winter : haiku

I should probably start by apologising for taking so long to announce the winner of the winter giveaway. Truth be told, life has been slightly chaotic and I wanted to set aside a good few hours to sip tea and read haiku. It was such a treat to scroll through the entries - you're a talented bunch and I really appreciate you bringing your creativity to this space.

I chose ten of my favourites and sent the list to each of the brands who had contributed to the giveaway. They emailed me with their favourites, which included:

#106 - Angela

"Cocoon me" he says,

my heart swells as I wrap him

safely in my love.

#144 - Jane

Now we turn inward

Slowly, softly waiting still - 

Life blooms underneath.

#66 - Lucy

Crisp, frosty morning

Snuggly cuddles warm my soul

Babies bundled near.

#8 - Anna

Please remember me

eating all these tangerines

winter dusk is come

But there was one poem that really captured the essence of winter in the most simple and innocent way. Written by a five-year-old named Chilli who, whilst sitting around her family table in Tasmania, pronounced syllable for the first time and learnt all about its meaning. The next day she wrote this:

The wind whistles here,

Blowing a gale all around,

Then it starts to rain.

Congratulations, little one. I hope haiku helps you to celebrate each and every season.

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If you're interested in introducing haiku to your children I highly recommend Today and Today, Zen Shorts and Zen Ties. If you have any other suggestions please leave them in the comments section. 

winter : a giveaway to celebrate the season

illustration by Rebekka Seale / design by Emily from Daily Smudge and em & jon design

This, the final in the seasonal giveaway series, is a collection of beautiful products to inspire creativity and prompt warm, slow days. There's a little bit of everything here; woollens for your child, decadent beauty products to nurture your skin, handprinted linens for your bedroom, wholefood cookbooks, art supplies and that Riviera blue cast iron French Oven. 

One winner will receive the following, valued at over $900:

1. Handknit fisherman's jumper made with organic wool from Nature Baby. Available in three colours and a variety of sizes, this classic knit is beautiful (and has very necessary pockets - always a good thing). Winner will choose colour and size - valued at $64.95

2. Cozy plus sleeping bag from aden + anais. Made from aden + anais' signature muslin, this sleeping bag has bottom and side zippers for easy changing and eliminates the need for blankets; ensuring baby stays warm and sleeps soundly (fingers crossed). Winner will choose colour/pattern and size - valued at $69.95

3. Neal's Yard Remedies Bee Lovely skincare products including busy bee balm and body lotion.  Made with organic honey, orange and mandarin essential oils, these products are sweet and soothing - valued at $54.80

4. More from the bees! An absolute essential in my home, these beeswax tealight candles from QueenB create a beautiful golden light and help to purify the air - valued at $19.95

5. Jess from Hello Milky creates beautiful handprinted designs on cotton and linen. This set of 2 pillowcases features tiny gold dots on charcoal grey 100% cotton. Printed by hand using non-toxic, eco-friendly inks and valued at $76

6. Purdey Bonnet by Dover & Madden - a handmade 1970s-inspired ski bonnet featuring a bubble design and the possible addition of earflaps, available in size 3months-36months. Winner will choose colour and size - valued at $41

7. Early stART Woody Crayons from Micador. We love these chunky crayons (with jumbo sharpener) - perfect for little hands - valued at $15

8. Stockmar Watercolour Paint from Dragonfly Toys. Ideal for transparent painting, the colours tones have been chosen so that they can be mixed to yield all intermediate shades without losing their brilliance or intensity - valued at $64.50

9. Floral notecard set by the ever-lovely Rebekka Seale. Three 5" x 7" cards featuring prints of Rebekka's floral paintings. Printed on heavy, matte card stock with rounded edges, each card comes with a brown kraft envelope - valued at $13.50

10. Yes To products - free of all nasties and voted PETA's Best Cruelty-Free Cosmetic company for two of the last three years. Winner will receive Yes To Cucumbers Milk Cleanser and Yes To Carrots Intense Repair Hand Cream - valued at $29.90

11. Three cute packs of seeds from sow 'n sow including: trio of herbs, poppy and forget me nots. Each pack comes with a sweet envelope - the perfect little gift to send via snail mail. Valued at $28.90

12. Megan Morton's brand new book: I Love My Room. A beautiful collection of children's rooms to inspire (could be used as a baby name book too - there's some great names in there) - valued at $49.95

13. Every winter kitchen needs a little cast iron and this Chasseur 24cm round 3.8L casserole pot in Riviera blue is pretty perfect. Valued at $209 from Kitchen Warehouse.

14. Petite Kitchen by Eleanor Ozich; a fabulous winter "simple eating" cookbook inspired by tradition, whole foods and gathering with family - valued at $30.

15. Vintage French egg basket by Bayside Vintage - practical and so beautiful - valued at $85

16. Lhami - completely natural and organic, I absolutely adore the eucalyptus balm (so good on the chest and soles of the feet to beat winter colds) and the coconut body oil to add to a hot bath or slather over dry winter skin - valued at $44.90

17. The Moth - an arts and literature magazine and The Caterpillar - stories, poems and art from kids. New and original publications from Ireland - valued at $14

18. Seasoned - a wholefood winter cookbook full of homemade goodness by Julie from Cinnamon Girl - valued at $30

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Entry to this giveaway is a little different to how I've done it in the past. This time it involves creativity in the form of haiku - a Japanese style of poetry that celebrates nature. There are up to 17 syllables in a three line haiku poem; 5 on the first line, 7 on the second and 5 on the third. A beautiful example:

"The field wren,

searching here, there, everywhere - 

has she lost something?"

- Issa

And so, to enter all you need to do is write a haiku poem about winter. I will nominate my favourite 10 poems and will send the list to each brand featured in the giveaway. They will then nominate their favourite and the poem with the most votes wins. 

This giveaway ends on Thursday 18th July at 9pm. I'll announce the winner in the days following. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask them in the comments section - I'll respond there as soon as I can. 

This giveaway is open to readers across the globe (even if you are currently basking in summer).

Best of luck! 

COMMENTS NOW CLOSED. WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO...

winter : rock pool

In stark contrast to the oyster farms, the winter rock pool is bright and, quite literally, shimmering. 

We all went down to the beach this week and come midday Che and Poet were immersed; splashing and shrieking. After days of relentless rain it was with sweet relief that I lifted my face to the sky and let the sun warm me to the core.

This is mid-winter on the east coast of Australia; wetsuit-clad kids waiting for waves. 

winter : oyster farms

The view from the carriage is always beautiful, especially when the train weaves around the Hawkesbury River, past tiny fisherman cottages, derelict sheds and humble tinnies. 

Early Saturday morning the rain was bucketing and the fog was heavy. It made for an eerie yet mesmerising picture. 

winter : notes from my naturopath

bay leaves growing in popa's garden. I add a few to the pot every time I make chicken stock.

I've almost come full circle with these posts. For a good few years now I've followed the guidance of my naturopath who looks to nature for both healing and wellness. Whilst we all have different constitutions that require different foods and drinks to thrive, I think we can all benefit from recognising the seasons and eating accordingly. 

I often hear people complaining about the "weight" of winter; the tendency to snuggle on the couch and indulge in warming, hearty food. I've begun to see this slowness as a good thing - winter is the season to nurture and conserve. It's the hibernation season where we re-fuel without expelling too much energy. In regards to our body, winter is all about the kidneys. We want to fill our bodies with the full array of minerals to ensure our kidneys stay strong, hence why bone broths are so good for us at this time of year. They form the basis of so many of our winter meals - soups, casseroles, slow cooks - and are beautiful on their own; boosting the immune system, soothing the nervous system.

We look beneath the earth for our vegetables, savouring the sweetness of root vegies, celery and cauliflower (thanks to Ruth I roasted cauliflower last night - drizzled it with olive oil and seasoned with salt & pepper, then served with a generous squeeze of lemon juice and coarsely cut flat-leaf parsley. It accompanied lamb chops and roasted carrots. Yum!). 

There's a few things I'm doing this winter to ensure I stay energised and nurtured:

• epsom salt baths - a beautiful way to relax, increase circulation and increase magnesium levels
• burning woody scents, particularly frankincense, to dilate the airways
• early nights - an absolute must. I've loved having a "bed time" since I wrote this post
• warm drinks - I'm currently drinking fennel tea to help with my digestion and chai from Calmer Sutra for a sweet pick-me-up (I drink it with half soy - half almond milk)
• eating slowly - I have a tendency to eat quickly which is a terrible way to enjoy a meal. I've been making more of an effort to slow down, chew and really taste my food as opposed to rushing. 

My organic fruit & veg delivery is brimming with pumpkin, cauliflower, kumera, potatoes and beetroot. What's your favourite winter veg recipe that pleases the whole (or most of) the family?

for those of you currently basking in summer, pop over here to read about cooling the body in the warmer months. 

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winter : a seasonal series

fallen leaves on a city street / bare branches, new moss / star camellia

Come 4pm I journey around the house; closing windows and blinds, lighting pillar candles. I gather the wool socks that have ended up in various rooms and I return them to little feet that don't seem to care about the cold.

Our house is beautifully cool in summer and terribly cold in winter. The open-plan, big windows and filtered sun rally against us as we settle in for the season. Over the years we've learnt the importance of wearing layers, closing doors and blocking drafts. Tea drinking is vital and soup is a staple.

It doesn't snow here and we're lucky if we get one frost but the leaves still fall and the crisp air lingers. Whilst we spend mornings and late afternoons bunkering down, come midday we are out and about; soaking up rich winter sun that warms to the core.

I've almost come full circle with this seasonal series and it's been such a blessing to stop, witness and document seasonal changes. I know that one thing is for certain: each season comes with its own rituals that we embrace, gratefully so.

Northerners, happy summer to you! As we venture into the dark, you move out into the light. Here's my summer series, just for you.