Steamy nights

The sun has set on another night....another week even.....

It is steamy and warm....

But tomorrow the sun will rise.....it may be steamy, it may be wet, it well may continually change throughout the day......

And we are waking to make our way across the country for a big adventure with our big girl....

Retirement Day

We have two chickens that have faithfully given us a nice return of eggs over the last couple of years.....up until now.
We really like the relationship we have with them.....they eat all our scraps, manure our garden beds and then we in return reap the egg collect.

So when they tell us it is time to end the relationship...by not returning eggs we know it is time to retire them.

Now we have had to in the past, end their little life, sadly but this time these two lovelies scored big time.

A friend offered to let them see out their days in her bigger coop and find new mates among her brood including one big old rooster.

So today was retirement day.....and I must say we were mightily impressed with their new abode....so much so that we could see ourselves retiring in this little patch of paradise...the bigger property not just the coop!

I have just received a text to let us know they are all asleep and although didn't find their way to the roost tonight, fared pretty well in their new home.
Maybe they will love retirement so much that it will cause some spontaneous egg laying as thank you for greener pastures.

Oh and here is a cleaver strawberry planter that our friends rigged up...I can see something similar popping up around her in the future.

#1153 Thankful List......retirement home for our chickens.

The upside of beach swim lessons (Thankful list)

Well it has been four days into our two weeks beach swim lessons.....and despite the hesitant start we are doing good....

The upside to our beach lessons as opposed to the Aquatic lessons we are used to is....

The total cost for two weeks of lessons for 4 kids is $34.50!

No pool entry fee every day

Every day has delivered a different weather forecast.
 
The landscape and what you discover throws up new things every day

The chance for a brisk walk along the sand is good for my health

There is no over the top enthusiastic life guards making the kids walk everywhere,stop splashing and generally prevent them from  having a bit of fun.....instead they have the whole stretch of the beach to run , jump, splash, be loud and ......even throw sand at each other!

and lastly there is no kiosk in sight to feel the pressure of having to empty my purse everyday for ice cream! 

#1152 Thankful list

An important TOP SECRET converstion

{Beware if you are my  little sister of five little ones ....classified information TOP SECRET}

I had a fun little walk along the beach with two of my nieces and a nephew today while swim lessons were on...

The conversation went like this...with my 9 Year old niece...

"Aunty Bron could I ask you to help me with something?"

"Yes sure Kate what can I do for you?"

"I want to nominate my mum for Mother of the year but I need some help with the information. I have to do it online and I got a bit stuck."

{my heart melted at this stage}

"Oh Kate I would love to help you ...what a very sweet thing to want to do for mum."

"Yes well she has done lots for the five of us so I wanted to do this."

"Well Kate I will have a look online tonight at what we need to do and then I can help you with it...is that OK?"

"That would be good Aunty ..thank you."

Priceless 15 minutes with these beautiful little ones.....the other two 6 and 4 years old were busy running and finding beach treasure.

So I had better go and make good on my promise before tomorrows beach meet up.

Dear Tomatoes...

Thank you for your lovely red ripe crop to accompany the delicous meals that the man of the house prepares.
Even though we didn't plant you or even take any care ....sorry we should have staked you I know.

But despite all that we adore that you are strong enough to produce this fine crop....I promise that I will come back for the next wave in a few days.

Kindest regards
US. xx

The Next Day

Today as opposed to yesterday.....we sat huddled under the jetty to shelter from the wind and the rain.....
the kids? they swam on like good troopers.

In two days time the forecast is for a scorcher of a day!  Need to be able to roll with it when it comes to mother nature it appears.

Beach Lessons

Every year at this time we enrol in vacation swimming lessons...only we usually do them at the local aquatic centre.
This year though we are at the beach......
After our very hot last week it was particularly overcast and grey today...not too cool though.
My boy is none to excited about the beach lessons.....and when on arrival was made to wear the snazzy cap it sealed the unhappy mindset.

I think there will be lots to learn from the beach lessons....funny cause he loves heading to the beach and wave swimming with his dad...just not the place he wants to do lessons...even if he is in the same class with 3 of his cousins!! {poor swim instructor}
So we have two whole weeks ahead of us in which I do hope he quickly decides it could be fun after all......

...and it is nice time to sit with my sisters and chat while they swim. 
 

Summer hangouts

Hangouts in the Summer holidays are made so much better with company.

Butterfly Invasion {thankful list}

What better way to bring back to life to my very neglected Grateful/Thankful list than with the wonder and excitement of our garden being filled with more butterflies than I have ever seen in one place. They just filled the air.

We are in the middle of a heat wave...hot , hot , hot....we have communities 1 hour south of us who are in the middle of a fire storm. We are fortunate just to have the heat not the fire.

I ventured outside today briefly and was surprised as I moved about to discover that our garden was alive with butterflies....it was so magical...

So I am thankful for the magic and beauty of God's creation right in our backyard. Placed there to give us hope in some tricky days.

# 1145

Summer Lunch

There really is no other way to spend a way tooooo hot summer day than eating freshly local caught crayfish cooked on the BBQ. {in the air conditioning}

Music in the breeze

It's not my story to tell here in this space.....

But I  so am loving the gentle sounds of the heart....working through it all....space will always create a place for passions to rise to the surface.

Growing despite

With all the time spent on the renovations last year...the garden has been a little neglected.

But the great thing is that there are a few things that will grow and flourish despite the lack of tender loving care.

Wild self seeded tomatoes and pumpkins that have made their way into the chook bed are some of those going on in our outside space.

I also discovered today that my gifted chocolate mint plant is quietly doing it's thing amongst it's more wild and more robust neighbours.

It is hot now here and gardening can only be done early or late...then there is the danger of not seeing the little critters lurking in the garden beds that make the evening gardening a little hazardous....
Luckily for us those strong minded amidst the garden are determined to produce, despite our neglect.
It's quiet amazing the gourmet delights being cooked up in the kitchen with the tomatoes that are gathered.
 

Quick I need a gift....

I am catching up with a friend and her brand new bub tomorrow......but I hate going empty handed.....

With a zero budget and a room full of possibility what was I to do?

Use this great little perfect baby blanket tutorial and within half an hour and no expense I have a very soft and perfect gift to take with me tomorrow

{So excited to finally use a piece of the fabric I picked up in Melbourne 3 YEARS AGO...I know I am such a pack rat}

52/52....and some

Him: Getting him out and enjoying the beautiful beaches with his dad.

and   beach fun is always much more fun with company

 

 Her:  Somehow the tall genes passed by our Meg...she sits right between these cousins in age.

and  She has a million photo faces.....hardly any of them are serious ones.



and for good measure...

US

{I think that will be the last of my 52 pics of the kids.....it has been harder and harder to capture them. I have loved capturing their growing up in this formal way....I aim to still record them here just wont be in a week to week way.}

 

Happy New Year

Wow we are here....2016

On the precipice of the unknown......on the edge of every potential for anything....

No resolutions just awe and wonder at what lies ahead

and while celebrating with good friends on the eve of this new year.....I am always reminded when I least expect it that all will be well ......