goodbye and hello

Another year ticked off, the last few months of which raced by in a blur of crippling morning sickness followed by the inevitably frantic calendar of events which make up the festive season. The past couple of weeks have finally allowed some time to breathe and think about what has passed and what 2014 might have in store. A new baby girl for one (due to make her appearance in early May) to complete the family. I am giddy with excitement at the prospect of my three little girls, but also overwhelmed by the responsibilities that lie ahead in raising them all into them into smart, strong and kind women. I wonder if anyone ever really feels qualified for that job. I can only follow my instincts, keep everything crossed and hope that with a dash of luck and support from our extended families that we will manage to set them on the right path. 

A couple of other highlights ahead include a long awaited month long trip back to the UK, my parents and our family home at the end of June with my sister and all our children. Also a newly begun freelance writing gig for which I'm looking forward to getting lost down a rabbit hole of words and crafting sentences, researching and sourcing images. Worthy of a mention too is the fact that in few short weeks I will be waving my first born off at the gates as she begins primary school. A whole new chapter in her life and mine. A time of great excitement but also the bittersweet reminder that she went from being a tiny newborn to a school girl in what feels like little more than the blink of an eye. She also lost her first tooth last week, a milestone I (probably naively) wasn't prepared for or expecting for at least 12 months yet. Just slow down already young lady, while I get my head wrapped around all of this.

The year just departed was on the whole a good one. We settled into our new home and surroundings, managed to grow some food and flowers in our patch of earth, made friends in the community and connections with our neighbours and added two new members to the family- our backyard chickens Daisy and Evelyn. There was also a long awaited and well deserved promotion at work for my better half which has taken a little bit of pressure off the question of how will we manage to raise and support three children?

I suspect we'll get along somehow as best we can. I know now- one of the redeeming aspects of tuning 30 I think- that life suddenly gets a whole lot easier and more enjoyable when you let go of the pressures bearing down from every direction. These and pointless comparisons that urge us to carry on spending and accumulating, keeping up with anyone that seems to be more together and having and doing it all better. One of my goals this past year was to simplify life, whittle down what we own, think more carefully about what we bring into our home and generally just spend less time worrying about what we don't have and more of it doing what we love and is important us. This is a journey which I want to continue and I look forward to more creating, adventuring and memory making in the upcoming months. Also spending time with our dear friends and family and making and eating a whole lot of good food. And with that, welcome 2014.

the outdoor life

As Winter here in Australia is in its final fling, naturally thoughts- well mine, anyway- are turning to the promise of Spring and the new life and fresh beginnings that it brings, warmer and longer days, more time spent enjoying the outdoors and hopefully less of the Artic-esque winds that have been blowing through town for the past few weeks. Brrrr. The thought of shedding some layers and not having washing hanging out on the line in the constant cycle of drying- getting rained on- partially drying- getting rained on again, and again and again, well it's all sounding mighty appealing.

I've been taking advantage of any dry-ish weekends to spend some time working on the garden. The veggie patch is in its second crop now and almost ready for harvesting. We planted parsnips which probably look the most promising at this stage, carrots which seems to be slightly stunted in terms of growth, beetroots which to my untrained eye appear be doing well, and broccoli which is pretty much a write-off, having first been attacked by caterpillars and then developing some form of disease whereby the leaves become covered in rapidly expanding mysterious yellow patches. Oh well, you win some, you lose some! I've been growing some flowers from seed and planting the seedlings in pots and scattered around the front of the house ready to add some colour and welcome the start of the warmer months. I'm most excited about the sweet peas flowering, strategically placed in mis-matched pots in front of the ugly metal shed to try and pretty it up. Painting it in beach hut inspired classic stripes is another project on the ridiculously long and over-ambitious list of outdoor DIYs and tasks we (I), hope (Curt) to complete before Summer rolls around. Along with creating a paved entertaining/ seating/ barbeque area and a path from the back deck to the shed to name just a couple.

And chickens, I am not giving up my dream of backyard chickens even though it was originally vetoed by the man of the house. I am steadily working on him and spending probably too much time researching the logistics of chicken coops and types of hens and their laying habits. Not to mention Lila's kindergarten just had a clutch of baby chicks born which will shortly be looking for homes- it's a sign! I am probably out of my mind considering one of my children absolutely refuses to eat eggs and the other one can only rarely be coaxed to eat them, despite having offered them up in every appealing form under the sun. However I am ever optimistic this may change in the near future with the excitement of collecting them freshly laid! There has also been talk of getting a dog, which there has been since we finally bought a home and moved here last October but now we have got as far as identifying a possible time-frame, which is at the end of the year. I think we may be the only people who live in our little town that don't have a dog, and I promise I'm not exaggerating. The ratio of dogs to people here is staggering but I suppose it makes sense seeing as there are no lack of beaches right on our doorstep there are some many great coastal paths and bush walks to take them out for a run.

Lastly, I am looking forward to some trips to explore some more of the amazing coastline we are surrounded by. Aside from a couple of day trips, every spare moment of our first Summer here was taken up with house projects, accumulating furniture and establishing our home (I shudder at the amount of money and time we have spent at our local home improvement store). So I am ultra-keen to make up for lost time by embarking on many adventures in the upcoming months. Even camping, which we have never done before due to an anti-camping husband who is not a fan of giving up his home-comforts. However, I know it would be so much fun and the children would love it, and so again, I am working to convince him to dip his toe in the waters. I am hoping all these beautiful images of Artemis and her family camping in the English countryside, well 'glamping' is more like it (from the lovely blog Junkaholique) may help to convince him that it doesn't have to be all dingy toilet and shower blocks, cruddy food and nylon sleeping bags. This is most definitely the type of camping I aspire to one day. Surely if camping was always this spectacular, no-one would ever feel the need to get on a plane again. We just need to lay our hands on that vintage VW camper and amazing canvas tent!

All images via Junkaholique


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being // well

I've been thinking a lot lately about certain aspects of life. It's not a shiny or new concept, nor is it particularly exciting or flashy but matters of health, body, mind and soul have become a focus in the past few months. Wellbeing... and being, well. Allowing yourself to become the best version of you that you possibly can be. I don't think it's just me, I feel like there's something in the air, as though a lot of us are starting to be more mindful of the kind of lifestyle we lead and its effects on ourselves. While once upon a time I was consumed with living life to the full, having a good time and to hell with the consequences, I suppose I've just grown up. It's not that I don't want to have a good time anymore, its just that my definition of a good time has changed slightly.

And the past few years of raising babies have taken their toll. Interrupted sleep, exhaustion brought on from a hectic daily schedule and stressing about whether they are eating well enough is nothing unusual and all par for the course when parenting young children, but it doesn't really lend itself to actually thinking about taking good care of yourself. I actually found it hard to write this down, there is a lot of "I" and "my" in this blog post and it feels almost selfish to say it but I suppose I just took a backseat in my own life for a while. But now I'm starting to realise that I can't be the best person I want to be for my family unless I actually look out for and take better care of myself.

So a few months ago I decided to make some changes. Firstly in the way we all eat; instead of just concentrating all my attentions on what the kids consume. Our diet wasn't terrible by any means but I realised I wanted to make more meals from scratch, cutting out the processed wherever possible, eating simple, fresh foods, more wholegrains and less sugar. Also in looking after my body and mind. I have no desire to be a gym bunny or a hard core runner but I have always been drawn to yoga and after periods of doing it intermittently for years I've finally committed to making the time for one class every week and I love the way it makes me feel stronger and calms my mind. I've rediscovered my my put-on-hold passions of surfing and painting and discovered new ones like nurturing a garden and growing things. 

I now know what else is important to me, close family ties and friendships and making a comfortable home, a haven. One that reflects us and our lives and a place where my family and friends feel at peace and like they want to stay. Reading and writing. Being outdoors, experiencing the seasons. Nurturing a love of books, an imaginative mind and an appreciation or beauty, art and nature in my children. I feel like everything is just starting to add up, as though I'm finally figuring out who I am. A lot happened in my twenties; l was many different things and travelled a lot of paths but now I'm on the brink of my 30th year it's all slotting into place. I realised that almost all the posts I've written about here so far this year have detailed this journey of sorts, slowly reclaiming my self again and finding my way as a mother and as my own person too. I know I'm never going to have all the answers, but right now life feels good.

Image 1 //  Image 2- source unknown- via pinterest // Image 3

getting lost

In a book that is. It's one of my favourite things to do, and thankfully my little ones seem to feel the same way. Heaven knows they didn't get the reading bug from their dear father who has never picked up a book to read for pleasure in all the years I've known him...though credit where it's due, he dutifully reads aloud to Lila every night before he tucks her in so maybe we can still convert him yet. On our weekly library visit, we always come home laden down with armfuls of new selections to add to our already heaving book shelf. Funny thing is, until I had children I never used my local library. However over the past few years, every time we've moved somewhere new, one of the very first things I've done is to seek out our nearest one and join it. We often go along to the storytimes and aside from all the childrens books, I also come back with plenty of books, magazines and dvds for myself.

I'm still trying to figure out Lila's criteria when it comes to choosing books, as she likes to mix it up with some pretty random choices but I admire her commitment to being interested in anything and everything. She is equally drawn to stories about knights and dragons as she is those princesses and fairies. Which is just as well, as there are only so many stories about fairy princesses a person can read aloud without wanting to bang their head against a brick wall. When it come to childrens picture books, I am first and foremost drawn to the ones with beautiful illustrations, every time. If they also have a slightly unusual or inspiring story or subject matter then I love them even more. Here are some recent discoveries that have become big hits around here.

All Through the Year by Jane Godwin & Anna Walker

Precious Little by Julie Hunt, Sue Moss & Gaye Chapman

Cinnamon Baby by Nicola Winstanley & Janice Nadeau

Little Blue by Gaye Chapman

During the past month, Lila has actually made the big step to having a chapter from a book read out to her at bedtime, rather than just a story from a picture book. We have begun with The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton (the first book in the Faraway Tree series). This was one of the first books I ever read and I may have been a little obsessed with it. I have been beyond excited for her to be ready for this, mainly so I get to re-read all of my old favourites again, and of course in the hope she may love them too. I've already started gathering together copies of all the childhood classics I adored. Although we are nowhere near ready to retire the picture books yet, here's to a new chapter.

cricket court

Cricket Court is the quirky, bohemian country estate of British fashion designer Alice Temperley- complete with two pet llamas no less. Located in Somerset, in close proximity to the cider farm which is her childhood home, this is where she escapes the big city to spend weekends with her husband and their young son Fox. 

The whimsical interior emphasizes the houses' classic period features and reflects her love of all things British whilst also incorporating ornate ethnic elements and influences from her world travels. I love the fact that this home has so much character and reflects the personalities and passions of its occupants so charmingly. There's nothing better than a home which tells a story. Oh and of course the elevated free standing Victorian bath which is the centre piece of the master bedroom had me at hello.

  

Via Vanity Fair. Photographs by Francois Halard.

on the radar

I'm working my way through an endless pile of laundry, making frantic lists and packing in preparation for our holiday. We fly to South Africa on Saturday and there seems so much to be done before then. Travelling with kids (especially for a three week trip) just requires such an enormous amount of planning and stuff. We spoke to Curt's parents on Skype last night and there has been something of a heat wave in Durban the past few days so looks like we should be in for some sun. Maybe even in the UK too if I'm lucky :) It's exciting to dig out all my summer clothes again after being jeans and knitwear clad for the past few months of the Australian winter. I've got to get back to the grindstone but here are some things that have caught my eye over the past few days...

I've always been an advocate of the 'no regrets' school of thought, so I am seriously coveting one of these awesome posters by Sarah & Bendrix (pictured above) to adorn the walls of of new home. Avaliable here from their Etsy shop. Translation from French to English: No, I regret nothing.

This one below is awfully romantic too...

I can't get enough of this lady's effortless, laid back style of late. Love.

The work of Australian artist Belinda Fox is magical and mesmerising. If I was to start seriously investing in an art collection, I can't think of a better place to start. See more on her website.

listening

Here are a couple of songs that have been getting a lot of air time in our house lately. Two musical artists from the opposite ends of the Earth but both with such soulful, unique voices. I love the video for Old Pine, from Devon native Ben Howard which showcases some awesome British countryside. Aussie Matt Corby also has some skills in the song writing department, his track Brother is definitely worth a listen too.

on living

"I’m not telling you to make the world better, because I don’t think that progress is necessarily part of the package, I’m just telling you to live in it. Not just to endure it, not just to suffer it, not just to pass through it, but to live in it. To look at it. To try to get the picture. To live recklessly. To take chances. To make your own work and take pride in it. To seize the moment. And if you ask me why you should bother to do that, I could tell you that the grave’s a fine and private place, but none I think do there embrace. Nor do they sing there, or write, or argue, or see the tidal bore on the Amazon, or touch their children. And that’s what there is to do and get it while you can and good luck at it.”

-- Joan Didion,

in a commencement address at the University of California, Riverside, in 1975

                   

               

Images found via here, here and here.

a bit of britannia

 

Being so far away, it's easy to get all nostalgic about England...those green fields, pretty little villages, country lanes (and pubs of course) and hedges. I really miss hedgerows. Even big old London town and all those red buses, the hustle and bustle and all our old haunts in Wimbledon. Although the reality isn't quite so rosy at the moment what with the wettest summer for many, many years and bad economic times- I know if we still living there right now I would be wishing, planning, scheming how we could get to Australia!- I still find myself subconsciously gravitating towards Britannia themed trinkets and bits and pieces to make our house feel like a home.

A great place to get a fix is at the online store The Shop at Number 57, the brainchild of the British interior stylist Marie Nichols and her graphic designer husband Simon. They have curated a gorgeous collection of items ranging from cute cross stitch kits to printed cushions and vintage wall hangings and charts. I've got my eye on one of the vintage school maps for the girls bedroom. They may not be living there but they were both born in the UK and you bet I'm going to make sure they know their British geography!

Here are a few of my favourite items, check out the shop to see lots more...

    

      

        

Large ceramic button // Travel- London Waterloo print // 1960's British Isles wall chart // Her Royal Majesty cross stitch kit // Vintage apothecary glass bottles // Vintage botanical school poster

european road trip

Love the carefree vibe captured by these photographs taken by Nirrimi when on the road during the Billabong European Tour. I'm in awe of her skills, she surely must be one of the most talented photographers of our generation (at just 19 she has already has amassed an incredible body of work including other major campaigns), not to mention a cute baby girl called Alba. A very inspiring individual following her own path with a refreshing outlook on life. See more of her work and life on her blog The Road is Home. And wow, does this have me dreaming of summer time!

All images by Nirrimi Firebrace