she had us at hello.....

jan, 29th - making sunday....

2012-01-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 697:

i had a making Sunday......i'll post the results tomorrow.

in the meantime, since this post is a bit light on substance, here are a couple of things that have caught my attention lately.........

- this beautiful short film by Jean-Baptiste Mondino via here

- the photography on this blog...blows me away

- this shop

- these copper pipe lights by Tamasine Osher via here

i hope that your weekend was creative and productive. x

jan, 26th - david hockney at the royal academy....

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

[detail from a David Hockney iPad drawing]

day 694:

i enjoyed a breakfast preview of the new David Hockney exhibition this morning. when the alarm went off and i looked out at the dark, wet, Winter weather, i was very tempted to hide under the covers and pretend that i wasn't a Hockney fan after all. but i'm so glad that i managed to haul myself out of bed and down to the Royal Academy in Piccadilly in time for coffee, trees and hawthorn.

what an astounding artist and man. i think that even if you are not a Hockney fan, you would still be completely blown away by this exhibition. the majority of the exhibition is made up of new work (created between 2004 and 2011), some of it specifically for the Royal Academy rooms, and the scale is just astounding.

although his vast oil paintings are definitely the ones that i would move out the Shoebox to accommodate (Hockney, if you're looking for a home for 'The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (Twenty Eleven)', then I'm your girl), the enlarged iPad drawings also had me completely intrigued. Hockney is now seventy-four and although it shouldn't surprise anyone, given that he has always embraced technology in the past, i'm still in awe at his ability to adopt and master such a new 'painting' technology.....to be honest, i hadn't even realised that iPad drawing existed. these works may not be as rich as the oils but they are still beautiful and distinctive in their pattern and colours.

we were given a tour by one of the Academy staff which is always great for getting real insight into the works but my favourite story that was shared is about Hockney himself. In the morning, he enjoys a cup of coffee and cigarette in bed and generally picks up his iPad, makes a sketch of whatever he sees and emails it to his friends. wouldn't you love to be on that mailing list....wake up to a Hockney every morning. it would make cold, wet, dark mornings like today that much easier to bear.

David Hockey

Royal Academy of Arts

21 January - 9 April 2012

London

jan, 25th - shoeboxes....

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 693:

found these fantastic, original soda trays at The Old Cinema in Chiswick {see day 188}. they make ideal shoeboxes for Limi and fit perfectly under her cot.

p.s. Limi's sweet dress is from my sister and by Stella McCartney Kids

jan, 24th - save the date....

2012-01-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 692:

already time again to start planning a 2nd birthday party. i'm inspired to make a giant-play-in-it gingerbread house....let's see if i can pull it off. fall back is a can't-play-in-it-but-you-can-eat-it gingerbread house.

p.s. thanks for all the comments on the last post....we're all feeling much better today. must be all the kiwi fruit we are snacking on.

jan, 23rd - granny smith....

2012-01-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 691:

i'm really so over being ill this Winter. anyone have any ideas? we seem to have a germ carousel in the house that keeps passing the sickness around. i long for some serious heat to burn these coughs away. until then, we're living on the 'apple a day' promise.....

jan, 22nd - virtuous bread....

2012-01-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 690:

part of A.'s Christmas present was a sourdough bread-making course with Jane Mason at Virtuous Bread. we're not at the veg/herb garden stage yet, but we both love good food made with quality ingredients. {remember this ode to jam}

A. is already pretty good at making loaves but after today's course.......we will never be short of homemade bread and delicious sourdough crackers.

it's definitely one of those selfish presents, where the giver ends up benefiting just as much.

for dinner, we enjoyed slices of A.'s fresh bread with bowls of butternut soup and cracked black pepper. very tasty.

jan, 17th - barnes farmers market....

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 684:

we had a quick wander around Barnes Farmers Market on Saturday. it's grown so much since our last visit. there's a lovely fishmonger now with some fresh oyster shucking that we were very tempted by. there are a couple of stalls doing delicious looking burgers and pizzas and as always some incredible fresh produce.

we agreed that next time we have friends around for dinner on a Saturday night, we'll come down and source our ingredients here.

jan, 16th - the breakfast club....

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 683:

on Sunday, we met some friends for brunch, at the The Breakfast Club. it's another East London haunt and has just the right amount of lounge-room chic, vintage style and friendly service. asking for a babycinno was a mistake though, East London is way to cool to serve babycinnos. but once we explained, they did, with a big smile and a straw.

their breakfasts aren't timid. our tables' orders ranged from eggs benedict to a stack of pancakes to a breakfast burrito....the menu has a great selection.

these two were thrilled to see each other again and as always, it was great for us to catch up on each other's news. brunch with friends is such a good way to start a Sunday and The Breakfast Club does a brilliant one.

Sunday Brunch might just be the new Friday Night Out.

a big plus with having toddlers, who drag you out of bed with the sunrise, is that you get to popular places before the big queues form. in East London, this is a good thing. as we were leaving, the queue had already started to snake out the door and down the road.

this place is worth a wait though. especially for the very good coffee.

jan, 15th - chill factor....

2012-01-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 682:

our walk this weekend in Barnes. it's time to light the fire.....the icy weather is here.

jan, 12th - the power and the glory....

2012-01-12T21:00:00.000-08:00

day 679:

another morning in Cape Town and another great breakfast spot. The Power & The Glory was walking distance from 'our' cottage {see day 670}. it's open till late and i can see why you would be quite tempted to stay there all day.....watching the would go by and drinking the amazing coffee.

we ordered the eggs.....and i loved the way that they came.....so simple, yet so effective. brilliant idea. although, i've always had a love affair with egg boxes......the endless possibilities for gluing together 'masterpiece' creations as a child has never quite gone away......so this made me grin with childlike delight.

and Limi was fairly chuffed with her sprinkles on her babycinno....yes, people do say, what is the point of a babycinno......well, not sure except for the fact that it generally let's you eat your breakfast/ drink your own coffee uninterrupted and it makes her happy....which is good enough for me.

and it means that she can make a milk-beard which ahem.....is not encouraged but makes us laugh.

so, The Power & The Glory gets added to the breakfast collection. it's a great place to start (and I imagine end) the day......

The Power and The Glory

Corner of Kloof Nek and Burnside Road

Cape Town

South Africa

jan, 11th - letter to limi....

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 678:

Limi, i love that you make me laugh on a daily basis. you fell in love with this chicken in South Africa and wouldn't let him go. so we had to buy him from this lovely shop in Cape Town.

we named him criss cross and you carried him around on our travels for days.

we're starting to feel pretty bad that you don't have your own pet and are having to resort to a beaded chicken. we'll have to fix that soon.

i fell in love with this corner shop on the way to Babylonstoren {see day 657}. i never drink coke but i've been craving one ever since.

so i did a clumsy collage of these two great loves together.

jan, 10th - things i love....

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 677:

when we were looking for accommodation for our wedding guests, we found this sweet spot on one of the wine farms just outside Tulbagh, called Things I Love. on this recent visit we found that Things I Love had also moved into town and opened a gorgeous restaurant, deli and vintage shop. it's a fantastic addition to the main road and serves a seriously delicious cooked breakfast. well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in the winelands of the Boland in the Western Cape, South Africa.

ps. we were featured on this lovely, local blog today - under our own olive tree. nani is fantastic at spotting the new, style-drool-worthy spots in Johannesburg. thanks nani, i really appreciate the words.

jan, 6th - annie & tj's wedding: part II....

2012-01-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

day 674:

after the chapel service {see day 673}, the tractors ferried everyone back up to the reception at the main house. as we strolled in through the gate, we were met with bottles of refreshing, homemade lemonade to sip on. loved the stripey straws. the marquee was set up in the garden with long, communal trestle tables and a dancefloor for some dancing under the stars later on.....

after helping ourselves to a wonderful spread of anti-pasta and drinks from the wheelbarrows, friends settled into groups under trees, on the grass, feet dangling in the pool or slouching on couches to catch up on each others' news and lives.

the lunch that followed, was a feast of delicious platters and bowls that were passed and shared; brilliant speeches (really brilliant speeches) and getting to know those around us.

then came the barefoot dancing......it looked like it was going to go on long into the night but we scampered off at around ten o'clock to relieve godmother, Loula, from her babysitting duties.

a glorious day. thank you annie, tj and your families.

and for those who may have lost their way getting home, there was always the helpful signage......

jan, 5th - annie & tj's wedding: part I....

2012-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 673:

the reason that we managed a flying visit back to South Africa was to be at the wedding of our friends, Annie and TJ. Annie's family has a stone fruit farm 1.5 hours outside of Cape Town in a lush valley that we know well from our own wedding 5 years ago. the service was held in the small chapel on the farm, with guests being ferried to the door by tractor.

as is fitting of this couple, it was a warm, relaxed and meaningful service, with plenty of laughter and applause. these two are meant to be.

jan, 4th - grand cafe on camps bay beach....

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 672:

after a day at the beach, what could be better than a big bowl of ice-cream and chocolate sauce....

jan, 3rd - haas collective....

2012-01-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

day 671:

breakfast is always worth some effort in Cape Town, it's a town that takes its' coffee fairly seriously (a friend of a friend's coffee blog) and new places spring up all the time looking to attract the meeting-over-a-coffee entrepreneurs that seem to make up much of the city's population. we always look to Loula {see day 437} to point us in the right direction of what's new and inspiring.

i'm not sure that Haas is that new but it's not a place that I've tried before....... Haas is the Afrikaan's word for hare/rabbit.......and this place definitely has a bit of the pull-the-rabbit-out-of-the-hat magic about it. It may be the tophats that the waitstaff wear or the oversized chairs that made me think of Alice in Wonderland.....although it is certainly the collection of beautiful objects and art that create a gallery space within the lounge area.

i had a red cappucino (which is made with local rooibos herbal tea) and a baked egg and tomato flatbread followed by a browse of the wares. loved the space, the staff and sheltering from the belting rain outside.

Haas is definitely one to keep in mind for next time, especially after I found out that these buck hooks came from there.

jan, 2nd - home away from home....

2012-01-02T21:00:00.000-08:00

day 670:

we stayed in the same lovely cottage in South Africa on this trip {see day 436 and day 470}. the De Waal family are becoming our adopted home in Cape Town......well, we're adopting them with full force.....not sure that they feel the same way :)

ps. the full wireart quote on the wall is 'and did you know your stairway lies on the whispering wind' from the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven.

jan, 1st - happy new year....

2012-01-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

day 669:

Happy New Year!

Wow, what a year 2011 was.....it seems like it went by in a flash but looking back, so much has happened. it was a good year but i'm really looking forward to 2012. there are exciting projects on the horizon and it has the potential to be an amazing year.

i've really loved blogging this year and thrived on all the inspiration that i get from the beautiful blogs that i read. people constantly amaze me with how creative, insightful and motivated they are. i've met some wonderful and interesting friends through this space and even when i sometimes question putting so much of our life out there, i love the sense of community that comes with blogging and still having a reason to take pics that document our everyday.

the reason that i started this blog is still my main motivation and it means so much to me that friends and family feel more connected to Limi when they spend time with her.

may your 2012 be a year filled with happiness, success in all pursuits, good times with family and friends, belly laughs and the fairground ride.....if our year is an enjoyable as this two quid carousel ride....then we're in for a good one.

ps. we found this beautiful carousel in the middle of Kew Gardens

dec, 30th - cabin fever....

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 667:

the Shoebox got a little claustrophobic over the holidays, especially with a medium sized Christmas tree taking up a good percentage of the living-room.....so by Boxing Day, I was desperate for some wide, open spaces and Limi was keen to try 'Mimi's-very-own-scooter' out on the open ~~roads~~ park paths.

some fresh-air breathing space in Chiswick House Park and Kew Gardens was just what i needed.........

dec, 28th - more christmas....

2011-12-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 665:

our family loves celebrations. so, we certainly didn't need to add children into the mix to give us an excuse to go all out on decorations, themes, headgear, food and good wine.

but having said that, this year was really the first time that Limi grasped the concept of Christmas and it was fascinating for me to watch her get her head around Santa, the tree and the presents.....it made it all the more exciting and fresh.......

on Christmas Eve, we laid out Japanese whisky and biscuits for Santa and carrots and milk for the reindeers. Limi was confused by the idea that Santa comes to visit while we're all sleeping but was super excited to see that the carrots and biscuits had been munched on, the milk had been lapped up and the whisky was long gone on Christmas morning.

we even started a few new, family traditions......... the final book in Limi's advent calendar {see day 640} was 'The Night Before Christmas'. we read it to her on Christmas eve and plan to do the same thing every Christmas eve to come. it's a tradition copied from some family friends and I love the idea that no matter where the children are in the world, they still call home on Christmas eve for their mum to read them the story. the second tradition was in fact, created by Limi.......her present from Santa was a blue scooter which she calls 'Mimi's-very-own-scooter' but when I asked her who had given her the scooter she said, 'The Tree' which was technically correct. So, a new tradition was born.....a present from Santa and a present from The Christmas Tree.

and once again.....this Christmas proved that it's not about the cost of the present but about putting in the creative time and thought......the presents that Limi loved best of all were two from her stocking......a packet of your basic teachers' gold stars that i picked up in the stationery store and a tiny, plastic baby bird (she's obsessed by baby birds) that you wind up and leave to hop across the floor.....oh, and the box that Andrew's present came in, that's big enough for her to sit inside with all her toys and sing 'row, row, row your boat'.....i predict a new box project {see day 583} in 2012. we had a lovely Christmas and I hope that yours was too.

dee x

dec, 27th - christmas....

2011-12-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 664:

merry, merry christmas everyone. hope you are having a wonderful break.

ours has been filled with delicious food, a bit of a doilie fetish this year, friends, family and a couple of bracing walks.

limi and i made gingerbread men...my first attempt... and decorated some mandarins. aaah, the smell of gingerbread, mandarins, cloves and pine needles......definitely reminds me more of my northern hemisphere christmases than those down south.

looking forward to a new year and new exciting projects.

thank you for all the support this year and all the lovely comments.

dee

xxx

p.s. lots more of the South Africa trip still to come in the new year.

dec, 21st - lunch with rolling hills....

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

day 658:

it's starting to look a lot more like Christmas in the Shoebox.......but i'm still a little stuck in South Africa.....

before we left for SA, we chatted to some good friends who we were planning to visit. they promised us a fresh mussel lunch collected on the same day. i had almost forgotten in all the excitement but we arrived to freshly plucked mussels and bustle of activity in the kitchen. felt so spoilt...not only by the delicious mussel soup for lunch but also the view. rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal remind me so much of my childhood.

dec, 20th - babylonstoren....

2011-12-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

day 657:

Babylonstoren is a beautiful place. Like its name suggests, it does have the bountiful Babylon about it. i've seen pictures of it from afar and been very keen to experience it for myself. the creation of Karen Roos, ex-editor of Elle Deco SA and her husband, Koos Bekker, it is a farm that combines Cape Dutch history with a solid backdrop of nature and a good dose of contemporary sophistication and style.

we tried to find a spot in Babel, the restaurant, back in November but it was already fully booked for the whole of December (not a surprise that people are flocking to enjoy this spot) but we were fortunate to be able to attend the opening of the new Babel Tea House last Friday with my friend, Loula {see day 437}.

As with everything else on the farm: the holiday cottages, the vast food gardens, the restaurant, the rolling hills of vines.......the new Tea House is spectacular. It is situated around the impressive greenhouse (which will be glorious in the cooler months) although on such a bright day we all enjoyed the tables and cool breeze under the trees outside.

unsurprisingly, the attention to detail is amazing and the focus is firmly on nature. our drinks were a choice of red, yellow or green that all tasted deliciously refreshing and as Loula said 'as if we were doing something good for our bodies.' we ate generous portions of carrot cake and shared a decadent chocolate cupcake.

Babylonstoren is a hard place to leave. And Limi's favourite part......

the giant tortoise.

dec, 19th - back from holidays....

2011-12-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

day 656:

we are back from a blissful holiday in South Africa with so much to share.....

but first i need to dig out all my woollen bits as London is......

cold. very cold.

dec, 9th - down tools....

2011-12-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

day 646:

we are in South Africa and i am going to down tools for a week and savour this time with family and friends.

i might not resist the odd post but i'll be back with plenty of things to share at the end of the week.

to get you in the mood, here are some of the amazing spots from our last trip.

{day 436, day 439, day 435, day 442, day 443, day 473}

p.s. thank you to all the new visitors and your lovely comments.....it's definitely a big part of what inspires me to keep finding original content.

dec, 5th - smocking....

2011-12-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

day 642:

this is the smocking dress that we bought at Columbia Road Flower market on this day.

i love it. and even better, it was a complete steal.

love it.

dec, 4th - hitching a ride....

2011-12-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

day 641:

i remember this so clearly from my own childhood.

dec, 3rd - book advent....

2011-12-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 640:

i can't remember where i discovered this idea last year (so if it's yours....thank you and leave me a note so that i can give due credit). it's brilliant and has stayed with me throughout the year, just itching for Christmas to come along. it's a book advent calendar.

i was able to cheat a little as we will be away for nine days between now and the twenty-fouth but the idea is that Limi gets to open a book every evening for us to read to her. we never debate about adding to her book collection.....on the other hand, the blow up Dinosaur.....that would have needed its own room in the Shoebox, had to stay in the shop

i used paper that we already had in the cupboard and we've re-used a couple of her existing books so it's not crazily expensive....anyway, it's all about practising ripping paper and counting down to Christmas Eve. there's also a special book to start a new tradition on the twenty-fourth (although it's currently caught up in Amazon's Christmas post).

so far, it's been a big success with the Limster. so bring on the festive season.

p.s. i also got to use my new Bodie and Fou Japanese MT masking tape. think that i might be cultivating a tape obsession.

nov, 30th - pouring, old man is snoring....

2011-11-30T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 637:

those are the only words that Limi sings of this song....

tough week so far.....i'm brimming with ideas for Christmas, for photos, for fun and instead i seem stuck in the mundane....or the dark (not great for pics) or the rain.....

anyway, at least there's someone who enjoys the rainy weather we've been having.

tomorrow night i'm off to see Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House....now that's a way to escape the mundane. i can't wait.

nov, 29th - the rest of sunday....

2011-11-29T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 636:

the rest of Sunday was spent at Hackney City Farm {see day 476}. it's such a small treat in the middle of the city and still as farmyard-ramshackle delightful as our last visit.

a magical sunny day.

nov, 28th - toes....

2011-11-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 635:

toes are a big thing in our house these days......we say morning to toes, we say goodnight to toes, we draw faces on them, wriggle them, hide them in socks and Limi is always quick to request that we take off our shoes when we get home so that our toes are free.....

or maybe it's just her ploy so that she can walk around in our shoes.

nov, 27th - friends....

2011-11-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

day 634:

we went back to Columbia Road Flower Market {see day 230} today. it just gets better and better. i found the most beautiful, vintage, smock dress for Limi at a stall selling piles of old, linen pillow cases, tablecloths and hand towels. a great place to find some Christmas present gems.

and the same musicians were entertaining the people passing by. we lingered so that these two could watch....

another good weekend. hope yours was too.

nov, 25th - your opinion, please....

2011-11-25T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 632:

i've decided to start a new global tradition.....oh, i wish that i had that kind of declare-a-new-national-holiday power...but i don't. so this may just have to be a new personal tradition. it's to flip New Year's Resolutions on their head. i think that January is a bad month to make these types of lists and then they drag on through the year, you break them.....you don't live up to them and before you know it the end of the year has come and you feel like you've failed...once again.

this year, i've realised that we need a different approach....in fact, we need to make End of Year Resolutions not New Year's Resolution. these should be quick wins.....made in November.....with the idea that 'if you end your year having done...' you will be in a better place than you were at the start.

i've made a few of these End of Year Resolutions and that's where i need your help. one is to send out Christmas cards.....homemade Christmas cards and the above pics are what i've come up with.....what do you think? which one gets your vote....A, B or C?

ps. one year A. and i sent out what we thought was an innocent e-Christmas card....until a friend asked if we were naked......we weren't but in retrospect in my strapless dress, the head and shoulders shot did look a bit naked.....and our naked couple Christmas card got sent to everyone....grandparents, friends, old colleagues. so you can see why i need your help. i've been scarred from sending Christmas cards ever since.

nov, 23rd - shiny shoes....

2011-11-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

day 631:

it must be the hint of sparkle that keeps creeping in, now that Christmas is almost here, that made me do it. i bought these shoes for Limi. i think that they're just crying out for taps to be added {see day 503}.

i think that they've started a new tradition.....a pair Christmas shoes every December...sparkles optional but festive spirit, a must. now to find my pair.

nov, 22nd - shorter days.....

2011-11-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 630:

slightly blurred around the edges, glimmers of smiles, looking a bit tired....yes, we need a holiday.

just booked tickets home. looking forward to this beach, this cafe, this market and of course wonderful friends and family.

nov, 20th - weekend....

2011-11-21T15:03:00.000-08:00

day 628:

weekends lately, have been all about visiting family, bracing, slow walks (Limi is keen to practice her jumping every three steps and yesterday there was even a busker-pavement moment of 'ring-a, ring-a rosie' including fall-down actions) and enjoying the incredible colour everywhere. London has put on a spectacular Autumn this year.

but certainly Autumn 2011, will be mostly remembered by our rediscovery of Richmond Park.....

it's unbelievably beautiful at this time of year (as i have said...post...after post...after post). last weekend we discovered these giant parasol mushrooms, not poisonous i read...although Limi thought that they were large dandelions.....

as you can tell, we're loving this park.

nov, 17th - all change please....

2011-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 625:

it's been an interesting year trying to teach Limi about goodbyes, we've seen plenty of far-flung family and friends and i've watched her grapple with them being around and then suddenly only existing back in Skype. there's no doubt that children adapt quickly and live in the moment, but it's still been hard for us when she asks to go 'Up Up' with someone on Skype and wonders why they can't. i've tried very hard to remind her that she said goodbye and that they are now at home/school/ Hong Kong/Australia/ South Africa. it seems to be working.

anyway, it's time for more goodbyes......Jae, Limi's brilliant nanny, {see days 389, 484, 546} is leaving us. her overseas visa runs out in December and so it's time for her to head back. there are plenty of things that we appreciate about Jae (which i will leave for a different post) but one BIG one for me are the little images that she started to send me when i am away working. we use WhatsApp which is brilliant and free....the latest 'Limi-drops' were these three pics, playing fashionista-blogger dress-up

dealing with change and saying goodbye is always difficult but at least A. and i have time to prepare for it. for Limi, the tough part is that she has no idea what's coming.....and these two are very tight.

ps. on a completely different topic, have you heard this version of The Calling's 'Wherever you will go' by Charlene Soraia...i've been playing it on repeat.

nov, 16th - west london....

2011-11-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 624:

our beautiful bridge......i hope that if i ever leave London, i will come back and visit this bridge.

nov, 14th - beautiful cladding....

2011-11-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 622:

love this building, that wood, those black frames and the metal planter.

i'm definitely drawn to dark wood clad houses at the moment, like this stunning, Russian, holiday home, this place to rent on the Isle of Skye and these Danish box-houses that remind me of my dream shipping container holiday home.

which is also probably why Limi's play-shed ended up looking like this.

nov, 13th - urban beekeeping....

2011-11-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 621:

last weekend we went to an urban bee-keeping talk at Petersham Nurseries {see day 603} (i did warn you that it's become our favourite place for Autumn). Although the Shoebox certainly doesn't have space for a couple of hives.....A. and i both come from farming-type backgrounds and i think that under our urban veneer, we long for vegetable patches and bees at the end of the garden. (Given that we've both killed every single pot-plant and window-box that we've ever tried to raise....we have a long road ahead).....

anyway, it was great to be in a classroom environment again, especially when that classroom, is a beautiful, glass greenhouse.....our bee instructor, Brian McCallum, was brilliant. He's part of Urban Bees, has written various books and works on the Mayor of London's Capital Bee scheme. I certainly wish that I had known about these career choices when I was growing up.

we may not have the rambling garden and abundance of pollen creating plants yet.....but we are certainly both inspired to one day have these and some busy hives to look after......in the meantime, it's back to those window boxes with renewed enthusiasm.

nov, 10th - picture series of limi, baby and roar....

2011-11-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 618:

Limi always calls a Lion a 'Roar' and a camera a 'Cheese'........i like this....names that she made up that will start to contribute to and influence our own memories as a family.

our words from our childhoods and backgrounds have also started to creep into her vocabulary....

Pap for Porridge

Muti for Medicine

War-der (that's just Australian pronunciation of Water)

and two that we're working on...

Shongololo for Caterpillar

Bollemakiesie for Head-over-heels/ tumble-turn

nov, 8th - seasons....

2011-11-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

[Limi in her deer pose]

day 616:

it's hard sometimes not to wonder why good people face such heartbreak. especially when it comes to having children. we have friends going through so much around us and i get incredibly frustrated that there seems to be no logic as to who has an easy ride and who faces the rollercoaster. surely love, stability, security and readiness should be more than enough.....

something that i read recently, emily rapp's own story, has really stayed with me. i've thought about it alot this week. what the rapps are going through as a family makes no sense and at the same time, what emily has written, created complete clarity for me. enjoy the moment, embrace simplicity, live for the here and the now and don't take for granted, for one second, the love from those around us.

{emily's story found via here}

nov, 7th - richmond park....

2011-11-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

day 615:

Autumn is taking itself seriously this year.....everywhere you look, leaves are trying to outdo each other in terms of vibrancy. over the weekend we went to an urban beekeeping chat (more about that later this week) and on the way home, we drove through Richmond Park.

Richmond Park has to be once of the most beautiful city parks in the world......especially in Autumn and especially when the deer are reaching their capacity.

truly magical.

something else that is truly magical is this.

nov, 3rd - eek....

2011-11-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 611:

Halloween passed us by this year.....

and not improving on last year's sneeze-inducing costume is a pretty poor effort on my part {see day 258}...especially when i so love a homemade, dress-up party.

anyway, i've had serious blog-envy looking at all the great Halloween posts....so here's a belated effort, our......

Halloween Photo Booth

Happy (Belated) Halloween.

nov, 2nd - lunch from the market....

2011-11-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 610:

lunch from Broadway {see day 609}

nov, 1st - broadway market second time....

2011-11-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 609:

i think that my heart is in the East....the Far East definitely....East London.....probably. practicalities have dictated that we live West...and West is certainly lovely....but East......lots of our friends are East, Broadway Market is East, beautiful buildings are East, fantastic restaurants like this are East....the sun rises etc.

we met up with some friends at Broadway Market on Saturday to gather supplies for lunch and let these two have some time together.....

Limi has been desperate since this weekend in Girona. Broadway Market just gets better and better....well to be honest, i've only been once before (because i'm not a local......sob) so really it's just better than the last time i was there....{see day 390}

i really didn't get much of a chance to shoot the food this time around....but believe me....the food is amazing....i've vowed that next time i visit it will be a savouring wander. we also found these vintage crates there in a completely different branch of the market that i never knew existed.

a good London morning. you should try it.

oct, 30th - sit and play....

2011-10-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 607:

i've been considering vintage apple crates for weeks now......they appear to be on everyone's wish list at the moment but i knew that they'd make the perfect shelves for some of Limi's toys.

on saturday, we visited Broadway Market {see day 390} (which just gets better and better) and found two.....i Love them....they look exactly how i imagined.....

definitely more pics of our weekend and the market to follow.

hope you had a good one. dx

oct, 28th - autumn leaves and giraffes....

2011-10-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 605:

Limi and i bunked off on Tuesday afternoon and went to the zoo. i'm not a huge zoo fan...they sometimes leave me feeling sad (i'm much more of a here person) but London Zoo has never felt cramped or caged somehow.....

we had a great time just the two of us.....especially on the carousel and with the 'Raffes'

you always leave this place wanting more.....has to be a good thing.

have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday. x

oct, 26th - petersham nurseries....

2011-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 603:

much has been written over the years about the cafes at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond. they inspire lyrical words. i went many years ago and was completely charmed by the setting, the food and the waitrons in gumboots and floral aprons.

it's been ages since i was last there but this past weekend we made it back to the teahouse. it's looking a bit different....more of an operation now...bigger and slightly slicker but still as beautifully ramshackle-garden-chic as i remembered.

the restaurant and cafes are set in large greenhouses. bathed in glorious Autumn sunshine we had some lunch and then queued up again to sample their array of interesting cakes: beetroot, flourless chocolate, iced orange and coconut. you could definitely lose whole mornings here cocooned from the chill outside and surrounded by tangled plants.

and while you're there, the shop is definitely worth a look.

now that we've rediscovered it....i think that we'll be spending a lot of time here over Winter.

oct, 25th - some things in life are free....

2011-10-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 602:

a coffee at the cafe in our street (well not free, exactly) and my own mini hot water bottle giving me fish kisses.....a simple but perfect end to a long day.

oct, 24th - new shoes....

2011-10-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 601:

wow. keeping a child's wardrobe stocked with seasonal clothes that fit is more tricky than i imagined. Limi can still sometimes be seen squeezed into nine to twelve month leggings (well crop-leggings) and three quarter sleeved tops. that is until Jae does a big purge and another bag gets packed up and put away.....then suddenly the drawers are empty again.....

and good shoes are the hardest things to find....this sweet pair (in my vetoed pink.....but hey a dusty, dirty pink is not too bad...right?) are from Zara (the girls' section this time)....these sparkly numbers may be a stretch too far....although i so want to......they remind me of my dancing youth and being up on stage covered in glitter and sequins from head to toe.

oct, 23rd - bitton....

2011-10-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 600:

last weekend on our way to Somerset, we stopped in the little village of Bitton which is where A.'s grandfather grew up until the age of nine. at this time, his family decided to pack up and sail (on a voluntary ship) to New Zealand. on the way they stopped in Cape Town to refuel (his grandfather could vividly recall what the Cape of Good Hope looked like in the late 1920s) and then again in Australia. after chatting to some pioneer friends in Sydney, his parents decided to stay...and the rest as they say is (family) history.

this is the village church in Bitton where he would have sat in the family pew, dressed in his Sunday best. it's a beautiful village and you can almost picture him running across the meadows and down the hill to school....the story that he often told A's mum and her siblings.

oct, 20th - cal....

2011-10-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 597:

so, it was my nephew, cal's, 1st birthday recently. these pics are from when he was 7 months old....(yes, completely gratuitous pics of an extremely cute family member)......but anyway, my issue is.....how come boys get all the hair? these locks are just crying out for pigtails while Limi is still cultivating a long mohawk....these are family genes after all.....

anyway, happy birthday cal-cal.

oct, 19th - the karoo....

2011-10-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 596:

it's not often that i feature another photographer but Shanna Jones is a friend and this wedding that she shot, completely blew me away.........it looks like everything a wedding should be: individual, relaxed, fun and long........

and it was in The Karoo in South Africa which is one of my favourite places.

to see more, take a look at Shanna's blog but beware....you could get lost for days.

all pics by Shanna Jones

oct, 18th - somerset....

2011-10-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 595:

Somerset was a chance for us to see where my niece goes to school {see day 566} and for these two to spend some time together.....

Limi idolises her cousin....in fact we just step back when they're together as she will only listen to what 'Wara' says.....we're hoping to make plenty of trips to Somerset in the coming months.....

on the drive home we caught a lovely, fleeting glimpse of Stonehenge.......

oct, 17th - sibella court....

2011-10-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 594:

i was trawling websites trying to find some vintage metal pegs (not even sure whether they exist...but they did in my mind) and then voila! Mandy, my blog guru at 16House, featured these by Sibella Court for Anthropologie. it's very seldom that the stars align or that you go out shopping for the perfect pair of boots (or metal vintage-inspired pegs in this case) and find them.......

the next challenge was that they were only available in the US with no international ordering. so our brilliant friend, Camilla, ordered them online, popped them in the post...and hooray...here they are.......

hmmm....wonder if Milla will also send the rest of Miss Court's collection.....perfect in every way.

tomorrow...pics of Somerset.

oct, 16th - weekend....

2011-10-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 593:

this is Limi's happy-days-face....it appears unprompted and is accompanied with a loud 'Happy Days' exclamation. we spent the weekend down in Somerset {love this part of England, see day 225 and day 226} and obviously it was 'happy days' for Limi.

hope you had some too. x

ps. thanks for the concern. i'm feeling much better at last.

oct, 14th - roll on roll on....

2011-10-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 591:

roll on this weekend....the flu has taken hold and i'm looking forward to some downtime. also longing for african soil beneath my feet and the bush scent in my nose.......not going to happen this weekend but hopefully a trip home soon.

these pics are from April. Limi's first meeting with elephants. these two were hand reared, hence the reason we could get so close.....

hope you have a lovely weekend. x

oct, 13th - covent garden....

2011-10-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

day 590:

we've been talking alot lately about what London has to offer. what it doesn't offer is obvious: beaches, lots of sunny weather and oodles of space (oh that large garden with a pool that I crave)....but what it does offer is diversity, creativity and always lots of amazing things to do....not forgetting of course, red buses, castles, soldiers, boats, trains and plenty of ducks.

although i definitely have nothing against the obvious things to do with kids: the zoo, the amazing parks, the aquarium etc......i also think that there are so many fantastic resources available in London that could make a childhood here completely magical.......

we've been putting in some effort to think about places that may fire Limi's imagination, things that are relevant to her right now: body parts, animals, people, aeroplanes, colours etc.

so recently, we took Limi to Covent Garden to watch the buskers. these street performers are set such a high standard for the rest of London....

Limi loved these guys as did we the whole experience.....always fun to be a tourist in your own town.

other things that we've come up with....and this is by no means a completed list (all suggestions welcome) are:

body part spotting in the sculpture rooms at the V&A gallery
learning colours at the Tate Modern: matching colour cards to artworks
Covent Garden buskers....always new...always interesting
the stuffed animal rooms at the Natural History Museum.....Limi was fascinated by it all but especially the beaks and feathers
the South Bank for it's Summer beach, buskers and this water installation
the amazing churches in London. Jae took Limi to Westminster Abbey and she was captivated, by the building, the sculptures, the people praying

in fact, any suggestions on somewhere to learn counting and a good puppet show would be welcome.

oct, 12th - incy wincy....

2011-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

day 589:

there's no stopping her now....with incy wincy skills you can go far in this world.

in other global news, here are some links for a Wednesday:-

x. these incredible horse masks by Anna Wili-Highfield via 16 House

xx. this shop of treasures in France (and their global shipping) via French By Design

xxx. this black masking tape stocked by Bodie and Fou and the Shanna Murray wall stickers that they also sell

xxxx. finally, these giant scrabble letters by South African company, iKhaya

i'm obviously in the mood to shop.

oct, 10th - weekend....

2011-10-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

day 588:

the weekend was about family. A.'s mum and her sister arrived from Oz and we took them to this favourite cafe for breakfast.

situated in the middle of Hyde Park, it's our go-to place when tourists come to town.....

on sunday, we caught up with A.'s aunt Jill and her partner Jack. they were in London just for the day. the last time we caught up with them was back in December in Sydney {see day 320}. it's always a pleasure.