unschool monday :: on the fly!

We've been sick all weekend with a horrid bout of food poisoning, so this week, Unschool Monday will happen on the fly, as unschooling often does. I'll be updating our day an the things we get up to via instagram. Maybe you'd like to join in? Use the hash tag #unschoolmonday and tag or follow me @owletmama if you like. We'd love to see what you get up to!


Updated!! At the end of today, I'll edit this post with our day's photos. If you feel like linking up here on your blog, that'd be great too!

this moment :: a room of her own...

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama.

Beautiful things...

I've been careful to keep this space fairly separate from my other space... It's been a busy few months growing Spiral Garden and it's been tricky to make sure there's enough brain space for owlet too... It has been a little quieter here because of it. But we've been having such a fun time choosing and sharing the things we love with a lovely bunch of customers. People have been so kind and welcoming and it's made it all the more enjoyable.

Right now we are sharing a special gift pack with our lovely Facebook likers and I thought I'd mention it here so that you can have a chance to win too... A favourite book, some wooden gnomes, a co-operative game, beeswax crayons and the first edition of Taproot magazine... Something for everyone there and all cherished things from our little shop. Do pop over and enter, won't you? xx

Flea market frenzy

Last weekend we struck garage sale gold. After a few weeks decluttering, we decided to venture out garage saleing again. The words "Estate Sale" were enough motivation. And then there was the garage sale where the seller was wanting to sell everything to go fishing... We have enough for a few blog posts...




And I have enough fabric to keep me going for a good few years... Time for a declutter again, I think. Time to let go of projects I may never get to... And think up some new ones. What to do with 8m of vintage barkcloth? I couldn't very well leave it screwed up on the floor in the garden shed where I found it, and in perfect condition... but I must make sure it doesn't sit around waiting to be used in this house. It's too lovely for that.

Do you love a garage sale? 
What's the best thing you've found at one? 
What would you do with all that gorgeous fabric? xx

unschool monday :: she cooks

Everyday I have a companion with me in the kitchen. I've always been sole cook in our nest and have often lamented not having a companion while I cook. As I prepare new and unusual foods for our little family, foods to nurture and heal, Little Owlet watches and learns. She was always going to be the most resistant to these changes. She's the fussiest eater at our table most days. But her passion for cooking, nurturing and loving all of us has led her to always be in the kitchen beside me and to try new things. She's learning to appreciate the food and the process behind it.



Little Owlet's confidence has grown so that when I turn my back, she's standing by, on a step or little chair, with tools at the ready to jump in and take over. It's been a bit confronting, working with that enthusiasm pressing at me while I cook. Sometimes I've just wanted to get the job done and the dinner on the plate while it's hot... Deep breath, mama. This is her thing. She learns by doing. Go with it.... On Friday night, as I turned to rinse a knife, Little Owlet jumped in and cooked a pan of flathead tails for us all, while Huz and I stood back and watched. Then we went and indulged in watching episodes of her new favourite, Nigella. This week it's time to step up the food learning for Little Owlet and to hand over the reigns just a little bit more. And to welcome my little cooking companion as she happily steps up to share the nurturing with me.

What's been happening in your nest? Any new passions and learnings filling your days? Have you or your owlets gained a new skill, or have they jumped right in to learn alongside you? We'd love to hear about it!

sunday snippets

{sunday snippets} A collection of photos from your week. No need for words. Let the pictures tell your story. Joining in with {tinniegirl}

A week of lunches...

It's been a huge week of food learning in our nest. Everyone has tried something new. I've enjoyed sharing some of the foods I love with everyone. Previously they've turned noses up to things like mussels and gravlax and pate. Now they're all willing to have a try and we're all finding new favourites.  Our palates have changed. Now I hear "Yay! Green smoothies!" as I prepare some for breakfast, to wash down our fermented cod liver and butter oil.

We've found the garden is invaluable for keeping our food fresh and yummy, so we've spent some time tending it and planting the first of our summer food. The herb spiral is amazing! Best of all, we've found out more about local food. What things cost and why. We've found out which is cheaper and fresher and we've falling in love with the farmer's market all over again.

We've eaten well. And we're noticing the benefits hugely. We have more energy, clearer minds. Tiny's teeth are remineralising!Yay! Best of all, we're thinking about what we eat. We're eating a hearty lunch as well as breakfast and dinner. And prioritising it, so rather than getting to the end of a day without eating, we're all feeling happy, lucky, well fed and nourished.

How about you? 
Do you eat a good lunch? 
Do you make time for it? 
Have you ever changed the way your family eats for the better? xo

unschool monday :: the balance

This week has been a challenging one in the life of our little unschooling family. A little letting go and thinking about what we all need. We're all still happily going about things, but I feel there's a need to listen more. To connect more. Things are a little off balance.




We've found that the rhythm we were looking for has happily found us, so that's one less thing and our days have a pretty lovely flow to them again. Our new adventures with food have led to a regular coming together to eat and drink and take time, both during the day and in the evening. It means that even though we're all off working on different things, we come together a few times a day and check in. It's kinda lovely.




But still, there's something missing. As usual, I suspect it is more about letting go and saying yes a whole lot more. We tend to be influenced by Waldorfy traditions in our unschooling approach and sometimes the two approaches come to loggerheads. Right now we're working at maintaining a balance again.





As parents, Huz and I need to find a balance too and some time out for ourselves and each other. I'm not quite sure how to do that right now, but we're working on it so that the times where we are all together, we're listening more. Connecting more and happy to go with the flow, with full attention and energy focussed. I think a little holiday might be in order. Yes.

How are things at your nest?
Have you had a challenging week or are things just peachy right now?
How do you maintain the balance?

sunday snippets

{sunday snippets} A collection of photos from your week. No need for words. Let the pictures tell your story. Joining in with {tinniegirl} 

this moment :: international babywearing week

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by soulemama.

unschool monday :: nourishing learning

This week has been all about food. The owlets have been preparing their own food when possible and standing completely in the way right beside me whenever I cook. 

Little Owlet is particularly passionate about cooking. This week she discovered Nigella and narrated almost everything I did in the kitchen with a little bit of "Ah-ha! So that's how you do it!" thrown in for good measure when she observed something new. Usually she jumps in for some hands on learning too - "because that's how you really remember stuff, Mama."



I've been researching and learning all about how our food choices affect our health and how to nourish all of us in the way that we need. It's been all consuming (ha!) but finally I feel like I have my head around it and am equipped with the knowledge to implement it. We've all be along for the ride and thankfully the owlets have welcomed changes once I've shared my learnings with them. 



Huz has taken it upon himself to learn something new this week too. He's going to be our baker. He's armed himself with books and tools and he's working to hone his new skills. His first loaf wasn't a complete success, but it was wolfed down most gratefully but three hungry owlets. We call that a success.

The owlets have been watching us very intently on these new learning paths and have observed our learning processes. They've been supportive and excited for us, as we are when they are on a new learning path. The owlets see, as we do, that learning happens organically and as the need arises and they know that there's always time to learn new things. They see that learning is a life-long process. They've seen that learning can take research, practice and commitment. And that sometimes learning takes time. Sometimes things don't work out first time round. And that's ok.

What have you been learning lately? 
What have your owlets been learning?

sunday snippets

{sunday snippets} A collection of photos from your week. No need for words. Let the pictures tell the story. Joining in with {tinniegirl}