Blog post number 2502...

 Well, that's an awful lot of blog posts, even if they have been spread across almost 15 years. Some of you reading today have been here since I began this online journal of life, and some have only recently dropped by, so whoever you are, and from wherever you have come, welcome.

In those almost fifteen years, the blog has been viewed nearly ten million times...and when I saw that number a couple of weeks ago, I kind of retreated, or perhaps hibernated is a better description, within my mind so that I could pray and deeply consider whether or not it was time to sign off on the Elefantz blog and close it's door. 

Mmmm...some days I thought 'yes' it's time to wave goodbye, and other days I thought the complete opposite because sharing about God, homemaking, and sewing still feels so important, and I genuinely love to encourage women in those areas. So here I am back today after an intentional break, inspired also by Jesus, who often went away to pray and separate Himself from the world, having decided to leave the door of Elefantz open a while longer. 

You may have noticed many of your favourite bloggers closing their doors these past few years? I sorely miss a few which spoke deeply into my heart, writers who broadened my homemaker eyes, and threw the  light of Christ into more than few dark valleys - however, I understand why some quit blogging as they needed more time for family and responsibilities, and then I discovered a few others chose to go the route of social media instead, which is not my thing so I soon lost touch with them. Life is a series of seasons, and though I seriously considered saying farewell, now is not that season for me. But one day it will be, and that's fine. 

SOOO...here at home it's winter, but it's a very warm one still. I'm continuing to wear cotton shifts and sandals, swimming at least one kilometre a day in our pool, using the ceiling fans in the afternoon (but yay, not needing the air conditioner), gardening every day, eating salads with each meal, sitting out under the poinciana tree in the late afternoon with a book and a cuppa before staring dinner, stitching a little here and there, playing with new bread recipes, enjoying the odd day with Blossom and the children through the week, catching up with Rosie every few weeks, and pondering whether or not to start a crochet rug or wait a couple more weeks and see if the weather cools. 

Remember the Garden commonplace book I began? The free cover pattern is HERE if you missed it...

I listed everything we have in the garden as of this month, and will begin to write notes on the individual plants this week...

Our garden at this time of year keeps me very busy, but it's a real joyful busyness. I'd dearly love a normal cold winter like most of you have, so I can sit by a fire, cook soups and stews, and sip on hot chocolate...but a tropical winter just isn't like that. It is though, much cooler than our spring, summer and autumn, so it's quite natural to want to be outdoors a lot in the fresh air and sunshine without experiencing the "melt". ;-)

Here's some pics from around the garden...

Some things are fruiting now, and others are just beginning. We planted some vegies in the first week of April, and others were only planted last week, so there's a staggering of maturity. There are a few more raised beds and lots of pots with plants that are growing along fences, which I haven't photographed, but I think in another month the gardens will all look abundant and inviting. 

When my husband had a couple of weeks off work in March we were able to drive around a few garage sales. He got ten long wood palings for a few dollars, and he insisted we buy this wooden island for the kitchen. You know, as long as we've been married (in our 32nd year now) I've wanted one of these, but long ago accepted it was not to be. Yet, there it was, quite cheap, and beautifully hand-crafted, at a moving sale. 

It may look like it takes up a lot of space in the kitchen, but that's the angle of the photo. It's actually a perfect centrepiece, holding fruit and veg, a tea towel (hanging on the opposite side) and that deep drawer you can see at the front contains all my pretty tea cups and saucers. 

The top really needs a lovely covering, but I didn't want to just make 'anything'...I took time to consider the design, the fabrics, and the layout. Two weeks ago, when my hand was in recovery mode from the burn, I drew up a sketch and decided yes, this is what I'll make. 

These triangular stitcheries will feature on all four corners, and all are identical. The rest of the topper will be made from 3" squares of some lovely Anni Downs fabrics from my stash. 

I'm not rushing this, and to be honest, I'm not rushing anything 'stitchy' because those days are behind me. Sewing and stitching at a gentle pace, in fact living life at a gentle pace, is normal here. I have lots of delightful projects partially made or preparing to be made, but they'll be enjoyed when time allows...right now my hands are full, in a wonderful way, because there's always something to do around home, in the garden, with family, or in the sewing room. 

I do enjoy my afternoons reading under the poinciana tree, and especially my morning Bible times with hubby after breakfast, but I also listen to audio books or sermons while I'm in the kitchen cooking, cleaning, and prepping for the days ahead. 

Here's my book reading at the moment...

A couple of cookbooks for simple meal ideas (loving the new library at the end of my street!), an evening re-read of an older book by Mrs White, Sally Clarkson's wonderfully encouraging Teatime Discipleship book, which I first read on my Scribd subscription app but later decided to buy my own hard copy...

...and my new Spurgeon Study Bible (bought in March) which ministers in ways that poke and prod me to continue growing more like Christ, shaving away that which must go from my character. As you can tell, highlighting and underlining are part of how I read and study God's Word. Every Bible I own is full of notes in margins, underlining, and highlights. 

I'm still marinating in this thought (above) - that I cannot make something of myself, not if I want to live in the fullness of what Jesus wants to make me. There can be nothing more honouring to God than allowing Him to make me what He needs me to be...all to His glory. 

I shall sign off for today, my dear ones, and pray that you open your hearts wide to the Lord, and allow Him to make *you* into the person He needs you to be. I am reminded of a verse which I stitched a couple of years ago, one that still makes me stop and question my decisions as to whether they are God's choice or my own....

Ephesians 2:10

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

(pattern is here)

Have a wonderful week, and be sure to count your blessings, for even in hard times, there are blessings to be found. I'm going to bake an apricot cake now, as I re-discovered my own recipe when looking for something in an  old blog post! If you'd like to make it, the recipe is HERE. This cake will be dessert for a few nights, and is especially nice with custard or ice-cream. 

Bless you heaps!

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