october already

the gardens and the bush are in full flower. the frangipani has it's buds and the jacaranda is a carpet of purple on roads, driveways, and ute trays.

i can honestly say that i am thinking about xmas this early. not that we have the full-on xmas experience, but this recent spell of a couple of days over 30 degrees reminded me of how much i hate shopping in summer. so i started my xmas pressie list, and got started. as i am planning on making most of our gifts this year today i started cutting out and even sewing up a few. it felt good to be thinking about friends and family on a drizzly cool day while the kids played in their pjs and we ate home-made red-bean buns from the oven. the shops can do without me this xmas season!

i also arranged to have a box of fruit&veg delivered each week for a while. we did this for a few months when H was born, and then again when S was born. it was so fantastic to have it appear each thursday. It costs less than i would spend when i shop for it myself, plus it's all so fresh coming straight from the markets. and i love all that summer fruit that's appearing now; mangoes, peaches, nectarines, melons, and still loads of strawberries. i still like to visit our own local farmers markets for the extra stuff tho.

and coles are doing on-line shopping and delivery in our area - at last. so i'm starting a weekly delivery of the "cold stuff" this week too. then at least we're covered for the basics, i don't want to spend my summer days shopping and next year, i want my kid-free days for studying. and coffee. and chatting. and lunching. you get the picture.

wow, i'm feeling soooooo organised. i've probably forgotten to pay some bills and now we'll get our power cut off or something...........................

green, red, blue sky, so vibrant in our grey-green native garden

i just love their scarlet spikey softness

our largest daily crop so far

a quiet spot of fishing with a tent pole, wool, pipe-cleaner, and gum leaf

this is such a peaceful little bit of wall, squeezed in as its is between the tele and the couch. i love the monastic feel of this painting and the pewter speciman vase. i just love having my grandmother's glory box as our art cupboard so it's in daily use.