:: ordinary yellow things ::

for some this may be a little odd, ok, maybe a little more than a little odd...and yet it is significant for me today.  Today I was struck by this little grouping of ordinary 'things with yellow'. For me, I love to see beauty, colour, patterns, texture, rhythms and to notice the beauty and colour of ordinary everyday stuff is a satisfying thing for me.  Fulfilling, even.  Small stuff and it is satisfying - I'm easy to please, really.
And, lately, I haven't been noticing these things...life has had a few challenges, a few worries, concerns and doubts...downs, plus...it's rained here for weeks (it seems - or maybe I'm playing the Eeyore card, here?!) and I think we've been in a faster and faster groove - hurry is not love, they say.  + I've been living inside my head a little too much -  getting stuck in conversations with myself - you know those ones - the ones where there is no instant answer - and around they go again and again....
...so today was a turning point - small, ordinary yellow things, by the front door - and smiling again - the happiness of discovering this little grouping.

Phoebe's kite flies HIGH!

the beach at Brunswick Heads...

one of those absolute thrill moments... and, of course, 'touch and go' just before the successful lift-off!  While Phoebe had been given her kite at Christmas time last year, we'd not managed to have a really good, proper go with it until now.  So, on a very dull, wet and windy [Father's!] day recently and we could be contained no more - out we tripped to a local beach for some fresh air and a gasp at nature.  So good for our souls, thoroughly feeling the elements, paddling in the surf and all taking turns, finally - after we claimed it from the Father (aka biggest kid!). And here is Phoebe's own-all-by-herself-inaugural kite-flying moment - such a 'swell' moment for a parent.  Oh - and what was with all the rainbow colours?  Well, a dull day does call for colour!!!

:: more Kookas ::

not one...

...not two...

...but THREE of these beauties on our gum next to our verandah!

:: a home among the gum trees ::

always wanted a circular driveway!

a semi-yurt-shaped home up on poles

view from the West

this is for the folks back home - to give you an idea of where we are...

...and what popped in my mind was the jaunty sounds of the theme music for the telly programme "Burke's Backyard"!
"...Give me a home among the gum trees
With lots of plum trees, a sheep or two, a kangaroo.
A clothesline out the back, verandah out the front
And an old rocking chair..."

I remember being riveted in the nineties - this was definitely one of my "must-watch' bits of telly back then...I even used to buy the mag!! Does anyone else know what I'm on about? here's a refresher - although this is the original song...


Burkes Back Yard - Home Among The Gumtrees Theme Song


Love it!

:: using what we have ::

this is a theme very current in our household!  We have simply got TOO MUCH STUFF!  The thought of having to buy anything else right now is almost nauseating - maybe a little too much drama here - especially when I'd have to dig deep and honestly say I'm tempted often and easily by yet another must-have latest season's "goddess-gold" or "angel-wing alabaster" shade of toe-nail polish! Hhh-hmmm!
 So in reality-world, where we mostly live, we do re-purpose as much as possible.  For some reason, we had a spare plastic tool-box lined up amongst the other fully-occupied containers in the 'man-cave' area.
Aha!  That can be the letter-box - and, whilst he still had to wield the odd powertool - a simple and effective solution to the need for a new letterbox.  A different style and quality of creativity, perhaps, when one might (foolishly?) compare one's own efforts with those others' from the lane...stop looking at the rear end of that...goat?! Stop it - no - look at our beautiful black'n'decker job....

Coopers Lane South, Durrumbul...our new location

Still settling in, with more islands of boxes than newly emerging new continents present in the house...and definitely a feeling that we might have a tad too much 'stuff', we have been unfurling in our new abode, here in Coopers Lane South.
About 7 mins away from Mullumbimby, the area has more the air of peaceful countryside than bustling village hub, although we are only minutes from that when we want it.
Our little laneway is nestled beneath an awe-inspiring rocky ridge, one of the remaining pieces of the edge of an ancient caldera, the topographical landmark contour for all of this area.

Coopers LN South Letterboxes

There is an arty vibe in this nook - check out the funky letterboxes.  A close-up of the tin, bone and driftwood 'goat' is certainly revealing!! [this blog has some standards, so I haven't made the pic explicit!!! ;-) ] One of letterboxes is a beautiful ironwork sculpture complete with ceramic tiled base and a wooden 'bridge' over the culvert inlaid with oval tiles...beautiful!

:: A Kooka at my Table... ::

this very pretty fella swooped in late one afternoon last week and landed, amazingly, right in front of us on the balcony railing....and just sat there.  For ages. We felt excited, amazed and privileged to have this beautiful creature be with us in such close proximity. For anyone who doesn't know what he is, he is a bird native to Australia - a Kookaburra.
We know he is probably a frequent visitor to this house, our new home...we guess he has probably been fed.
Quite opportunely, it was our afternoon tea break!  We chose to let him sit and not be fed...and incredibly...he just sat and watched and waited and watched some more. And, of course we sat and watched and waited...the longest afternoon tea ever, I reckon.  Simply beautiful.