Hello!

Spring is nearly here and I have been spending a lot of time in the garden.

Also taking cuttings and getting a head start with them in the glass house.

Bruce has been busy putting windows into our out door area. They can all open and will keep the rain out so we can still use this space.

We did a market in our little local town last week end.

It was a Heritage festival and there was lots to do..Bruce enjoyed taking the grandies on rides..

I think Harry loved it as well.

  I have had the crocheting bug and making every one rugs..

The one below I made Chloe for her birthday.

I prefer the long ones my self as I can use them more, but the round is very popular.

We had some great rain last night so I'm out to weed the garden....

Enjoy your week...

Mandy

Welcome Phoebe.....

We welcome

Phoebe Margaret Storey

to our family....Sister to Mason, who thinks she is pretty special...

David, Karen, Mason & Phoebe

 Grand daughter No 4 and No 8 grandchild....Yep I'm pretty good...

hahaha

I tried to get in as many cuddles as I could while I was there

because I don't know when I will get back.

Look at that little rose bud mouth.

This boy here....what can I say!

So much like his Father....cheeky but yet so dam cute...

We did the tourist thing while in Charters Towers and went out to see the long horns....

A couple of cowboys I found....

Charters being a Gold mining town we thought we should give it a go...

And yes they found gold..

We went to Magnetic Island as well on the weekend...

Did I mention we had wonderful weather the whole time.

William and Mason love the beach and being able to swim in winter.

Then it was time to head back on the ferry, which Mason loved taking the car on the boat....

David sure is a proud Dad of his new little daughter and son......I am so proud of the Father Davis is and the caring husband he is as well, I know his Dad would be very proud of him as well.

 All too soon it was time to go home....

I guess I will have to plan another trip to see all my children again sometime.....

Until then I better look after the ones still living at home.....

Blessings 

Mandy

Where have I been the last 6 weeks

Not home...

The last 6 weeks has seen me out and about

a lot.

First I spent a couple of days with my Mum.

We went to the open gardens in Maleny. This was a feast for a gardeners eyes.

All these photos were taken in the one garden, after that I was so busy looking I forgot to take some photos.

Then we headed out to visit the girls out west.

First a overnight stop at Alanah & Cams in Dalby

And Charlie of course...This one is so cheeky, and look at those 

Blue eyes..

Then we moved on to Glen Morgan to Cassie and Ben's...

To what is my dream house....hahah.

We took over Ben's saddle making studio.

To the scapbooking studio... I took all my supplies out and Cassie and I had a great time getting some much needed scrapbooking done. I just happened to leave it all out there when I left, guess I will have to go back.

We got the old wood stove working as it was cold and wet out there.

I taught Cassie how to cook on the stove and it has been going since..

 Love these old stoves for cooking.

Jessica came for a visit to Cassie's as well.

Henry

Henry is growing so fast as are the girls.

Abby

Abby and Grace doing some painting like there Mum.

Grace

Hid and seek is always a favorite game with Uncle Will in the old homestead as there is so many places to hide.

Hide & seek

 Soon it was time to say goodbye to Cassie and head back home.

Another stop at Dalby on the way home for a couple of nights.

Charlie

Morning cuddles 

then back home for a little while...

Before long I got the phone call 

That number 8 grand child was here...

William & David

But you will have to wait to meet her until the next post.

Blessings

Mandy

Food Forest...

I woke up to the sound of rain last night.

Not a lot but still better than none. It is so dry here that there isn't even any green pick for my chickens. Each morning I go out and weed and take them down so that they are getting there greens. We get 10 eggs a day from our 14 girls so I need to keep them happy.

We sell 3 cartons a week which pays for the grain so our eggs are free.

I am thinking we have to fence of the food forest and let them go in there where it is still green.

Well greener..

This area is slowly coming along and the trees getting some height on them.

We have at last count I think 36 different fruit trees/vines...The passion fruit has fruit on it and the citrus trees are loaded.

This is our 1 lonely pumpkin from a self set vine....we have already had 2 frosts so the vine isn't in good shape.

This mandarin tree has never done well, this year the fruit is dying on the tree..

Any suggestions at all? I think we may have to cut it down..

I can't wait till the day when we won't have to buy any fruit at all....The fruit I do buy I get from our farmers market each Thursday when I'm there....At the moment we can't get enough of the Stanthorpe apples. Plus our bananas, which are the best of coarse....

Well I better be going and packing for the markets.....

Blessings

Mandy

Decluttering and Recycling...

I feel free, liberated even let me share why.

I cleaned my closet!!!!

  It was full, 

full of shoes, clothes, blankets, hats and  crap no one else wanted

arghhh

Before clean out

Took me all of 15mins...

In a crazed like state I just through things out with out thinking about it.

I have NEVER done a clothes cleansing like this. You know that skirt and dress you paid a fortune for 10 years ago...GONE. What about all the clothes from the op shops that you bought in a frenzy when you lost your weight AND have not worn!!!!! GONE. Then theirs the shoes 23 pairs I have thrown out, GONE.

Not to mention the hats....I don't even like hats! All the handbags I have collected over the years GONE....They were falling apart.

After crazed throwing

Much better.

Do I regret throwing 5 very large wheelie bin bags of clothes away? No... what I feel is embarrassed, embarrassed that I owned so much stuff....stuff that doesn't make me happy ...most of it I didn't like..

Now I love the items that I have kept they were the ones I wore all the time....I mean i don't go out that much any way.

After

I love my bedroom and am thank full for a my walk in robe that Bruce built me, now I'm not afraid to go in there.

Do you like my chair? a love seat I think you would call it.

My cleaver Bruce made it for our room from 2 old chairs, I need to make

some cushions for it yet but I love it.

I have been busy in the sewing room fighting the cat, I mean sewing haha

I made Charlie some clothes for his birthday with a Indian theme material.

They were a hit.

I needed to run to town on Monday and buy a new iron, ummmm came home with a over locker.

I have really wanted one for years and always been scared to use one, while I was in spotlight they were on sale for a crazy price...I knew if I didn't get one I would regret it....

Well I love it...

Went back through those bags of clothes looking for some I could refashion.

This dress was too high in the neck and choked me when I sat down, but I love the material...So I turned it into a skirt. The top I will hem and put back in the bag.

This top was a little short so I added some lace to the bottom of it, perfect now.

Have you ever had a major clothing breakdown? Or just me?

I want you too know I have no intentions of going out and buying new clothes to replace the ones I got rid of, that would defeat the purpose. No, now I will wear what I have and what I have, I love..

Blessings 

Mandy