Thinking…. | 1000 Fields of Roses

Absolutely Freezing

Winter appears to have arrived.

We were up at 4.45 this morning so we could get to the Rocklea Markets when they opened at 6am. That’s not too much of a problem in the summer, and our autumn’s been dawdling along so far. Until this morning. Thankfully, being only partly awake meant I didn’t quite register the cold when I got out of bed. By the time we got to the open air fruit and veg stalls I had woken up enough to feel myself becoming a slow moving icicle…
It was still worth it. The food is fresh, and there’s hot coffee after. We did have some trouble choosing the fruit/veg at first – it was still a bit dark – but we got there in the end.

Had breakfast. We get pancakes at Pappy’s Pancakes. He makes gluten free ones as well.

This is how cold it was – normally the cream is melting off the hot pancakes by the time we sit down. They didn’t really have a chance this morning.
Another good thing about regularly going to a fresh food market is that you get to know the stallholders, and can chat with them about life while you’re stocking up with good food. We decided to get some new tea today (Strawberry champagne/Earl Grey tea and Black tea with caramel), and were given some jam/marmalade/pickles samples, because we’re favourite customers 🙂 It made for a good morning tea after we got home.

Marmalade

Handmade, thick cut marmalade, nicely paired with caramel tea. Yum!

I was still frozen when we got back, and it took me a couple of hours to thaw out. I’ll have to find my gloves and woolly hat for next time!

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Thinking....

on June 1, 2019 at 8:50 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Rocklea Markets

Mood

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on May 30, 2019 at 8:38 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: K.T.Tunstall, Still A Weirdo

Beautiful Food

…on pretty plates!
The last couple of weeks have been a bit bland, with illness in the house and nobody really wanting to eat. Yesterday we got back to a full meal, which I thought would be better served on one of my nice plates. Somehow that makes it taste better 🙂

Flowers and gold trim – and pink sauerkraut (it has beetroot and ginger in it).

I also got around to making banana bread today – because we weren’t eating our usual meals the bananas got a bit over ripe. I chucked in some cranberries and sultanas as well.

I think this is the first time I’ve made something with coconut flour (although mixed with basic gluten free flour as well) and not have it turn out overly dry – perhaps putting extra milk in helped?
I’ve also been sharing some bottles of kombucha with Sweet Bean, to rebalance after his course of antibiotics. Nearly back to normal!

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on May 27, 2019 at 8:46 pm Leave a Comment

Walking On Sunshine

Not sure where the autumn’s got to…
It’s pleasantly cool, though, throughout most of the day. Still lots of lovely sunshine lately, which has been good for recuperative purposes. I’ve been sitting out on the patio in the sun more, listening to Sweet Bean giggling over school work as he catches up on Shakespeare. I savour my breakfast, while enjoying the simple shapes and colours of my mug/dish as they reflect light.

I also enjoy the warmth on my toes (although they don’t reflect anything…)

The world keeps turning.
The lavender blooms.

Lavender

It’s the small joys that keep you walking on.
Come the winter, the sun will still shine.
And there’s always warmth and light somewhere, if you look hard enough.

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Thinking....

on May 26, 2019 at 12:41 am Leave a Comment

Meditations, With Pumpkin

Still having quiet days at the moment, if not restful. Sweet Bean is still recuperating, and Biggest Boy seems to have caught a bit of whatever was going around… they’re both on the mend, though. Starting to eat again, the chorus of coughing is not as exhaustive today, and some liveliness is returning. We still feel lethargic and as though we’re in between worlds. Yesterday a friend dropped round with a hello, and a pumpkin – both were very appreciated! The pumpkin will provide lovely soup (perhaps bread/cake?), but it is also, in itself a Thing Of Beauty…

Pumpkin

Isn’t that gorgeous?

I’ve been whiling away a bit of time today watching time lapses. Here’s one of a dandelion – one of my favourite flowers.

And another of a rose.

It’s curiously soothing, and also a reminder that time passing brings wonder we might not recognise at first.
What’s blooming in your life?

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on May 21, 2019 at 5:06 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Neil Bromhall, Time Lapse Dandelion and Rose

Debugging The Bean

Found this song this morning, while trying to find something to wake and cheer me up a bit…
Coffee also helped!

I’ve been up till the small hours with Sweet Bean the last couple of nights, keeping him company and plying him with hydration while he’s been feeling ill. He came back from camp feeling a bit sniffly and off colour, which turned to a bit of nausea after a couple of days. Just a cold, I thought (they sat around in wet clothes in the cold at camp), maybe a bit of a tummy bug. The sort of thing that feels icky but goes away after a few days.
Last night the minor bug seemed to quickly morph into – unable to keep water down, moaning with nausea, the doctor’s ENT examination majoring on “red” and “swollen”, and a fever of 39.7C. Called out the night doctor, got a round of antibiotics this morning. Poor Bean is still feeling rough, but I’m hoping he gets at least some sleep soon!
On the plus side, we’ve caught up on some great TV. There’s something about giggling at Fawlty Towers at four in the morning…

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on May 16, 2019 at 8:48 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Get Your Hopes Up, Josh Baldwin

Flowers In My Hair

Went to a Women’s Event at church… I had to wear clothes from the year of my birth. That mostly just meant looking through my everyday wardrobe…
I did splash out on a new accessory, so I could be sure to wear some flowers in my hair,

and some boots that were made for walking (after I’d spent the day stretching them – they were a bit tight across the foot).

Here’s the full ensemble.

IMG_3345 (1)

It was a fun night – made some new friends, and there was dessert, trivia, and karaoke! I didn’t get up to sing, but it was fun singing along with those who did.
Bedtime now.
See what tomorrow brings…

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Thinking....

on May 11, 2019 at 10:48 pm Leave a Comment

Adventure Bean

Having a lazy day today, as Sweet Bean is on his very first school camp! He’s been on Youth camps before – just never for school…
He got his cast off on Tuesday. Still has it strapped up, and has to do exercises to try to get the muscles stretching properly again…it’ll be better, though.
Here’s his favourite of the photos I took of him ready for camp…

😀

Here’s mine…

We’ll see tomorrow how it all went. Lots of possible adventures to be had!

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on May 10, 2019 at 4:28 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: School Camp

I Got This!

Beautiful day! Bright but a bit chilly, the right combination of work to leisure… it’s a day to relax into! We’ve already been out today, Singing With Friends (because some things need capitals). Sweet Bean is doing his school work, then we’ll go shopping this arvo for a few bits he needs for camp tomorrow. His arm’s out of the cast – still strapped, but at least he can get his arm wet with no dire consequences…
Some days, everything just feels like it’s falling in to place. Today feels like one of those days. Look – I’m even wearing an appropriate uniform!

Leaping tall buildings in a single bound!
(Or sorting through the linen cupboard to find the warm sleeping bag. Whatever.)
I’ve had a bit of a flurry of organisation this week. Not to the extent of actually finishing it all, of course, but it’s a start.
We’ve even started another herb garden.

Historically, we’ve tried the herbs-in-pots routine for a bit, until the heat fries them or the “forgetting to water” dries them. This time around it’s not too hot, and we’re a bit more regular with the watering.
I’ve got a good feeling about this!

At some point it would be nice to get more flowering plants. Until then, here’s some I saw at Bunnings, on the way to the potting mix…

😀

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Thinking....

on May 8, 2019 at 2:10 pm Leave a Comment

In Advance Of The Day

A combination of looking through old family photos, Mothers’ Day coming up next week, and reading this blog post has had me feeling a bit sad and nostalgic lately.
My beautiful boys are tall, strong young men now. I am so proud of them, and love being round them and watching them become the people they are meant to be… but sometimes, I miss my little boys.

These were photos taken at a long ago family photo shoot – such a fun day! That was when daily life for my giggly sweet beans revolved around our family unit, when we spent most of our time together. When trusting little hands would hold mine when we had to cross the road, or walk through the shopping centre, because Mummy was there to look after them. When I read them books at morning tea, with cuddles and funny voices. I sometimes still come across a little hand written note saying “I lov you mumy”
❤
It’s a sweet sort of sadness, this looking back.
This Mothers’ Day I will have journeyed through just over twenty years of motherhood. No little boy cuddles now, but there will be awkward but loving man hugs, deep voiced laughter and time spent together discussing fandoms and telling silly jokes. I am blessed with the company of two wonderful human beans… I may miss the early years, but I’m glad I haven’t missed the years that came after.
I love looking at old photos. It’s important to look back and remember.
I love, even more, looking at what I see now, and remembering to be grateful for all that’s in front of me.

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