The earth

I learnt recently that there is more life under the earth than living on top of it!  It's amazing, the life-giving resources that lie in the ground, the multitude of micro-organisms going about their business unseen and largely unknown.

The other day I got into the garden and got my hands dirty (need new gloves!).  It felt so good to work the soil, turning it over on top of the remains of last summer's tomato crop, mixing in some old straw from the chookhouse (chicken pen), and planting some winter crops.  [Above: peas next to the leeks; below: red onions and a couple of beetroot.]

The weeds have been uprooted and mixed in (except a few nasty ones which I removed altogether); the dead tomato vines are decomposing underneath; the micro-organisms in the soil have received oxygen and are hard at work.

I love the simplistic nature of this type of gardening.  It's messy and raw; and it relies on nature to do most of the work.  It makes me feel very connected to the earth, and I love feeling that way - like I'm participating in something bigger than myself.

Previously I have always followed the traditional method of gardening which involved meticulously weeding around the veggies, throwing all the old crops into the compost bin, and mixing in the compost and turning the soil once or twice a year.  This was a lot of work and now that I have a little one, I have no time for this kind of gardening!

It also doesn't make sense to me anymore... why not let the goodness of the old plants return to the earth while the new crop slowly draws up what it needs at the same time?  Why throw the old crop in the compost bin, only to have to shovel it onto the garden later?   And I've learnt that some plants, which we call weeds, actually put nutrients into the ground instead of taking them out.  [Clover, for example, puts nitrogen into the soil!]

I know I'm not doing it all 'right' and there may be negatives to leaving some of those weeds there or letting things decompose under the new plants, but I don't care.  I'm experimenting and learning as I go... and I'm loving it!

Paint on my hands

It's 8.30am, I'm still in my pajamas, haven't had breakfast, and while Nahlia's happy playing in her rocker, I'm painting.  It's not the usual time of day that I would do this, but I've been wanting to do some more on it for some time now, so I took the small window of 'free' time and got my hands wet!

It's not the usual way I would do things, either.  Normally I would do some task or other until it's finished or at least to a certain recognisable level of completion.  But I'm learning the new rhythm of life that motherhood sets for me.... letting her needs take priority over my desires.  [My needs must be met almost in sync with hers, for if I do not take care of myself, then I cannot take care of her either.]

I used to focus on the day that Nahlia won't have colic; the day that she will sleep by herself for long periods of time during the day; going to sleep and waking up without crying. I used to long for the day when things would be easier with her so I could get on with my life and do whatever I want, whenever I want.  How sad, but I'm being honest here.  But instead of waiting for her to grow out of her colic, I find myself growing into it.  That is, I'm growing in how I respond to her when she is obviously upset because of her tummy.  I am accepting that this is how it is for us - for her - and adapting my 'schedule', my outlook, my priorities, my everything, so that I can care for her in the most loving way - the way that she needs me to.  I'm growing and becoming the mother she needs me to be for her.  And loving her is what gives my life meaning - it makes everything else make sense.

So my painting is happening slowly, one stroke, one layer at a time... the way that anything that is done with love should.

It's 8.50am; Nahlia is asleep on me; I'm looking at the paint on my hand; and I'm smiling.

Nahlia's first Mummy-made dress

I don't care if it's winter, she's going to wear a dress!

 So I had some 'free' time this week as Ulf was at home to take care of Nahlia too.  I have many projects awaiting my attention, but instead of working on one of those, I chose to make a dress for Nahlia!  It's described as a Dutch Baby Dress...  After ramaging through my stash of fabric, I chose this lovely corduroy with embroidered horses which has been waiting many years for such a dress as this.  The back is one piece, all horsey corduroy.

 As you can see, Nahlia loves her new dress....  but I must admit it sits on her more like a tunic than a dress. 

What she doesn't love is smiling at the camera!

Spring water in autumn

This is our new family car.

 For a few months now, we've been collecting water for drinking from a natural spring on Mt Donna Buang.  We go about once a month and collect 100 litres, which lasts us a whole month.

The water tastes amazing and now that we're used to it, ordinary tap water tastes like pool water! [chlorine]

There is an abundance of wild edible mushrooms on the property at the moment [this is not one of them!].  Pine mushrooms and some meadow mushrooms are delighting our taste buds...

A clear sunny day is a rarity - something to be savoured while it lasts.

 

Naturally, Nahlia loves being outside!  She goes with me whenever I go out for a walk.  She loves looking at the sky and breathing in the fresh air.

I'm loving our sling, which even allows me to do some gardening work while Nahlia has a nap on my back.

But we often take her out in the pram as well, as she can see more from in there, and we don't have to carry her weight this way.

We are loving being a family and Nahlia brings us joy every day.  We do struggle at times, mostly with her periods of crying and burping, which sometimes seem to never end.  But we are reminded every day that she is healthy and happy - her smiles are the best!  She is sleeping through the night and is growing well - she has grown 11cm in length since her birth!  Quite amazing really.