Although there’s still nearly a fortnight left, this month has felt good. The world’s felt a little lighter, the weather’s been perfect (chilly nights and just warm enough days) and there’s been lots to look forward to. This is what’s been making me smile in May…
The return of face-to-face catch ups
The isolation restrictions surrounding COVID-19 have started to ease in Australia and we’ve been allowed to resume small social gatherings. It’s been so lovely to see family and friends once more and these get-togethers have made me appreciate the simple of joy of ‘catching up’ and spending time with those you care about. There’s been a sense of celebration about these face-to-face meetings, so with that has been some special treats to share: sticky ginger cake, platters of pickles and locally made cheese, and free range pork roasted alongside crispy potatoes.
Bottlebrush blooms
The bottlebrush (Callistemon) bushes in our front yard have erupted into a sea of bright red flowers. Bottlebrushes usally flower in spring and summer, but recent conditions must of just been right to enable another show of blooms. Being a native plant, the flowers also bring with them birds and bees and I quite enjoy watching our bushes throughout the day to see what’s feeding. While the flowers looks spectacular, they unfortunately don’t last particularly well once picked, dropping their fine stamens within hours. I think these bushes look their best in the late afternoon when the sun, low in the sky, casts a golden glow over them so the flowers look like flames waving in the breeze.
A sleeping baby
Teething has not been kind to baby Paul these last few months. So many times Adam and I have been convinced he’s about to break a tooth, but his gummy little smile still remains. It’s resulted in a very disrupted sleep pattern, with the need for lots of cuddles and comfort feeds overnight. It feels like everything has settled down in the last few weeks though, and he’s starting to have much longer stretches of sleep again. That makes the entire house much happier. Sleeping babies are truly one of the sweetest sights to behold and I love sneaking into Paul’s room to watch him, breathing steady, face content.
What’s been making you smile this month?
Have a wonderful week.
M. x
Wattle and Ash 
Hi Melinda,
After a Summer I think we had to endure rather than enjoy, Autumn is a welcome reprieve to lift the spirits. Our roses are in their third and finish flourish for the year, and we have noticed that with this final burst of colour the roses are softer and more delicate to reflect the season rather than the ones that bloom in high Summer.
Like you, cooking has been high on the agenda as we try to break away from tried and true recipes to be a bit more creative in lockdown. We tried cauliflower tacos, banana ginger cakes, prawn gumbo with homemade flatbread, to name a few.
We are also enjoying the break from the big dry and the flush of green that has embraced our little corner of the world.
Enjoy the remainder of the month.
Larry
LikeLike
Hi Larry 😊. Your roses sound beautiful, and isn’t fascinating about their changing colour?! I’m super impressed with your kitchen antics too, it all sounds delicious! Enjoy the green (and the reds and yellows in the trees) and stay safe.
LikeLike
Gosh, May has made me incredibly happy and content. My eldest child turned 14 whilst home from boarding school during isolation.
I dragged out the sewing machine again and made scrunchies for my daughter and her friends from scraps of liberty I’d collected since the 1980s.
It rained. And rained. And for the first time in years we have green grass and all the sheep are fat, and the ewes are in condition for lambing come July.
I completely embraced isolation and loved every minute of it
So glad to have found your lovely blog too!
LikeLike
Your May sounds divine Sarah, and so happy you’ve found this corner of the internet 😊. As a child of the 80s/90s I still can’t quite believe scrunchies have made a comeback. I can remember my mum buying me one at the school fete and it was made out of the same material as my school uniform – I thought it was pretty special! And yes, hurrah for the rain and a green world once again. When I lived in England people often asked me if I got sick of the rain. I used to tell them once you’ve lived through a drought, you never get sad at the sight of rain. Have a beautiful Sunday!
LikeLike