On Thursdays I drop some CSA boxes off in Newcastle, then spend the morning with my daughter Meg and her son Arlo. Mostly we walk  over to her local Community Garden and do some work there. Meg grows as much food as she can in her small suburban garden but has decided to supplement it with food from the community garden.

This garden already had some fruit trees but they were in need of a little attention so we decided to slowly but surely turn the area into a food forest. Each Thursday we do a little bit more, starting first with a cuppa!!

There is quite a lot of organic matter dropped off by a gardening service which is piled up and smelly. We began to move it about to make compost heaps and then started using it as part of sheet mulching.
First we lay down a good many sheets of wet newspaper and cover it with the semi decomposed organic matter. As Bill Mollison used to say "turning bad news into good news." After a few weeks we are able to start to plant into this to build up a guild ( an harmonious interaction of elements) around each of the fruit trees.

And of course Arlo is our biggest helper. 

Ready to go grandma !

I can't find the bug anywhere

We had some extra help at the garden today along with our Intern

Here's how we are joining each of the trees up and then we will widen the beds until there is only a small central path between them.

Enough

Yesterday was my grandson 3rd birthday. I bought him a book and I made him some felt food, fried eggs and pancakes to play with when he's pretending to cook. I managed to pick up a little apron from a LETS trading day and found some utensils from our camping things that we didn't want anymore. He loved his felt food and made us pancakes and eggs again and again. (Sorry there are no photos as I couldn't find the camera).

A little later his dad came home from work and I stayed to watch Evan get his present from his family. It came in a lovely red parcel, which he opened very carefully, with a look of awe and wonder. Inside he found a little Dr's kit. A stethoscope, tweezers, scissors etc, very similar to the one I gave his mother when she was a little girl. After checking everyone with the stethoscope, he packed up his doctors bag and went off down the hall to ''work''.

This morning I got a text message from daughter which read....

                                                     Evan: "I don't want poppy to give me any presents because I've                                                                  already got one and two and that's lots of them and that's
                                                                 enough"

Out of the mouth of babes!!!!

As a child, Mark remembers that his father would give this answer when asked if he would like a second helping at meal times. "I've had an eloquent sufficiency and anything more would be superfluous"'

Now I know that this isn't quite the quote as it was first spoken, but it is how Mark remembers hearing it as a very small child.

Do we even know when we have had enough? My three year old grandchild does. It would be lovely to live in a culture of ''Sufficiency'' , do you agree?

More Handmade

Hello everyone. I hope you all had a most joyous Christmas and New Year. We were able to see all my children and their partners and babies on Christmas day and a couple of Mark's daughters and their little ones a few days before.

I made three of these tipis the week before Christmas for the grand children. One for each family. I followed directions from here. Quite an easy make. I used as much resources from around the house and farm as I could, having to buy the fabric and grommets. I used old curtain rings to attache the fabric to the poles, and sourced the poles from our bamboo patch. I added some elastic around the top of the fabric to stop it stretching and some elastic from one side of the top to the other to keep the fabric up when the tipi is folded up. The children loved them and they can be used inside or outside.

We are looking forward to another full and bountiful year. We have another little grandchild due in May. I'm really looking forward to sewing and knitting for another little one, although my daughter is quite proficient in this area herself and probably doesn't need extras, but I just can't resist. It is a grandma's prerogative, don't you think?

The Littliest Intern

I haven't been feeling the best for the last few days, but I'd promised my daughter that I'd look after Evan today. Luckily he is easy to care for. He just loves to be involved with whatever is going on.
So when the interns were set the task of constructing some new fencing for the pigs....

I took Evan over to watch thinking that he would like to sit and watch. Instead he wanted to join in, so I popped him over the fence and and sat quietly while I watched him work...

The interns haven't had much experience with farming but are really up for the many challenges that they are presented with. Along with fencing this week, they have been learning to care for the farm animals. And once again Evan is in there amongst it.....

 Yesterday, the interns were shown how to catch the chooks and give them a bit of a health check, followed by a routine application of oil to the chooks legs to smother any scaly leg mite that may be present. Today the guys tackled the job on their own with the remainder of the chooks, with a little bit of help from Evan of course.

They have been learning the feeding routine and nightly lock up of all the animals, along with cleaning out their enclosures and replacing bedding. This continues for the week which should enable them to take care of all the animals independently.

For Evan, who has participated in feeding the animals from the time he could walk, there were other things to do...

Like taking his baby for a ride and eating oranges straight from the tree...

As I said before, Evan is quite easy to care for, so I did manage to rest a little as we slowly moved around the farm.

And now it's time to snuggle down in front of the fire with a cup of ginger, lemon and honey tea. Hopefully I will be feeling better tomorrow. But before I go a big thank you to our interns for all the wonderful work they're doing on the farm.

All Aboard

A couple of weeks back my youngest daughter, Sarah, came up to meet her newest nephew. She spent a lovely week catching up with family and friends,but really loved the opportunity to reconnect with Evan and soak up as much of baby Atticus as she could...

And so, as the week came to an end, we all gathered to spend our last day with Sarah before she flew back home. Evan's mum thought it would be nice to take him on his first train ride, so we met up with Unkie Donk (ana Uncle Dom)

And Aunty Megs

and boarded the train.

                                Mummy sat opposite with baby Atticus in his Hugabub. We met up with Aunty Sars at the station and went to the park. even was doted on by all the grown ups and found that some one was always available to give him a swing.

or a ride on the seesaw.

Goodbye Aunty Sars, we miss you xxxx

Vests

I do love a vest, especially at this time of year.The little vest Atticus had on yesterday was one I'd made for Evan. Evan never got to wear it as he was just too big, but this time around it fits beautifully.

It's a pattern I found a few years back but it doesn't carry any identifiable brand. It is similar to the Colin Vest, but with buttons down the side. Does any one know it so that I can give credit? The yarn is New Zealand wool I found at an op shop.

This vest I made for Evan this year. I'm now wishing I'd made it a little longer, but otherwise it fits beautifully. It's a Patons pattern and is knitted in Patons wool. I made a few mistakes which had to be unpicked. Not that it's a tricky pattern at all, just me trying to continue knitting too late into the night and waking up in the morning to mistakes. Sometimes a whole row of cables missing!

Sadly my spinning wheel is sitting untouched. Looking forward to the earlier evenings, sitting by the fire, with spinning wheel in front of me. I have a very nice fleece just waiting to be finished.

Do you knit? What have you got on your needles at the moment?

A Farm Visit

 Today Rhonnie and Meg visited the farm with the two boys.

 While the baby napped in his mum's arms and Aunty Meg knitted, Evan and I visited, well, everything. He rode the big and small tractors...

He found an egg and managed to carry it all the way back to his mum, with even a stop at the tractor, without breaking it...

There was a little pruning to done..

Some road works to be done...

 

There were chicks to watch, which resulted in a bit of an altercation with a rooster, who took to poor Evan, attacking him unmercifully. ''The naughty chook hitta my face" The rooster's spurs were caught up in Evan's vest and he couldn't let go. Oh what a tangle. I don't know who was more frightened.

Certainly the rooster  made a hasty retreat.

And Atticus spent a beautiful day in the arms of one or other of his doting relatives.

Such a beautiful day! We miss you Sarah! See you soon. xx

It's About Time

It's about time I introduced you to our newest grandson. After all he is 4 weeks old today and I've kept him all to myself. A little bit selfish I know.

So here he is.... Atticus George

 Day one in daddy's arms

This baby's arrival was in stark contrast to his brother's. Whereas Evan was 2 weeks overdue, Atticus was 2 weeks early. Evan was nearly 11 lb and Atticus only 7lb 7oz. Evan's labour 24 hours, Atticus just one hour.

Aunty Meghann and Uncle Dom.

And a cuddle with grandma.

When Evan was born I was very privileged to be at his birth. This time I had the very important job of looking after him while his new little brother was born. Another great privilege!

Twice Around The Sun

Just over a week ago my Grandson Evan turned two...

 

His mum and dad want to keep these early birthdays small and simple so that he is not overwhelmed by something that he really can't understand. So there was a simple home made cake decorated with some of his farm animals.

 A visit by granny and pop, aunts and uncles, grandma, and his newest baby cousin..

Evan is really in love with this little babe and his arrival at his birthday was a highlight.

I gave him some winter clothes that I'd made, and a home made hobby horse that I'd bought at our Steiner School when he was just 6 months old. I've been waiting ever since for the right time to give it to him, and as two year olds are keen to explore the world and those he finds in it, now seemed just right. As usual for children this age, the gift bags were of more interest at the beginning, becoming a great place to put all of his things. I was a little concerned that the horse may be a little difficult for him but he took to it with ease.

Evan is such a happy boy. He is equally happy playing with his dolls as he is with his trucks, or blocks, or farm animals. He loves to climb and run, gallop and jump. His mum and dad got him a swing and slippery dip for his birthday and he can amuse himself for ages going up and down. 

My daughter tells me that Evan wrapped up his ''baby" and put it in a trolley and he was taking her for a walk to dubdas- that's his word for grandma. He is teaching himself to go to the potty. He imitates all those around him, wanting to be a part of all we do. He will soon be a big brother and with his response to babies so far I'm sure it will be something that he will really enjoy.

Happy Birthday beautiful boy. xxx

My Creative Space

Finding the space within the busyness of farm life for a little creating has become a priority for me over the last few years. Whether it's sewing, knitting, spinning or whatever new thing that comes along, I make time for some each day.

* * * * * * * 

Just the odd bit of knitting happening here at the moment, so thought I'd share some creating that happened for Christmas...

A fishing game for a little grandson, made from felt with a touch of embroidery. A metal washer at the mouth, a little fleece stuffing and a magnet on some string, along with some watery blue coth and you have a sweet little game for a 2 to 3 year old.

One of my daughters felt that a doll's house would be lovely for her 4 year old niece, so we took a look around some second hand shops. We came across this one which we felt could come up to scratch with a little TLC. As it got closer to Christmas, my daughter was getting a bit overwhelmed with what needed to be done so I took over the project. Rhonnie had sanded the whole thing down, so I started on the painting. She decided to keep the floors wooden and to paint everything else.

A piece of timber beading was added to cover a few dents and curtains for the windows...

Paper bunting in the nursery...

 

And a bed for mamma and pappa....

Rhonnie was a little anxious about how the gift would be received as the family are not really into secondhand/homemade. But her niece was beside herself when she saw it. It was just what she'd dreamed of! Rhonnie had found some beautiful wooden furniture to add to the gift and I'm sure that there will be many more years of happy play from this little girl.

For our 6year old grand daughter I made an explorers bag from some curtain fabric that I had. And to put inside I made a pencil holder and journal. Along with a bought magnifying glass and second hand insect book I think it made a lovely discovery gift. The grand daughter was particularly taken with the pencil case, something she had coveted for a while apparently. You can be lucky some times!

For her four year old brother I made some things to throw. Don't small boys just love to throw things?

I made a parachute from some lovely blue silk and added a duplo man I had, and a shooting star streamer ball from some felt.

I really enjoyed creating these gifts. I find it much more rewarding than wandering around the shops with the hordes of Christmas shoppers (or at any time really).