The Poppy Files

Ordinary ♥

Today I am loving this poem that I recently saw on Facebook. It is good to be reminded of the simple things in life and to enjoy the ordinary. x

Make the Ordinary Come Alive

Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.

William Martin – The Parent’s Tao Te Ching : Ancient Advice for Modern Parents

Thursday, 3 April 2014 1 Comment Short URLWilliam MartinToday I Am Loving

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Sneaky Peek : Row Row

Nick has been looking on Gumtree for a rowing skiff for over a year now and his patience has paid off, as he finally found this little gem that he picked up yesterday.

Poppy ran inside, grabbed all of her toys and took them for a ‘row’. Mmmm … never too soon to learn I guess.

Wednesday, 2 April 2014 1 Comment Short URLRowing SkiffBoating, Sneaky Peek

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Artful Fools

James and I were ‘Artful Fools’ this morning and fled the house on this fine autumn day to visit the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

What is it about art galleries that make you feel so good? I have very positive feelings when I am in the midst of amazing art – maybe it is being surrounded by work that has been lovingly created by talented artisans, expressing their every thought through the stroke of a brush. I also have the same feelings in bookshops – all those loving words printed on paper.

We were lucky to experience the most valuable painting the museum has ever exhibited, non other than the Angelica and the wounded Medoro c. 1860 by Eugène Delacroix. This painting is only in Tasmania for a week as part of the Hobart Baroque Festival.

We also visited the exhibition from the National Gallery of Australia Capital & Country – The Federation Years 1900 – 1914 and ogled over works by the likes of McCubben, Roberts and Piguenit.

I especially loved The Sonnet c.1907 by George W Lambert. James didn’t mind it either. He he. X

Tuesday, 1 April 2014 2 Comments Short URLAngelica and the wounded Medoro, George Lambert, Tasmanian Musuem & Art Gallery, The Sonnet c. 1907, TMAGPoppy : James

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Sophie la Girafe

Everyone loves Sophie la Girafe including little James. Poppy and I bought one for him last week and Sophie has been chewed, squeaked, squashed and loved since then. They even have matching outfits:

Poppy has always loved her Sophie since she was a baby and her little giraffe still takes pride of place in her bed, along with all of her other toys.

The little giraffe was born on 25th May in the year 1961…Saint Sophie’s day!

Sophie la girafe®, who looked exactly the same then as she does today, went into production on a Thursday 25th May, hence her name.

She was an immediate success. Young mothers immediately saw that she was a must for their children… When the first signs of teething appear, Sophie la girafe® helps babies stop crying!

The organic Sophie la Girafe Cosmetics range has just been released as well:

Monday, 31 March 2014 1 Comment Short URLSophie la GirafePoppy : James

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Time

Time is a dimension in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future, and also the measure of durations of events and the intervals between them.

Time – we all have equal amounts of time regardless of our age, health, race, status or disposition and I believe it is the one true commodity we have in life. I found this article very interesting.

I do however find myself saying:

I don’t HAVE time

… but I really should be saying:

I haven’t MADE time.

I am also intrigued with how we visualise the calendar year in our heads. I see the year as a large oval with a big gap between December and January. I can only assume this gap is a hangover from our long school holidays when I was a child as they seemed to go on forever.

The diagram below is not exactly as I visualise my year as I couldn’t work out the formatting with SmartArt in Word, but it is close:

How do you visualise the year in your head??

Another concept of time that is difficult for me to grasp is the development of new life. James is 9 months old on the 20th April, so at this current point in time, he has lived longer within my body than outside it. Crazy.

Mmmm – I think I have TIME for a cup of tea to ponder that one.

Friday, 28 March 2014 1 Comment Short URLTimeUncategorized

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Director’s Chair ♥

Today I am loving the Il Bisonte Director’s Chair. Il Bisonte is one of my favourite brands as I have a very soft spot for beautiful leather goods and have acquired quite a collection of their gorgeous handbags over the years.

I first saw this chair in the New York store several years ago where I was hyperventilating over all the beauties and now for a cool $1590.00 you can pick one up from Hunt Leather in Australia. Mmmm … I think I will just admire from afar.

Iconic, classic and stylish this Director’s Chair by Il Bisonte is an absolute object of desire.
Will make superb addition to any interior, or make a fabulous camping or picnic companion.
Included is an adjustable leather magazine holder with numerous pockets and pouches to store all the bits and pieces you may need whilst relaxing in style.
The combination of the vegetable dyed leather and untreated ash wood means that the piece will age with you, creating memories rather than just being another piece of furniture.

This piece features;
Vegetable dyed cowhide seat, back rest and magazine holder
Untreated ash timber and brass structure.

Il Bisonte Directors Chair

Thursday, 27 March 2014 1 Comment Short URLHunt Leather, Il Bisonte Directors Chair, leather goodsToday I Am Loving

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Sneaky Peek : Diamonds are Forever

diamond

Mummy when I grow up I’m going to have a precious ring like yours and get married.

Who are you going to marry Poppy?

Daddy!

Wednesday, 26 March 2014 0 Comments Short URLDiamonds, precious ringSneaky Peek

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A Tasmanian Adventure

Grab yourself a cuppa, sit back and enjoy the ‘gaiety and charm’ of this old school Tasmanian Adventure:

Tuesday, 25 March 2014 1 Comment Short URLTasmanian AdventureTravel

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Position Description

James is now 8 months old and is almost crawling, he’s eating solids, sleeping well and becoming more and more animated by the day. I’m not sure whether it is the changing of seasons or the fact that it feels as though I have been in ‘ground-hog’ day for a very long time, but I am feeling a little ‘blah’ of late.

I will be returning to work in July and I have been thinking about the role a mother plays and how our ‘job’ would fit into a typical position description. I liken motherhood to a high-powered job where there is no knock off time! This is what I came up with: