messyfish

Working together

2012-01-27T18:16:00.001+11:00

Learning how to live "with" the child, rather than working out how to leave them with someone else so I can do all my very busy and important things....

Fun At The Aquarium

2012-01-26T11:03:00.000+11:00

Its been all things in alignment here in messyfish land. Little messyfish has been fascinated with sea creatures since our trip to Airlie beach and Australia's Great barrier Reef. He loves the tv show The Octonoughts, Pirates Lego, and many of his fantasy play scenarios involve a baby octopus, a sea anename and sea horses. He absolute favourite book is Hooray For Fish by Lucy Cousins...and...he also adores the fish pants I made him from fish material he choose himself! If I wasnt packing for our epic trip to Asia...I would needle felt him a sea creature mobile for his room! perhaps Ill do that when I get back?

Your children are not your children

2012-01-23T12:12:00.001+11:00

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

– Khalil Gibran, from The Prophet

Water Colour Palette for OS

2012-01-22T16:15:00.001+11:00

Preparing my palette for OS travel. Topping up the colours, then I'll let them dry. I use tube water colours. Australian made Artist Spectrum. Then I squeeze some into my plastic Japanese traveling palette. It closes over, so is perfect for travel. I also use japanese water colour brushes, that have an inbuilt water reservoir.

Testing again

2012-01-21T00:15:00.001+11:00

Round the yard on a hot day. Growing strawberries for the birds... We never seem to get any!

Testing one two three

2012-01-21T00:10:00.001+11:00

Maxy the dog

Testing for my impending trip

2012-01-20T21:02:00.001+11:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

the meaning of life? is the meaning you give it....

2012-01-19T13:03:00.002+11:00

Hello! Long time no blog. I have been in transformation. Less art for display, more of just doodling and connecting with my soul. Its been nice.... I love keeping a journal that is just for me, (and anyone who reads it when I am long gone....)

But life is good. I have a husband who supports me to live my dreams. You know... Mr Messyfish!

I had 22 penfriends around the world when I was a child. When I finally had the choice to study whatever I like, I choose Social Anthropology. The study of living culture. I focused on India and South East Asia. I thought I was going to be an anthropologist when I graduated from Uni, and I was going to live in the cultures. I was too unconscious however, and didnt realize that I could make decisions... For Me about my Own life. Instead I fell into a life of cooking. I love food and markets and cooking and celebrations around food too. So I was a chef for 20 years. (Really I was a blocked artist...and all this was one big distraction the kept me form being connected to my truth)

We love out home. I have choosen to be a stay at home mum. I want to give my child time and experiences. I felt the best way to do this when he was young was not to have someone else care for him, while I go and earn money. I have had a career. I have nothing else I would rather do at this point in my life. We decided to spend less, so I didnt have to work. We found a tiny house in the country to rent. I make my own laundry powder and bread. We cook everything from scratch. I sew my own clothes, and rarely get a haircut. We use the library and the parks and anything else that is free. We also buy heaps of books and have a great internet connection and go on lots of family holidays together. Its our balance. What works for us. everyone is different. We all do things differently.

But....if I had to spend the rest of my life sipping lattes whilst watching my kid play at the park and in the shopping malls....I would have to stick a fork in my eye. I want to live in this big amazing world. I want to go everywhere and do everything!
So Mr messyfish has a job...and so do I. His job has him turn up to a place everyday. My job...well....I dont have to actually be anywhere. I can be wherever I like to do my job. I am a very fast reader. I love reading novels. But since little messyfish was born, I have not read a novel. I have read a Uni degree worth of early childhood theory. We have spun from Attachment parenting, Montessori and Steiner all the way back to Radical Unschooling. The only novel I have read was "Female Nomad". I read it in 3 days...which indicates a strong interest alright! So how do i live with other cultures and look after my child? I have no idea...but I am going to give it a little go.

Image source

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In VIETNAM !!!!!!!!!!!!
....We are booked, waiting for our 3 month multiple entry visas our "pop up" travel mosquito net to arrive in the mail, and we go next week!

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Its ok, I will most definately be recording this awesome trip with photoes. Ill put a flickr link on my side bar near my other flickr accounts, and upload my pictures as I go. I am on facebook too, so email me for "friending". And I intent to skype mr messyfish and other close relations so we can stay intouch.

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Lots to do for little messyfish...lollies, fish, even the pavement will be interesting for him! Me? well...I am peaking with excitement. Full of fear and anxiety, because I am doing something I have always wanted to do but never "allowed" myself to do. All because I had thought systems that prevented me from being me. Art and travel...could life be any better? (probably and always). oh and the Pho......

2011-12-18T12:30:00.001+11:00

What to draw and why...very blocked at the moment :-(

Toys or Tools or same same?

2011-12-10T11:55:00.001+11:00

Some scenes from around our home yesterday and today. Didnt get a shot of the chefs knife being used to crush garlic, and the metal skewer being inserted into the crayon.... Nor the toilet rolls being cut with scissors, the maldive fish being pounded in the mortar and pestle, the yoyo being "shot put" round the yard and the inflated beach ball being stabbed with a mini screwdriver numerous times whilst sitting on it....its getting a little hairy round here! least the toys are cheap seeing as we already had them all. Its always fun with an unstoppable 3 year old around dont you think?

Outpost on Cockatoo island

2011-12-08T11:41:00.001+11:00

Every so often we have a "city adventure". Its so different from living in the country! We drove to our friends house who live in a funky inner city suburb to park our car. We were so lucky to see mum and son arriving home just as we arrived, so we went inside and Little messyfish got to play, and I got to hang out with my friends!
We then walked the streets of Newtown to get some sushi, before jumping on the train. Little messyfish is not a big train car or bus fan like some 3 year old boys he knows, but it is still something different to do that he enjoys.
After we reached circular quay, we boarded the ferry and off to Cockatoo Island we went to see the outpost exhibition. We spent 2 hours wandering around the industrial site and looking at all the street art. There were lots of thing to do for little kids, and thankfully lots of things he can touch. Because, really...and exhibition that cant be touched it not for this 3 year old!
We looked around some shops to buy me a new pair of jeans with no luck. I got thouroughly frustrated by the very loud and annoying music they play, and just wanted to get the hell out of those shops! We did get to check out the big retail store's famous christmas windows, just as we did last year. As I am a fan of doll making and creating cute scenes, I was really excited to see them.
Then my favourite part of all, dinner in china town. I really miss other cultures, the food, the smells, the sights, the languages, and the shopping in the country. It is beautiful here, but culturally very bland. I felt instantly at home and relaxed when we got to busy hectic chinatown. We had to be careful though, as it was raining and there were millions of umbrellas at our eye ball height!
Then back to our friends house where Little messyfish was introduced to the delights of Avatar, and we had a nice comfortable place to breast feed before the long journey home.
Just as mr messyfish and I were congratulating ourselves about how healthily we ate considering eating "takeout/fastfood" all day (sushi and seafood noodles), Little messyfish cried out hunger at 10:30pm at night just as we were leaving the city. So here is a pic of mr messyfish stopping at Sydneys famous truck stop for a hot dog. Oh dear :-)

Interesting!

2011-12-07T10:17:00.000+11:00

What about socialization? (from another angle)

Two women meet at a playground, where their children are swinging
and playing ball. The women are sitting on a bench watching.
Eventually, they begin to talk.

W1: Hi. My name is Maggie. My kids are the three in red shirts --
helps me keep track of them.

W2: (Smiles) I'm Terri. Mine are in the pink and yellow shirts. Do
you come here a lot?

W1: Usually two or three times a week, after we go to the library.

W2: Wow. Where do you find the time?

W1: We home school, so we do it during the day most of the time.

W2: Some of my neighbours home school, but I send my kids to public
school.

W1: How do you do it?

W2: It's not easy. I go to all the PTO meetings and work with the
kids every day after school and stay real involved.

W1: But what about socialization? Aren't you worried about them
being cooped up all day with kids their own ages, never getting the
opportunity for natural relationships?

W2: Well, yes. But I work hard to balance that. They have some
friends who're home schooled, and we visit their grandparents almost
every month.

W1: Sounds like you're a very dedicated mom. But don't you worry
about all the opportunities they're missing out on? I mean they're
so isolated from real life -- how will they know what the world is
like -- what people do to make a living -- how to get along with all
different kinds of people?

W2: Oh, we discussed that at PTO, and we started a fund to bring
real people into the classrooms. Last month, we had a policeman and
a doctor come in to talk to every class. And next month, we're
having a woman from Japan and a man from Kenya come to speak.

W1: Oh, we met a man from Japan in the grocery store the other week,
and he got to talking about his childhood in Tokyo . My kids were
absolutely fascinated. We invited him to dinner and got to meet his
wife and their three children.

W2: That's nice. Hmm. Maybe we should plan some Japanese food for
the lunchroom on Multicultural Day.

W1: Maybe your Japanese guest could eat with the children.

W2: Oh, no. She's on a very tight schedule. She has two other
schools to visit that day. It's a system-wide thing we're doing.

W1: Oh, I'm sorry. Well, maybe you'll meet someone interesting in
the grocery store sometime and you'll end up having them over for
dinner.

W2: I don't think so. I never talk to people in the store --
certainly not people who might not even speak my language. What if
that Japanese man hadn't spoken English?

W1: To tell you the truth, I never had time to think about it.
Before I even saw him, my six-year-old had asked him what he was
going to do with all the oranges he was buying.

W2: Your child talks to strangers?

W1: I was right there with him. He knows that as long as he's with
me, he can talk to anyone he wishes.

W2: But you're developing dangerous habits in him. My children never
talk to strangers.

W1: Not even when they're with you?

W2: They're never with me, except at home after school. So you see
why it's so important for them to understand that talking to
strangers is a big no-no.

W1: Yes, I do. But if they were with you, they could get to meet
interesting people and still be safe. They'd get a taste of the real
world, in real settings. They'd also get a real feel for how to tell
when a situation is dangerous or suspicious.

W2: They'll get that in the third and fifth grades in their health
courses.

W1: Well, I can tell you're a very caring mom. Let me give you my
number--if you ever want to talk, give me call. It was good to meet
you.

--Author unknown

Early Summer Pastel

2011-12-04T10:04:00.001+11:00

Pastels on Cartridge paper. I sat outside under the apple tree and enjoyed the sounds of the country whilst I did this, on a perfect day in early summer.

Early Summer In Our Yard

2011-12-03T17:01:00.001+11:00

oodles of doodles

2011-11-24T18:46:00.001+11:00

Little Messyfish and I do lots of things together round here. Prismacolr pencils on A2 cartridge paper. I am meditating and also doing my "morning pages" here in this doodle. I've just started "walking in this world", by Julia Cameron again. Its exciting, 2nd time round, but I am sooooo sooooo different, with different realities and desires. Its going to be an interesting trip!

Doodling on a down day

2011-11-23T19:18:00.000+11:00

Prismacolor pencils on cartridge paper

Baking going on round here

2011-11-23T12:52:00.001+11:00

Spring time

2011-11-21T18:30:00.001+11:00

Loving the micro climate of our little pocket. But the butterflies are so numerous, there is alot of road kill just for driving the car down the driveway...

I spy with my little eye something beginning with R.

2011-11-14T19:44:00.000+11:00

We are going to have raspberries this year! Hip hip hurray!

Home sweet home

2011-11-13T16:56:00.001+11:00

Our driveway. 1km of bumpy dirt road. we love it.

Our tiny rented cottage on 100 acres of absolutely beautiful farmland.

We made it home! One month on the road... Massive. Wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now.

If you must consume...

2011-11-11T19:14:00.001+11:00

It's all good here

2011-11-10T14:22:00.001+11:00

Lots of change. Coming into myself. Deschooling. Following the joy. Consciousness .

Ps we got up close to the dolphins at tin can bay on our road trip...

Isolation

2011-11-03T22:52:00.000+11:00

Is it possible that I could attend a 5 day conference with 160 people and hear life changing concepts, connect with others who attend, and still one fat asshole who also attended but did not hear a word can destroy in one half sentence the unity that I was feeling? Yes. But why it is still upsetting me is because I don't know why. Because I just can't believe one can listen to Dayna Martin and Quinn Eaker and not get it, not understand, not at least try to speak consciously to children.
People are Fucked. I sink into the abyss of loneliness again.
A day of bullshit smalltalk on a long boring boat ride. The overconsumption of the crappest food I can imagine. 2 hours floating over the great barrier reef. Amazing. But visually the reef in nemo is way better. But the swim and the chemical realise from the exercise and the solitude of the water brings exhilaration and relief. I even bring myself to eat ice-cream and chips on the boat ride home, just to see why the fuck those people eat all that shit.
I get to talk to a woman who sounds like me on my journey on the way back. It's nice. I like her, but I am still bored and lonely. People like me on journeys like mine is just another version of my self obsession.
Fear renders my life monotonous again.

Vegetable Garden

2011-10-18T17:07:00.000+11:00

See you vege garden for a whole month. I know its a bad time to be going, with it being spring and all....but heck, we have better things to do than watch carrots grow right now. Please grow even though we are not around, we still care. Have fun slugs and snails. Will move you on when we get back, so think yourselves lucky.

Cactus Monday

2011-10-18T11:01:00.000+11:00

Happy Cactus Monday lovely peeps xxx

Fuck

2011-10-17T18:22:00.001+11:00

fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck
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fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck
fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

Red food colour

2011-10-13T21:53:00.000+11:00

We happen to have a 1kg commercial grade bucket of powdered red food colour here. Good for mixing with water and putting in spray bottles. Our art became a gun fight. Little messyfish won. We have stains to prove it.

Tropical north Queensland

2011-10-07T18:24:00.000+11:00

Going on a holiday in the bongo van! Camping rocks with a three year old. We all love it. Can't wait to see the reef, and all those colorful fish. Yipeeeee! It's a beach holiday for us country bumpkins.

Colour

2011-09-29T17:06:00.001+10:00

Time in, not time out. A hug, instead of harsh words. On my knees and play, rather than scheduled activities. Change the environment rather than control the child. Look at diet, rather than except extreme behavior as normal. Support and relaxation, rather than time to myself. Spending time and money on the child IS for me. Break the cycle.

Blast Off!

2011-09-05T14:22:00.001+10:00

As we blast off into another phase of our lives, I have a feeling that the blog messyfish wont be part of it. I am no longer messy, little messyfish is no longer little, and I am moving places...perhaps to other solar systems. New realities, greater freedom and immense joy. Goodbye my lovelies. I will still be visiting you xxx Anna

*Edit*~I've just downloaded 5000 photographs, and looked at my first blog posts. What a great journal this is for me. 677 posts, started in february 2006. 161 followers and loads of new friendships started. Perhaps I will just do a massive overhaul, and refocus. I don't want to leave you all, and I will miss you too much. What great support it's been in the early isolating years of parenthood. Perhaps I had better say that I will just take a small break? Let's see now...

Always learning

2011-08-31T11:07:00.000+10:00

Learning just happens.

No need to control it. But it's helpful to provide as rich an environment as you can afford, and then get the hell out of the way. Restriction is part of control. I am amazed and relieved that control is not part of my parenting journey. We are all happy and connected as a result. Honest relationships are what's important to us in our family. Partnering with children and treating them as equal family members with real feelings, valid desires and rights. Radical. (How sad it is radical and not mainstream...)

Spring table

2011-08-27T15:20:00.001+10:00

We changed the table over. King winter and the snowman and the underground gnome are in a box till next winter. I still want to make a "mother nature", and add crafts and natural finds as spring merrily flowers along. Happy expansion everybody.

Colourful life

2011-08-26T14:06:00.001+10:00

It's spring, there are rainbows of colour everywhere.

Brain explosion

2011-08-21T22:01:00.002+10:00

Green food colour in the shower, tub blocking the drain, waves of water and joy. Watching it turn clear with an 'as long as you want to stay in there" shower. (its been raining lots, we are on tank water, its overflowing an dripping on the ground)

Your only pair of shoes that I just spent a day drying in front of the fire. Your only pair because you wont try any shoes on and say no to every pair we look at in the shops. But loads of fun walking through puddles...seeing how deep they are.

"rolling up" his pants, but failing to roll up the thermals.

Taking three worm specimens home on a piece of bark. having them in a container in our home untill daddy comes home to see them, then releasing them just before we go to sleep. Wanting to read books about worms and also reading about roots.

trying to make dark blue play dough by putting in more and more and more food colour...then playing with the ooozy texture and dripping it intentionally all over his bare feet and hands. Then adding yellow to see what colour it makes.

Eating a snack on the lounge whilst watching Peter Pan for the billionth time.

Noticing that the water plants have roots like we read in the book, and that "frogs go hop hop hop on the lilly pads".

Enjoying the displays in the huge outdoor museum at our local buddhist monastery where we go for lunch on sundays.

Exploring the jade tree, and remembering from the last visit that peacocks don't like to be scared.

Enjoying the colours of there feathers. This visit really noticing the different patches os feathers and pointing the colour combinations out to me. "Look at that black and white part on the top!"

Listening to Pra mana (monk) give a talk (only for a few sentences), then proudly telling him and the other 20 or so people in the group that he just put the knob on the post back on, then encouraging them all to watch him run very fast! He is getting more confident around people he doesnt know very well.

Checking out the grounds of the monastry and freaking mum out because there is so much that is breakable!
I am learning to "say yes" in a whole new way. Every one of these (and more) activities are initiated by little messyfish. Everytime he suggests something I think "no", "its too messy", "its too fragile", "i am tired", "not now", "please no, dont", "no, I want to do this not that", "it wont work", "its a waste", "it might break", "no you will make a mess", "you have to sit at the table and eat"....etc etc.
But i didnt say any of those things (and if I did I CHANGED MY MIND, by telling him I've changed my mind, its ok, you really want to do that don't you? so lets do it)
It was hard work not to do what came to mind, but push past the "neat and clean and easy" pain barrier and LET HIM BE and do and explore and learn. I did think..."now I know why parents send kids to pre-school! so they can get all messy somewhere else". Then I had a brain explosion too. I realized, that I just needed to let go (AGAIN). And say YES!
And wow...just look at all that natural learning. Art, science, maths, religion, culture, media....and all the rest that I just cant divide into subjects, because natural learning doesnt work that way.
Liking with Owlet's Unschool Monday

The river

2011-08-18T16:10:00.002+10:00

A micro second later he was under the water on his back almost out of reach chocking on water. From bliss to terror in a second.
Note to self. Leave the iPhone at home when down near the fast flowing after heavy rain river.
Now....? In a warm shower singing heads and shoulders knees and toes.

Cold grey and windy

2011-08-17T08:56:00.000+10:00

Perfect day for colour! Happy wintery cosy underground transformations for you all in the southern hemisphere. And my bloggy mates in the northern hemisphere... Happy days to you too xxx

Lunch for nine

2011-08-14T12:06:00.002+10:00

Then we all walked down to the river to play in the sand and mud, climb trees and bounce on the bouncy tree.
Lunch was freshly made felafels, hummous, baba gannouj, tabouli, carrot salad and flat bread. Followed by hot chocolate self saucing pudding and icecream.

Sunday breakfast

2011-08-14T10:03:00.001+10:00

Pancakes made with stoneground organic wholewheat flour, and organic buckwheat flour. Served with maple syrup.

On our table a waldorf inspired wattle girl (needle felted), a vase of freshly picked wattle (its everywhere round here) and beeswax candles.

It not all natural

2011-08-12T21:52:00.000+10:00

When little messyfish insisted repeatedly for over a year he draw with permanent black markers, And refused to use his stockmar beeswax block crayons, i knew something had to give. So for some time now he has had millions of different markers, and the compromise is that they are stored in a lovely thrifted wooden caddy.
Natural fibres and wool is fantastic, but polar fleece pants are cheap and warm and dry very quickly. Perfect for toilet learning, our climate and our budget. So again... Something had to go.
I visit lovely Steiner waldorf blogs and I wish it was all about watercolours, warm soups and nature tables here.... But well, I have a highly sensitive and strong willed child. By Highly sensitive, I mean has amazing colour perception, specific sound preferences, highly intune with scents, light and temperature changes, has very particular clothing ideas, etc... Not highly sensitive as in "cries all the time if you look at him in a funny way". No, that kind of sensitive is usually easily cured by removing small child from over stimulating environment (such as a shopping mall), dressing them warmly (so they can get back in there body), and feeding them some correctly prepared wholefoods, (see Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions).
Anyway, back to the the child with amazing senses. Who... Has a strong will. And lots of black textas, that now has progressed into the world of black ink and an art area covered with splash cloths. I have been slowly letting go of many things as circumstances change.
One is the plastic toys.
We went to the op shop.
We came home with heaps.
Big bags full for pennies!

Cogs

Kids Meccano (complete set looks brand new, to make cars! What a bargain at $3).

So whilst they are not at all waldorfy, they still are open ended, involve creativity, learning and are even a little Montessori...ish.
Strangly or not, they frustrate little messyfish, who has not grown up on a diet of plastic. He has great fine motor skils with tiny little objects, but fitting big plastic pieces together shits him. He has hurled them across the room, messed them all up, had some big tantrums, and tried to break them.
He has never done this with his lovely wooden and other natural material toys.
I don't think plastic toys rob kids of creativity though. Today he filled up his plastic house with about 10 mandarins he peeled and segmented, and called it a mandarin house. He would wave a flag (that he made with found objects) and sing a song he created, to indicate that we could go get a piece of mandarin from the mandarin house. This went on for a while...(10 mandarins worth).

Oh, and then of course there is the plastic "gun". Spray bottles filled with food colour. What kid doesn't like to shoot things? I've just made it all arty and "nice" with lively colours for them.

Happy spring!

2011-08-07T09:46:00.001+10:00

Pastel on newsprint paper
I know I am early but it's a balmy 7c here today! The spring bulbs, cherry blossoms and new green shoots are out! I just had to show you the colours of my life.

Drawing on windows

2011-08-06T11:11:00.000+10:00

We can't draw on the walls, but we can draw on the windows with our whiteboard crayons. I think they will rub off when we are done!?
Little messyfish loves all things rainbow... As long as it has black in it. Today he told me about the giant huge golden sparkly rainbow elephant in the room that was filled with marbles. Now that's the "elephant in the room" I like to have.

Seville orange marmalade

2011-08-05T09:09:00.001+10:00

Seville orange homemade by me marmalade on organic homemade by me sourdough. Only thing I want to learn now is how to source local organic jersey milk and make my own butter.

Sunny days

2011-08-04T16:26:00.000+10:00

Out door art. Lots of paint and water play. Even the wash up water was called "milk", and poured around for all the "cows, sheep, goat and other imaginary animals to drink". It's easy to play outdoors when the weather is perfect.

sweep it under the carpet

2011-07-31T12:05:00.001+10:00

I am always amazed at peoples ability to sweep their shit under the carpet and carry on. I used to take copious amounts of alcohol and drugs when I was younger to "put on a brave face", and perform my perceived duties in life. Its called people pleasing. Its a behavior that pleases everyone but me. It damages me to a point where I dont know who i am anymore. I become lost. I dont even know what my favourite colour is, what I want to do as a hobby or who I want as my friends.
Coming back to myself has been a long and slow journey. One of the things I have done is the "artists way" 4 times. I also and continue to surround myself with loving and supportive friends. Not the kind that tell me its all someone elses fault, to move, change jobs break up with my partner, and I just need to get some new clothes, makeup and my hair done. Not the kind that help me to maintain the bullshit fronts. The kind that look at what is real, and what is important to me.
When I was a child I always wanted a vegetable garden. Today I have one. I always wanted to be an illustrator....today, I illustrate. Often I have blocks. I have friends who know me and help me. I told mr messyfish that I have filled the two vege beds with seedling and seeds already. He said, next pay lets get some more soil and sleepers. How many more do you want to build? I love that kind of support, because I often dont know how to give it to myself. What I tell myself is "oh thats enough, its a pain, its too messy, its too hard".
I struggle with this in parenting too. If little messyfish wants to paint his entire body with paint at 10:30 at night, I think "oh thats enough, its a pain, its too messy, its too hard". What i want to say is..."here let me get you some more paint, what colours do you want, how does that feel?"
Mr messyfish and I were talking about little messyfish's excellent dancing skills. he thought that we might have a life of dancing ballet etc ahead of us, and that a move to the city might be inevitable. I reminded him that it is a "free" child we are raising. One that is not pressured to perform or do the "right" thing all the time. I put it to him that maybe he wont become the next Baryshnikov...perhaps he will be a body painted fire throwing hippie dancer wowing the ravers in the forests? Whatever he desires. Whatever speaks to his soul. Ensuring that he is free enough to know who he is and trust himself and his decisions.
When he was young I had a discussion with another parent about how we were parenting. He looked at me a little confused and said "surely you are going to break his spirit just a little, so he can fit into society, you dont want him to be wild or out of control?". Funny that thought. No, we are not going to break his spirit even a little bit. No, he is not wild and out of control.

I love hanging at home

2011-07-28T11:43:00.001+10:00

We paint

Sew fish pants for little messyfish

Bake organic sourdough bread

Plant strawberry plants and raspberry canes for our new "berry patch". Sourced from our local community garden

Watch broccoli grow

Look after pets, clean the fish tank, feed the dog

Watch the cows

Play in the sandpit, and blog!

unschooling still...

2011-07-27T10:23:00.000+10:00

Painting with feet with black paint.

Socializing... Not learning artificial rule based "come children and sit when I clap my hands" based socialization.

A real lunch. On china plates with real glasses for water. With choices. They eat what they need if they are not told there choices are bad, and they learn not to trust there intuition. Children early on learn the consequences of a brocken glass. Little messy fish has only dropped one when he was 11/2. He never drinks out of plastic at home.

What does education often do? It makes a straight-cut ditch of a free, meandering brook.
Henry David Thoreau

Rainbow Gnomes

2011-07-22T21:47:00.000+10:00

little messyfish said "thankyou for showing me those beautiful rainbow gnomes", "do they fly?"

rainy days

2011-07-22T20:44:00.000+10:00

Just wondering if its ever going to stop raining? When I lived in the city the rain seemed so much greyer, and depressing. Now I am in the country, we are lucky to have large expanses of paddocks to look out onto from our windows. The rain is not depressing, but beautiful. The landscape has those beautiful muted tones, the fences have droplets of "crystals" hanging from them, and the trees are growing moss and algae on the branches.
I imagine if I was a 12 year old boy who lived in bali in my swimmers and on a skateboard with maids to do everything for me, I would be rather bored having no where to skate and being freezing cold and stuck inside with my step mum who doesnt make breakfast for me and her toddler. I would get on my bike and explore the neighborhood. But I am not he. Step parenting is hard. I am always having to work on acceptance, because he is soooooo different from me. I dont even get him. I dont even understand why he does what he does, and doesnt do what I think he should. I can see why the old religions made divorce illegal. I can see why having children out of wedlock was regarded as a terrible thing. I can see why step mums have a bad image in the old story books. I feel like the evil step mother alot. It takes alot of work to adjust to a whole human who is so different come live in your house for 8 weeks at a time...then gone again. It is hard on children to be going between the two places too. climate, seasons, rules, rhythms, family traditions, little rituals etc everything is different. Imagine not knowing what to do with yourself, so you end up copying your 3 year old brother in everything. Eating foods that 3 year olds eat, playing with preschool blocks again, and pretending to hide and run in the toddler games. Some step children are walking on eggshells...cause they dont adjust to the differences quickly enough, and when they do, they are back at the other house again...then they find out what they missed out on. Worse, their other siblings have richer dads, and they got to do more and bigger and better stuff while on holidays. ouch. what a life, what a life.... but then, try being adopted, or aborted, or never knowing who one of your parents are. hmmmm

Winter cheeriness

2011-07-22T15:07:00.000+10:00

We ripped strips of tissue paper and stuck them to contact paper. I cut some frames from our sturdy (300gsm) watercolour paintings. I just love using little messyfish's waldorf inspired watercolour paintings for making things. Frames and boxes are the most popular conversions. Preconcieved craft projects have never been much of a success with little messyfish. He has a particularly strong aversion to being told what to do. This isn't a problem with me. His ideas are wonderful, and I learn so much from him. The scrunchy textured one hanging on the right is his! It's actually my favourite!!

Sensory experiences

2011-07-21T22:58:00.000+10:00

"simply create a home environment that
responds to your child's needs and helps him gain independence, confidence
and concentration through his own spontaneous activity."

Slow down and take your time

2011-07-19T13:00:00.004+10:00

(copic markers and prismacolor pencils, I drew this by copying the image from the book "little white rabbit" by kevin henkes 2011)

Some little boys need time to come into the world. Little messyfish was yanked out with forceps after he was induced. He clearly wasnt ready, but the doctors thought it was time because my waters broke. I thought it was pool water, because I had been swimming laps the day before. We had no idea when he was conceived, so in reality we had no idea what day he was supposed to be born". The pressure to grow up began the day I let them stick the artificial hormones in me, to trick my baby to come out. It was a birth from hell. Not the natural birth i planned....
Every since that day, I felt the pressure (and mostly resisted) to hurry him up. The first socially acceptable thing I resisted was to have lots of visitors in the hospital, bright lights, noise and movement. Yes people like to wish us well....but a home cooked meal left at the door step, so mumma can hold and nourish her baby rather than be in the kitchen, would be kinder than a present that a baby can not use untill he is two. I am not being ungrateful, I am just trying to point out that many socially acceptable behaviors are not acceptable to me, or the way I choose to bring up my child.

How about breastfeeding. I have been to a number of parties, where I have been breast feeding my toddler in a quiet area of the function for up to an hour or more. I have been judged as being unsociable and impolite. I know for a fact my toddler doesnt think that. he feels connected, nourished and loved. He has absolutely no separation anxiety. He is ok. That is all I care about at this stage. Funny how one of the people who judges me, was being highly sociable at the dinner table. Life of the party infact. I heard her own baby crying by itself in a crib in a separate room with the door closed for more than 20 minutes...unattended. She comes away from the party socially accepted and behavious approved. Very strange indeed. would you leave an adult by itself in a room crying for 20 minutes, or would you go in and see if everything was ok? why is it ok for some people to think that because babies dont have words, they dont have feelings?
So what's the hurry to get the baby off the breast, out of the bed, to have table manners, to sit quiety, to be greeting and meeting like an adult? Do you think that because they make mini adult clothes for toddlers these days we forget they are toddlers. A baby in overalls and jeans? are they not workman's clothes? Somehow, I think its much more than the way it all looks. In fact the "fronts" we put on in front of each other just keep us all disconnected. Why cant we be honest with each other? When I see a mum who has a kid who's behaviors are destructive, I say to her..."sometimes I get so angry with my boy, I yell at him". She is shocked and relieved to hear this. Then she opens up and tells me how hard it is, how her 4 year old son ripped the sink off the wall and she had to get the builder in to fix it, how sometimes she doesn't even like her son, how she cant go out in public with him. We connect, she feels better. The stupid socially acceptable fronts are down. Perhaps her and her son will be able to have a slightly better relationship.

This is what 5 year old boys were wearing in 1926 (Christopher Robin illustration by Ernest H Shepard)

This is how many toddlers were raised in 1941. In the home. Simple toys, Nourishing foods. observing daily rhythms. (Emily and Daisy by Elsa Beskow). look at all those homebakes goodies. The child is playing...not in school or pre school or even homeschool. just playing. There is learning in playing...how did we forget that? The only thing I see wrong with this picture, is that the bench is a little low!

Do you cook, clean, shower? Perhaps if you know a mother with a newborn , you could go round and do a load of washing for her, take a meal to her, hold her baby while she has a shower. Because she needs to cook, clean and shower too. In days of consumerism, it is easy to get a job and buy a thing for her. Try doing something that helps her and her baby in a meaningful and nourishing way instead? Be helpful and connect. Its all about Loving Kindness...

Linking with Owlet's unschool monday... even though its Tuesday....cause it really doesnt matter what day it is when your not on an artificial schedule.

Good morning

2011-07-17T09:16:00.001+10:00

Organic sourdough toast with raw organic honey.

Bliss balls, made with dates, tahini, almonds, coconut oil, courveture cocoa (carob would be better but i am out), vanilla, raw honey and coconut.
Feels good when a little angel who has been sick starts to eat again. I like to cook these days in the "nourishing traditions" way. I know he is getting maximum nutrition from his food.

Winter activities

2011-07-10T14:28:00.000+10:00

Today we made "snowball" cookies. They are made using a basic almond butter cookie recipe. Rolled into tiny balls and dusted with icing sugar.

With all the baking we do, I would say preschool maths and science are taken care of.

Coconut "snowball" cookies. Using a basic macaroon recipe.

Now all my glass storage jars are full of goodness and goodies. It may be a frugal life on one income, but we are blessed in so many ways.

Mr messyfish helped me to string up an "art gallery" down the hallway to display little messyfish's art. He paints everyday. He loves to see it after it's dry. I have saved every piece he has made, except for one.... Which he still talks about!

Just incase we were worried about maths and science (which we are not) the endless playing with beads has sorted that out. Legos takes care of the rest. Natural learning rocks.

Waldorf tea party

2011-07-09T20:28:00.000+10:00

Sour dough bread

2011-07-06T13:30:00.001+10:00

I made my own sourdough over 7 days. Then used it to bake bread. We are converted. Each time I make a loaf it is better than the last. This one is a rye and spelt, fruit and nut sourdough. Absolutely delicious.

Jacques DeLangre writes...
Baking with natural leaven is in harmony with nature and maintains the integrity and nutrition of the cereal grains used... The process helps to increase and reinforce our bodys absorption of the cereals nutrients. Unlike yeasted bread that diminishes, even destroys, much of the grains nutritional value, naturally leavened bread does not stale and, as it ages, maintains it's original moisture longer.

Homeschool preschool

2011-07-04T21:55:00.003+10:00

A morning in the life of a homeschool preschool....

Easel painting with poster paints...black and white paints are new, at the specific request of little messyfish. We got the 2 ltr bottles this time, so we wont run out for a little while. After easel painting he usually paints some objects nearby, the ground then his hands. In summer he has painted his tummy and arms and legs. This usually means to me that he wants to take a shower....

Watercolour painting with cotton buds. In educationese...perhaps this is the beginning of writing...does it matter? No. It was fun. It uses fine motor skills. He loves yellow and blue and black.

We sat together in the winter sun on the floor in front of the full length glass doors for almost 2 hours looking at all the pretty beads. He knows dots, swirls, bumps, lines, spots, sparkles, stripes, ridges, squares, holes etc etc. I was paying attention, as he has been playing with these beads for more than a year now with great interest. We grouped them in colours. He played families with them. "The mummy bead is looking for her baby"

Scooping rainwater from a bucket and watering the garden. I taught him ages ago that they all need lots of water. I am a wanna be gardener. He watered evenly, and did not get wet until he tried to drink from the jug! Lucky those pants are polar fleece....wipes right off...anyhow, he hs been "toilent learning", so 3 changes a day is the norm...

Morning tea, of homemade sourdough bread with jam and butter. Yep! Ive nailed sourdough. I am super impressed with myself. Ill post about it another time....but did I mention I am super impressed with my domestic goddess skills?

Time to get a basket and shovel...we are off to dig on the driveway. He says "if the farmer comes in his tractor then we will just get out of the way". Ok then...lets go.
Yes that is sand spilling of of the sand pit. We dont have rules about it. Yes he can pour it where ever he wants outside. Yes we can order more next summer if its all gone. A load costs $30. Not really worth being authoritarian about and all restrictive now is it?

hmmmm....the driveway is over 1km long. Just loving the freedom to walk. When I am in the big smoke near the road with cars I hold his hand, and am on car alert. Now thats no fun. This however is freedom for mum, and bub.

We have been learning letters. He likes "o" alot. "A" and "H" are good too. They are the same he says *smile*. He will work it out when he is ready. I could correct him. In fact I could correct him about everything, but we dont do that here. "Natural learning" means just that. Now...where is my "very good" stamp, and red pen (jokes). Read here if you want to know more about this idea.

Who needs friends when you have max and bowie...

and the farmer in the dell

Collecting some leaves for "King Winter" to put on our nature table. Our Preschool is seasons based... I believe knowledge and connection to the earth is paramount. So do many many others. Growing up in the suburbs of Sydney, I dont remember much about learning about the seasons. but then again, I dont remember much...sigh...

"I want to climb that tree". I say, "ok" lets go try.... A good way to make life very unfun is to tell your kids how there experiments will turn out, of be in complete control at all times, and tell them that he wont be able to climb that tree its too big. Silence is better....the joy is hearing him say "oh its very big, can you help me?", "wow....I will have t wait till I am bigger...oh well"....then he moves on to the next thing with joy and excitement. We raced the bull in the next paddock to pick some wattle for out vase at home. We both just loooooove wattle. It comes out in winter here. Must be the gnomes digging up the gold.

linking up with owlet for unschool mondayI used to do Cactus Monday....but my commitment waned unfortunately...I must get back to it soon. I could do both?!

Winter frosts

2011-06-30T15:44:00.001+10:00

Standing in the front yard. Quickly taking snaps of the beautiful frosty mornings we get here.

Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms | Video on TED.com

2011-06-30T10:58:00.000+10:00

Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms | Video on TED.com

Winter nature table

2011-06-25T21:57:00.000+10:00

Cooking with kids

2011-06-14T14:39:00.004+10:00

My version of two minute noodles. Organic soba buckwheat noodles, with a little live miso stirred through. Beats those terrible additive filled noodles targeted at kids.

Alresco cooking. Sand cakes with pine cones, shells and stones. Yum yum !
Seems my crafting has slowed down, my boy is growing up, and we are happy radical unschoolers (with a touch of Waldorf and a pinch of Montessori thrown in) here in messyfish land.
I am currently working on an illustrated cook book for kids. I really can't reveal anything much about it yet. It's possible my blog may slow down for a while....
You can always email me if you miss us. See you in a little while xxx

"If we continually try to force a child to do what he is afraid to do, he will become more timid, and will use his brains and energy, not to explore the unknown, but to find ways to avoid the pressures we put on him."

~John Holt~, (1923-1985) American Educator, How Children Learn

Co sleeping

2011-06-06T22:22:00.000+10:00

Day one, 3 years ago. Why we still do it...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1083020.ece

Winter

2011-06-06T09:38:00.002+10:00

Frosty mornings, warm fires, trips to the snow. Time to go underground and nurture the spiritual and physical. Looking into revisiting wholefoods, vegetarianism, and veganism. Lots of time for art and creativity. Get out of the head, and into the body.

Happy birthday beautiful boy

2011-06-04T21:50:00.001+10:00

Little messyfish turns 3

2011-06-03T20:05:00.002+10:00

Lots to do for his party. I am sewing a reusable birthday banner from scraps!

We didn't order a scary clown, or jumping castle... Just a big pile of new sand for our sand pit! Yipeeeeeeee.....

Home baking

2011-05-27T14:17:00.001+10:00

More pumpkins from the vege garden

Beautiful autumn orange

Making pumkin bread from Molly Katzen's "Enchanted Broccoli Forest".

Baking some sweet biscuits for the empty cookie jar.

Little Messyfish puts fun goodness on top of them.

Ceres garden Melbourne

2011-05-25T23:39:00.001+10:00

Our trip to Melbourne was not planned. We stayed longer than we expected. I even thought for a minute that I could live and work here.... But NO, I don't want to put little messyfish in child care. Then the city started to feel grey, and I was finding it hard to get outdoors. I have watched ALOT of TV! Visiting relatives has been amazing.... But when we visited the inner city permaculture gardens, and I spied all that organic produce, and marvelous vegetable gardens, and groovy cafe, and sweet city hippy mums, I knew it was time to go home, time to see what's growing in my vege garden, time to visit the recycle center and build a chicken coop in time for spring. Find a solution to the compost/mouse/snake dilema. Time to grow some cavelo nero (Tuscan cabbage)! Stroll down to the river and throw stones with little messyfish without a parking fine, gather kindling and sit by the fire doing craft, bake bread, sew and paint. Yipeeeeeeee! We leave in the morning.

Melbourne

2011-05-24T23:45:00.002+10:00

Vacation

2011-05-24T20:38:00.002+10:00

On vacation...

Melbourne

2011-05-21T16:14:00.000+10:00

La Trobe University. I've always loved the graffiti on the back of dunny doors in universities.

The thing I miss most about the city. It's cheap and amazing variety of ethnic foods.

A real Monet. Viewed at the Victorian Art Gallery. Big museums are the second most missed thing about cities.
Visiting lovely relatives, staying in a big old terrace house. Loving the soulfulness.

Bright

2011-05-21T00:15:00.001+10:00

The beautiful town of Bright in Victoria. A river town. I love the connection of rivers. Whatever happens upstream effects that downstream. The story of life really.
Latte's, giftshops, a toyshop for some birthday gifts for little messyfish, Chinese restaurant, lollipops, and of course... A visit to the library. Public libraries are so good for some "soft furnishings" time. Warmth, entertainment and a break from the sometimes harsh elements. Library time has really helped with homesickness with little messyfish. I love to sit in the cushions, and enjoy the kids corners too.

Now this is camping!

2011-05-18T15:12:00.000+10:00

Warmed by the fire. It's really hot, and makes a big difference to comfort level. We have been lucky, as weekend campers left us at least 4 days worth of wood. We have been budgeting, so this was a great bonus!

My current view

Our play area. Spent the whole day here doing art and creative play.

Little messyfish, feeding himself to sleep, courtesy of my body.

Mt Beauty

2011-05-17T19:44:00.000+10:00

We went to the town of Mt Beauty today. This is the view.

Surrounded by snow capped mountains.

Beatifully set kids park

Mad bike track.

I new once little messyfish started riding it wouldn't be long till I would be closing my eyes, turning the other way, and mentally noting where the closest hospital was...

Safely doing art at camp site. He is very big on colours. Bright colours! Funny that...

Hunches

2011-05-16T12:01:00.003+10:00

Follow that path, you never know where it may lead...
We love the state forest camping grounds. Free, wild, uncrowded.

Snow!

2011-05-16T12:01:00.001+10:00

We made it! Mt Hotham. Beautiful. 8c not too bad, and sunny

Snow capped mountains

2011-05-14T13:28:00.000+10:00

iPhone is not doing it justice...

Camping

2011-05-13T13:05:00.000+10:00

Victorian alps! We made it.... Camp is set up. It's freeeezing.

Little messyfish has been in the van the whole time. I don't blame him. It's so lovely and warm in there. We brought a big volume of golden books from vinnies for 30c. It's been entertaining him for hours. He has even started to ask me what the letters are. It's his first attempt to read! I hope he becomes a reader. There is so much fun, fantasy and escapism in books. But if he isn't, no worries.I will support him in whatever he likes (I hope!)

Personally, I am a big fan of mossy rocks, microcosm's, and fairy hideaways...

Road trip

2011-05-12T14:23:00.000+10:00

We are finally on the road of our month long holiday in the bongo van. This is the first time we have been riding all together! Usually little messyfish sits in the baby chair on the back of my bike. We went half way round the man made lake in the center of australia's capital city, Canberra. We are headed south now to the Victorian alps. It's been unexpectedly snowing. Wish we brought our snow boards too....

Pumpkins

2011-05-06T21:14:00.001+10:00

Beautiful pumpkins, grown from seed in our vege garden! It's been such a success, that we will double our growing area and get some chooks for the spring. I really want a compost again too, but I've been told that it attracts the mice, which attracts the snakes. They are deadly round here....unfortunately...

Sewing again

2011-05-01T14:00:00.001+10:00

Seems like little messyfish will only wear bright colours, elastic waists, no tags, loose fitting. Seems like mummy messyfish has the perfect solution!

Toys

2011-04-30T00:29:00.001+10:00

Some of little messyfish's favourite playthings.

Yellow chain from local hardware shop. Mini trampolene in the living room

Basket of pegs and wooden dowels

Rainbow blocks and animals of all kinds

Loads of art. Strangly though all craft gets destroyed. I give up. But paint paper markers and play dough are favourites.

Slime played with endlessly for two days straight, till it decomposed! (love the dinosaur foot prints).

Crazy

2011-04-28T19:08:00.002+10:00

Sometimes the crazy guys get hold...

Pastel

2011-04-28T00:12:00.001+10:00

I felt like doing something with colour tonight. I usually think about something I want to express when I do pastels. This one is for my friend Kerrie. Dark, brilliant, clashing, strong, sensual, alive.

Waldorf is wonderful

2011-04-22T10:17:00.002+10:00

I was drawn to it because of my background with children. None! I had no idea how to do it. Waldorf taught me about natural rythmns.

How to create peaceful beautiful environments.

To have regular meals. As an athiest I worked through my block about a meal time blessing. Little messyfish loves singing this one every meal. We all do!

Creative play using natural things, handmade things. My house is not cluttered with plastic imports destined for landfill. That was important to me. I hate the smell of large plastic toys.

Gnomes rock. Blanket stitching on wool felt is a favourite of mine (see pig).

Crafts and nature displays in the house I've always been into. Now I had a great excuse to go with it.

Waldorf crafts have been the best part. I will always do them. I will still do all that waldorfy stuff because it's about nature and the senses and quiet calm which I am into. It has protected my baby from the extremities of the world. I read in a waldorf early childhood book its ok not to take your baby to noisy shopping malls, and vacuum the house when they are around. I needed to hear this. I didnt know enough about listening to my intuition to give myself permission to not FORCE my child through these "normal" experiences so I could MAKE him "normal". I love that waldorf has helped me to create the environment that my Highly Sensitive Child needed. Now I can see how he is Highly Sensitive, and I dont have to hope it goes away. I can accept it, and do things to make his life happy. I can take him to less busy playgrounds, keep the radio off, vacuum when he is playing outside, not choose to live on a busy road, change his socks 5 times till he get a comfortable pair etc. Just imagine a Highly Sensitive child whose spirit has not been broken and whos self esteem has been nourished. The possibilities are beyond my thinking...

We strive for non violent comunication, freedom, autonomy over our bodies, protection of each others concentration, intuitive eating, acceptance of each other... Really. Patience with each others extreme sensetivites. Polar fleece socks at night, black textas and Manga, tiny tiny little plastic beads, watching finding nemo 3 billion times, artist quality pigment paints, and going down to the river to blackberry land for a snack. We choose it all. We choose our own unique balance. We listen, LISTEN to each other. Radical. The classic line from little messyfish...."mum, you like painting drawing, I like dvd's". Yep. It's true. So does his dad.
Childhood is not preparation for life, it IS life. Happiness is NOW. (i write all this because it's all new to me). My previous life before children was 70 hours work a week as a chef, eating standing up, going to sleep at 3am, being very hard on myself, ignoring all my needs, and generally over achieving in educational institutions to proove to god knows who that I was god knows what. Thank god I was blessed with a little boy who changed my world.
We are not "super sensitive" (with a negative put down "can you get over it" tone)...we are Highly Sensitive. That means we smell exquisite and delicate scents, see amazing variations of colours and tones and appreciate art, love music and all its variations etc etc. The best artists, musicians, chefs are Highly sensitive. Why would I want to smash this "out" of him. Or tell him I "have no time for this nonsense". Now I know why I have chosen a slow and quiet life. Because we needed it.

Not waldorf

2011-04-22T00:34:00.000+10:00

Why we are not doing waldorf anymore...

Because little messyfish just looooves textas (markers). Especially yellow and black. He draws lines and circles and "o's". He only ever builds things with his bees wax block crayons.... Never draws with them!

Stickers, especially puffy stickers of cartoon style animals are a favourite.

Hama beads. Tiny little plastic beads. He loves them. They are crappy cheap plastic. But excellent for his amazing fine motor skills. He has even taken one of his creations to bed with him.

Little messyfish likes bright colours. Pastels, and nature colours like brown and green are no fun! Lego is fun.

Beading. He has been playing with, sorting and threading beads for about 6 months now. It's the thing he does most.
I can not restrict his activities. He loves colour, cartoons and plastic. When I was trying to be as waldorf as possible (and not give him plastic toys) he would play with the corn holders (plastic) or vacume cleaner (plastic)!
When I withheld tv and screen time, the day I "let go" and decided to unschool, was the same day I found him hiding my iPhone under the pillows in the bed. He had worked out how to watch " the wiggles" on u tube.
I can have a loving, trusting and open relationship with a happy boy, or I can have a rule based, authoritarian house with a damaged and mistrustful relationship. Guess what I choose!

Consumed and loving it.

2011-04-16T14:57:00.001+10:00

I just live these red and white spotted mushrooms. There are hundreds of them around here this autumn. It must be the climate. It's cold and rainy. I found these under the pine trees at the place where I go to the indoor heated pool sauna and spa. (yep, its tough ...)

Our autumn table. Little messyfish loves it. It chock full of seed pods, seasonal crafts and found objects from our walks.

Made some Pear, Ginger and lemon jam. It's divine....

Little messyfish keeps a vase with flowers on his "work" desk. However he has surpassed himself this time. He loooooves yellow. Especially yellow flowers. He got his scissors and spent a good 40mins cutting them, choosing vases, arranging them, filling them with water, and then lining them up. I am so amazed and impressed I had to blog it!

My blog used to be called "messyfish illustrations" HA! Then I had a baby, then I found out about attachment parenting, co sleeping, extended breastfeeding, non violent communication, waldorf, montessori and eventually radical unschooling. Wow what a journey. I love my life so much I cry at it's beauty and gifts. I am blessed. I record it with photoes and words in this blog now. My creative energy is going into being a mum who can create a fun and happy and free life for my child. It's the most creative I've ever been. I have no resentments. I choose to do this. It makes me happy. There is a solution to everything that needs a solution if I am thinking creatively. Sometimes it's a drawing by me. Sometimes it's building Lego with my beautiful boy. Mostly it's about being open, honest and willing.

Colour

2011-04-11T19:36:00.000+10:00

Artist quality guache. Painted on paper with cotton buds by little messyfish and his little freind Emily.

Puffy fabric paint in flourecent colours. Choosen by little messyfish on a recent "let's go to shops and choose something fun trip".

Cornflour, vinegar and food colour paints.

Go crazy kids. You can paint on anything you like, except the vegetable garden!

Colour saves my sanity...
Linking to the very cool owlets in Tasmania here:
http://owlet-designs.blogspot.com/

Always learning

2011-03-29T23:34:00.000+11:00

This post is for me...to remind myself in the future of little messyfish's current favourite things to do...

Making shapes with his well loved ladybirds

Started a giant drawing together

Progress

Still going...

Voting at the nsw election last weekend.

Picking, collecting, roasting and tasting chestnuts for the first time. "luck!" (yuk)

Riding his bike round the house, reading Richard Scary books, playing with rainbow blocks, beading his own braclets.

Butcher hooks through tomatoes

Burying rainbow lorriket

Feeding icecream to everyone

Playing with pegs

Jarvis bay

2011-03-26T11:56:00.000+11:00

Our first camping trip as a family. We are intentionally and consciously creating family time. In nature. To celebrate the rythmns of the earth. We will be exploring a variety of different geographys. This time it's the beach. Camping means doing lifes basics together. Making a shelter, preparing food, playing, bathing, reading, observing nature, creating, art, resting, feeling, listening. Making decisions together. Respecting each others freedom.

Cow at the end of the rainbow

2011-03-24T21:47:00.000+11:00

I saw the end of the rainbow. It came onto the paddock. The cows were standing in it. I have a vague childhood memory of a book where the character never did get to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Everytime she got close, it just got further away.
How depressing.
Sounds like perfectionism. The worst form of self abuse. Never being good enough. Never getting there. Never being able to rest. Not being able to stop and say "I am ok". Having to smoke pot in my 20s just to slow down. Multi tasking.
I am learning to say I am good enough. I had a cup of tea and did nothing else but drink it and connect with my toddler today. I am recovering....

Love it

2011-03-23T23:29:00.001+11:00

Was misty and rainy. Drove home from the pool after dark and spotted a wallaby, zillions of little frogs hopping across the road, two owls sitting on the road, a fox, bunnys, and the mist incredible moon. iPhone doesn't do night pictures. But it did take this pic the other morning. It's just outside my window. Magnificant!

The shed

2011-03-20T11:46:00.001+11:00

I've mentioned the shed before. But I think it might be a regular post here. Locally grown, organic, freerange eggs. In season, great "green miles". CHEAP!!! $9.00 for this lot. Wow....

Breakfast

2011-03-20T08:38:00.000+11:00

Keffir soaked organic stoneground wholewheat pancakes. Eggs made by neighbours chickens. Local milk.

Warm nourishing setting. Flowers from the garden, little butter knife with butter on a pretty mismatched plate, warm peppermint tea for little messyfish, organic maple syrup in a little handpainted jug, organic beeswax candles, our mealtime blessing on a little card, needle felted seasonal fruit and veg in a dish with rocks and things collected on our morning walks.

Homemade bread toasted with lashings of rice syrup.
Time to serve it, eat it, wash up, read, blog, play.
I hear the magpies churtling. The mist outside is lifting. The cows chewing grass. Sitting and eating breakfast in our pj's.
We do this everyday. I have made conscious choices to not rush anywhere anymore. We were rushing to things that were not worth rushing too. This is Radical unschooling, radical homemaking. But it's not really radical at all. Normal and human if you ask me.
Oh is that the sunshine? Let's go to the Sunday farmers market little messyfish....?
(surely this can't really be my life... How did it get so good?)
Blessed.

Autumn rains

2011-03-19T16:16:00.001+11:00

Warm and creative indoor time.

Big school

2011-03-19T02:18:00.001+11:00

I love our daily walks. It's been misty for 2 days now. It's magic.

Let's go down here today

Through the clover into the dark

Rain had been falling softly. My first HP was a raindrop on a blade of grass

Learning where our wood for fires comes from.

Mushrooms everywhere in rainy autumn.

I am so blessed to be a stay at home mum in THIS!!!!

Moss and fungi is everywhere on the trees here. I just love it. It's where the fairies live.

If he gets wet socks or pants they need to come off. I learnt today in big school that telling him to leave them on till we get back to the house does not work. He is too sensitive for that. That's ok with me. The sensitive ones are the great poets, artists, chefs, musicians and dancers. Who am I to tell him to "toughen up", "get over it", "stop it"? It's about developing a trusting connection with each other. Loving him for who he is....
He hugged me so hard today and said "I love you soooooo much mum". This happens alot. I am so blessed.

Pastels

2011-03-14T22:42:00.002+11:00

Play dough recipe

2011-03-14T12:05:00.001+11:00

1/2 cup corn flour
1cup wheat flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tbsp oil
1tsp cream of tartar
11/2 cups water
Mix all together over medium heat in a pot till it's lump free, a thick play dough consistency and the salt is dissolved. 2-5 minutes.
Divide ball into individual portions and colour to your hearts desire.
Adjust dough with more flour or more water till you have a soft, smooth consistency.
Let your kid mix the colours. Don't have dumb authoritarian rules about what they can and can't do. Have fun. Make worms and smarties and balls.

Around our home

2011-03-11T12:50:00.000+11:00

Late tomatoes ripening. Ox heart, Roma, and grosse lizzie.

Chick pea soaking. Hummous is a favourite round here. Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage seedling ready to go into the vege garden.

Chicken stock bubbling away. It's soup season again.

Our table is full of autumn colours. Gorgeous red and yellow roses. Thanks mr messyfish xxx.

Lots of walks again now the sun is not so hot. Lots of seed pods to be found.

Rainbows painted on rainy days.

Bliss balls made with almonds, coconut, dates, coconut oil, rice syrup, vanilla, and carob.

Another batch of homemade muesli.

Change

2011-03-11T00:04:00.002+11:00

The lush green grasses have yellowed. The skies are grey and thundery. The winds are blowing. We have made little messyfish a kite. I am thinking about pumpkin soup. Walnut and sage bread. Mushroom rissotto. Apple cake. Where possible we eat seasonally and source it locally.
Little messyfish is more independant. He is experiencing the world. Some people are so kind. A stranger gave him raspberries as she picked them from her plot in the local community garden. Her son took him on an adventure and showed him all the things that were growing!
A 5 year old girl hit him and said she hated him and tried to get her friends to hurt him too. Her friend came up to me and said somewhat suprised "his not a bad boy!". I agreed. I didn't know that bullies were as young as 5. Nor that bullying could come completely unprovoked.
It's hard to be a parent. It's also the most joyful thing I have ever done.

Autumn pumpkin

2011-03-06T14:14:00.002+11:00

Goodbye summer

2011-03-05T23:36:00.000+11:00

We grew giant sunflowers from seed this year. What magic for kids! What fun for me.