What Happens When You Forget To Breathe.

You know sometimes how magic happens right there where you are? When the world takes you gently by the chin and tilts your head at just the right moment, and you find yourself suspended in something of such heart-stopping beauty that you are transported somewhere else, for just those few seconds.
And always just when you need it.

There we were, on our daily commute through this most beautiful valley, that has held on to autumn for weeks now, the colours singing from the trees, 'the rainbow trees' as The Smallest calls them. The morning had been a bit fraught already, with just too many things to fit in, and tempers frayed from early on, and the sense of rushing just permeating everything. This part of our journey always provides a little bit of solace in our daily run anyway, but this time there was something else.

Inexplicably, at this point on the road, for two minutes, the traffic all but stopped, slowed to a crawl, and out of nowhere suddenly the air was filled with golden leaves that danced over the cars, that stayed in the air, dancing like snowflakes as the sun hit the mountain, and we stared in awe, our hearts filled, overflowing.

Tenacious Winter, She Breathes, She Does Not Yet Sleep.

But close you eyes against the sun, for this golden haze will bring a memory,

a memory to warm your skin.

Quiet Things From Afar.

A couple of weeks back I was tagged by the gorgeous Gigi over at The Magpie's Fancy. It's a sweet and simple tag which asks you re-post your fifth and tenth post. I love looking back and seeing how slightly, hmm, aimless, or maybe unfocused Milkmoon was! I didn't really know what or why I was blogging, and I suppose it took time to become what it is today. And I've no doubt it will continue to grow and change and develop as time goes on.

So without further ado: 

~*~

11/10/07.
No car today. It's so nice when you HAVE to walk. Except I forgot my camera... So here's some quiet things from our quiet day.


E drawing a portrait of baby B. The sound of his marker scratches the page. The quiet of concentration.



The evening sun slants in our bedroom window. Baby breathing in my ear.



The kitchen door, waiting for Jay to come in from work.

~*~

I'll post my tenth post tomorrow and pass on the tags. Let me know if you'd like to be included!

Through The Doorway.

It's been a busy week.

The excitement is mounting.
Santa's been sending messages.
Snow has been forecast, and the flurries have been tentatively drifting down.

Here's to a wonderful, wintery weekend.
We have plans aplenty, and normal blogging shall resume.

Keep warm!

October Sunlight.

All week the sun shone.

And the air was still.

And we savoured the warmth,

before the winds come.

And we'll have something to remember when the leaves are gone,

those moments when the light caught us and spun us a web.

And let us pause and look and marvel.

And we'll take this with us, a little memory of warmth in our hearts,

to carry us through the winter.

This post inspired by Hannah~Honey, Queen of Sushi, Sultana of Laughter, and Purveyor of Fine Spirit!

A Week Of Pictures.

We've had a sunny week...

From my kitchen window.

Early in the morning.

Fire in the garden.

Lions and tigers and bears.

Through the doorway.

In my kitchen.

Little boys.

Busy hands.

My tonic.

Three Days In...

A strange thing has happened.

I am feeling liberated by the chaos and mess in my house at the moment.

There is stuff in all the wrong places,

stuff that no longer has a home.

Every surface is crammed, every available spot has a pile... of one thing or another.

Now, normally I am a tiny bit uptight about the state of my house. We have a fair bit of clutter, and that I don't mind, but I find untidiness hard to live with. That's not to say I live with it a lot. I do. And I get uptight about it.

But six people living in the space we have makes it impossible.

 
However...

Now my house is a building site. Three days now. It is untidy in the worst possible way. More than ever before.

And I don't care.

Maybe it's because I know it's temporary. And knowing that allows me to give myself a break. And boy does it feel good!

And these photos are me ignoring the interior environment of my home and taking myself outside. Methinks there'll be plenty more of that to come...

An Unintentional Hiatus.

Gosh. It's almost a week since I posted here.

No major reason other than life-with-four-kids-getting-the-better-of-me! We've had coughs and colds, sun and rain, too many late nights, and basically I think I've just been trying to squeeze in too much into my week. 

This evening, exhausted from a marathon clear-out of the two older boys bedroom that took two days, I was finally finished, and as Jay was cooking tonight I snatched a few minutes to lay on my bed in the evening sun.

For all of ten minutes.

 And then they came looking for me. 

But sometimes ten minutes is all you need. 

The Grass Breathing Around My Ears.

In other years there were floods and high tides,

days of cloud bursts and verdant dusks.

There were misty, rain filled days,

the mountains shrouded, silent, grey ghosts.

This year as February begins to wane,

we have blue skies,

grass swaying in the wind,

clouds roaming the sky,

But each year, at this time,

the whole garden is humming with fertility,

heaving up soil,

sighing with moisture.

Green shoots pushing their way up through the grass...

Spring is tapping at the window...

What I Saw Yesterday.

Sunrise.


Sunset.

Time To Breathe

It's Friday.

A half hour solitary retreat after dinner.



Happy weekend to you all!

Sunlight Returns.

It seems the sunlight has returned to our little corner. The cold, thin winter sun is beginning to fatten up with light and warmth.



It stormed last night. I found myself waking to the wind whistling around the house, lying in the dark, wondering if our newly planted little pear tree would still be in one piece in the morning.

It was.



And the sun came out. And although it was still definitely a Blustery Day up until late afternoon, by dinner time, the door was open, the sun, and the air, and the calm breeze crept in. And for the first time in months we forgot to light a fire.

My heart rejoices.

More.

I just can't get enough...

Sunlight And Shadows.

This evening at home. Getting ready for school tomorrow.

Boo...

On Into The Sunlight...

On into the sunlight the fine
sunlight with a firm day in it...

e.e. cummings

********************************************************************



Today brought cold sunshine.



We are drawn to the sunlit corners of the house.



A bright misleading day.

My Remedy.

Driving through Glen of the Downs this morning was a heavenly experience. There is something about the way the low winter light collides with the bare winter trees. Everything just seems to be effused with golden pinkness. It was like a haze that drifted overhead, oblivious to the great river of traffic below, as we snaked through the valley. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such an abundance of beautiful, broad-leaf, native trees.
On our journey this morning I kept seeing magical photo opportunities that I had to let go of. The morning madness is reaching fever pitch. Only two more days to go.
But: everyday I get to drive through somewhere like Glen of the Downs, or Delgany valley, and be submerged in whatever show the light or weather has to decided to put on that day. Or I can experience the feeling that grips you when, driving along, suddenly, in the distance, you catch a glimpse of sunlight on water. The magic may flash by some days, but it's always there.



Walking up the avenue at Avoca.

Perfect December Morning.

I do get envious when I read blogs by people who are having snow at the moment. It's been an ambition since childhood to have a white christmas some year. Somewhere. But waking up to a morning like this makes up for it in some way.

Yes, I did take a rather long way home this morning!

The Last Light.

We have a full house with our cousins from the west here for a visit. The kids are all so happy to see each other, it's just a big party.
I stole outside this morning to take a few pictures. With the clocks going back last night I am so conscious that the light is fading fast from our days. So I'll be cramming in as many as possible.
Though I do love that clear light and those long shadows you get in the winter...