Jan 26, 2011

Australia Day

Australia my hearts home, Australian not by birth, but by choice. I could not feel more pride or love for this country, even had I been born here. My great, great, great grandparents came to this country in convict ships from Surrey and Devon in England, so this song really touches my heart on so many levels.
Happy Australia Day, to all my Aussie family and friends not matter where you might be.

Jan 25, 2011

Catching Up

What has been going on over the last few week... yikes, water
Pittance compared to what happened in Queensland, but the start of the garage flooding after a heavy down pour here. The water rose another 4 inches after this was taken.. completely covered the garage floor, where we had stored a queen size mattress and base, my daughters plasma tv, a deep freeze, dish washer, fridge and a number of boxes of uniforms, clothing and books.

By this stage we realised it wasn't going to stop coming, the camera was made redundant as Sarah and I were the only ones home we hauled, tugged, lifted and dragged what we could out the water. Not a lot we could do, so it was more wait till the water went down and mop up.. we did save the bed and the TV, with a bit of girlie ingenuity and power :-)

While I measured, pinned and sewed .... the younger kids
 went up the road and bought me home a dozen big bull rushes, I love them. I need a piece of florists block to arrange them nicely, they will last months even without water.

.
A relaxed Sunday afternoon.
While Courtney was happily drawing and Sarah was engrossed in the paper

fresh breadcrumbs were made

I prepared some fresh beetroot to have with ..

our dinner.

 It has been a little hard getting back into the routine of getting up early when you haven't had to do it for a month or so.. My mind has been busy but my body is having trouble catching up - on a whole, it hasn't been to bad, although

Jan 16, 2011

Back to a routine

I have felt blessed to have spent a week with my beautiful daughter Sarah, it has been a little bitter sweet for her, but she has been home where she needed to be, when she needed it. Today she went home but I am looking forward to going to a craft market next Sunday with her... tomorrow my husband posts into his new position, so it will be back to trying to get the house back in order and a new routine in place. The kids head to school on the 4th of February, so I will be trying to get them into a routine without their Dad in the house everyday and try to keep them a little entertained until school starts.
Living on the "patch" here at the Navy base is a safe place for them to just go off riding or exploring, there is plenty of bush and park area around, and they can do it without me or them worrying. In fact it is kind of nice seeing other Defense family kids all running about the street and yards and into the edge of the golf course playing and not having to worry about them being "hurt" 
So back to the grind, tomorrow I am going to try out my new vacuum cleaner and as I sit and type my husband is putting together the new weed trimmer in case I should need it.. haha

Jan 11, 2011

Queensland Disaster

Tonight my heart and spirit is looking North of here to Queensland, where 3/4 of the state is now a disaster zone and the worst is not over yet. It is very hard to watch the images on the television, knowing that people have lost family members, homes, business.. This video is from Toowoomba , just one area hit -


There are numerous organisation taking donations to help the flood victims, this is a web site I have chosen to place here should anyone wish to help with this..
http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

Jan 10, 2011

There are somethings.....

There are somethings that do not change with time.. that overwhelming feeling of compassion, that desire to take away hurt, that feeling you have as a mother when your little girl  looks to you with tears in her eyes crying,  because she has grazed her knee - or now as a woman, she looks at you with tears in her beautiful blue eyes, as her heart is breaking.. all you want to do is wrap her up in your arms and take that pain away.
I can not take this boo boo away my precious daughter, that is the job of time, but I can tell you that I am here for you, every moment of everyday and I above all others, love you.

Jan 9, 2011

Messin' in the Kitchen

Well, finally made a start on the 10 kilos of tomatoes, I so need a bigger pot, the one I use only holds 6 liters and you can't really over fill, so there will be three rounds of sauce making.. with 2.5 kg of tomatoes at a time - my Dh has suggested we take a run over to Tyabbs antique and second hand shop to see if I can find a real preserving pan... Because of the small pot I can only do a few jars at a time.. I have a bowl prepared for tomorrow.
I also made choccie chip cookies for my daughter who is coming home tomorrow for a week with her Mum, and I am so looking forward to some Mum daughter time with her,  and I also made a few Anzac biscuits as well, hiding in the pottery barrel.
For some odd reason I am not finding a balance in my kitchen since we moved in here 7 weeks ago, but I figure I will keep plodding in till I get the mojo flowing... any suggestions for the mojos speedy return would be received with open arms.

Jan 8, 2011

Home is where .....

The other day I was in Best and Less looking for school socks and came across some door mats at half price.. when I saw this door mat and the wonderful saying,  I thought, how true is this and it is where my story begins, as I am happiest tending hearth and home.. So here is my door mat pride and place in the entry to our home.

Jan 7, 2011

Tomatoes - On my mind

This Is On My Mind is a Friday photo feature over at Rhondas blog - Down To Earth  -


This box of tomatoes is on my mind.. Why? well  no matter how often I walk past them on the kitchen bench, pick up one of these Romas and smell it, then take a bite and think yummo... no matter how often I think it is ironic that I have, 7 weeks after moving from Western Australia (WA check out the box), to Victoria a few thousand km's away, I bought 10 kilos of WA tomatoes at a very cheap price in a Victorian market .. and no matter how many photos I take of this box of tomatoes, nor how often I look at it,  I can not will these tomatoes to turn into sauce.. tomorrow.. yes, tomorrow.



Jan 6, 2011

An Interesting Post

I have had such an insanely busy and diverse few days... I have had my daughter and her bf home for the holiday, I have had a 12 year old really struggling to cope with a move to a new State and acting out in her inability to adjust and I am becoming more and more aware that in a few weeks I will be 50. Ironic that everywhere I have turned in the last few days, be it forums or blogs, that same sort of thing has arisen. Aging, the Crone, immortality,, the shadow feminine and why we hide or disguise this., There is so much I could write, but tonight I am exhausted after trying to unravel a rats nest Miss 12 created, so I want to share something from Rhonda over at Down To Earth and her post Aging and Death:The Final Taboo
 I could queit relate to this, 
I am a few weeks of 50, I have gone from a nest empty 10 years to again the on hands mother of two aged 12 and 15, did I want to be? No. Is this what I expected as I approached this age? No - not really but we do what we do to benefit the children. Many of my dreams and hopes changed or where completely canceled out when my nest filled with children from another mother... I am a Grandmother, I am not as thin in body, wrinkle less or grey-less as I was 2 years ago but funnily enough I want to grow old without plastic surgery, without worrying if I will be judged for my extra kilos. I want to be remembered for the wholesome, comfortable home that I could make for my family. I want to be remembered for what I could share, would I could teach my family, for the love I could and did give to each of them. I have lived a life tainted at times by more than a lot of woman I know have experienced and I think I deserve to take the time to fill my near empty well, one so often neglected by me,  I want to be who I am, and to be that person without guilt.
I found something else tonight that spoke to me so loud, and I thought to share it here as well, no matter your walk, I hope it may speak to you as well..

EXPLORING THE SHADOW FEMININE
What can I share of the shadow feminine? I sit here myself in trepidation because exploring the shadow is never easy and I have watched myself avoid the moment of actual writing all morning, and then laugh because it’s not just this morning, I’ve avoided my shadow most of my life. And so it is for many of us.

What is the shadow or dark side of your nature? I know when I started this exploration, I didn’t know, or didn’t believe I had one. Well let me just run a few things past you. None of us is all sweetness and light. The shadow side contains our anger, our raw controlling emotions, our desire for promiscuous sex, illicit drug taking, egotistical behaviour, lies, bad parenting, despair, loneliness, crime, depression, shame, alcohol abuse, madness – you name it – we all have it. The problem is that when we deny the shadow or dark side of our nature, the pressure builds up until like a seething volcano it explodes out of control, because the dark can no more be denied than the light.
Why are we so afraid of the dark? Why do we avoid investigating our shadow side? Why do we deny the parts of ourselves that we think unacceptable to speak of in polite company? Why do we shove down our dark emotional pain and behaviours and refuse to deal with them?
We have been taught from childhood that the dark is a bad place. What demons or monsters lurk under the bed once the light is turned off? We associate the dark with death and sin and that’s bad, right? We stereotype dark skinned people and make them bad. The Prince of Darkness is associated with evil dominion over.
The opposite of all that of course, is pure and light. We are taught this is what we should strive for. Stay away from the dark and always seek out the light.
When we observe nature, we see that dark is just the other polarity of light. Night follows day, the moon waxes from an inky blackness to a glowing fullness and back again; the seasons change from long light summer filled days, to long dark winter nights.
In each of these instances, the dark side represents a place and a time for rest and renewal. We ourselves also naturally need to cycle between the light and the dark. The shadow side of our nature belongs to the watery depths of our psyches, our subconscious, where we discover aspects of ourselves that aren’t spoken of in polite company. Society teaches us to always stay calm and centered, behave appropriately, be in control and above all, you must look good!
So let me ask you, what are you hiding in your shadow side that you don’t want to even acknowledge to yourself, let alone have others identify?
Acknowledging your shadow behaviours is the first step you must take towards healing them. Because they live in the unconscious, they run your life from the back seat and often see you engage in behaviours that are totally out of control. I have been flawed to discover some deeply ingrained shadow aspects operating in my own life as I investigate my dysfunctional relationships with men. Holding disempowering beliefs around the roles of men in my life, I have discovered that as a girl I watched my mother’s manipulative and victim behaviours, and took on board her attitudes that basically said “all men are bastards” and used the shadow aspects of her womanhood as the template for my life and how I relate to men. Now at nearly 50 years of age I am astounded to see how the shadow feminine has been playing out all my life, contributing to failed relationships, distrust of men, and a belief that I will do everything in my power not to be controlled by them. Hardly the basis upon which to engage in a mutually loving and supportive relationship.

When we observe the life of Marilyn Munro we see the tragedy that was her shadow feminine played out on the world’s stage. Her sexuality sizzled and was punctuated by drug and alcohol abuse, by the men who wanted to control such a flaming and vibrant energy and the resultant depression and alleged suicide that portrayed the shadow side, out of control and unhealed. Lady Diana was not compared to Marilyn by chance, her life too was played out on a world stage but it was her willingness to share her frailties, her bulimia, her loveless and victimized marriage with an adoring public that saw her move through the pain into some semblance of happiness towards the end of her life. What the public loved about Diana were her frailties, her shadow nature made public. That which is so often hidden in the shadow and made private, was played out for all to witness and that ensured a legacy of popularity and love from a public who too, were not perfect and connected with her at heart level. She was brave enough to expose the shadow feminine to healing and watching on, we all applauded her heroic journey.

We need to be the hero in our own lives and investigate the shadow feminine for ourselves. Do not expect yourself to be perfect. It’s totally unrealistic. Own your imperfections and different shaped bodies and addictions and flaws and irrational behaviours and instead of hiding them away in the dark, honour the differences that makes us all human beings with both light and shadow sides. There is no shame in the shadow, only acknowledgement – for in healing the dysfunction, you’ll find that your life and the lives of those around you flow in greater harmony and joy, and you expend less energy on behaviours that stymie you.

STEPPING INTO THE DARK
To face your shadow side for the first time can be a very frightening prospect. To deny its existence will not make it go away, for it will not be denied. To begin healing aspects of your shadow, you first need to identify them. Begin by making a list. What do you not want the world to know about you? Your list might include:
1. I sometimes scream at my kids and want to hit or beat them.
2. I want more sex than my husband can give me. That’s not normal is it?
3. I hate my mother. She always tries to control me.
4. I want to explore occult, pagan, wiccan or new age religions, what will people think of me?
5. I hate my body. I’m afraid of becoming fat, old and unattractive.
6. I’m never any good at learning new things. I always stuff up everything up.
Remember, don’t tackle everything at once. Choose just one issue at a time. Then you need to acknowledge this to yourself. “Yes, this darkness is a part of me. This is the way that I feel. This is who I am – a woman who is not perfect. I am light and I am dark. The more I acknowledge the parts I disown, the less power they have over me.”
What else? The archetypes of different goddesses can act as wayshowers on your journey. Find out more about the dark goddesses and their stories – Hel, Medusa, Hecate, Cerridwen, Morrigan, Baba Yaga, Sheela-na-gig, Nuit, and Nyx. Perhaps create an altar to them, asking for their assistance. On this altar include things that represent your dark side. A black or red candle, a dark stone, animal bones, a snake icon, picture of spider, whatever signifies the dark for you. Find time to light your candle, the dark of the moon is always an appropriate time, and ask for the assistance of the dark goddess and she will begin to work with you. You must then be aware of the subtle influence she will begin to exhibit, or perhaps get ready to be thrown into the dark.
Make friends with the crone / bone mother and fully accept the cycle of death / renewal / birth and acknowledge the times when you need to retreat into quietness and solitude. Set aside time specifically to do just this. A time when you are bleeding is most powerful as the shedding of the blood is another of the potent mysteries of death and release that signal the creation of the new within your own body.
Above all, cut yourself some slack. By acknowledging that you are a combination of the light and dark, see your behaviours less as good and bad but more of how that does or does not serve me. Just by acknowledging that the shadow exists and becoming conscious of behaviours and beliefs that limit you, then you are on your way to nipping them in the bud when they surface.

Give thanks always that the journey is both dark and light, we were not meant to be pure white spiritual beings without sin living up to some ideal of holy perfection, that’s why we were given sensual, emotional, frail and strong bodies and called human beings. Enjoy your discoveries.

Jan 2, 2011

40 Tips for an Exceptional, Superb & Powerful Life!

I got these pearls of wisdom from Cordellia on my Facebook.. she also has a loverly blog here Cordelia's Cauldron  and I too thought it was well worth sharing.

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Record your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement "My purpose is to____ today."

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in last year.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past. Negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. Burn the candles, use the nice bed sheets, Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Forgive everyone for everything.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. So stop complaining about the weather, the job, the rents etc etc

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34. The best is yet to come.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. Do the right thing!

37. Call your family often.

38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
"I am thankful for ___." Today I accomplished ____.

39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.