On the first day of August
Which now seems light years away

It being the last month of official Winter in Australia.

I was wishfully speeding the approaching Spring on
to valiantly burst out of Winter’s very tight coat

Apple blossom finally bursting from its tight winter coat now in October

So,

I took a stroll with one of the grandsons
A quick walk before the early winter darkness encroached
Because little boys need to wind down for sleep soon

Hand in hand for a run up the winding path to our little park

Quickly a swing, a slide and another swing

See the street lights are flickering on
Time to run back

But wait, what a find

Usually all finds end up in little hands

Look at this leaf

It is mine

I carefully hold it by the stalk
and selfishly do not give it to my little companion

It is mine

Much too precious to share
Brim full of the essence of life

Then that very night
Photographed under mean kitchen lights
A fluke of a picture

The rivers of life
Days and nights of weather encapsulated in one single leaf
Alone on the path

Leaf

“I study the leaf veins
they are little streams of life
yearning for the sun
static trees stand sentinel
watching our brief lives go by ” A Poem by Andy Brookes

I sit here now enjoying the afternoon sunshine after this mornings grey gloominess.

The Simple Life.
So easy to find.

May your week be Blessed

#messageinaleaf #momentintime #whatdoyousee #considerthelilly

Preparing for evening

Today the sun does shine beautifully here in Sydney.
Contrast to yesterday when the same sun was out but the wind nearly blew one over. Even sitting here in the kitchen I could hear the wind gusts roaring through some tall gum trees at a park over the road.

I know in some parts of Australia we are expected to receive some bad weather today with flooding that has already been going on for days with its associated heartache.

Considering the wind yesterday we caught a brief lull and managed a quick game of “Rugby” in the back yard with young grandsons. Let’s tackle grandma was the call to which I replied and acted, let’s TICKLE you!

Lucky that they are still only five and under. There will come a time when it’s time to stand at the sidelines and direct!

The sun with its awakening rays bring weeds and flowers alive together in abundance.

Joy for the soul at the mass of riotous colour from easy to grow Nasturtiums, hardy Calendulas, bright Geraniums and tough Heartsease.

Raised Garden

Easy to grow but patience required during the long dark days of winter with Roses in hibernation.
Note to self – plant some of the above earlier and and do an extra later planting too. I’ve had to prune some of the nasturtiums back a bit today….no pain no gain

As we have only been in this house for three seasons next year I will know how this garden grows and flowers. I am really hoping the Figaro Dahlias come back again from their corms as they were brilliant last year. I was able to cut them back twice and got Dahlias on Steroids as my daughter called them

Calendula and Heartsease

Heartsease thriftily divided , one nice plant into four and then again as they grew
Calendulas price slashed and nursed along from sad straggly seedlings. These are tough. It’s the first time that I have grown these.
Nasturtiums were grown from seeds
Geraniums from cuttings. As they grow I take more cuttings from the “Mother Bush”.
“Big Red” a much appreciated gorgeous potted geranium left behind by the previous owner. Fabulous for colour in the drab of Winter

Hedge Trimmer at work

The warmth brings the hedges out of their slow and dormant growth. Time for a green haircut by my man and his garden toys.

So too does the warmth bring out our little grandsons when visiting. They love to poke, prod, dig, cut and chop in the garden all under the supervision of either myself or grandpa dear.

We did miss them though with their chatter when we attended to some gardening chores last weekend.

“Chicken Heads”

The easiest of craft activities if little hands become tired of wearing disposable gloves just like Grandma for digging.
Fill them with soil instead and get Grandma to tie a knot. Instant chickens that do not need feeding.

Now the afternoon sun causes the kitchen to glow as it illuminates and makes the yellow Nasturtiums appear translucent in their vase on the window ledge. These are complimented beyond the window by the golden hedge on our boundary and a golden tree in its Spring coat.

Did I say that I love Spring!

Hope you all have a good day.
Find something to lift your spirit even if only briefly.
Pause a while.

Sun soaked Orange Blossom’s sweet perfume

We wouldn’t have it any other way
Wonderfully blessed
Making memories

AUSTRALIA DAY AT HOME
Jan 26 2015

A hard day here
Sitting on the back verandah on this Australia Day

Australia a land of contrasts indeed…
Deep fried in the intense heat yesterday
Grey, cool and overcast today
Wishing it was a trifle warmer with the sun showing its face
( we are never ever satisfied are we! )

Egg and bacon breakfast cooked by husband dear
Minding two grandies in their parents home
Children happy and content
Grandparents enjoying the luxury of a Verandah

Savouring the view over green lawn to surrounding bush
The old lush mulberry tree
Listening to the birds and their different melodies trying to out sing each other
Hearing the old hens give their distinct call

You know this is a home to a busy family
Basketball on the lawn
Tractor truck on the verandah
Bags of potting mix next to plants waiting to be potted

Long strips of curled up bark from the gum tree lying on the veranda from a made up and now discarded game of hop scotch (grandma did not want to be the first to draw with chalk on newly re painted decking)

Little boy calling out, grandma, I’m hungry

Joys of being a grandparent in this little corner of Australia

Our laid back Australia Day

Courtesy Peonia@morgueFile free photos

Australia is indeed a spacious land. A safe Haven mainly, where we can explore and wander and discover, if we are so inclined.

Courtesy pshubert@morgue file free photos

In the 1950′s Australia was billed as a Land of Milk and Honey to migrants. A land of untapped wealth and needing workers. So they came, to help build the infrastructure and to discover. In a way they were pioneers with sight, prepared to make a better life, learn and work hard in a strange land. They were from all walks of life and prepared to take any work.

Courtesy taliesin@morgueFile free photos

Look at a few of these examples. Migrant City folk who had to learn about the land, agriculture, livestock, farming, animal husbandry. Or farming folk, homesteaders in their own country having to adapt to an extremely different climate. Australia being a land of flood AND drought. A vast land. Then the labourers, brick layers, hardy men on their own hoping to bring family to this new country and working hard to save.

Old Photo courtesy BThomas

Old Photo courtesy BThomas

We were privileged because our family was befriended by kind and generous Australians who taught my parents about the new country. My mother was a city girl and my father knew or had learnt tool making. Both longed for a new safe place to call home, raise a family and were prepared to work for it. So thanks to the family of Mr Malthouse a hard working farmer near Bradbury, South Australia our family started their life in a new country. I feel sad though because as happens in life we lost contact, and this is my mother’s constant regret in her age where she has time to reflect.

I was a child in a strange land and it was only later as adults did we truly realise the blessings we had and have around us. The abundance, even when making do. We knew no different. There was freedom of space to discover and learn.

Courtesy stweedlie@morgueFile free photos

We also learnt that if it rained and we missed the bus to school we had to walk in the rain. There was no car! Instead, with raincoats and gum boots on we set off remembering to beware one particular bend on that narrow road near a Beech Forest in Stirling. A dip in the road where a monstrously long puddle formed next to the footpath. You see we had to strategically plan this stretch because if we didn’t take it at a run from one end to the next we were bound to get drenched. I know I got soaked at least once when I didn’t see a truck approaching the bends. A snaking road past ancient, dark and looming trees on a huge property. Huge and menacing to a child and it hasn’t really changed much now.

Courtesy gracey@ morgueFile free photos

So now a few generations on as my little grandson and I take a walk…

I have learnt how to go walking with toddlers
I have learnt how a grandmother can alleviate cabin fever
I have discovered exercise can be fun

…to be continued in Part 2

Joining in with Our World Tuesdays

morgueFilefree photos

My gratitude for today was being able to go out with all of my grandchildren ages 16 to 3, just me and them. Grandpa has another week of work till his temp work is finished.

Off to the park we went with all the requirements to keep little ones fed and watered and older ones occupied.

Like a long string of colourful beads we wound our way along the footpath. Two scooters and correctly garbed excited little boys. Colourful Bicycle helmets atop sun hats. Cool dark sunglasses on and exposed tender skin slathered with sunscreen for the adventure. Big lads with their scooter and bike in the lead for safety followed by one little scooter after another. Then grandma and sixteen year old granddaughter following each other and running to keep up with the fast fun happening ahead. We are pushing prams for the homeward journey when little scootered out legs are tired!

Scootering is serious business for little boys. Full throttle and whizzing down hills and across a causeway over the creek.

One little boy remembers to stop and listen out for the frogs he heard the other day near the creek. It’s a little bit hard to put your hand behind your ear to listen when you have a sun hat and a bike helmet on. There are no frogs today.

Courtesy binks@morgueFile free photos

Along the track we whizz, one on this side of a split track and me on the other as I try to take short cuts to keep up.

It’s fun. Then there are the many exercise stations dotted around this park where all the boys have to take a turn to try out. Scooters and bikes on the grounds in lazy abandon. The biggest one can manage a high chin up because he has the height of a man but the others still want a go. Little boys are lifted up so they can feel that they are “big” too.

Trying out

Did I say it’s fun?

Now the playground and lunch and playground again and then to watch the eels. Those ugly things living in the lake along with various ducks, moorhens and lone pelican. I wonder where the swan was that lives there? Maybe it was nesting time somewhere in the reeds as it is spring here in Australia. Saw a family of ducks and their brood of ducklings sticking close together ….they weren’t on the agenda for the little boys today. It was a boys, cousins action day of fast fun time.

From here the older boys went home with friends to ride some more bikes at a pace more fitting older lads!

For the little boys then time to head home with grubby little faces and hands that had been washed numerous times already with wipes. They scootered for a while but then into the prams they gladly hopped for their chariot rides home in style. Scooters were slung over the top of prams, helmets on laps and cold bag from the lunch was slung over grandmas shoulder. Along we walked, my granddaughter and I, pushing those prams homeward bound and to brave the territory of that swooping bird again protecting its young…. It was my turn to be bombarded and swooped upon this time. Luckily I had my hat on and only felt its wings crash into me!

I did say it was fun didn’t I! On top of that it keeps me young and moving…although I do admit that I flaked out afterwards at home:)

But most importantly I am ever so grateful to have had the privilege of time to spend with family.

Do you have a small yard for the children?
Do you feel cooped in?
Do make time to find ways to get out in the fresh air and get those legs working. Those lungs pumping and those eyes finding new sights. Discover new horizons, they may be just around a few corners. Listen to the laughter and the yelling. True joy!

Make the time
Take the time
To connect
Have gratitude for today

Courtesy of B Thomas our brother in law. Circa 1955

Courtesy B Thomas our Brother in law. Circa 1955.
Time to connect

This link has some interesting thoughts. I found it when Googling for another meaning of gratitude.

Joining in for a Thankful Thursday

Joining in a bit late for IBOT with Essentially Jess