today i'm loving

A little angel left us some preloved clothing from some funky Dude on our front door step. It only just fitted. There was a strong southerly blowing today but our little man was still chomping at the bit to be outside. Perfect attire for an expedition into Mummy's newly made sand pit.


Our backyard is noice and long but a bit suburban. If we end up staying awhile after returning from working out west, I am planning to make a dinosaur garden, more pots of herbs and vegie tubs and would love Dada to put his woodwork skills to good use and build something to climb on.

Our winter greens are coming along, but some little creature is chomping on the celery stalks. I have now decided to try some Derris powder. An old mate of mine swears by this. Otherwise the leaks and beetroot and rocket are going along well too.


I'm loving these gummies I scored for one dollar from a garage sale in astonishingly beautiful Wattamolla. I've been wearing them all day. An old dairy farm had just sold. I also could not go past these little beauties for 5 dollars each.



With the organisation of our kitchen, I had been eyeing off these handmade ceramic bowels from Berrima Pottery. The are perfect for our morning porridge.

It was such a relief to be at home today. I love feeling some sense of control over our lives and making our home warm, calm and running smoothly. I thought about running down to a playgroup and remembered I often come home quite frazzled. Toddler play with older and younger ones seems to be all about Mummy doing damage control. I am conscious of when I will be working fulltime again and how will I cope. Everyday I find more and more of a connection with my son. He does baffle me at times. I find it one of the challenges, getting to know who he is. Everyday is different. Sometimes I'm not up to the challenge. But when the day is all about caring for our lives and bringing us together and I am so focussed on the task and not stressed out about something I cannot actually change, everyone is happy.


And lastly but not in anyway the least, another most glorious angel wrote to me to let me know I was the winner of her most fabulous giveway. The most amazing and capable and lovely Posie. I am so lucky and very very happy. XXXXX.

a frosty day turns warm and glowing

Oh how the mornings are now so chilly.  The earth is all frosted over but the skies are clear and the air is crisp.  I awoke feeling a bit of an ache.  We all have our own burdens.  There is always a story that is deep and often difficult for others to understand fully or to come to terms with.  There is sadness, loss and hardship.   There is pain and illness and hardest of all injustice and cruelty.  I used to think I had to rise up against all of this.  But it makes everything so much of a struggle.

I am slowly learning that being creative is the remedy for the soul.  Loosing yourself in something that really makes you joyous.  Being at one with the moment.  Finding your inner radiance and shining.

ps. I love you Mum.

nature boy

  Today was a very happy day.  We awoke to frost and low lying mist but then this quickly dissolved and the sun and blue sky beckoned to us to forget about our chores for the morning and venture out for a bush walk.  There is an old rail track in Mittagong, The Boxvale track,  where there used to be a deep coal mine around the 1880's.  The rail track is no longer there.  You can see the raised mound where the old tracks were laid.  It is owned by the Department of Lands, so yes dogs are allowed.  The pooches come alive in the bush, like they are puppies again.  It takes some time now as our little man loves to do most of the walking on his own.  Picking up numerous stones, sticks, pods and mushrooms.  He then tires and Dada's shoulders become a welcomed rest spot.

                   We were a wee bit tired on the way home.

on my mind - grateful for - to be part of the knowing

                                photo by lovely Lisa Haymes

With Mother's Day approaching, I have to keep reminding myself  "Oh yes I am a Mum too".  I had become so disconnected to this ever being a personal day for myself, it still feels really strange.  Having mainly worked with women and children, I always try to be empathetic but always professjonal and clinical.    Always taking into consideration parental concern and the psycho-social perspective. 

In Medicine you see the cycle of life.  The joyous growth of pregnant bellies and little children.  The bleary eyed working parents who have been up all night with their hot little one with a sore ear  or that cough that just will not go away.  Lots of teenage angst.  The anguish and loss of a loved one.  The impact of wear and tear as we now live longer.

People would often ask me, "Do you have children?".  As time went by I would find this harder and harder to answer.  I ended up saying "No, not ever lucky enough".  I would not quite know if this was the right thing to say.  Some would say that I was the lucky one.  Some would look  sad, or not know how to respond.  Others would add a personal story of their own, similar or someone else close to them.

I remember working in a post natal ward, being the Paediatric Doctor, doing all the pre discharge baby checks.  On a Saturday morning I may have had 20 mothers and babies to see.  I remember seeing one dear little baby boy, his mother really needed some time to have that precious shower.  So she left me with him whilst she ducked in. I remember holding him dearly and gazing into his eyes.  I was breathing in that sweetness that I thought I would never have.  I needed to bring myself back to the job at hand.  Yes, make sure is all well and nothing odd to find.  He was perfect.

Now I can say I know what it feels like.  I realise that knowing look of other parents.  I know what it is like to be sick everyday of your pregnancy.  I know what it is like having a vaginal birth, actually a posterior one.  I know the pain of breast feeding.   I know what it is like when your baby doesn't sleep.  I know of that clinging toddler to your leg all day.  I know about the uncertainty and wondering if you are doing the right thing.  And maybe now know, ah yes boys are different aren't they.  (Being one of 3 girls myself).

I look forward now to Mother's Day and am just learning to give myself a little pat on the back.

A big hugs to all Mothers out there.

Linking today  with Maxabella for more loving gratefuls  and also would like to join Rhonda Jean too.

looks like we are headed here

                                 for a few months.

                          It is going to be a challenge.

               It's going to be interesting with the little one.

      But it's an adventure and it will help us reach our dreams.

                                Place:  Broken Hill

our weekend shared with friends

slow food on a slow day

                   Enthused by the new menu board.
        On Today's  menu was beef, date and spinach tagine.
                  Actually is made in a slow cooker.
                      Recipe from Women's Weekly.

 (I was happily typing out the recipe to share and then started thinking about copyright.  Thence looking further there it was saying not able to be reproduced.  What do others do in this situtation?)

Today was a slow day.  In my mind I had a list but I just could not seem to cross much off.  I shuffled stuff from one bench to the other and starting some dusting.  I did reorganise the towel shelf in the linen closet.

In the morning radio national was a companion in the background.  Listened to the Health Report and Life Matters.  There was the relevations of an interesting long term study on longevity.  Apparently those children that start school later, around 6 years, actually live longer.  Non-structured play and having lots of books around your home also adds years.  Interestingly anti-oxidants have yet to be shown to have this effect.

In the afternoon we went on our favourite sojourn to Berrima.  Here the dogs and little and big man can have a walk in the bush, we can get a coffee/hot choccie and yummo pastry from the Gumnut Pattiserie and I can pop into the antique shops for a quick perusal.  On Saturday we were there as well with some lovely friends who came to visit.  An added bonus was discovering the sprouting of many pine saffron mushrooms.  We know the right ones to pick.  The little man took his role quite serioulsy.  Placing them carefully into his own satchel. Simply pan- fried with butter they are delish.

Have you ever gone and picked your own mushrooms? (Culinary rather than hallucinogenic).

Once again, thanks for stopping by.  Hope a lovely, slow and restful week is on the agenda.

xo jill