images i like

1. ?

2. Toast a/w 2008

3. http://petitsbonheurs123.wordpress.com/

4. Toast

5. http://abbytrysagain.typepad.com/

6. http://allbuttonedup.typepad.com/

7. Anthropologie

8. http://tinyhappy.typepad.com/

9. Toast autumn 2007

10. Toast autumn 2007

a post of randomness

Audrey has a bit of a cold. a runny nose that irritates her through the night, meaning restless sleep for us both! i am tired.
it is nice to escape to things that i love! my quilt top is almost finished. i can't wait until i am at the hand quilting stage. i recently enjoyed reading Little House on the Prairie - i liked it's frequent mention of making quilts, or the various uses for quilts. Pa Ingalls must have been an amazing man for his generation.

Laura Ingalls Wilder talks about the time he took her and Mary to see an Indian camp, after the Indians had moved on. he explained to them how the camp had been set up, showed them where the fire was and how it would have been constructed. they found small beads left behind all over the grounds and enjoyed collecting them.
i like one part in the book where Pa makes a rocking chair for Ma - the way simple things were made a special event:
"Last of all, he split a larger willow which had grown in a curve. He turned the chair upside down, and he pegged the curved pieces to its legs, to make the rockers. And the chair was done. Then they made a celebration. Ma took off her apron and smoothed her her smooth brown hair. She pinned her gold pin in front of her collar. Mary tied the string of beads around Carrie's neck. Pa and Laura put Mary's pillow on the chair-seat, and said Laura's pillow against its back. Over the pillows Pa spread the quilt from the little bed. Then he took ma's hand and led her to the chair, and he put Baby Carrie in her arms.
Ma leaned back into the softness. her thin cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled with tears, but her smile was beautiful."
he always seemed to have time to explain things to his daughters, to teach them. he always tried to make life comfortable for his wife. they really are lovely stories, and i am glad to read them.

speaking of the past, i have been reading through the conservation plan for Lanyon homestead.
i am reminded that i am not employed in the area that i trained for, which discourages me a little. i am sure i have written before about my love for Lanyon - i think i really do believe i own a little bit of it! from the time i was in primary school, i loved visiting Lanyon. i have always been passionate about history, and visiting Lanyon i used to daydream that i lived there. then when i was 15 i did my year 10 work experience there, and at the Sydney Nolan Gallery.

not long after that i began volunteering at Lanyon. dad used to faithfully drive me there for my four our shift. there was a thrill i used to feel, particularly before or after hours, when i could walk through the house. nothing like being in a "no public access" area to make you feel important! here is the newest brochure of Lanyon Hometead. rooms and objects i know as if they were mine. gardens i walked through, picking flowers for the staff room.
while at university i completed a conservation assignment on the family cemetery at Lanyon, now overgrown -most of the graves only recognisable by slight mounds in the ground.
if there is any special event in my life, you will know that it is being celebrated with coffee and a stroll at Lanyon.

and this morning, a some random photographs.

the results of my tomato chutney preparation the other day. i love this corner of Audrey's bookshelf.
and what's a girl to do when her brother goes to school all day?
finally, my most favourite possession at the moment: friends gave us this gorgeous cupboard, which is now home for all of my sewing paraphernalia - fabric, rulers, mats, thread and magazines. i love it! before this, i had fabric under my bed, in my wardrobe, rulers and mats under our lounge and magazines in the wardrobe. i just want to look at it all the time!

One Fine Day

yesterday was just lovely. Lisa and Josh asked to take Nicholas and Audrey to the zoo (and the kids absolutely had a ball!) David was working, so i was home ALONE from 10am until 2pm. i enjoyed the silence, the time to be by myself. i sewed (put the top of my quilt together!) i read (a book of short stories published in 1920). i watched Jane Austen adaptations (this time the Kiera Knightly Pride and Prejudice). again, i love this version for its portrayal of everyday life -the servants, the washing, and afternoon tea. it really was a day of restoring energy. and of truly relaxing. i refrained from thinking of all i could get done around the house, and settled for two loads of washing before i put my feet up. i also prepared for some green tomato chutney making... should i feel guilty? i didn't. :)

Ruby's Story

Ruby Hunter died today. i have always thought Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach's story inspiring. homeless teenagers, alcoholics, she was the one to pull them out of desperate circumstances, against more odds than i will know.
when Nicholas and i met her last year, she told him she was recording a children's album. i don't think it happened. she was a great ambassador for her people. It is hard to imagine Archie without her.
this clip is from "Ruby's Story" and has her husband, Archie Roach singing one of my favourite of their songs: "Took the Children Away".

growing up

tonight when Nicholas went to bed, he called out for me to come to his room. he said:

"mama, i don't want to go to school two weeks (meaning two days). i want to go to school one week (meaning one day) because i don't see you very much. i wait all day until you come."

i know what he means... day by day my time with him has become less and less. preschool is still new and exciting though - he loves craft and proudly brings his work home, displays it and hugs me tight around my neck "that's for you mama!"

yesterday David surprised me with some French General fabric. Nicholas saw me kiss, hug and thank David. (i was touched that David knew what i would like!!)

Nicholas then took a piece of paper from our printer and wandered off to his room and closed the door. in a while he came out smiling and passed the paper to me. it was covered in various colours. "it's a blanket i made you!" (Nicholas knows i am currently making a patchwork blanket.) "both me and da gave you surprises today!"

i love watching my children grow, and sometimes if i pause to think about it, i remember holding them close to my breast, and already i wonder where the time has gone.

my piece of dirt

last week i watched a movie and in one scene a grown woman visits her mother, who is digging in her garden. in conversation, she says to her daughter:

"You know why I love it out here?

All I am responsible for is this piece of dirt.

No more saving the world, no more fighting injustices.

Just me and my kids."

and that is really where i am at in life these days. there are many things that still occupy my mind, but i don't let them stay there for long. and it feels right. it feels good.

meanwhile, i am gaining inspiration from many beautiful things. although i don't think David would let me use wallpaper!

i made this useful sewing tool wallet - based on the crayon wallets i made the kids at Christmas.i jsut can't get enough of the French general fabric!

back to one

it seems odd, only having one running around the house. i think she is enjoying stepping up to the mark though. taking over collecting the eggs, having the trampoline all to herself and total control of all tv viewing choices. today is Nicholas' first "long" day at preschool. and what to do with too many zucchinis?? make a zucchini chocolate cake: 1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups plain flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 easpoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated zucchini

1. cream butter and sugar. Beat the eggs.
2. Add milk and vanilla and sifted dry ingredients.
3. Stir in zucchini.
4. Pour into a greased 23 cm x 30 cm tin and bake at 160 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

a very moist cake. so if anyone needs a zucchini, let me know! speaking of food - we had a wonderful dinner at Senso to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary. and i ate SNAILS!!

a special day

last night i read a book to Nicholas about going to preschool. it was an old Ladybird book - perfect. he asked questions about his school and what it will have there, what news he could tell and where he could put his bag.

so today was day number one. and there were no tears. at one point i could have almost let a couple of tears fall as i walked out the gate without him. but we are so excited for him - we know he is going to love preschool. it is such a special time.

winter

i cannot stress how much i LOVE winter. i have always been a winter girl. i am more comfortable in winter. i love dressing for winter. the food in winter.

this beautiful rain has got me yearning for winter even more. crispy cold mornings. boots and coats. scarves! i love scarves. maybe even a beanie this year.

yes, i cannot wait.

i got to work yesterday and turned my desk calendar over. 3 February. oh! i picked up the telephone and called David at work. "Happy Anniversary!" "oh, yeah - happy aniversary!"he repplied. :)

it isn't as bad as it sounds. we both remembered on Tuesday. but the morning rush of getting ready for work, loading kids and bags and bikes into the car to go to their grandmothers... well it wasn't on our mind. we are having a lovely night out on Saturday night, the kids sleeping at mum's and being cooked for by a two star michelin star chef. so we will celebrate 9 years then.

this boy

today was his orientation day at preschool. he was a little shy, but loved the play equipment. while we were talking to his teacher he played in the puzzle corner. then he moved to various tables, playing with the toys on them. he selected a tile with a picture of a lion as the place to hang his hand towel.

on the way home he asked me: "mama, how do i make friends?". i told him just to talk to the children that he is sitting with.

after his bath at night he likes me to wrap his towel tightly around him and carry him to his room. last night he said "mama, don't pick me up because i am a big preschool boy now."

it is exciting to see him growing. i still think i will cry when we leave him on his first day though. and this isn't even "big" school!