Prepare 2011

1000 steps Dandenong Ranges photo by Ern Mainka

As I said before, new years rock.  The year that was 2010 was indeed huge.  When I began this year I had been a mum for 6 months and being a mum has pretty much defined the year for me.  I've had some very low points and some very beautiful moments that filled my soul to the point of bursting its banks.  Now that my girl is a toddler there is so much energy about her. I marvel at how fast she is learning about her world.
The second half of 2010  began our "fun day", day or 2 that my husband and I get off work.  Yesterday was such a day.  We did the 1000 steps....whoah ! hard work but wonderful setting and a great way to recharge the soul.  We then hit our favourite cafe ...the smoothest coffee the most unexpected meals made from local produce.  Art, ambiance, a place where i feel most like myself apart from home.  I speak of Ripe in Sassafras.

Ripe Cafe

The year as a garden bed

just had a drink from the watering can

The Christmas season has been super and in a few days we will enter 2011.  I get a kick out of moving into a new year.  It's like preparing a fresh garden bed.  By the end of the year it will be full and abundant...but with what?  The key for me is mental preparation and organisation so i end up with a fruitful year and some great surprises thrown in.

Happy plants

The down pour across Victoria has been great for ou gardens and water catchments. This artichoke flower is HUGE.  The plants are looking a little triffid like, i think.  You can tell its part of the thissle family.  The plants have been put too close together so this end of Summer maybe Autumn i am going to make it my bussiness to move 2 of them and see how they go in a differnt location, give them a bit mor nutrition and i might get a better crop...we shall see.

Feels a lot like Christmas

In the Colby house we set up our tree about 1 month before Christmas. This year it was time for a new tree (that did not look like a giant pipe cleaner) and we had our daughter "helping".
It looks splendid.  This 7 ft Hudson will be our family Christmas tree for many years to come.  Our little girl enjoyed all the weird new objects and boxes.  She got into every thing.