The last days of summer

A lazy all day picnic by the river, the children in the water for at least 4 hours straight, searching for crabs in the mangroves, parks and playgrounds, a casual barbecue at our house, scooter rides, late afternoon walks, sandcastles, late, long breakfasts, cubbie houses made from sheets, going out for dinner, relaxing on our back deck in the summer breeze.

Blissfully sun kissed.

Seven children and a couple of grandparents. We have spent the last three days enjoying beautiful weather the best way I know how, with family.

In truth, our Summer does not end with the beginning of Autumn, there will be many summery days still to come. I just seems all the more relaxing when you are sitting back, enjoying simple pleasures, with some of your most favourite people.

The Organised Home Challenge

Our house had been built by a builder just to sell. In Australia we call these houses, 'spec' houses. I never would have thought that I would just walk into a house, already built and say "OK, this is it." It is far from my dream house, but it ticked all the boxes of what was required by our family at the time, and it still does.

While the house was well finished off, the yard was finished off in a hurry. Yes it looked good, but it soon became apparent that we would need to put drainage in our back yard. Also the turf (lawn, grass) that had been laid was not suitable for the southern aspect of our back yard. It quickly died off.

Three years on and it has finally happened.

I am ecstatic!!! I know, it's just grass, but I really am ecstatic.

After a week of leaving it to settle, we were able to walk on it. The kids instantly ran about and fell onto the grass, laying spread out, looking up to the sky. I joined them.

"This is perfect grass for daydreaming" Spunky Monkey said, as we lay back on the soft grass watching the clouds. I would have to agree with him.

Our landscaper was a friend of my Mum's, so she turned up with her clippers and work clothes to help with the back-yard blitz.



While I made a batch of jam drops for the workers, the photo above, is what she cleared from our very neglected and overgrown garden. Miss Moo Moo and I carried it all to the front of the house. We also:

• washed all of the fabric covers on our daybed
• scrubbed the mold from the outdoor chairs
• sanded back and re-oiled our wooden outdoor table
• used the high pressure hose to clean the exposed aggregate on the driveway, under the clothes line, on the path down the side of the house and on the tiles of our back deck/patio
• cut back all of the wildly overgrown passsionfruit vine. It is so much happier now.

It looks fantastic. Although there is still a lot of work to be done in the garden. I was hoping to get started this week, but with sweltering heat one day and pouring rain the next, it just didn't happen. Here is our weekend gardening 'to do' list:

• thin the ginger, heliconias and banana trees
• attend to our sick looking citrus trees - prune? fertilize?
• order more topsoil and mulch for the back garden
• purchase and plant ground cover gardenias
• attend to our very sad looking vegetable patch. Pull out, dig over, replant, mulch.
• buy more herbs, lots of herbs.

This will keep us going for a while, as we actually won't be starting this weekend. We have family visiting from far away and I can see a whole lot of 'summer holiday fun' happening around here instead.

More dollies have arrived!

Some more dollies have arrived this week for the Queensland Flood Appeal Dolly Drive. Thank-you Alison.

Alison has made, not one.



Not two. Some for the boys.



But six dolls. And let me tell you, they are a little mischievous.





I love their great hair and individual embroidered faces.



And I especially love the introduction name tag in each one's pocket.

Welcome Tess, Tilly, Tara, Tori, Tom and Tim.

What an exceptional effort. Thanks again Alison.

Perhaps you would like to make a doll or softie for the Queensland Flood Appeal Dolly Drive. There is still plenty of time. The close date is the 18th of March. We would love you to join us. Please read more on my original post.

If you need more time, the close date is flexible, please let me know. I now intend to send some dolls to North Queensland if I get enough. Please read more about this here. Go here, here and here to see some of the dolls/softies that I have already received.

Wooden houses - Safranbolu

The photos of the Siberian houses reminded me of the beautiful Ottoman style houses in the heritage listed city of Safranbolu in Turkey.

So I dusted off the cobwebs from a giant photo album at the bottom of the linen cupboard and pulled out these photos to share.



About fifteen years ago my Mum and I backpacked around Turkey for 3 weeks. Such a beautiful country. Safranbolu was a highlight of our trip.



We arrived late at night, about 8:30pm, after a very long bus trip from Ankara. We were the only tourists on the bus, and the only people who spoke English. We stepped out of the bus onto a dark street (no street lights) and into torrential rain. In the glow of a gas lamp we showed our guide book with the name of our accommodation, hoping to get directions. After about 15 minutes, and a lot of conversation between the Turkish men who still remained at the bus stop, a short man in his fifties volunteered to show us the way. He had been at the bus stop, with a couple of other street vendors, selling bread to the people arriving on the bus. He put down his box of bread, where he stood and hoisted both of our large backpacks onto his shoulders. With the wave of an arm, he motioned us to follow him. We did.



He delivered us to our accommodation, Carsi Pansiyon. We showered, changed and went downstairs to ask where we could get a meal. The owner of the pension told us that there was nowhere opened at that time of night. He had a pot of chicken soup bubbling on the stove, his own dinner, we were welcome to have some. It was the best chicken soup I have ever tasted before, or since (apart from my own Nana's, of course) A simple, flavoursome broth, with tender corn fed chicken, finished with, and added just before serving, ripe, diced tomatoes and freshly chopped parsley. Served with our favourite Turkish bread and fresh butter, we were in heaven. The rain continued to beat down outside. In a simple, darkened room, we slurped our soup, as if it was our last meal on earth, overwhelmed by the generosity of our host



We were just finishing our soup when some of the owners friends came over for a visit. With very little English, we were invited once again to stay and were offered some more amazing food. Pide, Turkish pizza with mince meat and egg topping, the first we had eaten in Turkey and definitely one of the best. We also tried quince (eaten raw) and fresh hazelnuts for the first time in our lives.

Yes, the best way to discover a culture is definitely through it's food and hospitality. I could go on about the food in Turkey for hours.

Don't get me started on the rice pudding.

Wooden houses - Siberia

Some days I miss traveling so much it hurts.

I came across these stunning photos last night and wondered if one day I would get to see them, or something similar, for myself.

I love, love love them.

Sorry, I know there are a lot of photos, but I really love wooden houses, architecture, decorative fretwork, doors and windows. Faded glory. Just beautiful.

I found this bookmarked on my computer. I'm loving going through and rediscovering things I have bookmarked ages ago.

(all images are from english russia)

Thinking of you

To all of my lovely readers in New Zealand. I am thinking of you tonight. I hope that you, your families and friends are safe.

I have spent the day glued to the TV, watching the devastation from the latest earthquake in Christchurch. Mother Nature, once again, reminding us who is boss.

Six - the boy

 Oh my baby boy, how did you get so old and wise, so fast?

Spunky Monkey : A time capsule of sorts for my little/big boy.

• I love your independent spirit

• The first thing you do in the morning is go outside, just to have a look around for a few minutes. You look to see what plants have grown or if it is going to rain today. Your Poppy also does this.

• I love the mischievous look on your face when you are scheming to trick someone. The twinkle in your eye and your cheeky grin

• I love the way you rub your hands together, like a mad scientist, whenever you have a great idea for something. Or the way you tap your fingers when you are thinking.

• I don't love, that you want to put tomato sauce on everything

• As a toddler you drank heaps of milk, now you drink none

• I love the depth of the questions that you ask me, even though, I can never answer them

• All you ever want to eat for dinner is tacos and sausages

• You don't like to eat potatoes, but love sweet potatoes, which you call golden potatoes

• You like your Meccano, Lego, K-Nex and Mobilo, but you have much more fun with a recycled cardboard box and a roll of sticky tape. You love craft.

• You always have a least four plastic containers filled with bugs, worms, spiders, etc in the house

• You love volcano's and bones

• I love to sit and eat taramosalata with a fresh baguette and you. Just us.

• You have recently discovered Milo and would have four cups a day if I let you

• I love your sense of humour. You make me laugh so much. Very left field.

• You love to go with your Daddy to collect junk (wood, pipes, etc) from the building sites near our house

• You need to be outside. You need to collect. You are my nature boy.

• I love your sleepy eyes

• You really wanted your very own drill for your sixth birthday.

• It is fascinating to watch you, when your mind is ticking over, a hundred miles a minute, thinking, processing, wondering. I cannot keep up.

• Most of all I love your beautiful kisses and big bear hugs

Happy Birthday my Angel. You are my spirited child, a special gift. I am so grateful for you, every single day.

Six - the celebrations

The after school party.

Friends and cousins and siblings. After school in the park. Chips and dip and fruit. Parcel the pass. The 'balloon pop' game. Running, climbing, sliding, wrestling. Cupcakes decorated by the whole family before school. Balloons. Party blowers. Lots of Lego.



The night-time party.

His best friend came for dinner. Tents and trampolines, torches and sparklers. Barbecue dinner. Toasted marshmallows on the fire. The worm cake.



The morning tea.

Nanny, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jon, Nanny Marjie and Kevin. So much love for this little boy. It was so nice, sitting around the large table enjoying more cake and chit-chat.



The actual day. Today.

Birthday presents, phone calls and his favourite dinner tonight...Taco's.

And the biggest birthday hugs from his proud mummy.

............

'Balloon Pop' Game

I'm sure you already know it. I am just adding a list here, as I am new to party games, maybe you are too?

You put the message in the balloon and blow it up. At the party get the kids to sit in a circle and pass the balloon, one at a time, around the circle. When the music stops, the person holding the balloon must burst it. Then act out the message.

Walk like a duck

Roar like a dinosaur

Act like a monkey

Make your self into the letter T

Show us your best dance moves

Make the silliest face you can

Flap your wings and fly like a bird

Sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and then do a bow

Do five star jumps on the spot

Hop around the circle

Pretend you are a tree blowing in the wind

Be a fish

Six - the brief

It seems that when your little baby turns six, you are no longer needed to organise his birthday party.

That has been the case in our house anyway. Spunky Monkey has been planning a party for himself, for weeks now. Here is the list of requirements for the perfect sixth birthday party:

• to climb a nearby mountain
• if everyone was not allowed (by their mums) to climb a mountain, perhaps just some rock climbing
• he had to have a night-time party
• at his night time party their would be a fire, marshmallow toasting and sparklers
• there would also be a walk through the forest with torches looking for toads
• mum make sure you have enough batteries
• there must be party blowers
• and party games - 'parcel the parcel' and 'bop and freeze' (like musical statues)
• last year he had wanted a volcano cake that spurted fire and hot lava, thankfully by the time January came around he was intent on a worm cake. By pure coincidence, Miss Moo Moo pulled a party cake book from the library shelf. Inside was THE PERFECT worm cake. He has been carrying this book with him everywhere for a few weeks now.

It was then time for a little mummy magic to make some of this list come true.

Vintage Barbie

When I was a little girl, my great Aunt and Uncle lived across the road from us. Sometimes, they would look after me.

I loved being allowed to play in their tiny spare bedroom at the back of the house. In the bottom of an old musty cupboard was a pile of boxes, and in one of them were Dad's cousin's old barbie dolls. With the barbie's owners, grown up and long gone, I brought them back to life during my playtime. I loved their hair and their gidget-style daywear. I adored their cocktail evening dresses. Some had painted faces and surly glances, while others had freckles and innocent smiles.

There was no Ken doll (I don't think) and no cheerleader outfits. But this picture brought back those memories. It's a pity that those dolls are long gone now...but not forgotten.

I found this bookmarked on my computer. I'm loving going through and rediscovering things I have bookmarked ages ago.

Valentino wisdom

I have started the mammoth and daunting task of sorting our our walk-in-robe. As I pile clothes into boxes of: to keep, to give away, to bin. I keeping thinking of a quote by Valentino.



"If it doesn't make you feel beautiful, then don't wear it"

....or words to that effect. I am remembering the line from an interview, that I had seen with him, many years ago.

I'm a little worried, as so far that is leaving me with one skirt and two pairs of shoes!



Why the red? I have been inspired by Astrid and her 'my life in red' project, this month.

My creative space....

The thought of taking a child to the store to purchase a birthday present for their sibling fills me with dread. Spunky Monkey's birthday is on Monday, so I took the same approach as I did for Miss Moo Moo's birthday last year, and asked Miss Moo Moo to a draw a picture for her brother. I am embroidering it to hang on his wall.

I will finish it off tonight. I am party planning today, for some reason his birthday celebrations are stretching over 4 days!

If you want to see some more creative spaces, go over to kootoyoo and be inspired.

AND.....

Perhaps you would like to make a doll or softie for the Queensland Flood Appeal Dolly Drive. There is still plenty of time. The close date is the 18th of March. We would love you to join us. Please read more on my original post.

If you need more time, the close date is flexible, please let me know. I now intend to send some dolls to North Queensland if I get enough. Please read more about this here. Go here, here and here to see some of the dolls/softies that I have already received.

And if that is not inspiration enough. This week I have been contacted by a sewing group in Spain and a seven year old in New Zealand, all are going to be making dolls for the families in Queensland who have lost everything.

Thank you so much to those special people.

A whole lot of lovin'

This Valentine's Day, I had grand plans. I had intended to bake a heart shaped cake for home and heart shaped biscuits to share at school. I had a long list of valentine crafts to make with the kids. But with a few on going projects taking up my time this week and a head cold that just won't seem to go away, we did what we could.



We made a painted heart garland to decorate the family room.



We ate dinner by candlelight. The valentine tea lights were made on the weekend.



I made these love heart decorations to hang on our celebration tree. Please note, that the fabric was not chosen by me.

Blue sequins, how did you get into my fabric stash?



After dinner I settled down to watch "Sleepless in Seattle". This is my ultimate Valentine's Day movie, for mushy, sentimental reasons, I'm sure you don't want to hear about here.

Mr Moo came home from work at 9:30pm and found me asleep on the couch. Very romantic indeed.

I know Valentines Day is really for young lovers. But for us old lovers of love (over thirty-five) I think you realise what real love is, you understand that it comes in so many different forms and you realise just how powerful it can be.

I'll leave you with some Baci chocolate wisdom.



"why use words when a kiss says it all?" - Anonymous

and...

"day by day and night by night we were together, all else has long been forgotten by me" - W. Whitman

Happy Valentine's Day

Large bunches of ruby red roses, handmade Belgian chocolates, fine French lingere and candlelit dinners are all so very lovely.

But so is waking up to the sound of gentle rain on our tin roof, lost in a sea of arms. Everyone was in our bed this morning, cuddling, snuggling, showering each other with tiny kisses.

I hope you have a wonderful Valentines Day.

Flea market finds...

I am wanting to make a quilt (yes, my first quilt) from vintage sheets. I probably already have enough to make it, but I am always on the lookout. This week I found these sheets at a local op shop. I didn't realise until I had got them home that they were both sets. It seems a waste to cut them up, so I have decided that Miss Moo Moo can have them for her bed - for now anyway.



She was thrilled and as soon as I washed them, I made up her bed. Here is Betty, testing them out.

Go here, to see what other treasures have been found this week.

A mangrove walk

Last Saturday, it was threatening rain, but we just needed to get out of the house for a walk in nature. I'm glad I took these photos, I can appreciate the beauty of what we saw. On the day however, much was missed, as we were literally, carried away by mosquito's. It ended up being a very quick walk.

Spunky Monkey lead us through the rainforest.



And then up onto the boardwalk.



We loved looking at the twisted roots of the mangrove trees



We listened to the wind roar through the paperbark trees.



We spotted tiny birds and enjoyed their song.



We sat and watched the tiny crabs busy in the mud.



Next time we will remember the insect spray.