New Clothes

The fabric for the shirt is from Fabritopia, and even though it's quilting weight, it's lovely and soft. I didn't cut the fabric on the bias, it's the pattern in the fabic. The pattern is out of Ottobre.

The shorts fabric is from tip, tapp, stoff, lovely lightweight, reversible fabric, the front pockets are a welt pocket, which just means you have to think about them for a bit.

All the boys are of late, quite interested in where their clothes come from, I guess global warming is on everyones mind. I made a conscious desicion not to buy from china a few years ago.. For many reasons, child labour, support local, quality, the fact that nearly everything comes out of China does not sit well with me. So of course they are very chuffed if their clothes come from Australia, or better still out of the sewing room.

I'm so loving the company of these two little ones, since school went back. My four year old Flynn who thinks he's eight, and always running with the big kids, is back in my arms on the couch, singing together, cooking together.....


In this photo we were heading down the road to get the mail, eating the first of the blood plums from our tree.

Today, our little Flynn gave my husband such a fright, flynn was helping Dad over at the treehouse and he got excited seeing Granpa walking over and started telling Granpa the best way up. Well he stepped back onto nothing but air and fell, I think Dan's torn a muscle in his shoulder from lungeing forward hoping to grab Flynn, but Flynn was already falling, falling down 3 metres. Luckily Dan keeps a tidy work area, all the saws, nail guns, drills are kept under the fooring, so he fell onto dirt, narrowly missing the stacked timber. Well Flynn screamed, which is alway's a good sign, he landed well, as little kids do, and is asleep now on the couch. No broken bones, just some swelling on one side of his face.

Dan on the other hand looks in shock, white as a ghost and a little teary, I guess he knows just how bad it could have been.

We will be thanking Flynn's guardian angels in our prayers tonight.

School's back

It's over, gone in a blink of an eye, summer holidays.......did we make the most of it?, Oh I hope so. We had six weeks of Sun, beach, fishing, laughing, in pj's till 11, bike rides, treehouse building, connecting together as a family and catch up's with family and friends, yes indeed good times by all.

Joey, excited and very nervous on his first day of Grade one.

In some ways Grade one feels like the first day of school, A prep year(last year) in Steiner Schools, is more like a continuation of kindergarten, The children have their own building(classroom) and playground quite separate from the rest of the school, and it is very much play based, such a rich rich year, for me, the most important year.

This year Joey has his own desk and pencils, his own recorder and best of all, playtime with big brother Jim.

New slippers were in order, in fact, now I look at these photo's; from his hat to his slippers and everything in between, I sewed or knitted up.

This little slipper pattern brings back memories for me, I remember being in hospital getting the routine adenoids operation, I would have been five or six years and peskering the nurse on duty to show me how to make these 'booties'. I already new how to crochet( yes, my addictions go back for a very long time!).

Well I was whipping out these little beautie's left, right and centre. I was alway's getting in trouble for talking(yes, somethings never change) and sitting on the concrete detention area at playtime, crocheting, my heart's content. I was selling them to all my friends mothers for $1 each.

Of course I've deleted the lacey edging and replaced it with ribbed knitting, they do a lot a dancing at school so I needed a slipper to stay on, so many slippers I see go very sloppy after time. I also embroidered a little bee on one foot, so he remembers his left and right, and there's a lovely soft lambwool sole.

If anyone wants the pattern, I'll gladly do a tutorial.

Strawberry picking

In my garden I have a whole bed, just for strawberrys, it's like 4meters by 4meters, but it's still not enough!. Every year I plant more, hoping one day I'll have enough for jam. But I never will, The more I have the more they eat. I can't blame the children really, who could resist a sweet, warm from the sun strawberry?

This year I gave in and went to a strawberry farm, The strawberrys are never like you grow yourself, but they were not too bad. So I made strawberry and rhubarb jam, straight strawberry jam, strawberry topping for the daily afterschool milkshakes, strawberry vinegar with the tops and this strawberry and custard pie for morning tea.

YUM!

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of it's furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

-Jelaluddin Rumi.

Shearing

This is Andy, our shearer.

My Dad was a shearer, it's part of the job description of being a Farmer. His Dad was too. My Dad grew up in a tent by the side of the Murray River, his family were share-farmers, waiting for the day they had enough money to buy their own farm.

I think this is why us kids never went camping as children, Dad just didn't understand why we wanted to leave a comfortable bed, running water and a flushable toilet. He would say 'How is camping a holiday?'.

Back to shearing, My dad, his dad and brothers would travel the district, shearing in the most appalling conditions. It was my Grandfather Jim Willett who was instrumental in starting the shearer's union.

I wish my children could see their Pa shear our sheep, but Pa lives four hours away and in nearly 80years.

I wish my boys see their Pa like I see him.

They see a man who lives in town, I see a man who lives for the wide open spaces. They see a man who struggles to read a newspaper, I see a man who never missed his shot. They see a man who is stiff with the years, I see a man able to climb a tree in one bound.

But still the children are drawn to him, maybe they sense what he was about. I guess this is what they call the generation gap.

Not even in your dreams can you visit the house of tomorrow.

This wool is superfine merino, it is oh so soft!. Joey is wrapped up in the brown fleece.

Flynn made a bed on the white.

The children dragged their bag of fleece upstairs, declaring that they were sleeping in their fleece tonight.

Gorgeous sliver/grey fleece.

Chickens

Oh so protective this mama is, I'm surprised Joey was quick enough to pick one up. As soon as he put the chick down the hen checked her chick then flew at Joey and pecked his knee.

I think they are two roosters, and I won't tell you what happens to boys on our farm, least to say that girls have a lovely long life.

Hexenhaus

This one's Joseph's.

Flynn did a tree.

Jim did a stable.


Nibble nibble like a mouse,
who's that nibbling at my house!.