The Waking Ritual

We cannot blame the schools alone for the dismal decline in SAT verbal scores. When our kids come home from school do they pick up a book or do they sit glued to the tube, watching music videos? Parents, don't make the mistake of thinking your kid only learns between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. ~George Bush

Orange Pear Apple Bear

My children have developed a lovely ritual for when they wake.

Tip Tip Dig Dig

When little Eee wakes in the morning or after her afternoon sleep, she calls out. Ess often hears her cry and goes in to greet her. She knows the ritual Eee would have her perform.

Tip Tip Dig Dig

Ess says "I choose three books for little Eee, then I give her lots more. I get some books for myself and plop them in little Eee's bed and then I get in the bed and I read the books I got for myself and I give them to little Eee."

Tip Tip Dig Dig

They read and they read and they read... for an hour or more.

Isn't this a wonderful way to wake and start a time of play. What better introduction to the day I say.

Yet, I lament.

In just over a week, school will commence. Ess and Eee will not have time during the morning rush to continue this ritual. I will need to move them on to eating breakfast, brushing teeth, getting dressed and packing bags. I fear this special time will fade.

Yet, is this reading ritual not a more important way to spend time? Rather than to rush to prepare for school only to wait for the teacher to arrive, for the children to unpack their things and be seated and ready, for something new to learn etc. etc.

All ideas for maintaining this little ritual of my girls own making are warmly welcome.

Many thanks to Homestay Mama whose giveaway I won last year. It was a giveaway which allowed me to purchase these books for my girls. She kindly changed her gift from an American business to an Aussie one so I could purchase books and not have to pay the same price in postage for them. She is a lovely lady, delightfully warm and encouraging and would be very pleased to meet you I am certain. When you pop in to say hello, let her know I sent you.

Foggy Birthday to You! - or me rather :)

One misty moisty morning, when cloudy was the weather,

I chanced to greet an old man, clothed all in leather.

He began to compliment and I began to grin.

How do you do? How do you do?

And how do you again.

~ Anonymous

The last couple of mornings here have brought this rhyme to my mind as we headed out into the foggy morning, unable to see further than the corner at the end of the road.  It has made me smile as we walked and rode along our path to school, feeling the damp, breathing in the cool moist air, viewing the empty branches of favourite trees against a foggy sky.

It has increased the difficulty which I had in photographing the new bunting I have made for our birthday celebrations.  Yet the bunting brightens our spirits and heightens our excitement and anticipation.  I have somewhat "foggy" feelings about bunting.  It is very popular at the moment.  I have noticed it on my favourite blogs and in my favourite real life shops.  Yet I don't find it very beautiful, not very elegant.  So why have I made some? Perhaps it was the inspiration of Mel's Australian Homesewn Magazine once again which had me search through my fabric scraps for a colour combination which might please us.  I am quite happy with it  actually.

My sense of pleasure was heightened when I heard my dear little Eee exclaim "oh, ho, ho...pretty!" as she entered our living area this morning, my birthday.  With her short stature  and keen eyes it was the first thing she noticed looking up to greet the day.  Ess also had made a quick visit to see whether the bunting was hanging - "Mummy I came to see if the bunting was hung and then I knew it was your birthday".  She had been anticipating the day and had been asking me for a couple of days whether it was my birthday yet.

So now I very much like my bunting.  It has delighted my girls.  I intend that it will delight them for years to come as we hang it for each of our birthdays and create a new family tradition.  Perhaps I'll be inspired to make one for each of us as we celebrate our birthdays.  This row is only 13 flags long.  

All in all, I am absolutely thrilled when cleaning out my stash evokes such awe, wonder and anticipation in my children.

Gems of Nature in a child's eyes

Nature will bear the closest inspection.  She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Photo of our Native Fuschia Correa Dusky Bells  from Flickr

While walking to school my mere school starter lamented "Oh Mummy the "Christmas Bells" don't grow until winter.  I am going to have to wait until Winter till they ripen up and I can pick one for "Bee"!" (I particularly love the use of the term 'ripen' here don't you :)).  Yes my daughter is five going on 105.  How wonderful though that by walking all these days she has learnt to search for beauty in her surroundings, to desire to share that with her best friend, to remember which season these lovely native flowers bloom.  She was expecting to find beauty!  How often do we have such expectations?  How often is our expectation limited by our surroundings?  I will take the cue from my daughter and always expect to find beauty - whether on the tail (hopefully) of a scorching heatwave, outdoors in Autumn (soon) or in the shopping markets listening to a busker play their violin.  (After all it could be Joshua Bell or James Cuddeford!)

The flowers do look so like a fuschia don't they but let me tell you they don't require the same delicate care and specific conditions.  They are very drought tolerant.  We see both Correa Dusky Bells and Correa Reflexa on our journey to school.

Speaking of appreciating nature, do you remember that wonderful movie of 1996 that was the official selection at the Cannes Film Festival.  It was revolutionary at the time for it's technology and cinematography...

Our girls have thoroughly enjoyed watching this and when my Generous Gentleman and I sat down to watch it last evening we could not shake a curious little 5 year old, resisting being in bed yet again, saying "but it's so interesting"!  We replayed it at breakfast time where it was enjoyed by all - with a running commentary from Ess.  Here is a lovely review with some wonderful pictures from the movie, Microcosmos.

A little while ago we found that ABC was showing Miniscule.  The gorgeous little vignettes delight and enthrall all of us.  Each Saturday we race through the bathing routine to be able to catch our 5 minutes of Miniscule.  There is one on tonight - Nap Time at 6.24pm.  They are quite comical and not actual representations of nature.  Tune in if you can.  Otherwise I have found some on YouTube.

Ess Goes to School

Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  ~Elizabeth Stone

Today is Ess' first day of school.  Such a momentous and an emotional time with feelings of pride, excitement, sadness and achievement all mixed in together.

She is very ready to go and was prepared at 8am this morning.  I am so glad that she is ready to learn and to meet new people.  It gives me a sense of achievement at the work I have carried out over these last five years.   Work which I value so highly.  It has passed so quickly.  It does not seem that long since we put your feet in these tiny little Baby Paws to pad around the place.

Then pretty little baby feet were fastened into these sweet shoes to wear with all those adorable little baby dresses.

I have many memories of tying the laces of these gorgeous little Elefanten boots on your chubby toddler feet.  Particularly after all our Kindermusik Our Time lessons with Mr Geoff.

These little boots, of course in your favourite colour pink, walked you to Kindy last year.  You were quite surprised when the new shoes for this year's education could not be pink.  No complaints however - such is your motivation to be at school and hence wear your uniform.  I am so glad.

Shoes have a special way of showing the passage of time.  I have many images of your growing feet in these various shoes participating in so much over the few short years of your life.

Now school has commenced and we are walking off to education again, in uniform and sandals. I hope the motivation to wear it doesn't wane as it is now very easy to choose what to wear in the mornings.

There is a heat-wave here.  The whole week is due to be over 35degC at least. Yesterday the guage at the Central Markets (celebrating 140 yrs coincidently), and on my car, read 45degC at 3pm.  Today is forecast to be 44degC.  It was 39.8degC at 10am this morning after I arrived home at 9.30am ready for my second shower of the day.  No worries about any hot water this morning. The cool was definitely needed.  Overnight it dipped only to 27degC.

So against my principles, but going with my better judgement, I will drive to collect you this afternoon and hope your cheeks are not too red as they were when I left you this morning.

Enjoy your first day, my dear girl, I know you will.

The Commitment to Walk

We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down

~ Robert Sweetgall

Our walking path from home.

A couple of years ago now I make the decision to commit to walking as much as possible. This involved walking my daughter to Playgroup once a week, walking to the hairdresser, the doctor, the Post Office and later to Pre-Entry Kindy. These were occasional walks which we all enjoyed and were somewhat dependent on the weather and my ability to walk in later stages of my second pregnancy.

This year however our walking has taken on new meaning as I walk Ess to Kindy for her four mornings each week. Twice per morning I walk the paths with my baby in her stroller enjoying the outdoors. I have found that I have become somewhat of a local icon. A can't count the number of people who have spoken to me at Kindy and commented on something about my walk: "Wow you must be fit!", "I couldn't do it, I'm too lazy. I work an afternoon shift, mornings are terrible for me." Some look longingly at me and say, "I wish I lived close enough to be able to walk." Some admire my tenacity to walk rain, hail or shine. Honestly, I didn't know how I would go through winter as I am truly a cold frog but I find that we got used to it as the seasons changed. We rugged up in coats, gloves and scarves, put a cover on the stroller and we were set. We have walked every day - that shows how much rain we still need here in South Australia. A few showers were not enough to stop our morning walks - although I remember one day running the last few metres before a downpour set in.

Now it is Spring and I am still walking. I am joined however by others who have looked at me and watched me walk rain, hail or shine, deciding to join me now in the sunshine and warmer weather. I am heartened that my decision and commitment to walk, to live simply, to exercise, to avoid fuel consumption and fumes has inspired others.

Today another Kindy Mum said to me while we walked by each other, "I look at you walking and I think "I can do that!"" That's right, she can and she did. I encouraged her to continue walking - the first week is hard, you become tired - tireder than you usually are with a house of little ones. However in a little while, as my Generous Gentleman said to me "You get used to it!" You realise the benefits of it and you don't want to go back.

The benefits to me are numerous:

• It gives me exercise.
• It gives me the opportunity to talk with Ess face to face as we walk together rather than talking in the car for the 3 min drive.
• It gives me space after a busy morning of rushing around preparing to leave.
• We notice the seasons change as our path is very well planted with deciduous trees.
• It teaches Ess that exercise is important and we need to commit to it rather than only do it when we feel like it. Even when she feels pooped, she walks home from Kindy.
• It enables me to pack the stroller whenever I like and only once to get ready to leave, even in preparation on the night before. I then walk straight out our front door and straight into Kindy without having to get both girls (and their gear) in and out of the car.
• It allows me to avoid the congestion of cars scrambling for car parks and dropping children off at school. Do you know, it takes me the same time from door to door whether I walk or drive due to this congestion!

A final benefit and delight to me is that I have inspired others. Who'd have thought that my choice to simply walk would change a little of this world, even if only in my small school community. I'm delighted!

Eee is One!

Little birthday girl, soft against your cheek,

eyes so big and bright, nose you love to tweak.
Livcly little one, sweet as any flower,

dearer by the day, cuter by the hour!

Written on the card received from Granny.

Today is Eee’s first birthday.

It seems not so long since she arrived.

We celebrated it in so many special ways with gifts and extra special hugs, kisses and games. Although we were sad that Daddy is still away, we were delighted that Granny is still here.

Ess and I enjoyed decorating her special birthday cake.



We had some very welcome help from Dulcie the Baking Talent Fairy.

We all enjoyed the pretty cake for afternoon tea after little Eee had explored removing all the petals from her stem of these beautiful flowers – stocks and sweet pea! Sadly not from my garden but from Adelaide Central Markets.


Soon my garden will be in bloom however. I’ll let you know more about that later.

For my precious little one.

Happy Birthday!

Driven By Distraction

"To live exhilaratingly in and for the moment is deadly serious work, fun of the most exhausting sort." ~ Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Do you find your children drive you round the bend? Or up the wall? Do you feel constantly distracted from whatever you are trying to achieve by their needs and demands and wants? Does their energetic, 'never-stopping' lifestyle drive you into the ground or does it serve to keep you on your toes? Are you driven to distraction or are you driven by distraction?

I was recently directed by a colleague to read an article in The Age entitled Driven by Distraction. Like her, it touched me also. At times when I have not had enough sleep, when my husband is away and when it feels everything has fallen onto my plate my delightful little morsels of energy cause me to feel beside myself, to feel "driven to distraction" as the saying goes. However they are what I have chosen to give my energy to, to place all my value in, to devote my entire life to. It is only due to my personal constraints, as mentioned above, that I lose my perspective.

In actual fact they are the ones who drive me to greater creativity through all the distractions they offer me on a day to day basis from sun-up till sun-down. Since having my children I have written many more valuable pieces of writing, written and sung more meaningful songs, sewn creatively useful items, cooked more nutritious food...the list goes on. They are the ones who have driven me to this, they and my wonderfully supportive Generous Gentleman. Yes, there are times when I feel I would benefit from introspective reflection, times of quiet and simply less noise and chatter in the house. Yet it is through the busyness of daily rituals and routine, which are surrounded by that halo of imagination I recently alluded to, that a creative daily life grows.

Today is unique in that my four year old chatterbox is out playing at her best friend's house for a few hours and my baby is asleep, or resting and playing quietly in her cot. I have taken time for reflective writing and left the house in a state of disarray. Not all days are this restful or opportunistic. Some days there is simply no impulse to write or create at all. Other days I try to carry a pen and paper around with me to jot down thoughts and ideas while we play together. Some days when Ess cannot think of what to do I get out my needle and thread, or fabric, scissors and ironing board and work on one of my meaningful projects. Soon Ess joins in with something which has inspired her such as sorting and exploring buttons. On yet other days I sit down at my keyboard and sing and play and watch Eee delighting in the merriment of my singing and Ess dancing and singing along. Oh the fun of singing that golden oldie song "K-K-K-Katie" and creating numerous new verses with new names and new rooms etc.

Most days I live to be in the moment with my girls. I want to be there for them enjoying whatever they are enjoying, creatively thinking of something new for them to enjoy. It is not always easy, not just to give them yourself but also when you do, they don't always take you and your ideas. So many times now my four year old has asked me what she can do only to discard my umpteen ideas which include playing with her things, as well as playing and learning and creating with me. These are hard times, yet growing for each of us. Ess needs to learn to manage herself and create a sense of how she can enjoy a wonderful day. I need to let go and allow her independence to grow, to allow her to feel how she feels, and let her "not do anything" until she finds something which will stimulate and satisfy her.

Distraction comes on so many levels - the interrupted thoughts while you are trying to prepare a meal and read and digest a recipe, the inability to stop and reflect to recompose yourself due to pressing needs of a little one, the cries of frustration from a little one when you are in the middle of attending to a pressing task of your own. All these distractions serve to cause us to reflect on what we truly value. While my life has slowed down tremendously in order to match where my children are at and allow them to take time to learn, to move, to think, I believe I am achieving a tremendous amount more. The value I place on their life, their sense of home, their sense of knowing who they are is incredibly important to me.

So am I driven by distraction or driven to distraction? Most of the time I am driven by it. Certainly this is my ambition, my aim and my desire. When perspective becomes cloudy I will attempt to recall this simple positive phrase and remind myself just how creative all the busyness of daily life can cause me to be. I will also continue to choose to live my simple life and ensure that busyness does not overtake me and my greatest ambitions.

My Parting Gift

Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity.

~John Ruskin

Isn't this rose exquisite!!

The photos don't clearly show just how long the bud is. It just extends and extends. Such simple beauty. I absolutely love it. So when my beloved Generous Gentleman bought it for me from my favourite florist at the Central Markets I was delighted, as were many passers-by who saw me proudly sporting my gorgeous rose.

It is however a parting gift. We will be separated for around 10 weeks due to his work. Despite the fact you expect this in his work we have not experienced much of it since we have been together. I don't have years of experience becoming accumstomed to what it is like to be apart. We have been lucky, as he has enjoyed so much family time to date. However, for me now, with two little ones to care for and no one to share the load and "adult converse" with in the evening, I find it is exhausting work. I really feel for all single parents out there and those who have lost loved ones. At least I know my Generous Gentleman is coming home.

So, inspired by our friend Imogen's paperchain, we have made one to count-down the days to Daddy's return. Boy, look how long it is! You can't even see the end in this photo! It has been good for Ess to gain a concept of the length of time, and also to see the days written as dates. She has had to decipher which link comes next in the chain as they are all printed with a day and date. It has taken her about three days to make the chain so at least we have been able to shorten it by a number of days in one go. It won't be so easy from now on.

Slowly, slowly the days will pass... and we will attempt to fill them with fun!

All visitors welcome!

Ess' Rite of Passage

Late January 2008

As I stood vehemently discussing excess water leakage from our evaporative air conditioner running down the road with an SA Water Rep, I curled my fingers under Ess’ hair, her beautiful bob. Only it was not there, not entirely, it was thinner, wispier and coming away in bunches in my hand. For a fleeting moment and thinking “Oh my goodness, what’s going on?”, I moved inside with her seemingly to get her out of the sun, the heat of the summer, as if she was unwell. As we moved I realised that she had cut her own hair. Just prior to our visitor arriving I had been resting along with Eee. Ess had been quietly playing. Mmm, yes, very engaged in playing hairdressers! On entering the house she showed me where her hair was, some of it bundled together, some of it taken outside, some still in the scissors. We gathered it, not only to tidy, but also to keep and remember this day. A day of ritual, yes is it not almost a rite of passage for a little girl to enjoy cutting her own hair? I must ask my mother…

Now we enjoy her gorgeous little elfin cut, revealing the beauty of her young innocent face.