Slack Lines
When Sophie was 21 I made her a quilt. I do not make many as they are all hand stitched with a needle and my mother’s thimble and they take a long time to make. But they are treasures. This one still looks as good as the day it was finished.
Setting up the Slack Line. In the absence of good big trees they set up the slack line through the center of the house. Of course. Well wouldn’t you? I tried to walk along its wobbly width and when I got off I felt like I had just got off a ship with rubber legs. It is a good way to develop balance both for climbers and people who practice yoga.
The best way to practice on a slack line is to hang it over water then when you fall off it is a soft landing.
Empanada.
Typical of my family I gave my daughter the bigger knife in this pile for her birthday and my son gave me the top knife for my un-birthday – he brought it back from Japan for me. What a family. Of course because it is a sharp gift we always buy the knife off the giver with a coin to lift the pointy bad luck.
The birthday dinner and the cake were great successes but I did not take pictures. I will today when we are cleaning up. This is the first of the sad days.
Today we leave this lovely place. The New Zealand contingent returns to New Zealand, Fede goes back to Sydney and the rest of us meander about the coast and slowly wend our way back to Melbourne.
All is well at the farm, John has been tapping the maple trees.
Tomorrow morning I fly to New Zealand. More travelling ahead.
Have a lovely day.
celi
40 Comments on “Slack Lines”
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Lovely balance to life here. Cheers – and smiles sent to help with the glad days’ sad with promise of glads again.
I know – this is a very fast moving trip and already I am feeling the speed of hullos on top of goodbyes hitting me in the neck. c
Bittersweet… to be sure.
Time always goes too fast when you are with family and friends. I have never seen that slack line before, it looks jolly hard to do! Safe onward journey to you all. 😊
It is hard – we do a lot of hand holding! c
Ok, that looks like a trampoline crossed with a tightrope …glad to see it only 30cm/1foot off the floor. What fun. Loved seeing Australian pics, all looks very similar to our Natal Coast ( eastern coast line). Happy and safe meandering. Laura
Great exercise! And beautiful empanadas too. Enjoy your sad days and fill them with laughter! Have a good day C
Looks and sounds like a wonderful time is being had. Thank you for sharing with us!
Your header photo is stunning! I was looking for a recipe for birthday cake today… oh well, perhaps when you return home, with more time to post it.
My sense of balance is so unbalanced that I’d not do well on your slack line… I think it is all included in the fear of heights I have. I once read that people with a fear of heights are, in fact, the ones who are most likely to fall, hence I avoid situations.
Short reunions are always bittersweet because of the speed with which they are completed, but what a treasure for all to remember in the cold days of winter that come upon us. Your visit has been reason for the coming together of the clan, and that’s a blessing in itself.
I was surprised to hear you have sugar maples on the farm… a treasure of a different sort! Hope your day is a good one too ~ Mame 🙂
As always, it took me a second to realize “mame19” must live ‘down under’ with her talk of ‘winter coming on’. A lovely young Maltese woman who used to work with my husband – in Malta – now lives in Australia. Evidently there’s a lot of Maltese in Australia… as well as Canada. I’m always so jealous when she posts photos of summer…. when we’re ‘enjoying’ (or not..) winter here in the Northern Hemisphere!!
Ha! Fooled ya…. hehehe I am, in fact, a true red and white Canuk… in Toronto. I was speaking of a different ‘winter’ — sorry, I should have been more clear. I too am jealous of summer photos in February, although this year we cannot complain as our winter weather has been quite tropical, relatively speaking. 🙂
Well… I got THAT wrong! I lived – two different time – in Quebec. Once in Montreal and the 2nd time near Quebec City. When the snow gets that dry, crunchy cold here in Massachusetts I also say out loud (to myself). “Wpw, It’s ‘Canada Cold’!! Glad to hear you’ve had a pretty mild winter. We have as well – except for a serious cold snap a bit more than a week ago, which I believe you Canadians got as well !
I’m glad to learn of “buying” the knife. I never give knives as gifts for that very reason. One of my few superstitions! Be well, c., and treat your heart kindly during these parting days.
and if you give a handbag or purse as a gift it brings good fortune only if the giver puts a coin in it.
What a lovely time you’ve been having, but all good things cometo an end. I wouldn’t dare try that rope: since breaking my back two years ago I have totally lost my sense of balance (which used to be good) and only walk straight by leaning on two sticks.
Have a great time in NZ.
love,
ViV
Ouch! Poor you.
Already sad days? I send hugs to you and your children and Fede….. I can feel the warmth and love just looking at your photos.
Those knives look good – the discolouration looks like they are made of carbon steel which will give you a good edge. They say that good Japanese knives are the best in the world.
The empanadas reminded me to go and visit the empanada shop in Barcelona tomorrow.
Have a safe trip to New Zealand 🙂
I love following your steps, your moods, your memories in the making. Thank you.
I know that sadness too well. But we choose, and we do what we must. xx
I have those same Japanese knives. Big Man bought me some extra ones for Christmas and I paid him a penny for them to ward off bad luck! Don’t be too sad miss c 😦
You ‘cut the bad luck with silver’ when you give scissors, too. Oh, for the lost days of my agility, when I could have walked that line, done the splits for the asking and raised my leg straight above my head. I am paying the price now… And Celi, *beautiful* quilt, an unsuspected talent. Travel in safety, return in health. Don’t say goodbye, but “until the next time”.
😀 !! The logistics here have my head spinning a wee bit: Chicago > LA > Melbourne > NZ > back to Melbourne > Chicago? Do you have a love affair with the Tasman? Even from my office chair the days are passing far too fast for you . . . . lots of hugs on your travels! Love the look of the ‘slack line’ – with my total lifelong sense of imbalance I would last . . . oh, about five seconds 🙂 !
No slack line for me, I had surgery on my toes back in 1993 and my balance has never been the same. I spent some time on a stepladder over the past few day while giving a ceiling a couple of coats of emulsion. A job I would have done in a couple of hours in the past, but now age has slowed me down and watching my balance and the paint has not helped either. Great feeling of achievement now that it is finished. 🙂
I also learned to pay with a coin for any sharp gifts. Enjoy the hullos and goodbyes, but pack them in the memory box to keep you going on the tough days alone at the farmy.
I liked the birthday celebration and the unbirthday. Sound like so much fun. I’m fascinated by the coin when giving a pointed gift. Very interesting. I would guess that everything going well on the farmy eases your heart a bit. I’m certainly enjoying every moment of your trip.
Our family pays for gloves as well when we receive them as a gift. Anything sharp that could “cut” the relationship, or anything (like gloves or mitts) that could come between the relationship. Pennies are fine, although we don’t have them anymore in Canada, but nickels, dime, etc. Whatever is in your pocket or purse.
Hold onto the glad, while you get through the sad.
Chris S in Canada
A beautiful quilt – and with all the work that went into it, I’m sure you were thrilled to see it being used!
Is tapping the maple trees something new you’re doing this year? Syrup…..yum!
Yes the first time and he is getting some t00!
Jeez, Celi! That went by fast. I hope time slows a bit for the remainder of your trip. Slack lines? I’d give ’em a try if I could use my cane. Better make that 2 canes. 🙂
‘How do I love Thee, let me count the ways’ – I shan;t look up my Shakespeare . . .. . . .let’s make it two canes and agree upon that 😀 ! How do you DO understand that I’ll be at one end and you the other at the same time . . . c’mon let’s go!!! C’mon, John, we can do the slack;lline – we can : :D!!!
There had better be riggings with harnesses or it could get ugly real fast.
oops’a’daisy 😀 !! Hmm : a public forum where I cannot quite say what is in mind . . etc . . etc . . etc. . . but JC, John , you DO think fast !!! and I DO hope C is smiling at our somewhat ‘peculiar’ sense of fun!!!! hugs E
I shall come and limbo myself under the slack line to give you both a soft place to land 🙂 Better leave my own cane to one side, though, it sounds as if there are already enough to go round… I reckon Miss C is not smiling, but sniggering…
Time always goes by too fast when we are with family and friends.
Love the knives!
Just landed in Johannesburg for a week with my inlaws😖 Then on to Cape Town for a fun week with my daughter.
Welcome home maatjie 🙂 Laura
Dankie
Wow, you went from your travel bubble to “fully in”. The photos are lovely and I know there must be a lot of laughter as well as tears. Enjoy. It will be over way too soon me thinks. How awesome that Fede was able to join you and your family.
Oh Celi .. Gosh how wonderful to spend time with your family! I just love this .. And know you do too! Enjoy lovely
Unbirthday gifts are the best 🙂 We too give/receive coins in exchange for knife gifts… the G.O. loves a knife.
My son-in-law has a slack line he runs across the backyard. The neighborhood kids love to give it a go.