CHRISTMAS

At least two of these photos reflect the truth of Christmas around here. Sure we've put up a tree and decorated the dog a couple of times ( before he got carted off for his million dollar knee reconstruction, Merry Christmas), sure we did a bit of wet felting in an attempt to make some looovely hand made decorations ( didn't actually work but photo looks good). Yes the two photos that really tell the story of what is going on around here is firstly Tobie at the M.A.C counter at Myer ( stuff the windows she just wants makeup), and Hazel sittin' on the couch, watchin' telly, eatin' chokky waiting for her turn to get the headlice treatment. Hmmm...come to think of it, my head feels a bit itchy.

But I think about the carols the other night and the fact that my dear friend Ange is back ( and making lists bless her), and I think back to Sunday afternoon at the Botanical gardens for our friends Christmas picnic and watching babies being passed around and just the familiar thing of knowing someone for ever. There is an excitement around here that only comes when children are little and Santa is on his way, and even though I feel like it's wizzing by I sit at this and tap away and suddenly realise that I do see all the other truths about Christmas that are the traditons we follow and that we begin. Friends on Christmas Eve, little faces on Christmas morning, family, chutney that worked, that present that you just know someone is going to really love, summer holidays at Lorne, emails from far away treasured friends that just understand everything, the list does go on and on and I am so lucky and grateful, but now I am yelling down the stairs and distracted and being pulled back but so happy that I took a minute to stop. Just a minute of course.

THE FARM

It has been so long since I have been to the farm, the longest ever I think between visits. I have allowed too many things to get in the way and I always say that I will change this but reality is that life gets busy, your children play sport, you have friends you want to see, we have travelled and pottered around at home but then I get a yearning for that place and it felt so good to wake up there and take a coffee out into that fresh crisp sunshine and watch my little ones jump on the trampoline, and Russell bound around like the puppy he still is, and to sit and watch the magpie family who have been here as long as we have, it was truly the best coffee I have had in a long time.

I think the girls all felt the same. Daryl gets up here when there is work to be done, but the girls have never seemed so pleased to be here either which made me so happy as I dread that day when they protest about going to the farm ( sign that they are growing up and we all know how I feel about that process!). But I am home now, sitting at the computer on cup day morning, a day of planting veggies in my suburban garden ahead of me, I feel like I have had my fix, but could happily drive back there tomorrrow and go for a bigger walk, prune a few tips off that apple tree, and of course, spend many more hours just doing my favorite thing, sitting and knitting on the front porch.

I have posted quite a few photos and they always feel like they are in the wrong order so I will start by explaining the little painting. As always the farm also involves a trip to Savers ( My girls love OP shopping nearly as much as I do, and as we neared the end of our visit, and everyone had there own little treasure ( piece of crap that I will be chucking out when they are doing something else), I had one last little fossick through the old frames and what should I find but this little water colour print of the Mission in Santa Barbara! Now that is an OP shop find!

So, to sum up our weekend.....

A buriel for our wee little ratties ( yes they have been in our freezer all this time!)

Relaxing under a shady tree

Losing a big front tooth, how cute does our Tobie look.

Teenage girls doing jobs ( maybe about to run over a bike)

The blossom I thought I had missed

Tea breaks

Oranges from our tree, squeezed into a big sticky mess that I freak over because I hate oranges!

Little fairies in trees

Exhausted Russell on his favorite couch ( boy those rabbits are fast)

Concerts on the back porch

Running through the sprinklers

Happy kids, who could ask for more than that.

THE FARM

THIRTEEN

Happy birthday my sweet girl.

HAZEL

While Daryl and I have been having sunset drinks, or paddle boarding or shopping, our youngest child has taught herself to ride a bike. Our intial amazement and joy has I must admit been overshadowed by my slight guilt. Where were we when she decided to get on this two wheeler without training wheels and start riding? She has seriously never done this before and we infact had to ask our other children if they had noticed her doing this. Lucinda reckons she heard her say "I'm going to give this a go", and well, so she has! Admittedly when we first discovered the bikes here we did encourage her to try but she was reluctant and frightened about falling off so we just presumed that was that and I guess, lost interest (us), but somewhere in that mind of hers was a determination that unfortunately Daryl and I were slightly unaware of. Good for you Sandy Butt Cakes, you have taught yourself to ride a bike!

SITTING AND KNITTING

Friends and Family

The Sun is coming

Much to our horror, the days here have not been consistantly sunny. It is sooo not the weather we have become accustomed to but finally today a beautiful afternoon. It is quite amazing because with the sun comes the dolphins and the seals, learching above the waves to taste that warm light. I even shuffled my way into the ocean today, encouraged by my curiosity to try the paddle boards we have rented. And much to my dear husband's surprise, I am actually quite good ( water sports have never been my thing), but this was lovely and almost relaxing! ( Photos to come). Speaking of photos I had decided to use the photos Daryl has taken on his fabulous camera for my blog only to discover I don't have a "slot" for his "sim" ( hmmm, that sounds a bit rude, sorry Mum and Dad). So unfortunately I am forsed to use the photos I have taken on my pretty hopelss "this camera is stuffed", digital, only to discover I have left it at the restaurant we ate at tonight! Aaahhh!!!

Looking forward to the Melbourne folks arriving tomorrow.