I mean, I have nothing to sell, nothing so important to say, nothing to impart really but still, I do hope to post more regularly very soon to keep up this very slack record of the things we're making, doing, saying (sometimes), wishing, thinking etc etc. Hopefully I can get my butt into gear and make a real post soon!

LONG LISTS, LOVELY DAYS

Written yesterday...sent today...(clearly!). And I am still without a camera so, no photos! (I've taken many but on D's iphone and am yet to download them).

It's true, the days have been lovely and today was lovely and HOT! I believe the thermostat hit 39 degrees around here and, wow, we felt it. Thankfully, the house was cool but there were necessary outings to check on baby chicks, big chicks and much adored and fussed over vegetable patches. But we made it through and Elsa and Rafael happily went to bed and sleep despite their parents being convinced they'd be up long past bed time - even with fans and A/C, it's sometimes difficult so sleep on a hot day, isn't it? As a kid in Sydney living without air conditioning (really, it wasn't as common back then), my siblings and I spent many a hot night lying in bed with cool, wet face-cloths on our foreheads and glasses of icy cold water by our beds. At times, Mum and Dad would buckle and let us hop in the pool for a quick swim, which I imagine was often not such a quick swim at all - imagine trying to get all those kids out of the pool on a hot night (there were/are ten of us!).

Wow, two and a bit months since my last post. So much has being happening here against a wonderful back-drop, or rhythm, of calm (well, mostly) but I feel the energy a-changing as the Christmas and holiday (and summer!) season nears and the list grows. I feel driven to reflect, to look back on the past few months but, where to start? There was a 40th birthday, a 3rd birthday (Raf is THREE!), a good number of visitors from Sydney including Mum/Nana and some siblings, a beach holiday, so much gardening, six one-day old baby chickens that needed so much attention (and still do, though less), school fair crafting (so much!), a school fair, some knitting, some sewing, some baking, some...well, living! And, I do plan to post some pictures of it all but, for now it's all about Christmas in our home.

The first batch of gingerbread has been baked, though it's also mostly been eaten so I'll need to make more (!), the fruit sourced for the jam, the Christmas pudding boiled, we've made some gift tags and plenty of cards, the international gifts were recently posted (reasonably early so as to in utilize the more affordable 'surface-mail' option - this is the first year I've actually got it together in time!), the shortbread has been rolled and popped in the freezer, the Christmas tree is ready.and well, things are rolling towards Christmas in a bit-by-bit, fun, relaxed fashion. Despite all this activity,  the 'to do' lists keep growing and I say 'lists' because it would be far too straight-forward to have just the one, wouldn't it?! :). As much as I sometimes whine about some aspects of the 'silly season', it's clear that I mostly enjoy it and even clearer that the kids enjoy it all!

While as a family we generally start preparing for Christmas from the start of Advent, things have started rolling a little earlier this year, just a little. I blame the arrival of new Christmas picture books and my delay at placing them out of view and reach. Around here, once little eyes spot new picture books there's no denying them the pleasure! The most popular have been The Tomtes Christmas Porridge, Marys Little Donkey and the Flight to Egypt and Christmas in Noisy Village.

BIRTHDAY BANTER

This week, there's lots of talk about parties around here, mainly because our second attempt at D's 40th birthday celebration is planned for Saturday.  The children are excited and we're busily preparing for the gathering. The party/birthday talk extended to many a car trip this week, with my favourite being a conversation between Elsa and Rafael yesterday:


* Rafael "I come to your birthday party Else?" (her birthday was in June!)

* Elsa "of course you will"

* Rafael "and the next one?"

* Elsa "yes, of course! You're my brother, you'll come to all my birthdays even when we're old, old kids"

* Rafael smiles

* Elsa "we love each other, we're best friends. You know that"

* Rafael "me love you to Else"
* Elsa "I love you too Rafi"

At which point, I glance at them in the rear-view mirror and see Elsa take her brother's hand without the slightest glance in his direction - just a natural reaching out, a beautiful little expression of love and reassurance as she watched the world passing by. At the next red light, some 3 kilometres up the road, I turned to look back and they were still holding hands. A very sweet sibling moment that I was so lucky to share.

And I do hope they will always share their birthdays with one another in some way, regardless of age or geography. And I wouldn't mind joining in with their Dada either! For now, we focus on his belated birthday celebration and look forward to sharing the day with friends from near and far.

I just realised, he doesn't have a birthday crown! :)

WONDERING...

• if I'll ever tire of fennel and watercress?
• when my camera will be better/fixed/usable/in one piece? (it would be nice to share some photos - there's been so much happening around here!)
• whether I prefer meat ball soup with or without lemon sauce?
• if, subconsciously, I turned the front sun room into a greenhouse so that my dear D would offer to build a greenhouse/garden shed? (really, I didn't but, I'm pleased he offered!)
• how soon that greenhouse can be built?
• when Nana will be here for a visit? (soon I believe)
• just how many times I can make the wide-leg pants from this book?(visuals to come soon I hope)
• if I should eat another slice of Apple Cake? (just one?)
• why all books don't contain a recipe? (!)
• what Spring will hold for us four?
• when my latest Diggers order will arrive? (a Passionfruit vine, Loganberry cane, Apricot tree and so much more on its way!!!!) 
• what to do with all that parsley?
• how exactly we made so many 'twisties' today and still managed to talk/eat/drink/laugh/manage children etc etc ('twisties'' like these ones)
• if my new homemade cleaning products will stand the test of time and grime? (more on those later)
• if the soap nuts will truly remove all that dirt and other garden goodness to come with Spring? Or will my new clothes washing powder do a better job? (I have been busy! :))
• what my children did in the garden today while I was making 'twisties'? (I went out after dark to lock the chickens away so I couldn't survey evidence of the fun they had)
• when the new chickens will arrive? (and how long it will take Gnocchi, the dog, to befriend them?)
• just how many more pieces of fabric Elsa will bring to me with requests for clothing? (the last was this "Mama, I'd really LOVE a skirt from this sweet pink one...or a dress...or even a jacket" !!! she got the skirt!).
• when I can pull up the last of the turnips? (and how many more my family can tolerate?)
• what jam or marmalade I will make next? (now I finally have some more jars to fill - great op.shop find!)
• how to stop myself buying books? (at least there are no remaining Elsa Beskow books on my 'wish list' - so naughty but, happily so!)
• when he'll be home from work? (it is 9.45pm afterall - poor stretched busy man)
• when I'll have time to clean the hen house, transfer seedlings to the garden, paint a few old things and make a dress? (oh Martha, you set us up for failure! :))
• how long I can wait before planting the tomatoes? (all five varieties!)
• whether this rain could possibly get any harder?
• if I'll actually complete my Tea Leaves before winter is over! (oh, I hope so)
• why they took sooooooooooo long?
• when I'll see sense and go to bed and snuggle up with my book? 
• why it's took me so long to recall just how much I'm enjoying that book? (and the 5 before it in the series - short novellas for the young but, wow, such a fantastic read!). 
• why I don't just say goodnight and go to BED! Clearly too much wondering, not enough sleeping...I'm delirious. Goodnight! :)
   

WINTER WRAP-UP No.1

It's not quite over but, almost. So much goodness this winter

Many walks by the river...

Soil studies galore!

Hen homes to build

Pizzas to make, over and over again

Friends to visit in fields of fresias

Drives to take

LOOKING OUT, LOOKING FORWARD

We've had a spurt of rainy days a little while back (say, around 10 days ago, I think)...nothing too extreme but definitely soggy. Last week, there was hail but the past few have been glorious with so much lovely winter sunshine..such is life in Melbourne. I quite enjoy the variety, the changeability of the weather here, particularly in the cooler months; it keeps us on our toes and really, it's rarely extremely cold or hot so there's not much to complain about.  Anyhow, we opted to spend many of the rainy moments indoors baking, painting, drawing, playing in general really...and knitting, of course (for me at least). And I reflected on all the outdoor work and play to come over the upcoming warmer months.....

IN BEDS

Those garden beds are really starting to delivery; radishes, fennel, turnip, spinach, pakchoy, so many herbs, sooo much coming through but plenty still growing away....and more seeds on their way...we're having fun, and learning too. And the beds themselves make good balancing beams! And when he wakes from his daytime nap, Rafael likes to cuddle up in the front room and watch it all happening...such a sweet lad.