rain

We had rain last night. 

I went outside early this morning to enjoy the mist and raindrops. 

 

   

Gestern auf nacht hatten wir regen. 

Ich bin früh auf und hab im garten Regentropfen fotografiert. 

swap time

I don't know what possessed me but sometime in January I joined in with a swap! 

It looked easy and I thought yeah, I can do this one in between all the other jobs on my Never Ending List. After all, a zippered pouch takes so little time to whip up, right, and I'll get a nice surprise in the mail! 

And I did! Get a nice surprise, that is. A week ago a most exciting parcel arrived from Cassie, who not only created this unique little pouch but birthed a sweet baby girl at around the same time! Clever mama!

A book cover. Complete with bookworm lollies - that were quickly confiscated by the younger clan members - and plastic pocket on the front for a book title (or maybe it should hold a small sign saying 'read only one chapter and then get back to work'!!) 

All in my very fave colours! Thankyou Cassie!

And what about my contribution? I wanted to do something different to my usual zippered pouches. Of course, I think to myself now, why is it when there is a shortage of time I always want to create 'something different', something that will take more time instead of less, more thinking and figuring out..... oh, my capricious nature!! As I mentioned I've been popping into a few German speaking blogs and had stumbled onto this video tutorial which I'd bookmarked for later. 

And later had arrived!! 

My swap partner Michelle, likes pretty girly colours and I found the ideal fabrics in my stash. Now pattern and fabrics were found but alas where was the time to sew? I did cut out the pieces but laid them aside while tussling with 'this-really-is-too-much-to-think-about' thoughts. 

So the cut out pieces languished for a few weeks until finally I found some time (wish I could find it again!!) and zipped it up in no time.... pun intended! 

Isn't it cute? Really pretty and elegant with those pleats and they were not even very tricky to create. Filled with some wickedly delicious chocolates, I think Michelle was happy! 

And I was happy because I'd created something and learnt a new way to sew the zip in, which eliminated those top corners looking funny. 

I have a love hate relationship with swaps. I enjoy the thought of it and I love the parcel that comes in return but thinking of what to make is always so hard. Will my partner like it? Will it be just right? I always get a bit worried and nervous by the time it comes to sending my creation off to its new home. On the other hand, I've always been very happy with all the nice swap gifts that have landed in my mail box, so perhaps I need to "get over it" as my children would say!!

I'm linking this with Natural Suburbia's Creative Friday. There are always so many creative ideas to be found over there on a Friday!

Letzte Woche waren bei mir diese zwei kleine täschlein für einen swap. Eins war ein Geschenk Für mich und das untere hab ich genäht für jemand anderen. Das obere kämm mit der post und ist ein buch überzug. Ganz süss ihn meine Lieblings Farbe!
Das rosarote täschlein hab ich nach diesen video tutorial genäht für meine swap Partnerin. Es war gar nicht so hart zum nach machen und jetzt wenn ich wieder mal zeit finde, mochte ich für meine Freundin auch eines nähen.      

one year on

 My granddaughter turned one today. 

One whole revolution around the sun. 

Hard to believe that 366 mornings ago my Man and I returned home, tired and exhilarated, just as the first rays of the sun were reaching over the countryside. Only the day before, we were simply parents, and then we were grandparents. 

Just like that. 

Friends have asked me how it feels to be a grandmother? Isn't it special? I'm never sure how to answer that. I'm not even sure what they mean. 

Do I feel different? No, not really. 

Is it wonderful? I suppose so. 

I certainly don't feel as if I've finally reached some sort of ultimate goal, a pinnacle of parenting and now am able to rest on my laurels. 

What's more, I'm still mothering young children and in my mind, grandmothers are older, mature and 'childless'. They knit and share brag books at bingo, don't they? They certainly  don't have urges to party hard or stay up all night with friends over some bottles of wine. They aren't still discussing the pros and cons of skimpy skirts with their teens or playing tooth fairy for their 10 year old! 

No, I'm sure they don't. And so I feel like I'm not actually doing my 'job' properly - I don't have the time to create smocked dresses, or take her to the park or even babysit. I'm still home educating three children, running a business, building a house and taming a wild garden..... and that's just the big things! I've yet to feel comfortable with my new label. Grow into it. I need to reevaluate my beliefs. I also need to accept that even when my last three children have grown and moved on, I'll most likely still not live up to my stereo typical granny! 

I might have more time to create her a nice birthday gift or plant a flower garden together but after all these years of having my children with me always, I have a long list of things I'd like to do - like traveling or perhaps studying visual arts or photography or maybe running an online business and trading in shares. 

How to reconcile my need for some 'me' time with my beliefs about grand-parenting? I feel a touch of guilt about that. Shouldn't I be there for my daughter(s) and grandchildren? 

So you see, this grand parenting role is still something I must ruminate on. Sure, it's lovely to see the little Elf and kiss her and snuggle her and of course it brings me pleasure to see my girl excelling in her new role as mother but it certainly isn't an overnight change. It will take some years, I feel, to truly feel comfortable with this new hat that I've been blessed with. Just as I did when I became a new mother, I will need to grow and expand, and slowly fit myself into the new skin that my first born has again gifted me with. 

It will be an ongoing journey.     

Happy first birthday, sweet love child! 

Oma really does love you. 

Unsere kleine Enkelin war heute ein Jahr alt! Ein ganzes Jahr! Kaum zum glauben. 

Und ich bin ein Jahr Oma.

Auch fast nicht zum glauben!  

gratitude

Today I am grateful for....

..... the totally gorgeous, totally unexpected bunch of flowers that my love sent me, all the way from India. Of course, the flowers are not from India but the thought was. And they came last week, for Valentine, but every time I look at them, I am happy all over again! 

...... zucchini! Their prolific ways. Their exuberance and lush, blowsy growth. Their versatility. 

...... self sown cosmos. Our garden is full of them. They've popped up in all sorts of places and are putting on a fabulous show, nodding and smiling at me each time I rush by on my way to pick veg or turn off the water. Sometimes I stop to appreciate their cheerful faces and cant help feeling lightened and brightened by their beauty.  

 ....... the awesome amounts of sunshine we've been having. I'm trying desperately to store it all up for those dreary cold winter months. Hot summer days and sweet watermelons are right at the top of my 'needs' list and this summer has been perfect for both! 

I've been regularly reading Gratitude Sunday over on Taryns blog and am always inspired by the many little things she is grateful for. I have a tendency to look at whats wrong, rather than whats right in my days, and would very much like to change that. Hence this gratitude post. 

Pop over to Woolly Moss Roots and have a read of Taryns inspirational thoughts. 

blueberry bliss

We went blueberry picking with my Golden Girl and the Little Elf. 

Wir waren Heidelbeere pflücken mit Nina und ihre kleine.

Some of us ate some berries....

Meine kleine hat Beere genascht....

Most of us ate some berries....

Ninas kleine auch...

Oh all right, all of us ate some berries! 

Na ja, alle haben Beere genascht!!

But one of us just ate and didn't pick many!! 

Aber die aller kleinste hat nur genascht und nix gepflückt! 

We picked five buckets full in quite a short time. 

The bushes were still full and the picking was easy.

Wir haben alles zusammen 18kg nach hause gebracht.

Es waren noch recht viel auf die Büschen. 

With full tummys, full buckets and happy hearts we headed home. Not sure what the family was dreaming of, but I was thinking creamy blueberry banana smoothies and Chia seed Puddings with frozen berries!

Mit alle Kübel voll sind wir wieder nach hause. Ich hab geträumt von Chiasamen Pudding mit Heidelbeere und die Kinder dachten einen eiskalten schaumigen Milchshake würde gut! 

postcard from India (3)

Jan 31

Hello everybody, 

Thought you all might like to know about the people who live under the bridge. It's about 1km from where we were staying at Lukerganj. 

I came across these people the other day whilst walking, and decided to pop in for a chat. Of course being Indians, they were really friendly. I found it hard to get information about  specific things, because nobody spoke English, but they were really keen to show me everything about their life and  what goes on in this place.

They live in very rudimentary housing, with no running water (let alone hot water), no hygiene standards, and certainly no toilet (It's piss in the streets around here), But surprisingly, I found them to have an inner peace about life somehow, and they seemed relaxed and happy. This is strange logic to a westerner, but you can't help admiring them. 

As with Indian people, they're incredibly resourceful, and use every situation and resource to their advantage. I was shown into their homes, and after a short while, was asked to have chai, and stay for a meal, which I had to decline unfortunately, because we were on our way somewhere else. 

You see, I'm a westerner, and I'm always in a rush and don't have time for chai, or communicating with others and being friendly and helping people in the streets. Being here really makes you question your life and the things you do. These people are almost as poor as you can get, yet they were prepared to give up some of there resources (food and drink) to a total stranger. Im sure they would have put me up for a week, if I had needed it. Our lives and values as westerner's , really need to be reassessed. 

Under the bridge is packed with housing like this.

An old man sitting out the front enjoying the view of the drains.

Someone else's house. 

One of the families. Even given their conditions, they try to look elegant. A far cry from some of the young girls in my home town. 

Another mum with an 8 month old. Gave this great lady 500 rupees, she was just so friendly and awesome. 

They make their living keeping cattle, raking up all the cowshit, drying it and making fire bricks out of it (no firewood in India) that they sell for people to burn. 

The finished product ready for sale. 

I hope these people have inspired you as much as they have me. The western mindset of being on the dole, that its other peoples resposibility to look after you? Ha!!

Bye from India xx 

Postkarte von Indien. 
Diese Leute wohnen unter eine brücke. Sie sind sehr arm aber trotzdem glücklich und haben zeit zum mein mann einladen zum essen und chai trinken. Sie verdienen gelt von Kuh Mist der Mist wert getrocknet und verkauft als brenn Stoff fürs kochen.   

milk maid

What do you get when you cross a sheet, a doily and an old tablecloth? 

An 'old fashioned dress' of course! 

My lovely little dressing-up-girl has been reading The Chain of Charms series, a story set during Oliver Cromwells Puritan reign in England, telling of the adventures of a Gypsy family. It's written by Kate Forsyth, an Australian author and while there is lots of adventure and magic, theres also a great lot of history - which to me equates to learning! 

Of course, by the time she'd finished the series she was very keen for me to create a Gypsy gown and after a bit of rummaging around in my piles of amassed op shop 'fabrics' and rifling through various story books, we settled on the design. 

When I finished it, I was pretty excited to note that all of the fabrics had been repurposed from second hand items! 

The funky red underskirt is an old polycotton sheet and the light blue over skirt is a tablecloth. I made the bodice from a lovely piece of linen that was languishing in a box of fabrics in our local op shop, and the lining too - another sheet off cut! 

She's wearing a vintage embroidered tray cloth (you know, smaller than a table cloth but bigger than a doily!) and an old peasant style blouse that was in my stash to cut up for something else. 

Even the pattern for the bodice was a vintage op shopped pattern! 

She loves it and has worn it every day...... but sadly (for me) and happily (for her) we have decided that it's not quite the thing for a Gypsy to be wearing. We are sure they would be dressed in old silks, satins and tattered velvets, so it's back to the sewing table and stash for me!! 

This one is now considered just a 17th century country maid dress, the sort to wear when you are picking chamomile flowers for drying or checking on the cows!! 

I love re-using or re-purposing and get really excited when I use up some of the loads of op shopped fabrics that I bring home ...... have I mentioned how much I love fabrics? 

Meine kleinste hat vor kurzer zeit etliche Bücher über Zigeuner  gelesen. Dann natürlich muss man ein Kleid dazu haben.... und Mama macht es schon! Das Kleid ist nicht so schwer zum nähen, aber ich hab wollen alles von mein eigenen Stoff 'stash' brauchen.... und hab es geschafft!! Das rote ist eine altes Leintuch, eine hellblaue Tischdecke war gebraucht für den Überrock, das Oberteil ist ein Stückchen leinen Stoff und auch ihr Kopftuch ist ein besticktes spitzen Deckchen.

Es ist ja toll geworden aber wir denken es schaut nicht so ganz richtig Zigeunerisch aus, sondern mehr wie ein Mädchen aus denn siebzehnten Jahrhundert.... und so machen wir bald noch eines aus samt und Seide und bunte Farben!!