First weeks of Winter

The upside of doing an on call weekend with clinic duty: you get the following Friday off.

With all the kids at (pre)school we made the most of it and spend a day at Red Rock, with it’s glorious walking tracks along the beach and Corindi River it's a great way to recharge the batteries.

Namesake 

Traffic jam, 

(just a friendly, rather sleepy python)

Cold mornings,
4 degrees demands rugging up, a novelty for our kids...

My friend Erin send us one of her daughters, to babysit, we got to have a night out!

Tullara is such an amazing talent, grateful to have seen her live.

Sunday morning walks...

Life is so much better with mud...

Checking out the waterholes

And the fences

Our teddy bear horse, so fluffy in her winter coat.

Sophie is thriving at the moment, she has started drum lessons, a dream come true for her. 

The reading bug has bitten her, something that makes my heart sing. 

Even caught her doing the book walk (read and walk while you go to the toilet, get a drink,... too enthralled to put the book away). 

With increased alertness and energy she’s making the most of it, even took up aikido again!

We’re letting her set the pace, we never know how long this period will last.

Alex his turning 5 next year, that means he could start school. 

However, he’ll only be just turning 5 when the school year starts, which gives us the option to hold him back another year. It has been going around and around in my head, what is best for him?

Kindergarten is hard, with the curriculum demanding so much of these still very young children. Reading, writing and maths, including homework and sitting still for long periods is a lot for them. 

I hesitate. But have seen with Tim (also from February) that he needed that challenge and now in year 4 is still thriving on it. 

For now, we’ve decided to take the middle road. Next week, Alex is going to start the pre-kinder program, that our school offers for one school day a week. While keeping with preschool which is all play based. We’ll decide at the end of the year what we think he’ll need: another year of play, or “big school”.

Morning with warm porridge (and pappa).

Tim’s creation

The Grafton bridge, the only crossing for cars, pedestrians and trains over the Clarence River. 

Traffic has been increasing for years, to the point that it has become a huge bottleneck, while the bridge quickly deteriorates under the strain.

Work on a second bridge has recently started, working from both sides of the the river, country town Grafton has now the novelty experience of four cranes and a barge at work. 

Our kids are mesmerised and closely following the progress.

Climbing wall in action, some people just don’t seem to be hindered with gravity...

Rain, rain, rain, the garden is looking like a bedraggled jungle. 

Even though the surrounding area has had frost, our veggie garden doesn’t, I’m still picking chillies, while the king parrots feast on a sunflower, very surreal for a winter garden!

Another Full Moon Gathering. With countless weather and flash flood warnings it was a small one, the kids didn’t seemed to be bothered too much with the rain. Getting a couple of hour of spotlight in, only to shelter in the treehouse when the rain picked up to torrential again.

The quince trifle was a hit.

David got bitten again, the last time that ended with surgery after two horrific weeks. Not knowing what bit him, we were on high alert straight away. The swelling has come down, no raging fevers, so it has probably “just” been a bull ant, opposed to the overnight spider bite in our previous episode. 

Having a cuppa at Big Oma’s Coffee House, where they serve many Dutch specialties (kroketten!), taking a break from running errands in Coffs Harbour. Managed to stock up on (real) liquorice as well...

Wet Spotted Gum Tree

Welcome to the jungle... (without Roses)

Wondering if this rain is ever going to stop, the rivers are coming up, roads are going under.
It has given “a long weekend", a whole new meaning... ;-)

Our house, serene on the outside

 Chaos on the inside

The pool filter split a seam and needed to be replaced (under warranty), the new filter has different connections and heights so Sander has been holed away in the pump shed playing with cutters and glue.

The upside, with all this rain we can use rainwater galore to refill the pool and clean the new filter medium.

All baked out, I’m hogging the best place in the house, 

right next to the fire.

Making great progress with my quilt (and blogging). While Sander is playing with his new mitre saw,   Tim’s build-in-wardrobe coming up soon.
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Jacaranda Purple

Our home town, Grafton, has a 3 week festival each year, in honour of the flowering jacaranda trees. The whole town turns purple, because there are jacaranda trees everywhere you look!
These photo’s were made on Jacaranda Thursday, for most, the highlight of the festival, a public holiday. Markets, purple ice-cream, rides and lots of fun activities.

Susan Island

Every time I pass the bridge into Grafton, the beautiful view of the mighty Clarence River brings a smile to my face.
So peaceful, so pretty, always changing.

Smack in the middle of the river lays Susan Island. And although I rowed alongside it many times, we never set foot on it.

Every couple of months, national park rangers organise guided walks through the pocket of rain forrest. State Emergency Services (SES) volunteers into bringing everyone over by boat. Needless to say, we had a great time!

 And a perfect picnic spot.

This week

Best friends, keeping each other warm on those cold mornings

After my post Static, from last week, the nights have finally changed for the better. What a difference that makes! Energy, with a sunny disposition. I’m also starting to catch up on my long list of jobs, my head has almost stopped buzzing. A tidied up house, sure helps with creating space in your head.

A small episode at school this week, is making me question if Sophie’s “daydreaming” is a part of her epilepsy.  Sophie has caught the reading bug and is often found amidst a pile of books, such a beautiful sight, reading is one of the biggest gifts of life.

The Grafton Truck Show, to the delight of the youngest two kids. A long throng of trucks, revving and hooting through the main street, what’s not to love?

Sander has started the next part of the deck, wanting to build on top of the pool, instead of the much easier, tucked under the pool sides. It needs some creativity, which he has plenty of!

A busy baking week, introducing my new chocolate granola at the markets. The feedback so far has been amazing!
I also managed to attend a meeting from our Valley’s Women in Business, a night out by myself! I met some lovely women, many who turned out to be customers! With some great local music, including blues legend Fiona Boyes, now that’s a meeting! I’m very much looking forward to the next one.

Winter time: King Parrots & Bananas

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Blues, Brews & BBQ’s

Horse racing is quite a big thing in Grafton. As an illustration, there are two public holidays (afternoons) for the races (Grafton Cup and Ramornie Cup)! I can’t say that it’s my thing. Getting all tarted up to see some sweaty horses being whipped along. But there is a first for everything.

Saturday was the Yamba Cup, very casual so no need for dressing up and fancy hats. Very family friendly, just a picnic blanket to bring along. Our first time at the races!

It is very exciting to watch, I’m not a punter. But I might put in a $2 bet next time...

Listening to some very lovely blues bands, while lazing around on the grass. Kids running around, finding friends and a jumping castle. The beer testing (Brews), wasn’t for us, this time. Needing our clearest head to keep up with our kids! It was one of those lovely days where you’re reminded in what a lovely country town we live. Bumping into many familiar faces: lots of friends, school teachers, hairdresser, yoga teacher and neighbours.

The BBQ part was a huge hit, sticky ribs. A real treat.