I am Filled with Gratitude...

I have been knitting on my Tea Leaves cardi in the evenings now that our weather is really cold. I sit beside the fire and knit stocking stitch back and forth, it's like a meditation and I am almost at the end now.

Today we went on a short road trip to Pretoria to see our doctor, a wonderful homoeopath that is helping our little Kye gently along the path to wellness. My cardi came with and I was able to knit a few rows while Richard drove.

Caiden made a wooden castle for his brother Kye, oh, the excitement when Kye discovered it waiting for him on the dining room table!

Our Petria is in bloom...

Photo taken by Erin, she really loved how the fire was burning through the hole in the piece of wood.

Our Flax, Garlic and Lupins are all thriving well in this raised bed.

I am so pleased with our lemons this season, every tree in our garden is laden with lemons, I will have to send some to our neighbours...

We have had a few colds in our home recently and lemons are amazing for fighting the flu. As soon as a cold or flu raises its nasty head we start with honey, lemon and ginger Rooibos tea.

Honey, Lemon and Ginger Rooibos Tea:

Make a cup of Rooibos tea and add:
The juice of 1 lemon
1 and a half teaspoons of honey
about an inch of grated ginger that's been peeled
add a little cold water if too hot and sip slowly

This really helps to cut the phlegm and makes you feel better overall.

Seeds from my Goldenrod plant. I need more Goldenrod to grow in our garden so that I can use it for dyeing my wool.

This is Richard's favourite tree in our garden, he loves how the ivy is climbing up its branches.

Today I am filled with so much gratitude that Kye is on the road to health...

Gratitude...

We have started something new as a family, late afternoon walks around our lake... I am hoping these walks will develop into a special time of reflection...

I love this time of day, when it's coming to a close, all the birds are returning to their nests for the evening, it's a quiet time to walk and just appreciate how lovely our surroundings are and to be grateful...

I hope your day is wonderful...
In gratitude
Linda

"When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude."
Gilbert K. Chesterton

Thoughts...

Collecting seeds

Today has been a lovely day of reflection, the last day of the year. Can you believe tomorrow will be January? Are you ready for January? I'm not sure if I am ready (for January...) I have started breathing it in, thinking about it, about everything that needs to be done and all the new and exciting things we will learn next year.

I have been spending more time out in the garden, watching the birds and connecting with nature. The veggie garden has taken on a life of its own. How amazing that two pumpkin seeds can grow vines that have enveloped our two largest veggie beds, they have even grown up the shade net to the top of the fence.

I have also been thinking how grateful I am and I find that gratitude is something that makes me feel grounded and keeps my attention focused on the important things in our life.

I am grateful for:

• A wonderful and supportive husband, who drove me to a nursery yesterday to buy flowers only to discover it closed, and simply drove all the way to another one, so that I would be able to plant some colour in our front garden, because he knew that this would make me happy...
• Thunderstorms that arrive each afternoon during our summer months...
• Friends that are kind and share their stories with me and listen to mine...
• Our children who have so much love in their hearts and when they spot an injured bird along the side of the road, bring it home and nurse it back to health...
• All the experiences in my life, good and some hard that make me the person I am today...
• The simple things in life, the things that are always there and how different life would be without them...
• Goodness, I am grateful for this space where I can write my thoughts about our journey...

Wishing you the most wonderful 2012, that your dreams will come true and that love will always be near you.
Linda

Monday

I would just like to start off this post by saying thank you to everyone who sent well wishes my way, I really appreciate your kind words of comfort:) I am feeling so much better today and have started replying to your messages, you are lovely, lovely people!!

I have posted a few photos of the last few days and today...   

Bill

Our tomato plants have all been staked and the lower side branches, thinned out.

Our Lamb's Ears are flowering for the first time! Hooray:)

Caiden and Kye building dams in our little 'stream'

There is a new pattern that has been desperate to be knitted, but has had to wait, because I have been a little under the weather. Today, I decided I couldn't think about it anymore and had to start. Red and beige... hmmmm what could it be?? A Christmas theme perhaps?? I will show you as soon as it is finished:)

Jen discovered a heart shaped Loganberry, we have a delicious crop...

Friends, it is so good to be back here again writing and sharing about our life. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and visit a while...
In gratitude,
Linda

Today I Am Grateful For...

Today I am grateful for:

~ Older brother reading to his younger brother

~ Tomatoes that seed themselves and gift us with food

~ Treasures from my childhood

~ Crafting and sewing little gnomes with Kye

~ My family, who are so creative and made their own Halloween costumes from what we have around our home

~ Thunderstorms... and 35 ml of rain during the night

~ Friends that help me when my car battery has died and Caiden needs to go to his cub boating course!

~ Wonderful neighbours!

~ My lovely husband who likes to surprise me! (I love surprises:)

~ Chickens

~ This lovely space where I can share our life and all the amazing people I have met along the way, thank you:)

What are you grateful for today?

Wednesday

What a lovely surprise Erin and I got today when we went to the post office to collect parcels. There, amongst the packages was a brown envelope addressed to Erin. She was so excited to have a parcel addressed just for her! She opened it and inside was the most gorgeous embroidered felt chicken, so beautifully hand sewn from my lovely friend Kristen. When I saw what you sent my daughter, I cried... how thoughtful of you to have sent her this lovely gift for the loss of her dear chicken, Alice... I have no words... Thank You so much. Losing Alice was very difficult for Erin and you have helped her tremendously with this precious gift... such beautiful detail... We are also thrilled to own a copy of one of your books! You are wonderful!!

Isn't this gorgeous...

I have finished my custom knit for someone overseas, the request was for a royal purple lion, he is a gift for a baby shower...

I am still knitting as fast as I can for Jenna's birthday, the Shalom Cardi has had to wait a few days so that I can finish Jenna's birthday cardigan. I just have to pick up the stitches for the sleeves and knit them and then it is finished:) These cardigans for my family have become my favourite item of clothing to knit:)

This is such a special plant, I was gifted with this orchid on the day Jenna was born by my mother-in-law, almost 14 years ago. Each year from May onwards it produces the most beautiful blooms.



Happy Wednesday...

Gratitude Thursday...

Richard's dog bite is almost healed...

Jenna is cycling in the green and black...

Today, I am grateful for:

• The signs of Autumn slowly starting to show...
• Our one and only pumpkin that grew in the compost heap, self sewn from kitchen veggie scraps, ready to be picked...
• Another African Flower Hexagon almost finished and I just can't seem to stop making them, I am sure there are plenty of other things that need to be done around here besides crochet, but oh... I am having so much fun! I have found this lovely cotton in my stash and it is perfect for my crochet project :)
• Richard working from home this afternoon and helping Kye ride to his bike for the first time...
• Newly planted veggie beds...
• We are so happy for Jen, her photo is in the newspaper for the cycling race she took part in, she is beaming with joy!
• For the beauty that surrounds us, that can be seen in a single flower...

What are you grateful for today?
In gratitude,
Linda
xo

Gratitude Sunday

It is with great gratitude that I see our life...

While Erin and I were walking out in our garden this morning we found this lovely Patti Pan and Swiss Chard ready for picking... I am grateful for the happiness Erin felt within her heart when she moved back the great leaves from the vine and found this golden treasure... It makes me hopeful that someday she too will plant a garden with her family and marvel at the joy it will bring...

Gus sleeping and guarding our veggies we picked for lunch...

Yum!!

He's a little jealous that Daisy has arrived... I think I should take my veggies now, yes?
Love and light to you all:)
xo

Today, I Am Grateful...

Today, Richard my husband went off for a long mountain bike race in another town, a few hours later, I received a call from a hospital to tell me that he had a serious biking accident... He had fallen off of a bridge into a river and had hit his head on rocks on the riverbed... His helmet is cracked and dented. After x-rays and CAT scans, he is here home with us, he is wearing a neck brace and has a huge swelling on his head...

Life is fragile... I am humbled and and words cannot express how grateful I am that he is here with us and out of danger...

Gratitude Saturday...

We have had this leek flower in our kitchen for quite some time. Erin picked it over a week ago... 
Each time I catch a glimpse of  this bloom when I am moving through the kitchen, it captivates me, it seems to be more beautiful, radiant and dynamic in its changes each day. It seems to have amplified in size and the colours have become incredibly vibrant. I feel the colours deep in my heart, it is beautiful... This beauty makes me think of all the awe-inspiring aspects of our life, the colourful changes that we experience each day some sad but mostly happy and this leads me to an overwhelming sense of  gratitude ...
I am grateful for my family, my husband, that I can stay at home and homeschool our children, that we are all healthy, that we can help others in need where we can and for this wonderful community where we all share our lives on our blogs and listen to each others story of their journey through this life... Thank you to all those who visit here...