That Good Old Chook Pen

Sorry about this photo. I forgot to add it in my original post and I added it late, which makes it come up as the first photo, and now it's mucked up the continuity of my story. Anyway, this is Jimmy being a pest with my knitting needles and skewering a banana with them. (Stacey, that's not a poo on the couch, it's some goldy-brown wool. But check out the man's dribble!) So, to begin....

Our chooks have been absolutely worth their weight in gold: wonderful layers, patient pets and engrossing entertainment for little ones. I'm so glad that Jimmy has reached an important milestone: he is brave enough to go pottering about in the chook pen by himself. This is excellent news for me because now I can lock him in there and get on with some important work....

Knitting. I do enjoy knitting because it is relaxing, it keeps me "in the moment" (I have to concentrate so hard) and it keeps my hands warm. However I am very slow at knitting. A more mature lady who once helped me said, "Here, give it to me, I can't stand watching you; it's like watching paint dry!"

This is the project that's on my needles right now. It's going to be (I hope - fingers crossed) a sort of elf hat for Kees. The trouble with this project is that I have a strong sense of futility and foreboding while I'm making it; I bet he will try it on once, say, "It's too scratchy/hot/tight", throw it on the ground and run away, never to wear it again. Then I'll try it on Jimmy and he won't bother saying anything, he'll just throw in on the ground and run away. And if it's that bad, I won't even be able to give it away as a gift, and then countless hours (and hours and hours, I'm slow, remember) will have been wasted. Therefore, I am trying to just enjoy the process, moment by moment. Can you tell I'm reading my second fill of "Buddhism for Mothers"? What a wonderful series of books. xx

Warm Colours

I LOVE WINTER! No more sweat bath and no more mozzies! Hallelujah. Goodness me, I just can't get enough of that cold wind and these beautiful warm colours. We're in the subtropics and deciduous trees are pitifully rare; how I yearn for a proper autumn and winter with glorious seasonal changes. I recently read a compelling theory which argued that many of us recent (just a few generations) immigrants to Australia are still adapting to being in the "wrong" hemisphere. Our genes have seasonal expectations that aren't being met! Perhaps that's why I feel the urge to fill my home with orange, red, brown and yellow, and seek these colours when we're out in the lovely fresh weather. In a sunny bedroom...

at a romantic sunset wedding...

or smelling marigolds at the Botanic Gardens...

or stopping by the op shop (for a look - ha!). These were my purchases the other day and I am in love with this little lady. I don't love this word, but I have to say: isn't she adorable? She is a sweet little wind-up music box from 1973, the same year as my car. You just can't beat that old-school stuff for cuteness. I know possessions shouldn't make me so happy. ;o)
I would love to know what's warming the cockles of your heart this week? How are your genes adapting?

Mini Sheet Skirts!

You might think that I'd become sick of sewing with sheets, but no, my friends, I have only hit the tip of the iceberg. Churning out at a rate of knots to sweet small girls are mini-sheet-skirts! Hurrah! PS: Check out the cute singlets embellished by Jess ;0).

Dictionary of Word Verifications

Does anyone else get a little giggle out of some of those crazy word verifications you have to decipher when you leave a blog comment? Would you like to add to my dictionary?

entshire - somewhere near Hobbiton

repouch - take something out of a pouch then put it back in

balyal - a very loud cry

dirrizi - ?

foulacti - these germs cause bad breath

skevast - Swedish architectural style

deading - becoming dead

chembust - police raid on drug lab

pacrew - people who set up for bands

fakiscol - really really cool

The Bunya Mountains

This post is long overdue, but I still wanted to put up some photos from our trip to the Bunya Mountains,

with this mob above. Aren't we a fine bunch?

Climbing liana-strangled trees was fun

and so was exploring unnervingly close to precipices and giving the parents white knuckles.

Max and Kees froze their bits off in this freezing waterfall! And guess what? We actually experienced the sting of the dreaded Giant Stinging Tree, after all these years. Les Hiddins (aka Bush Tucker Man) was right when he warned of the pain: naughty Kees was - gently - whipping Max with one of the leaves, and we thought Max was being a big wuss crying about it, until we realised what the leaf was. The noble but errant Keith quickly snatched the leaf away from Kees, stinging himself in the process. But, thanks again to Bush Tucker Man, I remembered that the sap of the Elephant Ear plant (Cunjevoi) which often grows nearby is an antidote to the stinging, and happily, that also was true!

The company was delightful and we had a great time,

especially after M and K went to sleep and we could all relax.

Thanks so much you lot for a really fun time. xx