winter wondering

we've been up to our old tricks again. in spite of my insistence on detesting cold, wet, windy weather, there is so much beauty in the surrounding suburban bushland that i simply cannot help myself. i have found myself outside a lot lately, whether it be working in the garden, fungi "hunting" with the boys or going for a short, solitary walk along the nearby creek at twilight to capture that perfect, waning, late autumn light. i'd better watch myself or i might just begin to enjoy winter.

i keep telling myself that we really should diversify a bit and not just plan outdoor nature activities. that as homeschoolers maybe we should visit more museums, practice phonics, do maths workbooks...etc etc. that's not us though. we are really only at peace when outdoors and preferably as far away as possible from cityscapes and car and people pollution...we are able to find our groove, slow down and match our pace to the rhythmic hum of the green grass, the wisping clouds, the slow sluicing of morning dew or afternoon drizzle. that's our happiness.

we are currently working on a few projects. j and i are making a blurb book. it's a field/photo guide to fungi in our area. just today we thought about expanding it to...well, maybe we can talk about that later. i don't want to share too much too soon.

we are also making artist trading cards. some are nature inspired and some are star wars inspired. it really just depends on the day and which way the wind is blowing. along with the ATC's and all the mushroom prints the kitchen table is chronically cluttered with art materials, pencils, oil pastels, water colors...and at least twice a day i have to busy myself sweeping up pencil or crayon shavings, bits of paper, pencil lead or scraping up drips of dried gesso. we find happiness there as well.

i read a few days ago that may is the last month of autumn down here. i can believe it. these past few days winter has been knocking heavily at our door. and if there is any doubt all one has to do is look outside. the lovely wattle in the photo above is so close to showing her winter colors. soon those pea green nubs will explode into fuzzy, bright yellow balls. what outrageous bling she wears!





we are looking forward to more bush walks, more photography, more art, more backyard gardening. in essence, more of winter's beauty...and perhaps we'll be inspired to share a bit of it here.

home

settling into a new season, a new rhythm, we watch as the trees empty themselves of summer's greenery. the sky deepens and the air chills as it swirls its way around our ankles. the cool, sticky feel of wet leaves is everywhere. and winter is nearing.







they all fall down

unsettled

we lost our three sweet girls to a fox last night. we are utterly heartbroken. we loved them so much, but the boys were particularly fond of them. in between tears and hugs we have been sharing our funniest chook stories. everyone has a personal favorite. we know eventually we'll move on and adopt a new brood because we're convinced they are the perfect family friends/pets, but for now we'll continue to share stories and lavish the family bunny with heaps of love and cuddles.

j and e with rosie, daisy and bluebelle

reality check

well, it's been awhile again, hasn't it. i know i've promised to come around more often, but i've been so content just watching my children grow. it's a simple thing, i know, but powerful nonetheless, when you witness your little lads maturing, finding and growing into themselves day after day. twice the other day i overheard my youngest son telling his older brother, " {sigh} life is so good, isn't it." to which big brother responded, yep. and that's all i need. to know that they are happy. that they enjoy this little life we live together.

when i look at you i see god



today--a running list

- made the boys their favorite breakfast, pasta served up with fresh, crushed herbs from the garden, a glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt. i was their queen :) at least during breakfast

- lost count of all the animal graves in the garden as we buried a rainbow lorikeet found by e first thing this morning

- toiled away quietly in the garden while enjoying some much needed 'me' time



- listened in as j & e engaged in some truly wacky, zombie filled, imaginary fun

- found the sweetest clutch of snail eggs, about 20 of them, while moving soil around from pot to pot. they've been tucked safely away in a little boy's terrarium. now we wait and watch.

- thoroughly enjoyed (in a skimpy, sleeveless top) the most beautiful, sunny, warm day we've had so far this autumn

- felt the need to be quiet and introverted, completely lost in my own meandering thoughts, indulging in a bit of melancholy even

- laughed quietly to myself out in the garden as i listened to the shenanigans playing out inside, two boys in need of a little relief in a house with only one toilet. yes, there was a bucket involved and lots of chortles, "omg! i can't believe i'm doing this in a bucket!"

- noticed at some point during the day that e has a new beauty spot on his nose. i bent down, kissed it and promptly fell in love











all photos taken summer 2011/2012

9

a few days ago we celebrated this little guy and the nine years that he has been with us. wow! nine! it's hard to believe at times, but here's the proof. we had two days of celebrations with lots of food, friends, family, bubbles, play, fun....birthdays are too good to be over in just a day. you need 2, at least, to do it properly.

as usual he ended the day in style with a bubble bath accompanied by his 2 best friends in the whole world, his little brother e and sweet friend w. oh yes, and there was a sleep over...which didn't really consist of too much sleep:)

happy birthday, beautiful boy

a wee walk about

to the yarran dheran along the mullum mullum

creekside

the tree and her secrets

fall

summer

as we are literally just days away from March 1 which marks the beginning of fall down here and since i haven't posted since, well, i don't know when, i thought i'd share some of my/our (no, really, they are mine) favorite memories from the past two months.

in january a dear little friend had a birthday (no 7) and invited us to celebrate his day at his favorite vegan eating joint in the city. we ate so much fantastic food we practically rolled out the door and down the street to our car.

birthday revellers

a few days after a not-so-fun visit to his urologist and nephrologist j told me he needed some time away with me. i knew he was still processing everything he'd heard a few days before at the hospital. i also knew exactly what he needed. i took him to our favorite nearby nature sanctuary for a little tlc/r&r.

right away he found these small beetles, very common to this time of year, and taught me a lesson in entomology i'll never forget, but that's a post for another time (soon).

beetles

the garden is beginning to wane. sunflowers old and new. a tangle of tomatoes ready to ripen red. herbs, basil, sage, rosemary, mint, parsley, some are ready to move into fall and then winter, but others will say good bye soon. but for now though, the renewing fall rain is bringing forth new growth.

sunflowers old & new

one early morning last week during the hot, dry. he and i. singing, playing, dancing from one red paver to another. he glowed in the morning sun and i was there to see it. when we finished our song he looked up, smiled and told me he loved that moment. with me. just us. and the sun.

hymn

ok, we are ready to move on now.

comiendo el coco*

my last post may have left you with the impression that things are a little bleak over here. well, not necessarily. i tend to become hyper focused on the negative and forget that, hey, there is more to any given situation than meets the eye. never judge a book by its cover because, what appears at first glance to be, well, less than optimal, could turn out to be a real page turner in the end.

but i'm a worrier and just before christmas i found myself tangled up in knots over something which i had no control. i've always been this way. it's something i'm trying to change and with a little luck will make slow (or fast) progress with this year.

now having said that, let me get to the good stuff. we had a lovely christmas and new year. it was hot and bright, sparkly and full of light. it was surreal and beautiful. i couldn't have asked for or imagined a more special time with my 3 boys. i look back on it now and smile as tears fill my eyes, the memories so sweet. i feel lucky and blessed, waves of stillness and gratitude gently washing over me. i feel full and happy.

it's been hot here since just before christmas. christmas eve day was a scorcher and found us panting in our shorts and tank tops, throwing open all the windows. below is the christmas eve butterfly that flew in one of those open windows. the boys and i were mesmerized, as it fluttered here and there landing briefly on the hearth, then a chair. it was a moment of clear and direct communication between me and the Universe. there were no misinterpretations. we eventually caught and released it back into the garden. absolutely splendid!

a few days after christmas we met up with a dear friend who andrew and i met while living in japan, but whom we haven't seen for years. it was lovely reconnecting with her, sitting together and laughing once again. the ebb and flow of life is such a marvel, isn't it. how it carries us along from one place to another and back around again. some things stay the same, only a little different. i like that.

the waterwall at the National Gallery of Victoria

Federation Square

new year's eve was quiet, a family affair. there was dinner and dessert (a group effort) here at home with my boys and then family movie night. that's it. it was more than enough.

now we spend our days in the heat, watching the garden grow...and some days wither under the bright, hot sun. the small tuber given to me by a friend back in the dead of winter is now exploding into brilliant red orange dahlias. i ask you, how could i not fall in love with that? we are tending the veg patch, picking green beans, rocket, tomatoes, herbs, applauding the arrival of the first cosmos...

water gun wars between j & e

...and of course trying our best to stay cool. super soakers to the rescue!

happy new year to you. i hope it brings you peace, good health, happiness and above all lots and lots of love.

*comiendo el coco means racking one's brain, obsessing over or brooding upon something and is a phrase my spanish friends used to say to me all the time, "there you go again, comiendo el coco," whilst shaking their head in disapproval. "brooding upon"or "obsessing over" things isn't really something the spanish do and in general is frowned upon, unless alcohol and dancing are involved;) apparently i didn't spend enough time in spain.

summer high

with insects a buzzin' and sleigh bells a ringin' i'd say christmas is near

and now we begin the descent

happy solstice