How to have a Cyclone

So we nearly had a cyclone.  Ex tropical cyclone Oswald paid us a visit.  It wasn't pretty. 

Here is our brand new trampoline, that was blown down the paddock by the cyclonic winds, and cleaned by the torrential rain.

My son said he was glad he wasn't jumping on it when it took off.  As am I.

We were flooded in for four days, and besides the lack of milk and bread, no power, mobile phone or landline, and the faint whiff of cabin fever setting in, we did okay. 

We still have many small towns cut off by floodwaters, and my heart breaks for them.  So many places flooded, lots of animals lost, rural communities beginning another clean up and regroup.

It will be done.  They breed 'em tough out here in the country. 

Get up, dust themselves off and start again.

There's no other choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those Were The Days

I had a bit of a sore throat this week, so I decided to take myself off to the doctor.  As it is school holidays, I dragged the kids along, which was fine as they had their ipods to talk to.

While we were waiting, a young mother came in with her two cute little girls, probably aged around 3 and 4.  As I smiled and watched them run around the waiting room, it took me back to my own terror filled days of being a mother of a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a newborn.

Yes.  My kids are all two years apart.  I think back to those days and wonder how I did it all.  Two in nappies, one giant sized nappy bag and no electronic equipment suitable for this age group.

When they were little, the thought of taking all three to a confined space ie doctors waiting room, supermarket or movie theatre, filled me with such dread that I'd rather poke rusty forks in my eye than have to go through it.

My kids were energetic, loud little babes.  My three year old son could rip the door off the kindy bathroom quicker than you could say teacher retiring next year (this actually happened, but she put the door back on and she stayed on to teach my son how to walk inside!)

My kids wouldn't sit still in any waiting room, even with copious amounts of toys or books available.  They'd much rather open every cupboard or explore every closed door.  Persistant and adventurous, I'm sure they knew they were out in public which was the perfect time to embarrass me.

We loved our swimming lessons.  Each of my children started when they were 9 months old. 

One fabulous moment etched in my memory was when my two year old son decided to sprawl himself in the doorway, naked and as white as snow, reciting the word fuck fuck fuck over and over again in his bestest most loudest voice.

This impressed the mother of the goodie two shoes girls, who stepped over him and just said "hmm".

I can't understand why he didn't just say rainbows or unicorns, but I suppose his memory recall didn't allow for two or three syllable words at that stage.

As they got older, it became a little easier.  The age gap didn't change of course but they did find a little sense somewhere.  I still can't take them to Bunnings without them tearing off in three different directions, but we can go to the movies and behave or sit in the doctors waiting room and not make a scene.

Sometimes they will hide under the clothes racks in K Mart but that's okay because everyone does that.  Time kicks on and kids grow up and life gets easier.

But seeing the mum with the two cute little girls made me long for the days of doors being ripped off hinges and little kids in swimming lessons and baby stuff in giant baby bags.  I miss it and I suppose when the kids are teenagers and sulking in their bedrooms, I'll think back to today and miss that too.

Don't wish the time away because it's gone in a moment.

"Please just one good photo in front of a very important building for Grandma.  Just one....".

Wordless Wednesday

Problem - Heavy Mattress

Solution - Move with Tractor

 

  

Linking up with Trish

 

 

  

 

House Update

It's been a while since I've posted a House Update, but I can assure you things are just wonderful!

We have settled in very nicely and the house is as amazing as we had hoped for!  We still can't actually believe, after so many years we are finally living in our dream home!

Of course, there is still lots to be done - we have no mirrors, door stops or landscaping, but these will come.  At the moment we are just breathing in the newness, exploring every corner, and appreciating what we now have.

My house smells so new. I don't know how to describe what "new" smells like, but it just does! 

Everything is so fresh and uncluttered, and we have so many built in cupboards!!  We have yet to even unpack everything we have in storage, as we have been taking our time and just enjoying the moment.  I think once the kids are back at school, I can focus on getting everything in order.

The kids love having their own rooms.  The transition from five of us sleeping in one room to the kids having their own space was really easy.  I was concerned that Miss T (aged 7) wouldn't settle, because she was only 3 when we moved to the farm and before that, she shared a room with her big brother!

But I shouldn't have worried!  She loves her pretty room and her new bed! 

In fact, everyone loves everything!

Emerald Green

On Wednesday, my facebook status read:-

2013 is going to be fabulous! Just fabulous!! 

 

I didn't think it would get so fabulous so quickly, but yesterday I found out that

Pantone have chosen Emerald 17-5641 as the Color of the Year. (colour in Australia).

Well my knickers have certainly gotten themselves in a twist over this one.

You see, Green is my colour.

My colour!  Everyone who knows me knows that I love Green.  It's my colour!

I adore Emerald and I'm quite partial to Malachite.

I'm not jumping on the bandwagon either as I rode this baby in a long time ago!

From someone important at Pantone.......

Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. Also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity, no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.

"The most abundant hue in nature, the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today's complex world.

In a room full of colour, my eyes are always attracted to something that is Green.  It makes me feel calm, and it can be in differing shades from mint to jade.

I love window shopping and I always manage to take photos of random green items that take my eye.

And of course my bedroom, bathroom and craft room are painted in Antique White USA and Sage Green.

 

 

 

 And I seem to accumulate alot of green and gold jewellery.

 

But I'm not complaining!

  

 

 

Do you have a favourite colour?  Are you a black and white devotee?  Are you as obsessed as I am?

Please Share!

Jump

 

 

The kids were lucky enough to be given a new trampoline for Christmas.

Santa, you rock!

We found the perfect spot for it right next to the pool and so far the rule of "one at a time only" hasn't been broken. Or so I'm told!

They decided to take some Iphone snaps and experiment with some black and white filter settings.

I really love these photos, they are not the perfect work of a professional photographer, and the light and shade may not be quite right, but they show one moment captured in clarity for me.

My children are happy and healthy.  They can run and dance and fight and laugh and cry. 

They have the world at their feet.

So they Jump.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Precious Babies

 

Linking up with Trish.

2012 - My Country My Life

Images of My Country - 2012.

 

 

 

I never thought living on a farm would be so sublime and that it would fit me so well

 

 I really feel this is where I belong. Our house is a country house, with large wraparound verandahs that are just crying out for a wicker chair

 

 

 

 

 

 It was such a bittersweet time for me, moving from our comfortable home in the suburbs to a farm, a shed and a totally new life. Having never lived out of town before, I was scared. Fearful of the unknown, worried about change

A treechange

The country life is in my blood, born from the roots of my mother and my grandmother. I just....belong here

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love living in the country

I love the space, the clean air and the peace

The early morning wake up call of the magpie, and the laugh of the kookaburra

 

 

 

 I plan to grow old on the verandah of my house, knitting something amazing while my grandchildren play in the fresh air.......nothing would be sweeter.....

 

 

 

 

I'm going to Rock You 2013

Image Credit

So here we are. Welcome 2013.

I've been thinking of the usual new years resolutions that I seem to make...and break...it never works out for me as I'm very determined at the start of the year, but I don't seem to have any grounding or discipline to keep them going..to actually achieve what I set out to do.

It's the usual kind of stuff - be happy, lose weight, get fit, read more books, cook more, lift weights again, spend more quality time with the kids, get more sleep, buy a dog, stop drinking wine, learn to play my guitar, scrapbook again, teach myself to sew, have more patience, finish the house, go to America ecetera ecetera.

As you can see, there is alot that I want to do, to achieve and to complete. I think my problem has been that I have so many resolutions, so many things to focus on, that I can't give 100 percent to them all.

So I just forget about it.  Throw into the too hard basket in the corner.

This year is different!

Maxabella has invited us to share one word for 2013...just one...that will be the focus for the year ahead!

I've thought about this for two days....how could I possibly choose a word that would be applicable to everything I hope to achieve?

I threw around some words that still mean alot to me, such as happy, enjoy, patience, organise and embrace. I still hope to have all of these in my life this year, I want to be happy, to enjoy my life, to be a more patient person, to be more organised and to embrace the life I have been given.

But one word has drawn me in, and so I have chosen......

Discover

A word with myriad possibilities.

Dis-co-ver
to see, get knowledge of, learn of, find, or find out; gain sight or knowledge of (something previously unseen unknown.

This year I want to discover how good I can really be.  I don't mean this in the context of vanity, but rather in wanting to learn, create and nourish.  To do the things that I always put aside. 

To have more patience and motivation to get things done.  To have acceptance of what I cannot change.  To discover the balance of work and play and willpower and determination.

I think that focusing on this one word to encompass everything I wish to achieve, is exciting and I can't wait to get started!