Taking stock, where I am right now

Making: Crayon rolls for class one children

Cooking: slow roasted lamb

Drinking: gin & tonic

Reading: a child in the forest

Wanting: a clean house

Looking: to see if that damn goanna is back

Playing: singing competitions

Deciding: about going up the middle(alice springs) next month

Wishing: for understanding

Enjoying: frog song every night (oh my!)

Waiting: for an excuse to ride the quad bike yet again

Liking: the warm moist soil on my bare-feet

Wondering: when I can canoe down the river again

Loving: milking Essie the jersey cow

Pondering: whether Essie will use her horns (on me!)

Considering: a new car for our road trip (toyota landcruiser)

Watching: the code (written by my friend:)

Hoping: for the pot of gold at the end

Marvelling: at the cream Essie gives

Needing: space

Smelling: frangigpanis

Wearing ; my nighty all day, sigh.

Following: the truth

Noticing: the right person comes when you need it

Knowing: what needs to be done

Thinking: about family

Feeling: sad

Admiring: my neighbour over the river

Sorting: the washing and my life

Buying: essential oils

Getting: tired

Bookmarking: kitchens

Disliking: yelling yet again at the kids

Opening: the way forward

Giggling: at Flynn retelling his day

Snacking: black garlic(ours)and farmer Davids cheese

Helping: the kids with reading

Hearing : the waterfall

 

Some photos of the farm

This photo is taken from the studio, can you see the waterfall?

Franjpanis is bloom, I knew I would miss my roses, but it was such a delight to smell my first franjpani.

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Boys getting a bow staff lesson off their Dad

Flynn carrying the bananas back to the house:)

Garden view

Quiet moment with Joseph.

Alice's party dress

I think this month of blogging will be a year in reflection, I started this blog more as a journal, so when you miss a year, you think to yourself "I'm too far behind". In any case this month will be the highlights.

Important note; ALL dresses need twirl factor.  If I'm honest, now that will live up here, Alice spends most day without clothes or shoes. Birthday parties seem to be held at the beach, but at Auntie Marg's birthday celebration in Ballarat, Miss Alice got to really check out the twirl factor. With the DJ playing, she managed to encourage all on the dance floor to "move back" whilst she displayed the twirl. This one is not shy.....

 This is a beautiful voile from Germany, it was in my shop but has all sold out. It has so much body for a voile.
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Lazy daisy stitches and sparkly beads.

And of course sparkly  shoes to match.

It's in!

When we were contemplating moving up to Thora, the big question was, how will you earn a living? Dan is a printer and has been since he went to work for his Dad at 15 years old. Dan will be 50 this year, and it was time for a change. Before we had children we thought about growing Garlic in Ballarat, but with children on their way, and a printing business to run, there was never enough time.

The little farm we bought is Certified Organic, and our wish is to deepen that and go Bio-dynamic. And do you know the best crop grown around here? Yes, yes, Garlic, the big Russian Garlic.

It's been a family affair, every afternoon, separating the garlic bulbs for planting. The children would come and go, come and tell their Dad about their day at school. They came, sometimes all, sometimes one, sing a song or verse they have learnt, Often the violin or recorder made an appearance.

Stacked and ready to plant. 450 kilo's of garlic. Whoa!!

The weather was kind to us, lovely sunny days, and so peaceful in the paddocks, tucked away.

Lot's of surprise's too!, We found a Muma Red-belly black snake and her little one under the straw.

The old adage is true, Make hay when the sun shines, it was an exhausting two weeks for Dan, every night, he would collapse into bed. But he loved working with the soil, learning about Garlic, and the land up here.

So now we can call him Farmer Dan....

Jim's birthday

This year I crazily decided I could do both birthdays on the same day. I love parties on their day, but it is a bit tricky when they share that day!

Jim is 12, the last year as a child...... Luckily he still very much behaves like one. I'm not at all informed about teenagers, I'm in denial.

So, Alice's was over lunch time and the children left around 3pm, Jim's friends started to arrive around 3.30.  Afternoon tea, followed by a game of footy.

I made Chicken schnitzel burgers for tea, as requested by the boy's. This is Jim's running cake.  Then upstairs for movie night. They watched Airforce 1.

The next morning for breakfast, a little worse for wear.

Happy Birthday Alice

Alice turned five,  this will be her last birthday party in Schreenans rd, this thought makes me a little teary, I look at the garden in it's glory, and wonder why we decided to sell. It was a wonderful house for parties.

Alice wanted a unicorn dress-up, not to sure about the two head thingy going on, but she does love it.

Playing "what's the time Mr Wolf"

Alice's birthday walk.

 I knitted the red dress, from wool wound up from a skirt Mum had knitted me. I knitted the skirt part in a round on the knitting machine, and the sleeves. I moss stitched the bodice by hand(knitting machine are not that clever:), and knitted some lace sideways for the hem, neckline and waist. I adore red dresses.

Hip hip Hooray!

The second slice went to the other birthday boy:)

The Ashland dress

I was needing a new dress, and came upon the ashland dress pattern, by Meg McElwee

It was fun to sew, funner choosing the fabrics (as always), and I very happy wearing it. If you would like to buy this pattern, I have them for sale(just not on my website yet) you can leave a comment:)