~ garden mood board...May ~

Winter approaches.

(We had to scrape ice off the windscreen for the first time this week - I use one of those shop cards that I never remember to have with me in the shops - like a priceline card - that's my tip of the month).

Most of the leaves have fallen, the grass is sodden, the outlook more bleak.

However, amongst the sombre browns and greys, little bursts of life appear.

Precious snowdrops, jonquils (already), hardy violas, the last of the roses, a camellia from our baby tree, occasional daisies (those ones that never die). 

If you go looking there really is beauty everywhere.  What's in your garden this month?

I'm doing a mood board every month with my friend Karin.

♥

~ snap it...red ~

There are little snippets of red all around my world.

It's vibrant and fun and cheers me up (much more than so-called cheery yellow).

I'm never without a pair of red shoes in my cupboard.

But my favourite colour is still blue.

What's your favourite colour?  Do you wear red shoes?

I'm playing snap-it with Sarah and lots of others over here.

♥

~ fabulous fuzzies ~

Here's this week's version of mostly macro Monday.

We started calling hibiscus fuzzies over on flickr years ago.

My friend Helen is to blame -  and she takes the most beautiful photos of them...check them out here

Here are some of my favourites from the archives...we don't find them so often here in chilly Tassie - so they're like holiday postcards for me.

 

 

We had quite an eventful weekend - we lost a kitten for a night (locked in the cubby house it turns out - one very unhappy, clingy kitten emerged the next day) and Gracie sliced her foot open with a saucepan lid requiring minor surgery at home at bedtime on Saturday.

Today the sun is shining, the jobs are (mostly) done and I've got a ginger cake in the oven for afternoon tea with some old friends (but Jack and I did some dodgy measuring so I'm not sure it will turn out ok -  however, there are back-up mint-slices in the fridge).

Lots of work on this week and then school holidays.

How's your week looking?  Can you grow hibiscus?

 ♥

~ grateful for ... time out ~

{iconic Wine-glass Bay at Freycinet}

Last weekend saw me packing my bags on Friday afternoon and almost skipping out the door to a conference on Tassie's east coast. 

Two whole nights away. 

Two days of finishing meals, listening to whole conversations, a wilderness walk without carrying all the just-in-case clothes and keep-going snakes for 3 little ones. 

Dinner, drinks, late night, sleep-in...

{we were lucky enough to have drinks and a tour of Saffire}

Some fascinating and inspiring speakers. 

Time to sit and think.  To finish thoughts.  To just let them swirl in my head and resolve themselves...or not.

{Honeymoon Bay}

Of course I missed home.

I revelled in those first hugs and the tumble of words as they raced to tell me all that had happened.

But I loved being away.  Loved it.

And I'm so grateful for the time out of my ordinary life.

♥

I'm loving gratefuls with Maxabella here and here

~ snap it ... neighbourhood ~

  

 

  

We walked, crunching and swishing through the leaves.

We gazed up at golden light streaming through trees, illuminating all.

We looked down at fallen objects, common but precious.

We gathered beauty in our hands, made patterns at our feet.

This is our neighbourhood. 

 See some other neighbourhoods here

 ♥

~ capricious clematis ~

 

My wordless Wednesdays have been replaced by a snap-it post that I'm really enjoying...but I've been missing the flowers.

So.... here they are for mostly macro Monday.

I had a lovely weekend away at a conference up the east coast of Tassie - stunning scenery and some really interesting discussions.

I enjoyed the calm and the quiet - not to mention the company and the food.

I'm struggling to get back into the right head-space today... and the constant mummy refrain seems more insistent than ever - was I really missing it?

How is your Monday looking?

 ♥

~ grateful for....being a mum ~

{Me - complete with glasses, stripes, smile and a brooch!}

I'm grateful for being a mum this week.

We had Mothers Day over the weekend and I was thoroughly spoilt with lovely cuddles, kisses, beautiful words and precious handmade gifts.

 

{bit worried about the weekend business - otherwise...awwww!}

I actually feel grateful for this every day.

That my road to motherhood was easy.

That I am blessed with 3 beautiful, healthy children and the opportunity to raise them here in this lucky country the way I choose.

I'm learning more every single day about what it means to be a mum and I'm so grateful that I'm here, right now, doing it every day.
  

♥

I'm linking with Maxabella who blogs every week about being grateful.

What are you grateful for this week?

~ snap it...inside ~

I have been desperately trying to file/sort/delete some of the photos on my computer (some 40,000 of them!!)

Came across some of our renovation last year and was amazed at the changes inside my kitchen.  
I'm loving the light and the space but clearly need to work on loving window cleaning a little more.

Today's inspiration word was "inside"

I'm playing along here

~ grateful for... autumn colour ~

We lived in WA for for 7 years and I never stopped missing the change of seasons.

The change is gentle there, time drifts along and the seasons morph from one to another without fanfare.

Tassie is never like that - yes, we can have all 4 seasons in a day but the seasons bring changes to our streets and gardens that simply stop you in your tracks.

All week I've been pointing out amazing red trees, gorgeous stacks of leaves, beautiful berries, amazing street-scapes to my kids.

They tolerate me... just.

But I'm so grateful to be here, living these change of seasons and marvelling at the beauty that comes with change, decay and growth.

I'm grateful for autumn in all its glory.

♥

I'm linking with Maxabella at grateful's new home.  Go and have a look.

What's your favourite season?

~ snap it...black and white ~

I don't take many black and white shots - I'm more about the colour but there's a new Wednesday theme group happening over here and I've been loving Sarah's instagram shots and thought I'd play along too.

 

This is our old piano - its about 100 years old, a little battered but still beautiful.

For ages its been more decorative than anything but this year both girls have started lessons.

They're even starting to make some recognisable music (even more so now it's been tuned).

And so far, I haven't even had to nag about practicing...long may that last.

I've been thinking about learning again too... I would love to be able to belt out some tunes but years of lessons (and being nagged a lot to practice) have seen me barely able to tap out a two fingered tune.  It's still a dream of mine though.

 

Do you play an instrument?

Would you like to?

 ♥

~ lovely mail ~

My love of getting something handwritten or pretty in the mail is well known. 

I stockpile cards and stationery and TRY to send out more than I get!

Not so long ago I discovered a project called the elevated envelope and jumped on board.

Its all about snail mail and in the most beautiful way.

Participants make and decorate their own envelopes to send around the world.

As usual for me, I procrastinated my way through the first few weeks/months of my project but the last few weeks saw me sewing and sticking like crazy to get my envelopes done.

The deadline was May 1st and I posted all mine the day before.

I've been very impatiently waiting for some mail love to hit the post box.

Today the first one arrived....and it wasn't even one from my list.  A very generous and kind lady called Elizabeth saw my comments about her beautiful envelopes and made another just for me.  I may have squealed at how lovely it was.

{this does not do it justice - it simply glows}

{its from Kent - how did Elizabeth know we lived there for a year?}

{a small cut out of a fairy on the reverse}

{I love this - a stamp made from one of her other painted and decorated envelopes}

I can't wait to see what other treasures will arrive in the next few weeks.

I hope mine (not even in the same league as these) find a happy home too.

Would you be interested in being part of a project like this?

Who was the last lucky person to receive real mail from  you?

 ♥

~ grateful for.. May Day celebrations ~

It's been a bit dreary and dull here this week.

We're drowning in laundry at home and so many layers of clothes when we venture out that we can barely move.

So it was lovely to go out with the school on Tuesday to celebrate May Day.

We watched traditional Morris dancing and joined in a southern hemisphere version of celebrating the seasonal change.

My daughter's class showed off their Maypole dancing skills

They did it with such joy and enthusiasm. 

I always marvel at how small, simple events like this can bring such happiness. 

That wonder of childhood... long may it last.

 I'm grateful to see it shine.

Joining in with grateful thoughts from near and far with Maxabella

 ♥