50 degrees north

One day, this will be Tony, Piet and I.  A white Christmas….with reindeer, cinnamon buns and snow.

I can’t imagine it but if I had a bucket list this would on the top of it.

I receive the odd email from 50 Degrees North, travel specialists for Nordic countries, the Artic, and Russia. Wow! Another world away it seems.  A friend of mine took a dog sledding adventure, although it turned out to be more adventure than dog sledding.

Piet would love it….and I just know I would!

Piet's art work

Reading between the lines...I have many photos on my phone similar to the above red explosion.  Putting 2 and 2 together I believe it may be Piet's handiwork as it's the same day he made a few phone calls to Tony ....... and one very understanding client :-)

Baby birds

 

Little P and I may or may not have been stealing these baby robins from their nest when there mum is not looking.  Especially on hot days, they're hanging out of the nest gasping for air.

The mum has created a nest in the roof of a shed, which faces west so get up to 50 degrees or more on a hot day.

Little P becomes very concerned when I'm up on a chair reaching for the birds and tells me to be 'Careful, careful mumma, no fall'....

Caught!

Yes you! 

Been eating my new trees? No?  

Well then, how do you explain the plastic

tree guard around your neck? 

Hmmm?

Post-Halloween lessons

The weeks have been passing by so quickly, November here you are!  Piet and I have fallen into a comfortable routine making our days together much more enjoyable, I'm not sure if it's his growing independence or eagerness to learn or maybe it's his wonderful sense of humour that's making an appearance.

On the other hand he's not backwards in showing when he's had enough.....however I've become one smart mama and am working out how to get him out of the blues.

Example A. 
A trip to (another) market From the minute he spotted market with not slides or swings to be seen little P was lagging 20 metres behind me. Not interested in walking with me, holding the basket, choosing the veges and definitely 'NO PHOTO'!

Answer?
Let him climb a fence and watch the local school kids.

Example B
Learning how to eat a Zooper Dooper iceblock. 

These are meant to be fun, right? Nope, not when your 2 and don't know what your meant to do with this slippery frozen stick. Even wearing two hats doesn't help.....

He threw his away, grabbed mine - but, nope, it was still too cold, too slippery and really not worth it (even with a supplied teatowel)

Answer?
Forget thet Zooper Dooper and Go Spider Hunting! (with tongs)

Example C 
Dressing as a spider for Halloween. OK he was a BLACK spider and it WAS over 30 degrees C with a tight string around his stomach.  (And yes I realised he only had 6 legs - but it was too late by then).

Answer?
Take off annoying spider legs, black shirt, black stockings and go for a ride on the mower with Dad - genius!

The Bellarine Growers Market day!

Two weekends ago I achieved something I'd always dreamed of - selling my produce at a farmers market! Was so much fun and has given me a buzz that's still going.....oh yeah!

With thanks to my sister who got me back into the vege garden to face with the grass & weeds.

I woke at 6am on the morning of the market - in fact the moon was still shining - and picked my parsley, chives, golden oregano, lavender, silver beet, rocket and lettuces til I couldn't feel my frozen fingers anymore. Tony and I had picked the Euphorbia flowers the night before.

I packed the car, put on my new $30 Target top, kissed my husband and little P farewell and headed off to the market - the best feeling ever!

Met amazing people, got to chat with market-goers about my produce and had a surprise visit from Tony & Piet.  It's so addictive!

I live in the world

Campbell Point House, Leopold
On the Bellarine Peninsula
 www.campbellpointhouse.com.au

I've begun a meditation course and our Swami began the study with a statement: 'I live in the world'.

A simple statement but with more than one meaning; he explained that there are TWO worlds. 

 The first world is our personal 'inner' world, the 'I' - which we can learn to control through meditation.

* The second is the 'outer world' - in which we have NO control. 

So really, we're expected to live in harmony in both worlds. Not so easy.

Meditation is,

 in essence, learning how to control our inner world to survive in the outer world.

Food for thought.