kind Georgious

Look what Kind Kat over at Slugs sent for The Beauty? The little cardigan I so admired. It fits! Dumpling Georgious and Slender Esmé can be proper friends now and share clothing. Almost. I love it even more now I can see it in the flesh (or should that be fibre?) and it has been on ever since the parcel was opened. Ohhhh, for me? She asked. Yes I said. And so it's on. I am certainly going to knit one too now I have seen it, so sweet, and if mine turns out to be a bit on the small side I can send it to Georgious who is now without hers (until she grows that tiny bit more rotund). We love it, we are fan of stripes, and wool, so what could be more perfect?

in, out

Today was spent entirely outside. I am totally shattered, in that good way. A satisfying tired-way that working in the garden brings. In bed last night I scribbled notes, made lists of seeds I wanted to try and plans for the garden. I managed to stop myself from leaping out of bed there and then in the darkness and purchasing a bulk load of seeds online. Which was good, since this morning I crossed just a few things off. My garden isn't quite as big as my plans.



~Before we started today, She wanted to take my photo, this was the only one where I was actually in the shot, so here it is. Not her first photo, but her first photo of something, er, me.~

Still, I spent about four hours on the stuff I had to do outdoors before even getting to the garden. I needed to fetch the wheelbarrow. This meant that I needed to sort out what it was previously being used for (and abandoned by me a few weeks ago in the rain) - scraping together leaves, and barrowing over to the compost. With a girl companion, this took an hour.



By then I could certainly take off my hat and coat. For good measure since I was there, I did some compost shovelling. This is a Major Chore as I am in the processing of moving a million square metres of compost to new crate-bins my dh made. The Beauty and I soon tired of this, it's pretty gross work, if I am honest (I'll leave it to The Man, how kind I am).



Next the girl and I trundled 300 litres of manure to the veg garden. If you think this sounds laborious, it was. But at least it wasn't raining. In fact it's pretty jolly work when you have a girl beside you chatting a mile a minute about *everything* and wanting to stop to do fun things, like go on her swing and poke things in the pond. Without boring you with my strange garden layout, suffice to say that it takes ages to get from the house (where I had dumped the manure yesterday, OMG, the car... but actually nothing can make my car *any more* disgusting, so that's ok) to the veg patch. Especially since wheelbarrows can't easily navigate steps and bridges; I had to go The Long Way Round, or the Road Less Travelled, or.... actually maybe just The Long Way Round. Still, there are worse things to do with one's time, than barrow manure back and forth, I am sure (like shopping, in person, in actual real life shops *shudder* - online is a far superior method, everyone knows).



Once there I hither and dithered back and forth again, and again, garage, bridge, then walk to the garden to fetch 'stuff' (buckets with soapy water and sponges, garden tools, scissors....). The Beauty and I, and finally Felix, emptied the greenhouse and washed it down, in and out, pulled new weeds, stacked everything back inside neatly and I made a mental note of more things to ask The Man to do (hammers and drills and such mendings that I very wimpishly seem not to bother with - or Take an Interest In depending on who tells the story).



Finally I raked over four of the beds and spread manure. Finally! And it was over so quick! How to drag out that very nice bit? :) My intention when stepping outside of the house - happened roughly four hours later. Isn't that just the way though? And who would have it any differently? I love the way that garden work presents its self, and then you do it, in a dream of silent thought and moment to momentness. I cannot remember the last time I spent so long in the garden, not this year. It was so good.



Tiring work.


Indoors, this week, I picked up an old sample brochure of lino from the local carpet shop. I bought this lino tool about three years ago on ebay and half forgot about it, waiting for the day that I spotted an abandoned bit of lino. That never happened, instead we have some fresh pieces that would have made their way to a skip. The trick, we realised, is to make your intentions very deep and as wide as possible. And keep your design simple. Simple! It's very easy we found to go overboard, but that is also good practice. I think we'll do it again, but we ran out of paint. How come I always think we have shed loads and then find only a little squirt left in each tube? The cupboard fair bulges with junk (I mean craft supplies), and a million paint pots, and yet....? Oh well, maybe another couple of years until I gather together everything I need again:)









Made some new friends this week, which is always nice, isn't it? They have a baby in their family, I forget how small people can be. And cute! And how come I still find cloth nappies and slings and baby hats so endearing? Hmmm, not a good sign, my dh constantly shakes his head at this tendency of mine to get broody. But I am not *that* broody. Just as much as the next woman I think. I am just finally in this nice place where I *can* have a garden, where I get to sleep most of the night in relative peace (the first time in a decade) and seeing these things just makes me glad I have friends with babies to gah over now and again. It's enough.

But look at this, sling lovers, a no sew ring sling. I really like this idea.

We have been fire worshipping, as usual, reading, knitting, drawing and cat loving.





Playing treasure hunt (for chocolate rabbits, who said they were only for Easter?)



oh yeah, there it is...



A sign, every now and again, is a good thing to have around.

the patterns, the tiny things

I love the patterns I see in nature; the variations in symmetry of branch and tree trunk against the sky. The lines of field and hedgerow, fence and wall. Animal track, orchard planting, rivulets of streams both meeting and parting - patterns man made and springing from both plant and animal life. Patterns too in sound; of bird calls, the twittering and coo's. Rhythmic and repeated, endless and mysterious in meaning. I marvel daily at these things. Tucking them away and committing to memory their lessons and beauty.











The Welsh sky sometime rolls in, leisurely and yet different moment to moment, should you look away, distracted say by moss along bare naked branches. This is always slightly hidden and yet when you look it's hard not to see it was there all along, bursts of winter colour.







I love talking a walk with Felix, he is easy easy company. He demands nothing on these walks, just quietly looking and looking. Saying little, dreaming away stick in hand until something strikes him, a vision (real or imagined) and he tells me, surprising me from my own thoughts and dreams. We walk slowly and then take hands silently and run for a bit, stopping breathless to look at some new thing, tiny or large.





He wanted to take a photo of me so I gave him the camera. I always feel nervous on this other side of it, but there you go, with Fe I let it go.



The others met up with us here and there, they preferred bikes today.







In the drive back at home, I kicked a pile of dead leaves and found one of last years' little sail boats. There are so many laughs and yells and squeals of cold water on bare skin tied up with those knots.



The garage roof is a whole world. The moss delights me constantly, it's a small simple little thing to take pleasure in, a place you'd never think to look, unless you actually looked. It's truly alive..... magic.







Was thinking about this song today, had a rummage around and finally found it on CD. A friend introduced me to Ida... I don't know, maybe ten years ago? Can't believe it's been so long (Carina, still think about you often :) ) but I am sure it is so. Still adore this band. Their music suits me when I am in this sombre, recollecting and dreamy-happy mood. Maybelle is one of my favourites.

yarn along

Joining in with the Yarn Along from Ginny's lovely blog, Small Things. The idea is you post what you are currently knitting and reading in one go. Knitting and reading - so good for me, soul medicine like (if only one could do both lovely things simultaneously...).

An American friend introduced me to this series of books many years ago and I am reading the latest. What can I say, not high brow reading but seductive, interesting, lovable and I always whizz through them super addict style. Thick slabs of books, they fill you up.

On the needles is a hat for myself (the purple was appropriated by the Beauty). It's supposed to be this hat, but it doesn't look like that hat at all. Last time I knit this it also seemed to turn it's self into something wholly different. Who knows where I am going 'wrong', my ability to read patterns (even simple ones it seems) sometimes is lacking. Nevertheless I am sure there will be a hat (of a sort) eventually.....

only once

It only happens once. Turning three.



Birthday morning snap games (and chocolate eating)





There can never be too many times in which to sing and blow out candles. Every meal time warrants a few goes.



Even on your third birthday riding in the sling with Mama is a nice thing to do.



Plenty of love between oldest and youngest.





She also loved her torch from Felix.



I made her a little red Lazy Day skirt, she liked that too.



star-shirt for little star-girl



When you are three the best thing is a birthday cake (which you helped make), and a Happy Birthday song (that you sing at least ten times).



A desperately wanted sparkler turns out to be a bit scary (indoors, on a cake, I'd feel the same).



A doll from a cousin turns out to be a much loved and carried around.





She loved and wore her crown ALL day, can you see? Previous years it was a whatever thing, but this year she is still wearing now days later. And on her first birthday with it she looked like this... I love this new age she is at... all of her ages, so grateful to be part of her life.