Australia Day and Every Day

Steve Grace with Grace after the concert

Early morning walks, special days and everyday beauty from the last week of our hot summer January!

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Karen

Winter's End

As our winter draws to a close, so our sport seasons change also. Final games of hockey are being played (Miss O and Miss G) and the winter training camps for cricket will soon culminate in trials and then on to State Country Championships for those selected.

Our winter has been relatively mild and dry. Many local property holders are busy burning off excess ground cover as a preventative measure before the bush fire danger period.

Hand sewing continues to be my pleasant time filler when waiting for appointments or between each day's needful activities, and once more at night to wind down as I wait for all in the house to become quiet, allowing for sleep.

Our local homeschool group has enjoyed a set of art workshops run by one of the mums who is a trained art teacher. It's wonderful to be able to learn from each other and share our passions. Very grateful for those parents who organise activities for our group - so many options this year that we choose carefully those which ones to participate in each term.

Personal updates: My husband's health has slightly improved  :)
My mother had a few days in hospital over the last week, a pacemaker has been fitted and other issues are being investigated.
A close family friend, younger than me, lost her DIY husband suddenly in an accident at home this week. Very sad.


* If you hover your mouse/cursor over each of the photos above, text details to accompany will become visible. 
*** You can read more details about most of these photos on my Instagram feed which I add to several times a week. You don't have to join Instagram to view either - just click on the little blue square camera logo under my blog profile (top right hand corner). 

Observing

Growth and change, challenges and blessings, sowing and reaping. Year by year our children increase not only in age, but wisdom, ability and vision. 

Miss O is persevering with her new garden, nurturing it daily, and it is rewarding her beautifully. The snow peas and sugar snap are beginning to flower, the garlic and herbs are growing well and the first petunia flower opened today. 

Grace's music dreams are slowly become more real in very exciting ways.

Grace and Miss O baked cakes to surprise three birthday girls on this weekend's cricket camp. Pictured above are the Cinnamon Crumb Apple Cake and an amazing Raspberry-Swirl Cheesecake just before it went in the oven. They made  a rich frosted chocolate cake too - there was something to please every taste.

Every day I find myself observing and supporting, seeking wisdom, quietly content and overflowing with gratefulness.

What a Beautiful World

Looking back over photos from the last few days reminds me of how much there is to be grateful for. Our town is awash in purple jacaranda flowers. I love the fleeting, royal display these trees give each year in mid spring. The town's annual week-long Jacaranda Festival has just finished. 

Grace performed five of her original songs at the Jacaranda TAFE markets yesterday, a wonderful experience for her and a delight to the audience. We were fascinated by a back stage tour of the TAFE's music facilities, learning more about the course Grace has been studying this year. Batman and Poison Ivy made an appearance promoting an upcoming Cosplay event.

My birthday happens to fall during this festive floral time. I enjoyed choosing some new plants for the garden, including the two above*, which although they look like Australian natives are actually native to South Africa - close cousins to many of our native flora. The children surprised me with a beautiful Tree of Life pendant for my birthday - I love it!

* Botanical Notes: Both the potted plants shown above are from the Proteaceae Family and are native to South Africa. The orange flowering plant is "So Sincere" - Leucospermum linear hybrid. The silver 'coned' plant is Leucadendron galpinii female, commonly known as Purple Haze as its foliage turns silvery purple in winter.

The purple flowering jacarandas are native to South America, primarily Brazil, yet thrive in our climate.

Sharing at Our World Tuesday.