sneaky jack frost

Dang.....it's freaking cold!  I know, I know, I love cold weather, usually.  Today it just stinks.

I am hating the fact that I don't even care that I wore my ugg boots outside the house (in true bogan style) into the car and drove to training drop off.  That is a first for me.

I am not sure whether it's because I got a taste of freedom by way of a weekend without the responsibility of the smalls or the sneaky winter wind blowing via the snow covered mountain behind me which has gotten my feathers ruffled?

Dang snow!  Dang blissful relaxed coffee and company!  Dang return to reality!

I am feeling a little excited yet also a little overwhelmed about the relentless schedule of events that comes with winter sports season, birthdays, farewells and mini breaks and interstate visitors in coming weeks.

Now that I have vented, as per the mission of this blog, I turn to sweeter things and gracious thoughts and joy at the blessings I have experienced this past week.

The extravagent generosity of friends to make impossible......... possible.

The hearty laughter of family enjoying an unexpected piece of time together.

The cuddles of two beautiful little nephews.  Their smiles heartwarming and soothing.

The remembrance of the greatest man I have ever known.  The challenge to live with heart and passion and compassion as he did.

The serendipity of bumping into friends from the past in a random cafe.

The delight of time well spent with a kindred spirit.

The extra leg room on the plane.

The beautiful city awaiting to greet my weary soul on return with a spectacular display of autumn highlights.

Friends to love my children while I am away so that they do not want for anything.

The realisation that life is full of joyful moments right there for the taking.  If we are open and ready to grab them with both hands.

There is only one to thank....you humble me Lord.

ladies lunch please :: my favourite girls

Missing my two best friends today....my lovely sisters.

So much so that today...I am even considering that my days in Hobart may be numbered.

We just 'get' each other.  We know the dirty little secrets and love each other anyway.  We share the best and worst of ourselves and know we have only to ask (or not) and we have got each other's back.

Fancy 'Nancy' and Posh 'Prue'.  Love you girls...xxoo

The King :: faithful treasured friend

One of the most incredible of his miracles in my life to date, is the gift of grace to me in a dear special man. His name is Kingsley.....who became as a father to a daughter for me.   We met each morning for many months at a local coffee shop to start the day with conversation and a coffee.  This was after he had swum a dozen or so laps at the pool.....as one does in their early eighties.  

He always put the sugar in my coffee and reserved a special seat for me.  He treated me with dignity and interest and a position of honor and would introduce me as his surrogate daughter.   He shared exciting tales of celebrity meetings and overseas adventures and also the ordinary things of life.  He had written many short stories and shared them with me over those months. 

We became the best of friends and he was God with skin on.  He loved me and taught me how a father loves a daughter and I came to see God as my father.  Finally, I had a true view of who he (God) was and was no longer afraid of him being angry and disappointed or ashamed of me.  I was a daughter of the most, high King and nothing else mattered.  

My shoulders started to straighten up and I lifted my head high.  I could feel the love of God almost as tangibly as the comfort of sunshine on my face on a winters day.  

When I would take a walk in the morning or evening, the words….you are a daughter of the king, the most high God would echo in my mind and I began to run into his arms deeper and deeper and my confidence in that identity was finally formed and growing. 

In finding this new relationship, after surrendering all control of my life to him, the healing came.  The gift of the very thing I had missed was right there in my life for the taking.  A real life "surrogate" father to love, delight and heal my soul.

The heart of the father had been revealed and I felt like I was living for the first time in the sense that my real life as the woman I had always been created to be and now revealed had just begun.  I knew who I was.  Some people might have thought I had changed dramatically yet I felt like I was coming “back” to myself and stepping into who I truly was rather than the broken impostor that had stood in my shoes for many years.   

My dearest friend "the king"  saw who I was straight away.  He believed in me and cherished me like his own daughters and would always encourage me to new heights with the words "your doing everything right....keep doing what you are doing".  There is something very empowering about spending time with people who know who they are, where they have been and who they belong to.  His gift to me was to believe in who God was within me.

We sat and talked about the future and he gave his blessing when I moved down south.  He shared with me that he didn't often remember his dreams but before I left he had one that assured him that I was going to be just fine.

Not that he didn't try to persuade me to move back home with many regular letters and hints that my chair was still vacant at the cafe each morning and an empty sugar sachet to remind me of the special place I had and the prayer he would say for me each and every day.

I loved to receive his mail and in more recent times a little encouraging text message.  He embraced technology and his capacity to care for and encourage others seemed without limits.

I know heaven shall applaud and God will welcome this faithful servant into the courts of the most high "King".

Such grief for not being able to share one more story and coffee ........ but forever grateful and humbled by who you were in my life.  See you on the other side dear friend.

on the topic of small gatherings

There seems to be a recurring theme emerging for me right now.  I come from a long line of family who love to cook, be hospitable, entertain and share a meal with friends and family alike.  I am most alive when caring for someone by cooking up something special and providing an experience for my guest.

I want them to feel as though they have "come home" to a place of peace and belonging and to know that they were expected, prepared for and their arrival joyfully anticipated.

Lately it feels as though something that was placed in limbo whilst wrangling and raising the smalls is beginning to re-surface and it feels so, so good.  I am coming back to myself and I love the possibilities and conversations and shared experiences which naturally follow.

Today I have been inspired by a mag that I haven't yet gotten my hands on.  'Kinfolk'  is the name and I have a suspicion that it's full of my kind of stuff.  Next task, track down a supplier.  Am pretty sure that it may be a hard ask in my neck of the woods.  

I just love the kinfolk manifesto  and cannot wait to get my hands on a copy.

resurrecting the potluck :: fun times

A potluck is a gathering of people where each person or group of people contributes a dish of food prepared by the person or the group of people, to be shared among the group.

I have such fond memories of pot luck dinners with three very dear friends of mine.  Intelligent, funny, gorgeous and pals who would get together for a meal a wine and a good old fashioned fun night together.  Plenty of nonsense and frivolity and lots of treasured memories together.  

Many days have passed since then, John married and running the family farm, Mel back in Adelaide teaching at uni, Pete running his own successful real estate business and new father to a gorgeous little girl.  

I think the time is ripe to start a southern pot luck tradition.  

The idea is that everyone brings something along, be it entree, main or dessert and no one can tell what they are bringing.  A little fun and a good chance to get together.  Happy Days.

in my next house :: or maybe in my dreams

how much fun would this be?

I think I would sit around being fabulous all day long should I have a boudoir like this......

And last but not least......a nook to escape away to and read the afternoon away.....

it's the simple things

Today was one of those days where all seems to be in order, everything is possible and the world is a sensible place!  

Probably helped that my lovely friend dropped by this morning, now that she finds herself with some extra space in her day thanks to school aged children.

She came to visit with the most generous gift........ she brought.....herself.  

A couple of hours of tidying, mopping, sorting and organising to help iron out the creases of the chaos that is a household with toddlers.  Even better, she bought lot's of energy boosting chocolate and we rocked out listening to a favourite singer soothing our souls with his sexy singing voice.

I tend to be a little OCD about my home and the way it looks and get heart palpitations when things get too crazy.  I love that this friend "gets" that and instead of the usual response of "just leave the housework" until the kids are older, blah, blah,blah.......she just arrives to help for a few hours.

Practical, sensible, extravagant and ever so generous.  What a lucky girl I am to have such wonderful gals around.

Much more fun to blitz the house with a friend.  A great way to start the week.

 I can finally see my kitchen bench and table.  Domestic bliss.

To make it an even more amazing Monday, a delicious vegetarian frittata and cous cous salad made by another friend dropped off for dinner.  Isn't that just a perfect end to the already perfect day.

random shots from a surprisingly beautiful day

liberated

adjective

given liberty, freed, released

verb

to give liberty to, make free, to free from social injustices

a few of my favourite things

Today was a day at Coco.  Work or play?  You decide.

The most common thing I hear from all the ladies who visit is ........ I am a shoe addict.

Clearly we have an epidemic on our hands based on the times I hear those words.  It literally sends them giddy just to walk through the door.

A really bad shot on my phone but the absolute greatest ankle boots this season.  I was so tempted and had a little try on and play with them but resisted and but back in their box for some other lucky gal.

Love these but not entirely practical for wrangling kids and playground visits.

Super funky witchy boots.

I have a love affair with these...divine.

Fur fabulous fur!

The handbag I want when I'm grown up.

What a fun day.  Really not work at all.

many little surprises

Special times with the smalls at Mt Wellington.

Felix a little cold and borrowing my scarf.  It was 9 degrees cooler at the top of the mountain.

Overlooking our beautiful city. 

If there is one thing I love.....it's unexpected mail!  A parcel sent with love from Italy.

Filled with chocolates, easter eggs and more chocolate....yum. 

To finish an already wonderful day.  My favourite cheese on special at the the foodstore a few blocks from home.  Fresh local apples at a bargain price and a supply of dough flour to plan our next gourmet pizza night.  I feel a chicken and brie is just the ticket.

neighbours

I am truly blessed when it comes to neighbours.  Two of the sweetest, funnest, loveliest, kindest of friends also happen to live directly across the road.  We have shared laughs, tears, fun times and hard times.  I am pretty sure that this is a rare thing and not something I take for granted.

A few months ago, the place beside me went up for sale and I was hopeful that we might get a lovely family move in and renovate the classic californian bungalow to a modern classic home.  The sold sign went up within a couple of weeks and we have waited to see who might take residence in the cheerful and tight knit neighbourhood.
We have had a random and quirky collection of transient students in and out of the place.  One guy who without fail wouldn't be able to start his car each morning without at least one kick to the side of the motor.  He was also keen on make believe ninja/ fighting with a stick with his imaginary friend in the back yard.

There was also Patrick who is one of the most patriotic people I know.  Drove a commodore, aussie flag car seat covers, army pants, singlet tops to show off and flex his gym muscles.....he was the classic australian bloke personified.  Helpful and neighbourly by introducing himself at midnight one night by bashing on the front door to let me know my interior car light was on.  He was pleased as punch, I was terrified out of my wits!

Enter Harry.  My new neighbour who has bought the property as an investment to rent out to students.  A little disappointed not to have a wonderful new family but kinda ok with that..... as was it's former purpose.

Our introduction went something like this.

Harry (in thick greek accent)  I'm Harry

Rachel Hello Harry, I'm rachel, are you my new neighbour?

Harry You got a husband?

Rachel  (awkward pause) No, he left.

Harry  Has the man got rocks in his head?  Gorgeous woman like you?

Rachel (not sure whether to call the police or be flattered)  Yep, who'd believe it.

Harry  You got a fridge?

Rachel ummm yes.

Harry   Well if I bring a six pack over and you keep it cold, I'll come over and share it with you when I finish working on the house.

Rachel  Well Harry, very kind offer but probably not a great idea.

Harry is probably in his sixties, overweight, likely married and pretty hard to look at when he takes his shirt off while working in the front yard which is directly below our deck.

Today he is hard at work with his Aussie Flag bucket hat on.  What a character!

on my wish list

A passion re-ignighted.  This place.....red feather cooking & lifestyle is responsible.  A beautiful place I have just discovered.  I think I had heard of it some time back however was re-inspired when flicking through last months Country Style.

I am so very excited and planning to book myself in for one of there cooking classes this year.  The building looks amazing and so does the landscape.  A treat for the soul and something special to plan for.

he is risen

a promise :: a reminder

Captured on my iPhone.  A beautiful gift on this morning's walk.

Creation is full of little surprises and evidence of his glory and plan of restoration. 

 We wait in anticipation when all will be as it should.

the beautiful cross

A Pilgrimage of sorts

 My destination not a place rather a condition of revelation.  A prayerful journey to peace and harmony.

First stop to capture an image from the side of a backroad and to my utter surprise as I turned to go back to the car, I notice an old book over towards the grass and fence of the paddock.

A worn out weathered and crumpled book.  Not just any book but an old bible.  A breath of fresh air and subtle reminder that these words and the promises in them are always the answer.

Waiting just there for me to remind me of something I already knew but had overlooked.  I knew at that moment that today's impromptu pilgrimage would not disappointment.

My only goal to just breathe and open my eyes and see all the precious gifts waiting just for my pleasure today.

Solid, never changing and increasing in beauty once more familiar.

Generations of thankful remembrance of an extravagant love of a father to his children.

A sense of company every step I took over the worn sandstone bricks.

Simplicity.

A restored flour mill operational again and supplying the little country village bake house.

Beautiful gardens and contrasting building textures which always inspire my creative side.  I love the consideration given to the construction of these old buildings.  Totally impractical yet so very beautiful.

Perhaps logic has it's place but there is a point where God just wants us to accept him at face value and see the beauty that is right there before us.

A simple childlike faith that all is good in his perfect and ordered creation and ultimately he is in charge of my destiny so I can just trust in that.

Autumn leaves to remind me that things are always changing and fluid.  To embrace transition is to embrace the adventure.

Reminds me of where those powerful words urge us to trust his total care and provision and the example of how beautifully and delicately he has clothed creation.

Red leaves were an absolute striking and demanding show outside some lucky persons door.

There were just too many different hues of green, gold and silver to capture. 

Orderly gardens and cute picket fences.  

The signs of winter and promise of renewal in spring.

Silent, steady and statuesque.

All is as it should be.  All is well.