A Week of Easter Goodness Pt 6...

Easter Sunday.

An eggy topped cake baked by myself in the morning, and general preparations for an afternoon feasting in celebration that He is risen! in the sunshine with the family, singing songs and watching the children perform their yearly Easter play.

The only thing I love more than celebrating Easter, is teaching the story to our children so that they too know how to, and why we celebrate it...

Then later on, I had the opportunity to make a brief appearance at the Folk Festival to watch my three sisters & brother do a swing dancing display which had my toes tapping, and my inspiration soaring at the thought of singing some of this kind of music in an upcoming songsmith adventure...

So a happy, happy Swinging Easter to you!

(And I'd love to know how you made yours special)?

Shell xx

A Week of Easter Goodness Pt 4...

Thursday.  Day four of Easter goodness...

Is a fresh lunch consumed in the Autumn sun out of doors, followed by a walk down the paddock where Kangaroos play...

{Photo by Emma Tully}

{Photo by Emma Tully}

With Beatrice trotting alongside smiling!

{Photo by Emma Tully}

{Photo by Emma Tully}

And gorgeous native berries, a pleasure for the lens to behold.

Followed later by my darling nephew's 6th birthday party.

And much later, decorating eggs with my babies by lamp light.  

I am looking forward to a reflective Good Friday, 

a road trip planned on Saturday, 

a feast and new life celebration on Sunday which honours our Lord and Saviour.

And not forgetting to slow down a little myself, so that I can feel and enjoy everything all the more.

Shell xx

A Week of Easter Goodness Pt 3...

Wednesday is a slow, and considered breakfast before a fast moving day...

And tea is taken with some very delicious Easter treats.

I hope your week is blessing you with small treasures too.

Shell xx

A week of Easter Goodness!

I simply adore Easter time!  It's a precious season, one I think should be celebrated as seriously as the  other major Christian holiday on our calendar...  So I thought I would post everyday throughout this special week of Easter {from the Monday before, up until Easter Monday} about the preparations, prayers, reflections, gatherings, feasts and celebrations that are going on in and around my home at this time of year.

So Monday morning was a good start to a special week with an early soccer match on Foxtel.  

Liverpool FC were playing and sisters were coming over to watch it with us and to enjoy the camaraderie of team spirit.  However when I say us - I don't really mean myself, because I completely don't understand sport of any kind!  But I do relish the idea of early morning guests with regard to designing a menu to tantalise the committed football fan.  So I made drop scones with thickened cream and homemade mulberry jam, pipping hot tea, and we sat and delighted in the first day of Easter goodness on into the morning light.

 

Last week sadly, my poor old fridge passed away - and the first sign of it's sudden yet timely demise was the smell of my stockpiled frozen bananas {which were waiting to be turned into homemade banana bread} melting into banana puree'!  So I put together some money I had saved for a rainy day, and bought this magnificent not-so-white white good!

And I only tell you this story in the context of Easter because I'm so happy with my elegant space on the top shelf for a delightful store of Easter eggs - in the form of Lindt bunnies and Cadbury Chickens!

Day one.  Sorted, and successful!

To be continued...

Shell xx

Easter Moments...

 Late night egg painting...

Over night bush camping... 

Easter Sunday bush egg hunt... 

Filling my lungs with gums, and clean bush air...

Long walks through winding gullys, feeling my country, under my feet...

Finding a trap door spider's hole..!

And a deserted orchid... 

Encouraging my obsession with mossy twigs...

Dreaming into waters...

Painting the afternoon through... 

An evening performance by the Tully children of the Easter Story...

{Seen here, Finn portraying Mary Magdalene weeping at Jesus' empty tomb.}   

Campfire songs... 

Copious amounts of tea {which tastes entirely better when boiled over a campfire!} 

Just general, uninterrupted Australian beauty...

So much sky...

And my loves near, 

For such a special celebratory time,

While we remembered and rejoiced,

In our Lord's sacrifice, 

For our own lives.

And I whispered to myself as I fell asleep underneath the stars;

"He is risen!"

...and loves all that is good.

Hope you had a magnificent Easter.

Shell xx

Studio Video Blog #1 - and other stories...

Hello dear friends.  I come to you today with much to share of recent doings.  Mostly music related.  But first, I want to wish a most magnificently Happy, warming and reflective Easter to all.

I have been in the studio much of this Good Friday, as well as general mothering, and preparing for our very family focussed rest-of-Easter-weekend-special-trip {more details soon!} and I am, at this minute baking a delicious Good Friday dinner, and remembering that my precious life was bought, by our Lord, at the cost of His only son, to save all our lives - which I reflect on, often, and especially this day.

So, today there are wooden Easter eggs hanging from anything I can find.  And some serious vocals going on!

My Jamie friend is here too.  

Aiding my pursuits, and twanging guitar strings...

And - Studio Video Blog #1 - has arrived!  Fresh off the digital press!

...Hideously full of my human-ness, my blunders, my hopes, laughter and passion to create a piece of sonic art.  I am new to this way of expressing via video - and hopeful, grateful for your acceptance, company along the way.

Voila!

Bless you, and thank you and hold tight, more to come...

Shell xx

He is Risen!

Give thanks...

Shell xx

Easter Sunday...

Started with fresh, hot croissants for breakfast with whipped cream and raspberry chilli jam;

All the usual confections;

Sitting outside in the afternoon sun while Tara amused me with a pair of her big sister's goggles;

Sunning my feet, and smiling at the quiet, loving, free - fantastically free life...  Praise the Lord!

Happy Easter.

Shell xx

A walk in the rain...

We were threatened with rain when setting out on our Good Friday picnic down the paddock yesterday, but had high hopes for returning sun.

We had chicken soup under a tree, as the sun promptly arrived;

I put my Nikon to the test by zooming up on mountains;

And stopped to hug trees - how impressively big is this one?!

Walked home with Tara holding my hand, and thanked the Lord for giving us such inspiration, and guidance in Jesus; and remembering, to remember this, at Easter.

Shell xx