Fit, for a Queen...

I simply adore the queen!  And I have borrowed, (not only one of her family photos!) but also a little of her English summer here in Australia, by cheering along with the diamond Jubilee celebrations - staying up late and marvelling at the telecasts of the various events over the last weekend...

My friend is due to away before long now and I am always heart warmed by his gentle reading voice to stories and narratives to our babes at night before bed...

Me, I have been working up a sweat and keeping to a fitness regime which is paying off in more ways than I could ever have imagined - I feel like a worrier of strength, to strength, to strength!  And more like my real self, really, than ever...

On Monday - which was our official Queen's Birthday holiday - I baked scones and shared them with cream, butter, streamers and jam!

We built a bon fire in the evening and put on our winter-warmest-wool-and-wellies to enjoy the festivities on a particularly chilliy night, gathered around the fire, we toasted marshmallows and chatted and celebrated in the name of the life, the service and the gracious longevity of such a magnificent queen!

Shell xx

See no grey...

As I pull open the cotton curtains in the sunroom on a foggy end-of-Autumn early morning, my friend remarks to me, 'gosh it's awfully grey out there!'

I look, but I see no grey.

I put on my shoes and twist in my headphones, open the door up and I go out to run.

I see golden leaves almost completely fallen before the impending winter, houses in the suburbs quiet and still, fellow joggers focused but friendly as they pass me on the track.  I see the pounds falling away from my body, as the weeks go by...

There is no grey.  I am alight with every colour.

Shell xx

Autumn's finery...

Taking time to think up thoughts 

and consider the next few weeks

with my husband/best friend away again

Finding beautiful places where Autumn goes to town

in all of it's finery to do such thinking.

Obsessing (in these thoughts) about weight loss & running

But also remembering to slow, 

and to stroll...

~ all things in moderation ~

So in taking time to think up thoughts

I celebrate the day with distance running

followed by hot porriage

Strong tea to counter

the Autumn chill

Warm words to love and support my husband from afar...

Finding new ways to nourish my children

and myself

in every way.

Every day,

I celebrate.

Shell xx

Sunday/Monday...

So after an absolute marathon of a Saturday [pun intended] - my friend and I decided we would make a  true culinary treat of our Sunday - because while working hard is my favourite pass time - playing hard, and eating well is the delight and the balance of what life is all about in my opinion!  And what better way to treat one's self than with homemade Sunday brunch!

  Cucumber sandwiches, fresh fruit, poached eggs & sourdough toast!

And I whipped up my first ever batch of buttery homemade scones from an old English recipe!

On Monday the banquet continued after I rose with the sun and laced up my running shoes to complete another 4K run before diverting past my raspberry bush for these beauties to jazz up my porridge!

And lunch looked like left over quiche, freshly picked parsley, carrot sticks, hommus and green tea.

It felt like a celebration.  Which food always is to me.  I love being more accountable for what I eat of late, which somehow, and most unusually, makes every meal I prepare and partake in taste even better!

Wishing you a delicious week!

Shell xx

Be my guest...

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a guest blogger for the beautiful Sarah over at the reflective and heartfelt blog Middlepaw in order to share my "love story" with a selection of other loving bloggers leading up to Valentines day.

So I thought it fitting to share my post here as well as there...

The first time I saw Jamie, I was both terribly impressed, and totally convinced that somebody that well bred, well read, with a face that perfect, and a heart that kind, could never become a beau of mine!  So therefore I didn't giggle or pose, or play any games, I just spoke to him - and we became friends.  There was a light which awoke inside me when we spoke, and before long I knew that he was to be my rescuer.  And soon after that he did become that beau of mine, but it ended up being a case of two very best friends, falling in love.

We were to do the rest of our growing up together as a couple, having being married at ages eighteen and nineteen.  For us this was the natural next step for our friendship, love and commitment - it was wonderful!  We were blessed to be able to live together in a gorgeous little historic cottage on Jamie's parent's family farm.  Our days and nights were filled with love and laughter, and learning every part of who each other were.  Our cares were not for money, possessions or anything except time spent together - this was our treasure, and in that we were rich indeed!

The creative thread which runs through our partnership is music, and we have had the most amazing adventure so far being able to work together as musicians in our band and tour overseas.  But perhaps the most special gift has been becoming parents to five special and amazing small people!  Making a home with them and living the good life where family comes first, and love never fails. 

I have had tremendous trouble putting into words what my love story means to me, it's so hard to explain without a poem or a piano near! other than to say that I know I was rescued by that well bred, well read, beautiful man (both inside and out), and as we enter into our fifteenth year of marriage I can honestly say he is still my best friend.  And I am still his.  

And we're just getting started!

Shell xx

A family day (in blues and greys)...

You may be knowing that my husband is home after a long stint away working hard for his family (and his country)...

So we made a trip towards the sea (even though the weather was a little less than sunny).

 

Oliver enjoyed his first crawl on the wet sand.

The colours were magnificent - and so different from a typical Australian summer's day on the coast.  It felt all the more special to have to cove all to ourselves as a result of the grey and drizzly day.

And to be once again with my friend made everything right.

Shell xx

Fifteen Years (and counting)...

~ Our wedding in 1996 ~ 

On Tuesday my best friend and I celebrated Fifteen years of marriage together!

And for a short time (with baby Oliver in tow) we escaped to a sunny city together to soak up some ocean air and a little city chic living!

We ate our way through the city - enjoying everything from High Tea, to seafood Laksa!

It was a fab few days we took to celebrate our blessed and devoted friendship, partnership and enduring love for one another.  

I cannot begin to impart how much I love this man - only I suppose to say - that I am inspired to love him more and better everyday, by the love and kindness he shows to me.  

Here's to us JT - and many, many more anniversaries.

Shell xx

Give me a home amongst the Gum trees...

I walk most days through the gums and the oak trees, up the round hill and back down again.  Usually before eight in the morning I have stretched my muscles, sweated at my brow, and witnessed the view from what I think is one of the most beautiful places in my little corner of the Land Down Under.

I recollect here - but today I give you these perfect purple and red dried gum leaves which I can rarely resist picking up off the ground around my steps down the mountain.  I am enamored with the veins running through them, the holes and cracks, the curves and the texture, the way they already look like fossils before my lens.  I could go on, and on...

I have also, finally got my own home made bread thing happening!  At the moment I am churning out these crusty, rustic, tasty, Irish soda bread loaves - and they are a picnic-ers heaven!  They take about 5 minutes to prepare, and 35 minutes or so to bake!  Last sunny Sunday I sliced some cold left over roast, whipped up a salad & flask of tea - with this bespoke bread baby on board we were on our way to Floriade to enjoy it with some friends & family - and to catch a Swing big band in the afternoon sun amongst the blooms!

{Discussions are also rumoured to have taken place about The Tullys forming a bit of an old timey Swing band thing...}

In short, it was a wonderful day spent with my babies, and my best friend in tow!

And speaking of babies...

Mine is getting bigger, bubblier and more scrumptiously, kissably, lovable everyday!

So!  

That is me...

...of late,

for now,

& in short!

Apologetically late-

pathetically slow-

inexcusably tardy-

but forever yours,

affectionately!

Shell xx

A week of homeness...

I've had people staying in my apartment in the city for ten nights, so no making beds or cleaning for me to earn my crust this last week.  Just sitting back a little in my chair and taking time to be at home...  Funny how with more time up my sleeve, I didn't get to this space to blog at all in that time!  

But I did get to use my camera to frame a few moments of this week of homeness...

Much sitting in my slippers, and watching my baby learn to crawl.

And taking time to make a study of my children's shoes by the door.  Which, oddly enough, fills my heart with joy, with hope, and then a bit of sadness that they might (will) grow up one day,

 and walk away,

 and leave their shoes by another door...

*sniff*

With a husband home for the week with me, we finally ripped out our tired old leaky kitchen sink and popped in a new one!  Made from inexpensive Ikea cupboards & doors, and a bespoke cyprus work top made completely by the hands of my clever friend.  A gorgeous tap purchased online, and a sink gifted to us by my most generous mother in law.  Love you mumma xx

At the weekend The Tullys played for scores of happy people at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra (photograph of soundcheck) until we all turned into pumpkins!

And Tara formed a band (with her cousins, and her Grandad!) on Sunday afternoon so that she could "sing like Mummy"!

So I'm thinking, it was a week made of win!  Of anticipation for a promising Spring,
of working hard,
of staying home and close,

to that and those, 

I love.

How was your week?

Shell xx

In song...

This afternoon, my dearest friend (who, in a rare move, has not been at work all weeeeeek!) and I, sang along at the top of our voices while building the bench top for our new kitchen sink (pictures to follow)...  And I just wanted to tell you how well it made my soul to sing, and play and work with wood alongside my most favourite-est husband ever!

Shell xx

Every now and then... a little Swishy swishness!

I had to be in town today to meet a friend, and check some guests into Argyle, my little holiday apartment.  And while doing a little bit of window shopping in between, I seem to have found myself inside the doors of a swish boutique - and very soon afterwards I was the proud owner of some pretty swishy swish leather upper & soled, gold ballet flats!

I am now feeling all special and sparkly, and am childishly wearing them non-stop, glancing romantically down at my feet every few minutes - then experiencing mild anxiety attacks (also known as byers remorse)!  And then reminding myself that a little bit of swishy shishness is okay, and perhaps to be advised advised, every now and then...

Shell xx

Making music on a Sunday...

I don't want to make this post look like a plug for my career, or an ad for my band.  But can I just tell you, I am a performer at heart - and last Sunday's first gig back since giving birth was a blooming slice of heaven!

I was delighted to be making music again with my sensational guitarist, brother-in-law and good, good friend Cam.  It was the Tidbinbilla Extravaganza and we thoroughly rocked the crowd, especially the kids on a perfect Sunday in the gorgeous surrounds to which the event was dedicated.

Oli waited for me during sets, and fed and cuddled with me during breaks - he is definitely a good stage baby - now road tested for his portability and willingness to be happily minded by his doting grandmother and aunties...

I tell you people it felt good to do what I do!  And only seven weeks after giving birth, I felt kind of secretly proud, and clever!  I realised that no matter my age, stage or the scale I do it on - I will always perform - it's part of why my heart beats, and my eyes glow...

And clearly for me, it has ever been so.

: )

Shell xx