when your crayons run out of puff...

You know when you get a crayon and it just doesn't move well and feels all scratchy on the paper?

You know when they just won't make beautiful clear colour?

You know when for some reason, the 'artistes' in your house seem really not that interested in crayons much anymore?

You know when crayons look all horrid and disgusting like they crawled out of a manky rat hole?

.

Well - then you need to do what I just did!

.

Get the eucalyptus oil out and an old cloth. Spot soak the cloth and rub each crayon till the spots come of - only briefly on each one. It really doesn't take long.

.

.

You will be so pleased with how they look - as will your enthusiastic artiste who is looking on!

.

.

You may find that your artiste is so pleased that he requires a new and sparkling tin to go with the new sparkling crayons!
.

.
The result for drawing is amazing - well worth the effort.

You will find that drawing with crayons is taken to with new vigour and brilliant results.

You may be tempted to take them up yourself. So do!

.

We mainly use Stockmar crayons made from bees wax which are beautiful to use. The square shapes are excellent for helping small hands hold on and a very appropriate shape for younger children who are best to wait to use thin crayons and pens till they are older.

All this aside however, I can't think of a better use for the pair of Bratz undies that got left at our house by mistake.

Now - you may think cleaning crayons just seems ridiculous in a world where there is not enough time to clean your teeth sometimes - but you just may find - that cleaning crayons starts such an artistic splurge in your house that you are left with free time to blog about it - or have a cup of tea - or - or - or....

.

Go on, live like the crazy people - clean the crayons!

.

For other beautiful nature and creative journeys have a peep here...

.

.

Does it seem like everyone around you is losing their way a bit or losing their mind a bit.....

...it seems I am losing not only my way and my mind but my head and my feet as well...

Well, with a little help from W on this one, but it does seem that so many people are having a hard time at the moment.

Do you feel like you are losing you way a bit, or losing your mind a bit? Are you tired of having a hard time?

Seems the time for it perhaps. Don't worry - as so many of us remind ourselves - this too shall pass.

And at least we always lose our way, lose our head and lose track of time in the most incredibly good company of all the other wonderful people just like us!

Dip your heart in the love of good friends, soak your soul in the laughter of your children, put on crazy music and leap around, point your face to the sky as often as you can - clouds, sun, stars and space and air and space and air and space and air. Put your feet in a warm lemon bath before bed, Put your arms around someone warm in bed.

Go well.

Friday Nature Table: for the love of fungus friday

Last Sunday, we set out through the mist for a loop walk from our house. It was about 4 km.
.

It was drippy and cold and misty. It was also a few days after a storm with 140 km winds. So everything was looking recently swept or recently pickled!
Of course we saw the last of the season's 'shrooms. You had to keep your eyes open to find the tiny brown fellows who nestled into a nice warm poo.

There was a LOT of storm debris on the track. Which just made for good fun. But the size of some of the trees that came down was amazing. The colours of the broken wood were beautiful. Rain bringing out the richness of the grain.
.

Admittedly there was far too much 'conversation' for too much animal observation but we did see lots of birds and a good many bugs and wigglers.
A running stream which was good for an explore - sadly crowded by blackberries and sour sobs.

.

We walked though a series of ruins. The valley floor used to be a huge garden and flourishing fruit and vegetable growing area. The ruins are quite beautiful - looking out over flats that flood to provide water to the trees. The area is called the reed beds. Apparently it is one of a kind in Australia. A man called Giles designed it all. They paved much of the valley with slate to encourage flooding to areas they needed watered. It is a beautiful but overgrown valley now. Part of Horsnell Gully National Park.

Once we got of the main fire track, the tiny path twists and turns up and up and up. Our little rabbit was asleep and then woke up to grab and try and see and touch things. Our middle rabbit was leaping up and up and then resting and reviving with orange, muffins, dried persimmon and gulps of cold water.

I thought I best take a photo of me to ensure there was evidence of my presence other than the lens of the camera. Reminds me how tired I am all the time.

A few more 'shrooms on the way out. Beauties!

Then jump the neighbours fence, back through her paddock to visit our boys who are on holiday with their mates. Can you see K craning his neck to see them?

A wonderful day. A muddy, misty, drippy walk. Warm up and cool down. Pockets full of bits, hearts full of family. Eyes full of wonder. Home again. Revived.

.
For other 'shrooms go here. For other nature inspriation go here.

.

Go well this week end...

.

inheritance

On the 12th of this month, our two boys came into their inheritance. One of them was definitely old enough to appreciate it. Hopefully the other one soon will be as well.
.
W was old enough to not only be super excited the night before, knowing that he would come into his inheritance the next morning, but he also got to be site manager...
.

.
oh, yes, the solar hot water was one thing, but this is entirely another! An all day event - W did not come inside once, well, once but only for a very quick and necessary call of nature. Meals, snacks all were partaken as part of site management which was taken very seriously. From 8.30 until 3pm - this boy takes his inheritance seriously.
.
Well, drills, ladders, saws and bits and pieces help but SOLAR was the word of the day!
.

.
We had to behead one of our trees...
.

.
A little trim more to go for maximum winter output.
Thirty panels went up on two sections of roof.
.

.
Can you see through the trees?
.
Are you as excited as me?
.
Is anyone as excited as W?
.
So of course we made a birthday cake for our solar panels! The cake was a bit of a failure - it fell to bits but that did not stop us scooping yummy lumps of orange almond goodness, drizzling with icing and then lighting a candle...
.

.

Happy birth day dear solar, happy birth day to you!

.

confession

I eat far too many half chewed, damp and squidgy crackers, dried fruit lumps and pieces of toast from the floor of our house. The five second rule has been abandoned. As has mopping regularly. Hmmm.

.

What habit would you like to kick?

.

do you read books?

Anyone want to try starting an online book club-thingo of sorts?
.
I am reading Peter Goldsworthy's short story collection 'Gravel'.
.
Anyone read it or reading it?
.
C'mon - I bet I could muster up one intellectual comment and a few sweeping statements worthy of someone who has had the amount of sleep I have had...
.

important poll - please respond...

Now I know with the world the way it is, especially with 'Julia' type changes around, polling is going on aplenty. But don't turn away - this one is going to be different.
.
Let's just say there was a toothpaste company that was called Smolgate. That pretty much had an Australian monopoly on toothpaste. And toothbrushes.
.
And let's just say the dental industry wasn't regulated in quite the same way as the medical industry so that it was common place for the phrase "your dentist recommends..." to be bandied around all the time in all forms of media.
.
Then just imagine that in schools, dentists, playgroups, kindys and childcare centres around our nation, there was just one company that did the 'education / promotion' of oral health care and teeth cleaning with children and parents. And provided free tooth brushes and paste after teaching you how to use them their preferred way.
.
Let's just say, that given the monopoly on toothbrushes and toothpaste that the marketing of the said brand could be interestingly considered. In the advertisements, the toothpaste is applied thickly along the full length of the brush. Who decides the length of the brush? Who decides the width of the toothpaste tube opening? What is the mathematical combination in terms of paste use?!
.
What is the mathematical result when combining the advertised application of toothpaste to the available toothbrush with the available toothpaste and does this have any connection to the amount of toothpaste that should be used per clean - if any is required at all?
.
Let me confess, I am not a lover of the gigantic corporate world. I have not shopped at Splunnings (a hardware chain) for many many years and also avoid Squatlight (a haberdashery chain) as much as humanly possible given my need for such things. I frequent the small, local and yes, the sometimes more expensive and take it on the chin as best I can.
.
But, take consideration my friends - what brand of toothpaste do you use? How much do you use? Do you have one of those toothbrushes that change colour when you need to change it? Who decides when that is???
.
Now I am not suggesting that there is world take over at stake here. But hey, it does seem a little - I dunno - monopolised? Who is actually thinking about teeth in this scenario? Is it different where you live?
.
Do you care? What do you use?


.


Please tell...


.