Let there be light!

How to make a flaming torch.....

Find a suitable length of dry branch. 

Split one end into four and hold open with dry sticks, old rotted wood and small pieces of bark.

Add in some hay and rub a chunk of pine sap over the top.

Then tie it all up with a length of twine to hold together and avoid mishaps.  

Thats it...... other than trying it out ........ although the inventor is sure it will work, I have my doubts!!

On my mind....

...........are babies! I've been doing some sewing and embroidery for the new little ones joining us soon. The bunny rugs that I made earlier this week and these tiny singlets have given me time to think about new life and do some reminiscing. 

I remember stitching lots of pretty underthings with grub roses like these or with bullion stitch bees or cute ducklings dabbling amongst satin stitch reeds. 

I remember being excited about the impending births of my new babes and the babes of friends. 

I remember washing these tiny singlets and pegging them on the line and dreaming of the little one soon to join our family. 

And I remember when I finally put all of my babies clothes away for safe keeping, sadly, knowing that I wouldn't be using them anymore.  

Now, though, I am making a whole new bundle of tiny singlets and I am happy - happy that I had the skills to make them for my own babes and very happy to be making them for a whole new generation of lovely young mamas!  

Doesn't that make me sound old? I hope not, as I still feel like a young(ish) mama!  

I'm joining in with Rhonda at Down to Earth today. 

Baby gifts

Remember that I mentioned here that I needed to sew up some bunny rugs for a new baby?

They are done!

It's really a very easy sewing project. Just place two squares of cotton flannelette right sides together - mine was about 120cm square. Use a saucer to mark the rounded corners and sew all around leaving an opening of about 20 - 30cm to turn it through. 

Trim seams and clip curves, turn right side out and top stitch around the edges including the opening. 

I didn't wash mine first (have I mentioned that I'm an instant kind of girl?) so I was careful to put the grain line of both pieces running in the same direction. That way, when the fabric shrinks - and it will - both will shrink the same amount in the same direction. 

The bird fabric does have a little bird in the limey green of the backing so it does match better than it looks in the photo! And the day was a bit dreary hence the dreary photo! 

The book is also a gift, and is one of my two all time favourite pregnancy books - "Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year" by Susun S Weed. (My other favourite is "Spiritual Midwifery") 

I used my copy for each of my pregnancies and babies and often for the older children too. It's such a useful book, full of simple and practical herbal remedies for all those little dilemmas that you may have with your new babe, or your new mothering self! 

This book is destined for a New Mum; she's the daughter of my dear, dear friend who passed way 18 months ago and who also loved and used it. I am sure she would have given a copy to her daughter, had she still been here. 

I'm gifting it in her stead. 

Sun-Day

This weekend just gone was spent with trees. Very Small Trees, though I do have hopes they will soon branch out (pun intended!) and grow into mammoth trees to give us some much needed shelter from both wind and neighbours.

Spot the shrubs!

We planted about twenty five large shrubby types but really, it's hard to see anything there at all! I'm a bit of an instant type of person and I'm sure the guy at the garden shop was thinking I was a mad woman, because every shrub and tree he showed us, my first question was "Does it grow fast!" 

Yes, we picked the fastest growing ones he could find!! 

A still very tiny, Big Bad Banksia Man

A new saint......

  Fairy fashion - this seasons skirt!

And after all that digging and lugging around of wood chips we replenished our flagging energy levels with Chewy Chocolate Biscuits and milk.

Definitely and nice way to finish a sunny but cool Sunday! 

I hope you had a good one too! 

Farmers Market goodness

The Best Man and I headed off to the local Farmers Market very early this morning. We were hoping to do a few garage sales as well but alas, there weren't any worth considering so I came home with my purse only lightened by the purchase of loads of veggies! 

And it was quite a haul - indeed it all looked so good I had to take a few pics to record the goodness. A lot of it is organic or at least unsprayed, although the apples pose a bit of a dilemma. A lovely old farmer sells them off the back of his truck and while they aren't organic they are local. The problem is that he wont sell them to me un-bagged - no they must come in their little plastic bags so he knows I'm getting the right amount! He has delicious apples and the price is very good but I'm left with bags with little holes so I can't use them for anything that needs hole-less bags!! 

Any ideas? 

On my mind....

I'm joining in today with Rhonda at Down To Earth. 

My oldest son and his delightful partner have left the Apple Isle and are making a big move to Melbourne for an indefinite time. They left last night on the Spirit of Tas boat and I'm missing them already. My boy is just so full of life and we'll miss his boisterous visits immensely. 

I wonder if I will get used to my children moving away by the time all seven of them are ready to leave?

Two have moved out to follow their own paths now and it is getting easier but having them a loooonnngg way away is a little more tricky because then we really don't see them weekly. 

I gave his sweet girl some motherly hints on looking after him .......... and I hope her Dad gave my boy a lecture on taking care of his daughter too!! 

I'm sure though, that these two will both do great things and enjoy every minute of the doing!  

Last Week and This Week

I am just drawing breath This Week after a very hectic Last Week. The Best Man and our oldest boy - who I shall name Action Man because, believe me, he is just that - headed off in a shiny silver plane to Perth, Western Australia, to pick up a new car. Second hand new, that is,  but new to us! 

So I spent all last week taking business phone calls for our wood heating business, talking to the few people that wanted to come and have a look at them and sending emails to those that didn't. Oh, yes and thats as well as the usual home schooling, cooking, cleaning, washing.......shall I go on? 

Across the Nullabor Plain 

This Week my head is only just ceasing to spin and I am beginning to feel that theres a little clarity to my thoughts. Not enough clarity to attempt anything in the crafty line but only just enough to do some catching up in the housekeeping line!! Now, let me see - I have some flannelette bunny rugs to sew up and some tiny singlets to embroider for a friends first baby; I've joined in with the Southern Seasonal Winter Exchange and must finish my item by the end of this month; a skirt for me to finish start; a felt cat to cut out and stitch for our Fairy; and probably some other bits that are unfinished but momentarily forgotten! 

Nullabor road sign - we have taken four pics under this sign over the past 22 years! 

Last Week was definitely Very Busy and I am relieved to be drawing some deep calming breaths while enjoying the photos that my men folk took on their trip.

The Twelve Apostles on the coast of South Australia

Except that now, This Week, I'm dreaming of the trip that the Best Man says we need to make in a year or two. A Big Trip. A Long Trip. A Very Exciting Trip! This Week my head is filled with dreams of travelling, camping and seeing new places!! 

And I probably wont get any of that sewing and crafting done again .......! 

Grubby times

Our oldest son is an arborist - also known as a tree climber or tree surgeon. He works all over the state but every now and again he works in our area and then, if he can, he lets us collect the fallen trees for firewood. This weekend (well, Saturday only because today it rained all day) we split firewood courtesy of our boy. 

Looking at the photo above makes me realise that all three of our boys had a hand in this load of wood - providing, splitting and stacking! And just to be fair, I have to tell you that the younger girls helped stack too but must have disappeared before I brought the camera out! 

But look, LOOK, what we found in the wood - lovely fat wattle grubs! They are the larvae of the Wattle Goat Moth who lays the eggs on the bark; the tiny grubs burrow in and make tunnels, all the while getting big and fat.  Now, I must admit that the kids are not as excited as I am about these, or any grubs but I loooove them! We used to have silkworms every season for quite a few years and I was the one that wanted to hatch them year after year. I love the feel of them and enjoy running my finger up and down their cool, ridged bodies. These little beauties are even nicer to stroke! 

Apologies if I'm grossing you out, but I think stroking them is pretty tame - I believe these are what are also called witchetty grubs and eaten by our indigenous peoples.   

After all the excitement (and effort) we have another few metres of firewood for next winter - and the chickens had a big protein hit!! 

How was your weekend?

Brother Love

I grew up having an almost authentic Austrian Christmas in Australia....... only the cold and snow were missing! We celebrated on Christmas Eve, our gifts were brought by Kristkindl, and my mum made it a very special, mystical celebration. There was no tinsel or tacky trees, oh no, we had a very life like (though artificial) fir tree, wooden and glass ornaments and real candles burning on the tree - in 40 degree heat! 

Mum made or bought all our gifts but I believed for years that Kristkindl brought them all! 

For the first nine years of our parenthood, the Best Man and I lived on my parents property and we all celebrated Christmas together. Then when we moved a long way away and had our own Christmas with just our children, I wanted to find an idea for a special tradition for our little family - and so our Secret Person gift idea was born! 

I decided that we would put all our names in a hat, each of us would draw a name and then make something for our Secret Person. When we had lots of littlies, I mostly knew who had who because I was always called upon for ideas and help. But as they have gotten older and able to think and do for themselves, I have had some lovely surprises, seeing what they come up with!!  

Last Christmas, our then 15 year old son, Remo, made a really spectacular gift for our Fairy Girl who is completely enraptured with all things gnomey, fey and ethereal. He spent days in the shed painstakingly putting together the special gift you see here in the photos. 

Made from a birch branch found in the local birch forest (yes we have an old birch plantation near us - it's beautiful) and using pine rounds for the stairs, and old wardrobe walls for the platforms, it stands about 70cm high. I really LOVE that it's all made from repurposed or found materials! I think he ran out of time and didn't putty the screw holes in the top storeys but she doesn't seem to mind! 

Shown here without any accessories, due to it having been dragged outside for a clean and a photo shoot! I think it needs another wax and polish too! 

I first saw a very nice gnome home here and mentioned it to R last June, just before Miss Fairys birthday, but he was too busy. Then inspiration struck when he picked her name from the Christmas hat, and off he went! Yes, I knew about this gift because he needed a bit of input but I am so pleased how he put it all together and how much effort was put into it. 

If you have a doting big brother in your home (or a big sister), and maybe if you show them this post you might end up with a fancy timber gnome residence for your little one too!!  

Elsa Beskow giveaway

Oh dear, I'm loathe to do this but my mum taught me to share so share I will! 

Hop on over here and try your luck at winning 19, yes 19, Elsa Beskow books that Valerie is so generously giving away. I've subscribed to her blog and now I'm telling you all about it so surely the gods of giveaways are smiling favourably on me? 

And, know what? I received a nice subscriber email from her this morning, telling me all about a great selection of audio books. I like it. A lot. And I cant wait until that parcel of books slides into my letter box (my mum also taught me to think positive!!)

Now I just hope she sends to all the way Down Under..............

Miss Fashionista

What do you do when your birthday party is over and all you have left are the remains of the pinata that your brother so lovingly made for you? 

You put it on your head of course, and create your very own fashion statement!! 

And it has just struck me that I only ever seem to put that youngest child of mine in this space - it's got me thinking why that is ............ she's the cutest? she's the 'baby'? she's around me the most? Not sure but possibly a bit of each. The older kids really aren't as cute to photograph and I am making the most of my 'baby' and maybe she's just around the most. 

What ever will I photograph when she's older?? 

A little rant

I read a rather disturbing article in the "Weekend Australian" magazine last Saturday (I know it's now Friday but I've been cogitating on this all week, okay?)! According to the report, doctors and others are worried that parents are taking their kids to chiropractors and the article asks if they should be allowed to treat sick kids. 

Allowed? Isn't it our choice as parents to have our children treated as we see fit? I mean, if we choose a chiro and it works, isn't that a good outcome? And if the child never sees a doctor again for any minor ailments and even some 'major' ones, isn't that a bonus to their health? 

Imagine seeing a herbalist for Fred's cough, a chiro for Sammy's colic and a homeopath for 10 year old Jane's impetigo - all of these kids will have been saved from either antibiotics or some other drug and will have a much stronger immune system to show for it. Yes it costs more to take them to a natural therapist but my children are worth it, as are yours. 

Why exactly, shouldn't chiropractors or any other natural practitioners, be allowed to treat sick kids? I'm not really sure what doctors are frightened of - after all, most of them are so busy that they only give a cursory 10 minute appointment and too often a hastily scribbled script for antibiotics. 

Maybe they are pi**ed off - after all, they study for years and then, some two bit naturopath comes along and fixes someones child with a foreign weed and a spinal manipulation. 

Perhaps GP's are just afraid of change - they have had a monopoly for so long (since effectively wiping out wise women healers, and some men). Now, in this new Enlightened Age, surely its time for a review again.  There will always be a place for doctors and there are certainly things that cant be 'fixed' using natural methods, but if we can heal naturally why not?  

Aaagh....  I have more to say on this but maybe you need to read the article and decide - I can only attest to the fact that natural therapies have worked for us (along with a healthy lifestyle of course) and only two of my seven children have ever seen a GP, and that was for accidents. It can be done.  

But above all it is called Freedom of Choice.

You can read it here. 

Right, I'll get off my soapbox now!! 

A hopeful beach fairy

I've finally managed to take a photo of the Fairy Girl in her birthday dress (not her original one!) Yesterday we had howling winds and snow and although the sun was out today it's still very very cold - maybe around 10 degrees C. But I badly wanted to show my latest creation so I coerced asked her to model for me. 

She's a sweetie and smiled even as the goosebumps were spreading down her bare legs! 

I'm really pleased to be able to say that all of the dress bits came from the op-shop - fabric, vintage pattern, doilies and the zipper - all at different times but all added to the stash to be used at the opportune moment! 

She has pronounced it a beach dress and was pretty chuffed that we are heading north later this year and will be able to go to a "warm beach". There's only about a month of weather warm enough to visit the beach and swim, here in the deep south of The Great South Land (for us ex mainlanders anyway!) and never warm enough for me to swim at all ........ it needs to be a balmy 40 degrees plus before I bare all for a sea bathe!! A hot summer day here is 30!

We do like the beach in the cooler months too but we just don't do any swimming, just walking and beach combing. 

So at least my sweet girl is all set for the shore. I think I'll make myself an all in one neck to knee swim suit next ....that should do the trick!!  

This blogging world

It's a funny thing this blogging business. I've been reading lots of wonderful blogs for about 18 months now and have so thoroughly enjoyed them. I've read about new babies, pretty projects, gardens designed and planted, houses bought and personalised. I've found out how to needle felt gnomes, knit socks and nurture carrot seedlings! 

Last year I started my own blog just for far flung family and friends but my heart wasn't in it and I soon closed it down. 

Since then my ideas and energies changed and again I have started with a new blog from a slightly different perspective. This time I am happy to share with all the mamas in blog land and beyond - just like they have shared theirs - and with it has come the realisation of what a great community is out there. And where once I just looked, admired and repurposed their amazing ideas, now I want to thank them and let them know how clever they are. So I leave a comment when I've read a particularly inspiring thought or found a very useful project because I know how nice it is to have someone out there let you know how much your thoughts and craftiness are appreciated. 

And there's another bonus as well - all of a sudden I don't feel quite like a distant and aloof voyeur anymore, but rather as part of a like minded group with a dialogue and some give and take. Its a lovely way to connect with other mama's out there doing their 'mama stuff' even though I'm never likely to meet any of them in the Real World. 

It takes a bit of time to write a blog - each post has many photos taken and either resized or discarded; the topic selected and written (I do a rough draft on paper because I'm visual and like to scribble at odd moments!) then maybe revised as its being typed and finally published. 

Then of course later theres a bit of time spent reading any comments left and maybe having a quick lengthy peek at Other Peoples Blogs!! 

So having discovered all this for myself, I am no longer hesitant to leave a comment because I know that it isn't all about the number of comments you get, it's simply the fact that someone, anyone  has taken the time to 'thank' you for your words. 

***********************

PS - all the photos above were taken at our two Yule celebrations - one for The Family at Home and one for Those Who Have Moved Out!  Yes there are quite a few of us now and we had a couple of extras thrown in so the table was Full! Our home is small tiny and what you see in the photo is almost all of it. I'll post some more pics of our Shoebox someday soon.  

Disclaimer - These are just random thoughts! I am not trying to generate comments but am using this space to write whats on my mind ......... with gratitude! 

Wool and cotton

We have some new additions to our little menagerie. 

Since we've lived here - about 2 years now - we've always battled with the long grass in our paddock. We had several calves in there for 6 months in the first year and then last season we had the pasture cut and baled. But in between, the grass grows very long and lush and hard to wade through.

So now we are sheep sitting for a while.

They are not too friendly but they do spend their day munching, which is just what we like!! I think they are Wiltshire (but I must check on that) which means that they don't need shearing. I'm expecting little bits of fluff all along our fences soon -  the birds will be very happy in spring!  

And the cotton? Well ...... thats an exciting addition to my doily stash! 

I love. love. love. them! My kids think I'm loopy "Mum, not more doilies"! but I just don't listen to them. 

Don't they look so lovely casting lacy shadows on the doona cover? 

Does any one else share my Doily Love?