right now~

:: its the very start of the school holidays- HOORAY!! We are all still in our pjs- HOORAY again.

:: yesterday ~ was brilliant sunshine - we sunbathed and relaxed on the deck; now its raining-boo.

:: listening to ~ Kimbra still, and Mudford & Sons - oh and Peppa Pig is on in the background.

::planning ~ on paper the summer vege garden looks amazing! In reality the ploughing of the paddock and     fertilizing is done, not much else

::caring for ~ our sweet lambs - one of who is very poorly; we are hopeful though; a pig, who is getting bigger daily, 14 lovely lady chickens, and a raft of wild pukeos - who parade themselves daily for us.

::dreaming of ~ long summer evenings, with a tinge of sunshine on our backs, and a happy tired feeling from working the vege garden - and report writing but a memory!

::reading ~ a selection of mild trash - yay me! Gardening journals, and lovely blogs.

::thinking ~ I should go get the kids dressed! and the day planned, and started - maybe not! It's holidays after all!

its May already -sheesh!!

HELLO...my new friend.

rugby's started...and netball, soccer x2!

april family pic....

Life has ben full and busy and tricky and wonderful...but blessed too....we have had gatherings...a sweet new one welcomed to our world and in our arms.  Marshmellows toasted and sack races with cousins, tug of war with uncles and rugby kicks with dad....
celebrating: a sweet new girl child born to my lovely sister...bless you always baby girl; my big girl being voted in as head girl of the junior school; family gatherings where all 13 cousins can play in the sun together; our first boy being given a ceritficate recogniseing his empanthy and kindness to others....

thinking: that I should be outside soaking up the sun, but really need to clean the kitchen

baking: lovely looking slices that I can't even touch...sigh

counting down: in another 4 months 3 weeks I can sample those said slices, also counting down the scales as the weight slowly peels off - hopefully never to return  -shudder

hearing: a great message at church today that stirred my heart and has me thinking

loving: having 1/6th of the winter vege garden in

wondering: when on earth I will have the time to rotory how the other half and plant the other 5/6ths of winter vege garden!

hoping: this week will be calm and the list ticked off.
and that YOU have a blessed week. xxx

harvesting

todays harvest...we are picking like this every 2 days (in some cases every day)...the weeds are thigh high, and you have to know what you are looking for, but its all there, waiting for us.  I am thankful for such bounty...and proud of my family's effort is helping create such a HUMUNGOUS paddock/vege garden....its still got more to give yet!

frosty mornings

 we have only had a couple of frosts here this winter so far....I so love the early morning light glittering on the ice crystals...

 he's not overally thrilled tho!

and crunching the grass underfoot when you go and collect the eggs and check the chickens is so satisfying...(or rather you send a kid, 'cos its cold!)

these poor giant pumpkins long to be carved and given a purpose...they told me so...until then they are enjoying the ice clinging to their shiny skins..perhaps this weekend will be a carving weekend?...

autumn harvest

Look at all these pumpkins!! (we had also picked soome earlier and have eaten them already!)....Josaye and I trudged over ot the farm inthe rain and one morning htis week and finished harvesting the last of the pumpkins....now to harden them off and store them in the wre hammock Mr Man is about to make for them....just stoked with this haul, and be so cool to share some too...Yay for summer planting!

And also we continue to gratefully gather apples from the trees....to date I think I have bottled around 10-12 bottles, made applesauce, stewed apples, apple muffins (countless), apple cakes, apple cider (yup its yum!), apple crumble, and apple pies....(must share the BEST apple pie filling reciepe EVER on here), and of course eaten a fair few baskets of them too.....and several families have been regularly calling in to fill bags and buckets to take home - thankyou apple trees for your bounty.

garden sweetness

we have a very small but productive garden at our place. both my girls love to photograph things...and here are some sweet summer finds they shot....

Weekend Frolics

Nyah and Josaye

Peacock feathers Mama & kidlets ball gown Papa and boys

Last weekend as part of the long weekend, we went to the Bird Gardens in Katikati....acres of beautiful gardens, trees and flowers, little ponds and big ponds, funky sculptures and BIRDS, of course! They had parrots, and everytype of chicken around...spunky wee crested ones, fluffled up with the self importance of doing chicken stuff, the wee cockeral that was breed for fighting, he spent his time organising the girls and at knee high to a grasshopper in the chicken world, did an admirable job of it too! (he strutt his stuff and I likened him to wee admirable with medals pinned across his impressive chest), the girls and I decided the ones with slippers on their feet were the most fabulous tho. The peacocks followed us around and darted all over, very bold mind you, and snitched food from Micahs pram and from beside us on the picnic table....one peahen distraced us with her cool walk whilst another nipped up on the table for a second to snitch what she could...I'm reasonable sure they have an organised snitching rings, and each has its own role to play, they do it well and totally surpised us poor unsuspecting plebs.

The geese were my fav though. A few were malting and looked like they had their ballgowns on (my man just raised an eyebrow at me on that one- how rude!)...they waddle around and rushed with excitement to see what goodies we may of had for them....such a wonderful way to spend a Saturday, with the best people in the world, Autumn sunshine and our worlds beauty...