penguin suits

This is what my mum is knitting at the moment. Although it seems a lot of people have the same idea! 

Link here to read more ( and to see some very cute snaps)

Still, it seems like fun project. An oversupply of little penguin jumpers in 2011 lead a New Zealand yarn store to make an inspired decision to sell the jumpers on soft toys, to raise funds for a bird charity.

And I'm thinking this could be a good project for a ten year old beginner knitter...

Pattern and details here

colour

It's not really happening for my veggie beds at the moment. Our summers here are normally hot and wet, but unusually this year we've seen little to no rain. Not enough to justify planting out delicate and water hungry cucumbers, corn, tomatoes and the like (although I do have a few lettuces in...). Yes, sure, I've got hardy tarragon growing in abundance. I've got some basil plants valiantly hanging in there (they're near the lettuce soaker hose). I've got some marigolds which add a nice splash of colour to a salad. Some brave chives and a handful of parsley are struggling on. But it's not how I would like it to be (sigh). I can't wait for autumn to really kick in so I can get planting. 

In the meantime, I'm touring the garden to see what does survive and thrive in this relentless heat of summer. If I can't have food, then maybe pretty will do for now.

Vinca flower- tough, hardy, maintenance free..these pop up regularly in my garden. They're so attractive in their simplicity. 

Geraniums..of course. This is from a cutting I took from my parents' garden before they sold up. Now my mum takes cuttings from mine. Just snip and stick in the ground. It really is that simple. 

This is one is a Yesterday Today and Tomorrow (otherwise known as a Brunfelsia). So called as the flowers change colour, from this purple through to a faded vintage lilac, then to white. Their perfume is divine. Not sure why it's flowering now as I usually see this shrub in bloom from September through to Christmas. Maybe it's as confused about the weather as I am.

This is my lilli pilly. Does this classify as colour? I'm not sure either, but it's very pretty and delicate. 

Strawberry flower. I have my strawberries in pots; recently I chucked in some fertiliser which they really seemed to like. These have hung in there for the last 2 years. We got a little crop last year; maybe this year we'll get a few more. One of the plants is sending out some decent runners. Yum.

I should know this one, but it escapes me. It's everywhere.. all through the garden. Probably a weed, but I like it. It's pretty and happy and soft, and not really in the way of anything else. So it gets to stay.

Green runners... a nice contrast against the pavers, rocks and old wood. No flowers, but green is my favourite colour, after all. It can stay as well.

I'm expecting rain over the Easter holidays. That's when we're booked to go camping.

walking the Tanglewood Track

We drove round to Little Cove last weekend. The weather was sublime and it looked ideal for a quick dip. We had forgotten, however, about the festival of surfing, which had kicked off that very morning. Every man and his dog was here...literally. If you want to see dogs surfing, this is the place to be.  They have their own event...the Surfing Dog Spectacular. Very cute. 

Anyway, I digress...

It took us forty five minutes to find a park, after stalking a surfer back to his car. We were so happy to be out of the car that instead of following the hordes directly to the beach, we just dived into the National Park, via a small, barely used track at the back of Little Cove. It's a long way round to the beach, certainly. But there was hardly anyone there! Incredible.

We walked, and we talked, and ate mandarins and looked at the amazing trees and stuff. 

We did eventually make it to the beach, stopping at Tea Tree Bay for a delicious swim. We walked home slowly, cooling off at the rock pools. Really, this spot is just heaven. After ice creams at the kiosk we headed for home three hours after setting out. A bit longer than we anticipated, and definitely more meandering, but just so delightful and impulsive. Sometimes it's good to go against the flow.

dress making

dress: 

made from an op shop find, two dollars for about two metres of blue and white striped cotton.

(swimming bag made from same material)

lace edging:

from think kids noosa.

pattern:

homemade pattern; it's copied from a dress we bought in Target some months back.

Stella likes simple dresses. Light and easy to wear, simple fastenings, not fussy; at most a lace trim. No doilies or pockets required. Can be worn barefoot on the beach or in the garden, or with sparkly sandals if dressing up is required. Not that we dress up around here very much. 

Barefoot is best, I think.

stills: via instagram

1. a crochet blanket, her two favourite toys and the Little House series... Stella's bed.

2. Little Cove on a perfect afternoon. Low tides, mild south easterly wind and blue skies.

3. the Surfie.. a recent raffle win which is shaping up to be heaps of fun.

4. a surprise visit from Jack. Three months old and absolute heaven.

5. she takes her ipod everywhere now. Capturing sunset at Main Beach.

6. Making butterzopf for our Swiss girls.

7. Getting a butterzopf lesson from the experts!