spring : seasonal reads

As a new season approaches I go through the bookshelf and take out the relevant stories. At bedtime and wake time and afternoon in-between-time we read together and talk about the pictures and the words and the quirky characters that fill the pages.

So, it's spring, and here's what we're reading to welcome the season:

• Spring is Here by Taro Gomi. I bought this for Che when he was a little one and now it's one of Poet's favourites. Sweet illustrations and simple yet evocative sentences lure the tiniest of imaginations
• Bumping and Bouncing by Alison Lester - the one who glorifies Australia and Australian families in all her wonderful work. This is a lovely little rhyming book, easily held by chubby toddler hands. 
• Thanks to Lauren Clare who recommended the breathtaking A Forest by Marc Martin. Dubbed one of Australia's "most talented new picture-book creators" Marc has created a timeless tale complete with the most beautiful illustrations and paintings. I purchased our copy in a little bookshop in Berry and when it hasn't been on the bed-side table it's been decorating my mantle. 
• I discovered All Through the Year by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker a little while ago. I was delighted to finally find a book that followed the Australian seasons(at the right time of year). Told through the eyes of a child this is a beautiful story complimented by Anna's whimsical and utterly lovely illustrations. 
• Today and Today is the creation of Brian Karas. Inspired by Issa's emotive haiku poetry, Brian tells the story of a family who endure loss and experience healing. A celebration of the seasons and the simple wonders in the days, this is a precious book that I'll be keeping even when my children are grown. 

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I think the books we read was one of my all-time favourite posts. The comments section became a fabulous list of 'highly recommended.' I suggest you pop back there - it's perfect inspiration for your next library visit.

I'm expecting some spring-reading suggestions from you too - what's your favourite story to read in spring? And, if you're venturing into autumn, please share your much-loved tales about the leaves falling....I'll keep it in mind for next year.

a seasonal series
turn of the season
notes from my naturopath
at home

finally.....

After months of procrastinating I finally got organised enough to create a facebook page for Che & Fidel. So...if you are on facebook I'd love it if you headed over there and 'liked' me.

I'll be on there daily, sharing snippets of inspiration and information. See you there....

the hammock beckons from the balcony. it takes all my self-discipline not to curl up in it every afternoon and wile away the hours...

snarl

I never knew a snarl could be so endearing. 

frequently asked questions : some answers

If you commented or emailed me in response to my frequently asked questions post - thank you. I've thoroughly enjoyed considering the questions and creating the relevant 'answers'. But, you know, time time time. 

I'm in the midst of writing a few posts including: "an insight into Che & Fidel - behind-the-scenes" and "establishing and growing a freelance writing career." There will be more posts in my Q&A series about yoga and birth too, as well as the creation of a FAQ page on my sidebar. 

However, waiting can be tedious so I thought I would answer a few FAQ here. And to all those readers who emailed asking about the big, evenly spaced photos....read on.

What did you study at university and did it influence your writing in any way?

I studied a Bachelor of Arts in Communications (Journalism) at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). On day one I was asked to go out and find a story - journalists are never shy. Over three years I studied a range of subjects including the mandatory theory classes, media and law, radio, television, investigative journalism and feature writing. I also delved into fiction  and loved classes on short story writing, poetry and novel writing. I think what I learnt most upon finishing my degree was that I would never be a gritty, up-all-night-to-find-the-story journalist. I was never interested in the graveyard shift (the very beginning of a cadetship) at the local paper nor did I have aspirations to be the next Kate Adie. What I did have was a love of words, the ability to write a good sentence and the desire to write stories that would inform and inspire. I started writing freelance for magazines shorty after I graduated.

What skincare products do you use?

I started using Aesop about a year ago and I absolutely love it. I have quite dry, sensitive skin so the parsley seed facial cleansing oil and parsley seed anti-oxidant facial toner has worked wonders. Once a week I use the purifying facial exfoliant paste and I always moisturise with camellia nut facial hydrating cream. Happy to say that my skin is the best it's ever been. And the lovely glass bottles look rather lovely all lined up in a row. 

What's the hardest thing about being married?

I couldn't tell you because Daniel and I aren't married, yet. We'll say 'we do' sometime soon in a very simple and personal ceremony. The only thing we've organised for our wedding day - the photographer.

How do you make your photos so big and evenly spaced?

Ok....here goes.

I'm a perfectionist so uneven spacing and photos at different widths just won't do. Hence I've spent hours figuring out the world of html. 

First things first....make sure you have the updated blogger interface. Then...

• go to design and then 'template'. There's a button titled "Edit html" - click it. 
• ignore the warning and press proceed
• scroll down until you see the words header-wrapper - underneath this title is a number followed by px (pixels) - the width of your blog in pixels. Mine is 940px
• scroll down further and you will come to main-wrapper - this is your post section. Mine is 740px wide (I recently widened it from 640px so my photos are bigger)
• so now I know that my photos need to be 740px wide (if your main wrapper is only 350px wide, or thereabouts, your photos are never going to be that big because there's just not the space needed in your main wrapper aka post column. So, you need to widen your post column by adjusting the size of your left and right columns and adding the extra 'space' to your post column). 

Now it's time to upload your photos. 

If you re-size your photos before uploading, resize them to 740px wide (or whatever the width of your main-wrapper is) and once they are uploaded choose to make them original size by clicking on the photo while composing your post. 

If you upload your photos as full size (which means they're really big) you need to make them original size and then click HTML (it's next to the compose button in the top left-hand corner). In the HTML is the photo information. You'll see s1600  - change it to s740 or whatever your main-wrapper is. However, if you are uploading a portrait photo instead of landscape you need to do some maths. Basically you need to half the main-wrapper number and add it to the original main-wrapper. Hence I would halve 740 (370) and add 370 to 740 = 1110. If I'm resizing a portrait image I change the s1600 to s1110. 

Breathe. 

For those wanting to know more about the diptychs (two photos side-by-side) that I feature - I create them in Photoshop.

Perhaps this makes no sense whatsoever. If you have any more questions about photos and sizing I'm happy to answer them in the comments section. And I'll bring tech-savvy Daniel along for the ride.

spring : at home

Have you ever come across The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin? It's a great read and I especially love her musings on de-cluttering. Upon discovering the joy of a clutter-less wardrobe she goes about simplifying her entire home and discovers an enormous sense of happiness in the process. 

I'm a big fan of making space - getting rid of the unnecessary; simplifying. Some may say it's the practice of non-attachment - a common goal for the yogis among us but not always easily achieved. For me, spring is the time to de-clutter. The home-body in me loves to potter and clean, sort and rearrange. It's non-pregnancy nesting and I revel in it. 

Over the past few weeks I've been collecting my spring cleaning essentials...a few things to make the clean a little more enjoyable (and aesthetically pleasing). Here's my list:

• I'm not exaggerating when I say that Murchison-Hume's "Boy's Bathroom Cleaner" changed my life. I detest cleaning the bathroom but this lightly scented spray is powerful. It smells delightful and leaves my bathroom shiny and squeaky clean. I also use Murchison-Hume in the kitchen - the Superlative Hand Soap is a fixture on my windowsill and the Counter Intelligence Food Safe Surface Spray is used daily and loved. 
• As well as burning frankincense, lemon and eucalyptus oils I light a beeswax candle everyday. Beeswax is a natural air purifier - it clears the home of odour, pollens, dust, mildew and mould and leaves a fresh honey-scent. I always buy Queen B candles - highly recommend. 
• We've had a bit of a problem with mould in the past but my home-made concoction has worked wonders. I fill a spray bottle with water and add eucalyptus oil, clove oil (not recommended for use in pregnancy), lemon juice and a little white vinegar. I usually give the area a clean with straight vinegar and then spray the concoction on and leave to dry. Clove oil actually kills the mould.
• Just-picked freesias are my favourite bloom. They grow wild along our street and one particular neighbour (a dear old man who was born just over the hill) has a plethora of them sprouting in his garden. I stop for a chat and he picks a few for me to bring home. Freesias on the windowsill - hello spring!
• Linen tea-towels....make the dishes slightly enjoyable. I treated myself to a few of maze&vale's handprinted, handmade designs. 

One of the biggest jobs on my list is sorting through the children's clothes. I have saved all of Che's clothes so far - 0000-4 - and I'm wondering whether I should hold onto them or not. There will be more babies but it seems silly to keep every piece of clothing when they could be worn by someone else. Perhaps I should just save the special and sentimental things? What do you do with all your outgrown children's clothes?

gorgeous accent plates from the Fable collection c/o Royal Doulton. 

35/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2012."

Che: Since we dusted off the hammock he's been in there everyday - soaking up sun and reading Tin Tin.

Poet: Oh gosh. I see the little girl!

52

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Hope you get pancakes for breakfast, a few pairs of new socks and a well-deserved afternoon kip. 

spring : a seasonal series

I don't think I was the only one who sighed sweet relief when I looked at the calender today. Winter just gone was a tough one; riddled with sneezes, the coughs still linger. Regardless of the blustery chill outside, spring is most definitely here and I'm ready to embrace it.

To celebrate I'll be writing a series inspired by the season. I hope you'll pop back to read spring stories from the home, popa's garden (his fifty years of gardening is note-worthy) and the bookshelf. 

And the de-cluttering begins....

spring : notes from my naturopath
spring : turn of the season