My sister has a few horses and on this windy sunny typical WA spring day we went to feed them.
They seem gigantic next to my little children but so gentle and curious.
She massages and gives them Bowen therapy these big creatures relax against her healing hands.
Cedar played happily by a puddle and carefully didn’t put his feet in!
spring is in the air tra la la la tra la la la spring is in the air tra la la la tra la la la butterflies are fluttering little birds are singing spring is in … Continue reading
Some great simple joy is found here with cousins trains. Amusement for this rainy cold day for a boy who travels with very little toys.
More play when the rain stops…
The boys
And girls
Last year I made a great basket to hang inside our door to pop all our shoes into. It’s a little worse for wear as we cram it too full or we have too many shoes…
so on my last day in Queensland I wove up this replacement, a little bigger, a little better technique.
After the markets on Sunday in port Douglas we escaped to four mile beach. It was so windy, maybe 20-25 kn blowing from the south east , hence masses of kite surfers, wind surfers and my friends who sailed out on a little nacra catamaran.
I watched friends play with their kids and a little training kite, I watched the joy of children running, I sheltered behind some trees, I wove and cherished my last moments with the palms.
I could hear the crackly rustling of palm leaves blowing and the song of the frond in my hands.
I love the palm as weaving material as it is beautifully patterned, firm, broad, colorful, pliant fibre. The geometry of the styles is satisfying also for someone who has done more wild style weaving.
This basket is modeled on a classic style often used as a bag or carrier, it was the first style i learnt to weave and is sonetimes referred to as a billum bag/ basket. It is woven from sections of two fronds of matching size.
Eight pairs of leaves are interwoven to create this squareish practical, strong sided basket. I have modified the traditional design by weaving one above another on a single set of great ribs. ( the central wooded part of a palm branch )
I am regretting not photographing the entire process now! I was totally being in the moment and not thinking about this future post, or the fact that it’s hard to find palm weaving tutorials or teachers here in Australia.
Next time…
I am hoping Jesse will bring me some fresh coconut palm on his drive down to meet us in Bellingen next month…
Blessings
( yes it is 3 am, I’m awake after soothing jet lagged Cedar who’s been up crying, but lovingly supported by dear aunty in the freezing midnight hours so all good…)
Hot tip on jet lag, try travelease from the living essences! Amazing at helping me to feel more present, patient and perky today after a dreaded flight.
I also received an excellent mini body talk balancing from other dear aunty. Ah it’s beautiful to be with my sisters and our gaggle of children!
Regal bamboo dancing
in a beautific sky
Our last family Sunday pancakes for a while as I fly to western Australia tomorrow with the children for a family visit
How about lilyS inventiveness with a pancake boat held with apple slices and filled with maple cream… Mmmm
Off to port Douglas markets
and a busy day enjoying my favorite tropical pasttimes
Blessings to you and yours
This moment
A Friday ritual
One photograph no words
A moment from my week to cherish
A graceful balloon bird
Very rare species…
a mysterious ball of fluff
around a hollowed giant passionfruit of all things!
rubbed with dish detergent and water and patient hands
makes a sweet little nest for a little friend
I love being able to help my children live out their creative inspirations and see what is yielded…
hello, here we are!
it’s taken me a long time for two reasons
I don’t have a wide angle lens for interior photography
and
umm
my ego.
I have to face it.
I am house proud, and to be so public as to put it on the internet! phew thats been a process!
So I am humbling myself and facing the fear,
and I tidied up and cleared out the boxes of market produce and instruments (see the pile by the door!)
and our warm hearted friend has lent me his fabulous wide angle lens so I can show you the interior of our little home on wheels…
See I couldn’t get out of it…
she is a 1990 Toyota coaster bus, purchased as an ex school bus in 2005, with lots of help we have refitted the entire bus except engine
she came with a reconned 2H, 6 cylinder land cruiser engine, mayte…
we have raised the roof 40cm with an aluminium clad frame and extra windows as we are both tall.
It totally changes the space into a room rather than a den with alot more airflow and light.
we have a 3m awning which extends from the side there, still hanging on with the improvised attatchments Keith helped Jesse put up years ago!
a friend once entered and said something about how bohemian it was in here! I loved that!
we have used as much timber (recycled pine and jarrah) and ply to create a cosy atmosphere
coupled with beautiful woven fabrics and all the colourful acoutrements of our life
here we have home.
sometimes crowded sometimes jumbled sometimes irritating sometimes comforting sometimes tedious sometimes overwhelming sometimes adventurous
we have a luxurious king size eco latex bed with a wool top for total comfort. well really, you need to feel comfy if you happen to be sleeping in a car park!
Cedars’s cot is up on the bed in this pic above and it comes down at night to rest on the wooden chests at night.
The big square of timber at the bed end is a fold up table and also allows access to storage under the bed.
a proper kitchen sink donated by our friends in Fremantle
thats our grey shrouded Waeco 40L fridge on the right, it runs off a massive truck battery which is housed in the ply box underneath.
Here is Miss Lily’s bed, this doubles as our travelling seats with lap belts during travel
I am very proud of her quilt which is my first “proper” quilt I made last year from vintage embroidered linens and japanese floral prints
I entered it in the Bellingen agricultural show and picked up a prize! unashamed brag moment!
Cedar’s car seat is tucked behind the driver…
our newest edition on this trip is the high light coloured shelving along the right hand side and at the front in this shot.
This practical storage has been so appreciated, it’s main purpose was to house all the bulk organic food items I have in big jars in the kitchen.
its pretty full, there’s alot going on in here!
some bits are in eternal chaos and others are neat. Like us I suppose…
most things have a permanent home…
we cook up on the kitchen bench or outside with a small gas cooker. It’s blue, can you see it in this shot below?
the two big bolts in the floor hold up our 100L stainless steel water tank
and here we have
the bus dwellers…
some titles on my bookshelf
The River Cottage family cookbook
The Childrens Year
The fragrant Pharmacy
A guide to child Health
Eco Colour
The Secret Garden
Two Centuries of Australian Poetry
The Handbook of natural plant dyes
Tantric sex for men
NVC parenting workbook from The Heart Of Parenting
My family and other animals
what are you reading?
thanks for stopping by! it’s a beautiful day
how is your home feeling at the moment?
do you want to invite me over?
ten minutes later….
just kidding…
this is the before photos! see, ego slaying…
that’s the thing about such a small home, it’s easily moved into chaos and fullness and lived-in-ness,
and it only takes 20 minutes to bring to show home status!!
good morning my beautiful son
Lily crowns you and bethrones you in bed and brings you your few gifts to help you open…
you are quietly pleased
breakfast is simply porridge but accompanied by some new play things. thankyou family, well chosen compact quality toys…
Lily adores you and invents funny games to make us all laugh
later in the day after the markets, we drive to a beautiful creek and meet friends
it is oh so peaceful by the fire and the water
you are contented to play on your own and I watch you in your own amusement and watch your big eight year old sister teach our friend to knit
we eat simply but happily
the nature at the beautiful Shannonvale creek has me breathless
reflections on cool water like an impressionist painting
an endless meditation to watch the rippling mirror
before bed we light your candles and sing our birthday medley of songs
you look so pleased in a happy quiet way
you have had your first haircut ever today!
you look different my son
your face makes new expressions
my how you have grown little one
you love the moment, as we all do, gathered around you singing in the candlelight
Lily helps you blow them out as you cannot yet
you love it so much we have to do it again, and again
we all love it and you too
we have our yummy birthday celebration the next day in the park at Port Douglas
As its your birthday Cedar i let you eat the pancakes straight from the pan
you go so fast i have to get a second pan out so I can make a stack for us to share!
finally you are full and we have a feast prepared
this is black sapote (chocolate fruit) mixed with fresh grated coconut and fresh squeezed coconut cream YUM!
mmm you are a watchful child… i read so much in your face
we sing and celebrate you Cedar
and a second later…
look at this boy! 
mmm the creativity of toppings is endless…
oh yes we love our pancakes instead of cakes for birthdays!!
thankyou beautiful Cedar for gracing my life with your calm soul
and unmatched pancake appetite!!
may we share many more…
RosaLindenTree 