Sun, Wind and Soil

Well, I have just climbed out of a steamy herbal bath, pulled on my PJ's and made a hot chocolate, a perfect way to end a wonderful if not very busy day. We have whats called the Freemantle Doctor here, a breeze starting around early to mid afternoon blowing in off the Indian Ocean, it is cooling to the skin so people like me who are not used to it, forget that the suns still shining... and end up a tad scorched.. however sun scorched or not today has been truly lovely, it has been one of the more settled and homely days I have had since moving in here 2 weeks ago.

The day dawned bright and clear, with a wonderful blue sky and not a cloud in view. We decided to head off early to a car boot sale, a suitable substitute for the craft markets I am used to back East, however one mans trash is still another mans treasure and a bargain was to be found in the way of plants... I love nothing more than looking for, looking at and bringing home all measure of greenery from stalls an markets and bring home I did.

Our new house has a "new house landscaped garden" don't get me wrong, I am very grateful for the garden and I do enjoy the plants here but they are put in for very practical reasons and often not planted for longevity.. such are the gardens in Navy houses.... so I have often found the best way to make a practical garden is with containers.. This is what I spent most of today doing.. as well as turning over a patch of ground for some vegetables, the soil is pretty sandy being this close to the coast but it is now home to Roma tomatoes, two types of lettuce, Silver Beet (you might know that as Swiss Chard) Zucchinis and Dwarf beans.. In large pots I have put up Rosemary, Mint, Parsley, Thyme and Coriander as well as several Lavenders and Rose Geraniums. Tomorrow I still have to pot red Petunias and white Periwinkles which are perfect for the hot drought conditions we can get here.

I am actually looking forward to tomorrow, my Dh is heading back to work after a months long service leave ( Nooooo that's not what I am looking forward too) so I have plans to *cleanse* the house, soak the fruit for the Christmas cake and fruit mince tarts and maybe make a few batches of shortbread - and work on posting some photos in here.. I have some awesome shots of the Sun rising over the Nulabor.. Blessings

Resolution Of A Witch

I have so many things to put in here... yet I have little time at the minute.. so while I am gathering thoughts, filing photos of the new house, the trip across country, getting my veg garden and herb patch planted, as well as juggling job interviews - I will leave you with this wonderful poem by Rae Beth.. I so love this and wanted to share.. come Monday I shall take some deep breaths, post some piccies and share sometime here with my blog.. Thank you also to those who have sent well wishes to us, they have been graciously received..Blessings to you all.. now to the wonderful words of Rae Beth...

RESOLUTION OF A WITCH
May I be as the one who weaves the clothIn a forest, deep hidden.
May I sit at the work, uninterrupted. And may I remain an outcast, if that is what it takes.
May I know the seasonal procession in my spirit and in my body, celebrate cross quarters, solstices and equinoxes.
May each Full Moon find me looking upwards, at trees out lined on luminous sky.
May I hold wildflowers.
May I cup them in my hand.
May I then release them, unpicked, to live on in abundance.
May my friends be of the kind who are at ease with silence.
May they and I be innocent of pretension.
May I be capable of gratitude.
May I knowThat I was given joy, like mother's milk.
May I know this as my dog does, in her bones and blood.
May I speak the truth about happiness and painIn songs that sound of the scent of rosemary,as everyday and ancient, kitchen-herb strong.
May I not incline to self-righteousness or self-pity.
May I approach the high earthworks and the stone circles? As fox or moth, and disturb the place no more than that.
May my gaze be direct and my hand steady.
May my door be open to those who dwell outside wealth and fame and privilege.
May those who have never walked barefoot never find the path that leads up to my door.
May they be lost on the labyrinthine journey.
May they turn back, and may I sit beside the fire in winter and see in the glowing logs what is to come,Yet never feel the need to warn or to advise, unasked.
May I sit upon a plain wooden chair, in true contentment.
May the place where I live be as the forest.
May there be track ways where there are caves and pools and trees and flowers, animals and birds, all known to me and revered, loved.
May my existence change the world no more nor less than the gusting of winds, or the proud growth of trees. For this, I go in cast-off clothes.
May I keep faith, always.
May I never find excuses for the expedient.
May I know that I have no choice, and yet still make the choice as the song is made, in joy, and with consideration.
May I make the same choice every day, again.When I fail, may I know forgiveness for myself.
May I dance naked, unafraid to face my own reflection.
By Rae Beth                                              

A place to call home.

I am back - if not feeling a tad like a train wreck presently.. What an emotional journey with a huge learning curve for me it has been - a long whirlwind 3 weeks, looking back almost surreal at times. This shift was almost harder for me, than when I immigrated to this country.. in all honesty I am not sure why I did this so hard.. However we are so close to being finally settled .. In the last 7 days we finally found a brand new house, Thank the Goddess, this house is a beautiful Blessing.. specially after the phone call 3 weeks ago saying the house we originally chose had a serious electrical fault and we couldn't have it, we were 7 hours into a 4 day drive across the country when that call came, I was so gutted.. we were *homeless so to speak* but I have found that with letting go comes some acceptance and blessings.. Getting used to living in suburbs will be a definite different, I do miss the huge Blue Gums, the birds and the bush however I stumbled upon a Pagan store within days off being here, and was welcomed by three beautiful witches.. I hope to get to know them better and get more involved in the pagan community here...
Our new home is in a place called Secret Harbour - it has a garden, a couple of trees that will be beautiful when they have grown some.. the house has far more room then I can possibly think to use.. and the kitchen well it is almost the size of the whole house we had back East.. it is also a very peaceful house, unlike the one we left... There is a wonderful area in the house that beckoned me to it within minutes and will become my sacred space and I can't wait to really make it my own..
We moved in last Friday and have almost got it almost ship shape - the Internet finally got connected this afternoon.... A car transporter arrived last night and dropped off the Land Rover which pleased my wee dog no end, he loves the Landy and he himself has been so unsettled, taken from the only home he knew, flown across and then was then kenneled for 10 days.. so I have been trying to take him most places with me... tomorrow is another busy day, but after that apart from job hunting things should start to feel more balanced.. It is my hope this post hasn't been to hard to follow, I appreciate tiredness has made me a little less able to string coherent sentences together... Over the next week I will post one or two of my favourite photos from the drive across this huge Continent as well as a few of our new house...
Bright Blessings to you all

From East to West

Blows of the dust of the pages and gently brushes aside the cobwebs -
It has been so long since I have posted anything ... No Hedge and Hearth has not become another abandoned journal left to decay in cyberland..
What have I been doing then you ask? Well moving 2165 miles from Melbourne to the other side of Australia and doing it the hard way this time.. this trip with a certain degree frustration and yes lots of tears,. but we are now firmly ensconced in Western Australia, sort of homeless presently but here none the less.. it has been an incredible journey thus far, and at times very trying... will share more later, we are still getting over the drive.. I just wanted to let you know I am still here.. Bright Blessings to you all