In the garden, in the Easter sunshine

After heaps of rainy days we have finally had some gorgeous sunny weather just in time for Easter. Before the school holidays, our school had an easter hat parade which is always great fun to watch. Over 800 kids marching around in the sunshine in their Easter hat creations. I took lots of photos at school but promised the school office I wouldn't publish them on my blog. Such a pity that the world is the way it is. But here are my two bunnies at home before the parade. My big girl wanted to wear one of my sister's and my old dresses from 40 years ago. We used to call it the "stained glass window dress". She loves wearing it. "What's vintage mean, Mummy?".

I finally found the energy and a spare (sort of) $20 to buy some potting mix and extra flower seedlings. We never seem to have enough flowers. While I pottered and potted, the girls amused themselves for a couple of hours making a train out of bikes to deliver flowers.

All aboard the flower train!

I love it when they play outside in the fresh air, using their imaginations. That's how childhood should be.

My hanging baskets have been hanging empty for months and they finally have some new little green babies in them. Now I wish I had planted them up months ago. I'd have lots of colourful petunias and lobelias to enjoy now if I had.

My rock garden soldiers on. Sometimes one shocking pink sun jewel appears among the pale ones. You never know what Mother Nature will give you. We often find new little surprises in this garden that have self seeded - there are baby nasturtiums and sweet alyssum popping up at the moment.

I haven't been to church on Easter Friday for about 20 years. I don't miss it. I find the Easter story unbearably sad. Probably everyone does. Now I prefer to think about more pagan, traditional celebrations to do with new life, fertility, nature, and, of course, chocolate! Happy Easter everybody!

This and that

Ever since I started this blog for fun on my birthday in 2008, I have had the same photo of a fairy nestled in amongst blue lobelia flowers for my header. I never found another photo that seemed the right one to replace it, one that summed up my life/outlook/philosophy. But then, while flying my big girl's kite in the park the other day, I managed to hold the camera with one hand and the kite string in the other and snap a picture of it flying above me. Every time I look at this photo, I feel happy. It makes me feel hopeful and reminds me that the world is still full of beauty and simple pleasures despite earthquakes, floods, and other bad things that happen to good people. Plus..... I do have a little rainbow obsession.

I don't know where I used to find the time to do more posting on this blog. Suddenly, I just don't seem to be able to manage to find a spare 20 minutes to find the camera, upload the photos and stick them in a post with a few sentences. I could only find one of our two cameras tonight so some of the photos I was planning to post will have to wait until another time. I know I had our camera at Gallery of Modern Art on Friday and don't think I have seen it since, which is a worry.

A few posts back, I mentioned a quilt I was making for a special friend who has taught me so much about mothering, loving kindness, living in the moment and "letting go". After a couple more weeks of stitching it was finally finished, wrapped up and delivered. This quilt pretty much made itself and I loved making it. I loved the colours and the pictures of herbs and the simplicity of good old squares and rectangles. I love that it has gone to a happy home where the door is always open to friends, even when they have wandered down the street after dinner in their pajamas.

(I apologise that there is a tiny bit too much of me showing in this photo, but, hey, it's only the internet).

The autumn weather has made it a joy to be outside, especially in a park. A few weekends ago, we went to our local park with our friends to fly a kite and get in some extra monkey bar time.

Can you see the kite disappearing over the bridge?

When I sat down at the computer this evening to upload the latest batch of photos from my camera, I came across a bunch of gorgeous photos that I had never seen before. What a gift! Not sure what I was doing when my husband snapped them but I can't resist showing them to you. This is the side of our house where the weeds run rampant and we never seem to get around to making it beautiful. When we bought the house, the architect friend who did our building inspection warned that the landing didn't meet safety standards and we should add a railing. We did get a quote but never followed through on it. Nearly four years later, no-one has fallen off it (touch wood). Somehow, an old geranium has grown in a neglected corner and enchanted two girls having fun with a beachtowel and an umbrella. Thanks Scott for the photies!

Thanks Universe for two happy, healthy children (who didn't fall off the landing!)