The most beautiful thing

I ever did see....from the eyes of a bird fancier, that is. A beautiful spring token, found in the garden this morning. Isn't it perfection? I believe it belongs to the adorable waxeye (silvereye).

And the following is an excerpt from genius author Michael Leunig's book Short Notes from the Long History of Happiness. I bought my copy years ago and every time I stumble upon it again I cluck and aww.

Roald Dahl's fantastic box

The charming writing hideaway of Roald Dahl, from October's issue of The World of Interiors. How gorgeous is its setting? The story goes that when he went into his studio he would close all the swallow-print curtains and go into his own world to write.

"I go down to my little hut, where it's tight and dark and warm, and within minutes I can go back to being six or seven or eight again".

lullabies for little people

How to Heal a Broken Wing

This is possibly one of the sweetest children's books I've come across lately. I chose this from the kids section of a local bookshop recently. Lucy was looking elswhere. Audrey was hurling books from the shelves like she does at our bookshelf at home.

And on that note, where Lucy longs to be a fairy/dancer/princess when she grows up I really feel the vocation of librarian is calling Audrey. She seems fascinated with books - both reading and throwing them - plus she is obsessed with the self-checkout machine at our local library, moreso than all the fun and glory of the childrens section.

Anyway, Will is the main character in this short-ish, pictorial book. A bird hits a window high above the city and falls to the ground. No-one sees it fall, no-one notices it on the ground. Except for Will.

I think I took to this book because I am a bit of a 'Will too.

flowers

A while back Lucy started picking small fresh flowers (and occasionally weeds too, but who's to notice) from the garden, putting them in a vase, filling it with water and then sitting it on my bedside table. She would do all this without me around so I would just walk in to find them sitting there. Sometimes she picks daisies but unfortunately I don't have a vase small enough to put them in (a thimble, perhaps?). And if all this wasn't enough I noticed her the other day putting some fresh water in the same vase of flowers she'd picked the day before. I think this act of thoughtfulness is adorable and it amazes me that it's within her at age four.

And just an aside, this is the top image filtered in Photoshop.

whoa ramona

Every so often I visit Ramona West, which I think is one of the best vintage shops on Etsy. Today I flipped when I saw this 50's cashmere coat (to the point of not wanting to blog about it), and may have bought it if not for dredging my paypal account earlier (I don't quite trust leaving my money sitting in it, is that justified?). I love the length, the proportions, the 3/4 loose sleeves and the collar. What more is there to say?

Huckle Grey Peacoat

A new coat born from a custom order. Not that you can really tell, but it's quite dainty in a size 12m. I almost can't imagine making one smaller than this! It's a really good unisex combination of fabrics, just perfect for passing on to the next sibling.

mother and child

My mother pointed out to me some time ago that a lot of the old prints I have hanging up at home, picked up at charity shops over the years, seem to be of a mother and child, often religious paintings, and in particular a mother nursing her child. I never noticed I had a theme going, I just bought what I fancied.

My mother enjoyed my latest daily song, Clair de Lune, possibly partly as this song featured in Twilight and she is rather fond of Robert Pattinson (the beans have been spilt, Mum). As I was enjoying this piece she suggested I listen to one of her favourites, In Paradisum from Faure’s requiem (my mother is an opera buff). After listening to it as I've sewed the past day or so I'm convinced it sounds like angels singing. It's rather a divine piece, and I'm glad I've let it play half a dozen or more times to really appreciate it.

Adri

When I was shopping for knickers for Lucy today (I was told 'they keep going up my botton' and gave in to time pressures on the thought of making her a new lot (these were her last)) I remembered seeing this range of kid's under and bedwear a while back. Imagine the speed-of-light dressing for bed if your child had these as jammies! I think a little baby boy in the superheroes onesie would be the bees knees...

Little Winter Coats

This is just a note to say if you have been thinking about a little winter coat for your child, and would like to receive it before Christmas, then I would need to know very soon (at the latest by the middle of the month, but preferably sooner just to be on the safe side). If you place an order after the middle of the month, I will do my best but can't guarantee it arriving before Christmas (and I haven't even started my Christmas shopping yet either, eek!). The posties do sometimes surprise me (maybe they, too, have elves?) and have been known to do the seemingly undoable.

Lucy has already written up a list for Santa.

No. 2 is pool slide. Don't make the same mistake as her Dad did.

Conversations with your child

I discovered the other day, far far too late (two children deep, to be clear), that the best way to have a decent conversation with your child when seconded for a session of figurine play (“you be polar bear and I’ll be dog”) is to ask lots of open questions and let your child do much of the talking. Not only was it easier on me, but it was actually really fun. Lucy’s dog was holding a bone so I asked after it.

Polar bear: “I see you have a bone”

Dog: “Yes”

Polar bear: “Where’d you get it”

Dog: “From a bone shop”

Polar bear: “What was the bone shop called?”

Dog: “It was a bone shop”

Polar bear: “Did the bone shop have a name?”

Big pause, much consideration, eyes looking skyward…

Dog: “You Can Buy A Bone”

Brilliant. To anyone needing a bone, clearly this is the shop for you, for ‘you can buy a bone’.

At our weekly catchup last week, a friend told me about her child’s pre-school art auction. Every child had to draw a picture and it would presented at the show. I’m really not sure how this happened, how no-one saw or screened what was to be shown, but J’s picture was held up to the audience and there in all his glory was a doodle of her father - naked - in pretty good detail.

Another friend has noticed her daughter is quite observant, which means sometimes saying inappropriate things, however she did say something quite appropriately funny the other day (out of earshot of her target). A rather large man walked past, which prompted ‘M’ to say to her mother all serious-like, ‘that man has had too much sometimes food’.

I find now that Lucy is four we are able to have very detailed and thoughtful conversations. We can go out for a coffee and fluffy (babycino, fluffy milk) and have the most interesting talks. I can’t really imagine what our conversations will be like when she’s a teen. Probably non-existent.

Festive Leggings Special

I've just listed five pairs of red merino leggings

(super-lovely fine, non-sheer NZ merino)

in the shop at a special price. Limited numbers!