life is good

Life is good and lovely here.

There is a definite chill in the air in the mornings and evenings, summer is coming to an end. But what a glorious summer it has been.

I've been working in the garden a fair bit this weekend, tidying up and taming the somewhat unruly greenhouse.

beetroot, so beautiful

i'm really enjoying these tender, spicy salad leaves

the tomatoes are doing really well and are working away hard at ripening their fruit...this is them after I cut back loads of foliage!

all the little 'windfalls' I knocked off, waiting to ripen now on the window sill

no shortage of cucumbers

that I am starting to make into pickles

 We have also been starting to think about going back to school, gathering up uniforms and books,

 and a very first pencil case for a very excited boy :-)

 I just wanted to document this, that very occasionally  people do actually play with dolls in this house (very occasionally that is...so ironic!)

 Rebe made me another coffee cozy, upcycled from an old sweater.

We went to the beach yesterday and Rebe did a bit of nature crafting.

at first she made a boat out of feathers tied onto a twig with some tough grass, but this didn't float too well

I find that when we go to the beach or the woods with empty hands, not taking spades or kites or boats, the kids really invent some awesome games and make wonderful creations of their own. They just need a little time to be free and they find they have everything they need right there provided for them.

so she found a pointed stone and made an arrow instead

very kindly she gave it to Benny to hunt with

 Who knew how many birds and sabre toothed tigers and buffalo and warthog and deer lived on the beach

 They cooked all the meat over camp fires and even baked corn bread from mashed up grass seed. We ate like Kings!

 A certain little girl is turning 8 on Friday and asked me (over and over again) to make her a squirrel wearing a red knitted jumper.

 I finished him today. He is made of an upcycled wool jumper that I felted. He has button jointed limbs which can move. I covered his tail with a knitted 'sock' using some fabby orange boucle yarn.

He has a soft red wool jumper that closes at the back of the neck with a wee hedgehog button. I hope she'll like him!!