A beautiful dreamy knit...

This is such a wonderful knitting project. I completed
it a little while back and have been enjoying wearing
it on those in between mornings....the kind when
its too warm for a jumper, but still a little chilly.

It really is such a dream of a knit, all in plain with the

wool over after the second stitch, then knitted with mindless

pleasure to the end of each row. Such nice fireside knitting,

and perfect to take to crafty get togethers, where you

know that there will be lots of interesting conversations,

that you would prefer to concentrate on.....

And I just love the finished result. I used Paton's Jet, which

has such a lovely, subtle rustic variation of colours. It is a little

more on the pink/mauve side than it appears in these

photographs.

I fasten it with a carved hair pin.

The inspiration comes from this wonderful blog. I am

hoping to knit another one for next winter, but longer.

This took five 50g balls, I would like to try a couple

more, perhaps in shades of blue.

It was such a knitting pleasure I was almost sorry

to cast it off. I think you can feel that happiness

knitted into the stitches.

Quiet

Sometimes a few moments of quiet can be just

that little bit too quiet. And you just know that

there is a good chance of some mischief in

the making.

Sometimes, as a mamma your desperate need

for those few moments of quiet can result in a level

of risk taking. A little wallowing in that silence in

the full knowledge of what might follow.

Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn't.

:: 7 Days of Happiness ::

Knitted Happiness.
How wonderful it was to finally finish knitting
my first pair of socks! Completed rather ironically
on the first day of HOT weather.
Its been such a journey. Learning lots of new knitting
skills (I can now "turn a heal"!). Hours of enjoyment
watching the pretty pattern emerge, with the clever self
patterning sock wool. And also a personal journey, as I think
of all the incredible changes that have come into my life
during the knitting of these socks.
What a comforting thought that I will have them tucked
away for next winter.




Its a lovely homely occupation knitting socks and I suspect
strangely addictive. After all , once you have mastered the
tension, knitting on three needles and turning the heal it
seems almost necessary to begin the whole process again.
With the lovely anticipation of another pretty pattern
emerging, from another rather magical ball of wool.

:: 7 Days of Happiness ::

Happiness in a field of flowers.

How I love these little weedy daisies. They remind me

of when I was a little girl, in a nostalgic, suburban

childhood kind of way.

::7 Days of Happiness::

Birthday happiness.
The special birthday delights of being
a mamma, that I love:
::All that sneaking around, after bedtime,
to set up the birthday table, ready for the
birthday morning. SSsshhhhh!



::Watching the flurry of excited activity,
unwrapping of presents, eating of little cakes
and playing with new treasures. All over in
a few joyous minutes, after the weeks of
scheming and preparation, but still so very
worth it.




:: And the joy (and relief!) of knowing when
you have chosen the right present.



All part of this incredible mothering job.
This job that is, without a doubt,
the most important work I will ever do.
Happy Birthday little Clogs!!!

::7 Days of Happiness::

Yummy little four year old happiness.

Just when I thought there couldn't be anything

more delicious than 3, there comes 4.

Helped of course by a beautiful little shirt,

part of a birthday parcel from Grandma in England,

home of nice clothes for little boys.

::7 Days of Happiness::

Funky small garden happiness.
How very inspired we all were to visit "Tickletank",
a unique home fashioned from an old water tank.
What a fabulous tiny garden it had, created from humble
things with a truly artistic eye.
You could really feel how much the owner
passionately loves this garden......

It was just the right thing to see just now,

to know that beautiful things can be created

in small spaces.

::7 Days of Happiness::

Thrifted happiness. What a piece of tailor made perfection
it was, for my older boy to discover this wonderful building set.
On day one of the school holidays too....what timing!



And the hours of pleasure (...and peace!) that followed, the
beautiful constructions and the careful thinking, all of which
has this rather proud mama scrambling for her camera!

:: 7 Days of Happiness ::

Happiness in a jam jar. A beautiful little
flowery surprise from a dear friend.

Beginnings and endings.....

I wonder at how incredibly fluid life is.

How a couple of weeks ago I was aimlessly

puddling around in the garden with my

little boys. Taking pictures in the beautiful

diffused cloudy light.

Could I possibly have dreamt that the winds

of change could blow so strongly.

That changes of such magnitude could unfold

with such decisiveness.

All I can really try to do is be present to this

part of my life. To accept where I am and that

it is a necessary stage on my journey.

More than anything I need to work so very carefully to

navigate these changes. To protect and be sensitive

to my children through these uncharted waters.

I can take refuge, in the thought that through all this,

I am being true to myself,

to who I really am deep down.

In life you can't ask for much more.

It is this soulful conviction that I hope stays with

me, as I venture forth on this new journey, with my

little ones.

This Soul parenthood.

::Blue and white::

We had a bit of an unschooling day today. A break with
the whole car routine - a day of following the wind, and
fresh spring air to where ever it may take us.

What true refreshment for the spirit can be found in a
carpet of flowers.



What joy to follow the path to wherever it may lead.



And to discover "Its a meadow mummy!"



How delighted I was to discover amidst the sea of white,
some of the dreamt of blue.....



Perfection, in blue and white.



I feel so grateful for the incredible way that nature works
upon us, how it helps myself and my little ones find our centre
and connect with who we are. How it almost effortlessly
allows us to breathe out for a while.

"Come see our fairy gardens....."

How wonderful it is, as the spring days "pull out" to enjoy
the beautiful late afternoon sunlight in the fresh air.

What magical secret busyness goes on!

How very lucky to be called away from the usual

tea time preparations to see two beautiful

fairy gardens!

Don't you just love little boys!

Walking by the Ocean.....

To me, there is something magical about walking through
a canopy of trees, to the beach. The combination of beautiful
delicate flowers, warm moist air and the ocean... so different
to the windswept beaches at home. A sure sign of being on holiday.

What treasures there are to discover.....carnivorous plants,
(spotted of course by my big boy!) soft papery bark and
a rock pool with a tiny crab!

How very passionate my little boys are about hiking! How
very excited they were to be given a hiking bag each....and
what sweet, funny-but terribly serious-deliberations we have,
over what to pack for an adventure.

I love watching this childhood connection with

nature unfold and drinking in the beauty

and wonder of it all.