A Moment

The little highlight of my day. A moment of clarity and
beauty that somehow turned things around.
Fungi on a log, in the garden.

Winter

Could it be that I am wallowing a little
in winter?? Kind of savouring the whole
inward focus that cold weather, fires and
long school holidays seem to bring about.
Pausing for breath, remembering what
it is to feel relaxed.
To toast by the fire, stay in bed until
the sun is shining (when it does!) and
generally hibernating a bit.




And finding that spark of
energy and inspiration to carry me
forward,towards Spring. I have moments
of longing for Spring. Longing for bare arms,
swishy skirts and that lovely feeling of
blooming again. But not just yet. When my
winter work of reflection and transformation
has been done.

Beautiful winter Solstice Maiden care of
Briali (Thank you!)
Home grown love heart crystal care of
my children. (A lovely winter science
experiment using borax crystals and pipe
cleaners.....lots of recipes online.)

::Daisies and Lemons::

Something that I love about winter: the perfect match
that is *daisies and lemons* on the kitchen table.

You know as we sat down to dinner the other day at the
kitchen table. I commented on how lucky it was, to sit at
a table with beautiful flowers and a yummy dinner.
To which my 8 year old replied:
"No...I think its pretty normal actually...."
And do you know what, I am going to take that as
a bit of a compliment really.

::A few mothering truths::

I thought I would share with you a little quote from
"Mrs Miniver" about parenting. Which somehow sums
it up in such a truthful way. Its kind of nice to think that
little has changed in over 70 years really.
It begins just as Mrs Miniver has described the joy of her
children opening their Christmas presents.

"This was one of those moments, thought Mrs Miniver,
which paid off at a single stroke all the accumulations on
the debit side of parenthood: the morning sickness and the
quite astonishing pain; the pram in the passage, the cold
mulish glint in the cooks eye; the holiday nurse who had
been in the best families; the pungent white mice, the
shrivelled caterpillars; the plasticine on the door handles,
the face flannels in the bathroom, the nameless horrors
down the crevices of armchairs; the alarms and emergencies,
the swallowed button, the inexplicable earache, the
ominous rash appearing on the eve of a journey; the
school bills; the shortened step, the tempered pace, the
emotional compromises, the divided loyalties, the
adventures continually forsworn......."

You know, I think it would do me such a lot of good, to focus
on some of these parenting moments, that somehow repay
the whole endeavour with their loveliness.
I actually think that they would be little things, the cuddles
in the morning, the little kisses...the moments of quiet.

What would yours be??

::A little Autumn lovely-ness::

Autumn leaves, in a vase on the table.
I look forward to this every year, forget
flowers, leaves are so very beautiful too!

::Leonardo::

We went to see the most wonderful Leonardo Da Vinci
Exhibition today. And I marvelled at how beautifully
tailored it was, to the passions of my two little boys.
There was lots of turning of handles, whirring of wheels
and pondering at incredible inventions.
Before we returned home, to a flurry of constructing
and inventing, inspired by what we had seen.
For me it was an opportunity to see some of the incredible
expanse of Da Vinci's genius. To wonder at a man whose
work was so exquisite in both an artistic and scientific
way.
And I was left wondering if there was in fact
anything that Da Vinci didnt invent, 300 odd years
before it dawned on the rest of the world!
If you get the chance, do go and see it-exhibitions of
this quality, don't come round that often for children.

::Dough::

Ever wondered what happens, if you knead a wet dough in
an unorthodox fashion, do strange things with a credit
card-to make stars, heat the oven way too hot, spray it
fervently with water and leave your bread to bake.

Well you might just produce the nicest bread you have
ever baked. With a bubbly texture and crispy crust.
And what also if you accidentally spill water on the dough
whilst it is rising-and accomplish much of the above with one
hand whilst on the phone to a dear friend. Its re-assuring to
know that the result will be the same.
Further details can be found in this book. Along with lots of
extra inspiration.

Autumn loveliness....and a quote.

Late afternoon sunshine through autumn leaves-there is
almost nothing finer. The delight of this has travelled with
me through my life, from when I was quite young.....



And a quote, music to the ears of someone contemplating
what it might be to turn 40.

" And there at the square itself, with the leaves still thick
on the trees as they had been when she left in August; but
in August they had hung heavily, a uniform of dull green,
whereas now, crisped and brindled by the first few nights
of frost, they had taken on a new, various beauty. Stepping
lightly and quickly down the square, Mrs Miniver suddenly
understood why she was enjoying the forties so much better
than she had enjoyed the thirties: it was the difference
between August and October, between the heaviness of late
summer and the sparkle of early autumn, between the ending
of an old phase and the beginning of a fresh one....."

Mrs Miniver, Jan Struther 1939

::Medieval goodness::

We indulged in a little Medieval goodness
this weekend at the annual Medieval Fair.
My little boys found so many of their key
passions-archery, sword fighting etc in
one place. It was hard to entice them to
come home. Their Mamma is already
thinking of possible costumes for next
year. Because if you plan to make three
medieval costumes-its best not to leave
it to the last 3 days right??

Quinces

Every once in a while, on this culinary journey of mine, the chance
of a new little adventure comes along. Why I ask myself have I
never cooked quinces before? I first basked in their beautiful,
pineapple-ish scent and yellow-ness.

Before poaching them in syrup with a vanilla bean. I waited
for the fabled, magical change of colour and then it
came ~ peachy pink with an aroma that fits somewhere in my
childhood. They were of course eaten warm, with ice-cream.
So now I too can claim to cook quinces.
Runcible spoon anyone??

::Nest::

You know, I have been giving a bit of thought to this "nest" of mine recently. At how my two boys are getting a little older-and how I can almost feel the next phase dawning. Not quite, but its in the wind. I find myself wondering how this is going to change celebrations like Easter and how I can make them relevant -and suitable to an older child. There are core things that will remain the same-mountain climbing and watching sunsets. But some of the other aspects might change. Perhaps the craft will become a little more complex or new things will evolve. In a way its like a new frontier-kind of freeing and exciting. But also I am so very well aware of how careful I should be with change-not to instigate it, when it is not really needed. To take the cue from by boys.

The fall of the year

I love the chance that Autumn affords to let things relax and

fall away a little, before they re-form fresh and new in the Spring. I find myself thinking about the areas of my life, where I could relax a little and allow change to manifest-and things I could cast adrift-food for thought on these beautiful Autumn days.

Birds

We got a bird book the other day, we had been hankering after one for ages. It was good timing really, given that drawing has well and truly taken off at our house. So there has been lots of careful concentration and copying of birds.

And you never know, there might be a field trip in the near future....it is a field guide after all!

Night

The nights are pulling in, and everywhere I would imagine,

you can hear the sighs of relieved mammas like myself.

As they prepare to re-claim the night. As suddenly after

months of trying to get children asleep at a reasonable

hour-darkness comes and saves the day (or could it be the night!).

Now I look forward to the evenings ahead of child free

time-to knit and sew and write and think. Surely there

should be a small celebration, to mark the loveliness of this

velvety darkness that has crept upon us!

Drawing

For a long time I despaired of drawing. It was something

that other people's children did. But now, as if by magic it has

come to the fore with my children. Ripening in its own time,

into something of a passion. Into something they do together,

of their own accord - for extended periods of glorious time.

Time when I can think my own thoughts and marvel at the

little wonder that is taking place.

Living

For me to truly live is to notice small things. To suddenly stop

really feel and breathe in little extraordinary things.

~Fungi appearing as if by magic, on the way to the clothes line,

on a misty rainy day~

Simplicity

Something stunning, that stopped me in my tracks, in the

midst of a busy day. Something that momentarily had me

transfixed, by its beauty. ~Rain drops on roses~