I love Wildlife Until . . .

It gets on my nerves and this usually results from excrement left where people can walk through it. Today proved to be that day.

Way back in November we were so excited about our feathered visitor. The children took photographs of him to their various educational facilities and we talked about it for days. Mr Peacock has returned and we were all delighted. We'd rush to the window and watch his beautiful colours, admire his confident strutt and marvel at how his wife was so plain next to him.

I even allowed the children to throw some bread out for them and, much to my disgust, Rogan played a few games of chase the peacock around the house. I needn't have been alarmed as this has only encouraged the birds to become one of the family and poop right in my front door this afternoon. From now on Rogan can chase the peacock whenever the mood takes him. I think, next time I see him, I'll warn him that my father has his older brother standing on a log of wood proudly in his lounge room and if he doesn't behave my feathered friend will be standing right next to him.

On a brighter note though we have another cyclist in the family. I have been bribing, begging and almost forcing Rogan to give up his three wheeled scooter for a three wheeled bike for nearly a year. I couldn't help comparing him to Kayley. When Kayley turned four I removed the training wheels from her bike and pushed her off into the sunset. She never looked back. Now she has a bike set for a ten year old and zooms around my parent's neighbourhood like she was born on a bike seat. Rogan, however, has been much more reticent.

Yesterday while I was out supervising my one day gardener Rogan plopped himself down on the seat, planted his feet firmly on the peddals and said "Hey, watch me. I can ride a bike." Trying to be supportive I turned to smile kindly and stood, mouth ajar, and watched as he slowly but surely made his way across the driveway. Hmmmmm. Why do children do this? We stress over potty training, no night nappies, learning to walk, talk, ride bikes. And every time they do it . . . when they're ready to do it. There is only one downside . . . Rogan likes an audience and we need to be out there marvelling at his amazing bike riding feats at all possible times. Let's hope the novelty wears off soon.

Gardening Delights

I thing that I’ve got some of my enthusiasm back for gardening and it’s probably got something to do with the lovely box hedging that went in yesterday. This morning I got cracking and mowed the first half of the lawn . . . the house side. I’m almost out of petrol and haven’t got the heart to drag two children down to the garage to fill up the can so the second half will have to wait for tomorrow. However, while they were sleeping I braved the heat and got out to do a few more chores. It never ceases to amaze me how much can be achieved in a childless hour when it would normally take all day.

I got stuck into the weeds on the top of our raised mound garden. I’m ashamed to say that some of the weeds were larger than the plants. No more, however, as they’re thoroughly pulled out and looking very sad as they dry and die in the hot sun. I did notice that, after four years of being carted around the country in pots, my canna lilies have finally started to flower. There’s only one at the moment but it shows so much promise. I can’t help but think they’re telling me I’m home after years of nomading around the world.

I’ve used all my grass clippings to prepare gardens for further planting. I’m a firm believer that all you need for healthy plants is sheep poo (in the form of store bought pellets) and grass clippings. One fertilises and the other keeps the moisture in. Once that job was done I ferreted through the vege patch looking for ripe produce to put on the table tonight. I couldn’t resist putting up a picture of Kayley’s pumpkin. Her school has an annual competition for the largest pumpkin and supply the children with a plant at the end of each school year. I’m trying to keep our feet on the ground by reminding us all that if Kayley’s pumpkin is this big then the other kids will be too, but there’s a little glimmer of hope in my competitive spirit. It’s difficult to see how big it is in this picture but Kayley and Rogan can sit side by side on it comfortably. And our crop of cucumbers has been extremely successful also. I’m so glad Kayley is addicted to them or we’d be completely inundated. I also harvested some beans and some tomatoes. Yum dinner tonight.

Operation Ground Force and Bags of Fun

This morning was a bit like having the luxury of my very own gardener. There was an element of guilt that I should be doing something constructive rather than just watching and an element of glee watching this lovely little hedge go in like a gorgeous green gift.

Way back when we first moved in, the very day in fact, my cousin Peter (fourth cousin, 2000 times removed or something) stepped out the garden which was all bare and awaiting some plants. He arrived back on the patio and said "You'll need 80 Belinda." Hmmm, 80 what? Apparently I would require 80 box hedge plants to do the edge of the entire garden.

Now Peter is something of a deep green thumb and he propogates his own hedging and supplies a number of places. It's his retirement fund . . . as we all know retired dairy farmers are usually skint. All that was required of me was to fill in the gaps once the drive had been done and he'd come around. Well, today was the day. He drove up with dozens of little plants in the back of his vehicle, a sharp spade and a big smile. "Don't you worry Belinda," Peter said, "I'll do it all for you." And he did.

Thankfully this morning was fairly overcast so the heat wasn't too bad. Jill, Peter's wife, arrived around morning tea (thank goodness I'd baked yesterday) and assisted along with my two darlings who took great delight in watering the new garden.

I'm so in love with it that I keep popping around the corner just to check they're all still there and they're all still alive. I can see just what it'll look like in a couple of years when the hedge is thickened up and uniform with some gorgeous and brilliantly coloured hibiscus behind. Now I have to consider whether bark would be a good idea. My one reservation is . . . cockroaches.

So with all the hard work done this morning I've been sweltering out under the umbrella working on my mid-project. Whenever I'm making something of squares I get a little bored with the tedium so I pick something else up for a bit. Yesterday I made a start on this bag. It's much bigger than I thought it would be and I'll have to pop back to the wool shop for another ball of cotton but I'm loving it so far. As the rounds decrease it's getting quicker too. I have to keep pushing aside the thought that I spent over $100 dollars on my leather handbag a couple of years ago (when I was childless and had nothing better to spend money on) and enjoy using this as my everyday bag.

I've never been a handbag girl really. I've always just had one and used it until it fell apart. I will never totally understand the patience and determination it must take to gather all the stuff a woman keeps in a bag and transfer it lovingly to another bag two or three times a week. Seems like a pointless waste of time to me . . . but we'll give it a go and see how it works out.

Oh Dear . . . More Practice Required

I promised myself that I would not spend my six child free hours a week doing house work. I've failed on my first official day.

Dropping all the children off this morning I raced home in great anticipation. But before I could get to anything exciting I had to do a couple of quick chores. So . . .

I stripped the beds and washed the sheets. Apparently it's going to rain part of each day for the rest of the week so I had to get this done while I could.

Having put together the lunches this morning I realised that we had no biscuits left for school lunches so I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies and a russian shortcake.

And, while they were baking and the last load of washing was spinning I thought I'd fold yesterday's washing. It was while I was doing this that I looked at the clock and realised I had just one hour of my three left. So the table looks just as this picture shows (I'll finish folding while Janae's asleep this afternoon) and the beds can wait until this afternoon also. So I got a bit of crochet done and hope to carry on once the little chores are out of the way this afternoon. Here's hoping anyway.

Oh, and a quick aside . . . remember the post I did about the hat for a friend's little girl? I was right . . . it's my colour conception that's off. The brown hat looks so cute on her. And, as I chose clothes for Janae this morning and all the stuff in her drawers were lemon, pink and purple I decided it's time I got myself (and both her grandmothers) out of the colour rutt we're in and be a bit more adventurous!

The Incredible Tara

It is not my own creativity that showcases today but something so much better. My friend Tara Fadenrecht.

We met at university some years ago and I've always known she was an artist but the work she's doing now is so amazing that I just had to share it with you. Click on her name above and go see some amazing pieces of art. There's a table that I'd just love to have in my hall but I fear it may be some time before I can possess an original Tara.

Ah well, I'll stick to my own mediocre stuff for now. Speaking of which I delivered both my own commissions today. They both went down very well and I needn't have worried about the brown hat. Lucy looked gorgeous in it . . . goes to show I need to get outside my own colour comfort zone from time to time.

Happy Birthday Rogie McKogie

After a long and tedious night I finally gave in and we started Rogan’s birthday at seven. The children would have liked to have started about 4am. Actually I had been awake from 2am after Rogan informed me he’d wet his bed. The midnight activity must have woken Kayley, who was more excited than her little brother about the big event. I went down the hall twice between then and four to be a big growly night creature. To no avail I’m afraid as I discovered two little bodies in Kayley’s bed at four. They were having a wonderful time.

Finally separated and under no illusions that I meant business they went back to sleep. I, unfortunately, did not. And, was not best pleased when they reappeared every ten minutes from six to ask if they could open gifts.

Because today was a full one the decision was made not to party today but to save it for Saturday so one decent present was given and it was a huge success . . . as far as the children were concerned. A marble run is, without a doubt, a great toy but I’ve decided that children’s toys should come with a mental health warning. I had mountains of housework to get through this morning and managed almost nothing as the entire morning was spent setting up and constantly repairing the structure. At one point I had to walk away from a pile of pipes, tubes and wheels and hide away as my temper was getting the better of me.

I finally solved the problem by blue tacking it to the garage floor. This has withstood a preschooler and toddler bashing marbles at it for most of the day. And Rogan announced in his loud four year old voice that it was his best birthday ever.

We dined on junk food (very much a treat in our house) with Nanny and Grandad, ate cake and jumped all over his road mat which was the grandparent’s gift.

And now it’s the end of the school holidays. I still can’t believe that tomorrow school starts and we’re back into some kind of a routine again. While it’ll be great to get kids out of the house for a while I am not looking forward to the alarm going off at 6.30 tomorrow morning for the first time in six weeks. That being said, I’d best go raid the freezer for a loaf of bread and something for dinner tomorrow night.

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Creative Chaos

Boy-oh-boy my house is starting to look like a sweat shop. I have little bits and large bits all over the place; some are complete, some are almost complete and others are very much works in progress. I have crochet books, balls of yarn, hooks and other paraphernalia about the place, the ironing board is up to press and block completed and semi completed projects. It’s a veritable mad house. The reason? Because I keep coming up with another project that must be done immediately. Like this throw.

My cousin Erica is coming over from Australia next month for my mothers 70th birthday. Well, Erica plays ladies once a month with her girlfriends and they have high tea. Being in Australia I can only imagine that the flies would be as bad as they are here and that she would need something lovely to throw over the cakes to keep then safe until serving time.

The one I made myself I love but it’s very vintage and not quite in keeping with Erica’s ultra modern decor so I had to create something original. I wanted it to be understated but to still make some kind of statement; so I revived the pansies. There are only three complete so far (I’d forgotten how fiddly they are to make) so I still have two to go and they have to be tidied up and attached but I’m loving the effect already. I had envisaged them at the four corners but as I threw each completed pansy onto the throw I realised that randomly dotted about would be much better (yes these aren’t yet random but remember randomness doesn’t come naturally to me).

Perhaps tomorrow I’ll manage to finish this project and get back to my latest wrap/cardigan I’m making. But for now it’s off to my room to wrap Rogan’s birthday present. My big almost-four year old has gone to bed nappiless and eagerly anticipating getting a trumpet, a racing car, a violin, some drums, more footballs and copious other gifts he’s told me he really needs over the past couple of weeks. Boy will he be disappointed.