:: rainbow weaving ::

Slowly, slowly, we are weaving a wonderful rhythm into our days together, home-educating in an anthrophosophically-inspired manner.

a foot measure? hmmm....

Phoebe has been working away at a beautifully-coloured and textured piece of weaving - making her very own cloth by weaving.  Here she is measuring the fringing, to make sure both ends are even - I like how 'bodilly-involved' she is able to get - feet, too!

trimming very carefully - using Mamas 'special sewing shears'

Jo - Phoebe said you'd want her to come and show you what she made using her pack of 'hand painted wool fleece' - so here it is, minus the face-to-face contact!  Jo at indigo inspirations magics up the most beautiful, luscious combinations of hand-painted wool and yarn and fleece - to name just a tiny handful of all the goodness that emanates from her 'hive'.

dark, fluffy blob is the sublime 'Rosie'

After previously struggling our way together through another (much more complicated and unnecessary) method of weaving, we struck upon this beautifully simple, handcrafted weaving kit made by Paula Cordeiro of eco textile studio. It's called a backstrap weaving kit. We chose to use the wool fleece, which we split more thinly, instead of using yarn, which we tried before.  I have learnt through this experience how much Phoebe likes to have a result showing quickly for her motivation and enthusiasm to remain ignited. 

my hands made this

I have been learning about temperaments and I believe she is a combination of two I had not really previously thought were 'her', until I've done so much reading now and observing her whilst thinking about this - very interesting stuff. (Oh - and not to mention the enlightening moments I've been having in regards to my own unique and peculiar behaviours!!!)

What have your hands been busy making lately?

:: small offerings ::

often a small one arrives at the door, panting breathlessly from running about, grinning widely and thrusting a small and grubby hand filled with colour toward me

sometimes the small, colourful treasure arrives minus any stems and I feel sad that it's not so easy to put them into even a tiny vase

mutabilis rose and quince blossom

this day I looked down in front of me at the kitchen bench and instantly saw a solution in the form of two recently-evacuated pale blue-green eggshells...and I beamed...!

I love the fragile nature of both items...I nearly posted this over here...

Do you receive treasures minus their stems, too?

:: blossom just because ::

picking out just four photos of the many I captured on my wander around the orchard and garden was a little tricky - they all deserve to be worshipped in some way - I feel so lucky to be able to spend a little bit of time during my days to just stop and soak in the pleasure of these miracles of nature.  If the heavens were on Earth, then these would be the stars!

quince blossom

plum blossom

crabapple buds about to burst forth

peacherine blossoms

:: Spring arrivals ::

poached-egg daffodils

 When, after months and months of literally endless (seeming!) rainy days, the SUN finally graces us with it's presence, well, what will we be doing?  Well, not spending very much time inside and definitely not much time in front of a screen.  With so much raw beauty to feast our eyes on such as these 'poached egg daffodils' (my name for them!) I have been filling up on the wonder of our surroundings. As well, we have many, many tasks to do in the garden, the soil of which is now finally workable and all those garden beds we've just had to leave - we are beginning to plant out.  What a relief!

Sweet Pekin duckling

We have welcomed two new creatures to our farmlet -this young duckling was needing a home - so Phoebe who has been longing for her white ducks was nodding her head very vigorously when there was the suggestion that we might like him.  It came to us in a box labelled "Stew Steak" - so I thought we could call it 'Stu' - but, not knowing whether it is in fact a he or a she, we will have to wait - not holding out on the name, though as Phoebe says 'NO'.

'Shirley' being bottle-fed - 3 x a day!

This young female kid was sadly orphaned and gratefully received by Phoebe who has mostly been enjoying bottle-feeding her the rich, raw cow's milk we have been getting from the lovely Dexter cow we've been milking, 'Lady'. Coming to us at just 10 days old, Shirley needed 3 bottles of milk a day and lots of loves and cuddles - she seems very attached to Phoebe.

What has Spring been bringing you?