Right now…

Posted on June 26, 2013 by rosalindentree

Just hours away from going home!!
Home to our bus, home to papa, home together.

Jesse will be meeting us in the warm evening of cairns soon. I imagine there will be a green coconut or two for dessert and lots of smiling and that funny exhilarated giggly happiness of coming together again.
Ten days is not long on a calendar, but for me this time has seemed looooooong. I’ve been fighting off a bug And simple exhaustion from moving house 4 times this last month as we gratefully took up our friends house sits to see out the end of school term. Phew!! Thanks all of you.
We’ve stayed in a mud brick mansion, an A frame timber home with fire heated radiators, a shed house, a homely self contained apartment and finally a bus.
Gradually downsizing ready for our own bus!!

Holding steady for two little people when I’m feeling vulnerable is a task gigantum presently. The insight I’ve had is keep it simple. My anxiety lessens when I
Lessen my expectations on myself!
let food be simple. As one friend pointed out a lovingly cooked egg on toast is probably more nutritious than a stressed out complex cooked meal.
Make them eggs, smile and sit with them.
Connection.
Let there be mess. Really. It’s ok Rosi.
Leave dishes in the sink overnight and go read them stories and cuddle.
Let them play. Let them bathe. Let them help.
Ask for help.
Thank you everyone who cooked for us last week…
Have humor switched on.
Be honest with people if I’m not coping.
Remember this too will pass!
One day it will be in the past ( that day is today!!!)
Hooray. (Nervously)
Xx
What makes life more graceful for you at transition times?

Right now

Posted on June 11, 2013 by rosalindentree

Right now, choosing to sing instead of morning chores.

At years begin I wished to have a harmonium (small bellows piano) and invite more singing and music into my life. (Greatly inspired by joining Loren Kate in song during our SA travels)
I feel happier, more serene, heart aglow when I sing. It’s a connection to my centre which is more steadfast than my fluctuating personality/moods. I did a voice workshop recently, which was as intense as it was beneficial with my confidence and freedom of sounding.
I love to sing devotional music and at present I am finding the chanting of some ancient vedic chants are uplifting and also deeply moving. Chanting in another language allows me a freedom to sink into the sounds and the intellect has to take a backseat. I become more present with the meditation and the resonance of the music. It becomes a more simple moment of prayer to the wisdom and connection and beauty in and around myself.
It’s a joy to accompany myself with the harmonium and not be dependant on Jesse for guitar playing. (Hence snatching a moment to sing alone becomes possible, oh yes I sing without accompaniment also but it’s so fun with an instrument)

This morning Cedar was happy drawing at the table in front of me. He could talk to me or show me his art while I fulfilled my own need for expression. Even with a mountain of washing at my side and unfinished jobs around, to choose 15 minutes to do something which leaves me feeling mmmm lovely and happy has made me proud of myself. (Changing habits)

And then he’s next to me with the pencils wanting a tractor and we are talking about his image. It’s the first drawing he’s described to me with a story. Honey tree mama. Honey coming out. Bucket honey.

And then we are moving into the next moment…
What are you choosing for inspiration in your life?
What small gifts could you give yourself today?
What leaves you feeling mmmmm lovely?

Reading solo

Posted on April 28, 2013 by rosalindentree

Traveling this summer has given Lily a lot of space to practice reading independently. She gobbles up books almost as fast as I can! We still read aloud to her every day and sometimes she will read to me while I go about my tasks or pause and knit. If she wants me to read to her she is learning that I am usually willing, if she offers to do my task. what’s your favorite place to read? or fantasy place? {some of my faves are reading in the bath with the door locked, cosied in bed or in the swing chair in dappled sunlight} any favorite early reader books you recommend? Peace and words

Merino clothing for kids on sale! yay it’s autumn

Posted on April 20, 2013 by rosalindentree

I seriously love love love wool and wool blend {cotton/silk} garments

with Autumn mists thick in the dawn air I am motivated to restock

the childrens {and mine} cool weather clothing

Cedar in his woolly wombat outfit, wool/silk shirt and bonnet and fleecy overalls from Engel. cute**

I source for them

a wool/silk blend under singlet

light merino leggings

a long sleeve shirt in light merino knit

merino terry/fleecy pyjamas

with these basics I know their bodies are snug

and the lighter weaves suit the Australian winter which can become very warm in the sunshine

they make easy under or top layers or pyjamas, and the bonnets are just THE best for little heads and ears.

Cedar in his cutest wool/silk Engel shirt meeting Jesse’s HANG

You may already be converted to the joys of woolen clothing and natural fibre clothing

so I get off the soap box to simply say

Willy Wagtail, Australian Merino company are having a sale

and so is my main stay

Cambridge Baby, from whom I source my favorite Engel/Angel and Disana brands.

With the opposing seasons, Euporean stores are often sale-ing their woollies just as we need them!

happy warming

xxx

ps did you know wool has a natural ‘self cleaning’ quality, which means often you can simply air the garment instead of frequent washing? They stay cleaner, longer and are less smelly! yay!

and the fibre is so strong, they last longer!

learning through letter writing… and lasting friendship

Posted on April 18, 2013 by rosalindentree

when Lily was on her way to two years old, we pulled up in the fringes of Fremantle WA to make our home for a while. We initially house sat for friends of ours and then stayed on for a few weeks after their return. Their wee boy Fern was only four weeks older than Lily and soon these two where playing, cooking, working, eating, walking, peeing and making mischief companionably alongside each other

We nicknamed them straighty and curly (their hair) and told funny stories about their adventures.. during the years we lived nearby, they surely where besties and devoted fans of the Amazing Drumming Monkeys! {do you like all my made-up words?}

we’ve all had a lot of adventures since then, but the connection is alive in our hearts and when I sat letter writing during the week, Lily joined me to write to Fern who now lives in NZ.

We haven’t seen him since late 2008 but the occasional letter or gift or joke passes over the sea between them.

Lily drew in pencil on the pillow case and I carefully embroidered the artwork. Age 4

shortly after our arrival in NZ, they haven’t seen each other for a year

I was quietly hopefull this letter writing would go without frustration (hers) and outwardly, gently encouraging as Lily focused in on this task. She has only recently begun writing more than a few words spontaneously and she seemed abit daunted by the long blank page. Enthused, but asking me to help her decide what to write, she eventually decided to write about her life because he doesn’t know what she’s been doing. {dear Fern I live in a bus it is powered on blueberry gas… thats 8 year old humor for you}After the first paragraph she copies jokes down for him to giggle over, and then drew a cartoon story on the back about life in the bus and so it became a good laughing session and I was so pleased to see her persistence and interest and enjoyment of the ink flowing onto the page, even if some of it was blobs.

Sometimes I am anxious about her ‘official educating’ when she has spent so much time absent from school, yet we have not officially taken up the homeschool banner. I question whether she is stimulated enough or if her skills are developing as they need to. I doubt myself and my ability to guide her along the paths of interest and learning and sometimes wonder if she is simply bored bored bored! I fall into the trap of comparison with other families and how they get on with their lives and education, I worry and celebrate and come up with great ideas and sometimes am at a complete loss.

So you see, when these moments happen and I am shown how naturally her writing and punctuation and word structure and creative writing have developed without formal classes I am so, so excited! From last week to this her skill has remarkably improved in this area, and since this day of letter writing she has written a few more short stories and in depth captions to her illustrations. {she had a fever over the weekend and I do have to wonder about the picture from Anthroposophy in which children often come out of a fever having grown or developed or moved into a new place, or something fantastic like that}

cheeky happy monkeys!

the stump in the garden became the centre of long imaginative plays involving fairies and diggers

in Mike Lillian’s {wind willow basketry} abundant woven garden

I have subscribed to this wonderful blog Simple Homeschool {never let your schooling interrupt your education}

Here I find writings which are so encouraging with regards to some of these struggles I have. One point which is repeated is along these lines

“the connection and relationship and enjoyment of each other take priority over

getting the comma in the right place every time”

And so, I am enthused and inspired about this child’s learning which evolves in front of me, mirrored by my own personal learning amidst it all. Particularly the gift of humour!

did you enjoy the amusing photo’s of the little ones amongst my musings?

{i just couldn’t resist sharing them once I got back into to my old library of photographs}

do you home school, school school or some other?

how have you and your child/ren approached literature skills?

or how do you imagine approaching this with them?

any thing you want to share on this topic?

have you a love of the written word?

peace and ponderings

Roselinde

Our Easter in Autumn Story

Posted on April 17, 2013 by rosalindentree

on Easter eve we are visiting friends on the journey north from Sydney. The children go out in the sunset pink to cut grass to line the easter basket and to feed the Easter hare
while they cut I retell an Easter story about the journey of the Easter hare and the purpose of the eggs as i have adopted it from this great book. Easter in Autumn. i deeply enjoy storytelling without a book in front of me as i took the time to learn the story and make it my own. They are both captivated and i feel peaceful with this serene wash of calm coming over me as i bask in the moment and the beauty of the simple now-ness and connection we are sharing. i am inspired to learn more stories to tell.
this basket was woven in Arnhem land, jesse gifted it to Lily on return of his trip there last year. {i got a lady version for my birthday}the light is soft and pastelly and embracing and look below, it hints to the sky of the dawn…Lily and I have made a date to silently watch the sunrise on Easter morn.

we are camped by a river and the light bounces from the water in a myriad of pastel delicacies..Pelicans join us and we are gifted this close observation of a much loved bird Lily points out the Pelican has made a heart with it’s own reflection i resolve to make more dates with Lily, the peace of simply being together touches us both deeply. It is grounding and loving and sets us up for a rich connection through the day.
finally a golden peep through the clouds melts the dew from waxy leaves

a new day

a new beginning as we walk back we pick golden sunny flowers to decorate the bus and the easter baskets, glistening with dew

Cedar and Jesse are awake and after the children exclaim over the gifts from the Easter hare in their baskets, they go outside with a poem of clues to find the Easter treasures
oh whats under here??

skip to a quick ant bite interlude….

then the treasure hunt is back on….
looking looking looking, Lily can see the silver paper on the tyre and is encouraging Cedar to find it and giggling about his looking but not seeing… i remember Lily at this age needing very obvious eye level treasures to find… I found it!!
and up here Cedar!

i am wondrous to see Lily turn the seeking into a game for Cedar in which she is showing and helping him in a thoughtful way, instead of rushing around claiming all the treasure. it reveals the change out of early childhood i am seeing into a less selfconcerned world view. beautiful.the treasure is in and unwrapped and eaten.

after struggling in the night with my staunch anti chocolate stance, i realise the experience of my uptight stress is less beautiful than the joy the children will have when unwrapping 2 squares of organic chocolate before breakfast!

and it was fine, and they were so happy, and they did not have sugar meltdowns!

it’s good to let go a little now and then. but yes i am pretty strict about sweets in our own home and prefer to savour these type of treats for specials.

later in the day we prepare eggs to decorate and enjoy an omelette for lunch

you may know how already but here

the simple steps to blow eggs ready for decoration and hanging
use a large pin to pierce one end of an egg, i use a series of punctures in close proximity to open a 2mm hole, repeat on the opposite end and remember to have a bowl ready to catch your egg insides {make an omelette or cake…}apply your lips and lungs to the task of blowing a stream of egg insides to the outside. rinse by submersing in water and blowing out once more. towel dry and there they are, light and ready to decorate. we often use water colour pencils or paints, or dye with onion skin…in the weeks coming up to Easter i scout around town for white shelled eggs.. {In Bellingen they are sold at the Providore from a local farmer….} this year we had little choice as we travelled…the easter bounty which the children are happy happy happy withduring our afternoon drive i watch Lily singing out the window like a puppy with her face in the wind…

i imagine her reflecting on the day and she is singing her happiness to the world…

some sweet sweet moments in our day

blessings and happy new beginning to us all…

On being a pokey old woman

Posted on April 8, 2013 by rosalindentree

My dear daughter may say
“mum you are a pokey old woman you just sit around and knit knit knit!”
But the rewards are worth it, would you agree?

Lily’s customized perfect beret in progress.
And completed

Very pleased with myself!
Xx

Waking up to…

Posted on March 23, 2013 by rosalindentree

Waking up to

The ocean does something really wonderful to me! Particularly in the glow and cool of early morn as I stretch open my body and mind.

Then reading this post which inspired me and articulated gently a common thread in parenting.
Blessings on your day
Can you give yourself a simple intention for this day?

R
Thank you J for the photos

an alternate first aid kit

Posted on March 17, 2013 by rosalindentree

Our travelling first aid kit

I have had multiple requests lately to share details of what I stock in our family health care/first aid kit

so below you will find a comprehensive list of many natural products we reach for first

it is often changing as I discover new {or sometimes very old} approaches to health care

Homeopathic kit

Ainsworths 42 essential remedies (mini kit in a hard case with a comprehensive book)

Essential oils

Preferred organic and Australian where possible, The Oil Garden and Warbotanicals are favorites

{i travel with over 30 essential oils, below are the most oft used, i must get them a lovely case to store them in one day.}

I frequently refer to The Fragrant Pharmacy for guidance on essential oil usage

Lavender

Eaucalyptus

Tea tree

Chamomile

Arnica

Calendula

Peppermint

geranium

Dottera essential oil blends

Therapeutic quality oils so some can be ingested, follow instructions only

On guard {immune boost, preventative}

Breathe {clears congestion, soothes chest complaints, clears the head}

Past tense {de stress, clear the mind, perspective}

Thanks Jane

Small first aid kit from pharmacy

Updated with fabric bandaids

Good tweezers

nail scissors

Non adhesive pads (good for covering wounds, cuts, scrapes, this helps keep them clean when we are outdoors a lot)

Paper tape to seal the pads on

Herb teas

{i currently have a supply from Highland Herbs in Tasmania}

Cold and flu blend {peppermint, yarrow, elderflower, thyme, hyssop. Echinacea, fennel, ginger}

Calm kids blend {nettle, lemon balm , spearmint, alfalfa, chamomile, calendula}

Licorice (coughs)

Herb tincture

Coughs and colds blend

olive leaf extract

echinachea tincture

Balms and ointments

Pawpaw ointment

Calendula ointment

Arnica ointment

Insect repellant (my own)

Burns cream Martin & Pleasance (homeopathic)

Cold sore cream (from Alchemy Bellingen {Hypericum &calendula tinctures, bergamot tea tree and

hypericum ess oils in vitamin e cream})

we also use

vitamin c powder with Hesperidin

apple cider vinegar

raw honey

organic garlic

Flower essences

Physical, mental and emotional well being

{I have my stock from Living Flower Essences in Western Australia}

Rescue remedy

Accident relief cream (bumps, bruises, aches, sore throat, sore belly) Living Essences 1ltr

Body bliss cream (relaxant, kids massage, anxiety, asthma) Living Essences 1ltr

Serenity for Women spray

Contentment for Men spray

Sneeze Ease spray

Travel ease spray

Harmony and Relaxation spray

WA living flower essences practitioner kit to create our own personalized remedies of these beautiful subtle helpers

I often refer to The Guide to Child’s Health if I am presented with a circumstance which is unfamiliar.

wishing you all happiness and good health

always get help on how to use health products from a qualified practitioner you trust

what do you reach for to promote good health?

what would you add to this list?

what magic remedy have you discovered to share with us all?

if I remember anything else I will update this list…

Jugiong

Posted on January 10, 2013 by rosalindentree

a date with the smalls

is very important to have

leisurely and playfully

and with presence

gave me such joy

thankyou Jugiong

such a tiny highway side spot for an overnight stop

near Gundagai

RosaLindenTree

Category Archives: mothering