The girls and the seasons...

For this,

the last day of my favouite season, 

being orange Autumn, 

I want to celebrate the falling of leaves, the yellows and the greens,   

The gentle, cooling introduction to our Winter,

For the smell of freshly picked (late blooming) lavender,

and steady signs of winter bulbs about to flower in my garden beds,

For the beautiful girls who cluck and scratch around my leafy outdoors,
And deliver the freshest and most magical eggs in the entire universe for breakfast.

For the delight and enlightenment brought by the changing over of life's seasons,
which has been a constant theme and awareness during my walk so far,
through this life,

For the seasons which cause us to reflect,
and respite,
and renew,
and rejoice...

...through all of this, I have so much to tell you, and it's nearly time.

Shell xx

Sunday Morning...

Sunday morning tea with family.  And dear friends, who too, feel like home.

Shell xx

Tea, for three...

Life is really not as familiar and as predictable as I would often perceive it to be.  

Explanation:

Once there was just me.  Alone in a flat with nothing on for dinner and no washing machine.  Then, {the Lord be thanked} - girl met boy, life began, and suddenly there was {and still is} an inseparable two.  The kettle would be boiled at least five times a day for tea, and two lovingly chosen, chipped and sometimes half broken cups would be stood beside the brewing pot.  Kisses, and animated conversations would always ignite there...

Now a wonderful, whimsical love filled decade and a half has flown colourfully by since I first started having that tea - and now when I make a pot {note: amount of pots per day has considerably increased!} I put three, rather quaint little cups and saucers out on the bench, most often for my two older children, and me.  I adore tea with those two - they are becoming proper little people I've noticed!  They banter and jest, and question, and ponder and kiss me over that tea and I quietly hang, on every minute of it with them.

But I hate that my inseparable friend must be away for so much time in order to earn our bread.  So that he is not always home for those cups of tea anymore...  We make up for it of course in the time that he is home - and I can really see the transition into my adulthood at the bottom of my own cup.  

I think that time is both the blessing and the challenge of this life.  It seems to mean everything, and yet, if our God is outside of it, maybe it really just is something to use carefully, and spend wisely.  Perhaps time on earth really isn't the important thing, but it's what we do with our days that matters.  And the challenge is to see past the ticks of the clock and look at the tasks God puts before us.

I am therefore, pausing to think, in light of this spiel, that if time is not an important beast, but simply a challenging one, then my friend really is never very far from me, or his tea.

Picture below: my new clock!  

And perhaps it's the clock which has caused me to examine the curiousness of time today.  I hope you have a glorious weekend, and make the most of every minute!

Shell xx

Super-Mother-Diva-Activities!

Hello Loves!

Let me start this letter to you with great regret that I haven't written sooner.

There are a myriad of reasons and excuses I could give you, some of them are to do with that sort of writers block caused by husband being so very far away, for what seems so very long...  But really it is more often due to that sort busyness of a blessed life, that can sweep you away into a mindless day-to-day if you let it.

But I won't let it.

I am still in a (what seems never ending) pre-production for the album - arranging songs, and feeling like there aren't enough hours in my days or my nights to get it all done.

But I am going to cool, and breath.

Because making an album is a long involving, special, spiritual and very final thing.  Once it is done, it is done!  And I don't want to 'do' for the sake of having something to blog about, unless it is the right bit of 'doing' which is perfectly placed, and true to the music.

[That may have been a nonsensical rant!?]

But I digress...  It has also been a wonderful week.  A week I have been able to help bless my dear sister and brother in law.  Who have such a busy life raising four little boys and one girly girl - last week they went on a long deserved family road trip together - and while they were away, those Tullys left behind, sort of did a surprise renovation on their lounge room!  We made beige on beige into olive country green trimmed with crisp warm white...

I was allowed to help paint! 

...and purposefully sand! 

And Voila!  Finished product!

It was a two day, epic team Tully triumph which took a tired family lounge room, and gave it the lift which it, and it's occupants truly deserved.  (And they loved it!)  *relief* Amen!

From there I have been spending time with my four small people, enjoying their prettiness and their silliness alike.  Rather then letting parent hood drain me of energy, I try to let these children give me that vitality and delight of heart which they so naturally posses, and I believe the Lord intends to grant busy mother hearts with...

And there is nothing which keeps one more inspired to do all super mother diva activities than a well planned {or even unplanned} silly outfit for the day!

I end by declaring my love for you dear friends, for your patience and encouragement always.  My love for green/blue retro half-aprons, red tights, for music (especially The Swell Season right now) and for my own musical pursuits - which, be assured, are on their way, to your ears...

Shell xx

With pineapple wallpaper...

Dear Jamie,

I'm glad we got to fly away together, for a short, but special time...

I loved sitting with you in the taxi, and walking through the city streets.  I enjoyed our conversations, about big, and little things - you always interest my mind and soul.

I loved having breakfast with you in a room that had stripy chairs, and pineapple wallpaper!  Which, between your smiles and such decor, made my scrambled eggs and fried tomato taste even more wonderful.

I loved us getting inspired by, and discussing marvellous "chandeliers" in shops, and various paintings, and sculptures we passed by.  I loved the way we sang, and danced along to whatever music we heard, as though we weren't in public...

I was glad to know you got onto the plane alright, I was sad to go home alone.  I was glad we were given the chance, for a last goodbye.

Yours patiently,

your

Shell xx

This Here Lady...

The most beautiful day in May is always Mother's Day for me.  And this year, the mother of our little clan celebrated her sixtieth birthday.

We sat in the sun and ate homemade delicacies, played The Beatles for our Scouser heroin, loved her and showered her with gifts and hugs; and I wrote, and read out a little poem...

This Here Lady.

by Mechelle Tully

I am indeed perhaps,

{as per usual!}

in too many words & ways

to tell you all, of things

in the air, 

the character, 

the manner,

& the many graces of  

this here, Lady-

Which, in her sixty years of life to date

you would well, already know...

But how better can we celebrate?

If not to acknowledge this 

woman?

This friend, mother,

prophet, Christian,

servant, leader, 

Scouser!

lover, dancer, singer

fighter...

and keeper - of all our consciences as diligently as the Lord Himself!

Though there may have been at least twelve

verses in this poem!  

If I’d written one for each of the virtues just listed, 

But I feel, (unusually!) drawn to silence in the matter of elaborating on such points,

For fear that words cannot duly Celebrate,

the absolute, 

Enormity of this life!

And how blessed we all are, to witness her 

Living it, so… impressively.

Few, have loved her more than those gathered here...

And fewer still, I believe, 

have made more of a study, 

and a range of sacrifices - for Love,

Than this, here, lady.

The very heart,

Of such a family as this- 

is you.

(and before mine renders me to tears!)

I wish to only else to say-

a Happy Birthday-

to this, here, Fine, lady.

I'd like to also acknowledge my own mother this day - bless her soul for giving me life.  
I'd also like to thank all of the tremendously wonderful people who thought of me this Mother's Day - thank you for your messages and thoughts.


I have four children, and being Mother to them is my pleasure and my privilege.
Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers and mother hearts...


Shell xx

Wish...

{photo by Anna Eliza Tully}

Like child, made of innocent hope 

I make my way through tussock spread fields,

I venture your mountains

and lie in the grasses

Paint, and ponder the trees...

Sometimes follow, and keep to the trails,

other times break away

to step along paths of the kangaroos and wallabies,

there, to find rock to sit upon

I make, in my solitude, 

a wish, which scatters dandelion,

 - and centers my hopes,

on what it is really I need...

and where I know I need to be

In order to ask, with thanksgiving and grace,

for what I want.

Shell xx

Through rain and hail, doth creativity floweth...

How the rain brings out one's desire to paint, and be, closer to myself again.
Nearer my goals.
Further from my woes...

Picture me,  painting in the sunroom - singing along to my playbacks from the studio - preparing my soul to show you...

I am readying myself to talk to you again via my lens...

Shell xx

Just Quietly...

...I go in for a Sunday picnic.

...I have an overblown obsession with packing good food into Décor containers.

And for framing my feet in pictures which capture such vivid Autumn-ness!

For skies so free and blessed, and blue.

For laughs so real and pure.

For finding my dearest friend, in the middle of the garden.

And rediscovering some of my recently forgone delight, in this beautiful life, within this beautiful world.

Post Script:

I'd also like to thank Lynn, for your playing my music on your radio show-

You cannot know how proud and grateful I feel...

And Emily, your posts of late have been like healing balm to my broken skin.  I love your heart.

Jamie, when you get some time off (soon!) I am going to make you read me all of 

Shakespeare's sonnets in the Wintery sun over Yorkshire tea!

In short, I adore the!

And to my dear studio piano- 

aren't you glad we got that take of "Tattoo" down yesterday afternoon?

I feel it was all due to the relaxing vibes I wore

as I skipped into the round room - post picnic glee!

Shell xx