Nearly 16

The kids know how to make me smile, it makes my day.

My first question when the kids ask for a new friend over is "Is he/she a good eater?"

They know I'm not going to cook special dinners which cater to a fusspot who doesn't eat veges. I know, a bit selfish on my part but I've raised my kids to be quite independent, eat what's in front of them and to pick up after themselves, most of the time the family works like a well oiled machine. I get a bit of hassle from them but I think they feel secure with the routine. They do all think it's disgusting how one of the teens regular overnight guests leaves plates, cups and tissues everywhere and is never ready to go on time. Grrrr. So anyway we've got a sports billet coming from Christchurch in the weekend which will mean a shuffle round of bedrooms and a bit of a de- clutter to fit another teen in the house for a few days.

This morning I made cheese on toast for the kids to take in their school lunches. My teen is notoriously lazy about making food so I try not to do it for him in the hope that he will be driven to prepare his own delicious snacks. (Not a particularly effective strategy I might add.) anyway he spied the cheese on toast for the younger children and gave me a sad face to take some in his lunch. He thought it was terribly unfair that I only gave him one and his sister got two. I must mention he excels in drama and spent the next 15 minutes before school trying to make me feel like the most heinous mother in the universe. Which of course made me laugh, but he went in for the kill as he walked out the door , teasing "HEY MUM, I hope the billet is reeaally neeedy!"

Little rotter!!

Totally unrelated but making me smile as well, some of the book fair girls are finished

I might even give them an outing at the indoor market this weekend.

Some Sewing

Hard frost but warm winter days here.

I haven't been working in the garden though, I received a bag full of fabric to inspire me, with a request for a soft doll.

That was enough motivation to spend the day cutting, sewing and ironing, all with a bent neck from talking to a friend on the phone in Aussie for most of the day as well. (must multi task of course)

I cut out half a dozen because our school is fundraising for a new pool. They are collecting pre -loved books, homemade produce and items for a craft stall. The latter being right up my alley I think this batch of softies will fit the bill perfectly.

I hope we'll still be here to enjoy the pool for a few summers to come, but regardless this awesome little country school has encouraged our children to their full potential over the past 5 years. I admire the parents who home school or unschool their children but feel blessed to have found a school which looks at the child as an individual and encourages creativity and confidence especially in art and music so well.

BROOKLYN SCHOOL BOOK AND COUNTRY FAIR 31st OCTOBER.

As well, a smock for me, a tad too big, but not as hideous as usually results when sewing for myself. A trio of bags nearly finished for "Potters Patch".

And some lanky looking lettuces and other seeds in the sun room. Some are covered with vermiculite available from Egmont seeds It was given to me by a friend and I find it works well to aid seedlings when germinating.

I notice lots of visitors from the Northern Hemisphere are stopping by my blog for garlic plaiting instructions which means they're heading for Autumn/Fall and we're heading for SPRING!!!! Wicked, I can't wait!

An orange study

I like orange.

I'm kicking myself for not getting the orange glass candlesticks I saw at the recycling centre yesterday.

Cold wet garden

July in our cold, wet, frosty garden is not yielding much to eat. A lot of the brassicas I planted are getting frosted, which means I should concentrate on getting a bit more shelter established. If I forage around I can find: coriander, calendula, leeks, lettuce, brussel sprouts, spring onions, mizuna, mustard, fennel seeds, silver beet, beetroot, celery, corn salad, nettle, pumpkins and carrots. Though many of the greens have been nibbled by a chook or burnt by the frost . Lucky the bach has a good mandarin tree and I have some good stores saved.

After months of little enthusiasm I got motivated to plant more garlic and shallots this week. I also felt sorry for the roosters I am fattening, because the weather is so cold I've given them the glasshouse to scratch around in. They will fertilise and clear it for me since I didn't manage to get a crop in there. I'm spoilt to also have the small tunnel house which has mesculen mix, peas and brassicas growing slowly but surely for spring. Not sure why I'm getting a ground moss in there this year though.

It's too wet for pruning, and too cold for planting seeds here at the moment. The snow is down quite low on the mountain, we've got the fire roaring but I think we should take up the Government's offer of subsidising some under floor insulation.

4

The child named after an angel turned 4 today. He's the one God gave me because he knows better than me, the one that defied man made contraceptives and herbal Emmenagogues to come into our family.
I read so many eloquent blogs and wish I could describe how blessed I feel to have the four beautiful children God gave me. However he did not give me the gift to put my thoughts into words. Simply they make each day worth getting up for, they make me proud though I don't deserve it, they make me feel loved unconditionally, they make me consider my every action, smile for the simple things and want to grow old for.