I am ready for Autumn and Winter

As I sit writing this, I'm sitting outside in the wonderful sun! 

The children are at school - breathe and exhale - 

It's actually feeling quite summery ... there's something about this sunshine that's so so lovey, and that is, it only comes out between crisp cold mornings and long cold evenings. 

Autumn is here, the fig tree is laden and I can see feijoas fallen from feijoa trees under the apple tree, ready for the children to collect after school ... I am loving every moment of this season ... and it is these cold evenings that have inspired and pushed me to start creating again ... 

I've recently made three quilt flimsies - including cutting up my vintage linens and my liberty of London stash and I have two lots of knitting on the needles ... 

I am ready for Autumn and Winter 

A good friend - like a quilt is both a treasure and a comfort ...

If you want to experience peace plant a garden...

There is much to be said about the healing of the mind and soul found in nature (I'm not so sure my body agrees tho) ... My garden, planting and weeding has literally kept me sane the last few weeks.

If you want to experience peace plant a garden...

I've weeded, dug over, planted (no need to water with this rain) and I've messed with my OCD self as I've planted a cottage garden for Miss P.  I've spotted self seeded plants re appearing from seeds sent to me from friends and I've purchased new ones.   

I've read up and learnt about pruning, separating runners and roots and I've learnt the difference between annuals and perennials.

Instead of letting the stress rise I've diarised to spend time in my garden (and also with my friends) ... My garden is a peaceful place to be ...

Always Be Kind

I don’t think there is a single person who is living a perfect life. 

I mean, we all have problems, challenges, issues, trials, tribulations. 

Whatever you want to call them. 

There are a lot of us walking through this life hiding the bad stuff ... I know I do 

While whatever we are facing often seems tough, sometimes even impossible, like it will never pass, It's good to remember ... everybody has something hard they are facing. 

And there’s a good chance somebody else is in a worse place than we are.

So let’s be grateful for what we DO have.

Let’s be grateful for the storms we have already made it through – that they have passed, that they have shaped our character, taught us lessons and made us who we are today.

Let’s also be grateful for our current storms, knowing that this too shall pass, and out the other side, we will be stronger and wiser.

Knitted Woollen Baby Singlet - Using a 'family' pattern . . .

For a baby due in April 2016

She Let Go

She let go.

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.

She let go of the fear.

She let go of the judgments.

She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.

She let go of the committee of indecision within her.

She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.

Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn’t ask anyone for advice.

She didn’t read a book on how to let go.

She didn’t search the scriptures.

She just let go.

She let go of all of the memories that held her back.

She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.

She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.

She didn’t promise to let go.

She didn’t journal about it.

She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.

She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.

She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.

She just let go.

She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.

She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.

She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.

She didn’t call the prayer line.

She didn’t utter one word.

She just let go.

No one was around when it happened.

There was no applause or congratulations.

No one thanked her or praised her.

No one noticed a thing.

Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.

There was no effort.

There was no struggle.

It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.

It was what it was, and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, she let it all be.

A small smile came over her face.

A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore…

Sunday Shawl ...

I'm utterly convinced I sent my crochet teacher to the bottle all those years ago ... However, after my latest finish my then crochet teacher who is my now good friend advises me she always knew I had it in me once I applied myself.

I began following The Little Bee (Alia Bland) on Instagram after seeing so many beautiful renditions of her Sunday Shawl pattern there. 

After purchasing the pattern I went wool shopping in the city with my friend Janet where we decided on a 4ply rather than 8ply because 'really' it doesn't get _that_ cold in Auckland AND I am only 5ft tall so don't really need a shawl down to my knees ...  

The colour guideline I gave Janet (and myself) was 'think Cath Kidston' ...

This was my Australia project where I hooked on the flight between Auckland and Perth and back to Auckland again .. .. ..

It was my Glandular Fever giving me a kick in the arse reminder to slow down project where I spent a couple of days in bed hooking .. .. ..

And it was my I AM going to complete a project towards working on my PHD project .. .. .. 

I love the colours, I love the pattern and I love that I finished something!

 I call that a win win. 

Working On Completing My PHD . . . (projects half done)

It would seem I am notorious for starting up a multitude of craft projects and never finishing them, mostly because I either lose interest, life interferes, something better comes along or all of the above. 

I was reminded of this over the weekend when Deb came to stay and turned a pile of my unfinished quilt blocks and embroideries into wee zippered pouches.  One said embroidery I started and finished BEFORE I had the children and it had sat in my PHD basket since then . . . 

There are the sewing projects, with the pieces cut out, ready to go, which have never seen the light of my sewing machine:- Hobo Quilts a project started before Mr Z started school, stuffed Easter bunnies from 3 Easters ago and of course, I'm failing to mention the myriad of crochet, knitting and embroidery projects I have started and are patiently waiting completion.

I have made a resolution with myself, I must finish at least one PHD before embarking on a new one ... and ... I have the golden carrot of a new project dangling out there to help keep me motivated.

Secret Garden Birthday Party

Miss P aka Tsunami turned 7 the day after we returned from Hong Kong/Korea

Not happy with a Disneyland birthday, she wanted to be at home with her friends to celebrate . . . I have no idea where she inherited her socialising skills from *looks away*

Keeping it simple was the order of the day for me . . . 

A very talented friend made the cake 

Rainbow, Secret Garden with the door, was requested.

Bunting and Balloons

An afternoon party with Mamas finest pretty china

Old fashioned lemonade

Ham and Cheese sandwiches

Scones, jam and cream

And lots of lovely little girls

Miss P has some amazing adorable wee friends who I am very fond of 

Lovely girls

Rainbow cake as requested . . . Everyone needs one of these at least once in their life time _right_

As I said I have no idea where she gets her socialising skills from . . . 

It takes a village to raise a child and I am blessed with some amazing fellow Mummy villagers 

Happy 7th Birthday Miss P

Work In Progress - Summer Blanket

A blanket started *ahem* last summer ... 

Progress is being made albeit slowly 

Should be finished by next summer

And That Was April

Marvelling: At home grown goodness - from garden to plate 

Knowing: I need to replant more carrot seeds and tend to my garden 

Wishing: There were more hours in the day to achieve everything I want to

Thinking: How when I was so sick last year this amazing Mama simply told me to put my kids on a plane and send them to her!  

Liking:  Being in Wellington on a Mama and me weekend.  Liking staying with bloggy friends who have become IRL friends who have become family friends.  Catching up with lovely Wellington bloggy friends.

Feeling: That this is what blogging is all about - connections.  

Wanting: to find my blogging mojo again and not to be scared to write.

Needing: To grieve - To show emotion

Deciding: Death is nothing we can expect (even when we were expecting it) or imagine (until we are experiencing it) and 'hiding/suppressing' our grief in the public eye was not the right way for me 

Buying: Coffee

Drinking : Coffee

Smoothie and morning coffee

Coffee at the gym 

Coffee at the airport

Coffee after the gym

Coffee whilst event planning

Coffee sitting outside listening to the rain

Making : my summer crochet blanket - (that I started last summer)

Reading: Text books Text books oh and Text books - Medieval Europe so much easier on the heart mind and soul than Gender Violence

Watching: Netflix . . . loving it . . . Upstairs Downstairs 

Wearing: A timing chip on my shoes for my 2nd 1/2 marathon training race

Noticing: How other peoples comments still affect my heart

Getting: Fitter and Healthier 

Looking: At paper piecing 

Pondering: Life and Death 

Hoping: I find my paper piecing knack as I have a giraffe to make 

Playing: On the swings before my Boxing Bootcamp

Giggling: Like a child

Feeling: Free ... Flying through the air

Considering: Doing this more often - it frees the mind

Enjoying: Exercise !  I love it ! 

I'm fit and healthy and I get to hang out and exercise with amazing friends all in the name of exercise.

Loving: Exercise

Waiting: for a bus .. .. .. wall sits!  honestly who's idea was that?

Wondering: Why people never commented on my weight 18 kilos ago but yet they feel compelled to now I've lost it?  hmmmmmm