::A Birthday::

We celebrated a birthday last week and had a little

party. My oldest boy turned 9, which seems just a

hairs breadth from 10 really. How can this be??!

He is such a fabulous mix of growing maturity and

knowing, together with the freedom still of being a

child.

I wish I could show you photos of the merriment

at his birthday party. Of jovial little boys having fun.

We did such simple things, like bobbing for apples and

eating donuts on strings and luckily it was fun and

joyful and enough with out being too much. I must

admit to being a little relieved that it is all over for

another year!

Every year we seem to some how refine the whole

birthday celebration just a little. In the last little

while I have started leaving a trail of rose petals

leading to the birthday table. And also, to my

delight started wrapping the presents in pastel

play cloths instead of paper. Why didn't I do this

before??!

:: Little Joys::

Sometimes, in this Christmas celebration of ours I have to
stop and think, amidst it all, of the things that I find beautiful.
And for me it is the little details, the small joys which I
really love:
How we build the nativity through out advent, beginning
with minerals in the first week...



And how this year, Mary and Joseph have begun their
long journey on top of the piano, moving a little each day,
(to my children's delight...)until some time in the third
week they will reach the nativity display.



And how at the Op shop, I discovered something
I had been wishing for-but never thought I would actually
own. Which has, in its own way brought joy and wonder
to our house.




Just little things, but so lovely. I hope that as time goes on
I have the courage to focus more on these little things that
I love about Christmas and somehow scale down the parts
that I find more difficult. To create a celebration that is
beautiful in its simplicity......

::An Edwardian Snippet::

I knew as the shop lady got the key and opened the glass
cabinet, I was in grave danger of needing this book. Then I
opened it....and the first page I flipped to (of crochet
lace patterns) confirmed this most decisively. A little window
into the lives of women in 1911, how they ran their houses,
what they read, how they dressed,the handcrafts, the recipes.....
Some very Edwardian and some so very timeless, nearly
100 years later.

Let me share with you a little snippet from "The Housekeeper's

Diary for December". Which is somehow fitting, in the lead up to

the festive season.

"This is invariably a tiring and exacting month

for the house mother and though the word "holidays"

is continually in the air, it is usually anything but

holiday-time for her!"

"When preparing for a party in your own house,

remember it is the poorest economy to use up all

your own strength before-hand in getting things ready

for the evening.

Too often the mistress of a small house gives herself

no time for proper meals, and keeps going up to the

last minute on the day of the festivity;

and then has the utmost difficulty looking cheerful

and keeping the worried look at bay when her

guests arrive.

No matter how busy and rushed you may be,

make it a rule to take good meals and allow

yourself at least a quarter of an hour's

rest before your friends come.

And do not forget that nothing recuperates the

tired body so quickly as a rest with the feet up,

on a sofa or bed....."

How very real....and in some respects more honest than a lot of

contemporary magazines, which are full of all the festive wonders

that can be achieved.

It inspires me to take a big deep breath and aim for simplicity.

And to reflect on the freedom that we have, to celebrate Christmas

in our own style. To create a celebration for our family that is

meaningful, what ever form it takes. I guess for an Edwardian

this would have been a very radical thought indeed. I just wonder

how much times have changed?

::Waldorf Birthday Goodness::

Yesterday was my little boy's birthday celebration at his kindy.
It was a celebration of his life so far, of the milestones and
highlights of his 5 years in our family.

We came home with a beautiful bunch of flowers, a gold crown,

a miniature cake, cards from all his friends and a treasure

stone in a little felt bag. Somehow in the Waldorf Kindy these

celebrations seem to happen effortlessly, as part of the daily

routine and yet they are so very special.

And from my point of view, any birthday celebration for my

child that I can just go to, with out a frenzy of baking, crafting

and organising is so very blissful.......

::A Birthday::

My little boy turned 5 on Thursday. I felt
such a pang, when he first uttered the words
"I'm five!" on his birthday morning. Almost
like I didn't want to hear.........how can this be????
That this beautiful baby boy, who came into our lives
so smoothly, by candle light, in front of the fire
has turned five!
But I know that I have soaked in every moment
of those 5 years. I have been there for all the joys,
milestones, delights and stresses.
And for this I am so very glad. They are years of my
life so blessed and very well spent.

Happy Birthday Little Clogs!

A few thoughts on birthday tables....

In a lot of ways I believe that less is more, when it

comes to children's birthdays. Sometimes its as much

about the little things, that create a sense of occasion,

as it is about choosing the right presents.

With this in mind I find that creating a birthday table

is such a lovely part of my children's birthday celebration.

I hang bunting, spread a cloth and decorate the table

with flowers and a birthday ring. On the table I have a

felt birthday crown and a plate of little cakes, one for every

year of their life so far.

Somehow with all this in place, there is already a feeling

of plenty~ and I feel comfortable giving a few carefully

chosen gifts. The table is lovely for them to come out to on their

birthday morning, and it stays set up for a couple of days.

...................................................................................................

Interestingly I wont show you the photos of my boy blowing out

the candles on his cake, with his little friends. I only realised as

I looked at the photos later......that I had only put 4 candles

on the cake!

Could it be that I am in denial of the number 5???

Midwinter

Last night we celebrated the Winter Solstice.
In some ways it reflected last year's celebration.
We cooked a special dinner, decorated the table, walked
out in the crisp night with our lanterns then woke to special
presents, from King Winter.

This year for me it has coincided with a period of much
internal change and reformation. It finds me amidst a time
of re-defining my sense of self. Of journeying in to find
the strength of who I am, the light within myself.

I draw breath and let things fall apart a little, to allow a
new way of being to form. I find myself so very open and
almost cradled by the beauty of winter, which reveals itself
in such wispy wonder. Cobwebs shining with dew, the soft
velvety blue of the early morning sky.

May this Midwinter be a time of solace and reflection for you.

A time of welcoming fresh changes and new direction.

Happy Winter Solstice!

New dawning.....

Easter is so very dear to my heart. I love the feeling of a
fresh dawning spiritual new year. Of the possibilities of autumn
and the beginning of drawing in after the fullness of summer.

Like last year we went to see the sunset on Good Friday and
the sunrise on Easter Sunday. We made Easter Nests
and spent time connecting with nature- which is I think
always so very magical around Easter. Just the quality of
light, the blue-ness of the sky and the feeling of the seasons
poised to change.





This year I find myself reflecting upon the huge
shifts and changes that have come to fruition since last
Easter. And to marvel at the unexpected and wonderful
things happening in my life just now.....

May you have a beautiful Easter.

::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!!!

::Winter Solstice::

Winter is for me a journey. As the nights pull in, I am aware
of the opportunity that awaits me. The chance to spiral into
myself, to journey closer to who I really am. To reflect on
my life, and to seek new light and inspiration for my onward
travels. Each year it seems a little deeper, with more
consciousness and purpose.

For us as a family it is a time of celebration and delight. To share
a unique occasion that we have made our very own.



I cook a special wintry dinner. Pork sausages braised in cider with
juniper berries and thyme. The table is beautifully set. We go for a
crisp, starry walk in the garden, guided by my children's rainbow
lanterns. I read a special candle lit solstice story about King Winter.
Then its time for bed on this the longest night.


...And then in the morning, just like in the story, there is a
special present from King Winter, for each little fellow.
What eager anticipation, joy and delight there is to be had,
by the fire, long before dawn!






May your winter journey be one of light and clarity,
of fresh ideas and discoveries.



A Merry Winter Solstice to you!

::Nests::

A few small words on nests.......

Each year my children make beautiful nests in the
garden, on Easter Saturday. Carefully they arrange
straw and decorate their nest with flowers and treasures
from the garden. Anything to tempt the Easter Chookie
and the Easter Hare to leave them something.

And I must say over the years they have had considerable
success........on Easter morning they have found all sorts of

things in those nests.......

Beautifully decorated eggs, Ostheimer chickens, decorations

for the Easter tree, feathers, felted chickens, little gardening

tools, spring bulbs to plant (...always ) and of course a

bit of chocolate along the way.......

Sunset :: Sunrise :: April

For me Easter is such a wonderful time of
renewal. In a lot of ways it feels like the
dawning of a new spiritual year. I emerge
from the heat of summer, take a deep
inward breath and feel rejuvenated,
focused and ready to begin afresh.

We go to see the sunset on Good Friday.
Standing in the fresh evening air on the
mountain summit, there is such a feeling of
cleansing and letting go.

Then on Easter Sunday we climb a local mountain

in the dark, just before dawn to see the sunrise.

There is such an exquisite airy stillness to it, watching

the beautiful morning sun emerge. It feels so cleansing

fresh and new. Very much like the dawning of a new

year.......

Have a beautiful Easter.......

(I must say that waking and dressing two small

children in the dark, to dash off in the car and

scramble up a hill is a bit of an undertaking......for

which we are amply rewarded- its such soul food for

us all.......)

Candles.....

Today was an egg candle making day.
Some would say that it is a bit of a process,
and well...they could be right.

I started out with a dozen eggs from our
chooks and inspiration from this wonderful
book.

First I cracked open all the eggs, made a small
hole in the bottom and threaded the wick through.




Then I filled each with beeswax, securing the wick
with matchsticks.

When it had cooled I cracked open the eggs......

And set to work to decorate them.



I used thin candle decorating wax and tiny cake decorating

cutters. And the results......well I was rather pleased.

And of course we had to light one on the table at dinner

time, just to make sure that they worked.

Before they are parcelled off to the school

fundraiser, for which they were intended.

I do hope they will be enjoyed in their

new homes!

Easter-ish inspiration....

We lit the fire for the first time tonight,
it seems like such a cosy celebration of
drawing in.
It's been a cloudy/overcast day, at
home with my little ones, made brighter
by the decision to decorate the Easter tree.
We have been anticipating it for days, with the
box of goodies sitting ready.

How nice to unpack a growning stash of

little treasures, and to lose oneself in

the happy task of arranging them.

What a lovely reward, for a few minutes

of branch trimming and careful decorating.....

a pretty little scene, to brighten our

living space.

From little things, big things grow.......

Six years ago, this greatly anticipated and loved little being came
into our lives.....and quite frankly life has never been the same since.
It has been a journey of such tenderness, joy, beauty, heartache,
wonderment and delight....quite beyond words....




And through it all I am left wondering quite how this tiny
baby could have somehow vanished before my eyes and
become this vibrant, intelligent 6 year old, so full of his own
thoughts, passions, schemes and adventures.



He received such a beautifully diverse collection of
birthday gifts, such a lovely match for the boy that he is......

A basket of craft materials.....




A beautifully woven treasure basket.....which is now filled with
emu feathers.......





A lovely weaving loom......



And to his absolute delight, a fishing rod from one of his dear
school friends. Which was swiftly followed by a tackle box from
his Grandma, complete with worms...... oh my!

Then there was the small matter of Spot and Goldy, collected
from the pet shop on the birthday morning......



And carefully introduced to their new home......to the wonder
and delight of us all.



What a lucky birthday.......
HAPPY BIRTHDAY my sweet pea!