Clover Daisy Chains

It must be that time of year again. This year is going ever so fast!

But there is clover everywhere around.

Maybe I've spent enough years teaching the girls to make daisy chains or sit amongst the clover but this time they've done it all on their own.

At a party a few weeks ago apparently my daughter sat down and taught others how to do it.

Last week the eldest headed to the park and I joined them later with the youngers and while I was talking to another mum they headed to the far end of the park.

I came along later and found them like this.

Do you ever feel too busy, the kids watch too much tv, computer etc? Noone wants to leave the house or listen or its just all too much? {especially when you long for some other nostalgic life?}

Well I feel like that plenty and even though it was only 30 mins out in the clover patch it made me so happy. I want a simple, happy childhood for them.

It also makes me happy when they do things self guided.

Maybe one day when I'm gone {or they're grown}

they'll remember that we used to sit in the clover each spring and make daisy chains.

 

PS Reminds me of the wonderful lightbulb moment I had last year making these and 2011

Clover

I don't have much reason to head down the side of my house
(even though thats where the clothes line is :)

so the other day I was surprised to see it was a SEA of clover.

But I love clover (almost as much as dandelions remember? ) such a lover of weeds I am.

Or Bee food as I like to call it and we all know bees need all the help they can get.

We've made daisy chains a few times before but it's been a while.

Maybe this could be a spring  tradition?

Twice yesterday I sat on the ground with the girls and made clover headbands, bracelets, anklets and rings.

So relaxing.

We even spent some time photographing our bee friends.

I'm sure there are more indepth, neater ways to make daisy chains but basically I just use my thumb nail to put a slit in the middle of a clover stem. Then thread another clover through the hole. Then make a slit in the new attached clover and continue on till desired length.


Our neighbourhood is full of clover so go and enjoy laying in the grass making chains.

Daisy Chain Moments

Had a lightbulb moment via another today


There is a large park we have to pass through on our way to school.

Often Miss N asks to stop. Most times I have to say no.
{We are late, too busy, on our way to another place, have to rush home, on bikes etc}

All too often I take us in the car and we bypass the opportunity to relish in our community


Today I deemed it was the only day this week with nowhere for me to be

We would walk!

On the way back I offered - would you like to stop at the park

A BIG YES and a big smile


We sat and played.

Then I noticed all the clover coming out

Each year we sit and make daisy chains out of clover - see here and here

I thought we could sit and make some.

Picking and Sitting and Joining flowers



 I notice a young man sitting on the swings nearby watching us.

I thought it a little odd but kept going about our business

A few minutes later he approaches and asks if he can take a polaroid photo of us
{he was shy and said its really hard to ask people permission to photograph them}

He is documenting people in Brisbane enjoying 'free' pursuits

He was so intrigued and admired that we were sitting making daisy chains in a public park

It was for a university assignment but he hopes to become a documentary photo journalist one day

I gave my consent and four very expensive polaroids were taken of us.

(Polaroid no longer make the film but gave their 'recipe' to another company that has started manufacturing it - however they can not manufacture it perfectly and the film has different results each time and is often badly exposed and only half works out - which adds to its creative look)

Had the most lovely chat and we parted ways with words of I hope you achieve your dreams.
I thanked him for literally making my day.

Tears welled up in my eyes on the way home

That young man touched my heart. He reminded me of perhaps the hundreds of moments I have missed in the rush of life. The thousands of times I have had to say no. That he saw some type of beauty in a few precious minutes of time spent with my child.


That indeed the best things in life are free.


*and today a day later I was at the park and the field of clover was gone.

Mowed over.

Precious moments are truly fleeting and must be caught!

Grandparents Christmas Dinner

Our favourite tradition

Last night after it was done I was even thinking about next years menu.

Food was delish

company wonderful

Kids with Gifts

Watching slideshows of the years photos

And I got my first napkin rings!! {I've been on the lookout for a while!}

The Menu

 

Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup

***

Chicken Kebabs with Mango Peanut Lime Sauce

***

Beef fillet on bed of creamy mash, asparagus and jus

***

Lemon Curd Tartlet, Gingerbeer Chocolate Cake, Meringue with Rasberries

 

 

One of my girls is learning how to send emails. During the busy preparation of the day I recieved this email which made my heart melt - The subject line said 'sup'

hi mum it's me!! I think you've put alot of effort into cleaning cooking and getting redy for grand perants dinner I bet tonight will be awesome it's gonna be so fun like it always is. lol oh and I'm happy it's holidays the holidays is fun. but when are we going to the movies with dad or you?

please send a email back to me

 

 

When the kids are little and they're tired and its hard to organize and cook a fancy dinner and keep the house clean and look after them it sometimes seems so hard to do these things. Then the kids grow and they know they've had 8 years of this tradition and they know it in their hearts, its part of them and they become helpful {sort of}and things seem easier {apart from the hot weather and sweating it out in the kitchen} then they want to be part of things and their idea of decorating is vastly different from yours and you have to step back from being OCD balanced decorating mum and let them make daisy chains and paper trees, while they forget about garish tinsel they had taken from school with grand plans for it. You let all children use crystal cups you got for a wedding present 14 years ago and they love it and the glasses live another year! And great grandma's send along really annoying presents which make you laugh cause only great grandma's have the authority to give annoying presents and we have to grin and bear it as thats what family is all about.

 

And we love it.

 

 

 

Previous Grandparent Dinners found here:

2011
2010
2009
2008