Frock on Friday with Truck

If I ever find a dress this cute I may never take it off......(courtesy of The Sartorialist)
sunshine and an outing for the boys. . ... Beau and his best buddy C, have this battle in the car for the middle of the back seat. B and I stand on opposite sides of the car attempting to gently separate the two small bodies and in stereo, try every verbal maneuver we can come up with, amidst the screams. Eventually we just laugh. Parenthood!!!@@#$$ Surely it's the fast track to enlightenment! Some of the practices Rinpoche has given us, are very dynamic, similar to Tibetan Buddhist custom; simultaneously voice chanting, hands moving with mudras, visualising, eyes open - all senses engaged, with the intention to stay relaxed and present. Sounds familiar doesn't it!

Today a prayer for the Tibetan people. May all people find presence amidst the chaos.

Can you hear it???

........the earth is humming in pure delight.

What the rain brought;

some hope for the drought victims..

A barrow full of it in fact..

and the promise of more to come..

a queue for indoor hanging space..

one delicate, rug- bound canine who will go for hours without urinating to avoid damp paws..

a morning with three happy little boys and a tub of play dough..

and a very quiet afternoon for mama......aaahhhhhh.

When The Significant Other Is Away....

on a Man Date - things to do;

Gather important items at close handSnuggle up to most beautiful 3 year old boy until he falls asleep.

Engage in some healthy girl talk with Sister-In-Law and Ms BMW via telephone.

Lament the consumption of half a block of (very fine quality) organic mint chocolate.

Research short courses to squeeze in somewhere.

Google 'sore gums, early sign of pregnancy?' and get slightly excited when findings indicate the affirmative (could be, could be!). Did any of you experience this, at say 2 weeks into pregnancy?

Google 'due date' and 'pregnancy calendar' and plunge briefly into Google Goose Chase, regain consciousness and proceed to;

Fold washing.

Contemplate early bed time.

Ignore the above in favour of some knitting in front of the TV (blame it on the chocolate).

Down From The Mountain and One Whole Year

One year of blogging for this gal! It's quite an achievement isn't it. Sometime, around 1999, I lit a fire out back of a house I was sitting in Sunrise near Byron Bay, and slowly and ceremoniously burned every one of the diaries I had kept since 14 years of age. There were 30 of them so it was an all night affair during which I'd catch a glimpse of an entry now and then and read and cry or laugh and bid the event farewell. It was a very cathartic thing to do at the time, especially as I was transient and was literally hauling my past around with me in a small van. I have no regrets but now and then I think it would be fun to read them and have them to show my kids. I suppose this blog will satisfy that to a degree. Keeping a diary has been my sanity. Blogging too though in a different way. A diary is a no-holds-barred, repository of deepest emotion and truth. I never once thought anyone would read them. Never intended it in the moment. Whereas here we are writing and revealing as much for others as ourselves. Much more inclusive. Much more fun. Less therapy!

We have just come Down From The Mountain, from a glorious Easter weekend of 'roughing it' in our super duper new tent and self-inflatable mattresses (slept like well fed babies). Not nearly as many people as the line of cars heading in the same direction threatened. We were to meet friends there but missed each other to the effect that we camped 2 km from each other and had to drive over to visit each other. The family camped opposite us were so gorgeous, our children frolicked together and we played music and talked around the fire at night. And all the other stuff that keeps the soul right and wholesome and connected to all that is important.

The Hilton


The joyousness of being grubby for daysobjects of nature to stare at for long periods of time

The benchmark for future Back Door Step
The locals
The View from the Loo
The physical challenge of a wash in the icy river.

Camping karma yoga
The stuff that calls us there to begin with. Fire and stars and songs.
I love the village atmosphere of camping and the laying down of barriers and borders (as Martino called it 'the United Nations') and usual neighbourly 'politeness' and the freedom to roam and the willingness to share a warm toilet seat and the opportunity to stop everything (except knitting and snacking).

It always feels very strange to be in doors after a camping trip. Nice to be home but the pull to live in the country is much stronger!

Frock on Friday on Thursday

I really like having an excuse to gaze at clothing. Not that one is required, but you know, I should do some dishes or something.....


This is from The Sartorialist.
Great coat. Love the tights. Bring on winter!

This photo I found through Google Images whilst looking for ideas for an outfit to a party. I've always loved that gorgeous doe-eyed 20's look...

Our friend Toby is a fashion designer in Perth and designs and sews wonderful pieces - suits, skirts, jackets, shirts, man-skirts, mostly unisex couture pieces that cross over into art at times. He incorporates screen printing and detachable details. Check out his website which is yet to be expanded www.formallyknownas.com.au.
Toby has always been one of those people who just doesn't see a gulf between an idea and its actualisation. He made a living from street performance before turning to fashion design. He has worked really hard and lives a truly unique, creative life with a damn fine woman I might say who equals him in originality, intellect and silliness (very important in any relationship, silliness). I'm saying all this partly because I know you will at some point possibly read this T and R and you should be reminded of how enormous a breath of fresh air you are for us. I can't keep up with you these days. K has a mighty good go at it though!!

Have a safe and happy easter everyone! We are getting out of town for a few days with a brand new tent, yippee! May it rain down upon us yet (not all weekend though...thanks).

Too Darn Hot.

How are you survive the heat??? Over this way we did some of this at regular intervals during the day,
which went later out here to avoid garden expiry,
and took the opportunity to wear favourite frock from M's collection whilst preparing tea on kitchen set recently aquired from garage sale,
and focus on anything that looks vaguely cool whilst trying to keep all doors to outer world closed,

and blast the air con guiltily for hours until sun down, after having spent entire day at pool with friends.

Now just home from choir practice. They pushed on through in the heat - slow songs on a sultry night. It's been so very good for me to lead the choir. I still feel ill-equipped musically a lot of the time simply because I don't have much time to put back into my own musicality. But I feel very happy out front in the role of holding things together and this is a nice surprise as I haven't had that responsibility before. Just me. Always with others or on the other side. I feel that one day I might further my music studies and that this experience will give me greater opportunities out there. I watched the film 'As it is in Heaven' last week and realised what it takes to really lead and inspire a group of people. (lay awake all night analysing myself of course, as you do) Some of it I have and some I really need to find in myself. In some ways I'd even like to just hand over to someone else and sing with them instead, as I don't get to do much singing, not with others any way. They are a gorgeous bunch.

We are singing 'She Moved through the Fair' a beautiful old Irish tune sung by anyone who's anyone in the Irish music world. (Happy St Pat's Day by the way). we have been trying to work out what the song is about, a bit of research here and there. I love it when the song becomes a bit of a journey for everyone. I t helps to soak it up and give it out in one's own way.

My father (the retired Holden Whisperer, yes) sings in a choir in WA and sings solos and lives for it. It's special for me to witness that in him. He has rediscovered a very big part of himself and gives us another point of connection. It was really special for us both for me to go to choir practice with him when I was there, and sing along with them.

happy find

Oh the joys of a great find. To buy a coat on a hot day....perfect really. No competition! Wonderful colour that doesn't really show in the photo. Corduroy. I love the stuff. Pleats and A-Line and big buttons and long lapels. To think had I not gone to St Andrews due to heat and sleep deprivation (exhibition and night on the town with fabulous friends from Perth) we would never have found each other.....
We bought a car yesterday. Hence my trip to the Country. Love it. Good car. Nicest car I've ever owned. Very grateful.

Frock on Friday

I do believe I have found my knitting/fashion/art GURU! These are all the work of Sandra Backlund.
(Just continue with garter stitch Grasshopper, and when it is time, you will be ready)





How many sheep to provide wool for this head dress?
I'm a bit in love with those socks and shoes...whole outfit....

Flash aahahh

In a tiny house there's not much space to swing a small terrier (see below) however when the beloved son says 'mama let's do some painting just right now' anything can be moved and squeezed in to satisfy such a glorious invitation. I know it's not just artist parents that get all misty eyed and proud when their kids take interest in such pursuits. One tries not to push it. Just leave a few things lying here and there. Take up a crayon now and then, draw something so cool they have to watch....
So finally a little spot for Beau to cut (today it was his hair...) and glue and paint and draw etc.



One scarf almost ready for wear. And new needles, and yummy wool begging to be turned into booties. I never thought wool would make such a sexy subject matter. I'm sure I'm not the only freak who thinks so.

Have you met Flash? Dear Flash my 'first born' turns 11 this year. He is almost as sprightly as the day I saved him from life in a dark garage at the Arts Market in WA. I'd been down south to find me a red cloud kelpie the week before that with no luck and then come home this day, my house mate and I with two yapping, traumatised terriers, and never looked back. Flash has traveled the land with me, boats, vans, cars, trains and aeroplane. Dorothy and Toto only slightly more feral we have been. Flash has almost had me beaten up, has won us friends and has had more freedom than any being I know. And to my heart's delight both Step Father and two legged son love him as much as I. Happy birthday my precious furry friend.

P.S.

knitting going well, LOVE it. Currently knitting scarves for whole family, maybe even friends too, if they're good. Bought lush wool for friends' next bubba - booties, maybe a jacket if I graduate in time from scarves. Aren't wooden/bamboo knitting needles fantastic. I bought 4 pairs from Camberwell. Will post pics of works in progress - have yet to buy a wool needle to tidy up. And still 396 knitting stitches to try.......

Lazy Labour day

This week Beau learned about the anatomy of a trout HIS way. These days it's me AND him up at the bench preparing dinner which is pure joy for us both. He is a whiz with the grater and can beat egg whites almost faster than I can. He has in the last month stopped talking about himself in third person. I remember a woman saying she was taking her 3 or 4 year old to speech therapy because was speaking about himself in third person and wondering for a millisecond if Beau would at some point need speech therapy (this was a year ago). As we suspected he just 'grew out of it' and frankly it was so cute we almost miss it. Ironic that we wait for our child to finally identify with 'I' at the same time we are attempting to let go of that very conditioning. And then ironic that we need that conditioning to understand that we are better off without it....(brain freeze)....

Beau and I have started doing more drawing and crafting which is wonderful. He's been so into his trains that all else has paled in significance. It has been lovely to watch him quietly master the use of scissors and hold up a shape and declare it a something. So much is changing in him. He is more social, more imaginative in his play, more conversational, more curious...what a joy to behold it all. This is the best job I've ever had.

Today we drove in air conditioned comfort far from this hot little house up into the mountains with M and his daughter B. We met Drew under a tree by the Yarra and there we stayed for 5 hours moving only to dip in the cool water or to run up to the shops for lunch supplies. It's what I most yearn for. To slow life down and spend most of our time surrounded by trees and birds and water and clean air. Such good friends these folk. Much laughter and silliness and even a game of hacky sack (the only 'sport' I've ever been vaguely adept at...) for the adults for which these days we have to warm up in order to avoid serious injury. K and I met in the midst of a hacky sack game. But that's another story.

River Chill

Spent the Sunday doing this....



on this......



with our good brother Drew who is stopping in on his travels and bringing with him calm and humour. We floated on the river and talked about living life without feeling the pressure to 'do', to achieve, to work work work, and we talked about how challenging it can be given that a good deal of the population believe that these are the qualities by which one's worth is measured. Sadly it seems that a person isn't praised equally for taking time out to know their mind.

Drew and I went to the cinema yesterday to see 'Bella', Mexican movie, and we howled the way through so moved we were. This is the first time in 3 years I have been to the cinema and what a lovely way to return. The effect the film had on me was to desire to rush home and be with Beau and cuddle him and to as soon as possible, expand our little family. The sight of a noisy passionate, musical Mexican family brings out the matriarchal mama in me.