Our Lovely Weekend

This has been such a lovely weekend...
Our beautiful Jenna turned 15 years old yesterday, time has flown...

I went for a walk around our garden early this morning after feeding the chickens. It was -1 degree Celsius, really freezing, my hands were burning after taking the ice out of their water, but how lovely to be out there. I looked up at our neighbours tree with the moon in the background and had to go and grab my camera. I do know that this tree is indigenous to Australia and has a thorny bark with the most gorgeous pink flowers, such a sight to see...( if you know its name please could you let us know)

This little pond by our front door is frozen over...(It was 3 degrees inside our home this morning, the fires are blazing now)

Yesterday family and old friends come over to celebrate with Jen, she has had a special time...

Our chickens' warming themselves among the Lavender bushes in the early morning sunshine...

Frozen water in the chickens enclosure...

Jenna's birth orchids...
This beautiful orchid was given to me on the day of Jenna's birth 15 years ago. It was a single orchid in bloom. It was given to me by my wonderful mom-in-law as a gift. Each year around the time of Jenna's birthday it give us the most beautiful show of flowers. It has become a huge plant with many blooms and I probably should divide the bulbs but it seems so happy on our front veranda, just as it is.

I spotted some Violets flowering in a pot outside, do you see the mesh? This has been placed here to prevent our curious chickens from jumping up into our pots and scratching every piece of greenery out while they search for little grubs to eat.

Here I am squinting into my camera, taking a photo through a window reflecting off a mirror inside our house. I am wearing my Shalom cardi and I must tell you, it is so incredibly warm, I love it!

The Red Hot Pokers are flowering again, their bright colours make me so happy...

Even Jack popped out in the cold for an early morning snack.

Have a lovely week.
Linda

15

Happy 15th Birthday to our darling Jenna.

This day, 15 years ago you arrived in this world, you have taught me so much, thank you.

We love you and are very proud of the wonderful, caring and confident young woman you have become.

 Love from all of us, 

Mom, Dad, Erie, Cady, Kye-Kye and (all the chickens)

xo xo xo xo

A Sunday to Remember

Yesterday was our dear Erin's 13th birthday, both the girls were away at a scout camp from Saturday morning and Erin and Jen were to come home around lunch time and celebrate Erin's special day here with us. The phone rang early in the morning, it was the scout master, telling me that Jenna had stepped out of her boat into a hole in the ground that was hidden by grass. Once her foot went into the hole, there was a loud 'crack' sound! Now I began to panic! He wasn't too sure if the leg was broken, but said it had started to swell quite considerably. My heart was beating fast, Erin's cake was baking in the oven and Richard had my car over a half an hour away where he was mountain biking. I phoned him, he answered and was on his way home and almost here, he went straight to the camp to fetch Jen and Erie. Her leg had been splinted, the scouts were amazing, they had helped her so much already!

Off to the ER... Jen was so brave... after waiting which seemed like forever, she finally went into x-ray. She has a fracture just above her ankle and damaged ligaments. They put on a half cast up to her knee and on Thursday we have to go back for more x-rays and have a full cast put on. Our poor girl! She is trying to get used to the crutches.

We just realised that when Jenna had her 13th birthday, Erin was thrown from a horse and had to spend the day in hospital having a brace fitted to her leg and now on Erin's 13th birthday, Jenna fractured her leg and was in hospital....

When everyone was back at home we celebrated Erin's birthday, the whole family came over to share her day, it was lovely.

We love you so much dear Erie Faerie! Happy 13th birthday my love...

I made Erin a vanilla birthday cake with white chocolate ganache in the centre.

We also managed to spend some time outside with the chickens in the leaf pile...

Wishing you a lovely week.

PS Lovely rainbow yarn and backpack giveaway in the previous post.

 

6

Happy Birthday to our sweet Kye! How can you be a whole six years old already? It seems like the other day you were asleep in my sling. Our beautiful boy, so full of life and joy, each day we spend with you is precious...
We love you...
Love Mommy, Daddy, Jen, Erin and Caiden

Thursday

Thank you so much for all the many birthday wishes that were sent through yesterday and for all the lovely emails and Facebook messages too, your kind words made me feel truly special and very blessed indeed! Yesterday was a wonderful day, we did go out to the nursery and bought a Ruby Grapefruit tree and some comfrey plants. I will wait for the comfrey to grow and then add it slowly to the compost heap. Comfrey acts really well as an activator, giving the breaking down process of the heap a head start. As for the spinning and dyeing, I didn't quite get to that, I spent a wonderful day with family and then went on a lovely date with Richard last night. My girls baked me the most delicious birthday cake and they just added 10 candles, we all decided 39 would just be a bit much:)

It was so heart warming to see that all the birthday traditions we have introduced and added to our family over the years for our children, ie. a birthday table decorated with flowers, a beautiful table cloth and presents, a crown, baking a birthday cake etc.. were all so generously gifted to me yesterday by my children. They organised everything, wrapped presents and made me feel so very special, I just know that they will continue these traditions one day with their own children, how lovely... This brings tears of joy to my eyes and fills me with gratitude...

My beautiful and delicious vanilla cake baked by Jen and Erie...

Kye was so excited and couldn't wait to sing happy birthday...

Today these girls flew up onto the kitchen window sill and had a look inside...

We collected a basket full of eggs this morning and Richard delivered it to friends on his way to work this morning...

I started working on orders again today... I have missed it:)

I must just share these two Royal Doulton plates with you... They were a gift from my wonderful mother-in-law. I love them so much! They are so beautiful, I am going to have them both framed in a box frame, I could look at them forever... Thank you mom!

Have a lovely day and do pop in tomorrow for Creative Friday if you have a chance:)
xo
Linda

39

Today is my 39th birthday!

I am having the most wonderful day, I woke up to a beautiful family breakfast, with a table of presents just for me:) You have all made me feel so special, my family, I love you all so much! (I even had a rainbow crown to wear, so precious.... Kye insisted, and said, "Because everyone wears a crown on their birthday..."

Today, I am going to visit the nursery for fruit trees, I love doing this, really exciting and I am going to spin some yarn, dye some wool and of course knit too... Jen and Erin are baking me a vanilla birthday cake and making me a special lunch (shush, I am not supposed to know it's a surprise:)  and later granny is coming around to babysit and Richard is taking me out on a birthday date...

I am the luckiest mama in the world and so filled with gratitude...

Love to you all,

Linda

14 Today...

14 years old today! How fast the time has flown, it seems like just a few days ago that I was carrying you in your sling and now today you are 14 and so grown up.
We love you so much, our beautiful girl...
Love Mom, Dad, Erin, Caiden and Kye...

12 Today!

Today is Erin's 12th birthday!

How fast you have grown...

We all love you so much our sweet girl...

And yes, I did manage to finish her very special cardigan, she has worn it the whole day and loves it...  I am so pleased I was able to finish it for her. It brought her so much joy to open this gift today... she said it is the best present she has ever received besides her cat Charlie. To hear her say this about something I made for her makes me feel such pride and happiness within my heart and soul... Words fail me as I attempt to explain this wonderful emotion for a mama, but I am sure you all understand what I am trying to say...

And now here are some photos of Erin's special cardigan...

The buttons...

Happy Birthday Erie Fairy....

A Letter to Kye, Happy 5th Birthday...

Our dearest Kye,

Today is your 5th birthday, how much you have grown. You were so tiny and now before our eyes you have become this beautiful boy. You are thoughtful, strong and funny and you have a silliness that we adore, there is a kindness in your heart for all those around you. We wish so many great things for you in this life, happiness, joy, wonder, friendship, love...

We love you more than we could ever put into words... Happy 5th Birthday our sweet love...

Love Mommy, Daddy, Jenna, Erin and Caiden

Richard is 42...

Today is my wonderful husband's 42nd birthday...
What a lovely person you are, kind, caring, thoughtful and so wise...
Is is an honour to spend each day with you...
With love... your family xo

38...

Today is my 38th birthday...

I have finally finished my Shalom Cardigan, blocked it and sewn on the buttons...

I am enjoying the most wonderful day, I woke up to a lovely breakfast made by Richard and my little ones, family have visited, friends have stopped by for tea, the day has flown... I am so blessed today and everyday...



Mamma4earth's Second Birthday Giveaway!

This week my Etsy shop, Mamma4earth has been open for 2 years! To celebrate I am having a GIVEAWAY! My Etsy shop has brought me so much joy, I have met the most wonderful people from all over the world, kindred spirits, that I never would have encountered, so I am very grateful for my little shop:) I also enjoy the creative outlet that I have gained from it, designing new patterns, dyeing yarn, knitting and sewing and sending  treasures out into the universe with love...

And now for the giveaway:

The items below are what you can win;) I am giving away:

An Autumn Horse:

He has been knitted in Camel Silk yarn that I handspun on my Ashford Traditional spinningwheel. I have added handspun Mohair yarn to his mane and tail. He has been filled with soft Merino fleece. He is exceptionally soft because of the camel silk:)

White Lion of the Timbavati Region in South Africa:

These lions are the most beautiful creatures, I just had to make one. I have knitted him in an undyed, natural Merino handspun yarn and he is filled with soft Merino fleece.

Two Ply Merino Yarn:

I hand dyed this soft Merino yarn into the most vibrant pink shade...

To enter this giveaway:

Please would you follow my blog.
Please leave a comment:)
For 3 more entries to win, share the giveaway on Facebook, Twitter or blog about it and remember to let me know in the comments so I can enter you 3 more times:)

The winner will be chosen next Thursday evening South African time:)

It is such a joy to share this giveaway with all of you:)
Much  love
Linda

13! and Emergency Rooms...

This post really should have been posted last week already, but so much has happened since then and with our internet being down, today was the first day I could do a proper post:) Our Jenna turned 13 years old last week!! I cannot believe that this special girl of ours is growing up so fast, the years have seemed to fly by us, and now 13, I can hardly believe it! The photo above is a photo of Jenna's birth Orchids. I was given an Orchid plant the day Jenna was born and every year around her birthday it blossoms with the most wonderful blooms. We cut some and put them on her birthday table.

We baked a cake together, which is tradition on a birthday...

The day before Jenna's birthday, Erin was injured in a horse jumping accident and she spent most of Jenna's birthday in the emergency room having xrays and scans. We spent the day going between the hospital and our home. Erin was so sad she couldn't be with her sister... We did all manage to go out for a family lunch together to celebrate Jenna's special day and then afterwards we got a call to say that Erin's leg brace was ready and we needed to take her back to the hospital to have it fitted. She has twisted her knee joint and is wearing a leg brace from her calf up to her thigh. She will have to wear it for 3 weeks ... I am so thankful that Richard was home from work that day and we could be in all the places we needed to be... Last week was a hectic week, I am so grateful and thankful that Erin will be all right! And feel so blessed that my Jen is 13:)

Erin is doing well on her crutches and they have hardly slowed her down at all:) My poor girl... it gave us such a fright...

We took a drive down the highway yesterday to see all the flags that have been put up for the World Cup, it was amazing!

Wishing you all a wonderful week,
Linda

11 Today!

Today, 11 years ago at 2:30 in the afternoon our precious Erin was born:) She was born at home in a birthing pool... It was beautiful... It seems like just the other day...

Happy birthday our sweet girl... We love you tremendously!

Happy Earth Day everyone...
Love
Linda

Portrait Saturday...

This week was Kye's 4th birthday, wow, time has flown, he is so big now, but still my baby, (who really enjoys his sling :)... He had a wonderful day with many friends visiting, he was given beautiful presents. On the morning of his birthday, I made him a birthday cake board. This will be the beginning of a new birthday tradition in our family. It is a wooden board that the birthday cake rests on with holes for the candles to stand in. This idea was inspired by this lovely blog. I love discovering new traditions and I think this is a very special one for our whole family...

Happy Saturday everyone...
Warmly
Linda