In the school holidays, of I morning I have been sitting on the concrete on the edge of the veranda and facing east. It blinds me, the sun. I have to close my eyes and only then can the ocean of daylight swamp me fully. It prickles at my senses. Wake up, it says. I hear the garden starting to move, the birds, of course, are there too, without knowing it, this is their routine too. I feel the slight warmth on my face, then my arms, legs and chest. I see nothing - my eyes are closed but I still see it all, the day ahead of me and the smell is fresh, nothing yet has muddled the scent, it’s just moisture from the night’s dew, it’s lifting itself into the new day as well. On beautiful morning’s like this I wish the strong walls of our house were not there, that it could all be outside, that we could all be outside swimming in this most beautiful bath of the morning. Some people have showers to wake up, some have coffee, some walk, run. Surely this is the easiest of them all this morning meditation.
I hope you have enjoyed doing something special this long weekend. We’ve had a wedding and some visitors and a day of doing not much at all. This week I’ll be back at it with the flowers again and I can’t wait. Check it out here. As well as more visits and visitors, activities, gardening, farming and hopefully a smidge of work too. I have a feeling for most of you there won’t be time to fully indulge in this week’s newsletter right now - but I hope it’s something you can make your way through whenever you catch a break throughout the week. Enjoy. Sxx
Podcast playlist
School holidays means not much ear pod time unfortunately. Here’s a few suggestions I I’ve been saving up for you.
In the Envelope is a behind-the-scenes pod about the film industry. There is one with Nicole Kidman, and one with Reese Witherspoon but start by listening to this one with Rose Byrne.
Empowering Rural Women: A new discovering for me. Put together by Puddles & Co. I really admire Jackie Elliott and her successful Rural Women’s Day events.
Lay your eyes on these Instagram accounts
@hatsoff_australia || @someofsmudge || @family_style
This pile of things to read
To add to my riff earlier, loved this quick read from the NY Times with tips on how to wake up better, if you’re not a morning person. The Art of Being a Morning Person.
There’s been a fair bit of time on the lawn
I was chatting with some girls last week about how this account is therapy (Go on have a look) - I laughed because I thought I was the only one, but I was wrong. They were already following along and had more to add. #lawnmowingastherapy. If you know of others, I’m all ears.
Sian Clifford on her relationship to trees.
Sophie Dahl on Curtains in UK Homes and Gardens.
New newsletters
by Lisa Post - English interiors and home making loveliness. Loved this ‘Do not accept badly made cups of tea.’The Sometimes Newsletter by
- the relationship between beauty and the mundane, and the things that are fallen in love with.Last week I showed you my current reading pile - but look! - this week it’s totally upgraded itself. I had a birthday and have been smothered in generous gifts by my gorgeous friends and family. I love books. These situation makes me endlessly happy. Enjoy your week. Sx
Thanks so much for sharing my 'do not accept badly made cups of tea' newsletter Skye, haha the tea tutorials that followed in the comments were hilarious! For those of you that don't know Skye Mason, she has an awesome podcast called Company on Sundays, she writes beautifully too - worth a follow x