Seasons.

It started off colder today. I know that Autumn starts officially on Sunday, however March is often still hot here. It is lovely today though. Prayers for Melbourne as hot, dry, windy day was forecast.

Children out the front door and on the bus, floors are clean, washing hung out, fruit and veg order placed, bedrooms tidied, bathroom wiped over, dishwasher loaded.......time for coffee and toast.

Making Lunches.

Dinner.

Dinner was pretty good tonight; lasagna. A Better Homes and Gardens recipe, without bechamel sauce. I love bechamel sauce, but it does add to the cooking time. I did not make meatballs like they did.....

Make your mince/sauce/vegetables.

In lasagna dish layer meat sauce, pasta sheets, mozarella cheese. Then pasta sheets, meat sauce and mozarella cheese.

Bake and enjoy. I snuck many,many vegetables into ours tonight, including the pulp from my juice machine today.....

Another part of Australia.

I stumbled on to this blog Simple Things, Small Joys a while ago, and found out that this lady's house would be featured in my favourite magazine, "Australian Country Style". Well it was in the March issue and it was lovely to read more about this family. Why not drop in for a visit?

Texture.

All of our messy paperwork are in these containers/satchels.

Colour.

I stayed in our house for the whole day today; bliss.

Good Moments Today.

Inspiration.

The last few days have seen me very much in this earthly world; I have seen manipulation, lies, greed, rudeness, power, deceit, hopelessness, selfishness and anger.

I must say that there has also been support, friendship and strength.

In my sheltered life, this has been a shock, yet if I was in the corporate world, the political arena or media, this would be my daily experience.

I can't say that I have the stomach for it and am glad to disappear into the woodwork again. I have questionned and stated my views, my concerns and findings into an issue. Hopefully some good will come of it for many.

Boy am I tired though.......
And then, "As the deer pants for streams of water......" Ps42:1,
I was still.



I have just read a chapter in this book,that has reminded me of God's powerful presence in the beauty around us in His creation.

This book reminded me that we are meant to take time from the mundane, difficult, tedious and be still and be in awe of the seasons, the sunset or sunrise, the ocean, trees, the stars, the colour in flowers and so on.......We are told to stop worrying and take this all in.........

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin......" Matthew 6:19

Books.

..........of interest and hobbies..............

Pooh corner and Beatrix Potter..........

For growing minds.........

Many favourites........

My books from bookclub.........

Quiet reading for the children after dinner........

Books from a library that has closed.......

Books about God.......

Special books, some from previous generations........

Books to help learn language.........

Books to browse through...........

A Day in my Life.

This weekend is really a weekend of rest as it is pouring with rain, everything is cancelled, so I was not going to turn on the computer at all. I then realised that it was the 14th, and then discovered that it was the last one.

Here is a summary of yesterday......A Day in my Life.

Slept in.

Breakfast by the window and looking at the mist in the valley.

House filled with play and toys and elephants' feet.

Valentines' Day chocolates and jellies, some photo's and a letter box almost ready to be put in situ.

A delicious lunch of deli goods and then some chocolate.

Some housework; laundry and vacuuming.

A gathering of E's family to discuss plans for a new bathroom at the lake house.

The children had noodles at Grandad's and we came home to warm showers and warm beds.

Husband E and I had toast in front of some lovely English TV shows.

Emptied the dryer.

Bed to the sound of rainfall.

Simply Stripey.

Music

"It's mine!"

Groove.

Lunch listening to great 80's music.

Pre Children Brain.

I studied Japanese for nine years, first at high school and then university. I learnt a lot at a duty free store that I worked in, we had many Japanese customers. I also did a 6 week exchange to Toyota-shi.

I am looking up some kanji for my sister in law, I have managed one but not the other. I have asked a friend who is a Japanese teacher and he cannot find the other kanji either. We are stumped. The second one means inn or shelter. The first one......?

I am messy in my kanji writing as I am in my handwriting. I cannot cut in a straight line and I am hopeless with origami. Precision, neatness and patience-hmmmm!

I also know that these are out of focus.

Appreciating the Everyday.

Relief.

Thankyou God, that here in the bushy "Hill Upon Hill" we have had gentle rain for two days now.

May this relief extend to Victoria. Many towns are still at risk, many people will have sadness, shock and grief as their burden.........

Beechworth is at risk at present, although this morning it was reported that the containment lines had been made....... We have stayed there on three occasions. It is a wonderful place.....

Devastation.

Our prayers are with those in Victoria who have lost family and loved ones. The death toll this morning is over 100 due to bushfires. There are many people injured and many have lost everything..........

Pray for rain and an ease in conditions. Australians will now do what they do best and lend a helping hand.

Green.

Amidst the smoke here tonight, I am glad that I captured these images today and yesterday. I have been pouring the water from washing vegetables over this fern and it has responded with new growth.

Our neighbour also gathers rain water and run off and waters her vegetables with a bucket. She dropped off another bounty on our doorstep this afternoon.

There are bushfires to the north of us and there is smoke in the valley. Tonight we will sleep with our windows closed. The Rural Fire Service men and women are our heroes.

We have also found our first green tomato in the garden!!

Paperwork like a Magic Pudding.

I do not like piles on my benches. Wednesday is note day from school and this week there was much to attend to. I have finally sorted through all past paperwork/tax/bills and reduced paperwork to cover the last seven years only.

The bench is a "Magic Pudding" though....
"Magic Pudding" means that it continuously replenishes itself. This is based on a wonderful children's story called "The Magic Pudding" by Norman Lindsay.

Dinner Fit for a President.

A friend of mine cooked a delicious meal for her family on the day that the Obama Family moved into the White House. Well she made me hungry for BBQ pork, baked potatoes and corn so on Sunday night we had that for dinner.

Pork Marinade:

Pork chops

800g tin diced tomato

1 cup BBQ sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup apple cider

1/2 cup whiskey

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup worcester sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

Baste and BBQ or bake in the oven with sauce poured all over. Jolly good.

Sugar.

My dear friend Aunty L, brought us lots of goodies from their trip to the U.S.A. One of the gifts included this "Sugar Softie" bought in Arizona. I soak the clay tile in water for 20 minutes and then place it in my brown sugar container. It can also be used to keep cookies moist. I love gifts that are unique and useful.

Sabbath, Scripture and Sharing.

This is the second week at our church and we are enjoying being local and meeting very welcoming people. The Sunday School Bible story was the story that we read to 7 year old daughter the night before!

A friend and I are still reading The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson. We have started the chapter titled "The Gift of Inspiration." Our children are all blessed with different gifts, we as mothers not only love, clothe, nurture and protect our children but we are also to set them on their life's mission to use their gifts to serve others.