Old shed pics

Our old sheds.

Playing with black and white.

Wind and rain

We got our much needed rain today, a great excuse to do some sewing. Usually when I make things for myself they're too big or too small but this skirt was spot on. I only got the fabric yesterday, in a previous life it was a halterneck dress that didn't suit me at all. I over- looked it at first but when I didn't find any other goodies I bought it for $4. I'm so glad I did now cos I have heaps of tops it will go with.
I have to keep myself busy during storms because high winds really freak me out, the wind blew over my sunflower house and 3 out of 4 plots of corn but every thing else survived and is looking much better having had a good drink. I was very relieved when it stopped blowing that all our old sheds still had their roofs. I finished sewing up a woolly vest for the "red head" pity it won't fit him till he's four. That will teach me, I'm always too impatient to do a tension square.

Sunday afternoon

The setting was beautiful...We found a lovely spot in the shade and relaxed for the afternoon. The red head took the photos. I gave him the camera in desperation after he kept running off to the huge water slide. He is going to be a metal head I think, he rocked with his one fingered air guitar when young local mettlers were on. I just like people watching, can't help giggling at some peoples dancing but admit I'm too chicken to get up any more. Love seeing what people are wearing, came home with some ideas!
Enjoyed music by AJ.

I've been lurking around other blogs and not showing much energy or commitment to my own. I had a scary virus for about 2 weeks which made me very dizzy and tired. It freaked me out alot as I was on my own, thought I was going to fall, hit my head and die. I missed the usual sewing frenzy in the week leading up to the Pokororo fair but decided to go anyway as I felt slightly improved the day before. HUGE mistake, I arrived and set out my somewhat depleted stock while using every ounce of concentration not to fall over. There was a happy ending though, I went home to bed while a friend and my teen took over at the fair. It took 3 visits to the Dr. over the two weeks to determine that I was just suffering from a virus. Mum came over and cared for the kids while I lay on the bed imagining brain tumors and obscure diseases. Thank goodness it's over. Made me think though that I might have too much on my plate, I came very close to resigning from my job and am kind of hoping a clear path for the future will appear this year. I do tend to let fear of change stand in my way a bit.
Using the fence line for fruit: grapes, nectarine, nashi, raspberry, sunflowers, elderberries.

The garden is going nuts in the hot dry weather with lots of seeds and fruit swelling. Autumn and winter crops are being sown and I'm getting the urge to save things for winter. I made a start on the preserves with raspberry jam and plum sauce because they're easy. I've been rummaging at the recycle centre for jars and bottles while being easily distracted by wool and fabric of course. With L away I'm doing less craft work though, I need to spend quality time with the children. This weekend we're looking forward to the Peace festival being held at Riverside community.

My partner L now lives and works 3 1/2 hours drive away from us coming home for three day weekends. Because we're all in summer holiday mode it hasn't really sunk in yet as the kids and I are sleeping in, going to the beach and spending time with friends and family. I have noticed I'm alot more tired. I didn't really give L much credit for doing stuff around the house but have certainly noticed the subtle ways in which he helps in his absence. He's happy in his new job and hopefully the family (mainly me) will adapt OK. I think I may have to concentrate less on my hobbies and work though as the kids will only have me to turn to. I am a bit nervous as to how this whole thing will turn out. For me having alot more money doesn't necessarily mean being alot more happy, in fact I think it may turn L into a carbon omitting consumer judging by his weekend spending spree. He doesn't get it though.

Life in the backyard on the other hand carries on as it always has. Beautiful poppy seed heads ripening, promising delightful little black seeds for topping bread and baking.
Garlic drying well in the hot weather. Enough here for the family, pets, seed for winter and some to barter or sell.

This plant is new to me a friend gave it to me for Christmas she calls it "lambs quarters". Apparently the pink powdery leaves rub on as a pretty eye shadow or lipstick. I love new plants and this one is fun.

One more thing we had a killer hedgehog! One morning I went out to feed the chicks and found one with it's head eaten off. My thoughts were cats or stoats, but my neighbour popped her head over the fence later and told me her husband had heared the chooks making a commotion in the night and shone the torch over the fence, where he saw a hedgehog in our chook run chasing after the chickens. The next night he caught it after his chooks and did something very not Buddhist with a nine iron!

Celebrating summer

Rush, dig, rush,

chooks in the garden,

visitors coming,

kids hot,

floor dirty,

garden wilting,

sew, smile, sew,

plums saucing,

2am,

jam making,

water low,

garlic plaiting,

breakfast, lunch, dinner,

sandcastles,

sunblock,

chardonnay,

cultivating:

family ties and friendships.

Garden rivalry

What a delight in the glasshouse this morning! Some friends and I have a little friendly garden rivalry going on... I have tomatoes before Christmas!


Dad and I have all out competition organic versus spray and synthetic fertiliser. I have to concede he beats me with carrots hands down but I think I've got him on tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and garlic this year. He's been buying his in!! Enough of that or I might sound like I'm gloating and Mum tells me pride comes before a fall gillybean. Look forward to seeing how everyone else's gardens are going and arranging a few swaps.

Special present.

I might be feeling a bit over emotional with my boy and my darling both going away, because I had a terrible day at work. I think I'm being tested.

This made my day though! A present from an extremely crafty cleaver friend.

Friend, what you don't know is that the skirt which you used for the spotty stockings use to belong to my Grandmother who was spot mad. I wanted to wear the skirt but it didn't suit me and I wanted to make something but wasn't inspired, so I let it go. This softy is especially special because with your busy life you made it for me and it has those spotty stockings which remind me of my very special Grandma. Thanks, it's just wonderful.X

In relation to my problem at work I can see that sometimes letting go can be the most rewarding thing to do.

A few weeks ago my " skatey boy" went to the West coast with his Dad, the weekend just gone he got down the East Coast to Kaikoura. None of the other kids have that adventurous spirit like their Dad so R gets to see alot of the country side. The purpose of their trip was to purchase a caravan for L to live in while he works in Reefton about 3-4 hours drive from here. Houses are too expensive to rent or buy so that seemed like the best option for now. I will stay up here where the children are settled and have a lot of opportunities. R likes to take photos on his journeys and his Dad is happy to make a few stops along the way. The salt lakes above and seals near the main highway.
I've been at home making a little progress on my cleaning and sewing. I saw the little dancing tutu over on Melissa's blog and decided that it would make a good rainy day activity. I think mine would have looked better with more tulle but it's pretty expensive in our local sewing shop. This one will probably be for my niece visiting over summer.

It did serve to inspire me though, so I ferreted through my fairy fabrics and settled on some shiny stuff for a skirt for PJ. Engrossed in sewing, I didn't notice she was due home from school so didn't get it put away before she spied it, so it won't be for Christmas. She can wear it for her school prize giving tomorrow night which I will miss as I will be fare welling the teen off to Adelaide. I may make her a bag for Christmas with the leftovers.

sillybean, sillyseason (or something)

Red currant jelly

I wanted to post pictures of all the cute Christmas presents I'm making. Problem is I'm experiencing something similar to "writers block" except with sewing. It happens to me often and usually resolves itself 24 hours before a deadline or after I've had a jolly good clean up.

A gift from my friend's mum. THANK YOU!!

and the pile of fabric which should really be Christmas presents by now.

With the end of the school term looming I've barely sat down all week, leaving me absolutely no desire for cleaning up. I've been to school performances and prize givings, Christmas party's and meetings, play dates and interviews, packed a kid for camp and done the washing when he arrived home. So, I'm pooped!

Next week, my "teen" flys to Australia on his own for Christmas with my brother. I'm a little freaked out, it will be our first Christmas apart. I decided to send him because our small town has a lot of bad influences on teenagers, drugs and alcohol mainly. A boy a few years older, from a good family round the corner, has been sent to jail after getting into trouble with the law and a couple of T's freinds broke into their old primary school a month ago which sent me into a panic thinking, if those great kids are making stupid choices with dire consequences what can I do to keep my boy safe a little longer? Answer: send him to my brother away from bad influences. Is 14 too young to drink alcohol? I think so, but T got an invitation to an end of year party from a girl I don't know, so I rang her parents to make sure they were all going to be supervised and thank goodness asked "there won't be alcohol available will there?" turns out "yes there is". He doesn't hate me for saying he can't go, thank goodness. Why make alcohol available at 14? I know I'm getting old and I'm glad that I'm un cool. I was 14 and pretty stupid once too, perhaps that's why I'm so determined to protect my kids.

Just to make things a bit more challenging L has applied for a job out of town, which means we'll only get to see him on weekends. I feel happy for him that a job has come up that he's really keen on, but I have some concerns about our kids. Watch this space I guess.

And...The red head is driving me nuts!!(we both went to "time out" this morning) He's 2 a half I know, what do I expect? But just between you and I he's much naughtier than the big ones were. I wonder if it is because they got the odd little smack when they were naughty? What do you reckon "spare the rod spoil the child"? It's against the law to smack now so we'll see won't we? I'm not looking foward to him being 14!

A new bag?