the beaches were crowded this hot, long weekend
so we retreated to the mountains to be cool and quiet.
this was in the evening on the way back to town,
a full day-moon rising .  .    .















.

a summer solstice 

+ a thank you

dear Kim for the discreet affinity, the timely intuition

.

/   baby steps towards an old/new project .   .      .  
   

//  'draw me something to colour in mummy', she said,


///  the barefoot ballerina who'd been off school for 3 days, fluttering about in fairy 
      wings a little bored, perhaps, but still in love with the endless possibilities of home.
      so if you squint at no2 you'll see a cartoon of a little person bravely carrying 
      her childhood burdens (before a. was born i used to think this was a purely
      carefree time, i know much better now) her prickly temper on top :)


the nights have been delicious, cool and breezy, rustling palms, a faint scent of jasmine
but it's hotting up,  36C today .     .       .

a great week to you!











.

today a little paper boat
arrived and unloaded
a cargo of wonderful gifts
and friendship

dear amelie, elsa, this was so thoughtful and unexpected
thank you, we're already building houses and butterflies!

+  for those who like their landscapes mountainous and empty


.

she always looks down when she walks, like me,
in case she misses a leaf, a stone, you never know
'we don't have this one in our collection, mamma'
her trophy from our walk in the old town





+

she could not quite believe such a job existed in real life
when a friend, a heart transplant surgeon, visited the other day 
so i suggested she too might become a doctor and help people one day
she sighed hard and said 
'but there is so much else i want to be when i grow up'
'like what, my sweet'
'well, i want to be a mummy'

should i tell her a mother's job is never done
the client is rarely satisfied
the pay is - what pay?
there are no holidays or changes of career
but i wouldn't want to curb her ambition :)
so i hug her and tell her the truth
that it's the best job in the world
the greatest privilege












.

in a crisis, people will either take care
or take advantage of one another. 
our next-door neighbour, who is unemployed,
has been bringing fresh country eggs for a. every week
in that old-fashioned 'let's keep the children healthy' way
i remember from my childhood
and her gesture moves me deeply.


+


a freshly made bed and nobody at home
the bliss of a 5-minute hot-day siesta :)

have a beautiful week!








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