All Grown Up.

Our pretty little girls are all grown up now and laying an egg a day. They’ve been kept to the confines of the chicken run for the last couple of months to allow all the new plants and seeds get established, but this morning we let them free range in the garden for the first time and they loved it.

xx Em

Cold Snap.

The cold weather seems to have finally settled in this week and not a moment too soon because my agitation was reaching critical mass. Having Summer run all the way to May is not lovely, the endless heat is not a bonus, it’s the shite product of climate change and it makes me want to scream. Actually there are a whole lot of ignorant, self absorbed humans who make me want to scream right now. The world is entirely out of kilter with cruelty, stupidity and greed holding the balance of power. Why is it so hard for people to be kind and clever and compassionate? It’s perplexing.

It felt good to switch off from the world and spend time in the garden this morning. The claret blush of the grapevine; the golden glow of the quince; the pops of pink from lingering summer blooms; the cooling hues of salvia and violet...all balm for the soul. 

xx Em

Catching up to Summer.

Belated Happy New Year Lovely Peeples!

I’m late to the party again, a thousand blog posts have been constructed in my head but none put in print since last spring. I’m sorry, my bad! I haven’t made any resolutions this year but I AM hoping to be more consistent with this blog.

It’s been a lovely summer holiday so far.

Early December meant that I was in my foodie zone making hampers filled with home made vanilla extract, cranberry sauce, hazelnut dukkah, chilli cashews and a variety of preserves. 

I think we made at least half a dozen batches of gingerbread and the house smelt of spices for weeks...oh my giddy aunt it was yummy! 

I didn’t do anywhere near as much sewing compared to previous years. It was a deliberate decision to reduce the crazy amount of stress that usually comes with the season. I did a couple of ragdolls for two of the Littles in our circle and experimented with some hoop art. 

It felt nice to pull back a bit and enjoy the lead up to Christmas. 

Christmas was a coastal affair with my family at Anna Bay. 

We woke to perfect beach weather on Christmas Eve. The boys explored rock pools with their cousins, paddled in the dingy, discovered tiny jellies on the sand and my brother took them snorkelling for the first time. 

The afternoon consisted of nothing more strenuous than taking a nap, reading books, drinking wine, chatting over a cheese board and constructing dessert. 

The kids kept watch for santa doing the lolly round on the local fire truck and were rewarded for their patience...just as the heavens opened.

Christmas Morning was all about the kids which is just how I love it!

Tim and Margie created a fabulous summer feast for Christmas Lunch and it was soooooo goooood!

An inevitable food coma ensued! 

The rest of our visit was spent just kicking back and hanging out together. 

We had to say goodbye and head back home just after Boxing Day to take care of our feathered and fur babies. 

I’m so glad that we got to spend time with my family, even if it was only for a few days. Thanks for being such marvellous hosts Tim & Marg, you out did yourselves, again!

Since then we’ve just been hanging out at home, pottering in the garden and occasionally venturing to the pool or the park. Harry spends a lot of time making little films with his new Lego train set using the Stikbot app. Jack is currently obsessed with all things dinosaur and I regularly find myself his captive audience, made to listen to every little bit of Dino trivia that he can recall.

The veggie patch is thriving still...giving us an abundance of corn, cucumber, salad greens, carrots, apples, pears, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, kale and garlic. The tomatoes are finally beginning to fruit so we might also get a decent crop from them too, before the first frost arrives. Wandering about the garden in the cool of the early morning is such a pleasure. 

Feeling very grateful for what we have right here, right now.

Til next time...xx Em.

Hullo Spring

Hullo Spring!

My, what an entrance you've made today. 

The air is warm and filled with the humming of bees in blossom. The sky is cobalt blue and the garden has made its floral debut. 

Heavenly...and its only going to get better!

xx Em