December 15, 2011

#47

Heading Home

Tonight will be my last sleep in Germany in 2011. Excitement is starting to build. By the time I arrive home on Saturday, it will have been 519 days since leaving Aussie soil. Can you imagine that??? I seriously hope I don't hug my family to death.

I'm grateful for the 2 days of snow we just had here, but I'm more looking forward to a gorgeous hot sunny summer. I've heard it may be rather different, but I don't believe it.

I better go do some more packing. I'm not sure why but I just cannot seem to be able to focus and get it finished.

See you from the other side of the planet.....

December 8, 2011

#46

The days since my last post have been full on.

28.11.11
Talking with Mum as I usually do after the weekend, sitting and enjoying a cup of tea in the morning, we were close to wrapping up the call, when she slowed down and got quite disinterested in what I was saying.Then I noticed she was slurring.I asked her what's wrong? Her tongue was numb. I asked her to do the 3 tests for checking whether someone is having a stroke or not. She could do all of them but was still slurring. I decided to call my sister, so she could guage anything more and probably see with her own eyes. Well, to cut a long story short-Miche sat with Mum in hospital until 5am,waiting on more news.....the Doctors believed she's had a small series of TIA or minor strokes.
SHOCK no. 1!
Jürgen called me in the afternoon to tell me his Dad even though still in a critical condition,but rallying somewhat.Less than 3 hours later he called me to tell he had died. My father-in-law's long hard struggle was over.He is finally at peace.
SHOCK no. 2!

Being so far from home and my Mum had me in a constant state of worry. Being so far from Jürgen had me feeling helpless and hopeless.Knowing his new partner was comforting him wasn't really that comforting for me.

Friday my Mum was released from hospital and sounded happy.
Saturday morning we woke at 5.00am,and we were in the van by 6 making our way in the cold and dark to Magdeburg-350km's away, to pick up the final boxes and furniture and pieces of my life with Jürgen. It was sad.Jürgen was sad about his Dad and about us.Looking into each others eyes and feeling our love and understanding everything about the other with just one look and no words is beautiful and moving, but incredibly sad. We were both overwhelmed.We were able to have some laughs together too and it felt good to be together again.Then an sms arrived.I was too busy packing small things to read it. Just as we were taking off,to have a coffee in his new place with his new partner and my new partner, I read an sms from Mum - she was back in hospital - she had had another TIA.Great! I rang Miche and heard that she was ok, it was like last time,and not to worry but I could hear so much worry in Miche's voice.
SHOCK no. 3!


I had had no intention of meeting Jürgen's new partner that day, nor wished to see their new abode, nor wished to play happy families and make chitchat over coffee, but I agreed so as to make Jürgen's life less stressful. So there we were, the 4 of us. Feiging interest, I oohhed and aahhed about how lovely their new Terrasse is, and how interesting the layout of the apartment is and how delicious her honey bread tasted - the whole thing pissed me right off! Seeing his new life, and watching her over the top performance of how in love she is with Jürgen, and centre of attention grabbing ways as she always turned any conversation back to herself was nauseating and hard to take.
SHOCK no. 4!


We stayed a tad longer than we had planned and then we had huge traffic jams and so we had big stress and our end of unloading all my stuff - all so heavy too - and getting the hired van back by 6pm. We made it by 2 minutes! I was totally kaputt. I felt so exhausted and drained. And I know most of it was emotional stuff.

2 days later I was up at 5.30am to make the 7am train to Fallingbostel and Fritz's funeral. Jürgen's family was as always loving towards me. They still see me as family and the daughter-in-law - which I still technically am. We spent 5 hours together before the funeral began, and 4 of those hours I endured again, a performance by the new woman of ridiculous proportions. She must feel so insecure that she constantly needs to touch, kiss, hug, air kiss, fondle, watch Jürgen the entire time. At the wake it continued again. The ceremony for Fritz was lovely and light. I feel he is totally at peace. And it felt good to have said our last goodbyes and honour him. I had very little time with Jürgen alone and that felt totally crappy. By the time I left at 6pm I felt emotionally exhausted once again. It had been a long day.

The day ended much nicer than I expected. Olaf had picked me up from the station. He had waited to have dinner with me even as late as it was and had prepared and cooked a delicious meal for us. It started snowing. And Mum told me she would be leaving hospital the next day.

Today, in 1 week we'll be getting on the plane and heading home after 17 long months away. How awesome!

November 27, 2011

#45

When Christianity first started its growth, officials knew that in order to allow followers to continue to celebrate with the rest of the community, or probably more accurately, for it to have a better uptake, it was essential to choose dates similar to those already being celebrated by Pagans. The synchronicity of the dates can't be missed at all, Winter Solstice and the birth of Jesus, Spring Equinox and Easter.
I haven't realised so clearly until now that the modern Christian world has taken age old Wiccan and Pagan celebrations as it's own without paying respect at all to those traditions.

(Miche you may want to add more here because it's so much better from the horse's mouth!)


----------------------------------------------------------------

I've just been reading a fascintating book called "The Secrets of the Christian Festivals" and this is what Arnold Bittlinger says about the 1st Advent:

Advent Sunday - Day of the Earth
The first Sunday in Advent is the Day of the Earth. On the first Advent we light one candle. This one candle is the symbol for Oneness or Unity of all of Creation. It speaks to and of a world where we all originate from and will return to. The Earth is our Mother.

One of the oldest symbols that respresents The Earth is the Bull. In the German language, the word Stier (Bull) reminds us of the words Starr (rigid) and Stur (obstinate). The Bull character represents the unyielding stubborn unwavering Earth. The Bull reveals the perservering and dependable character of the Earth.
Fascinating stuff!!!!!!!

                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advent is huge here. Everyone, and I mean all households (except ours), woke up Saturday morning and decorated their windows, front doors and trees in the garden with all things christmassy. The nativity sets are out. And the town councils put up fairy lights in the main streets and shops have all their decorations out for sale. Christmas markets are on every weekend with Glühwein and kitsch in abundance. It's slightly over the top. I mean, it's November! But because they take Advent seriously, that's why Christmas begins now. I am kind of glad to get to experience a couple of weeks of this and hopefully it will snow 1 or 2 days before getting on the plane home. Less than 3 weeks to go!

November 25, 2011

#43


you have probably worked out that i am a big and i mean BIG procrastinator,
which leads to a lot of paralysis and not much to show for.

it saddens me i have this in spades and i know it frustrates the hell out of my
husband who wants me to be doing a whole lot more than i am.

i have ideas. lots of them. most i don't even write down. which i have no real reason why
i don't. i think i gave up long ago when i realised that i rarely followed through on things
i was days before very excited about.

so this week i started to learn how to crochet. a friend who lives nearby is a bit of an expert
on these things and i had mentioned i wanted to make a blanket for my kids?!? so she has
been making space to teach me for the last few weeks and i finally ran out of distractions that
had me not showing up for my lessons.

i am not that crafty a type and anyone who knows me could attest. and i know we were
only doing crochet 101 - the easy beginner steps - but i actually could do what i was shown.
the stitches and casting on pattern that i learnt is all leading to creating a beanie, which
i love to wear, but not where my passion lies, but even still it felt really good to be making
something with my hands. i'm kinda sad in a way that whatever i am making as a practise right
now is really not leading to and end product, although both my girls are bagging it as beanie for
their favourite toy!

i just watched a short inspiring tedtalk with the theme about just making stuff, whatever it is
just make - given by the creator of threadless - that great online t-shirt&hoodie company that
we love in our house. so i am feeling like i am sort of getting on track here, getting messages
supporting what i am doing and even though i can't imagine crochet as my way to save the world
or be my income path, who knows, sillier things have happened.

maybe it will just get me back into creating, and then i can try and weave or crochet that into my
other passions like herbs, healing and consciousness raising.

have a look here for some inspiration

November 22, 2011

#44

It's so Wuthering Heights up here. Last week heavy fog hung around all day long. It was hard to tell what time of day it was because it just looked the same ALL day. But when the fog finally lifts, scenes like this just take my breath away.

Peat bogs form in wetlands and moors. It is still an important fuel source in some parts of the world and avid gardeners use it without much thought to where it came from. It has the same energy capacity as burning brown coal. Peat grows at a rate of 1mm a year. The area where I am living has 8000 year old peat beds. Peat bogs are seen by some scientists to be as important and fragile as rainforests. Here in Germany they also rape (harvest/mine) the moors. And what they are doing here is just the tip of the iceberg. This absolute destruction is going on all over the world wherever peat exists. Delicate moorland ecosystems are completely depleted and ruined from the drainage and drying out and mining of huge areas of land for agricultural, forestry and housing purposes. This not only destroys the habitat of many species, but heavily fuels climate change. As a result of peat drainage, the organic carbon that was built up over thousands of years and is normally under water, is suddenly exposed to the air. It decomposes and turns into carbon dioxide (CO2), which is released into the atmosphere. It takes centuries for a peat bog to regenerate. Recent studies indicate that the world's largest peat bog, located in Western Siberia and the size of France and Germany combined, is thawing for the first time in 11,000 years. As the permafrost melts, it could release billions of tons of methane gas into the atmosphere. Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea are currently creating the biggest problems in terms of peat fires.
------------------
I found myself speechless standing beside this open cut peat bog, and looking at the destruction of this ancient land. Here is a piece we picked up. At 1mm a year I guess that piece is about 200 years old.





November 20, 2011

#42




so you know it's summery weather right?
and the temperature is fairly warm these days
around 30c this weekend.
so you could imagine how the beach would be
looking right?

wrong!

there's a fog spirit lurking around our parts this
weekend. the headlands are shrouded. the bay is much
smaller this way. the colours are all muted and the
crowds are staying away. yay.

here's a little snapshot of bondi this week via




November 17, 2011

#43

fall at my feet

this year i have noticed more than before how abundant the landscape here is in autumn.
mother nature ever providing.
i wish i understood mushrooms more. there are just so many types out there that resemble each other, and even whilst using the huge database of pictures on the net to discern whether or not i have picked a delicious edible or the most poisonous schroom on earth, its almost impossible to make a concrete decision.
the temperature has really dropped & i am starting now to struggle with dressing in more layers and wanting to leave the house. this week i have ridden 40kms, and i am not sure if i'll be adding any more to the total.

November 15, 2011

#42

on my travels today


stopped many times to snap all these little beauties while riding today.
i was stunned by all the colour hanging around even in freezing fog at 2 degrees. how do these little delicate things stand this weather???

skyping with bikini clad family and hearing about how happy they are that the southerly has just arrived while i being mesmerised by the frost and thick fog hampering my ability to see more than 30 metres in front of me, was to put it mildly,
totally like living in a parallel universe.


November 14, 2011

#41

Add Image

what i love most about living near the beach is
being able to head down at any time of the day
or night.

it is always a different place. the tide changes the
way the water moves and the way the sand forms.

sometimes if i am lucky there are shells,
or sand sculptures or beautiful cloud
formations and the colour of the sea
is always a surprise to me.

no two waves are ever the same. just like no two
moments are the same. the beach always reminds
me that things never stay the same.

earlier i arrived in the heat of the day and the tide
was high, the water icy but delicious.

after dinner we headed down to cool off. the tide
was low, small waves had arrived to thrill and delight.
the girls out on their boards that they have rediscovered
and the best light show i have seen in a long time all
happening.

and always familiar faces to connect with. unplanned
meetings with friends and acquaintances. i like those
the best somehow, spontaneous conversation and sharing
without any expectation or finesse. authenticity and
synchronicity at play.

i am so grateful for living in this place, it nourishes
and relaxes and feeds my spirit. always better for having
had my feet in the sand. always.

#41

at my place
living in a small apartment hasn't stopped me from collecting a few things here and there. mostly they are transitory and seasonal and things that won't last forever.
these beautiful flowers are clover and in a last mad rush of colour before the real cold arrived last week they were still blooming here and there on the roadside. i couldn't resist picking them.
i have been living with most of my things in boxes and out of suitcases for the last 3 years. and in this time i have come to realise how few things one really needs. i have accumlated so many things over the years that i don't now even look at or use. so whilst living here, i am making sure i keep things very simple and minimal hardly add anything to my stash of things.
life feels lighter this way.

#40


on friday 11/11/11 a bunch of sydney meditator's met in
the botanical garden's for a flashmob of different kind.
so on this auspicious numerical day and on the anniversary
marking the end of world war 1, where we stop for a minute's
silence to remember all those men who died (unnecessarily)
we gathered to add our collective consciousness to the mix.
there were probably only 50-60 of us and there was construction
work noise of the opera house a constant reminder of the
goings on around us.

as a flashmob that stopped people in their tracks i am not
quite so sure we pulled that off, but it was a beautiful experience
sitting under a 150 year old moreton bay fig with my youngest by
my side, enjoying that moment in time






November 11, 2011

#40

happy full moon

outskirts of  hamburg 2009


Go further than you planned. Ask for the moon:
     you will be surprised how often you get it
- Paulo Coehlo

#39

the world is sound........
- joachim berendt



Check out this beautiful video of performance artist Christine Sun Kim by The Selby.
There is more of an interview with her here.

She has has opened my ears, eyes and heart. I think her art is amazing.




November 7, 2011

#39

nothing created by me for another day, but
this video got me laughing....

November 5, 2011

#37

m u r m u r a t i o n

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

this makes my heart sing....and i just love that word so i'll say it again - M U R M U R A T I O N

November 3, 2011

#35

all good things are wild and free
-henry david thoreau




This beautiful willow tree is in my backyard. She is old and magnificent. It feels so magical when you stand beneath her.....soon she will be bare again, exposed, her beautiful form made all the more transparent for all who gaze upon her.

October 31, 2011

#37

#34

my bedroom at sunrise

Turning the clocks back to real time makes waking up with the sun at a reasonable hour now.....this morning it was 7.20am not 8.20am when my eyes automatically popped open. It will turn dark again at 5pm. Short days and getting shorter still.

It's the official end of Autumn today, Happy Halloween!

#36

happy halloween


via this isn't happiness



#35

i loved listening to this passionate poet today
i am sure you will find something in one of three
poems that sparks some action

October 28, 2011

#33


If a man walks in the woods for love of them, half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer.  But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen. 
~Henry David Thoreau
paderborn 2008

Looking forward to visiting the little forest near my house this weekend! And breathing in and soaking up all the goodness.
Happy Weekend to everyone....

October 27, 2011

#34


NEW MOON IN SCORPIO

i have been feeling the pull of the underworld
and the voices and shadows that i can't normally see
were revealed in my dream-wake life this morning
i felt the terror of the darkness but as i embraced it
the darkness dissipated and with that my fear.

tonight i will meditate under this dark moon energy
and ask to hear the message that i need to hear.
i will let go of what i don't need to carry with me any
longer and sow the seeds of something that i want to create
this month

i am going to let go of victimhood and embrace courage
this month

how about you?
what would you wish to let go of and see created?

#33


#2

found on curlewis st bondi

#32



same same but different series #1



October 25, 2011

#32





hi·ber·nateverb (used without object), -nat·ed, -nat·ing.

1.
Zoology. to spend the winter in close quarters in a dormant condition, as bears and certain other animals.
2.
to withdraw or be in seclusion; retire.
3.
to winter in a place with a milder climate: Each winter finds us hibernating in Australia.



I totally relate to this. I feel myself slowing down. Not wanting to be outside. I have to really push myself to go out. Once I am out I feel good, but the energy it takes to get dressed feels like it could be better spent doing something cozy inside instead. I don't feel depressed - just more content in withdrawing. The idea of making things, being creative, cooking, eating is calling me more than usual. Candles and burning incense and delicious warm soups on the stove are now the norm. And knowing that I am getting on a plane and heading to paradise in December is like having that stash of your favourite something somewhere in the house for whenever you want it.

Yawn. Stretch. Better get dressed now and go & get my favourite Spelt bread from the bakery before it's all sold out.

Here's an interesting article about possible hibernation in Russian folk. Too cool!








#31

feeling sad today.
have sat and breathed and felt my feelings, and
although they have changed throughout the day
they are mostly the colour blue.
and so as the moon approaches its dark time, perhaps
it is my time to feel those emotions that are lying
underneath the surface, the not so pleasant ones, my
shadow

i did try to cheer myself up by watching things to make me smile,
searching for that spark that resides within and the videos
i have found today have made me feel humanity so deeply and so
beautifully, i have cried instead.

below is one of my favourite stories



October 22, 2011

#30


i'm heading down this road today...

where are you heading?

#31


Living up here near the coast in northern Germany, where it's flat as a tack moorland - I am so extremely grateful for the Wingst, a small forest with a ridge with the staggering height of 74 metres! It's a mixture of pine, beech, birch and oak trees. It smells so good there. The air is delicious. I love it any time of the year. Each season brings a new mood. And new food. This is where I picked bilberries and blackberries for the first time this summer.  Now it's full of mushrooms - but I seem to find all the most poisonous ones on earth and not the most sought after pfifferlinge....I'll keep trying. This is also where I ride a few times a week. From my house once around it takes just over an hour - it's so quiet in there and peaceful and perfect for taking in the beauty, listening to my breath and empyting my mind.

This is what it looked like when I was there yesterday, just before a hail storm hit and a rainbow came out.

Check out the
Treehotel, David Lynch's on growing up in the woods & Hunting for wild mushrooms from NOWNESS.com, for some more treats from the Woods.

Happy Weekend to y'all.
XX

October 20, 2011

#29


saying farewell to one of dearest friends today and wow, does that stir
some feelings up. i know she's only moving to another country,and that it
is not the final farewell and that she plans to come back, but it's bringing up
all sorts of interesting emotions.

i know change is inevitable and my how i love to tell my students to embrace
this concept. watch the changes without any clinging to what was or what could
be. during meditation we may watch the breath or "feel" our bodies, noticing
emotions and thoughts that arise. over time we begin to see that nothing
ever lasts for that long. that nothing ever stays the same. even when we feel
anxious or angry and it seems like a very solid state that we are in. when we
just sit and watch what is happening, like an observer watching a film for example,
we see that anger is not even just one thing. that the feeling we thought we were
experiencing are just a series of many different emotions, thoughts and feelings.

so i have been sitting and watching my feelings triggered by this farewell and it has been
great fodder for contemplation. this week i have learnt that i still cling. i have learnt
how much i value authentic people. and i have come to understand that distance is all
in my head.

October 19, 2011

#28


what i love about the message from this video is that it's not only hopeful
and provides us with an understandable idea of how to head into the future (now)
it's that for those of us who need more evidence to support the law of
attraction "theory", the science is in.
to find out more from gregg braden go here


October 18, 2011

#30

18-10-11
14 years ago today i married jürgen
today we live separated
but
he is always always in my heart
happy birthday to us

found at please dont talk to me i fall in love so easily







#27

i spend a considerable amount of time trawling this digital world
of ours. i find a lot of inspiration and incredible creativity out there.
but some days, it starts to pull me down a bit. it's on the days when
i am feeling out of balance it happens. then i start to compare myself and
feel my array of inadequacies.

how am i meant to be showing up in this world? i think to myself.

and because i have been looking outside myself too much and filling
up on the chorus of voices, as lovely as they are, i realise i have been losing
my way. i have been giving away my energy.

so it's then that i turn off the computer, disconnect the phone and take
a walk. sit down on the earth and feel it beneath me. listen. feel.
and before long, i feel alive again. and in rhythm. my own rhythm.
and even if i am not doing anything particularly creative, i am happy
just being.




October 17, 2011

#26

some recent finds


via 55some








via insecuritieseatalive


i got naive, charismatic and dramatic
how about you?




October 16, 2011

#25


i know it's spring because i have been wearing bare feet again.
it has to be warm to take off my ugg boots at home and i realise that
for at least a week i have been forgetting to put them on.

it is so nice to feel the ground beneath me. when i walk outside and
feel the temperature of the ground. feel the fallen leaves under me as
i hang out the washing. feel how the house warms up during the day
and then cools down again at night.

it puts me one step closer to being in tune with the daily cycle of light
and dark
it really does make you come alive. i cannot imagine wearing closed
in shoes all day everyday. they make the little ones at school wear them
even in summer, but i think it should be a fundamental right to make
your own choice of foot coverings.

one of the biggest problems for us urban dwellers ( and we make up a
massive part of the population these days) is a disconnection or
separation feeling. i would go so far as to think that its at the core of
most depression. the feelings of isolation, difference and lack of
belonging are common modern maladies, even though we live in such
close quarters with each other.

being grounded is a great treat i allow myself to experience as part of my
daily self care. i feel the earth beneath me, i feel for the energy of the
place i am standing or sitting on. its a very easy practice to do once you become
quiet and still. i do it in different locations and they all have their own feel.

what i do is take my seat wherever i am.
and just listen to the sounds around me and feel myself sitting.
from there i then use my body to feel the earth underneath me.
i feel the solidity of the ground and the way it supports me.
i let myself rest knowing i am being held.
and then i feel the energy around me.

try it at the beach, in a forest, under your favourite tree, in the lounge
on a chair, beside your bed, on a train, wherever really because the
energy will still be all around and present.
then you can find your power spot. the place that makes you feel alive
and calm and clear. and when you need to get clear you can take yourself
to that place to recharge and renew yourself.

#29





The geese are heading south. The last corn has been harvested. The boats have their masts removed and are ready to be taken out of the water. Soon the piers will also be dismantled and put away. The leaves are turning every hue of yellow, red and golden brown. The mercury has dropped below zero. There is frost on the ground in the morning. I cannot leave the house without hat, gloves and scarf on. This change of season and preparation for winter is so dramatic. It's stunning and beautiful and already painfully cold............I never feel ready for it.




















                                                                                  

October 14, 2011

#28

i love a good optical illusion. focus on the red dot and see the ring disappear

from reddit

October 13, 2011

#27

an image of Mabon - reresenting the autumn equinox time


The last 2 nights have been crystal clear, and perfect for viewing the full moon. I really don't sleep well at full moon - tossing and turning and dreaming vividly and repetitively all night. Mid way through last night I decided to get up, wake myself properly in order to change my headspace. And the stars were amazing! I saw shooting stars, or was it just my bleery-eyedness? It went minus 1 over night, and so this morning there was frost. Reminding me that winter is coming and not far off. I can't say I'm looking forward to it at all. Cold hurts. My bones and body ache. And I pull muscles doing the most ordinary of things. I am so happy I can escape the winter for a few months. That feels like pure decadence.

#24






WISHCASTING WEDNESDAY

over at jamie ridler studios each wednesday, jamie prompts us to
create a wish for ourselves. by publicly stating your wish and doing
so within a loving group circle like the one she has created, the wish
will hopefully become manifest.

yesterday's prompt is HOW DO YOU WISH TO BE LOVED
( sorry i'm a little late)

this question immediately created lots of ripples within my mind.
initially i think i want to be loved just for who i am, warts and all
by those dearest and closest.
i want it be to big and bold and shiny love as well as deep and
unconditional.

but then i stopped and thought about how i love. how i love the people
around me, how i show it, and then also about self love and i came to see
that my self love is lacking and really where i need to put the focus of my
wish towards.

my wish is to truly love myself. to see beyond all my flaws and to appreciate
all of me. i wish to love my self through engaging in a daily ritual where i
honour my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual parts.

October 12, 2011

#23


the moon is full today
i love the energy of the full moon - its so well, full of life.
last night as it approaches full i always hear a humming in the air.
the air feels so pregnant with everything.
i usually wake a lot through the night around full moon as well.

this month it's an aries full moon which means there is that energy
of fire and getting things done infusing it. i am no astrologer but i love reading
what the Moon Woman has to say.
she says
"this moon speaks to us of the power now in our own hands, to change the world
by changing ourselves...
..she points us towards pursuing our soul’s desires whilst freeing up those around us to do the same. She reminds us that we are all imbued with the potential of our own destiny from the moment we’re born, even before that, and now is the time to recognise that fact and truly accept that if our heart speaks it to us, then it speaks it for a purpose, and we are being called to play our small part in the greater whole....
...for when we live according to our soul path, we are stepping into the great flow of life, into the great tapestry of existence within which we can all weave our own unique threads. The more of us that can do this, the greater the impact upon the world around us."

so, let's greet this full moon with an open heart.lLet's open to being shown our true purpose and our own pathway and make the commitment to following that path, wherever it takes us.

#26

LE LIEU PERDU
near Bordeux
I have had the dream for the longest time now, to holiday in the country in France or Italy for a whole summer. Three months would be the absolute minimum time. I can picture it: it's old, renovated, large simple, has a huge garden, a swimming pool, and I don't want it for just me the whole time, I also want to be able to share it at different times with my loved ones - family and friends. I want to get to know the town and start to feel like a local. To travel slowly through the surrounding areas as well. Shop at the local markets and eat and drink things I've never had before. And even learn the language. Maybe I could write a book? Or a film script? Or paint? Or complete a photographic project? Or learn to cook like a chef? Or just relax, be still, do yoga, swim, meditate, breathe, enjoy and love every second spent there....this is the kind of place I have in mind............

More pics here and seen first at Trend Tablet.

October 9, 2011

#25




Christmas Consume Craziness has begun. Decorations are in the shops. People are sending out invites for parties and planning their November and Decembers, making sure every weekend is maximised, fitting in all necessary family friends & acquaintenances. I am guilty a little myself because I booked my flight home last week so I can have a Sydney family Christmas - but that shouldn't really count because c'mon I haven't been home for 15 months now and it really is easier to get a cheaper ticket if you buy earlier.

I have to admit that I think the Germans do the whole wintery Christmas thing a lot less cheesy than we do, and somehow the darkness and candles and introspection have actually more to do with the real reasons for Christmas and the Winter Solstice etc but even these guys get carried away with all THE STUFF that comes with this period.

The disgustingly huge variety of biscuits, chocolates and small sweet things these guys are meant to eat from now until after New Years is mind-boggling. And then they have the whole Advents Month and Niklaus....it just doesn't stop. It's gross and kind of sickening. There is just so much stuff produced just for Christmas.

Yesterday I found something interesting.
Buy Nothing Day & Buy Nothing Christmas.  International Buy Nothing Day is November 27th, and well I know you know when it's Christmas. I will do it next month and I am going to discuss things about Christmas with my family . I've already broken it slightly by having a couple of teeny things collected during the year, and that might just be it.

I really love to spoil my nieces and this is the only hard part about it, but maybe there is a bigger more significant gift to give by not buying into the whole commercial side of things and instead celebrating and giving each other the gift of presence and authentic relationship and the experience of a shared spiritual ritual. Maybe our family can start a new family tradition - taking different aspects from Celtic, Christian, Wiccan, Buddhist, Advaita, Indigenous etc etc rituals and making it something beautiful and meaningful and personal - I am sure my nieces with their beautiful imagination and fresh way of thinking will also add something cool to the mix.

Looking forward to how it all pans out....... 


October 8, 2011

#22

have been in sydney's most glorious blue mountains
and would love to show you the pics from our little adventure
especially the waratah bush laden
with flowers and also the beautiful 3 sisters
but i do not now how to move photos from my kids iPhoto library into mine.
any clues????

the colour green is soooooo soothing - a view looking to the horizon that is
only trees is mesmerising. the air was so crisp and pure. the blue
mountains really are the lungs of sydney and i am very grateful for them.

because i was also vey happy to return to my little house - it's amazing
how much you appreciate what you have when you have been without it -
i will show you some newish street art from my neighbourhood instead

but no i can't do that either, because i took those photos on my little one's
ipodtouch as well. i really need to figure out that techy problemo asap.

so here are some images i found via one of my current fav tumblr pages





image by anna higgie






peace and love by duda martins

October 7, 2011

#24




These 2 small films and their soundtracks speak of summer and relaxing and how I want to feel when I am home in Sydney for the summer - finding them today I just had to share them here. Enjoy.

Seu Jorge (City of God & The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou) joined forces with director Kahlil Joseph to create a kind of anti-music-video as the companion film to his recent album Seu Jorge and Almaz. Shot in the Hollywood Hills, The Model is divided into two chapters: “Marcello in Limbo” & “Oshun and the Dream”. The film takes inspiration from the Kraftwerk song of the same name. It's beautiful work.

Happy Weekend!

October 6, 2011

#23

image from pleasedonttalktomeifallinlovesoeasily.blogspot.com/


"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.''
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice.''
Stay happy, stay foolish.
- Steve Jobs
(RIP)