Autumn fire

About to light the fire for the first time this year. Brrrrrrrr! Such a lovely autumn picture in the garden this sunset. The dominant colours are different every day.

My little green thumb

Autumn is with us again.

One of the greatest pleasures living here is being able to walk into the garden and pick a basket of roses. The scent in the living room is crazy.

Afternoon tea

What better way to pass the afternoon hump than with madelines and a cup of tea... and a sleeping baby. They were a bit fluoro because of our chooks eggs, but still tasted light and lovely.

Gibba Hill - Chapel Island

The helicopter pilot started calling Gibba Hill 'chapel island' after he learned we were married there. Surrounded by water - so different to our wedding day.

Chopper and Sandbags

SES chopper flying sandbags to The Farmer on the flood bank trying to hold it from spilling. There are hundreds out there holding the water back.

YUCK!

...on web page, but fine on App

Check

Checking to see what formatting the Blogger app chooses for me... Hope it's nice!
Pic is of the bookshelf we made for Matilda - she loves pointing to her favourite books! Couldn't believe her luck when she first saw them all up there together.

A Sunday Fly

The Farmer and I went for a fly on the weekend. We took off from the neighbour's airstrip (if you can call it that) and flew over the flood course and Pine Hill homestead. There is so much water! It has receded since its peak a couple of weeks ago, but the inland sea is still there. The corn crop looks good and the flood bank is standing quite victorious. It hasn't done much work over the last decade, but this year was it's time to shine... I find it funny sitting here in awe of a pile of dirt.

Excuse the James Taylor track all about Carolina - JT's are our cruising tunes at the moment. Classic.

Here is a video of our flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVrPVFbWwsE&feature=youtu.be

Heart Garden

So this image is what caused The Cottage blog to be updated. I've always wanted to make a heart garden ever since I visited Heide Gallery in Melbourne with The Farmer. Sunday Reed had made one to symbolise her affair with Sidney Nolan. I just like the romance - minus the fidelity issues! It has rained and rained and rained here at PH HQ over the last week. The lawn has grown so much it has taken us days to mow and rake up - you could just about bail it. Anyway, I saw the opportunity for a bit of romance in the long grass. Matilda sat among the love this morning.

Fluffy Farm Animal Books

Matilda (nearly 9 months) really enjoys textured books at the moment. She's pulling herself up onto furniture quite confidently now, but hasn't quite worked out how to get down again. She'll persist - tired level dependent. I pulled this gorgeous pajama suit out of the 'too big drawer' last night. It is so sweet - from her great aunt Jane.

Clovelly playground with Fred

Fair to say she loved it.

Beach Holiday Feb 2012

Matilda - almost 8 months

Our Country Girl

Matilda 7.5 months

Little Fish

Her Uncle Lloyd is pleased with her swimming. We had lessons once a week in town through summer. Loves it. Very lucky to have the pool at PH.

January - Fred came to visit

Fred, Liv and Nath came to visit in the new year. Matilda loves Fred. Fred's interested in Matilda a little bit. We love having the Lowes to stay at Pine Hill Cottage! Matilda was inspired by Fred and began crawling the day he left for home. Aunty Liv was sad to miss the occasion by a few hours.

Fred & Matilda launch

Pre-Christmas (rewind again). The Farmer took a break from harvest to help me set up my first pop-up store for Fred & Matilda. We set of at dawn from Pine Hill to decorate the window of Mezzanine, a cafe in town. The stock looked great and people enjoyed the collection. Liv flew in from Sydney for the launch! and left Fred with his dad for the first time. Rosey, a lovely neighbour helped set-up and man the store for opening day. V tired feet by the end.

Forgot the spring garden!

I still love my garden - despite not spending nearly enough time in it. My magnolia flowered for the first time! - had been moved three times in two years. I think she's happy now. I'm looking forward to this autumn in the garden.

My favourite - Constance Spry (D Austin)

Christmas 2011

A big day. First two teeth came through (finally!!!) on Christmas morning. Best present ever. 'Matilda's First Christmas' t-shirt from Aunty Liv.

Sabbatical over

Its been a while - to say the least. Lots has been happening - including an internet speed upgrade, so I'm back in the game. Consider the next few (thousand) posts as updates. Nice to be back.

Spring 2011 at Pine Hill - a visit from Fred & Liv

Port Douglas 2011 - resort bliss

Harvest 2011 - dress made by Mandy Tooth

Among the Christmas shopping on our way home from Sydney