painting

My daughter and I spent some time together, we decided to paint,this was the outcome. I really love her painting.

My Culture

I grew up in the west of Melbourne, during the 80's. We lived in public housing for a very long time. It was a melting pot of cultures back then, people from all over the world, were your neighbours.
Life was never dull, to say the least, what I remember vividly was, the sense of community. Sure you had your interesting characters, but everyone looked out for each other, especially the kids. And we were out and about until the sun set, riding our bikes, rollerskating or skateboarding, without a care in the world.
However it wasn't all peaches and cream, life presented it's challenges.
My first language was Macedonian, my parents spoke very little English, in fact hardly any at all. I look back now and I wonder, how they did it, to migrate to a country where they didn't know the language, didn't know the culture and they didn't have their family or community. 
When I got to school, I could speak English, but I struggled. What was hard for me, was having parents that couldn't help me. In fact, I was teaching them. Hard gig for child.
In the primary school years, we moved around a fair bit, until we settled into a house in a suburb further west.
I guess why I'm writing this post, is to get people talking about, trying to fit into a society when you come from a different cultural background.
For me I found it extremely difficult, my parents strict Macedonians.
Through high school I had friends from a variety of cultural backgrounds.We all got along, each of us having issues with our parents, which teenager doesn't!!
The struggle I had, was trying to live with the values my parents tried to instill in me from their culture and trying to incorporate that into Australian society. Everything I came across, made me question, what my parents were telling me. It was a confusing, confronting time. It felt very restricting, and I pushed the boundaries. I wanted to extend my frontiers, and in a way, I still am.

This is just the beginning of this post, but I want to hear from you. Where do you come from? What challenges has your culture presented to you? And how did you manage.
Cheers or na zdravje!!

Gardening

My role at my work consists of running a gardening program, with children aged 3 and 4 years of age.
I  know a little about gardening, as I have always had a veggie patch going, just not on such a large scale. My love for nature was born, on my travels around Australia.I always thought of myself as a naturalist, even as a young child, helping my parents in their patch,growing huge tomatoes. But actually working the land, when I was working as a picker, definitely fuelled my desire for knowledge on the natural world.It also pushed me to brink of my sanity,both mentally and physically, and only when you have worked as picker,you would understand what I mean.
Anyway, back to my current garden.We have 10 raised beds.There is also a ancient fig tree in the other part of the garden.My challenge is to try and get

things growing in and around the fig tree. Another challenge I have, is a embankment between two peppercorn trees.There had been a few natives planted there,but they are not thriving.I can post some pictures.

At some stage, I would like to incorporate a bush foods garden, now that I am excited about.
So if you are a gardening/landscaping guru, or anyone with gardening tips, I would love to hear from you, or just tell me about your garden.

Parenting

For those of you that  don't know me, I have two children, my daughter is turning 8 in a couple of days.I have a son who is 5.
 Many years ago my partner and I ( husband now) packed our kombi up and began our traveling, working journey throughout Australia.Whilst picking mangoes in Queensland, I fell pregnant. I can write countless posts about that part of my life and I will at a later stage.

Many years later, here I am, about to host a 8 year olds first sleepover, birthday party!!!
How has 8 years pasted, I could not tell you,  the cliche that everybody says, blink your eye and you'll miss it, holds validity when it comes to watching your children grow. I could write and write and write about this, but I have a eager little miss waiting for me to start preparations for the festivities. I would love to hear, how parenting has changed you.


 

Little crafty things

I have not been very crafty lately, however I do want to share with you, some things I have made in the past.These little folk, I made for a gift.
I sourced the pattern from a http://weefolkart.com/content/freebies-home.

New job,exciting times

This week I started a new position, I am running a garden program within a Steiner kinder. I am very excited, it brings together two of my passions, caring for children and gardening. In saying that I am far from being a expert in the garden, I know a little!!
I guess that is what is exciting about it, I am learning as I go and having to be creative in a way I approach it so I can engage 3 and 4 year olds,they can be a tough audience.
I'm fairly new at this blogging gig,I'll try and post a photo if I work it out.