Just words for now

I'd prefer my blog to be a positive place that's why I havn't been here I guess. I've been away from my computer concentrating more on my kids who are missing their Dad and giving me a hard time. It's a real challenge not to snap back at them, we're all tired.
My beloved Bernina broke last week too, in the middle of the "Taste Tasman" sewing frenzi and a trip to the Bernina fix it man in Nelson only made me want a new Bernina which can sew leather without a walking foot. Dreams are free or so they say.
I'm making retro jam instead of sewing.
And I am celebrating the small triumphs. The "red head" has finally decided to do no. 2's on the toilet instead of on the grass or the carpet in the sunroom.. Yeeee haaaa fourth child nearly out of nappies!! I'm certainly a long way from where I began washing square naps in a stream whilst living in a 12 metre house bus on the West Coast.
-Slowly remembering to count my blessings.

Days like this.

A peaceful day was had here until 3 o'clock. I've been sewing for the Murchison A and P show. (remember plenty of water middle of nowhere) A and P shows are pretty old fashioned community shows. All ther farmers bring their best animals to be judged and the housewives bring their sewing, knitting, baking and bottling. When we were kids these were the best events of the year and now I quite enjoying entering, bit of a competitive spirit I guess. Murchision has a great selection of catergories and stiff competition. So here are a couple of entries from me for this year.

The same pattern as the skirt I showed a couple of weeks ago, except I sewed this one really carefully and hemmed it by hand.

These softies took most of the day to complete giving me new found respect for toy makers and the price of handmade toys. PJ came in from school while I was stuffing them and immediatley claimed the one on the left so the other one will go to the show. The pattern came from a new book in the public library simply titled "softies" and most of the patterns are from bloggers! Pairie mouse contributed the monkey and some other patterns in the book which I might just have to buy for myself because I don't want to give it back to the library.

Anyway as I was saying life was great until 3, I had watched Dr Phil and was feeling all calm and inspired to be a thoughtful Mum but dispite my best efforts the kids were determined to be grumpy and horrible all afternnon, grumbling and fighting til about 10 minutes ago when I sent some off to bed and some to have showers and do homework. I'm missing my partner, I havn't got anyone to back me up when I have afternoons like this. To top it all off, now instead of conversing with bloggers and searching for the ultimate piece of fabric on "Trade Me" that everyone else has over -looked, I will go and fold washing among other boring household chores and put myself on auto piolet til the weekend as the diary this week is full of things I don't really want to do but feel I have to. See you on the other side. (of the week I mean)

Remember fingerknitting?

I have offered PJ crochet, knitting and crafting oppourtunities alongside me for years but I'd completly forgotten about fingerknitting. She's acting like I do when I've got a craft project in motion, can't put it down and showing everyone. My neighbour who has three girls taught her how to do it yesterday and there has been a fingerknitting frenzy here since then, see the pile growing next to her. It's exciting to see her enjoying crafting stuff as much as I do!! I might have to keep an eye on my stash of wool though.

Beach bag.

The big kids have been away with friends this week so the two small ones and I have developed a routine that suits us all perfectly. Housework, sewing, knitting, gardening or visiting in the mornings. A wee nap for the children after lunch and the reward for not teasing or yelling at each other during the day is a trip to the beach about 10 mins from home. It's working so well I wish summer holidays could go on for weeks. Today I set about making myself a bigger beach bag, I was getting sick of carrying about 3 bags and one toddler down to the shade. It's big enough for towels, clothes, toys and food with 3 pockets in a row for keys, phone etc.

Watch this space for a bag giveaway soon.

Our water

I know I've posted pumpkin pic's before but I just love their form. This one is my favorite to eat called "Marina de Choggia" absolutely delicious to roast or make soup with.
Immature butternuts, can't wait for them either!

Another great thing about pumpkins is that you don't really have to water them once they're established. Water is so precious here at the moment, our area has water restrictions in place and even though we had a bit of rain recently our bore ran out of water in the weekend sending me into a panic and then a bit of a tantrum at L to get the plumber in immediately. We held off until this morning though, the plumber had to blast out our well to unblock it and lengthen the pipe so hopefully that will do the trick. He did advise us to start saving to put down a new well. Yet again I feel frustrated that the local council and government don't give loans or subsidy's to install rain water tanks, solar power etc. SURELY it would be a good investment in the future. L and I are not at all in the position to install a rain water tank or sink a well. I did suggest we have a hose going from the washing machine straight to the garden, in fact I even tried stuffing a garden hose up the outlet pipe myself but the pressure just blew it out. L replies with lots of reasons why things can't be done (I know there must be a cheap way). I shall just have to carry on with the bucket line up for now. Lucky a lot of the garden just needs to ripen now so will not need too much water. At the height of my tantrum (picture 34 yr old pouting and stomping) I threatened to put the house on the market and look for one in Murchison. (plenty of water, middle of nowhere)

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!