first pair of new ballet shoes
two excitable sandy feet
third time she gets to blow out the candles
(Thinking lots about the day I birthed her into water, here at home. Still one of the most amazing things I have ever done. It seems I blinked and time has quietly marched on by.)
This little blog is now five years old. I’ve been writing, musing, dropping kitchen crumbs, taking pictures and sitting under the name cityhippyfarmgirl for five years now. Now how did half a decade zip by while I sat next to my computer? Well to be honest, I’m not really sure. What I do know though, is that five years is a wonderful amount of time to have learnt lots of bloggy lessons…Lots of them!
If you would like to pull up a chair, grab an apple or perhaps a slice of shortcake and linger awhile, I’ll share with you five lessons I’ve learnt in that time.
1/ Always write down your thoughts or recipes as you go along.
For recipes, I will never, ever remember the quantities and cooking times of what ever I am making. For thoughts, that seem so clear and unforgettable, they seem to disappear without even an audible “poofff” (despite all the very best intentions.) Five years on, you think I would have had this one firmly embedded in my brain. Nope, it isn’t though, I still occasionally forget and think that my memory can’t honestly be that bad, and of course I will remember. (It is that bad, and I do forget.)
Note to self, don’t forget, that I…well, forget.
2/ There is always more to learn with bread baking.
What an amazing thing bread baking can be. To be always learning from and tweaking something as simple as flour, water, salt. I still get bubbles of excitement bringing a loaf out of the oven. What will it look like, how much of a spring will it have? No loaf is ever the same. Never. Not a one.
Life gives different loaves. In ways of weather, timing, distractions, commitments, forgetfulness, ingredients, new flour- they all play a part in my sourdough being different every single time. And really, how awesome is that!
3/ Photography, another big lesson.
I look back on photos I thought were pretty much ok, and can’t help but chuckle. Cameras have been and gone, techniques have changed along with them and knowledge is still to be gained in abundance with my photography. What I do know is that I get a kick out of taking photos and I can’t imagine that changing for a long time. I don’t think this photo from my first month of blogging back in 2010 would have been pinned too often. I do know it was a delicious pie though (recipe here) and remember all of us eating it with much gusto.
1st edition Jan 2010
2nd edition Jan 2013
3rd edition Feb 2015
4/ Which leads me to my next lesson. Remembering.
Now I’ve already established at times, I’m not so good at remembering things. This is where having a blog is truly wonderful. It does the remembering for you. It’s my online diary of a sort. It stores many more day to day things, words, pictures, memories than I would have ever thought to remember.
Not to mention my recipes. I cook and bake a lot. Before having a blog I would have countless scrappy bits of paper dotted about the place, usually being lost between other bits of paper. Now I have them all here. Sure It’s a little weird having to go to the internet for your own recipes but hey it seems to work. I usually put a lot of time and effort into my recipes, bringing a concept to life, tweaking, changing, experimenting until I’ve got it just right. Sometimes they can be months and months in the making. I still feel slightly uneasy about other people using those recipes and putting them up on their own site without any reference, words or thanks given, a recipe now it’s their very own- it seems a murky copyright world, with well pretty much everything these days. So all I can do is know that what I’m doing sits right with me, and that’s what matters right?
Another wonderful thing about having a blog to help you remember is the feelings and emotions that might have slipped between the metaphorical pages. Tiny moments captured, which in another time would have been swept away to live only in my own memory bank…or to simply slip between the cracks altogether.
5/ Community.
I’ve waxed lyrical about the online community many, many times before. It will never get old speaking enthusiastically of all the people who make up this always evolving digital community. It’s pretty wonderful to be a part of that. When digital names spill over to lovely long emails, or names on the backs of envelopes, plump packages from people half a world away. Or coffee and picnics with people who were once just a gravatar. That’s pretty darn wonderful.
Through the online community I’ve also discovered more and more small businesses and people who I want to support with my careful dollar. Conscious shopping the way it should be- Instead of those coins going to a blank face that means nothing to me. I will repeat these words a thousand times, as it really is incredibly important to me.
6/ Evolve and make your own rules up.
Now wait a second, didn’t I say this was to be five? Yes, I did but this is the beauty of lesson number six. If I want to put six up I can, I can do that, I can make my own rules up here. Yes I can.
I’ve also learnt to roll with it all. If something is bugging me I’ll change it. If I don’t want to do something, I don’t. I’ve learnt over these five years that for a blog to evolve you really have to ride with it, social media is an ever evolving thing and with that, well you have to be as well.
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How about you, if you have a blog what lessons have you learnt as a blogger. Or, if you are a reader what lessons have you learnt from reading blogs?
This weekend was a long time coming, and boy was it worth the wait. Those two days were an absolute cracker. You know what the excellent thing about social media is? Connecting with amazing people in an online environment all over the place kind of way. You know what the next best thing after that is? Meeting them in real life and hanging out doing things you are all interested in. Also throwing a delicious sprinkling of creativity into the mix to keep you going for quite awhile. Yep weekends like that? They rock. 
The weekend originally came about over thinking of the multitude of wonderful creative courses that are available around the place, without the exceptional price tag. Everyone has something to offer and things for others to learn from. In a collaborative type environment, ideas, options, thoughts, creativity can be expanded on. All those things jumped on and most beautifully run with. (At the very least, encouragement from some like minded souls, and a little recharging of the batteries.)
How it all came together… A group of instagram and online buddies coming together in Sydney. Accommodation was through AirBnB, which served as a bed for our interstate friend and a place for us to gather during the day. Cameras? Yes, they were essential. Awesome food brought in for the first day, and awesome food sought for the second day. Win win there.
Creative challenges, sharing of knowledge, a wonderful goodie bag to be taken home each, and more laughs squashed into a two day period than I’ve had for a long time. So. Damn. Good.
For anyone else who has looked longingly at a seemingly unachievable course that they would love to do due to finances, where they live or just general unsureness.
Jump in, create your own course. Find some like minded people and bring it all together. Collaboration is a wonderful thing, create what you want rather than staring wistfully in from the side lines.
Like I said, this weekend was a long time coming, and there were rather a lot of speed humps along the way. But it was worth every bump, and there are already plans for another.
Wonderful places we went, and awesome things we utilised
Mitchell Rd Antiques, Alexandria
Clovelly Beach
I said farewell to Summer holidays and reluctantly got out school lunch boxes again. New school shoes made the transition entirely acceptable for the school ones…large cups of gulped tea made it acceptable for me.
This week…
I said hello again to a friend I hadn’t seen for a couple of years. For 34 years we have known each other, (that’s rather magnificent really.)
This week,
I said Happy 85th birthday to my Grandma, that is also completely magnificent, (just like her beautiful flower filled garden.)
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What have you been up to this week?
There’s a warmth to the air at 5.25am. If I close my eyes it almost feels like a soft sheet brushing over my skin. I don’t though, for I’m riding. Riding to catch a sunrise. Riding in the quiet of the pre-dawn. The city around me is quiet, nobody needs my attention at this time. Too early to start the day, I have left my loved ones at home, while I ride to welcome in the sun.
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It’s 12pm and it’s quiet. The chaos creators have paused in their carnage and instead direct it to their lunch plates. After a busy morning doing busyness. They have stopped for a minute or two and hungrily wolf down their food, it’s good to see after so long of sickness and not wanting to eat.
Quiet except for the odd slurp, munch and muffled noises of food appreciation. It won’t last long, their recharge time is blink and you’ll miss it.
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It’s 2pm and it’s quiet. Small girls still need naps to enable them to conquer the afternoon of possible dragons, rumbles, leaping, soccer and tea parties. Air outside so hot, it drapes itself over your shoulders, if you dare to step out that is. Lulling you and everyone in its path into a sleepy slumber. Summer holiday time, and those hot weekend siestas are a welcome respite.
It’s 9pm, and it’s quiet. A candle flickers. A summer time bug gets lured a little closer. The small ones sleep, the sleep of the contented. Nightmares have been banished for tonight as there is a small posse of dinosaurs and lego figures standing guard. The night-time sleep of summer holiday children.
Our adult voices are lowered and our thoughts quieted. Sandy shoes at the door, tell a story of late evening beach wanderings. Another hot day, but this one ending with deep chuckles and muffled belly laughs. Loving that.
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[“Often life’s pleasures pass us by simply because we don’t take a moment to focus on them… Make a point of noticing everyday something that uplifts your spirit or tickles your heart… Stop to breathe in the joy of this moment and then tell someone about it. Share your joy and revel in it. When your joy is savoured, and then shared, it is magnified…” ROBIN GRILLE]
A few months ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to the beautiful occasion of a baby being born. Being invited as a doula and as a birth photographer, gave me the wonderful priviledge of being both support person and memory capturer.
While I would adore to tell you all of the gentle birthing story of this beautiful couple, it’s not my story to tell.
What I can say though is, it was an honour to be there. And it was an honour to be a tiny part of their parenting journey.
I can also say that mama, midwife and I all have the same tea cups. These ones, that I absolutely love, and get comments on all the time. Quite a beautiful coincidence really.
The lead up to the Summer holidays were a little bit angst ridden round these parts. There was rather a lot of breath holding, a lot of thinking, a lot of worrying and maybe a few tense words pushed about. When things aren’t particularly in your control, but effecting your loved ones in different ways, well, things can be a little stressful.
Then the storm finally passes, and you exhale just a little. A long, slow exhalation, that hadn’t been there for what feels like a very, very long time.
And then, you exhale a little more.
So what does one do with loved ones after a lengthy period of worrying breath holding?
You get out of the city, that’s what you do.
While you are out, you might also….
Make pizza, lots of it. Enough for a small clan anyway.
Start to build a veggie patch just because you can.
Play board games with family members that don’t often come together. (Also get introduced to the eye water laughing of Cards Against Humanity.)
Afternoon siestas are compulsory. Especially after Christmas pneumonia for a small one.
The beach finds it’s way inside with tramping sandy feet.
Food tastes better as it’s lingered over, and chewed rather than gulped…ahh, the novelty of it all.
Gardens are visited. Big ones with cars on the edges.
Books are contemplated and thought over. Instead of trapped under “stuff” that needs tending to first. There isn’t hours of lingering book reading, but there are consecutive minutes and that’s a good thing. (Nikki Gemmell your writing is the bees knees.)
Of course some bread gets made. Double Spelt sourdough, (wholemeal spelt flour and cooked wholegrain spelt in these.)
Thinking also comes in much needed extended periods instead of five second snippits. As a mother of three, and woman of many, many thoughts. This is also a good thing. Actually it’s a marvellous thing.
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Tell me, what have you been up to?
A new day,
and a brand spanking new year.
2015
Those numbers sound so, well, futuristic don’t they.
2014?
If I summed it up in one word,
I’d probably say- intense.
This year, I’d like it to be a little less intense and lot more,
well, connected would be lovely (pretty please.)
Yep, that sounds good.
A connected year to come,
let’s do this 2015.
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How about you? Any hopes, plans, words for the new year?
Happy Christmas, holidays, end of year people.
I’m taking a little coffee break for a couple of weeks, and hope during that period you all get to spend a little time doing something you love.
See you for 2015.
Last weekend was a big one…a very BIG ONE.
My nerves had been slowly building for weeks before hand, so the cumulation of the weekend finally arriving? Well let’s just say my heart wasn’t sitting where it should have been and had instead taken up residence in my mouth.
With organs not where they should be, what was I getting all sweaty palmed about? Well it was the Kidspot Voices of 2014 Gala, which meant all the winners would be announced including the Olympus “My Family Lens” challenge winner….Which *ahem* I won!!
Flying down to Melbourne was always going to be short and sweet. A first weekend away by myself since my girl was born, with the added bonus of getting to hang out with my brother for part of the time, (this is where a fair amount of camera geek talk and great food happened- two excellent combinations. )
I feel really lucky to have been a part of Voices of 2014. It was something that surprised the hell out of me earlier in the year, and then with the added fun of being able to join in with the Olympus challenge a few months back.
Doing this challenge pushed me, got me doing things I hadn’t done before, introduced me to a bunch of really super duper lovely Olympians (surely that’s what the Olympus crew are called??) And getting to play with a different camera that I now absolutely love. It’s all been pretty amazing.
One of my posts within this time was this one. One of the hardest post I’ve written within these blog pages. Every time I would sit down to write the words of that post, I would do so with tears in my eyes and a sob sitting at my throat.
To be included in the amazing blogging round up this year was an honour and a humbling privilege; something I will value for many years to come.
A special thanks to all the people that I was completely incapable of saying a proper thank you to on the night, (remember I had a vital organ in my mouth Saturday.) The Kidspot crew, Olympus, Pip Lincolne and with hearts in my eyes, my husband, (who is always supportive of whatever pursuit I’m trying to jump on and wrangle.)
Thank you. xx
PS. If you are looking for eats in central Melbourne, Gill’s Diner off Little Collins St was tip top. Doughnuts with custard…say no more people.
Loving…
the jumping boy
the tiny girl
and flowers from kind neighbours.
Loving…
never underestimating the power of a dog drinking bowl in the park, along with a found feather. All kinds of fun.
Loving…
overhearing someone happily sing along with Mariah Carey in their kitchen… that paused smiling anticipatory moment, of waiting to see if they were going to go for ‘the big one.’
Loving…
being asked for a bread lesson. That could be one more person and family with a really useful (and easy!) life skill.
Loving…
finding tiny pockets of surprising greenery and colour in corners most unexpected. Finding that little green, in the every day… that’s important to this city girl. Really important.
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What have you been loving?
[“Often life’s pleasures pass us by simply because we don’t take a moment to focus on them… Make a point of noticing everyday something that uplifts your spirit or tickles your heart… Stop to breathe in the joy of this moment and then tell someone about it. Share your joy and revel in it. When your joy is savoured, and then shared, it is magnified…” ROBIN GRILLE]
There has been a few changes round these bloggy pages of late. Some are obvious and some not so obvious. After nearly five years of cityhippyfarmgirl stories, recipes, simple living tips and general waffle, it’s this year that has been a big one for me. Opportunities have jumped up, friendships have been cemented, and some things I’ve had to cut loose.
When I first started blogging, I didn’t do instagram and didn’t do facebook. While I’ll always be a little unsure on the merits of FB, Instagram I’ve loved every inch of. With the addition of both of these social media avenues, along with “everything else”. My posts have been slowly cut to two a week. Gone are the days when I posted every second day. I simply couldn’t keep up. The blogging environment has changed as well, I’ve noticed a massive shift even in the time since I first started. (See this post here, if you are interested from another bloggers perspective.)
So with posts, getting less so, social media time divided, what else am I doing?
Well along with ‘other real life stuff’, I was tickled pink to be asked to join the Earth Garden team. I’m now very humbly a regular story contributor to a magazine that I hold in the highest of regards.
EARTH GARDEN is Australia’s original journal of sustainable living for householders seeking a more eco-conscious lifestyle. For more than 40 years the supportive network of Earth Gardeners has been guiding and reflecting the movement away from high- consumption lifestyles.
If you are a long time reader of cityhippyfarmgirl, you’ll probably guess at how excited I am to be a part of this.
This year, you might have also seen me in Organic Gardener Magazine. This was a one-off, but a really happy one off to be even asked.
Recently you might have seen my name pop up over on the (forever wonderful) Milkwood blog, (excuse me a minute while I squeal with joy) and it might even pop up a few more times!
MILKWOOD We’re dedicated to awesome homesteading skills for city & country – keeping life simple, organic and deliciously real…
Some truly wonderful opportunities indeed, and something I’ve worked really hard for. Writing round these parts is mostly done in snippets, and quite often with a sleeping toddler in my lap. Photographs are taken on the run and emails are returned with an eye on a cooking pot and baking oven. This is how I get things done at the moment, and amazingly… it all seems to work in an odd patchwork kind of work process way.
One thing that remains the same of this tiny corner of the blogging world is you guys, the readers. The people that I have connected with over time, the people who taken the time to comment, and the people who have been so unfailingly supportive. At times I’ve felt like my heart is going to explode with how blown away I’ve felt with your generosity of time, words and incredible kindness. Those connections are gold.
That’s what makes blogging. Right there. Community.
It’s an online community that differs from a real life one, but on so many occasions it’s trickled through to being much more than that. Real life connections, and damn, I’ve loved that.
So thank you for hanging around for the changes and as always, you guys rock- and I’m incredibly thankful for that.
cityhippyfarmgirl 
