Something I am loving just now......

I am so loving puddling around the garden with my camera
and opening my eyes to all the tiny delights that are
to be had.........



Little grasses......



And dandelions, a great love....



Which just become more incredible,
the closer you look...............




Even humble weeds are so beautiful...




Then of course I have to wallow in the rose geranium......
a smell I so dearly love.....




A nice little escape as I glance around to see what my
offspring are up to and stop to count the number of
ladybirds on the willow tree...... at least 10!
How nice to have an overcast day, just right for taking
soft pictures.
How perfect it would be if it were to rain......
perhaps if I hang some washing out it might be enticement
enough. Oh how I do prefer rain on the veggie patch to dry
washing these days......

Some little lovelies.....

Sometimes I have a week where everything
seems a bit overwhelming.....especially when
there is sickness involved.
More than at any other time, it helps me to
step back and look at the overall beauty and
privilege of this parenting journey.
To look around our home at all the collections of
little lovelies which as a whole become
something more........an overall impression
which I hope my children will carry with them...



... the cheery little things that encourage
me on my way.

I feel so grateful for: the beauty and integrity of the

Waldorf approach to family life.

For the collections of little handmade treasures

that surround us....

For the unexpected and wonderful little delights...



For the simplicity and beauty of the toys that my children

play with.......

And have done since they were tiny.....

I feel so grateful for all the little waldorfian things that carry

their own kind of magic......and inspire such varied play.

Sometimes it is just SO nice to stand back and reflect

on the integrity of the choices that we have made, and to

see the larger picture for a moment.

.....Before I disappear again into the ongoing reality

that parenting is.

A birthday........

We celebrated a birthday during the week.
Three years ago this little one chose us
and came.......and what a vibrant, happy
soul he is. We all feel so very blessed, to have
him around.......



I think we are just about getting the balance
of presents and celebrating right in our house
these days...... a few beautiful gifts, thank you
etsy.




A birthday crown, made just in the nick of time...



A beautiful hand sewn gift from his brother....how
exciting to make such a special present!



And of course the cake, much deliberated over by the
birthday boy....first chocolate, then crushed strawberry and
then finally a carrot cake.........




Happy third birthday Little Clogs!!!

........Who would have guessed that we would have a rather
feverish little soul on his birthday, well enough in snatches
to open his presents and sit briefly on his new tricycle, but
rosy cheeked and on the sofa for the most part......luckily
all better now!

Woodwork adventures......

Now that the school holidays have passed, its
nice to look back upon some of the little things
we shared together.......
All the careful concentration........
of transforming wood into something
special.



The beautiful patterns of nature that we discovered.....
and the joy of creating something oh so smooth, with just
some simple sandpaper, a saw and some apple wood pruned
from one of our trees.......



What little delights can be made.....



And beautiful toys created, with a little perseverance,
some natural materials and inspiration from a good book.
How nice it is for my children to discover what it is to be
producers of their own toys......



We were quite inspired by the arrival of this lovely book,
part way through the holidays.....full of lots of little toy
projects(including the one above). Each project is beautifully
illustrated with colour photos and step by step instructions.



We are already busy with our next creation........a special
birthday present.

Little bunches......

I love all the little bunches of flowers that
make their way into our house....
The unexpected bundles and combinations
of greenery, that send me scrambling through
my collection of second hand vases to find
just the one.......
I love the spontaneous feeling of these
little ensembles of vase and flowers.
Combinations that I just wouldn't have
thought of putting together......but
somehow seem just right.

Lemonade...

I love those little things in the day that
somehow fit together.............
Like lemons being cheap and it just
being summery enough to make lemonade.
How we squeeze the juice, then make lemon boats,
while the syrup is bubbling.....



And how there is just enough time to read a few stories
while the syrup chills.......

Inspiration from Apples for Jam.......

Little snatches of loveliness..........

In our garden is a beautiful bush, which
blooms sometimes.... The first year we
were here it didn't, last year to my surprise
and delight it did.
I was kind of anticipating that this year,
given the lack of rain it might not....but
to my unexpected pleasure yesterday
I discovered this......




The first tiny blossoms, I love such little
moments of serendipity.
The idea of something lovely happening
almost out of the blue, fills me with hope
and feels like such a positive omen......

It seems to fit in nicely with Persuasion,
which I am currently reading......in little snatches
amidst the school holiday busy-ness.
Of Anne Elliot and the beauty that evolves
when she perhaps thinks that hope is gone...

The loveliness of the unexpected.........

A little music.......

A little while ago my grandmother's piano came........
And what excitement it caused. What busy playing of
"Cat" songs.........



And writing of special music followed.....much to my delight!



And of course, no piano is complete without some delicious
poppies to perch on top.....



Grandma purchased her piano in 1917, so it is something of
a fine old lady now, but it got me thinking about the huge
evolution in entertainment, that has taken place since.......
and to reflect on whether it is in fact all positive.

I think of all the music that has been played on this piano
and of the evenings spent gathered around it....of how when
the days farming chores were done, my grandparents could
sing a fine duet. It makes me think of a time when ordinary
people were producers of their own entertainment, and not
just passive consumers.....

And I hope that a little of the delight of creating our own
entertainment will find its way into our house through
this lovely old instrument.........