blog with bunny

Before my special house guest Lucy heads off today I need to whip up a little parting gift for her...a scarf like this...but it won't take long...she's pretty little!

She came with me to lots of places...friends, markets, cafes, gallery openings(!), gardens, classes-I toted her along in my bag and she behaved beautifully!

She had to sample a organic hazlenut and apricot tart from Sol bread

And enjoyed viewing the Brisbane river from Kangaroo point cliffs.

She's setting a good example by travelling safely between destinations!

In Windsor she met the much loved chooks of the Northey street city farm and joined me and Luka wandering around the grounds seeing the lovely kids spaces on Sunday and meeting the Village life stall holders...

And to end on a high note she had a look at the giant kites flown by the Queensland kite club in Clontarf (on Moreton bay) We are going to miss her SOOOOO much, she was utterly adored by everyone who met her...(in fact she even did a side trip to another bloggers place which I will update about soon)...but in the meanwhile big thanks to Jenni from Baa me knits for making her and making this story happen, its been really fun!

She's off to Sunshine? Paradise? blog next so keep tuned!

xoKate

small world

Northey street city farm is a beautiful place to be studying permaculture...all the little things...

Join me there on Sunday if you'd like-8-12 at Village life market. I will have my own dash robin goodies and am excited to be sharing a stall with Lynne who makes beautiful jewellery using recycled silver and Australian made glass beads.

From 10-11 a.m this Sunday at the main stage on the farm grounds some folks may also wish to join me in creating a new informal group-'Village life wrap with love crochet/knitting circle'...we'll be making squares to go off to this organisation...

xKate

Market update

Hello all,

I will be donating 50% of all my sales to the Premiers disaster relief appeal this Sunday. I am setting up at Northey Streets market held in the Northey street car park in Windsor, early Sunday morning til 10.30.

The nursery and toilets will be open as usual.

xKate

Brisbane floods

My heart goes out to all who are suffering, especially at this point in time by the floods. I am safe and the area of Brisbane I live in is not expected to flood and didn't flood during the 1974 Brisbane floods. If you'd like you can direct your concerns in a meaningful way to people who are genuinely in need of them by donating to red cross. They are working here and in many other parts of the world where people are suffering.

I feel shocked by what has happened in the Lockyer valley and Toowoomba. It has been a wearying time and I wish all well who read this, we will all be together soon and helping each other out as best we can. Northey street farm is closed until further notice, keep an eye on the website for further updates.

'Through our hopes and fears, our pleasures and pains we are deeply interconnected.'

Pema Chodron, 'comfortable with uncertainty'

xKate

so many clouds, so little rain

What a funny old overcast weekend. Barely a drop fell but it was so continually grey!
With the role of co ordinating the northey street village life market I am out and about in all weather and actually finding it's kind of all good, if I'm in a good natural environment...these sunflowers from Northey street this morning were such a gorgeous contrast to the grey skies
-they are the extroverts of the flower world!

These are some other nature shots...this was taken at Newfarm park a week or so ago, I love lying on the grass there and looking up at the tall tree branches on sunny days...

these funny looking flowers just popped up or out in my (very very neglected) garden.
I don't know what they are but they have never been tended in the slightest bit, so they must be hardy.

Hope you had a lovely weekend, xkate

Donate today!

Northey street community farm is an amazing place, one that has given me many opportunities to learn and meet like minded people.
To find out for yourself about how Northey street supports social enterprise, local community, environmental awareness and education and much, much more read here...
and for the whole month of November and December Jack Johnson is matching dollar for dollar all donations recieved up to a value of US $2500.
Almost makes me want to sing for joy, but hmm, I think I will leave that to the experts!!
'wrong turn' is my favourite Jack Johnson song....whats yours?

xKate

Hello, hello. These are shots around Northey street from Sunday, it was lovely strolling about with a cup of chai in hand. I know I bang on about it but it's such a beautiful space. My favourite things are the flowers,

the cakes
the chooks
and the shady resting spots. Bliss.

It's been a pretty restful couple days, my littlest one has been home sick so we did a bit of painting together...I was tinkering about with an old sheet of music...


my son calls it doctor love(hee, hee!)
xKate

happy.

It's a blooming lovely day today !
I feel as happy as this new turtle looks!

I have been hooking away on crochet amigurumi dash robin toys
loving the challenge and using beautiful organic hand dyed yarn.

Loving the weather...the flowers, the scents...yummy spring days.

Spring flowers- northey street community farm, Northey street, Windsor.
xKate

pretty spring

I spent yesterday outdoors with my boys and some friends, visited Northey Street and West end and went for a swim at southbank, I completely neglected my washing, etc because the weather was so lovely for being out of the house. The clouds rolled over but no rain fell, a classic spring day.

The Northey street city farm is at the peak of its fertility, things going to seed and seedlings springing up. This kale, so curly and green and crinkly and sweet. It's curly, grassy green leaves are saying hello, collecting drops of dew on their wrinkly surfaces.

The sunflowers appear as if to warn summer is on its way.They 'loom' at you. 'Look at how big and yellow we are, look at how we watch the sun, following it around the sky with our big bold bee attracting head.' Its going to be a hot one, I think.


I am already making icy poles, into the blender goes a mixture of frozen or fresh berries, vanilla yoghurt and a splash of milk, then this thickish mixture is poured into moulds. It's good stuff.
I work on my sewing with my fan on me, and enjoy the late afternoon sea breeze when it sweeps through my house.
A sweet woman at the market on Friday night(who bought the little rabbity-plush above) was asking me if I had any fish for sale, as in plush fish. I didn't but its a cute idea, a softy fish...and she also suggested whales, which might be a great thing to make when the weather is warming up, out of lovely to handle cotton. I apreciate it hugely how visitors to my stall are so very encouraging and positive and full of good ideas and suggestions, it's very welcomed.
xkate

city farms

I love this season-love, love, love it. We headed out to one of the few places in this city where seasons are noted and planned for...a city farm is a wonderful place for urbanites to recharge thier connection with the ecology.

We headed out late Saturday afternoon for the Autumn equinox festival. Amongst other things we got to have a bit of chook time... what amazing colours these roosters feathers are!

At Northey street city farm seasonal bonfire nights are a regular way of celebrating, and along with food seem to be a big draw card for gatherings, attracting all kinds of people out.

I am always moved by the beauty of the nighttime lighting of the bonfire, the spiralling streams of sparks swirling up into the dark, glowing red-orange lights tracing fleeting lines against the deep inky blue.

Two lovely children dancing together before the fire is lit.

The garden is looking so lush and being surrounded by all the thriving plants and trees and smiling faces is really special for me. The word that comes to mind is 'gentle', its all feels so effortlessly 'right', so natural and calming. These gatherings always attract crowds, with lots of young children playing together or being with thier families but rarely (if ever) are there the tears or tantrums that are so common in urban environments that we almost being to think they are normal.

We loved the sweet acoustic, ambient music, and tried out weaving, natural face painting and yoga, outdoors activities, relaxed and creative.

Even our bellies were warm and full with spicy chai tea and wholemeal mud brick oven baked scones, served up for us with cream and jam.

Once the sun had set and the bonfire was alight the wide grassy area around it became an impromptu dance space, people and kids skipping and clapping around in a loose ring. Luka is into dancing in a big way, he would have stayed all night if he could have, asking for 'once more around,' a few times...next time I will have to pack a thermos with tea and some warmer clothes for when the air gets chilly.

Hope everyone else got in a bit of peace and fun in this weekend,

xKate

Sunday mornings...

Few things in life make me feel happier and more content than drinking a cup of tea in a beautiful garden, so visiting the Northey street market cafe is high on my list of lovely things to do.

There is a large market (sellers/growers of organic produce) open Sunday mornings, with a chai and coffee cafe & the edible landscapes nursery is open too. This nursery is attached to the farm and is the best fruit,veg and herb nursery in Brisbane. They have a diverse range, cheap prices and use excellent environmentally sustainable practices...I was happy to part with $5 for my most favourite flowering tea herb, pineapple sage(it has beautiful pink flowers and a gorgeous fragrance).

After my drink I wandered around soaking up the mild weather and the beautiful surrounds.

These beautiful plants are rosellas, they are a native hibiscus flower and the stunning ruby red fruit can be used to make delicious jams. I have tried unsuccessfully to grow some and can only stare in awe and envy at the huge beautiful patch of rosella shrubs in bloom there.

Visiting places like this helps me relax and focus as I get prepared for the next few days of workshops. I have loved researching and working away on plans and ideas, but its big breath time again as another avalanche of information is about to come my way!

xKate