Living in the Country...

We live in the country and we love it.  I am content with the peace and quiet here.  I believe it makes living a simple life easier.  I want to share one (of the many) things that I love about where we live.

We have a mobile library truck that comes to our local community twice a month.  It is so cool.  It is like having my own private librarian.  (They even ring me when they aren't going to make it for some reason).

I prioritise this time in our week and make sure we get there in time to sit and read as many books as we can in the hour that it is there.  I sit on the stairs and the boys bring me book to read.  Most weeks my librarian friend even makes me a cup of tea!!  (See the shelf by my elbow, well that is not really a shelf, it's actually my 'coffee table'.  Or so I like to think anyway). What a perfect way to spend an hour or so.

We also can request books online from the 'big' library to be reserved for us and they will come out next time the truck visits us.  Such a great service.

I think library truck days might be one of my favourite days of the month.  

What do you love about where you live??

love Love LOVE

I have just been away for a week with the boys in the Hunter Valley in NSW.  We had a great time and I have so many things to share with you.  But first I HAVE to tell you about a surprise that was waiting for me when I got home.

If you've know me for more than a few minutes you'll most likely know that I have a thing for windmills.  Not pretend, toys windmills but real ones.  When I was growing up there was one here on the farm, it didn't function anymore and had been long replaced by a (more reliable) diesel engine.  So when the old windmill fell down there was no real need to fix it up again.  However, since returning to live on the farm, life on a farm without a windmill just hasn't felt right.  So there has been a longing for a windmill outside my front fence.  Not to function but to simply create atmosphere.  

We recently went to a clearing sale (read op shop for farmers) as there was a windmill advertised.  Apparently working windmills are extremely sort after and it sold for ten times my budget.  Really it is just for looks!!! I had decided that my love and desire for a windmill would just have to wait for 10 or more years until we had less other expenses (and I was trying hard to be ok with that...but it wasn't really working).  It turns out all that farmer chit-chat at these clearing sales is well worth it.  One of Scott's farmer friends rang and told him that they had an old one we could buy - for our exact budget!!!!  The wonderful man my husband is, kept it a surprise and I came home to this. 

Oh how I love that man (& my windmill).

Weekend Fun

I know it is Wednesday and normally we would be thinking about the coming weekend, not the past one but I have to show you some highlights of our last weekend.

We had a great time camping - enjoying the nature around, trying to build dams in the creek and building rock towers, but mostly spending time with family.

New Things

Here are some things I recently received for my birthday.  These people know me so well.  All such 'me' things.

New picture for my veranda

A new cook book I can't wait to try out

A special old box for my sew supplies, surrounded by my current project. 

This box used to be my grandma's.  My dad made it for her to store her sewing things in.  I found it in the shed holding all sorts of random bolts, springs and things a while ago and mentioned something like that would be great for storing thread in.  So my mum cleaned it up and they gave it to me.  I love that is has such a family history.

Fibre Artist

While I was visiting a friend in the Hunter Valley last week she took me to visit a fibre artist. She has her own sheep and goats, shears and cleans the fleeces and then dyes the wool ready for spinning and knitting or felting.  Walking into her studio was like a dream come true for me.  It was amazing to see wool in so many different stages and all the different machines/contraptions that she uses. 

I bought a few different sorts of wool while I was there.  Some for spinning and some for felting.  Hopefully I'll be able to show you some of things the kids and I make together soon.  We have discovered the wet felting is a great messy fun for everyone.  This has really inspired me.  Maybe I'll be able to get some sheep of my own one day!!

Celebrating

Our big boy turned five last week.  We enjoyed a quiet birthday with all our family traditions (there seems to be more each year!) Then on the weekend we celebrated with brunch at the local woolshed, where they even got him up on stage to sing happy birthday to him.  We went there last year for his birthday and he requested that we go again.  Perhaps another tradition??  It is a wonderful relaxed atmosphere with lots of family and of course a special cake.

Mothers Day Flowers

I'm not a huge believer in buying cut flowers.  I do appreciate them from time to time but I struggle with the cost of something that just doesn't last for very long.  SO... here are my mother's day flowers.

Hopefully these will that they last for many years to come, if they get enough love and water (they are right outside my kitchen window so surely I'll remember to water them).

Happiness is ...