This week’s My Favourite Space is totally different, and I must say I love it! Brooke from Eco Parents Australia has taken us outside to share her Favourite Space, under a large old oak tree next to the lavender is her Hills Hoist. This is where we are going today, to share in her glorious surrounds.. Come, let’s pass the pegs together as Brooke hangs out the washing, and feel the warmth of the sun on our faces as we explore this week’s My Favourite Space.

Tell us about yourself

I’ve always had a green heart but having children seemed to amplify the importance of living gently. I’m not a city person but after attending University in Brisbane I got a job, and another, and another and 20 years later I was on the way to work at my city job and thinking I might like to change that. So with two small children and our chickens we sold our house and made a tree change to the picturesque Granite Belt region in Queensland. With more space inside and out our hands are getting blisters and we are learning everyday on our 14 acre organic hobby farm.

Tell us about your favourite space

My favourite space is outside. Under a large old oak tree, next to a garden of fragrant purple lavender and nestled in the greenest grass stands a large old Hills Hoist. I’ve replaced a few strands of line and she’s a bit wobbly but she is a treasure. When you encourage your children to get right in and have a go, they get dirty. They have also been encouraged to dress themselves from as young as they were physically able to. The outfit combinations say a lot about their personality. My son and daughter are only 18 months apart in age and both were cloth nappied. All of this means I have a fair bit of laundry on my hands and therefore spend my fair share of time hanging it out.

What is it about this space that makes it your favourite?

There is something I find comforting in cloth nappies flapping in the breeze. The process of hanging washing is therapeutic for me. In a day of constant chores inside and out it is a space that makes me pause. I can’t check my phone. I can’t do more than one thing. I can only hang the washing. The time gives me an opportunity to think. Sure sometimes it is taking stock of what chores remain, but i can also think about other things. In summer the oak tree provides dappled light and a cool spot for the kids to play on a rug. The clothesline is close to the tree house too. In spring the bees in the nearby lavender are soothing as they buzz and work. Autumn sees the oak leaves fall and one can’t help but swoosh through them. Winter produces a bare tree but exposes the lichen covered branches and the soft winter sun reaches through. Over the fence is a woodland where wallabies often snack and behind me is the chicken run and coops. I usually check for eggs on the way back to the house.

What are your favourite items in this space?

A trolley houses two large wire laundry baskets. I appreciate not having to bend all the way to the ground. Bamboo and wooden pegs are in place of their plastic counterparts and I never put them in a basket. They always stay on the line – ready for washing. It’s not just washing I hang though. In summer the kids paint while naked and then I can hose them off. We hang their pictures on the line. When the season changes and things are a bit musty I throw the pillows and blankets over the lines to give them a good airing. This space does not have many ‘things’. Perhaps that’s another reason why I like it so much.

How does this space make you feel?

Calm without having to sit down. I often have a cup of tea with me and take a sip every so often. Sometimes I just let my mind wander a bit and other times I find I reflect. Each article of clothing has a story attached. Most of the children’s clothes have been handed down and I know who gave us what items. Sure I might be surrounded by my husband’s socks and undies but I also check to see if the homemade spaghetti sauce has washed out of his shirt or if the cherries we bought directly from the local farm left stains in the kids clothes. Our clothes see so many moments and there is something rewarding about washing them and preparing them for further adventures.

Thank you for taking us outside Brooke, and reminding us to stop and take stock of nature’s beauty that surrounds us. I know I’ll be looking at my laundry differently now next time I hang it out, appreciating each item of clothing and the story it tells, rather than it being a hurried chore that I never seem to have enough time to keep up with.

If you’d like to know more about Brooke, you can find her on Facebook, Pinterest , or her Website.

Do you have a Favourite Space you’d like to share, inside or out? I’d love to hear from you.

Nicole xxx