Hump Day Inspirations

A little inspiration for your Wednesday.
xx

via

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52 portraits//capturing memories and moments//in 2013 

Linking in with Jodi over at Che and Fidel. 

Sam: a second tv was brought into the bedroom this week, so Sam could play her video game whilst I watched River Cottage Australia. It's all about compromise, right? (p.s. it will not be staying) 
Me: in the midst of a shoulder rub, I realised she is snapping images of my ink. This one is for her, my girl. 
Tiger: our morning walks are helping with her old-dog aching joints. Seeing her so happy and healthy makes the early mornings worth it. 
Appa: ten minutes earlier she was ignoring me after a surprise 'bath-time', though once dry she will happily sit on my chest for cuddles. 
Quinn: up to mischief, as usual - this time it was a game of hide-and-seek inside the shopping bags. Photograph #2 by Sam

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52 portraits//capturing memories and moments//in 2013 
Linking in with Jodi over at Che and Fidel.  

Sam: coffee in hand
Me: talking - as usual
Tiger: morning walk
Appa: belly fluff
Quinn: relaxing - in the most unusual way
Photograph #1 & #2 by Sam

Healthy Life: Raw Lemon & Coconut Truffles

 It's this time of the year, towards the end of Winter, that I begin to crave light meals & snacks - warm salads, flatbread with roasted vegetables, fruit smoothies & simple stirfrys. I think my body is trying to tell me it's over all the carbs & protein I've stocked up on during these cooler months & is ready for a leaner diet.

The one thing I've consumed way too much of this Winter is sweets, in particular, chocolate. And not even the good kind! No Snickers bar or packet of Smarties are safe from me at the checkout.
Yet it was while eating said Snickers bar that I stumbled upon my saviour; these Raw Lemon and Coconut Truffles by Petite Kitchen.
A truly delicious sweet treat which hasn't left me feeling guilty, or worse, with the dreaded sugar-pimples.

They're perfect as a simple afternoon snack, are raw with no refined sugar & are a synch to make. Simply, pop the kettle on, throw ingredients in a food processor (or if you're like me and can't be bothered getting it out, mix ferociously with a wooden spoon!), roll into walnut-sized balls, coat in dessicated coconut, make yourself a cuppa & enjoy! 
Seriously, anything that takes less than 10 minutes to whip up is a winner in my book! 

I urge you to jump on over to Elenaor's blog, discover her inspiration to create delicious, wholesome food for her family & lose yourself in the simple beauty of her recipes.  
 

Hump Day Inspirations

A little inspiration for your Wednesday. 
xx

via  

The Week That Was...4//8//13

1. I've been noticing new shadows occurring throughout our house over the past few months, as the light changes throughout the seasons. The shrubs outside our bedroom window create a dappled light play on the opposite wall. It's a rather pretty sight to wake to.
2. Quinn crawls from the bottom of the bed, under the blankets, to wedge herself between us. She purrs and rubs her wet nose on ours, rousing us awake.
3. "I don't want to get out of bed!"
4. It's been a Panda-mug kinda weekend.
5. A photo booth snap.
6. Colourful rugs make for the perfect spot to watch birds...without cold paws.
7. An overly cheery Friday night called for a healthy Saturday brunch - these homemade wraps with a grilled squash & fennel salad.
8. The rarely get along, yet when they do it's a beautiful thing.
9. The wattle is blossoming, so we forage & decorated corners of our home with its gold-laden branches. 
10. I love the sweet honey scent of our handmade candles - the perfect ending to these chilly Winter days.
Photograph #2

 *Linking in with Em for Stills: A Weekly Collection.

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52 portraits//capturing memories and moments//in 2013 
Linking in with Jodi over at Che and Fidel.  

Sam: double denim & a single braid - you are 'on trend', m'dear
Me: post farmers market, Quinn calls to us from inside the house...so I called back. 

You can just make out the olive-hued flower buds of the evergreen magnolia - in the coming weeks, this bush will blossom with miniature flowers, a sign of beautiful things to come.
Tiger: she sits by the back door after the sun has set, waiting patiently for someone to let her in
Appa: crazy cat eyes!
Quinn: sitting in the sunshine, calling to me.
Photograph #2 by Sam

 

"...with her love for the markets."

I'm not a snoop, I promise.
Her Facebook chat was already open. I promise.
But this is what I discover:

And it's true. I do love the farmers market. Rain or shine, we're there.

Sunday morning, as the sunlight begins to creep into our dark bedroom, I wake Sam with as much enthusiasm as a child on Christmas morning. I rise, brew coffee for our journey, wake Sam again*, get dressed, prepare our totes & bags, make sure Sam is definitely awake & dressed, & then we're off!

In Spring & Summer, the mornings are warm & bright, the lanes are alive with buskers, & we're on the look out for fresh berries & ripe mangoes. The cooler months are all about the different varieties of pumpkin & squash. Dressed in our woolens & boots, we meander to-and-fro throughout the stalls, coffee in one hand, fresh baked treats in the other.

Sunday is a special day for me. It's familiar rhythm is comforting, yet each is different from the last. The market is just one element of a rejuvenating & reverent day, for me. The perfect beginning to my favourite day.


And so, I'm off to bed! Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are! xx

* Sam is not a morning person, so it takes a few goes to get her up & out of bed, especially in Winter. She must love me ;)

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52 portraits//capturing memories and moments//in 2013 

Linking in with Jodi over at Che and Fidel. 

 

  

Sam: awoken by my early morning breakfast-making rituals - she's not a morning person

Me: rugged up for yet another frosty Mountain morning
Tiger: she hates the wet grass, instead content to sit on the cold pavement
Appa: hiding her face from the lens
Quinn: curled up amongst my scarves ... much like here
photograph #2 by Sam 

Those Less Than Desirable Habits

From my current perch, our bed, I can see a quite a few bad less than desirable habits. Some are mine, some are Sams*, & unfortunately a couple are shared.
An empty mug from this mornings coffee sits beside a used make-up wipe from last nights lazy bedtime routine, clothes are strewn on the floor & the bed is littered with remnants of todays journalling/reading/crafting/eating peanut butter & Saladas**.
Not to mention my other terrible habits; letting the dishes pile up on the counter, leaving hair in the shower drain, forgetting to put water in the animals bowls & leaving the bathroom light on. Just to name a few.

After reading an insightful series surrounding the act of practicing simplicity, I have become more aware of elements in my daily life that could use a little, well simplifying.

Instead of leaving my mug on my bedside, I should have returned it to the kitchen to be washed with the dishes this evening, saving me the extra trip. Instead of leaving bits & pieces (ie. make-up wipes, hair pins, pencils, nail clippers, bills) laying around I should really put them back in their place, making my bedside available for books, candles & a selection of hand & body creams. Instead of dropping yesterdays (& the day before & the day before that &...) clothes on the floor, I should have put them in the hamper, ready for our visit to the laundromat***.
I'm sure tomorrow morning I'll regret piling all of todays journalling/reading/crafting/eating on the floor beside the bed, because ya'know, old habits die hard around here.

I guess it's all a work in progress, really. I can't turn my chaotic & - more often than not - untidy life around overnight, yet identifying the need is half the task. Next up - applying it!


Do you have any undesirable habits? (really, I can't be the only one!)
Any tips for simplifying the everyday?
 xx

* Don't worry, Sam, I wont divulge your bad habits...not now at least.
** PS. I'm sorry for getting crumbs in the bed... 
*** Just a couple more weeks until our new washer arrives...three to be exact, but who's counting?

Currently...

Just as I thought our days were getting quieter & simpler, things have become...hectic. It's really the only word to describe it.
I'm awake early & in bed late. I'm drinking coffee by the gallon & have worn the same jeans/tee/beanie combo for the past 3 days. I have been away from this space for much longer than I wish & have missed dearly, yet I have not had the words, nor the mental capacity, to express it all. Life just gets hectic at times, hey?
So, this is what's happening currently...
 
* Although Autumn came late & the leaves took a while to turn & fall, Winter is truly here upon the mountain - frosty, foggy & drizzly days have become the norm, as have woolens & electric blankets.

* Sweater dresses, $3 mens slippers & brightly-coloured rugs...need I say more?

* Like I said earlier, I'm living on coffee at the moment. French press at breakfast, espresso in the evening & my favourite "standard fairtrade organic soy latte with agave to takeaway, please". 
(I also realise there's nothing 'standard' about that order.)

* My favourite part of Monday - making homemade stock. Sunday's roast chicken becomes 3litres of healthy, herb-spiked stock, & the leftovers are added to a multitude of meals - paprika chicken, spicy dumplings, rice paper rolls or a good ol' chicken & chilli toastie.

* My day-off looks like this: in bed, knitting, watching The Block, drinking coffee, chatting about babies/wall colours/travel, all whilst enjoying the heart-warming company of my sweet little family. Bliss.

* Winter evenings, we burn beeswax candles in the kitchen & bedroom, & light jars of tealights in the bathrooms.

* Although chilly, Winter has brought with her some magnificent blue skies & beautiful sunsets. It's at this time of the day that mind is open & clear. I find myself pondering life & dreaming of what the future has in store. It's also at this time of year that I begin thinking of what I want to achieve in the coming months - the solstice is nearing & we're reaching the midpoint. Time for lists, plans & lots of talks.

 

* We've celebrated both our birthdays in the past week - Sam on the 6th & mine just yesterday. It's a bit wonderful to share & enjoy this time together. Nothing extravagant, just quality time & a couple of special treats. The cake Sam baked for me last night has to be one of the highlights - doughnut-shaped with plenty of nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, plus raspberry coulis & the best white choc & raspberry icecream. Yum!  

PS. Happy Birthday, lady! xx

So, how are you?
What's happening with you currently?
Please tell me your life gets a little hectic too...?
xx

The Week That Was...2//6//13

1. Each morning, as I get out of bed, Appa jumps up & takes my place - it's terribly endearing.
2. The last locally grown strawberries we'll see for a while. We enjoyed each an every bite, as we commit to eating seasonally & locally this Winter. It will make next Summers strawberries all the sweeter!
3. Soy Latte with 1 sweetener, please!
4&5. As the temperature dropped steadily this week, these two have enjoyed a regular cuddle together in the warm sunshine.
6. A homemade knit for my love's birthday - hopefully I finish it in time!
7. Shadow cat.
8. The lovely Sheila (how awesome is her name, btw!?) of MacBeanie sent me a beautiful Olive Slouchie Beanie - just in time for Winter! (Thanks, lady! xx)

*Linking in with Em for Stills: A Weekly Collection.