Sunnyside Farm Fun: A Spring Daybook...

For Today...

Tuesday, 1st September 2015

The first day of Spring!!!

Outside my window...

The world is a place of beauty. Brilliant blue skies filled with fluffy white clouds lay overhead. The paddocks are full of growing crops. I spy golden canola paddocks intermingled with the darker hues of the grains. The grazing paddocks are a lighter green and all in all it gives the effect of a patchwork of paddocks as I gaze down our valley.

The trees are blossoming, there is new growth showing and green, green grass is everywhere! Birds are flying overhead and their chorus is beautiful!

I am thinking...

About the myriad of things I want to achieve now that spring is here. I yearn to be outside now that the temperatures are beautiful! Even weeding jobs ( of which I have an enormous load) are pleasing. I find myself motivated by tidy gardens & even though I know I'll have to begin all over again once I finish, I still am trying to get it done! I have a long way to go....

Also how pleased we are with Ellie's new haircut. She was getting a ridiculous number of large knots in the length & this cut has removed that issue!!! It is still long enough to tie back & is very feminine, but has solved that problem and is easy for her to begin caring for by herself.

I am thankful...

For four children working hard on their maths;

For a wonderful husband who provides so well for us;

For warmer temperatures;

For abundant food;

For full dams;

For this life - I deserve none of the blessings.

Full dams - as seen from the house - yes, we need to pull out the mower again...

I am wearing...

Farm clothes....I had to feed lambs this morning & complete all my other jobs. Old skirt/shirt & jacket. Rather dismal & certainly not bright & 'springy'. Oh well - I'll be getting changed soon before we head to town! Then I'll put on something pretty.

I am creating...

* A blog post...haha

* Lots of lambies ( although many are now weaned!!)! - well maybe not creating, but feeding them & keeping them alive!

* A spring cleaning plan ( because this time of year just makes you want to clean)!

I am going...

To take Ellie & Jud to dancing this afternoon. Their lesson is quite late so I tend to go grocery shopping while they are at it. This week, however, I did a huge Aldi shop on Saturday ( I had enough things I needed to warrant a drive of that distance as the town with Aldi also has a few other shops that I needed to go to). I try to do an Aldi shop once a month & get the majority of our shopping done there. That way I just have to get the fresh food on my Tuesday trip to town.

I am wondering...

If we will hear back from our foster agency regarding a possible placement.
Patience, Renata, patience...

I am reading...

My Bible!

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Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman.

Whenever I need inspiration to organise my home, I pull this book out.

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My light, no-thinking required, night time reading ( to put me to sleep) is:

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I am hoping...

That I get some extra time outside today. It is beaconing me through the big windows to come & enjoy the warmth, yet if I go out I know that distraction will very quickly overtake the studious scholars in the schoolroom...

I am learning...

I am doing an online course about Australian Child & Adolescent Trauma, Loss &Grief . This is highly relevant with foster care and I want to be able to help these precious kiddos as much as I can.

In my garden...

There are weeds...and areas without weeds now (YAY!!)

Also I planted our seeds which need to be started in punnets. It was a little later than normal, but they are planted now & sitting in the windows enjoying the warmth of the sun through the glass!

In my kitchen...

I am making a slow cooker chicken dish for dinner. (Since Tuesday is dancing, it is also slow cooker night). Also Lemon Cordial needs to be made as we were blessed with abundant lemons from a friend who had extras. I will also save just a few for lemon meringue pie as it is Dave's favourite!

In the homeschool room...

I am contemplating what to do for next year. Some of our curriculum has been great & we will continue to use it, but some has been a dismal failure and so I need to find a replacement. I am just beginning to look around at the different options. I am also acutely aware that our BOS inspection is due next August. I need to make up my mind if I am brave enough to teach stage 5 or if we will look for a DE school to enrol Zai.

A favorite quote for today...

The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies

~J.R. Miller

One of my favorite things...

When our big, farmhouse table is full to overflowing!

May you have a wonderful day friends!
Blessings