Firstborn.

As I sit here, for a moment, I cannot recall what time of year it is. What is outside the window, behind the curtains. I cannot remember what the weather is like, what phase of moon we are in. What day is it? What time? When?

This baby breathing in my ear, sleeping so gently here beside me, who is it? Is that you? Is that tiny you?




I want to hold on to some things that I cannot. I don't want to let go.

I wonder how the years flew by so fast, (is it almost thirteen? Really?) And how can such a tiny thing that was planted so deeply in my heart now be too big for me to contain? 

Is this how it goes? 

He is there still, our first-born, no longer the tiny baby,
but now almost a teenager.
But somehow, 

there is a drifting away, as though someone lengthened the rope between our bobbing boats, just a little, imperceptively... 

But I feel it. And I am at a loss.

A Week Of Pictures.

Taking The Dogs For A Walk.

With Friends.

My Moon.

Uncle Oisin At Work.

Heading Towards The Breaches.

Sun.

A Stone For Esti.

Something Lovely For The Weekend.

Happy Weekend to you one and all!

(My favourite bit is at the end when they link pinkies!)

Something Lovely.

Here's something that caught my eye in a catalogue my Mum and Dad brought back from Kilkenny last weekend. It's an exhibition of contemporary Norwegian arts and crafts taking place at the moment in the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny. 

It seems to be a really interesting collection of artists, but this one in particular appealed to me. Her name is Anne Lene Lovhaug and I do especially love her 'Trophies' collection, which these images are from. Aren't they sweet?

A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush.

Passengers.

Sweet Little Sister.

You can check out more of her work here. I'd love to see it myself, and you never know. But if you are in the Kilkenny area do check out the show, which runs until the 26th of April. 

What We Lost.

What a day! 

After a busy morning, the sun beckoned and we had to stop at the beach before we got home. I realised just how little we have been there over the last few months. Isn't that terrible? We have this literally on our doorstep (those trees  you can see are where our house is), yet this winter has been very much indoors. How did that happen? 

It was so great to feel the wind and the sun and to have that sea air filling our lungs.

Bringing us back.

Returning us to wellness. 

We are found again.

Now it's time to pick up my abandoned red thread again, and finish the next installment of that little journey.

It's Monday...

Yes. It's Monday isn't it? And I'm feeling the last couple of weeks catch up on me.



But The Smallest is well and almost back to himself. And we sang Happy Birthday in the end, and he asked for more.



So he is well.
At last.

Is It Sunny Where You Are Too?

Happy Mother's Day!

This is what I had on my bedside table this morning. There were flowers, and breakfast in bed and these sweet Cath Kidson bowls.

***

On another note, here's a peep at some things-for-now-you-are-two little-boy. 

His own bed. 

It's tucked into a corner of our bedroom for now, though plans are afoot to create more space in our little house, so sometime in the summer he'll get to move in with his big brother. Oh what fun!

And I thought I'd show you this sweet Horsey. I got him at the school Christmas Fair for €5! and decided to keep him for The Smallest's Birthday. I haven't decided if he needs a make-over yet. We'll see.

***

The sun is shining here. Really shining! And it's warm!

I hope it is for you too!

A Rather Sorry Birthday.

Two Years!

I remember being so surprised last year. And look! I blinked again...

Here he is, two years ago.



This morning I heard a tiny voice murmur 'porridge' in my ear and I thought 'at last! Is this You coming back to us?'
He perked up at the excitement of the other three and the little gifts they had for him.



But it didn't last. And it was a slow decline thereafter to this sorry little puddle of woe.



But he's on the mend, slowly but surely.

And maybe on Sunday, in his Grandparent's house he'll let us sing Happy Birthday to him.

While the Poorly Lamb is Mending.

The poorly lamb, the littlest lamb. Here is the day you missed.

***

One of those days,

the kind of day that dawns with a veil of mist clinging to it.
A mist that stays, hazy over the blue sky.
A quietening sky.
All day.



And all day we drove through the mist,
out into bright, warm sunshine,
like summer.
And then home again to the sea,
and the mist.



A quiet sea today.
Little waves rolling gently back over themselves,
surf sucking back through shingle.



And as the day dies,
sliding down behind the mountains,
the mist silently gathers round.

Around the clamouring birds,
around the still grass.
Around the little house.
Quiet. Waiting.



Creeping into the garden, whispering to the grass.

Watching, taking care.
Shadowing the mountains.

We miss your little voice echoing through the house,

your little feet.

Get better! 

You have a big day tomorrow!

A Week of Pictures.

Up all night with a sickly babe.



In the morning I step outside into the garden, an arm-full of freshly laundered towels to hang out,
and I stand in the morning light, the sun burning away the cooling mist.
I breathe.
And I listen.



To the sea as it hushes over stones.
Rooks on my rooftop.
The bell tolling in the village.

We have a lovely day ahead of us!

In a mixed up kind of way, this is a peek at the last few days we had.

And it feels like a Sunday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Something Lovely For The Weekend.

Sorry things have been so quiet around here. With Jay away I find it necessary to simplify things in order to stay afloat. Hopefully Milkmoon should be back to normal blogging in the next day or two.

I thought I'd share this favourite bit of sweet cheerfulness with you all. It's something that myself and Lisa  are currently sighing over, and I thought I'd post it as a 'thank you'  to her for a divine dinner last night. 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

A Game of Tag.

I've been tagged by the marvelous Esti.

***

What is your current obsession: House, house, house...

What are you wearing now: Favourite new green and white thrifted skirt (€10),  blue top from Dunnes, very cosy but worn-to-bits Noa Noa white mohair cardie, petrol-blue tights from Top Shop, knee-high boots from Blowfish, three rings, necklace, earrings...

Who was the last person you hugged: My Only Girl when she came in from Hip-hop.

If you were a tree, what tree would you be: a Robinia freesia.

What's for dinner: fish and chips.

What was the last thing you bought: a movie- Horseman on the Roof. Been wanting it for years. See it! 

What are you listening to right now: well, the older two are watching X-Men 2 so... But current musical sounds are Cathy Davey, Bon Iver and Taken By Trees.

What is your favourite weather: depends on my mood. Sunshine is always welcome, but I do love a good mist.

What is on your bedside table: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, a notebook, a glass and a Transformer...

What is your most challenging goal right now: to be a mindful mother.

Say something to the person who tagged you: I admire your dedication, your imagination and your talent!

 If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, where do you want it to be: I'm happy where I am... although I wouldn't say no to a house in the Burnaby in Greystones...

Favourite vacation spot: Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle, Co. Roscommon, circa 1981...

Name the things you cannot live without: my beloveds, my family, my friends. Music, inspiration, beauty. Risotto...

What would you like to have in your hands right now: Jay's hands.

What is your favourite tea flavour: Lady Grey.

What would you like to get rid of: ignorance.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go: Gibralter... but only because Jay is there, I actually know very little about it! Otherwise, Auburn Alabama to see my sister, Emma.

If you could have your portrait painted/made by any famous artist from any era, who would you choose: Mucha.

***

The rules:

1. Respond and rework: answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own. 

2. Tag eight other un-tagged people.

This is who I'd love to play tag with. If they'd like to!

Lisa, Amber, Jo, Mimi, Circe, Jaboopee, underthebigbluesky, & Aden!

Photos from today.

Yesterday In Pictures.

Do check out Lucy's Lounge  which is where the top two photos were taken. I also have more about it over on my blog Carnival.

Something Lovely.

First of all, thank you all for your kind and sweet words on yesterdays post. We have Jay home for the weekend and then he's off again on Monday for the week. We survive. We always do. It's where the phrase 'your other half' makes sense to me!

***

So I reckon it's time for something cheerful.

I love knitting but I don't do very much as it's too slow (or I should say I'm too slow) and I get impatient. But lately I've been inspired by all this 'Guerilla Knitting' that's going on around the planet. Small things that make a statement? Sounds right up my street. And the whole 'graffiti' element appeals to the latent anarchist in me. I would have loved this as a teenager, when I rediscovered knitting and knit giant black mohair jumpers on the biggest needles I could find. And then wore them to death.



Has anyone seen any? Or done it? I can't find much evidence of any in Dublin, but I bet someone is doing it. These images are from flickr. The fact that meet-up's of all sort of crafty-ness are happening all around the place convinces me. For example The Loft Market in Powerscourt had a Sew and Tell meeting last Thursday where people shared their know-how. And I know there are various knitting cafes going on around Dublin, and I'm sure other parts of the country. My own group is still in the fledgling stage, but I can see potential, and hopefully we can help spread the crafting love!



It's great to read online and increasingly in the media about the growing world-wide knitting and stitching that is going on. I love seeing it become the norm. Every second person I know does something, even in a small way. And I celebrate the online/blogging world that brings all these people together! Isn't it brilliant.

Have you any stories, groups, meetings to share? I'd love to hear.

And finally, there's even a documentary film about it. Check out the trailer for Hand Made Nation here. Has anyone seen it?

I'm off in to Dublin today, camera in hand. You never know what I might see.

At Sea.

How I am.

When he goes away.

The Little Boy Who Made.

There is a wonder afoot in our house. A cascade of creativity.

This little boy just can't stop making. He has entered his 'heart' phase, when all things grip him in a passion, and he just has to get it out onto paper.

At the moment it's all about super-heros of one kind or another. In particular, Ben 10. And every day I am amazed at the things he knows. The things he is learning away from my eyes.

It was no surprise that he lost his first baby tooth today, in the midst of this explosion of expression. It feels as though the time has come for his super-hero to be revealed.

This wee gyroscope that is our middle son has in the last year outgrown his position of one of the babies in the house. He lives such a physical existence and he is  so strong,  that at times, as he bounces around to try and figure out where his new place is in our little family it's too much for one or another of his siblings.


(This photo from the Solstice Party Summer 2006, from Lisa's archives. Thanks Lisa!)

But his heart is big and generous and bursting with enthusiastic life, and it's impossible to ignore.