Thursday, 16 July 2009

My Sister Emma.

After a gap of two years, my only sister is home.

All the way from Alabama.


We anticipate days like this one we had yesterday.


Where the little ones get to know her all over again.


And we hang out together.


And meet with friends.

I just know the weeks will fly by far too fast,

so without monopolising her,

we have plans to monopolise her...

a teensy bit.

Monday, 13 July 2009

A Week Of Pictures.

Sunset.

Summer flowers.

Play.

Morning sun, Greystones.

Kate's garden.

Abundance.

As though a memory...

The remains of how it was.

Friday, 10 July 2009

A Sort of Heaven.

When it comes to friends, and the people we choose to have in our lives, it's no surprise we are happiest when we surround ourselves with people who reflect the world as we want it to be.

I escaped to chaos that is home,
and came to this place.

Bringing my children,
even the ones too cool for the country!


And even those cool ones,

ran and chased and played.


And had nothing but books and air and sunlight to entertain them.

And a movie at bedtime,

A row of heads in a cosy makeshift bed on the floor.


And in the morning,

gathering eggs for pancakes,

and leaves for lunch,

and berries for whenever they felt like it.


And there was time to sit.

And just be together.

And to talk and see the world from another perspective,

where there is hope and hard work and reward.


And there was time to wander and to wonder.


And be reminded of some of the things that have slipped out of my grasp in the last two years.

A reaffirming of my mother-priorities.

The ones I had held onto so firmly, for so long,

but that somehow, four tipped the scales away from, in another unwieldy direction,

for a moment.


And there it was,

right with me all along.


As simple as stopping and listening.


And I left these humble giants that I call my friends,

as always, with a renewed sense of my Self,

and my place in the world,

and my purpose.


And what I want for these children of mine.


Tuesday, 7 July 2009

Happy Daze!

Well, we're away off down the country for a couple of days to visit this lovely place again. So it'll be a few days before I post again. 

Here's a sweet happy song to make you smile!




See you soon!

Monday, 6 July 2009

A Week Of Pictures.








Saturday, 4 July 2009

Kitchen Bliss.

Yes, there are a lot of images in this post, and I feel the need to include a disclaimer! I do not own any of these images. They belong to the original photographers/owners and I have them here purely for their beauty. In other words, I have been collecting images that inspire me over the last couple of years and not being very careful about noting where they came from. So, if you know the origins of any of these images, then please do let me know so I can give due credit. And I hope I offend no one!

So we are half-way through the new bedrooms phase, but I have to admit all my mind can think about it my soon-to-be-new kitchen. And I've been pouring over all these collected images again and again... sigh...

It helps to keep these in mind, like a mantra, when I think too much about just how much worse it will get here when they start knocking down walls in my kitchen! 












The last two images above are from  this book. And the one above is India Knight's gorgeous London Kitchen, which you can see more of on the Living Etc website here.
In fact I'm pretty sure a number of these images are from Living Etc, and others are from Scandinavian design blogs/sites. 

Also, I love this house we stayed in last year.

I will get around to the bedroom inspiration pretty soon, but I think I'll have to get the kitchen bit out of my system first!


Ps: Check out Friendly Cottage where Sharon and Marty have been kitchen shopping too!

Friday, 3 July 2009

Getting Away.

For a day.

I'm getting good at this avoidance-of-chaos business.

This time it was the Dublin Zoo. With  Jo and Annah.

Great fun!







Our internet was down when I came home yesterday, hence the post-dated, day late post...