Love this !!!

Artist:  Anna Bocek   

Go have a look at her website (www.annabocek.com) - I am in total awe of her work!!

Wishing I could do this!

We do ...

image from inspired4youdecor

At the end of each day I have a few moments (just as everything is getting quiet and my eyes sleepy) that  I have a sigh filled with pure gratefulness ... for our home filled with love, time and family...AMEN

Ribbons Galore...

Ribbons .... I love ribbons! 

  

...the colors, the designs, the feel and mostly the potential.... "mmmhhm"

All these images I got from "Kamersvol geskenke" who is currently running a photographic competition on photos taken by bloggers at the Lourensford venue!( http://www.kamersvol.com ) 

I was at (Kamersvol Geskenke - translated: rooms full of gifts)  in Pretoria last year and I am definitely going again this year ...as a matter of fact I am counting the sleeps (24 to go!)  
It is an event filled with creativity, imagination, inspiration and all things pretty!!  

Glen Hansard - Song For Someone

Love this song -  If possible get the movie  "Once"  (one of my favorites)

Colour ..gotta love it!!

i feel better just looking at it ...

(Especially now with our dusty August winds gushing outside!) 

All images via   Elegance Within Me: Archive   ... be warned though, if you like looking at photos, you might just loose a few hours here!!

Soul-sister's saying..

 Had some fun on my new i'Mac photobooth...

 


I know I've mentioned it a few times in my blog already ... but I really do enjoy  Kelle Hampton! She just has this way of describing the things I'm thinking ...  "Soulmates" - I think you could say so... even though we've never met!  Anyway, if you have a chance, go have a look at her blog an feel inspired!!  
( Enjoying the Small Things )

So here is a quote from Kelle where she manages to give words to some of my 
(and sure many other "soul-sister's") thoughts :

"My point--and there is one--is that there's much in life to dabble in, and I want to swim in every puddle. 
I am, every day, entranced by the beauty that is motherhood and yet I still love the flippant energy of a night out alone with the girls. 
I am deeply spiritual, often brought to tears by images of God and Love that I find in everyday occurrences and yet I enjoy a hearty laugh from a good sex joke or Tina Fey's new book. I like to sip a cup of tea to Bach but still tip a martini to Euro Techno. 
And somedays, I'm boho-chic-funky-clog-girl and others, pin-tight-bun-and-high-heel-girl. 
I don't have a signature scent 'cuz I like too many damn perfumes, and while I pride myself on my Calm & Cool Mom title, today I laid down the law and it was anything but cool...or calm.





You can be a great many things. "
       


...to thine own self be true ...!!


So yesterday I really did lay down the law ... 'after having one of those days' - and it is okay to do that every now & then.  Sometimes being a mom I find myself questioning my actions, often wondering and hoping that I'm doing the right thing. In the end I do believe that by just doing my best it will work out! 

La Bella Maison

A bunch of us got together for an afternoon that really soothed all the senses ...
We were surrounded by beauty of stylish french decor with a quirky twist here and there.  The most scrumptious smells of baked chocolate cheesecake, lemon meringue, steaming savoury scones and of course delicious creamy cappuccinos and fragrant teas ...
But to me the most precious of all were the laughter, the sharing and the caring!
(more to follow on this gorgeous little gem of a shop called "La Bella Maison"

Broccolli for the soul...

I saw this printed on an apron at "The Old House Shop" in Pletteberg bay and loved it

thank goodness for having phones that can take pictures as well...

I love days like yesterday ... we had very dear friends over for lunch and somewhere between the laughter of our kids playing in tents, the clinging of glasses on a “cheers” between old buds, the smell of freshly brewed Gluwein and the sun feeling comfortably warm on my back ... I felt it ... a familiar feeling of loving this exact moment... the moment when you want the world to stop just long enough for you to really let it all in... family, our friends,  traditions, the weather, the sounds ...everything!

Sipping. Stirring. Laughing. Lounging. Lingering. Listening. Watching. Loving. Being...  

(words by kelle Hampton)

....Concentrated happiness! 

It is the intensity of moments like these that fuels me...( like broccoli for the soul!)  – moments that will carry me again when times are a bit difficult through the ebb and flow of life

  

Friendship to me equals comfort – yes, this might sound like a cliché but it is true that when you are with a good friend you can truly be comfortable with your surroundings, the way you look and more importantly the way you feel.  In this lies the one measure that I apply to all friendships ... how do I feel in this person’s presence – can I just be without feeling misunderstood, even judged? If the answer is yes then I think of you as a friend.

But in this friendship = comfort lies a trap ... Sometimes it is possible to become too comfortable in a friendship that one does not really put in enough effort in actually being with friends.  It is so easy just to let an organised visit slip by because of something else that came up with work or the kids etc. 

Especially in these busy lives that we have, we need to make the effort, plan the dates and stick to it!! 

If I realised anything after yesterday it was this:

Friendship is a feast celebrating laughter, dreams, plans, sorrows, achievements and plenty of memories...

It is always a grand occasion!

There will be many more of these occasions... Because there is much life to celebrate!!

"Lul" went by..

For the past few weeks I’v been in a “lul”  ...(somehow this was the only word I could think of to describe my lack of motivation)... it was like I just could not find the inspiration to do the things that I usually love doing.  Blogging for one ... sjoe,  how long has it been since my last post? (too long I know!). 

I can’t remember the last time I made a proper home cooked meal making and baking everything from scratch – I used to love that!  I do agree that having a “Woolies” nearby is so convenient – but is that another factor adding to my ‘lul’ in that it just made it easier to say: “ Ah whatever – let me just get a ready-made lasangne for supper tonight” ?

Could it be the winter weather? I don’t know, but I do know that I have to do something about this!  So tonight I am celebrating winter:  I’ve already brought in some logs for the fireplace, I went to “Woolies”, not for one of the gorgeous ready made meals but for a decadent bottle of red wine and I am cooking - 

“Ghoelasj-soup with sour cream and pesto”.

I got the recipe in one of my favourite magazines named "Idees" which means Ideas and trust me it is usually packed full of them. 

(see recipe – unfortunately it is in Afrikaans but if you are interested let me know and I will translate it)

Goodbye “lul”ing  and hallo to inspiration, to motivation and doing the 

stuff that I love..!!

Ghoelasj-sop met suurroom en pesto

Genoeg vir 8

Bereidingstyd: 20 minute

Gaarmaaktyd: omtrent 3 uur

Bestandele:

1.     30 ml olyfolie

2.     1 kg beesdikrib, in blokkies van sowat 4 cm gesny

3.     3 uie, gekap

4.     3 knoffelhuisies, fyngedruk

5.     30 ml koekmeel

6.     30 ml gerookte paprika

7.     2 x 410 g-blikke pruimtamaties

8.     1 liter beesvleisaftreksel

9.     2 rooi soetrissies, ontpit en in klein blokkies gesny

10.   250 ml suurroom

11.   80 ml roketpesto (sien die resep hieronder as jy dit self wil maak)

Metode:

1.     Verhit ’n swaarboomkastrol oor hoë hitte. Sodra dit warm is, moet jy ’n bietjie olyfolie ingooi en die vleis bietjies-bietjies oor hoë hitte bruin braai. Gooi, indien nodig, nog ’n bietjie olie in die kastrol om te keer dat die vleis brand en aan die kastrol vassit.

2.     Gooi die uie in die pan en soteer dit tot bruin. Voeg die knoffel by en gooi die vleis terug in die pan. Strooi die koekmeel en paprika oor. Roer dit goed en gooi dan die tamaties en die bereide beesvleisaftreksel by. Verhit tot kookpunt, verlaag die hitte en sit die deksel op. Laat dit saggies prut vir twee uur of tot die vleis baie sag is.

3.     Gooi die rooi soetrissies by en laat dit vir nog 30 minute prut. Geur na smaak met sout en vars gemaalde swartpeper. Sit voor met roketpesto en suurroom bo-oor, en rond dit af met nog ’n strooisel paprika.

Roketpesto

Meng 30 g (een pakkie) vars roket in ’n voedselverwerker saam met twee knoffelhuisies, 50 ml geroosterde amandels of dennepitte, 45 ml fyngerasperde parmesaankaas en 30 ml olyfolie. Pols dit tot dit ’n pasta vorm. Gooi nog 20 ml tot 30 ml olyfolie by en pols dit verder om deeglik te meng. As jy nie tyd het om dit self te maak nie, kan jy ook klaargemaakte pesto by jou deli of supermark koop.

Slowly but surely...

    

40 hexagons done -  250 to go .... 
That means I've finished about 20% of my first ever handmade blanket !!  (yes - it's a huge blanket !!)
I love the colours (there are plenty more waiting) and I can actually see it slowly but surely coming together... 

Life is Beautiful...

It is school holidays which usually mean that life is a bit busier than usual – and so it is, again (the reason why I have not been blogging for a while)

So much have happened over the past few fun-filled, hectic weeks... here are just a few of the many happenings which I loved:

 

We took Ralden to a rugby match at Loftus where he actually met his one big Bulls Idol – Pierre Spies.  He was thrilled and I think this must have been the highlight of his holiday.

 It was amazing to watch him ... my son is growing up too fast. The two men in my life having common ground and shared emotions at different stages of the game ... and my heart smiles because this is exactly what I have dreamed almost ten years ago since I found out the  growing little bulge in my tummy  was male...  That he is – he is just like his dad and I love that !

 

Uzaan and myself had some “girl-fun-time” as well.  We spent many moments together lying on a blanket under the tree chatting while the boys were playing cricket, etc.

 I took her to a hair salon for the first time for a cut&blow.  Up until now I was the one doing the cutting but decided that she should now experience the whole ritual as it should be ...     She was a bit scared at first but soon got into the whole thing and ended up very excited about her “short” hair.

 

Hubby and I took some well deserved time for ourselves as well, we went on a weeklong biking trip from Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay and back via Route 62.  We’ve done this trip a few times and every time is so special still. 

The little favourite places to sleep over or have lunch. Places where the owners have become part of our group of friends and we spent hours catching up on the times since we’ve last been there...

The few days together as just the two of us... the comfort in knowing that we can just be and enjoy while the kids are very happy being spoiled by Granny & Gramps.

But I think of all the many things happening in our lives during this very busy holiday time, one of my favourite things is just being at home doing as little as possible for as long as possible...

 

Uzaan's input

A while ago I was busy on my laptop with another photo collage for the blog when Uzaan asked what it was for... after some explanation on what a blog is, and why this one is called "Stuff that I luv"... she made me this picture of 'love',  that I am now using as my new header.

What can I say .... this is the stuff I luv !!  My daughter, thinking it is cool that I am doing this and wanting to be part of it!!   

More stuff to follow soon>>>

Coffee ... need I say more?

There are many things that excite me in an instant, but few of them as much as a well presented, aromatic, big cup of coffee!!

The first cup of the day will always be the most special - since it is usually made by and accompanied by my husband! There is no better way for me to wake up during weekends/holidays with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, held by my hubby with a very charming smile that says: “I know I’ve scored big on brownie points with this” And he would be right!!

Seriously though, I am very blessed to have a ‘fellow-coffee-lover’ as a husband who makes the time whenever possible to share in this relationship ritual.

During the week this ritual takes up a different form -  I like to think of it as the ‘breakfast-boogie’ where we dance around one another in the kitchen... me trying to get the kids fed and ready for school and him trying to get the coffee pot going and the cups filled. 

But once the kids left for school we have a few minutes to sit outside, catch our breath and start our day filled with hope & joy...

Still my favourite mugs - a gift from Ansa!

Then there is the ‘going out for coffee’ and everything that comes with it  -

The unmistakable “Mmhhhmm” that comes with every first sip of a good cuppacino, easy conversation shared between me and whoever is joining me and the ‘heart-smile’ I get when I am doing something that I love. 

Going out for coffee to me is more than just sitting down for a few minutes and enjoying a cup of warm fluid together (or even alone...)

 Going out for coffee to me is a sensory accumulation... 

No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odour to the nostrils.  ~Henry Ward Beecher

Drinking coffee is not just an action it’s an experience... 

A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent. 
(Anonymous) 

So often I take a photo of my cup with my cell phone.... I lost count on how many of these moments have been captured and sent to friends and family (especially those far away) in the hope that they too will feel the contentment for a few stolen minutes in which I can just sip and mmmhhmm...  One of the many “joys in my life” (as my niece calls it). 

I hope they (the recipients of my many coffee-pic’s) realise that I send these photo’s wishing them the same joy but also wanting them to know that  I am wishing we could share in that very specific moment...  

So while I'm on my way to pour in my last cup of coffee for the day I will leave you with a few good quotes on coffee:

Over second and third cups flow matters of high finance, high state, common gossip and low comedy.  [Coffee] is a social binder, a warmer of tongues, a soberer of minds, a stimulant of wit, a foiler of sleep if you want it so.  From roadside mugs to the classic demi-tasse, it is the perfect democrat. 
 ~Author Unknown

I don't have a problem with caffeine.  I have a problem without caffeine!  

~Author Unknown

Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee. 

 ~Stephanie Piro

All the coffee in Columbia won't make me a morning person.  

~Author Unknown

MmmHHmmmm .......

love this...

Yesterday Ralden (age 9) brought this home from school ... 
Isn't it precious !!!
The teacher asked them to share their favourite things and to think about what it is that keeps them going ...
I just love this ... made a copy to frame for his room as well.


Oh - if you were wondering his favourite food is STEAK!


Have a good week!

Camping, Cows and "Kleilat"

Last weekend we went camping with a couple of friends.  It was marvellous and magical in a meaningful way ... 

I think as a mom you get to experience things like this in a different way.

The glint in your child’s eye when you first mention the fact that we are going, the excitement when they have to sort out their things that they want to take along... and then getting them to pack half of their room’s content back.

The actual journey to our camping destination filled with ... “are we there yet”

My kids love camping trips – like I used to as a child (and the inner child in me does love it still).  I am not sure what it is about camping that is so magical because, let’s face it, it can be a bit uncomfortable cooking meals outside and fighting off the insects although that is some of the magic as well ... cooking outside and playing war with bugs...

Camping to me is getting away from all that is ordinary ...  It is like the rushing world has come to a stand still for a while where you can really just be – you enter into a world of adventure.

It’s cosy sitting around a fire just chatting with excited kids reliving their day of adventures filled with giggles. And later when all the activities are taking its tall and the kids start falling asleep on laps there comes a different quiet peace.

You hear so much more - distant weather rumbling, the crackling of the fire, the night sounds of owls and if I’m lucky the cry of a jackal (love that sound),

You see so much more – the soft light of the flames on our friends faces, the contentment and the easy conversation under a sky filled with stars like it’s rarely seen ... and the little phrase that always comes to mind on nights like these:  “Starlight starbright- first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might – have the wish I wish tonight ....  

  

The place we went camping is like a piece of heaven for kids – complete with cold and heated swimming pools, bicycle tracks, hiking trails, farmyard experiences, entertainers that play games like treasure hunting, coin dives and of course “kleilat”.  I really thought long and hard for the English translation with no success (let me know if you have it)

Anyway, kleilat is a game that I used to play as well, growing up on a farm with two brothers.

Basically it is slinging a mud ball from a stick ... aiming at a target – which usually ends up to be one-another... great messy, sometimes a bit painful fun!!!

I think these photos explains it best:

Then there were the farmyard experiences for the kids (and me reliving a small part of my childhood) -  Milking a cow ...

It was a good week end filled with the stuff that I love ...!!!

Questions..??!?...

I have not been here for a while, I know... it is not that I don’t know what to write – it’s that there is so much that I want to share that I don’t really know where to start!!

My life lately has been filled with many moments of ‘little-happening-moments’ of love, laughter, learning and loveliness ... I wish you could see into my mind and experience what I feel when I’m trying to capture all the ‘little-happenings’ into words... (let me just say that the backspace is working well tonight) 

You know that life, in the end, is about all the little moments of everyday ‘happenings’ and learning to make something of them.

The inner me was asking a lot of questions lately .. well, more than usual...

Questioning is good – it forces me to stand back and take a look, to act on that what I feel is the right things for me and my family...    But somewhere between the questions and the actions I realized that the answers aren’t that important ... I am where I am supposed to be ... I am a wife, I am a mom, and I am happy being just that!   

So, I decided that being a working mom is not for me and I am blessed that I can choose this. 

I am blessed to have a supportive husband.  I am blessed to have kids who love having me helping them with homework. I am blessed to have the time to be at my son’s cricket match. I am blessed to be here when my daughter wants to play “make-ups”.

A good lesson which was also a huge blessing!!

I am overwhelmed with gratitude – and a feeling of “I am right where I am supposed to be” 

I think Kelle Hampton said it best in one of her blogposts:  “Because where I am feels good. I am learning. I am striving to be more. I am loving, and that alone makes me happy. 

(If you have not been to her blog yet – you should! It is like she is putting the words to my soul’s inner voice!  { see 'Blogs that I luv'  - Enjoying the small things }  I really do enjoy her writing style, her photography and the fact that it feels like I’ve known her for a lifetime – yet never met her!

Anyway, my list of latest little-happy-happenings are foremost the time we’ve spend as a family enjoying everything from school cricket matches, riding bicycles to camping and milking cows...  But all this I will elaborate on in the next post ...which will be soon, I promise! 

  

For now I will say goodnight and leave you with a picture of one of my favourite local artist's paintings - (Hannlie Kotze)   I just love her work!! 

                                                 

 I

A Fragment in life’s heart...

When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you yield to him,

Though the sword hidden among his pinions

May wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,

Though his voice may shatter your dreams.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.

Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your

tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,

So shall he descend to your roots and shake them

in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He shifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire,

That you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may

know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge

become a fragment of Life’s heart....

Taken from “The Prophet” – Kahlil Gibran

May you love and be loved .... especially on this day when we celebrate just that!!