ah Summer days......

We are right in the thick of school holidays right now.

It's been a good mix of sleeping-in and being woken up super early (ummmm 4am on Christmas morning!)

Bed time has been stretched past regular time - I blame day-light-savings for that. High Summer in day-light-savings doesn't get dark until 8.30 or so.

Our days have been taken up with seeing family, and just hanging out. Lots of swimming in the creek - each day the kids get better and better at their swimming. And we all sit and build towers and waterfalls with the rocks. One of the best family experiences is to sit for hours (minutes, who knows - you loose time when rock-moving) and rearrange rocks to form new water-ways along the creek. The other day we saw an eel down stream and all sat crouched peering under the rocks trying to get a better view. 

Meals have been easy and quick - salads and various forms of simple extras (tofu, fresh corn, vege sausages, fritters). Of course one or the other of the kids whinges at salad, but us adults make it anyway and pile up their plates and encourage them to eat. 

It's been hot some days, and mild the next - always humid. We have luckily missed the heat waves they've been having down south. A big Summer storm last night, with crazy lightning and thunder so close it shook the house. We slept while the clouds argued and clashed and banged. And the rain fell (not enough to flush the creek out of all the fallen leaves, or water the ground, but some).

Small bits of stitching and crochet work have been happening around family life. Sometimes into the quiet of the evening working with my hands (sometimes with a g+t to accompany it, and a good conversation with my man). Hopefully within a week or so I'll have something decent to show you.

Ah Summer days. You are good. Swimmers hanging on the line to dry, sarongs being worn around the house. A cold beer always in the fridge. 

two in green

Just a few images from a little treasure walk we went on the other day.
Both kids wearing green t-shirts.
Carrying their own little bags (both made by mama, of course) for collecting all sorts of lovely little treasures.

{flowers} yesterday::today

Yesterday at 6.15 am*, I took these photos of our hoya. The buds still all closed up.

Then this morning, at 7.43am* I stepped onto the front steps and noticed that they had opened their star petals up. These have a subtle, sweet perfume.

*times may not be entirely accurate, but are as close as memory allows.

treasures

yesterday morning the kids and i went outside for a spot of sunshine.
ari wanted to look for treasures. i was happy to watch and listen to my two treasures.

suburban afternoon

This afternoon, while I was sitting at my sewing table. In the quiet of a kid-free house. Sewing some little pencil cases for some long overdue parcels that needed to be posted off.

Listening to the sounds of the street around me. The soft dull murmur of a city street, a suburban city street.
Our next door neighbours' visitor. A regular visitor who has the most everyday stories, told at loudest volume, with emphatic punchlines. Stories I think I should tape, so that if I ever wrote one of those everyday life novels, I would have some 'real life' fodder. After he leaves, the next door house is quiet. It seems still, as if our neighbours have to regain their energy from such an over-the-top exuberant guest.
At building site down the street, I hear a man call out "want to bring another wheel barrow". Such a mundane aspect of the work they are doing near the train tracks.
Only a moment after that a mother "right now", in the total irritated tone of talking to a disobedient child, yet in the hushed tones of being out in the street. And having the feeling that everyone is watching you reprimand your child. (Come on, you all know that feeling!).
I continue on, unpicking and then resewing. Changing thread colour, and zipper foot back to regular machine foot. Purse after purse after purse. With the still silence - a dull hum of distant traffic and life - of the street and the city.
And then everyone home again, and the noise back in my house. Shattering through the thickness of the silence I've been settled into. Back to regular life.

Plus more images of my inspiration board above my sewing table. This desk is in the front (entrance) room of our house, and I'm really enjoying having these snippets for myself, yet still having to be conscience that it's what people see when they walk in (hmmm... possibly a bit nicer than the regular mess we have from front to back of the whole house!).

hello

hello new year, when did you get here.....

I've slipped into this new year a little too quickly, haven't we all? It's been a tumble-bumble these past few weeks and days, of doing nothing and everything.
I just wanted to check in and say hi to you all. It seems an age since last I was here. (Though I've been all over blog-land and enjoying everyone's last year wrap-ups, and new year beginnings).
Things are good here, and so many ventures planned for this year. A busy, yet exciting year. I'll tell you more soon. For now, a few photos of our past few days/weeks.Our little tree, on Christmas day. We redecorated it - the simple handmade angels instead of the bright lights. (I'm still sad that we neglected last year's tree....).Jumping on Christmas Day. Ari's new outfit is: pants I sewed from some fun Japanese mushroom fabric, and this oh-so-sweet t-shirt. Ash was wearing lovely new linen trousers and a little singlet (I think Sylve got them from Seed - which sometimes has some beautifully Australian-made pieces).
The glorious last sunlight of 2008. We went and sat up on the hill, with a picnic and waited (and waited and waited) for the 8.30pm fireworks. After which we put the kids to bed, and then fell asleep on the couch before the mid-night fireworks could be heard popping outside.
An exciting, entertaining and (could it be) educational time at the Sciencentre. I really enjoyed watching the boys - Ash especially - putting the coloured blocks into repeating patterns, and discovering what shapes could make up other shapes. And doing that broken-colour dance! As well as the giant table so that adults can experience what it's like being a little kid at the big table!
Then later we adults were treated to a fashion parade and a rock concert.

still life :: tea party

These are a few little still lives of our tea party. With the obligatory Lego, of course!
Beautifully styled by my sister, Sylve. She should be a stylish, don't you think. I love her home (when it's tidy!). The little pieces that she has, the collections, the displays. I think one day I need to show you around her house, so you can see what I mean.

*************************

I want to say thank you so so so much to all of you who have been reading and commenting. I enjoy receiving your sweet comments, and your encouragement. I am sorry that I have been replying to comments lately; it seems that my days keep running away from me. I am trying to spend less time on the computer, yet still am scurrying to get everything done. I think we are all feeling the same at this time of year.
I hope you all enjoy and relax and rest and remember that Christmas is about family, and love and friendship and warmth and laughter. Lots of laughter and memory making. And not at all about the best wrapped present or best set table, or tastiest food. It's about the people who give the present to, the people you share the meal with, the people you clink your glasses with. (Though having pretty presents sure is fun isn't it!).
Take care. xxx

remains of the day

We had quite a lovely day today. A lot of spur of the moment doings.
:: a nice little stop at a cafe, after dropping Sam off at his brother's place for the day; kids were well behaved, we sat and chatted and played with the cafe toys (plastic horses and transformers and noise making things that we don't have at home!).
:: had a look in a lovely shop - that is styled quite beautifully. A lot of pieces in there that both the kids and I wanted to take home. And I wish I'd had my camera to take a photo of Mishi putting her hands in her pockets and walking around 'looking, not touching' for a matter of moments only.
:: Ari and me doing a little ribbon painting (more on this later), which lead on to some beautiful painting from all three of us.
:: Pleasant picnic lunch in the loungeroom. A vege stick platter of all "C" veges (cucumber, celery, carrot, capsicum), which lead to some letter and word talking.
:: Cake making with minimal fuss and bickering. Mishi peeled and mashed all the bananas without assistance from me, with much concentration and focus on her job. Ari measured and broke eggs and tasted and turned the mixer on and off - he really is a great baker who knows the process.
:: A glorious afternoon rainstorm. Dancing on the front porch, watching the lighting and listening to the thunder, and watching the rain splatter on the roofs around us. Dancing in the rain, which lead to much excitable dancing in the house.
:: The afternoon sun shining through the rain, and onto the kids eating their cake, and waiting for Daddy to come home.
:: Ari seeing hail for the first time. Tiny little pieces that melted almost as you touched them. Little spots of ice jumping down the stairs and in the front yard.
:: And then, for me, a little nap as I put the kids to bed. Lying and giving Mish her milk, I seem to slip into sleep without noticing, and wake up hours later not quite ready for bed.

Goodnight xx