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 ...

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

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Our garden is OVER FLOWING with tomatoes

I've bottled and preserved

We have:

 tomato sauce

tomato chutney

tomato puree

bottled tomatoes

pizza sauce

etc . . .

And then I remembered Mum and Dad used to make us home made spaghetti 

A quick email to Mum

"May I have the 'secret' family recipe please"

An email in return 

Spaghetti In Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS :-

*  1 kg ripe tomatoes

*  2 medium onions, diced

*  1 tbsp sugar

*  2 tsp fresh basil, chopped

*  350 gms spaghetti

*  Salt & pepper to taste.

METHOD:-

* 1  Scald tomatoes in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Remove skins. Roughly cut up tomatoes.   ( In actual fact, I don't skin my tomatoes !! )

* 2  Cook onions & tomatoes in a large pot, till tender.

* 3  Blend tomato & onion to a puree. Stir in all other ingredients (except spaghetti)

* 4  Cook spaghetti till tender.

* 5  Add spaghetti to tomato mixture and fill clean, recycled food jars, leaving a space at the top. Cover with a metal lid.

* 6  Preserve 

Alterations to recipe made by me 

tomatoes, onions, garlic, sugar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt

Oven roast at 160 degrees C for 90 min 

Blend 

Taking Stock OR What I'm Doing Right Now

Cooking : Bread

Smelling: Homemade bread 

Knowing: I'll be making another in 2 days time

 Enjoying: Watching Week (we are only allowed to watch once a term)

Admiring: my wee ballerina, who in a week of chaos and confusion brought me such peace and happiness 

Feeling: overwhelmed

Drinking : cups of tea

Wearing: my pj's

Considering: hiding here a bit longer 

Waiting: for a tyre to be fitted to my car (I failed my warrant of fitness, apparently tread is important!)

Buying: a new second hand tyre and windscreen wiper blades (apparently they are important when it comes to WOF's too!)

Making : granny squares whilst waiting

Wondering: how many of their clients crochet in the waiting room 

Wanting: ATTENTION!  she followed me around the back yard clucking until I picked her up and gave her a cuddle 

Getting: the garden ready for the winter vegetables

Watching: the other 4 girls digging over a freshly emptied garden

Needing: rain rain and more rain

 Giggling: at the conversations between these two gorgeous BFF's

Playing: happily together 

 Looking: at collections around my bedroom 

Loving: all the reminders of bloggy love and friendship

Wishing: Upon A Star, charcoal drawing by me

Marvelling: at the creativity 

Opening: my wardrobe

Deciding: on what dress to wear 

Liking: my hoop art - LOVING it actually!

Thinking: 15 years

Pondering: the journey so far

Reading: Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor

Bookmarking: where I am up to and turning off the light (9.30pm)

Hoping: on an early night 

Noticing: I have no photos of Philosopher this week

Following: my children's class blogs 

If you want a list you can get it from Pip at Meet Me At Mike's too!  

Taking Stock OR What I'm Doing Right Now

Admiring: two girls playing in the pool, splashing 

Giggling: at the squeals of laughter, it's contagious

Wishing: I could jump in with them

Feeling: Hot

Wearing: Polka dots and red 

Making : a Giant Star quilt

Following: Sandra - Cherry Heart, my new blog and IG find - LOVE

Buying: Prawns!

Smelling: Prawns!

Loving: my lunch date with bloggy friends and Prawns!

Watching: my children play ever so happily outside "It's what kids do" I keep reminding them

Wondering: If this sibling love will last ~forever~ I do hope so 

Deciding: This tree hut has many more years of play ahead of it 

Looking: at my little girl shimmy up the bus stop pole .

Hoping: She doesn't fall (Mr B tells me to stop being a Mother!)

Wanting: a 'Lucky Book' book order from school, and being told they had to 'earn' the money

Marvelling: at their dedication .. .. .. running outside to mow the lawns

Feeling: proud (whilst laughing)

Enjoying: the gym

Knowing: it is good for me 

Noticing: how it has become a priority and everything slots around it 

Waiting: for the Pears and Tomatoes to ripen and the bantem to start laying 

Thinking: How blessed we are to have such a productive back yard 

Cooking : Copious amounts of Plum Jam (hello 30 jars full)
Considering: Plum Sauce for the next lot

Drinking : lots and lots of sparkling water in this heat of summer

Opening: up a bottle of malt vinegar so we can make volcanoes 

Playing: Trucks and Volcanoes 

Liking: the coolness of the evening and one on one time with my boy

Reading: My required 'reading' list for Uni

Needing: A lot of books

Getting: myself organised 
Bookmarking: The Women's Bookshop

Pondering: my week ahead 

If you want a list you can get it from Pip at Meet Me At Mike's too!  

In My Daughters Eyes

In my daughter's eyes, 

I am a hero,

I am strong and wise, 

And I know no fear,

But the truth is plain to see,

She was sent to rescue me,

I see who I want to be,

In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes,

Everyone is equal,

Darkness turns to light,

And the world is at peace,

This miracle god gave to me,

Gives me strength when I am weak,

I find reason to believe,

In my daughter's eyes

And when she wraps her hand around my finger,

How it puts a smile in my heart,

Everything becomes a little clearer,

I realize what life is all about,

It's hanging on when your heart is had enough,

It's giving more when you feel like giving up,

I've seen the light,

It's in my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes,

I can see the future,

A reflection of who I am and what will be,

And though she'll grow and someday leave,

Maybe raise a family,

When i'm gone I hope you see,

How happy she made me,

For i'll be there,

In my daughter's eyes 

~Martina McBride~

Tsunami was stung by a bee in the weekend

I am anaphylactic allergic to bees

And we had no idea if she had inherited my allergy 

We waited with baited breath checking for any signs of allergy

Calming a hysterical 5 year old who's #1 concern was she had just killed a bee by accident

(Tsunami had been studying bees at school so knew the girl bee with the stinger would now be dead)

Tsunami showed no signs of inherited allergy and after crying herself to sleep for a massive 3 hour nap was back to her normal self later that night

Tsunamis class sing the Bee Song