gelati promise

30th January, 2009

It's hot. . . .    .  .  and I'm sticky.

Over 40 degrees for four days in a row. No relief in sight.

The little one has endured an endless cycle of bad children's television, burning car seat buckles, flouresent lights & zombie crowds as we too seek refuge in the shopping centres we try so hard to avoid all year. Scratchy sand, sticky skin, crunchy sand coated snacks, exhaustion & then despair at the end of the day. 

Thankfully he sleeps well at night.

We are both tired, we are both over it. 

I have not picked up my camera 'to play' in a week. I miss it but it feels so heavy & cumbersome. I wish to be light, like a feather. I wish for the breeze to be through me. I wish to float on an endless ocean. I feel so heavy.

A morning swim with the horses today lifted our spirits for a while. Then the sun rose higher, the wind picked up & you guessed it ~ hot buckles, abc kids & later today more zombi crowds.

Our Sweet P will soon be home for the weekend and has promised to take us for gelati this afternoon. It feels good knowing.    

he sings to the sea

12th December, 2008

He sings to the sea, and she playfully kisses his toes. 

He giggles and throws a stick to her, she caresses it, slowly, taking in it's beauty then returns it softly to his feet.

He sings to her, and she playfully kisses his toes....

He is mesmerised. As I have been for so many years before. 

He stands, he sways ever so slightly, moving with her rhythm, feeling the pull, the beckon, her call. I wonder how he will respond, what will her song call from him. When?

I feel blessed, again. There is something of me in this child. Or perhaps there is simply something of the ocean in us both.

It delights me beyond description, and teases me with the fear of letting him go, into the waves, into her embrace, into her power. 

And I have to trust & be glad for another season of paddling in the shallows.

 

all shook up... wohoho

15th January, 2009

You know how life just   happens    .

How the sun rises & then sets again & the moon waxes & wanes & how the earth turns and you don't really even notice. You think about the shopping list or how you should exercise more or how your child doesn't fit any of his clothes all of a sudden. And life just    happens   around you.

Do you know?

And then something wakes you up, shakes you, reminds you. 

That life is in the now. 

That it's not somewhere we get to when we have the right car or education or life experience. 

It's now. Today, me typing these words. Me smiling at him or grumbling about sweeping up. This is it. 

Well I can't really say what it was that shook me this time.

Maybe boho girls description that led me to this album.

Maybe it was my boys close shave with a heavy sheet of glass & some cold hard tiles that lead us to the ocean for a swim in the 'big waves' & 'big wind' on a ridiculously cold afternoon.

Maybe it was Amber who led me to contemplate how quickly things can change.

Maybe it was the giant bunch of sunflowers my boys bought home 'just because'.

Maybe it's a lot of things.

I can't really say what, but I'm so grateful for the new perspective.

ticking boxes

9th January, 2009

I've been a coffee drinker for a  v e r y   l o n g  time.

I was that student who couldn't put pen to paper without her 'hit' - morning, mid morning, late morning, lunch, you get the picture. 

Well that habit was left on campus, but I do still love my daily ritual with a steaming hot cup just slightly burning my fingers.... yes, mmm, yes I do.

It makes me warm & fuzzy when I think about that ritual. I don't cope without it.

So. My point? 

Teeth.

The yellowed teeth of coffee drinkers. I don't want to use nasty chemical whiteners & no matter how hard I wanted to believe bi-carb soda would remove the stains ! it really didn't.

So I just kind of got over it & learnt to accept that part of myself along with the other bits you learn to love or ignore.

Which is why I am so pleased that I found this toothpaste. 

After about a month of using this I thought my teeth looked a little whiter. After another month & I'm certain of it. I don't know why. It's all natural & organic. The minty taste is not the best but it's not yucky. Miles likes it. Even Sweet P said it wasn't bad.

So, just a little oral hygiene tip from me to you! Cause I love a good product & it ticks all of my boxes.

x

immersed

8th January, 2009

Christmas lovin' that keeps on givin'.

So much love & gratitude to all for your generosity, your kindness & your friendship.

x J,P & M         

(m ~ otherwise known as 'water faerie' and often found draped in a blue playsilk swimming in the 'river')

a question

30th December, 2008

I've been asked how I got my hands on Buntspechte ('woodpecker') animals. 

Well, firstly let me say that once I've set my mind on something I don't give up easily.

I first made soft animals for little M to play with. They are well loved but a little on the wonky side & as his play developed I wanted pieces which would grow with him. Pieces that would last a lifetime & had the warmth & beauty true of the natural world. 

I searched high & low for the 'right' pieces. 

I found lots that were lovely but none that sung to me. 

Until I found the Woodpecker animals. 

I had tears in my eyes ~ seriously. With the joy & the beauty in each one. And I knew they were the right ones.

I sent out an email to our family. 

Then I placed an order with them through their site. The cost seems high but not once you've seen them. Each one is amazing & large too. The perfect size really. The postage cost was heavy but by spending our money on these we were reminded to wind back the 'excess' that can occur at Christmas. And I think that the balance was achieved.

We are so grateful for all of the love & thoughtful gifts given to our wee one this Christmas. It's wonderful that others were also moved by these animals & the pieces they gifted complement & complete what we gave. We are so thankful.

For prosperity's sake the letter is below.

Dear Family,

Ok.... Straight to the point. 

As you all know we like Miles to play with 'natural' toys as much as possible. Wood, wool, fabric, earth, leaves, water, etc. 

Our reasons are many & varied. The three main ones being that 

(a) by playing with toys 'of nature' he will indeed be connected to the natural world - a rare thing these days. 

(b) He will learn to imagine, create, problem solve & improvise as the 'toys' he uses are, as such, unfinished pieces. They have room to evolve as his play does. A simple basket of shells offers endless play opportunities as money for shopping, food for animals, steps for a building, beds for small dolls... on & on it goes. 

(c) that we reduce our impact on the natural world & where possible improve it. So where & how the item was made, from what materials & how it will be disposed of at the end of it's life cycle are all factors in our shopping habits. For more info check this out http://www.storyofstuff.com/

With these points in mind I began my search for figurines. Small people & animals for play now & long into the future. My search took me all around the globe (not literally, unfortunately). I found many wonderful figures in my travels, several handmade by men & women with a passion & a skill for woodwork & children. 

With an extraordinary amount of excitement & satisfaction I found these -

http://www.buntspechte.eu/Produkte.417.0.html?&L=1

Handmade with love in Germany. Using locally sourced renewable timber. Painted simply with vegetable dyes. These are truly incredible.

As you can imagine, each piece is a work of art. They are not cheap, by any stretch of the imagination. They are however, heirloom pieces that will be loved & treasured not only by Miles & any other children who may bring joy & laughter into our home. But also the generations of children that may follow. 

So I ask you all so humbly, to please consider one of these figures as a gift to Miles for this Christmas or Birthday or the many that will follow. 

We will place an order in the coming weeks so you can, if you like, add to our order. Prices range from $20 for a 5.5cm duck to $28 for a 10cm goat to $50 for a 16cm horse. Just let me know which animal or person you would like to choose & if the cost is more than you had planned to spend we can top up the difference. 

Of course, each of you offer many & varied gifts to Miles in the way of your company, your passions & your laughter. It is not necessary to purchase gifts for him. He is most happy to spend some time 'hangin out' in the garden with you. If you prefer to share your time with him, that is truly a gift to us all. Or if you have another gift in mind.... These figures are simply a suggestion.

So with much love & peace & we approach the festive season,

x Jules & Paulie

and so I don't forget

from Grammy & Pa ~ the horse

from Aunty Dan & Uncle Shane ~ the rooster & the goat

from Aunty Kath ~ the calf

from us ~ the cow, the broody chicken, the donkey

my mind's eye remains closed

29th December, 2008

Inhale.

Exhale.

I believe it was Christmas recently.....? 

A whirlwind of preparations, celebrations, traditions new & old, wrapping paper, anticipation & some good old fashioned fun.

My camera was rarely in my hands, all of the 'shots' I saw during the season shall remain in my mind's eye this year. I 'captured' the memories I wanted to hold onto & tucked them safely away. My hands busy with other important tasks ~ Like sewing & baking & holding onto my lovins'. 

Some pictures that did make it onto the hard drive.....

The excitement that is 'really helping' to decorate the Christmas tree for the first time ever

The joy in my man. Home, at long last, for the holidays.

decorating the tree & hanging our faery angel on the very top

she is the same faery who graced our very first tree in 2002

the dude really came

early christmas morning in all it's blurryness

there's stuff in here....

wow, there stuff in here :)

duuuuude.....

preparing a christmas feast for many,

our turn to host

we couldn't have been more pleased

my helper

chopping, then munching, then chopping, then munching

just as christmas preparations should be

who was more excited about this gift?

little M saving it for very last,

sweet P wanting so very badly to give it weeks earlier?

or me? Heart & soul poured into it for what feels like my whole life. 

These animals that bring such warmth, such joy, such love, 

& such truth to our home.

To his childhood.

Oh he loves them, right away he loves them. 

To hold, to cuddle, to care for.

He loves them

A lifetime full.

Full bellies, a setting sun, a happy gathering, empty plates.

the love & the play continues

Merry Christmas to all & to all a goodnight.

x

gratitude

28th November, 2008

(click to see full size)

Merry Christmas

25th December, 2008

A wish for the world....

            for peace, laughter & humility.

And a wish for you all also....

          

    I wish that you will find joy in the daily tasks that you undertake, 

    I wish that you will find magic in the simple pleasures of the world,

    I wish that you find complete contentment in the nurturing of your children,

   And I wish that your home is filled with light & laughter.

A very simple Christmas treat for you....

Cast on 16 stiches

Knit a square

Cast off

Fold in half

Stitch sides together leaving room to loosely stuff with wool. 

Stitch sides closed.

Pull top to base with a simple stitch.
Use wool to create a simple comb, beak, feet ~ mine are all different.

Attach several wool strands to fan from the bottom to create a tail for a rooster.

Make as many as you like. 

(Note: this is my adaptation of a traditional pattern used by Steiner kindergartens.

To stick with Steiner philosophy the wool is locally grown organic & plant dyed. However. We do what we can & I would say that recycled wool from other projects is equally as good to use).

Merry Christmas Wonderful Friends

A very Merry Christmas to you indeed.

x

Jules

pockets

22nd December, 2008

Because I work best under pressure.

Because he deserves a little hand made lovin'.

Because I can only focus on one thing at a time.

Because we have had the worst evening in history.

Because working with my hands brings me comfort.

Because even nudey boys need pockets.

A little felt satchel for storing all his treasures in 

when life is too busy for clothes.