Three ways to beat the winter blues

Mushrooms thrive in the Autumn, the wet of winter with a hint of sun.

The leaves turn the colour of ochre, holding on by a thread. The southerly winds set in.

The promise of early bulbs arise from the humus earth. Jonquils, daffodils and snow drops.

While there's lots to appreciate about Autumn, it's a slow realisation of what is to come.

Winter is not my favourite season. While somethings thrive, I don't. We all have our seasons, and winter is not mine.

I am mindful now as winter brings a cloud over my thoughts. The need to get outdoors, to connect with nature instead of retreating. To connect with friends instead of hibernating within myself.

There are things I can do to make it easier, until the sunshine returns.

1. Get out for walks in nature - Breathe in the fresh crisp air and recharge Vitamin D. There is always something to appreciate in nature.

2. Meet a friend for lunch and stroll through the shops or volunteer your time in the community - Human interaction is so important, even when being social is the last thing on my mind.

3. Bring nature inside your home - whether it's a bunch of flowers, those last straggling roses, a few sprigs of lavender, some autumn leaves or feathers found it can freshen up a dreary day.

Basically exercise, socialise and appreciate the little things.


Do you have a season where you flourish?
How do  you get through the seasons where you struggle?

"Don't confuse your path with your destination. Just because it's stormy now, doesn't mean you aren't headed for sunshine." - unknown

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Taking stock - the June edition

This is my first Taking Stock, sounds a bit like a confessional doesn't it. I saw this version on Sandra Kelly blog, but she attributes Pip from Meet me at Mike's for hers. So here goes. 

Making: Warming soups now the weather has turned. Mum gave me a couple of wild ducks someone had given her. I slow cooked them in the oven on Friday. It was fairly gamey and hubby didn't think too much of it. I didn't think it was too bad, so picked all the meat off the bones and made a yummy soup with a packet of McKenzies soup mix in the pressure cooker. So good!

Realising: I should be going to bed. I don't usually work on a Monday, but the other Kindergym coach is on holiday and I am taking her two Kindergym classes in the morning and then a Tiny Tots gymnastics class with eight, four year olds! Pray for me!

Cooking: Cake! And not just one. The last cake I baked was coconut with some choc chips thrown in. Meant to be cooked in a slab tin, in other words, to feed an army, I poured it into three tins, baked, and froze two cakes. So handy for school lunches, when there's bugger all in the pantry.

Drinking: Too much wine! I was thinking tonight I would love a hot chocolate. In fact I've been craving chocolate all day. 

Reading: Well not much really. Oh, ok! Usually crap news stories sourced on Facebook! Or cookbooks.

Wanting: A holiday on my own.

Looking: Through my photos from the last year, trying in vain to decide which ones to enter into our local photography competition. I have about a week to work it out, and get them printed!

Pondering: Why I am grinding my teeth so much lately.


Wishing: That time would stand still, so I could catch up on everything that hasn't been getting done.

Enjoying: Watching Masterchef. I really wasn't that into it to start with, but have become hooked. Again.

Waiting: For Spring. I do not like cold weather, I don't care how much it rains, but I don't like being cold, and the last week it has been icy.

Liking: That despite the frosty nights and mornings, the sun makes a presence during the day. The wind is still bloody freezing though. 

Wondering: How long I can sit here without my five year old, who is still awake, disturbing me....

Loving: Having a little extra money here and there, with my job at the gymnastics club and holiday house cleaning.

Listening: To music in the house, really loud. Well not too loud. the neighbours would have certainly heard it though. I've been revisiting music I haven't listened to for years. Like INXS' The Swing album and Harry Chapins' greatest stories.

Considering: Getting a hair cut. My usual hairdresser closed down in March, so I need to book somewhere else. 

Buying: New pillows and a storage trunk for the house in Pelican Point. There isn't a hell of a lot of storage space for towels and spare linen there, so I've bought a trunk to put at the end of the main bed to store stuff. Plus it will look good. Wink, wink.

Watching: Reality TV. I have been trying to avoid the news lately, my tender soul doesn't want to hear about the tragedies befalling innocent victims. It all seems like a horrible nightmare. If only it was a dream.

Hoping: My son will be OK in his new flat, I spent Friday and Saturday helping him move and clean up his old flat. He seems happier. He's not 'just around the corner' anymore. But just down the road from my mum. She might get the early morning drop ins, just to see whats in the fridge or pantry.

Marvelling: At the bulbs coming up from the ground in the garden. There should be Jonquils soon. One of the things I do look forward to at this time of year.

Cringing: About how cold the gym is going to be in the morning.

Needing: To go to bed!

Questioning: What is wrong with the world? There's been lots of comments about 2016 being the worst year ever, even the year before. But 2017 is turning out to be a doozy!

Smelling: Gardenia oil in my oil burner. I usually burn incense, it does wonders to relax me. Lately I have been remembering to buy candles for my oil burner, all classy like from the cheap shop, along with smelly oils.

Wearing: Warm clothes! I need to lose a few kilos, because my tracky dacks in this weather are becoming way too comfortable, and I know there's plenty of other pants I could be wearing if I lost a couple of kilos round my belly!

Following: Some amazing local photographers on Instagram. I am in awe of the fantastic way they capture our area. Like trosenthal636 and stevechapplephotography 

Noticing: That my youngest has a cough. Darn winter. 

Thinking: Too much about everything I need to fit in this week. One. day. at. a. time.

Admiring: My mum. Loads of people say nice things about her, and they are right to. She brought us five kids up, and now finally has done some study in aged care and I am so proud of her.

Getting: Quite uncomfortable sitting in our recliners after a couple of hours. the padding is going on the back and the frame is killing my back!

Disliking: Getting in a freezing cold car to take the kids to school. 

Opening: A new tube of mud face mask that came in the mail this week. I wasn't game to do it tonight, in case I had a bad skin reaction. I don't want to be leading Kindergym with a poxy red face.

Giggling: Summer running from the toilet holding her pants up, to answer the home phone today. Brett accidently rung it from his phone, he was sitting two feet from it. It was funny. You had to be there. 

Feeling: Generally with life, I am feeling pretty good. I have my moments, when I let it get on top of me, for about two minutes and then get back on with it.

Celebrating: I've had a few good life wins lately, it affirms to me that you get back good things when you give generously. It's nice to know that Karma has my back.

Pretending: That I am not nervous about taking a class of eight, four year olds tomorrow. Some parents will be watching me too. I hope the kids behave and are not looking at me like I have two heads!

Embracing: All I am learning to do with gymnastics. Embracing the kids who are giving me great feedback with their smiles and enjoyment in the gym. Even the good vibes from parents who are amazed at the facility we provide our community.

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Colour in a winter garden

This crabapple may be confused....a blossom.
Below, the same tree, with some fruit and an autumn leaf hanging on for dear life.

  

Watsonia.

Cyclamen

Snowdrops

Jonquils

Visitors to the Marigolds

Happy Wanderer(Hardenbergia)

Winter flowers - firsts and lasts

The winter bulbs are just bursting into flower, the jonquils first, relishing in the colder days. I look forward to this as much as the warmer days of Spring, when the garden comes to life.

There's the hardy daisies that bob their happy heads just about all year round.

I look at my rose bushes, they are begging to be pruned. The last flowers bloom lonely, still as beautiful, on long bare canes. Just have to wait a week for green bin day, when the bin is empty I can fill it with rose prunings!

Carnation

A double jonquil about to open, with a cheeky snail trying to hide.

The house of sick

I've been knocked over with the sick. In fact, all of us in the last week have been knocked for six with sick. I am just a bit over it. A fine welcome to winter.

I noted yesterday, about lunch time, that while Brett, Izzy and I were crook, Summer was happy, singing, dancing and full of beans. 

By tea time she was tired, hot and fell asleep before she had any dinner. We were at mums. On the way home, to dose her up on Panadol, she spewed all over herself and the car seat. She fell asleep straight away. I armed myself with disinfectant and cleaned the car.

She spewed because of the fever. Thankfully it is not gastro. We have been so lucky in this household, that gastro hasn't taken hold, yet. Apparently it's going around.

Double thankful, that Brett and I got a night away on Friday amidst the sickness. We had a nice night out at an Egyptian restaurant and a motel stay in Mt Gambier. We didn't end up seeing a movie, opted for the heated pool and spa! 

Motel room selfie, fighting fit!

We've all just had a cold. It just affects all of us differently. Of course Brett seems to have contracted it in it's deadliest form.

Mine is all in my sinuses.

Izzys was in her chest, coughing and stubborn phlegm.

It seems to have hit Summer like a ton of bricks. Poor mite, I do hope she wakes up happy.

I decided to make some flu killer soup for lunch yesterday. I am hopeful the four onions, six garlic cloves, three hot chillies, cumin, turmeric, ground coriander and a knob of ginger are enough to fight it. I used some leftover BBQ chicken, a small head of broccoli(and the stalk chopped up) with a couple of mushrooms.  It really wasn't bad soup.

Hoping you don't have to make it actually!

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