Saturday, August 29, 2009

A tidy study!

I tidied up the study today, so now I'm free to get creative again. I forced myself to stitch another row on littlest chicken's quilt (sigh),

finished off a bag for a friend,


and experimented with some complementary materials. I'm thinking the platypus might be a bit too subtle on this one... Hmmm. What do you think?

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A good read

I have been avoiding my sewing machine a bit lately. Littlest chicken's quilt is still hanging over me... but I'm not overly inspired to sew any more of it at the moment. I did make a bag, however, which was a bit of fun.


Mostly around here it's been reading, reading, reading. My own reading has been along the lines of Jack Deere, Bill Johnson, Mark Virkler. Very inspiring. Oldest chicken has been lured away from Famous Five periodically to read something else - Misty of Chincoteauge by Marguerite Henry was declared to be just as good as Famous Five - high praise!! I'm amazed by how often she re-reads books. She has gone for her second round of The Secret Garden, and various Patricia St John books lately. I personally like to leave a few years gap between re-readings, but maybe it's a childhood thing to do something over and over again? Chicken no. 2 is enjoying reading his 3 letter words from Hop on Pop, and littlest chicken likes to point at numbers excitedly and give them some random value (eg point to a 6 and say "it's a 2, mummy, it's a 2!").

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

A hint of Spring

The calendar hasn't quite taken us into Spring yet, but the trees are certainly showing signs of it. It's a balmy 20degC, with a clear blue sky, and the children can't get enough of being outside! Just perfect weather for me to sit dozing in the sunshine as I recover from the flu.



Today's to do list:
a Sit in sunshine.
a Watch the bees.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Going on about caterpillars again

The children were quite intrigued by the caterpillars today. They have all decided to start digging holes. A very time consuming task when you have to dig out each bit of dirt with your mouth.


Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A storm passing

We took advantage of the stormy weather this morning to make up some storm poetry and use the water colours.

Here is chicken no.2's poem:
The thunder is like drums
It sounds like rocks cracking apart
BOOM!
The lightning is like the sun in space
The rain sounds like loud things, like hail
The rain makes it look foggy outside
The leaves on the trees are coming off
The branches on the trees are blowing
I'm glad I'm inside


Here is chicken no.1's poem called 'Grass is whispering':

Grass whispers
Rain is running around
Thunder is fighting the rain
Lightning is playing
Wind howls
Trees are whispering just like the grass.


And mine:


Leaves whirl and dance
Wind howls
Rain applauds the show
As the storm brothers chase each other across the sky
One, impulsive, eager and dramatic
The other, cumbersome, yawns and grumbles
Then, gathering energy, bellows and roars after the other

Monday, August 10, 2009

Counting caterpillars

There's quite a number of caterpillars drifting past the house at the moment. Nice of them to drop by so I can practice my macro photography and the boy can practice his counting! Their colours are just stunning.



Thursday, August 6, 2009

Jack in plaster

Little pup is in plaster this week. Poor little thing has a broken leg. (I could make a joke here about how his leg might not be the only thing that's broke by the end of the week....$$!).