Autumn break catchup

So my gypsy travelling is now over for another year, I spend most of my Spring and Summer weekends heading out to the beach. With the last half term holiday of the year I headed out one last time to stand on a deserted beach, feel the sea breeze through my hair, take in the sights, sounds and smells of this special place, this place that makes me feel at peace with the world no matter what is going on in my life. Yes indeed, I have said it before and I will say it again, the beach is a special place for my the soul...
At this time of year it offers a place of solitude and empowerment, its vast expanse of sand and never ending sea makes me happy to be alive. So the children and I spent as much time as possible here, we set up camp near the sand dunes, a little camping stove to make a bowl of pasta and pesto to keep the chills away.
Whilst the babes played in the sand and ran their little legs off I snuggled up under a blanket and pulled out my yarn, yes many things have been knitted and hooked on the beach this year.
We stayed each day until the warmth from the sun dissipated and the light started to fade...
Of course time on the beach would not be complete without a paddle in the sea...
But it is Autumn break and this means lots of walks through woods, the simple pleasure of kicking up leaves and listening to the children giggle as they lose themselves in the piles of fallen leaves, collecting token gifts from the season, rich blood red leaves and acorn cups...
Yes the delights of the season we enjoyed to the full. It was a difficult time for me personally, this holiday marks the first anniversary to the devastating changes that have gone on in my life, this time last year my life was in a different place and I was indeed a different person, it fills my heart with sadness at the loss and pain. Then I look at the year I have been through and I gain strength through all I have achieved on my own, I am ME, if anything I am now a better ME as I am indeed happier. The people I spend time with now want to be with me, like me for who I am and allow my creative spirit to shine.
I am a Mom and my creativity is a huge part of who I am and why I mother the way I do. I have learnt a lot this year, I still have some learning to do. BUT... my children are the absolute centre of my world, the gift that they are fills me with awesomeness. Indeed my life my be different, with worries, uncertainty and instability BUT... it is filled with love, riches beyond the material world and full of existing opportunities...
When the going gets tough this family gets the paint out, finds a creative space and we do 'our thing' until our soul is settled again.
So the week drew to an end the leaves are now nearly all on the ground, the land is snuggling up under the earth to rest, ready to flourish and bloom again next spring...

I hope your week was filled with memories to warm you through the coming months, its that time when the nights draw in, getting cosy under quilts, watching movies, eating pop corn, red wine, deep baths with candles and fluffy white towels, flickering fires to warm your toes up on, beautiful wool yarn and creative evenings and wet weekends splashing in puddles...

Enjoy

Birthday break......

Its that time of year, strawberries and cream, champagne and tennis.  Which to me means its my birthday, half way through the year, June, the sun is shinning, the air is warm and its time to take stock.  Yes there is something about birthdays  that makes me want to think about things. The place  I am at, how I got here and what I want to do in the future, its often quite emotional as I go through this process, but its a positive experience a time to make changes and plans for the future.Yes its a 'Daisy' moment.  My love of the simple daisy and all that it inspires in me, simplicity and purity.  This little daisy was my birthday present from my youngest child, could you wish for a better gift?
So I took a few days off, the children and I headed to the beach.  It was all a little last minute (sorry I never dropped in to say goodbye) and as these things often turn out, It was a lovely birthday, sitting on the beach all day until the sun lost all its strength and I pulled a sweater over my shoulders whilst watching my children play in the water, listening to their laughter and the sound of the waves whilst sipping Hot Chocolate and eating birthday cake.  I had free time to think, to dream and to plan... 
Of course I took my knitting with me and I picked up a project I started a while ago and never got into, another pair of socks, well just one so far.  I turned the heel on the beach and settled in for the evening with a bottle of fizz and some nibbles and just let the yarn flow through my fingers whilst I relaxed to the sound of my babes snoring gently after a day in the surf.
The next day we headed inland, walking along the cliffs and sitting in fields of clover and watching the wildlife (thanks Spring Watch).
Sadly the birthday break ended in a trip to A & E with my eldest child cutting his leg rather badly, nine stitches later and a bandage from his ankle to his thigh, it was not how we planned to spend our last few hours away, it had been a lovely lazy, sunny Sunday afternoon.  A brave boy indeed and with a week off school I am pleased to have the company at home.

I hope your weekend was a good one and the hot weather is suiting you.  

Jumping around...

Spring watch has a big impact on my little family of three.  It opens my children's eyes to all the wonderful riches around us.  The beauty of nature at this time of year just takes my breath away.  Please forgive my lack of posting and I thank you personally for the caring emails I have received.  Its been a busy couple of weeks, a school holiday, which of course involved some beach time and a fabulous camping trip with friends.  Nothing beats curling up under a quilt in the great outdoors around a real fire toasting a couple of marshmallows with good friends...

My creative vibe and even my photography are somewhat at a standstill.  I feel I am drowning in responsibility at present as I adjust and indeed sort out my life as a single parent.  Its not easy and indeed its not very pleasant.  The bonds that tie my boys and me together are stronger than ever, I get cuddles from them all the time, its as if the tighter we hold each other the safer we will be.  

My head is so full of ideas and the frustration of lack of time is something I think we can all identify with.  So whilst I find a balance in my life that I am comfortable with I ask you to forgive the lack of correspondence from the 'Suzie Sews Household'.  I am still here, I am still being a Mom, still cooking, sewing and knitting...just not as much as I would like as I get lost in paperwork, meetings, financial worries and solicitors!!!

Making things is what calms my soul, it is a part of who I am, I know it want be long till I slip back into the comforting flow that is my 'creative spirit'.