This time last year Australia was coming to grips and saying farewell to an unforgettable summer. There’d been immense bushfires, extreme heat and huge swathes of the eastern seaboard had been shrouded in thick smoke for weeks on end. In comparison, this year has been mild, rainy and now it’s COVID-19 which is top of mind.
While we’ve still got a couple of weeks of February left, there’s already been hints of the change of season – and as many of you know, autumn is my favourite time of the year. I hate wishing away time though, so instead of looking ahead, l want to concentrate on the now, so here’s what’s been making me smile this month…
SUMMER STORMS
Goodness me we’ve had some cracking summer storms these last few weeks. Big, brooding beasts of heavy rain, strong winds, booming thunder and spectacular lightning. I love a good storm. Even as a child I can remember sitting and watching wild weather and being fascinated by it. There’s something about the random, turbulent nature of storms that just captures my imagination. There’s the initial build up, where you watch the clouds gather and darken, then the actual storm itself, and finally the quiet coolness that envelopes everything once the rain has passed. To me, a storm almost feels like a play in three acts, or a great literary masterpiece – a dramatic, momentous occasion that draws you in and leaves you a little bit in awe of the world around you.
IMAGINATIVE PLAY
Paul is almost 17 months old now and over the last few week I’ve started to notice the start of his imaginative play. A lot it centres around him imitating daily actions like drinking or eating – he’ll pretend to pour something into a cup and then drink from it, or offer it to me, or a toy. It’s so exciting watching that ability emerge. Paul also has developed a real fondness for everyday objects. He’s got his favourite traditional toys- his box of Duplo (which once belonged to my brother and I) and a set of colourful wooden cars, but he also loves just finding things around the house too. He’s obsessed with our vacuum cleaner, has an empty 10 litre water container he likes to carry, and the other day he spent probably close to an hour pushing our mop bucket around the living room. It really does hit home the point that young children don’t need a lot. They can turn just about anything into a toy.
SCHITT’S CREEK
Adam and are very late to the Schitt’s Creek bandwagon, but boy am I glad we jumped aboard. Numerous friends recommended the series to me, but it wasn’t until a few weeks ago that we actually started watching. We’d been told the show steps up a level after series one, and I’m so glad we persisted because I wasn’t convinced initially. It’s one of those television series where you become heavily invested in the characters and their story lines and now with only a few episodes to go, we’re dreading the end. It’s a show that manages to be funny and poignant at the same time, and while Wagga Wagga isn’t as tiny as Schitt’s Creek is made out to be, Adam and I can totally relate to the some of the ‘small-town’ antics the show centres on. We often watch an episode or two on Adam’s phone in bed of an evening, snuggled up and it really is a part of the day we look forward to. I’ve got a feeling it’ll be one of those shows, we’ll end up watching again (and possibly again) because it’s just really quite lovely.
What’s been making you happy in February?
Have a wonderful week.
M. x
Wattle and Ash 