what we've been up to X six

One

We've been letting the garden decide what we eat.

Lots of salads, freshly dug potatoes, baby beets, pestos, plum cakes, pullet eggs, berry sorbets...still no red tomatoes though.

Two

We've been heading out after dinner to turn pumps and sprinklers and taps off.

As the sun slowly sets over the hill, the temperature drops a bit and it's the perfect time to explore, to throw rocks in the dry creek bed, to catch naughty runaway dogs, to pick berries and carrots, to swing under the big Blackwood tree and to feel a bit wild and free and crazy.

Three

We've been starting to think about our trip to Israel this year.

The sights, the smells, the tastes and the culture. I thought cooking our way through Jerusalem might be a good way to prepare the girls. We started with the Krantz cakes the other day, deeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious!

Four

We've been gathering bucket loads of seed off the blackwood trees to regrow and replant and make wind breaks and reforest this place. There is something very wonderful about collecting seeds and growing plants from them. Magical. Sustainable.

Five

We celebrated wonderful behaviour and filled sticker charts with a trip to the water slides with friends. Every single time I saw my girls yesterday they giggled excitedly at what a brilliant time they were having. And they totally deserved it. I am such a fan of the reward chart. I wonder if it's too early to start new ones.

Six

And I've been making and photographing. Now that I've pretty much finished with the words for my book, I'm on to the making it pretty bit. I'm writing lists, collecting ingredients, making stuff, setting up scenes and photographing it all. It's scary and overwhelming and exciting and fun. I wish I knew more, had more time and owned some vintage suitcases.

So there's my second last Tuesday of the summer holidays six.
What're yours?
Care to share?

Later potata
xx