We've rarely left home the past couple of weeks. It's school holidays here and with very few plans we've been absorbed by the simple happiness of our home. Gardening, baking, sewing, knitting, reading and playing both inside and outside have filled our days. Friends and family have come to share morning teas and afternoon teas out on the verandah. Sir Steve dog has been for his daily stroll around the neighbourhood and occasionally to the park in the back of our old ute. (He barks the whole way there, sharing his quite obvious joy with everyone!) Nightfall comes earlier now that Autumn is here. We tuck ourselves up in our beds with our books, lightweight blankets ready for the crispness of the early morning air come the morning. These are ordinary days but they are good days...
The Autumnal colours of natural dyes.
Delicious and chewy Honey & Ginger ANZAC biscuits.
A mustard-y yellow sailor top for Autumn.
A bowl of homemade pumpkin soup.
The beginnings of a shawl.
One of Autumn's changing leaves.
Loving // All of Autumn's glorious golden colours.
Eating // Morning tea biscuits out on our verandah. (Chocolate chip cookies & ANZAC biscuits too.)
Drinking // Sparkling mineral water with a little lime juice squeezed in.
Feeling // Content.
Making // Plans for how I'll use the little stash of the fabric I dyed ages ago.
Thinking // That young people, like this little girl who helped convince her city's council to ban
plastic straws, can be so inspiring.
Dreaming // ... of a mid-May holiday to Melbourne, a city I have never visited before!
So, this is the here & now of my April. What's been happening during your April days? To join in with Sarah's lovely link-up, over at Say, Little Hen, just visit her there. She's just moved house and run a knitting workshop so there's lots to read about and her photos are gorgeous too.
Meg
Meg
Oh my gosh that shawl is looking so good!!!!
ReplyDeleteI baked some Anzac biscuits here too this week. I'm on the hunt for a crisp Anzac biscuit method, mine are hit and miss, sometimes crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle, but hubby likes them crisp all the way, so I squashed them flat, and baked them a little longer, they are all crunchy this time, but borderline burnt!...he likes them!
Thanks, I'm almost finished the fancy edging of the shawl now. My hubby loves Anzac biscuits too but he likes them chewy so these ones worked out well. Meg:)
DeleteGoodmorning Meg,
ReplyDeleteDoesn’t this Here & Now whip around quickly. Love your list. I made a herby zesty jug of iced water for a lovely lunch with friends last weekend. I used lemon Myrtle, Mint and lemon wedges, so simple but divine to drink. Have a lovely, Fi
Hi, Fi. The month between Here & Now posts seems to fly! I've got heaps of mint growing in the garden and love it mixed into refreshing drinks. I lost one lemon myrtle ages ago and planted another in a different spot. I thought I'd lost it over the scorching Summer but when I moved the pumpkin vine away from that area, there it was! The vine had been shading it all Summer long. Have a lovely day! Meg:)
DeleteMeg I love the colours you have dyed. I still haven't attempted to make a shawl :-) Could you do me a favour? I notice you are able to leave a comment on Clarissa's blog..Simply by the Beach. I can't leave one probably because I am not on Google + so perhaps you could let her know that in case she wants to put a contact form etc. on her blog so comments can be left that way. I couldn't find an email address to contact her. Thanks heaps!
ReplyDeleteI'll let her know for you, Chel. Meg:)
DeleteOrdinary days are often the best days, I find. Staying at home for a couple of weeks sounds just perfect, too! We're getting cooler evenings here at the moment but the days are still quite warm....I'm hanging out for winter haha!
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining in again Meg and also for your lovely words about my blog, you're too kind!
Sarah x
The days here are still warm too, Sarah, but the mornings have a lovely crispness to them. Having said that, the forecast says 33C anticipated for Sunday. Not very Autumnal! Your blog is lovely, Sarah, I always like to visit and see what you've been knitting. Meg:)
DeleteJust been for an extraordinary kayack on Enogeera Reservoire buy now totally ready for a very ordinary afternoon for the last day of the holiday's. Lucy
ReplyDeleteA kayak out there sounds lovely, my friend. Beautiful day for it! I hope you enjoyed your ordinary afternoon. Did you do some writing or crafting? Meg:)
DeleteLove the autumn leaf...
ReplyDeleteAutumn leaves are such beautiful colours. Meg:)
DeleteYour 'ordinary' days sound just perfect, Meg. I always enjoy it when I don't have to anywhere and can just potter about at home. Love your dyed fabrics, what did you use? Look forward to seeing what you decide to do with them.
ReplyDeleteI dyed these fabrics in a workshop in at our city farm ages ago, Nanette. Lots of plants from the gardens there were picked and used. I can't remember specifically but eucalyptus leaves, tumeric, berries of malabar spinach, red cabbage were among the plants I worked with that day. We experimented with wrapping the plant material in the cloth too and also using mordants. I have a couple of projects in mind. A scarf with the yellow silky fabrics and small zipper pouches for the others. Meg:)
DeleteAs always, I love your writing. Your shawl looks so pretty. Those cookies look healthy and delicious, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stephenie. These Honey & Ginger Anzacs are delicious. Oaty and a gently spiced with cinnamon and ginger. I will be posting the recipe for them around ANZAC Day (April 25th) which is a day of commemoration here in Australia. Meg:)
DeleteYour 'ordinary' days sound extraordinary:)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend Meg.
I love ordinary days, Nil. They are my favourites because I just get to be at home. I hope you have a lovely weekend too. What have you got planned? Meg:)
DeleteAs always, your photo's look amazing and your days sound lovely. I'd love to just spend all my days of the holidays at home, but my kids want to be off with their friends :( At least we have a week of camping next week, so will be nice to hang out and just chill with not much to do.
ReplyDeleteCamping sounds lovely, Clarissa. We'd hoped to pitch our little tent in the backyard for a night or two these holidays but the rain and showers put paid to that. Meg:)
DeleteI am loving those natural dyes as well, Meg. I would like to experiment with them, on my long list of things to do. I think it is such a good idea to book into a workshop sometimes as that's the only way I can carve out the time and motivation, and the courage to try something new. I do love your description of your home days. A wonderful time to treasure:)
ReplyDeleteOur city farm runs great workshops, Jo. I've done natural dyeing, simple basket weaving and an Intro to Permaculture there so far. Our local library has run great workshops too on topics like organic gardening and native bees. I find it's a great, usually hands-on way to learn. Meg:)
DeleteI want to try natural dye. Do you use linen or cotton fabric ?
ReplyDeleteI love pumpkin soup, it is delicious. :)
Greetings from Turkey
Ezgi
I love the range of colours of come from natural dyes. Really beautiful. I used a linen and some silk remnants, Ezgi. Meg:)
DeleteA nice autumnal mix of activities and colours. My girls have been enjoying investigating the different leaf colours around here and crunching the dried piles very vigorously under their feet. If I ever get a chance to sew again I really like the look of that sailor top - looks very comfortable and versatile.
ReplyDeleteI've made three sailor tops and have plans for one more. It's lovely to wear and suitable to a range of fabrics. It looks great worn casually with jeans or it's easily dressed up. Meg:)
DeleteMmmmm....ANZAC cookies. Delish! Oli is a drive by barker as well, but only in certain locations - I think he knows where he is heading and is shouting out for friends to join him! Pats to Sir Steve from us!
ReplyDeleteThe whole neighbourhood knows when Sir Steve is heading out in the ute. He doesn't bark on the way home. So funny! Sir Steve sends a "Woof!" in greeting to Oli. Meg:)
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