Celebrating seven

This week my baby turned seven. Oh my.   We celebrated Hugo style, by pitching a tent in the backyard and inviting a few friends over for a boys own adventure party.

There was a bonfire to cook twist stick bread, hot dogs, a campfire cake and plenty of wrestling in the tent. The boys were given little swagman bundles filled with a torch, first aid kit, magnifying glass along with a little chocolate for nourishment should those adventurers need an energy boost.  Activities included a hike through the bush, a game of soccer and quite a lot of drawing.  Both with pencils and of glow in the dark swords.

I always feel a little wistful when my children celebrate a birthday, as I remember those little babies and see how quickly they are growing up.    But any feelings of sorrow are quickly forgotten when watching the joy and enthusiasm of one not-so-small boy.

Happy birthday Hugo!

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14 comments celebrations, family, growing up, hugo

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Holiday snaps

:: making wedding cakes to help out an amazing friend

:: swimming lessons, every day for two weeks at the local pool

:: drinking peach agua fresca when it's too hot to eat - you can find the recipe on justb

:: exploring mofo - so much fun, such as....

:: watching under water drumming...tina havelock stevens was incredible!

Wish you were here!
x

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6 comments cooking, elsa, family, growing up, holiday, hugo

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Life is just a bowl of cherries

There's been a lot going on around here lately. I seem to be running from one thing to the next.  Some highs and some lows.  Happy times and sad.   My girl turned ten (!) We celebrated Christmas with good food and good friends.  I felt like I ran a marathon prepping and working for a friend at the Taste Festival.  And MoMa keeps going from strength to strength.

But for the most, it's hard to think about anything much than the devastation that has hit our island.  So many homes lost to intense bush fires.  So much devastation.   Heartbreaking.

The flip side is the incredible show of community spirit as people come together to help those in need.

Humans are amazing.

The camera sits forlornly on the table.  Not used much lately.  But then amidst all the goings one, there was a moment I photographed with Hugo.  After a friend gave us a huge bucket of cherries from his tree.  I took them and I sat with Hugo on the verandah and we ate those cherries.  As the cherries stained his clothes, I taught him an important life skill.  That is, to spit the pips over the railing.  

I sat and looked down at what's left of my garden, at the shrivelled leaves on the fruit trees, the wilted berries and the dead brown grass.  All decimated after 40 plus temperatures, crazy hot winds and no rain for weeks.  Not a drop.  I try to feel grateful that I still have a garden.  Plenty don't. I do feel grateful but it is still hard nonetheless.  

So I sit with my son, spit pips over the railing and life seems perfect for a moment.  I forget about the bad stuff, breath in the moment, remember the good and finish that bucket of cherries.

Feeling incredibly lucky really.

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8 comments country, family, good things, hugo, sad, seasons, tasmania

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Love

Three of my favourite photos that Kate Berry took on her visit.  I'm so in love with these photos.  Kate is such a gifted photographer.  I'm so thrilled Kate, you are so clever.  Thank you so much. x

See more of Kate's gorgeousness here.

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8 comments cute, dreams, elsa, family, friends, good things, hugo, love

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Boys Annual

The annual birthday party.  Often an angst ridden affair with a last minute rush of crocheting party favours and painting papier-mâché at midnight the night before.  It's not the feeding of a hungry bunch of kids that worries me. I love cooking for children. It's keeping them amused for three hours, and the preparation it requires that frightens the bejesus out of me.

This year, thankfully, Hugo didn't want any party games, no pin the tail on the donkey, no pass the parcel and definitely no girls.   What he did want, was a bonfire and a chocolate cake, with "Hugo's Chocolate Cake" written in running writing on the top.  Too easy. Now this is a party we can do.

A handful of school buddies, building towers with kindling, tossing paper aeroplanes down the hallway and toasting mama-made marshmallows on the little campfire we made. And of course finishing with the requested chocolate cake.  That mama forgot to buy six candles for.  Luckily no one noticed. They were all too busy having fun. Even without a piñata.

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10 comments big, celebrations, good things, growing up, hugo

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Now we are six

When I was One,
I had just begun.

When I was Two,
I was nearly new.

When I was Three,
I was hardly Me.

When I was Four,
I was not much more.

When I was Five,
I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

A.A. Milne

If only...

Happy Birthday sweet Hugo

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6 comments big, growing up, hugo

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And so it begins...

It's a bittersweet moment when your littlest baby loses his first tooth.  A significant milestone on that path to growing up.  A giant step away from infancy and towards big kidness.  Sob.

Yesterday, that first wobbly tooth fell out, while Hugo was munching on our first loaf of bread baked in the new oven, not an insignificant event either.   In anticipation of a special visit from the magic folk,  last week I helped Hugo sew a little pillow with a pocket on the front   Before bed he carefully tucked his tooth in the pocket and placed the pillow next to his head.   In the darkness this morning, I was woken by a boy showing a me a coin in one hand and a gem in the other, with a look on his face so beautiful it made this growing up caper a little sweeter for one mama to bear.

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9 comments growing up, hugo, sad

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Spring days

These spring days, when the weather plays nice, are my favourite.  Mild sunny days spent in the garden, surrounded by flowers and new spring growth.  Even the most neglected parts of the garden have a charm about them at this time of year . Yesterday Hugo and I had nowhere to go and nowhere to be except at home.  All too rare these days, as it seems the pace really picks up towards the end of the year.  A day off is one to be treasured.

We spent the morning in the garden, sowed some lettuce seeds, planted tomatillos, harvested all the carrots and a few rogue garlics that were overlooked last year.  Then the sight of a massive scorpion forced a hasty retreat inside.  A hot chocolate to soothe the fractured nerves of a small boy (who thought scorpions have lasers) and a batch of cinnamon buns to bake.  Ready just in time to share with friends for afternoon tea.  A perfect spring day with nowhere to go. I wish there was more of them.

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6 comments garden, home, hugo

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Blunnies off

It's quiet around here because it's school hols right now.  We've kicked off our Blunnies and headed outdoors, enjoying bare feet on the grass and the warm spring weather.  Might be time to invest in a pair of these I think.  We have made marshmallows and popcorn for picnics under the birch trees.  


This weekend we head off to gorgeous Lily Cottage for some beach time with friends.   Before we go there's lists to write and I'm dreaming of delicious things to cook on the campfire. It might be warm, it will probably be cold.  Actually, it might also be time to invest in some of these too.   


Hello spring, it's so very good to see you.

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7 comments elsa, garden, good things, hugo, seasons, yum

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Hugo and me

I've been writing this blog for nearly four years now, and I love looking back through old posts and reminiscing about the days when I had the peeps at home full time.   How quickly things change.  Hugo is at school three days a week, Elsa five.  When they come home they run to the neighbour's and play on the street, with nary a glance back at their mama.

This year, as things get busier for me I have to remind myself to cherish those two days at home with Hugo and to be more mindful of his needs. I find I get swept up in lists and chores or doing work stuff.  Hugo gets bored, gets whiney and then I get grumpy.

To get the balance right, I've decided that one day a week is just for Hugo.  A Hugo and me day.  We might go to a cafe ( my favourite ahem, not his) the park, the bike track, a hike.  Anything really, so long as it's us time.

 At first I thought this would be hard. To drop everything and just go, but it's not.  It's easy and lots of fun.  Today was so warm and sunny we grabbed some lunch from the Yo Yo Bakery in Cygnet and hit the beach.  There was icy water to paddle in, fallen trees to climb, rocks and shells to collect and like most Tasmanian beaches, not a soul around.  It was perfect.

How silly am I that I need constant (daily!) reminding to be present with my children.  How sad I will be when they're all grown up and flown the coop.   The lists and chores and work stuff will still be there, but they won't.

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15 comments growing up, hugo, me

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Due to the weather...

Activities around these parts have been dictated by the weather of late.  It's bitterly cold, snowy rainy and incredibly windy.  Not that we're complaining.  It's beautiful and wild and totally Tasmanian.  And any excuse to stay indoors with the peeps is lots of fun.   

Saturday's deluge of rain created a stream running through the boundary of our yard.  The peeps rugged up and built gnome houses, dams, bridges, light houses and villages with sandy shores.   A rare treat,  running water and mud in the garden, and the chance for some creative building. Then inside for warm baths and hot chocolates. 

Sunday I had a feeling the market would be cancelled, but I packed the car and headed off to Hobart anyway.   I was almost there when I received the call that yes, as the main stall had just been carried four meters into the air and split in two, that market was cancelled.  That gave me the chance to have an unheard of leisurely weekend breakfast in a cafe in Battery Point watching the snow flurries outside. How lovely! 

I drove home over the mountain through the most magical snow fall, plonked myself on the couch and played with Pinterest all afternoon.  Bliss! 

Today we woke to the news that we were snowed in one road, and flooded in on another. Cut off from school!  Hoorah! No option but to head west to the Judbury Crafters meeting.  I prepped some stuff for Pip's pom pom project for the children, and dragged out my sock knitting, ahem, from the back of the wardrobe and off we went.

In a beautiful sunlit room with big windows overlooking the wild and flooded Huon river, sat a dozen or so people spinning wool.  On spinning wheels.  There was jam and scones and warm mugs of soup and lots of sharing of stories and skills.  I got some much needed help with starting off my socks, again,  and to be honest, felt a little inadequate that I was using boughten wool.  I hadn't actually sheared my own sheep or alpaca, dyed it with foraged plants and spun it myself. Not that anyone said anything, everyone was very friendly and welcoming, however that might need to be a project for the future.  In the meantime, next month, I'm going to bring a crochet hook and get some help starting a granny rug.

What a creative, warm and happy time we are having. Rain, snow, floods, road closures?  Bring it on. We're happily hibernating in the valley thank you.  We might see you in the spring.

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11 comments elsa, hugo, playtime, seasons

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Home love

Today was my first day at home without the peeps, or any meetings or work commitments since the school holidays started almost four weeks ago.  It was heavenly.  And while spending the day reclining on the sofa was tempting, the house really needed some lovin'.  Especially the peeps room.   Check out the before shot. Yikes! It all started going horribly wrong three days ago when they turned their room into a shop.  It never quite recovered. I'm sure A Current Affair were on their way to do a story on the family living in such a mess.

It will be a pleasure to tuck them in tonight without risking a sprained ankle or a bruised shin.  Fingers crossed it will stay that way until bed time.

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9 comments elsa, home, hugo

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The birthday party

A boys-only celebration with treasure hunts, balloons and plenty of cake ending with raining lollies from the must-have piñata.  Happy birthday Hugo!

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14 comments celebrations, hugo

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