Winterish

Since I post most of my sewing adventures over on The Drapery blog these days, I've not been here much. But I think I miss the documentation of regular life, and sometimes I have some lovely photos of the kids or the dog or something we did and I think I should do something with them, so I'm going to try to be back here more often. I think.

Just in case I'm giving the impression that it's all sunshine here in winter, the beach trip was a rare break in the grey, wet and cold that has permeated pretty much the entire last two weeks, which were school holidays. Brr. I'm afraid new-to-us Netflix has had a hammering. The tonne of firewood we ordered about a month ago is not going to last.

When I cleaned out Clem's schoolbag just before he left this morning (better last minute than never), I found the drawings above. It was quite the tiresome, repetitive battle to get him ready in time for school so it was nice to be reminded of his sweeter and more interesting side.

Here's something else he did. While we asked him about fifty times to get out of his pyjamas and get dressed because we needed to go out.

No, the dog has not had rainbow facepaint. In winter the sun angles into our back room and right through some refracting crystal balls we have hanging in the window. It's a little bit Bowie though, isn't it? Andy calls her the Thin White Dog.

Jasper turned 13. We gave him his longed-for Wacom tablet for drawing on the computer. He's extremely keen on computer animation, visual effects and so forth and it turns out Adelaide actually has fantastic education resources and employment opportunites for these areas. But he's not even in high school until next year. I have a feeling this passion is going to stick, though.

That's all for now folks, but I will try to be back sooner rather than later. Thanks for reading if you've dropped by and made it this far!

- Jane xx

Sunday evening sights

 Grubby little feet

 dog in motion

 Sunday evening TV

hard to believe these legs and feet belong to my child... nearly fourteen

 the 'sports slab' where our shed once was; Andy's latest big yard project, taking shape

 

the other big boy-child (they are both wearing shorts I made, which makes me happy, even if they have to be plain denim these days)

most excellent Sunday arvo drink invented by Andy: half a can of Mercury Hard Cider over ice with a dash of Campari and a sprig of mint. Seriously good.

(Not pictured: two loads of washing, two haircuts, two batches of baking, numerous battles/debates with the 7y.o., watering the parched garden, multiple kitchen cleanings, some book reading.)

Happy Sunday. How's yours?

- Jane x

A Scavenger's Weekend

Earlier last week I had an annoying experience of spending a fair chunk of cash on taking kids to a rather disappointing waterslide on what was supposed to be a fun school holiday outing. Also, I think I managed to lose Charlie's good Akubra hat in my huffy state as I left, probably leaving it balanced on the front of the car as I drove off. Boo. Luckily, this weekend seemed intent on turning the tables.

I love a good roadside furniture freebie. I even scored a relatively aesthetically-pleasing doggie pooper-scooper (yes there is such a thing) from someone's hard rubbish recently. It has long, chromed handles that remove you from the 'business end' of the device, which is pleasantly rusted, blue-painted metal. Seriously. I barely even mind the chore when I'm using it.

What is it about the thrill of scavenging? I'll be the one running up the street with the wheelbarrow when there's a tree cut down, collecting firewood. I think fruit overhanging someone's fence is fair game. Andy's a bit dubious about it sometimes but hey, waste not, want not!

On Saturday, this desk presented itself with a 'FREE, PLEASE TAKE' sign just around the corner from our house. Don't mind if I do! My companion at the time was Clem, who has the treasure-hunter's instinct, and was very excited.

It's made of oak, entirely charming and just what Clem needed for his bedroom. Into the car boot it went - not easy with just Clem helping. I drove with the boot open, very carefully and slowly, around the corner back home while Clem ran along the footpath calling out to me that it was all going well and nothing was falling out.

We gave the whole desk a quick wipe-over and then a light polish with my trusty beeswax/linseed oil potion, I tightened up the screws on the drawer handles and it was good to go.

We had to do a fair bit of re-shuffling in his room to make it fit, and Clem (not for the first time) rejected my suggestion of getting rid of the doll's house you see upon it, which was my eventual solution. Fortunately, it's quite a deep desk.

 It even features this fabulous slide-out... slidey-outey-thing, to which I imagine Clem will add his own initials, compass-stabs and so forth as time passes.

On Sunday I took Clem and Jasper blackberry picking (Andy is overseas, actually on his way back right now, and Charlie was at a friend's house). The day was not too hot, and recent rains had plumped up the berries.

Yum!

The boys and I have enjoyed blackberries and vanilla icecream for dessert two nights in a row and there are still more left. Mind you, I just extracted a lingering stray blackberry thorn from under my right big toe. But the scratches and prickles just kind of make it all the more satisfying. We fought for those berries! And won!

At any rate, I think the world has given at least as much as it has taken from me this week, and I am happy. And tomorrow, two of the boys are back to school and Andy comes home. And the next day, Charlie is off to high school. Yipes!

- Jane x

Best picnic ever

Today was such a beautiful example of spring in this corner of the world, and we took a picnic to Brownhill Creek with some extended family. So long as we choose to ignore the fact that pretty much all the vegetation in these photos is introduced and spread as weeds along the creekline (buttercups! blackberries! Salvation Jane! figs! willowy things!), well, this was simply the most perfect spot on the most perfect day for a picnic.

It's all still so green and there was even a decent amount of water in the creek.

 There was space for cricket, and Jasper declared that he would like to have a go at cricket this summer, which simultaneously makes me thrilled and also a bit weary thinking about adding something else into our schedule. Is that bad of me?

 Can you spot the boys? (Clem, his cousin and cousin's friend, as seen from the other side of the creek.)

  This small man had an absolute ball and got bumped, scratched and filthy, which is all a bit outside his usual comfort zone, and I was so proud of how he bounced back and kept up with his older cousin and even older friend.

 This is a water skink that the boys discovered in the creek (and let go again). I didn't even know there was such a thing. Even Andy's sister who identified this for us, and has a creek at the bottom of her hills garden, hadn't seen one in real life before. What a beauty.

  We brought Skylar, who could barely believe her eyes, ears and nose with all the wonders of this place. Since she was raised in a kennel, many things are very exciting new experiences for her. She explored and explored and explored but finally gave in to the pleasure of a Sunday afternoon nap on the grass. Ahem yes, she's wearing a Liberty kerchief.

 Being dragged down a slope by your feet is apparently all kinds of awesome. And back for more.

  Sliding down the dirt slope by himself: "Watch this one, it's going to be really really really really really really really really hardcore!" (Clem also told me the other day when we were throwing and catching his soft toy Miffy that it was 'hardcore' so I'm not entirely sure of his definition.)

 Big dead tree across the creek. Charlie thrilled at being in photo for scale.

"I didn't realise it was going to be this much fun," Clem said.
Those clothes and shoes will never be the same again.
One hundred percent worth it.

I hope you've had a happy weekend too!

- Jane x

Skywhale

Warning: ridiculously picture-heavy post! Also, giant inflatable whale boobs.

Artist Patricia Piccinini's Skywhale came to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens for the Adelaide Festival - it was about a month ago now and I'm only just getting around to posting about this beautiful day.

The Skywhale was a massive, gorgeous, peaceful presence and the weather seemed to embrace her with mild sun and stillness. When we could tear ourselves away from the giant air-mammal, we set off to explore the new wetlands that have been built in a reclaimed piece of land right next to the gardens. Here, stormwater is being collected and filtered and stored as a resource to supply the water needs of the gardens; it is hoped that within a few years, it will be enough to water the whole gardens.

These are the kinds of things that make me hopeful for my children's future. Heaven knows there's enough to feel sad and angry about in our country right now. Sorry to wax political. I Marched in March. But I want to keep my eyes, and my heart, on the positive things, too.

Hmm... that ended up being a bit more than pretty pictures and hot-air boobies, didn't it?

- Jane x