in search of fairies

The kids at school (age 6), have made a fairy club. They spend their lunchbreak searching through the flower beds for evidence of fairies. Sometimes they find the queens crown, sometimes her throne. They include anyone who wants to join in, and refer to a book on fairies to ensure the accuracy of their finds, just as we did with reptiles in the desert. Today after school we went to the garden to pick everything that we could find that is red for dinner. Asha discovered a ripe tomato with awe. She said in a half whisper, 'When is Elsie coming over? She has to see this?' I asked her what it was and she said 'it's just what we've been looking for. It's a certain fairies tomato, exactly the right shape, it's in my book!' I remember being six. I thought it was the best age in the world to be. I think I might still agree.

First day at school

Clay is starting school tomorrow. His first day of kindergarten. I feel like I'm launching him into the world, 'off you go, you'll be right, see you at three.' I just don't think I'm ready! He is 'very excited about starting school.' so fingers crossed there will only be tears from me. He is so proud in his school uniform, with his bag. His school overlooks the sea and is made up of small white buildings with little gardens and big swings. Now if I was still in the desert, I would have him all to myself still, but I would hate to deprive him of this moment. He's just learning to fly.

cucumbers and babies

Alright I am making a promise here for all those lovely people who are patient with me enough to keep reading these words. I will put photos on from our Tasy life, very soon..., and as long as people keep reading this from Russia, I will continue to write to you! PS I would love to know about your life if you're willing to share it! Anyway, back in Tasy.... As much as we missed our planting season here as we were kicking back in the Simpson Desert, our greenhouse has still flourished. Imagine tomatoes clawing their way to the roof, lettuces filling every spare patch of bare earth, basil sending its pungent scent through the moist warm air (thats right, warm, greenhouses are awesome!) So Zave is now cracking 18 months, and flat out refused to eat his lunch. Tottering behind me, he 'helped' while I hooked up the sprinkler to water the garden. Looking behind me, I saw he had his head deep in a cucumber plant that cascaded well over his head. He managed to pull off our first beautiful cucumber. He looked at it, showed me, then took a bite. he proceeded to march off, slowly eating the whole thing, prickly skin and all. Thats why I have a garden.

a morning in Tasmania

Feeling very fortunate with my place in the world this morning, I travelled 2 minutes down the road to visit our new family day carer for the baby (now 18 months old). She is an amazing woman in a beautiful bush setting, who we are very lucky to have helping us care for Zavier. I then went around the corner to the inspiring property that is Paulette and Matts. Vegetables and flowers burst from the seams of this home and business from which they sell incredibly small but yummy flowers to the top chefs in Hobart. I stared around with a glazed look for a while, drooling a bit. Just as I was starting to think about moving into their greenhouses just so I could look at the flowers some more, she wheeled me out a full wheelbarrow load of fruit laden tomatoes to plant. Steering me carefully towards the gate, she pointed out the most enormous pumpkins I have ever seen, hiding in the massive green floating leaves. We loaded the plants into the boot, then I loaded my older kids into her house, where they were in heaven playing with their mates. I then drove down to my sister in laws, another minute away, and dropped off some boxes of books for her kids, from mine, and had a cup of tea. Picking up the kids on the way home, I arrived back at our house in time to send off a job application and then greet Bob Brown and partner Paul, who came to drop off work gear and have a cup of tea. It was a priviledge to talk to Bob and Paul about Tasmanias beauty and the Simpson deserts fire, and to hand them some freshly made apricot jam. Life is good.