dig a hole

We had more than our fair share of drizzly cold days while we were away.  There is only so long you can either entertain children or ignore their whining.

I read Enid Blyton books over and again when I was little. 

In most there is some reference to Mummie sending the children into the garden.  In one I recall the children telling "Mummie" that it was raining and asking if they could come indoors now.  "Presently, my dears.  Put on your Macintosh coats and Wellington boots and Nanny will call you in later for Tea".  The children happily skipped off in the rain and not another word was said. 

No, "But that's not fair", or "I don't like the rain", or "It's cold" to be heard.

So by the second week I completely gave up and ordered my children O.U.T!   Delighted, they were!    They were instructed to, "Dig a hole!".

'See Tigs dig. Tigs digs a big, deep hole'.

'Oh, no Tigs lost his boot in the big, deep hole'!

As ever Woo has to keep up.

The second she saw Tigs lose his boot hers was royally kicked off and up she got to plunge her delicate little toes into the oozy, gooey mud.  She's wacky!

I popped back inside for a while and enjoyed the squeals of delight outside.  Mmmm.  Can you see that syrupy sludge dripping down my baby's forehead?  Courtesy of her charming brother. 

And so on yet another glorious, wintry, drizzle-filled country day my babies played and played and were bathed, dried before a roaring fire and slipped into fresh warm 'jammies by 2pm!

I hope the sun is shining wherever you may be.

Thanks for coming over today,

E x

cold and frosty morning

A day too beautiful to waste and not to share.

We decided to keep out of the way of Sonia as she tried to clean up after us - no mean feat.  Woo in particular has the ability to undo faster than anyone, or even a team of housekeepers, can redo!

The last of the fog rolling away and a big ol' jet airliner roared out from within it.

I often forget this view of the property but actually it's very beautiful, not as broad a perspective as my usually favorite view but stunning actually.  I love the hills folding across each other, like origami.

The fog may have lifted over us but their was frost to be melted first.  The pups helped by racing like mad things across it in zig-zags following the bunny tracks.

I love how we've only just arrived at the bottom here and Woo is saturated.

The back of the dam up to the top.  I love every square inch.

I have a grand idea for hosting a summer party down here.  Hay bales, a banjo player for the first couple of hours and a crooner with a guitar for dusk on singing Pete Murray songs that we can all join in with - actually Pete Murray himself would be better!  I picture big old dressers laden with food and pitchers of cool homemade lemonade.  An old reliable tractor to ferry guests dressed in their finest cotton summer dresses and sandals.  Sunhats for everyone,  big floppy ones for the girls and debonair fedora-style straw hats or even cool straw cowboy hats for everyone.  I'll think about that part a little more.

There will be paper pompoms hanging from the bottom of that big old tree and lanterns lining the way from the tree to the house.  It would be so beautiful.  I'll be sure to let you know the date - bit don't hold your breath.  Dreams can be big you know.

Magic dew drops.

Boy and Dog.  I just love this image.

Rocker!  Actually he was explaining something to me.

Proper bush-bashing and brotherly help.  Look how filthy she was by this stage.  Only Woo.  Tigs is still relatively clean.

Shouldn't every child be able to run free and happy and uninhibited?

Miss Mimic doesn't want to miss out.

Dear old ancient Pippy having a ladylike paddle - a rare treat for her.

Ambushed!  Those beastly pups stalked her for some way around the dam and then ATTACK!

The morning was so perfect that even the dratted thistles looked glorious.

And as we sang our usual Grand Ol' Duke of York up the hill Tigs, with his grandfather's supervision began noticing these adorable little webs. 

No bigger than a 50c coin. 

I'm sure they were actually fairy sheets hanging out to dry.

autumn

A week or two ago Woo and I farewelled the boys as they headed off to the Melbourne Grand Prix. So we girls decided to have some fun ourselves and headed off to the bush. The day was cool and autumnal and beautiful. We had the most lovely and peaceful visit to Momo and Booboo's place. Isn't it glorious? From down at the end of the field all the way to the top is theirs (and ours when we visit). Our children adore it here and so do we. There are frequent murmurings about moving away from this patch of paradise. Would you?

 



Yes it's a little out of the way (but that's actually its charm) and sure there are some domestic annoyances - a small stream that seems to wind and wend its way under the house during heavy rain, of which we've had more than our fair share recently. But it's really rather glorious being up there. Particularly at this time of year. It's almost time for heart warming fires to be lit and for Tiggy's beloved marshmallows toasted by the open fire.

The orchard has been absolutely laden with sweet fruit. There must be about 3 or 4 varieties of apples and at least two of pears. We've had several apple/apple + pear/apple + berry crumbles. YUM! Over the last couple of days the change of season has really started to show itself. We've had wild rain, wind and deeply gloomy skies.

Yesterday, the first day of school hols here, we celebrated the change with a 'jamy day. We enjoyed movies, pop corn, chocolate cake snoozes on the sofa and pure unadulterated laziness.

Two of us didn't shower, nor did we even change our 'jamies. Heaven.

 I have to confess that I was one of the "grubby two" but this morning I was up showered and dressed and ready for the day by 7 am . We've enjoyed a lovely day of friendship and were blessed with their great kindness and generosity today. Lovely Lisa and cheeky Channy came bearing party sandwiches, quiche, salad, more cake and delectable chocolate studded hot crossed buns. How lucky are we?

At my house the candles are already lit, the blinds are drawn, the heating is on. I hope you're enjoying the weather wherever you are.

 E x

 p.s. This natural heart is for you Lis'. Thanks for being such a treasure of a friend.

Editted:  Not sure what's going on with blogger but my photos keep vanishing.  Hope they're there now!

cold snap!

It may only be me who's feeling it, but it's so cold here at the moment. The rain has been glorious. Long spells of driving rain. Huge plonking drops. Sideways painful shards of rain. Lazy dollops. Fine relentless, hair-frizzing mist. All sorts and I love it!
We need it terribly and I'm grateful for every drop.



It's perfect soup weather .
This dish started off as roast chicken and was transformed into a rich, hearty, bone-warming, full-of-love pot of soup!


The lavender seemed to be bowing in appreciation.



And my little Thumbelina appears to be following in her Mummy's footsteps in taking a relaxed approach to the grim weather outside. She's hunkered down in her comfy clothes, chillin' to an episode of In The Night Garden with Diego for company.

It's the Queen's Birthday Weekend here and is the opening weekend of the ski-season (YAY!), Greg and I met 19 years ago this weekend. It could be 20 - better check!

Have a lovely weekend.

E x

pea soup - take two

We awoke to the sky thick with a crisp veil of fog yesterday morning.

Foggy air always makes me feel that my lungs are having the cobwebs swept out when I inhale deeply.
Fresh!

Evidence of last night's industriousness, outside our window.

Winter berries from the tree that overhangs our fence.

p.s. Hope this works now.  Thanks for letting me know there was a problem with the photos Tena.

brrr...

It's cold this morning. 7C as I type. I think we can officially say there has been a shift in seasons. I love it, and am happy.

Even the dear little dove has fluffed up his duvet to winter-weight.

I had sent my beautiful boy off to school on Friday, dosed up on Panadol, and feeling probably as lousy as me. It was chilly when I picked Tigs up (having dragged my own achy-miserable-cold-filled-body off the sofa). To assuage my mother-guilt and to warm my baby's bones there was only one good thing to do.

Take one left-over (I know it's from Easter!) Lindt Bunny and a pan of fully creamy, no-fat-removed, delicious milk.
Warm gently in a pan.
Stir, stir, stir until the bunny passes to another world.
A hedonistic, delectable, luscious, memory-creating beverage. One to warm the cockles of my children's hearts.

Chocolate-soup.

Heaven.  Even for a not particularly chocolate crazy girl. (Ok, I occasionally have to have some Cadbury's Fruit & Nut Butt  or Chocolate-coated pomegranate seeds from Trader Joe's courtesy of Sally Shim.)

YUM! YUM! Warmed to the core again.