august scavenger hunt

 I had such high hopes of finding and photographing all the different prompts this month however once again Im searching through my files instead. Thats ok though because I'm having such a lot of fun finding long ago events and reminiscing about the past! So here goes with this months pics - I've slightly rearranged the order just so that I can put the prettiest photo right at the beginning!!

1. Starts with D: Daffodils!!! This beautiful display is seen as you drive into our little town - along both sides of the road in fact! The photo here was taken 2 years ago when the granddaughters were a little younger and shorter but the daffy display is just about in full bloom again and it must be time take another one! I've been hibernating at home a lot more in recent months (I suppose we all have really) but here in Tasmania we are able to be almost back to 'normal' so it's time for me to head out and about. To 'wander... lonely as a cloud...and see a crowd, a host of golden daffodils'. Or several crowds of them I hope!! 

2. Moving: This was the state of our lounge room last year when we were packing up to move into the bus and head off on our adventures. Looking at it now makes me a little home sick. We have a friend renting it from us at the moment but since we are not heading back into bus adventures for a while, I wonder if we might move back in? I'm still in love with the gold crushed velvet curtains and the mural I painted on the wall behind the wood heater. I'm still delighted with the rainbow coloured art trolley and the multi coloured hearth tiles. And I miss the many impromptu meals that were shared with beloved friends and family around our large dining table. 

3. Boxes: I've had to add two photos to get the full box plus guinea pig experience. My third daughter was gifted with two lovely guinea pigs when she was 5 years old and although she's now 22, she still has a love for these delightful rodents. The first two lived to a ripe old age due to being so pampered and loved up and when they left their earthly abode for greener pastures, my girl replaced them with a couple more. And so on and so on - although sometimes there were more than two! Miss E is a frugal one and likes to reuse stuff, hence the practical hay box. Or impractical as Bucket the very hungry guinea pig must have thought! Bucket was always one to climb up and into all manner of things and was always hungrier than the others, so of course she had to climb right into the box!! 

4. Breakfast: Once again I can't help but share a family tradition. This time an Easter one which sadly didn't happen this year in quite the same manner as usual. Or should I say not as many family members were able to be here. This is Easter breakfast, a meal we share every year after having spent an hour or so searching for baskets of eggs under bushes or beside woodpiles or any number of other spots a rabbit might hide eggs! I really love to feed them all up!! 

5. Making: Another view of the header that I have on this blog. We picked, dried and saved jarfuls of camomile flowers before we moved - most of which I still have because camomile tea is not my favourite. But I do enjoy making the most of the free harvest, as well as making tea for anyone with headache or sleeplessness. 

6. My own choice: Another arty one just because I saw it as I searched for the others and I like it!! There really hasn't been enough art in my life lately and I must remedy that as soon as I can!! 

So there we have it again! I'm late this month so hopefully I can still link up to I live, I love, I craft, I am me - now I'm going to spend an hour having a rest on the couch and a peek at every one else's scavenger hunt!!! 

yesterday I went for a walk....

 ....and took my camera along. Not that going for a walk is a novelty for me in recent times, its just that I actually took the camera rather than the binoculars! Maybe I need to back track a little and fill you in on the missing month of visibility in this little space. 

Life has been busy with family. And thats not unusual of course with so many offspring and all the trials and tribulations - and many joys - that go along with that. With one son coming home to spend 2 weeks in isolation with us and a son-in-law that needed me to spend time with him after major jaw surgery, I've found my time eaten up with 'needs'!! I was also working on my course and ebook which hasn't been going along all that smoothly - mainly due to my own fears and feelings of 'what do I know about this subject' - which resulted in too much stress and elevated blood pressure. 

So that brings me back to the topic of walking. In order to relax and destress, I've taken to walking and birdwatching - two or three times a day. I don jumpers and a wind proof jacket and head out either with binoculars and phone for identification or just as I am. I wander up the hill, through the paddock, past the stands of tall gums and beside the next door timber plantation. If it's dryish I make myself a bed of bracken fern and lay down in between tall grass tussocks to watch cloud formations and the gentle sway of the tall eucalypts. When the weather is changeable and there's intermittent showers, I pull up the hood of my jacket and simply walk.... inhaling lungfuls of cold, crisp air and revelling in the elements. 

Yesterday I swapped the usual binoculars for my camera thinking that I might document all the loveliness that I'm so fortunate to have access to for the time being. It's late winter which means theres been lots of rain so everywhere is mossy and moist and lush and simply beautiful!

When I leave the cottage and head to the left, theres a big grassy area and on the edges are a few wattles that have been profusely flowering for a week or two. The smell is heavenly and I always stop by to inhale deeply - and to spend a few minutes observing the small birds that flitter about amongst the blossoms.

Following along the edges of the forest means I can peek into the parts that really don't see any winter sun and are therefore very moist and mossy. There are a variety of fallen trees and branches all artfully arranged in lichen (that symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an algae), which causes such beautiful patterning on rotting wood and damp rocks. 

And mosses, oh so many mossy rocks and crevices! I try really hard to only walk between the mosses because I still, even in my adulthood, feel that maybe there are fairies making use of the soft tufts. That maybe the large spaces are used for fairy dances and the small, raised lumps for soft and cushioned seats. I know, I know....but moist and mossy places just seem like they're enchanted, don't you think?  

Onward and upward I go. Back out into the open to continue up the track to the lone tree at the top. I like this part because my very favourite place to be is right on top of hills or mountains. I feel most alive when I'm right up high and looking down on the world and this beautiful property has views in abundance! 

This aspect is looking to the north east which is back towards the town of Sheffield. We have had enough rain and some lengthening sunny days so the grass is greening up again after the winter die-off. I also get a good lungful of pungent cow manure from the farmers cows!

Along the rickety old fence I go and past the eucalyptus nitens plantation on the block next door. There are always bird calls of various kinds coming from in there and I intend to explore there soon. It's dark and gloomy but has a good feeling none the less and since the forest floor is quite bare, except for layers of fallen leaves, it will be quite easy to wander about in. 

At the other end of the hilltop, there is another view this time to the south. That distant brown patch is another plantation that was cut down a few months ago and is now being allowed to return to pasture. I love the checkerboard look of fields and trees in all their myriad greens. 

Swinging again to the right of the paddock, I come to a large patch of last years thistles, now dry and brown. Amongst the thistles and tussocks of tall grasses is where I've seen a small flock of Brown Quail.  I've tried several times to creep up on them but each time they surprise me first and burst from the ground cover in a mad flurry of wings, only to land in the dense grass further along....and certainly well out of my sight! 

Back into the bush I go and here too it's abundantly green. There's tall trees, small mossy hillocks and lichen crusted fallen giants. The patterns on the long dead wood is often so beautiful especially when its combined with the various lichen that slowly but surely covers them. 

Amongst the eucalypts are the slightly smaller Blackwood trees (acacia melanoxylon). They are related to the wattle tree I saw earlier in my walk, however they are far more useful to the timber industry. Same little puffball flowers only less of them and certainly not as golden yellow but amongst the other tree's they are still rather pretty. 

Since this side of the hill faces south as well, with no winter sunshine, there's a lot of moss here but also a type of plant called a liverwort. Ive always been fascinated by them...so much so that my youngest daughter and I did a project on them for our homeschool one year. They are simply amazing to look at - all fleshy and moist - and so interesting in their behaviour. I spent a while sitting and pondering the liverwort colony before heading out into the more open bush and sunlight. 

Almost back to the cottage again but first I had to snap a few pics of the fat green gum nuts. I've only subjected you to one photo but believe me I took some from all angles!!! These gums flowered in autumn and I suppose thats why the nuts are still green, although as the weather warms I'm sure they will dry out and brown and eventually drop off to be replaced with the beginnings of next years blossoms. Isn't nature amazing?

And that dear friends, was my walk with camera! As I said, usually its the binoculars that head out with me (and sometimes even Stuy!) but I wanted to share what Ive been up to while I've been absent. I am slowly de-stressing using a combination of walking, diet and mindfulness practices. I'm hoping to stop by and see what you have all been up to in recent times and to be inspired to get back into posting regularly. 

Till then, much love - Evi 

Here is a link to some lichen information I found.

And a link to some Blackwood specifications.

If you are interested, this link will take you to a wonderful site about liverworts. Click on the little cameras there and see them in all their magnified glory!!!

Edited to add that I've linked in with Peabea Scribbles and her Tuesday Link Up that I just happened to see after I'd clicked post!!! 

july scavenger hunt

Gosh, I'm actually on the ball with this post!! Right on time in fact considering all the goings on here!
June was a busy month and July has been the same and I'm really hoping for a calmer August - thats not too much to ask surely? Mind you, I tend to always find more things to add to my day and eventually there's too much on my to do list and I just let it all lapse and dont do any of it. Then I relax a bit until the cycle starts again! But thats ok, I'm aware of the busy/rest/busy/rest nature of my life now so it doesn't bother me overly anymore. 

This month I've had little chance to take photos. In fact, I hardly picked up my camera and only took a bare minimum on my phone. Therefore all the photos for the July Scavenger Hunt are ones from my Photo Bank - the vast collection on my laptop that should really be culled, collated and added to an external hard drive. Maybe next year ;) 

1. Something purple: This prompt is really no hardship since purple is one of my most favourite-ist colours and I have a plethora of purple tinged pics!! I picked this one to share since I'm pleased as punch with the recover I did of my sisters couch. Sister Mimi has grand plans for her new business venture which focuses on holistic funerals and end of life care and to that end she purchased an old church and hall. We spent 6 months having a most fabulous time decorating the hall with all manner of lush furniture and decadent designs! This second hand couch was a grey blue and definitely needed a make over so I made slip covers for all the various parts in a gorgeous purple stretch velvet.....oooh it was yummy! I'm quite pleased with the result - with the right cushions and a painting up on that turquoise wall, it looks stunning! 

 2. Shades of green: As I was scrolling through my pics I found lots of outdoorsy types of shots with many greens but none that really stood out. Then up popped this one that I'd painted during an online painting class I took. I was mixing a couple of greens with other colours to see what happened and it was a great way to learn that although I might only have two green paints in my set, there are actually a whole lot of other ones to be made! It's such a fascinating pastime and I love the simplicity of this activity - makes me feel like an alchemist creating potions!!

3. Starts with F: The most important F word for me - FAMILY! This pic was from two Christmas's ago (I think) and as usual there were extras as well, who just sort of slot in with all the rest! Six of the young ones are mine, plus the blonde granddaughter at this end. The rest are in-laws and some friends that spent a lot of time with us as they were growing up. And of course, there is the Best Man there on the right as well - I couldn't have done it without him ;)

You may be wondering why we are all wearing white? Yes, well.....many years ago when we moved a long way from my family, I decided that we needed some new traditions that denoted our newly emerging little family, and the white clothing was conceived. Every year we wore our best white frocks and shirts and since some of my children (and I) like Tradition, every year we continue to do so. The newly arriving potential sons and daughters in law have (wo)manfully accepted this peculiarity and so it continues to prevail. I do have to remind the offspring every year though because some have threatened to wear...shock....horror...colours!!! Here's a teeny bit on why we celebrate Christmas on Xmas Eve.

4. Still Life: I snapped this one in recent months and have been wanting to share it ever since. It was taken on a sunny morning not long after we'd moved into this cottage and these few green objects were all sitting close by on the bench as the morning sun came streaming through the window. I did move them around into a pleasing arrangement and I rather like the effect. One day I'd love to do a photography course because I can see that it's not too clear and the lighting is off -  but finding time to do courses might be for another year!

5. Snapped at this moment: Yep, literally snapped at this moment for this post! This is the view I see as I'm sitting here at the desk - lots of green bush and blue sky outside and a messy desk inside.  I'll let you into a little secret - I have been busy writing and filming a little online course that I hope to have finished soon. Thats whats been keeping me busy this month and I suspect it will be the same next month ;) The sticky notes on the window are to remind myself that it's ok to put myself on video, that I can do it and that I can be bigger than my fear. Not sure how well the wise words are working but I am slowly getting it done.

6. My own choice: This autumn just gone (southern hemisphere here, remember...so April) we were still living in the bus in the empty paddock next door to our daughter. Sadly it has since been totally covered in a housing development but while we were there we harvested a lot of yarrow for winter use. I've been harvesting it for a number of years now and it's an amazing little herb that can be used in the prevention of colds and fevers amongst other uses. Here's a link to some botanical information and another one with an interesting recipe that I'd like to try next Spring.

I like to use just the flowers for tea since they have the nicest flavour but I believe all parts of the plant can be used. In the photo above, the granddaughters are harvesting the flower heads, which we later snipped off quite closely to the flowers themselves and dried on a tray. The sun streaming in through the bus windows did a great job of drying them! I snapped lots of pics that afternoon and all of them had this beautiful subtle lighting - it must have been the sun and cloud combo - so I couldn't resist using one as the My Choice pic!

I am feeling a bit slack just posting old pics but in a way its lovely to share some that just haven't made it onto here! If you are interested in more Scavenger Hunt photos then do pop over to visit at I live, I love, I craft, I am me and take at peek at all the other people and places!

today is friday

So I've been pondering on my peanut dilemmas these past few days and while I don't have a particular solution, I do have a few new thoughts to share. 

Firstly, thank you for all your useful comments on my last post. It's always helpful to have use of a 'brains trust' and I'm also a firm believer in the axiom of 'Ask...and you shall be given lots of information that may help with your dilemma'!! 

My thinking is that yes, I do the best I can - although I know I can do better. Not necessarily just with plastic bags but also with plastic containers. An example would be when I buy olives or sundried tomatoes from the deli, I could take my own glass container instead of regularly bringing home the little plastic ones. And if I need a top up of flour or dried fruit, I can head to the wholefoods store and buy a kilo in a paper bag rather than from Woolies in the regular plastic bag. The wholefood shop doesn't have easy parking but you know what? I have enough time in my day to have a long phone call with a friend or a leisurely cuppa in a cafe, so I certainly have time to walk a little further!

I really wouldn't buy peanuts more than once a year, so there is only one large plastic bag which does get re-used. I do buy almonds, cashews, oats, sultanas and quite a few other things, every 3 months, however since I share the kilo quantity with friends, I don't always get/keep the bag! And yes, the ones I do keep get re-used in all sorts of ways before they head off to the soft plastics bin! So overall the amount of plastic is still smaller than if I bought small bags of nuts or whatever from the supermarket.

I re-use and recycle and repurpose. I rarely buy new clothes. I shop at farm shops and markets as often as I can. I use fabric produce bags and take my own shopping bags to carry things home with. I do many other small things that I cant even think of right now. I do them all so that my grandchildren's children can still breathe fresh air and explore unpolluted seas. 

I know that the small alterations you and I do can produce big results for the future.  

I just wish that everybody would stop buying plastic Stuff!!!! 

*I was looking for a photo for this post - a flower or something pretty - and I found a pic of one of my art journal pages. Appropriate I think ;o) 

thoughts on peanut butter

 

I made peanut butter today. So what's so special about that, I hear you say. Well, nothing really except that it's given me something to ponder and I want to share my thoughts with you.

I used to make peanut butter fairly regularly when our brood were younger. I haven't made any for about 10 years or so for various reasons.

Stuy loves peanut butter. I like it too, however I've also read a little about mould contaminants or aflatoxins in past years which made me a little dubious whether peanuts were all that safe to eat, not to mention the omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. So all in all, I prefer to use almond or cashew butter......but I do also like to keep The Best Man happy ;o)

Anyway, my thoughts today were more along the lines of plastic waste. Here's the thing - I bought 3kg of peanut butter nuts from our wholesaler. (I have hosted a small buyers group for about 19 years now and we buy most of our dry goods from them). We buy nuts, seeds, flours, dried fruit and more but they all come in plastic bags. Yes there's one plastic bag for every 3-4kg lot I purchase. I do reuse them if I need to divide the 3kg up and the ladies in the group send me back most of their empty bags to also reuse.

But it got me wondering today if I'm making any difference to the amount of waste I produce. I bought 3kg of nuts and used my Champion Juicer to make an equivalent amount of peanut butter. I used recycled jars that I scrounged from my daughter. All well and good but I have still used and must still eventually dispose of, The Plastic Bag!

So my thoughts are - by buying in bulk I save myself money, which is important to me; buying in bulk means I do bring home plastic bags, which is something I strive to not do - thats important to me too. Whereas if I buy a jar of peanut butter every week or so I'm bringing home a recyclable glass jar but spending more dollars...and I have to remember to actually buy it!! I like having bulk food in the house (didn't need to stockpile for Covid since I was stocked!) but I don't like the plastic that comes with it, even though I eventually send it off to the soft plastic recycling bin in Woolies.

It's a conundrum. And a First World problem, I know.

What do you think? What would you do? I'd love some different perspectives :o)

good morning!

I spent a (now quite rare) morning in golden solitude. I'm a lover of people, fun and socialising but all this very close living, coupled with the shenanigans over the weekend, have given me a renewed sense of needing alone time. The young ones slept in, Stuy headed off to work and I made myself a nice cup of Rooibos and settled down to the puzzle we started yesterday.

It was lovely.

But just a little noisy....

.....my daughters beloved guinea pigs were playing a strenuous game of hide and seek with much squeaking and jumping about. The budgie decided now was a good time to let the world know it was a new morning and everybody needed to get up! And outside, in the not-for-much-longer-vacant block next door the workers started up their diggers and proceeded to shout instructions over the machinery noise!

Aaah!! Bliss! Everything is just as it should be!

lazy sunday (and thoughts on monday)

I should call this post 'Lazy Sunday...for some that live in this house' since it was only Stuy and I that lazed about! He was feeling worn-out from a busy few weeks of work and I was just feeling...uuuumm...lazy!

We woke up to heavy rain which did then turn into a sunny morning but with a very chilly wind and our first snow for the year!! I'm not a fan of the cold weather but it was exciting none the less, with blue, blue sky and a dusting of white! We left the young ones with a very large pile of firewood to move and stack (did I mention that only some of us were feeling lazy?) and headed up to our sons property where Stuy works during the week. It's beautiful and isolated - which is important to mention since we are abiding by the new rules - and we sat in the sun sheltered from the wind by the wide verandahs.

I think that somehow the worn out feelings stem from all this upheaval thats happening right now. Its quite debilitating always thinking of where we can go, who we can't see, what we must do and so on. And then theres the grief that I'm sure we are all experiencing. I have days of feeling like this too shall pass and everything is fine with me and mine. And then there are the days where it all hits me broadside and I feel small and lost and sad.

Small because I'm realising how tiny I am; how insignificant in the wellbeing of this whole amazing world, my life actually is; how minute my day to day existence is when I hear how humanity is cowering, brought to it's knees by a microscopic organism.

Lost because I've been momentarily derailed; dreams and wishes have been put on hold; outings are non existent; friendships are now by email or messages minus hugs and kisses.

And sad. So sad. This crisis will without a doubt change our lives. It will change the way we go about our daily business. It will change all our everyday doings. I'm a bit of a lover of past ways and slower times and old fashioned life, so the probable changes seem a bit much really.

Today is Monday and I'm feeling all these feels.

However. Most days I can also see the positive aspect of this muddle. I know I'm important and a vital part of the macrocosm. I know I'm loved and needed by my nearest and dearest. I understand that everything is exactly as its meant to be. I can see that there will be amazing new beginnings as well as a yearning for slower living. That a lot of people will question why they've been rushing and looking to material things for gratification. All these things I'm aware of.

But some days are for grieving.

And some are for lazing.

And it's all ok.

xx Evi xx

new zealand and other things

I went to New Zealand in February. February!!! And now its June! Already. I went to NZ with Stuy for 10 days and we attempted to recapture our youth by hiring a very cheap camper car (masquerading as a camper) and staying in backpacker camp sites. It was fun and NZ is so beautiful that we are keen to go again. For longer.

I wrote up a long post about our stay with many pics.....and then Blogger ate it. No trace. I was so mad that it put me off not only writing another one but writing at all.

So here we are in June and I find I must tell you about things. Random things.

Firstly, I'm busy. Really busy. My studies take up a large portion of not only my time but also my brain. The little grey cells are cranking over and throwing off years of only mediocre work outs combined with the general mush of keeping a bundle of children in hand! As you can imagine, this means that I am having to spend twice as long reading, taking notes and writing up legible essays than... say....a younger person ;) It is in fact rather tiring but I can slowly feel the cogs throwing off years of rust and starting to turn with merely a squeak or two. I am however, looking forward to when the brain cells are once again on full throttle and soaking up all that lovely juicy oil that we call knowledge!

Then theres the dilemma of not being home all that much anymore. I now work (outside of my 'home' work!) two days a week and let me tell you, I am even more in awe of those mamas that manage to do this full time! Thats two full time jobs!!! Well done, clever women! And I also travel to Hobart twice a month for two 2 day stints to complete the face to face component of my course.
Now, if Im honest, this is not actually a hardship. No, indeed its not. I leave home early in the morning and I have a whole 3 hours to either think (uninterrupted), or listen to what ever music or podcasts I like (unchallenged), or sing out loud really badly (undisputed), or even carry on a scintillating conversation with myself where I am always right! Then I spend a whole day with other interesting women learning all sorts of interesting things, I spend a night on my own at an AirBnB, a cafe dinner and breakfast, another day with the same wonderful women and another 3 hour drive home. Alone. Who could ask for more?

But to top all that off, I also drive through the most stunning scenery - the Midlands of Tasmania. The Autumn colours have been breathtaking and while I didn't manage to stop and take photos (it's not an easy task when one is driving along at 110kmh) I am beginning to wish I had, as the yellow leaves are all gone now. They have been replaced with swathes of skeletal branches stretching toward the weak, wintery sun, although they too have a beauty of their own. Its been delightful to watch the changing of the seasons and while I'm determined to enjoy the winter beauty, I will be looking forward to the fresh spring growth and many blossoms later in the year.

This post was originally named 'Vincent and other things' but as I've already rambled a bit, I'll leave that for another day!

Have you been anywhere exciting lately?
How is the autumn scenery around where you live/work/play?

Till next time xx

...and now there is one

Now heres an interesting state of affairs..... I am the mother of one!!! One, I say! Well ok, I'm still the mother of seven but only one is still under my wing so to speak, still hanging on my every word (I wish), still asking my advice or my thoughts (and occasionally heeding them), still spending lots of time creating, reading and travelling the countryside with me. Its a novel occurrence really but one I'm finally beginning to embrace.
For many years I mourned that my troop were gradually thinning and there were no more babies on the horizon - don't get me wrong, I'm not a clingy mother at all but I'd been mothering for so long and felt kind of special having them all with me (yes, I've seen a therapist haha!). As they've grown up and moved on, my place in the world became less important, I thought, and I felt a bit useless and empty. And tired too. Definitely tired.

Last week the third last one moved out. Now there are only two at home - which I remind myself is 'normal' and what most people have - and the 16 year old has a full time job (apprentice chef) so he's mostly not here - so theres just the baby and I and Stuy when he's not at work too. We spend our days in a much quieter manner than ever before, Miss Bliss and I, and I like it.
I do.
Finally, I do.

happy new year!

Its 2017 and I've been away from this space for more than a year!! Oh my! Its been an extremely busy year and I just couldn't find the brain capacity to share much here. My life has become quite a bit different to how its been for almost 30 years - which part of me is happy about and another part mourns for. And I suppose thats another reason for not writing here.....I'm not doing/making/creating many of the things I used to post about and just couldn't find new ideas and new words! I've been mulling all year whether to start a whole new blog, continue this one but with different types of interests or stop blogging altogether. Decisions!

I like writing. I like to share. I like interaction and inspiration. But I have changed. I have been Changed. For a while I did not know myself. Now, though, I am forging a new path and although I am still the old me, theres a new me too. I'm learning to embrace the new while still being true to the old bits that stood me in good stead for so long. And thats the same in this space - I'm doing many new activities and creativities and less of others and I've needed to get it 'right' within myself before changing or deleting this blog.

I hope that whoever is still stopping by here continues to 'hear' what they heard in the first place - love of family, passion for creativity, interests in all sorts of weird and wonderful things! If you have been following these rambles for a while and are still popping in from time to time, thank you. I truly hope that you will still enjoy reading my thoughts and following along whatever new path is opening itself up before me. I'm sure there will be art involved, new places visited, radical thoughts, different achievements and a whole new outlook on life.

In gratitude, Evi

thoughts on thursday

Thank you all for your kind thoughts on my last post. I'm still not quite sure of how much to share about my state of mind, so for now I'll just share a few interesting books, websites and classes that I've stumbled across in my search for 'peace of mind'!

Have I mentioned that last October I participated in a SoulCollage facilitator course? Maybe I have and I'm having a seniors moment but I'll tell you again anyway. I first came across Soul Collage on a women's forum that I'd joined in 2013 and was interested enough to find out more. Without too much searching I found the main web page and was instantly excited…soul work and creativity all in one!! Wow! I was instantly engrossed, watched the two short videos, read through lots of interesting information and tucked it all away for later. Fast forward to mid 2014 and a fortnight visit to NSW, where I spent one wonderful weekend with my heart-sister totally immersed in cutting, pasting and admiring a whole bunch of newly made cards. It was fabulous and when we discovered that there was a facilitator weekend happening in Melbourne, we took the plunge and signed up! For my friend J it was another healing modality to add to her Transpersonal Counselling diploma that she is studying, but for me it seemed like a (scary) opportunity to learn a new skill and perhaps teach others how to dialogue with their inner voices. In theory it was a great idea. In reality I've been too afraid of….well…..lots of things….
….what if I forget something.
….I can't do that properly.
….Im just a mum.
….I'm not good enough.

You get the idea.
And thats still the case. However, I was prodded by an acquaintance to give her and two of her friends a free 'test run' class. And it went really well - they were happy, I felt great and I even printed some flyers for another class, but then…..nothing. So here I am, still scared, still worrying and still confused. Sigh.

Amongst all this angst regarding SoulCollage though, I have been doing various other self empowerment classes, reading books and doing a lot of journaling, drawing and creating art. I've joined with many empowering, positive thinking, artistic, creative and womens business websites this past year; I've even paid for some mentoring but the fear of failure is still there and over winter when the weather draws in and the light is dim, I struggle with what could be and what is.

So, in case you are interested in anything I've just unburdened myself with, I've put together a list of websites that I've found either useful or interesting. Some I just read; some send me lovely emails each week which I sometimes read or sometimes delete; others are sites that interest me and that I will perhaps look into a bit more when I'm ready. These are just a random selection and I have no affiliation with any of them (as in, making money!!)

Jamie Ridler Studios - Jamie has the most soothing voice and lovely manner and I really enjoy listening to her varied and encouraging podcasts. I have an iPhone and use an app called Podcasts - Jamies channel is called Creative Living with Jamie. (Just for interests sake, here is a comparison list of the top ten podcast apps) Jamie also sends me a lovely email once a week with all sorts of interesting and creative ideas.

And while we are on the topic of podcasts, Shann Vander Leek has some great ones too. Her podcasts are called Divine Feminine Spotlight.

Sounds True also have great speakers and LOTS of cd's to buy! Once or twice a year they have a sale and the prices are remarkably cheap. I have rather a big collection of Clarissa Pinkola Estes work (author of Women who run with the Wolves) ……finding time to listen is my dilemma!

Somewhere in my web travels, I came across Holding Womanspace and was very tempted to join in with their 'Birthing Ourselves into Being' year long course. I love the look of their web home and through their sporadic newsletter I found this great article written by a woman here in Australia….scroll right to the bottom and watch the video - so beautiful.

Just recently I took the time to look up Byron Katie, someone I'd heard about here and there. Check out her free The Work program. 

On a more creative note, Kathryn Costa, The Collage Diva has a fantastic year of Mandalas happening right now. Loads of inspiration, a lovely newsletter and the chance to send in your own mandalas for publication.

Tamara Laporte at Willowing Arts has an awesome free painting tutorial; Jennibellie from the UK has more inspiration and a free ning site with loads more inspiration; The Documented Life Project from the girls at Art to the 5th is also free with a new arty prompt every week.

Now there are many more that I either haven't remembered or haven't time to link to right now! I hope you have some fun following the links and maybe making some arty mayhem of your own. No doubt you will find many rabbit trails to follow!
I'm heading off to spend another wonderful 2 weeks with my heart-sister in NSW (on the plane in about 3 hours actually, which why I must stop sharing now!) We are celebrating Spring Equinox by the river, having a mamas sleep over gathering and spending loads of time catching up with those bits of each others lives that slipped by this past 5 months.

Wishing you all a lovely slide into Spring - I'll be back soon

Much love to you all xx

two things

Thing one - We have had snow!!! Not just once but twice! Twice, I say! Yes, indeed!
We woke one morning a couple of weeks ago to find a sparkling white world outside. Even better, the snow continued to fall several times in the course of the morning. My Fairy and I donned hats, gloves and boots and hurried outside to the unexpected winter wonderland. We walked the almost 1 kilometre into our little village and discovered how just a bit of snow could bring out the inner child in normally sedate adult humans! Everyone we met was wearing a silly smile (and layers of clothes!) and the whole atmosphere was one of excitement and anticipation! The footpaths were white and sludgy, the air was brisk with a very cold wind but it seemed that the snow had touched and warmed hearts everywhere.
Interestingly it snowed a second time exactly a week later.
Unheard of for many years, the old timers tell me.

Thing two - I have been struggling. Winter and I are not good bedfellows and every winter season is a challenge for my soul. I have written about my winter blues before, here. I find (every winter) that my tiny house and lack of suitable photography light and subjects, stifle my creativity…and so I have nothing tangible to blog about, as well little incentive.
This cold season though, has prompted me to continue looking within myself and to dig a little deeper into the many layers. The dark months have seen me planning, scheming and overcoming. I have discovered and discarded. Undone and understood. Sifted through beliefs and sorted strategies. And now, in the light of daffodils and plum blossoms, I feel maybe I am stronger and ready to face a new Spring. Literally and figuratively.

Friends, if you are still around and stopping by, thank you. I have loved blogging these past few years and I haven't lost that love.

I am still here.