The last week of September

The last week of September is done.

It brought with it my 40th spin around our Sun.

As well as the last days of the 3rd term of homeschooling which now means we are on Spring break. A much needed break this week for not only the small children but for this Mamma too - my house needs urgent spring cleaning attention. All the nitty gritty of house work always gets shelved during the school term.

It also bared a much needed break from social media. Not intentional I might add but it was needed - thank you cloud covered sky and stormy echos from the heavens for ever knowing just what my soul needs.

Welcome October.

The Long Weekend

It was the long weekend and it rained, rained and rained some more. In fact the whole long weekend was spent watching tiny droplets splatter against the window panes and listening to grumblings echo from the sky.

It rained out our god daughter's 4 birthday party and it rained out Heritage day. Heritage day also known as National Braai day around these parts was celebrated with homemade pie instead.

Shop + Offerings Update

If you follow along on my Instagram account you would have noticed how I have been waiting ever so patiently (well not really) for this batch of soap to finally cure. And they have! I was also blessed with such lovely comments and feedback on the post update and that always means the world to a crafter. Thank you!

I have just listed these bars on our Shop + Offerings and already there are only 6 left! 

These 100% all natural handcrafted artisan soaps are made with Olive Oil, Coconut Oil and Sunflower Oil. I added Bentonite Clay and Activated Charcoal for their cleansing and healing properties and then infused them with the beautiful scents from the Essential Oils of Ylang Ylang and Rose Geranium for cleansing and uplifting the spirits. 

I felt this epitomised all that is the Spring Equinox. 

I do hope you love them as much as I do.

Back On Track

Our Orange tree is in bloom. The scent of the blossoms linger in the evening air and at times mingle with that of the Jasmine growing just outside our fence line aside the bamboo thicket.

This morning for the first time it was hard to ignore the light peeping through the slit in the kitchen curtains while preparing lunch boxes for Rob and Josh for the day. It is funny how suddenly and all in one moment you realise the change of season is not just words or about to happen - it is happening. I feel a little cheated this year. I am always aware of the slightest change, especially when Winter turns to Spring and then Summer to Winter. These moments are always so very profound for me. But not this year, not this turning of the wheel. I seem to have been lost in the last few weeks of trying to juggle the emotions that came with Danika's hospital stay and all the things that come with homeschooling and this new life of being a stay at home mamma. All those little things that you thought you would have time for do not always come to be. And I am absolutely fine with that. New paths do that, they sometimes (even if slightly) change the way you perceived it would all be.

Danika is faring well. She is back to singing (literally) through her day. Thank you all again for all your gentle healing vibes sent from all over the world. Those vibes made their way here and are helping more than you know.

We Will Prevail

We have a hospital bed!

The confirmation email arrived yesterday afternoon while she was napping and I was adding rows to a knit project. I am somewhat relieved but still anxious and I so really need that feeling to go away. So, this mornings tasks to keep me focused will be to get our small cooler box packed with snacks for breakfast and lunch for tomorrow as hospital cafeteria food is way overpriced and not pleasant at all. I will need to pack her bag too and add an array of books and puzzles to keep her distracted from the fact that she will not be able to nurse from me from mid night tonight. I know there is reason for this but it really will be a little traumatic considering she is a feed and cuddle on demand child. But, we will prevail and we will see the light at the end of this very dark and daunting tunnel.

  

And Oh Yes.. I will need to pack my knitting to ride out the nerves when she is in theater - right?

I know I haven't done a homeschooling update for a couple of weeks now. But we are still marching forward with lessons in the morning. It has been a slow two weeks were we have dragged our heels somewhat. With the end of the third term looming in the next couple of weeks. I do feel that we will be right on check for that. In the meantime we just do as much as we can without any tension and catch up next week when we will hopefully be back in some sort of routine again. The joys of homeschooling - you get to choose your times and days! 

Josh is on the last week and a bit of school too. He has been quiet of late. This time of the year they write their common tests which will prepare them for the fourth and final term and exams. The pressure is scary for all the grade 11s. I feel for them, really I do.

Both Rob and I want to thank each and everyone of you for your kind messages through email, whatsapp, instagram and here on our blog in our comments. We feel very blessed to have you watching over us and giving us a little more strength with all your gentle healing vibes.

The weather forecast for this weekend - rain!

Have a blessed weekend my friends and I look forward to catching up with you all again in the new week.

lots and lots of love as always

Angela ♥

ps - the photos :

1. last nights sky showing the first star of the evening and the witch's moon.
2. danika's new dress made with love by Oumie for when she gets out of hospital.
3. our new favourite breakfast - Coconut flour + Cinnamon Waffles.

Week Ends

Hello there, 

Thank you again for all the well wishes for our Danika. Although we are still waiting for a hospital bed for her, she is absolutely fine. She has no pain and the swelling in her mouth were her teeth broke has gone down too. It is as if it never happened, well except for the missing places in her mouth where they broke. I almost feel compelled to cancel this whole surgery. Rob seems to think otherwise and feels that it still needs to be done or there will be another flare up. I'm sure he is right - I am still just apprehensive about it all.

The sky changed late Friday afternoon to the darkest shade of grey that it has been in quite a long while. We took a chance and wrapped up warmly and made our way to soccer practice. Only to find when we got there that Garren had forgotten to pack his togs in his bag. So we excused ourselves, as he wouldn't be allowed on the field without them AND we knew that by the time we should return from collecting them practice would be over with, so made our way home. We arrived home just as the clouds began to open and gift us a fine drizzle.

It came down softly all through the night and when we woke on Saturday morning it was cold. The cold that freezes to the bone. Snow had landed on the mountains and the winds that swept of that range howled through our pines and brought back a Winter that we hadn't actually had this year at all. The sky grumbled through most of the day and with it a downpour of rain that we all gazed out the windows at. It was beautiful - but cold. Rob left mid morning to help a friend install lighting into his warehouse. When he arrived home he was drenched and battered and bruised from falling off a ladder. He is better today with a little swelling left and achy muscles. Much of the day was spent cooking up a curry in the kitchen for dinner and being curled up on the couch adding a few rows to my knitting and reading The Gruffalo's Child on repeat.

Credit: @a n g e l a 🌙

➖ watching the rain fall from my kitchen window 💦 ... all the kids have cabin fever! If there wasn't a cold wind blowing off the snow on the mountains I'd let them out to play 🌬❄️

Sunday the clouds cleared but that icy wind kept up it's dance through the forest. We decided it best not to venture out but rather catch up with each other around the table for Sunday Roast and then movies of Peter Rabbit (Danika's favourite) and Marley and Me  ('cause who doesn't like the Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston comedy).

I am hoping for a bit more routine this week and a little more warmth to warm up these bones of mine. I could do with a little of both. How was your weekend? Did you get out or stay in?

blessings for the week ahead my friends.

love as always, Angela ♥

Waiting.

Thank you for the well wishes and emails sent for our Danika. 

The dentist appointment went well yesterday although sadly she will have to go in for surgery to have those two broken teeth removed. We are just waiting on confirmation for a bed and hospital for her. Sometimes the paperwork regarding anything medically orientated takes more time than one would think. But, she is fine and thanks to the course of antibiotics is doing well and is now pain free. 

I wont lie, my nerves are slightly shattered this week with the thought of her heading on into hospital and undergoing this procedure but I am assured that this is all the norm and that all will be well. I do know this deep down but... still.

Keep sending us all those positive energies!

love Angela ♥

On Week Ends (and a blue monday)

Our weekend was far from angelic as pictured in these few moments from the days gone by. 

Friday saw us calling all the dentists in our town for an appointment for Danika. Not one could fit her in that day. It was such a worry and I could see that she was beginning to get utterly miserable. Finally Rob found one in Hilton who slotted her in on Saturday morning. We managed through the evening by taking her mind off of it all at Garren's soccer practice and allowing her to feed from me on demand. 

Saturday morning we headed off to the Dentist and of course, as predicted, she refused to oblige in any means or form. It was rather traumatic. But what was able to be seen amidst all the attempts is that it best to medicate and revisit on Wednesday for a final decision. I do fear there might be dental surgery to remove these two teeth. I am not sure that I am handling this news very well. I haven't had any of my older ones in surgery or hospital at this age. 

Much of the rest of Saturday she napped and Rob stood the sidelines of the Soccer field cheering on Garren. In the evening we had a braai and let the kids run until late in the evening. Danika's meds had started to work so she was feeling a little better. It is strange to watch a child never medicated react on it. I messaged Tristan, who is back in China, to wish him for his 22nd birthday. They were in the middle of being filmed. He had not had a good morning with his small students and was hoping that the next classes that were being filmed would go better. His friends were going to be taking him out for supper and movie later. It feels very strange not to be baking a cake for his day. I felt a little out of place not seeing him on his birthday too. They say it does get easier.

Sunday the weather was lovely, as it had been the whole weekend. Rob and Garren were at soccer again in the afternoon. Sadly Garren's team lost both matches this weekend so he was feeling down in the dumps - his only consolation was that they have made it into the semi finals for the season. I am not a very competitive person and try on all accounts to teach the children that it is not about winning or loosing but more about that they have participated and have had fun. This always seems to fall on deaf ears with this boy child.

We checked in on our growings and again let the small ones play until late in the evening. 

Monday did not fare well in my attempt to get online. Danika fussed a bit and was a little demanding of attention which I always love to give but then nothing much else gets done.

I am just thankful that it's Tuesday and that it feels like we are in some form of routine again, well for now - who knows what Wednesday's Dentist appointment will bring.

How was your weekend? I hope it was relaxing and spent with all the ones you love.

Love as always, Angela ♥

Shelly Beach

There were just so many moments captured and recorded that I am still not entirely certain that I have shared all that I wanted to.

The winds howled off the waves that crashed onto to the rocks almost every single one of those days we were blessed to have been there. There was a bright day where the Sun did shine ever so brilliantly off the aquamarine surf and dark days where one could not make out where the horizon met both land and sky. And moments when in all the darkness a mystical ray of bright sparkles would shine down on just one spot in all the vastness of the untamed ocean.

We heard the cries of whales passing by in the witching hours of the night. Lying in awe as its high rich tones sang us to sleep. The magick of dolphins jumping through the turbulent waves captured and brought our wildest sea dreams to life.

Awakening each day to the sound of waves breaking at shore.

The peaceful lullaby in the evenings to the sound of waves crashing on the rocks.

Rob and Garren spent a whole lot more time on the shoreline than Danika and I. Fishing seemed far better for them here and so did the exploration of tidal pools at low tide too. The Kite made it's maiden voyage into the air along this stretch of beach. (the first since being gifted at Christmas).

This was Danika's first adventure further than the local supermarket. She was in awe and at the same time strongly adamant at how it all should be. The ocean too loud - the sand that stung as gusts whipped along and covered imprinted footprints from steps before. This was not her time. I felt this all with her. It was more a time for just her and I to be.

 

https://youtu.be/KBkZw7TL68s

Must Byt Deep Sea

The highlight of our time away was to be the first ever deep sea fishing adventure for Garren. A time for just him and his Papi to both do something that they love together - fish.

He has watched all the fishing shows on the tele and has for years been in awe of it all.

The boat.. the ocean.. the fish.. An adventure to top all adventures.

[gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="1021,1022"]

My poor bass fisherboy and fisherman. The ocean was not very kind to them at all. The waves chopped at their small boat and the glare off the waves brought on the sea sickness for our small human. I was told of his braveness when the anchor had to be cut from the boat and how in all the turmoil of being thrown from side to side he came through stronger for it.

Secretly, I think in the future he will more partial to the dams and lakes than the untamed ocean.

A Mami's vain hope? Time will tell.

https://youtu.be/2zQ11tRx408

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zQ11tRx408]

Riverbend Crocodile Farm

The weather was poorly most of our time away down the South Coast. With winds that howled off the waves and the on-and-off-again outburst of wetness that fell from the sky. Minding two small humans cooped up inside all this time proved to be a challenge especially when they are accustomed to so much freedom and space.

https://youtu.be/GxXy92t6pcI

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxXy92t6pcI]

We clambered on into the pickup and ambled our way further down to Riverbend Crocodile Farm for a morning outing to stretch our legs and feed their minds with all that is Crocodile. Not quite what I would go out of my way to experience personally but for Garren learning a little about these enormous ancient reptiles was captivating and not something he would ever be able to experience in a classroom.

Danika loved the family of Ducks that waddled about the lazy lizzards without a care in the world.

https://youtu.be/Hy4TfLpvrSg

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy4TfLpvrSg]

The Morning Of My 39th.

We're back from our impromptu escape to beautiful Shelly Beach. There is a whole cauldron filled with emotions brewing within me, beginning from before we left to while we were there and now that we are back. I am still trying to sort through them all whilst flipping through precious moments captured while we were away. These few days were so intensely needed. A breather from it all and a time to just BE without the pressures of the corporate world that seem to keep crossing over into our family life.

I will be sharing pictures and video clips of our time away over a couple of updates. I am still working on those but in the meantime I had to share this small clip from our last day there.

It was the perfect end to my 38 years here Earth side, with a message of rebirth and renewal for the future years to come - signs that kept unfolding daily on our holiday.

On the morning of my 39th trip around our Sun they came so close to shore - have a peek here.

https://youtu.be/3F2NZSUG-5A

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F2NZSUG-5A]

On His Way.

Today Josh leaves for his Leadership Camp.

Spirit of Adventure Berg Hike in Cobham.

He will be hiking through the Drakensburg with his school House.

This hike is to

"form a crucial step in leadership identification and role implementation for your son's senior phase within his House." (said in an oh so very posh voice)

In other words... they will be sorting through the boys to see whom shows leadership qualities and who will be illegible to become prefects in their final year of high school. (this is a tedious process that happens every year of high school).

Usually at a camp like this the boys pack all the warm clothes and bedding and head off to camp with all food and shelter provided for. This year, they are changing things up a little. The boys have to pack all their equipment for camping and their own food!

Tent, camping gear, food, utensils and means of cooking it all on their backs all through the hike.

So, off he goes out into the wild with his new hiking boots, the trusted family travel ruck sack, his sleeping bag, thermal undies, a small pot to cook in, an enamel cup to drink from, the small camping kettle to boil up water for his coffee addiction, a mini camping stove with fuel and a lunchware box of one packet meals in ziplock bags for the next three days.

I will repeat this again dear humans just in case you didn't get it...
.... OUT INTO THE WILD....

Wish me.. I mean... him luck please - this Mami's heart and nerves are all bothered.

I have to keep reassuring myself that he's going away unable to boil himself an egg and returning home a little more self-sufficient. (or devastatingly starving!).

This. That. The Other.

22 . 33 . 22 . 33 . 33 . 18 . 21

The numbers in degree Celsius predicted for our weather for this week gone by.

Funny thing about last weeks' post was that as soon as it was sent a strange wind howled on in  - whipping through the tops of the pine and gum trees - causing such a hullabaloo, not only on our homestead but around our town. Just outside of town a poor man was caught in the throws of the storm while fishing and sadly never made it to shore alive. Fallen trees brought down power lines and the rain disturbed the already sorely neglected infrastructure to the water pipelines that carry water to our suburb. So, no electricity and no water for the rest of the weekend. We would have coped without the water, as we do have a water tank in place for times such as these, but Rob had just filled the very low pool for fear of burning out the pool pump, an expense we could just not entertain. We are kitted out with solar emergency lights, which Rob has set up, throughout our home and we do have a gas stove to cook and make tea and warm water on. In reality we were absolutely fine and thankfully safe this time and I am so very grateful for that.

Here's a small clip of those howls that screeched through the tips of the trees.

https://youtu.be/KHmI16hxfNg
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHmI16hxfNg]

Ostara

The wheel of the year turns again dear sweet humans!
Bright brilliant blessings at this time when the hours of the day and night are again in balance. I love that this time of the year signifies renewal and abundance and new life to come. I have been silently watching and waiting and I know that although awakenings of Spring have already long begun there is still such abundance in the making.

Here is to the season of life and sweet beginnings.
Here is to the egg, the bud and the seed.
Here is to the prosperous harvests to come.

May the returning light bring you and yours abundance in all that your heart may desire.

Recovery In The Coop.

She adores them - the chickens that is, and he feels so much safer and is spending more time in here with them.

The girls are much happier too. Our Roo is no longer with us and they (the girls) are now safe from his perpetual bullying. Their feathers are beginning to come in all magnificent again and we have four eggs a day from the coop.

All four girls are happy and recovering from their skittish behaviour.

Well, only four eggs when one doesn't lazily drop an egg while scratching and then they all scramble to it for their share.

Such strange creatures these Zulu Fowls.

https://youtu.be/EwMsFcxPVCQ

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwMsFcxPVCQ]

New Moon

The New Moon is always a time of beginnings. It is my favourite phase through the lunar cycle because of the promise of new things to come.

It is a time of hope and renewal.

A time to wipe the slate clean and start afresh.

So go and plant your seeds and set your intentions in motion!

 

Degrees in Celcius

6 . 38 . 37 . 19 . 26 . 31 . 20

I wish these were the winning numbers for this weeks' Lotto draw - but they're not. These numbers were the high temps (in degree Celsius) that we experienced this week and it is only September! I am a little worried as to the highs in the making at Mid Summer. Usually around this time of the year we have the last of icy Winter. It's as if Winter would say "Hey you all - just so that you dont forget me - here is some snow for you all to play in" and then we would make our way into the Berg to play in the cold white stuff. Kind of like our last farewell to Winter.

Somehow I don't think we will be doing that this year.

A Month Away.

We are one month away from this dear human having made her way one whole trip around our Sun.

I wish I could have written more and shared more. But, I am living in the moments with you, my child. Trying to imprint it all to memory. And I feel I may have lost a few of those already. Is it age or does one really loose a little of ones mind with each child that is bought here Earth Side? (insert chuckle here.) I know that my eyesight has faded ever so slightly and there are times when the further you seem to crawl from me the defining lines become more hazy.