A day away

We had a brilliant day, yesterday. Just us; just our little family, out and about and exploring some stunning places nearby.

 

We walked along the beach in the rain, we clambered over rocks, we dried out when the sun re-emerged, we ate our picnic lunch and then went for a swim before it got cold again.

And when we arrived home, we washed off the sand, changed into warm and comfy dag-around-the-house-clothes, and snuggled together on the couch.

Refreshed, re-energised, reconnected.


A great day? I'll say!


I hope you all had a lovely weekend, too.

xx

Handy parenting hint

 

 

One of the best bits of parental advice I have been given by a friend is this:

 

If your child is having a case of the attitudes, if they shout or speak to you in a rude manner, if they forget to say please, or thank you....

 

to help them think about their manner and give them time to take a breath and regroup,

 

 

say, "I think you should try that again."

 

 

This has been brilliant for me with my sometimes moody brood! It helps to diffuse overwhelming emotions - on both sides! Of course, there are times when a little person's emotions are completely out of control and in need of a different strategy, but 4 times out of 5, this works a treat.

 

So, thanks, Deb! Mwah!!

 

 

Do you have a favourite handy parenting hint to offer?

What helps to calm your little people down?

 

 

On another note, we had another 'magic day' yesterday - the weather was glorious, and we took the opportunity to head east to Cheyne's Bay/Beach, hence the photo at the top. Beautiful day!

 

Hoping you all had a lovely weekend.

 

 

xx

 

 

 

 

Painting Groove

Little Beach II
12.5cm x 12.5cm
oil on paper
 

I've been doing a bit of painting of late - the seascape, oil painting kind of painting - and, consequently, I have been having a lot of fun!

 

It has been some time since I did so much painting; 10 years ago I had an exhibition in a well known Perth art gallery and sold really well. But since then, marriage, full time teaching and children have used up all my brain space and energy so nothing was left for painting.

Until now.



Not quite finished yet, but it's a painting of Green Pool near Denmark.
 

 

Miss M is at school full time, the twins are at Kindy for half the school week, and this means there is some time, not much, but some that has become mine again. And I have also found that moving to such a beautiful part of the world has also helped. Of course it has - being surrounded by so many awesome beaches and landscapes have made me itch to paint again.

 

My first painting was not good. At all! Not surprising given that it has been at least two years since I last got the paints out. But the last four little paintings have been much freer, happier. Maybe because I am happier?

 

Some of my photo gathering field trips have been conducted alone, some with a companion, and most with my family. And all of those trips have refreshed my soul with beauty and joy. Maybe that's why these little paintings have come together for me so readily.

And Yes, I paint from photographs - mine! For me, there is no artistic integrity in working from someone else's photographs. I need to have experienced the landscape, to have taken my own shots, to paint from my photos in order for my paintings to have authenticity. It works best for me that way.

And there is more painting to come! I have once again found my painting groove, probably more than ever before, and I'm not ready to give it back just yet. I paint when the kids are at school, and I knit (or crochet) at night. And my house is messy.

Life is good.

Yay!


xx

Great Day

The perfect morning view,

 

 

a family beach adventure,

 

 

and Knitting Club.

(or Crochet Club, or Bubbly Club, or Wine Club as some have suggested it should be called!)

 

 

A great day!

 

 

xx

Perkins Beach Paddle

Every year on ANZAC Day we also celebrate my Mother-in-law's birthday, which means a picnic for the extended family is in order, as long as the weather is good enough.

And today, it most certainly was!

A picnic at the Torbay Inlet campsite with a paddle on Perkins Beach for afters - perfect - for family, reflection and appreciation for what we have and how we came to have it.


What did you do for your ANZAC Day?


xx

Green Pool

 

Today we had another glorious Autumn morning - no sign of the promised thunderstorm,  and I had the day to myself. Yeehaw!

 

It didn't take me long to throw my bathers and camera in the car. I was SO excited as I hurtled towards Denmark (that's the town on the South Coast of WA, not the country....)

 

And once I got there, to Green Pool at Williams Bay on the other side of Denmark, it was divine! I was at the beach, the sun was out (most of the time), and I had hours to myself to take photos and swim until I had to head home to collect the kids from school.

 

Ahhh! A brilliant day!

 

 

Sam xx

 

 

PS Sorry about not posting for over a week - my computer needed debugging.

 

 

Little Beach

 

Wow! The weather has been amazing here these last few days, although I'm told by the locals that this should be its last hurrah before it gets cold and stays that way for winter. That's why I'm trying to get in as many image gathering opportunities as I can while the weather is good.

 

With that in mind, today I picked up my Mother in Law on the way to Two Peoples Bay where there is the most divine little beach called...well, Little Beach! It's not always the safest of beaches - some poor fellow lost his life here a few weeks ago - but today it was utterly gorgeous.

That's my MiL on the beach in her new red hat. It was good to have her company for this outing; doubly so, for she brought a picnic lunch for us to share!

 

Perfect.

 

 

Sam xx

Easter Outings

 

If we weren't painting the front room* this Easter weekend, then we were playing with friends, new and old**, eating chocolate, or spending time at the beach.

 

I gotta tell you, I've been thoroughly enjoying this landscape painting, material collecting, research caper! And while the weather holds, I am planning some more field trips this week. Yippee!

 

Hoping that you have all had a wonderful weekend.

 

 

Sam xx

 

 

* It looks amazing! Shame about the furniture.

** Loooved seeing friends from our old Mundaring stomping ground.

On the mend

 

Playing wave chicken on the long weekend.

Screeches of delight!

 

One wouldn't know that Miss M's collar bone is still broken!

She is managing herself beautifully and finds there is very little need now for her sling.

 

And I am amazed!

 

 

 

 



Glorious

 

 

The weather is so glorious at the moment that we are taking advantage and visiting the beach to wash away the day's renovation dust!

 

And each time we visit, we are amazed at how much water and swimming confidence all our girls are developing, although sometimes they can get a bit too confident and that's when Mummy runs full pelt down the beach to drag them back......

 

but that's another story!

 

 

What's your story today?

 

 

Sam xx

Boxes, Bonnets and 'Brellas

 

Hooray and thank you to the movers who delivered all our furniture on Christmas Eve, and especially to the moving man whose truck broke down on the way back to Perth at 5pm with still a 4 hour drive ahead of him! Poor thing!!*

 

But for us it meant that we could wake up on Christmas morning in our new home, surrounded by tinselly decorated boxes. Phew! We made it!

 

And thank you to the talented and generous Greer of Typically Red and Christina who ran the Giveaway. The beautiful red bonnet arrived in time for Christmas. I had intended to keep it as a gift for a younger child, with both Greer and I thinking that it wouldn't fit a four year old, but it was quickly snaffled by Miss J when we collected it on Christmas Eve, and she would not remove it, not even for bed! And it was HOT on Christmas day - certainly not the weather to be wearing a woolly bonnet, nor for using the brand new umbrellas that a thoughtful and practical Santa had supplied:). However, the bonnet did come off the next day. I think even Miss J agreed that a bonnet is not quite the right attire for a swim at the new local beach!

 

And just how local is our new beach? Oh, only a leisurely 2 minute stroll. And a really good one is just a short drive away. Hee Hee!

 

It is truly beautiful down here in our new town, in many ways. But right now I am laid up in bed with a tummy bug. Which isn't so beautiful. So I'll write more later**. Of course!

 

 

Sam xx

 

 

*I am told he did get home before midnight. Please. Next time, take a mobile!

** Because writing in bed while flat on your back is not easy, not matter how stubborn you are!!

 

 

Is it still there?

Is it still there?

Let’s run to the beach and have a look.

Down the path,

Across the sand....

It’s there! Hooray!!

How about a little splash while we’re here?

Or maybe a swim?

Seaweedy water? Not a problem!

Finish with a run along the beach,

And head back for a bath.

But will our sandcastle still be there tomorrow?

 Sam xx