Time flies when you are having fun…

Coaching, Education, Hypnotherapy, Life balance, networking, , , , ,

I thought it was just a few weeks since the last update and was surprised to find that it has been a couple of months….

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThere have been a number of projects on the go, the largest being the preparation of a country retreat.

It is being developed as an eco-friendly place and will be very much “back to basics” with an organic/permaculture overlay. With quite a lot of work to do, including fencing and weed removal, it is anticipated that it will take a little while longer before it is officially open to guests.

The scrub being cleared is highly flammable, so not a desirable feature and hopefully it will break down into good mulch.

A labyrinth is under construction in a previously cleared area and should be completed for day visitors to walk in time for the Winter Solstice.

Additional projects underway are:

  • some collaborations with other Hypnotherapists and we hope to see some exciting new therapy options to come out of these discussions
  • the revival of the Melbourne Chapter of IACT, (International Association of Counsellors and Therapists) with meetings scheduled to be held on the 2nd Monday of each month (unless there is a public holiday).

 

Building the labyrinth

Animal totems, Earth Day blessing, Easter, Energy, labyrinth, Orbs
This is the fourth labyrinth I’ve constructed – each one has been constructed a little differently, but all have been started using the Easter energies.
I wasn’t going to get too carried away with string lines or marking paint, so it was started by laying the rake down on the ground and digging a shallow trench along side and a little past it, until the central cross was formed. 
I started fairly early in the morning (of Good Friday) and the outline progressed reasonably well as the soil was still a little soft from recent heavy rains. 
Stopping every so often to observe the traffic passing by, presumably others on their way to camping in the local state Forest, gave me some rest time. As I continued digging the outline, it became obvious that it was going to be a little larger than the previous efforts and I did consider stopping at 5 rings…but then I thought “Why play small? There’s a whole 40 acres to play in!!” 
It’s a 7 ring left handed labryinth….. Left sided entry as that is the feminine side .. and to the East is a small circle of trees, where I plan to put some seating so that people can reflect on their experience.
Being a little larger than I expected, a couple of young gum trees were on the path & I haven’t the heart to cut them down. I will prune the lower branches so they don’t intrude too much as people walk past. I was hoping to finish the outline in one day, but the heavens opened up and I dashed for shelter in the cottage. Shortly afterwards, visitors arrived and with plans to go into Rushworth to see the Easter Parade on Saturday, it would have to wait. 
In the end, I had to wait until Monday, as when I had a little time to myself on the Sunday, the dogs were intrigued by the digging activity and were more of a hindrance than a help. The south eastern side was a little difficult to dig as I struck gravel and I had some time out to chat to the neighbour and her daughter as they came to the boundary fence with their dogs, curious about what I was doing.
With more visitors arriving sometime over the following Anzac Day weekend, I took some more lavender up to plant in the soil turned over by the outline. Work also started in raking up the remnants of slashed scrub off the pathway and removing a fine layer of topsoil in order to level the pathway out. I started in the centre, but decided to work where the whim took me… Having counted out the steps from the start to the centre the previous week, I knew I was in for a big job. 
Using the pedometer on the smart phone, there are 514 steps from entry to exit. I calculated that I would have put the shovel into the ground over 2500 times to mark the outline!

The lavender seemed to have survived transplanting and the kangaroos, so I gave it a drink of water and hope that it continues to thrive.

The visitors arrived Friday and we spent time catching up on the news of their exploits and travels over the last 2 years.

Saturday was another fine day and whilst the men rode their motorbikes over to Maldon to meet up with old friends attending the All British Rally, I headed into Rushworth to pick up some bread and milk. Couldn’t resist stopping at the local plant nursery and checking out their plants. 2 punnets of sage caught my eye and I was given both for the price of one as they looked a little sad. Back at the block, they were removed from their pots and the pot bound roots meant that they could be cut into 2 …. now I had 4 plants!
On waking Sunday morning, I was able to see a large family of kangaroos feasting on the grass in the paddock.
I did wonder if their taste ran to either lavender or sage, but on getting to the labyrinth to do a sunrise walk, found all plants intact.
Setting the intent to allow answers to a problem that I couldn’t seem to resolve, I began my walk.
I got to the centre and spent some time there in contemplation… it didn’t seem like the answer would come, so I began my walk out, thinking to just enjoy the moment.
A wagtail caught my eye as it danced around the surrounding bushes.  
Wagtail meaning …Extroversion. Cheerfulness and gregariousness. Anger and irritability. Friendliness. Curiosity. Socializing. Appealing to others. Effectively maintaining your space and home.

 As I made my exit from the labyrinth, I realized that the answers had come… so I began my return to the cottage and thoughts of breakfast… when I turned and decided to take a photo of the labyrinth. There seemed to be something that caught my eye, but gone when I focused….Returning to the cottage, a flash of red, then 2 more…. red capped robins were in the trees at the front of the cottage.
Red-Capped Robin meaning …The best and brightest, wariness, setting boundaries with other people, inflexibility, faring better in more open environments, preferring to stay away from the hustle and bustle, needing quieter spaces, staying grounded.
Only when I was uploading the photos did I find that I had some orbs in the photo. 

Interesting energies

abundant rainfall, Animal totems, Energy, Hare., Orbs, repairing fences, yabbies

Recently, I was fortunate to spend some time alone at the block… more of a spiritual retreat than “doing stuff”. With the 2nd New Moon in March creating some interesting energies leading up to the astrological events in April, I did a lot of Reiki and meditation.
Vivid dreams, as always, while I am up there and after discussion with a friend who is a gifted psychic and medium…. a tapping into the past……. remembering that the area was very busy in the 1800’s during the Gold Rush.
The weather dictates when the physical chores are scheduled. Too hot (& with the bushfire risk) and we will stay home and likewise with a recent week of rain forecast for the area, it seemed prudent to stay home and out of the mud!

This trip was very much a “might have a day trip or might stay overnight” ….. & ended up an overnight stay.
Time to clear the front fence of fallen trees and prop up the aged and rotting wooden posts in some semblence of order.
Michael manned the chainsaw and I stacked wood as we drove along the front fenceline.
Lots of wood for the wood heater yet to be bought!
There had been a lot more rain than we thought and both dams were full to capacity and had been flowing down to the neighbour’s across the road as well.
Both dams had a chorus of bullfrogs and some other frogs as well …. always a sign of a healthy dam, except that frogs often mean snakes….which we didn’t see!
We did throw in the yabby net and caught 2 large yabbies, which were put in a bucket overnight to purge themselves of the mud…..
and in the morning  there was one……
overnight there had been some ferocious yabby wars and the victor had completely severed the claw off its companion and had started feasting on it.
The bucket was taken back to the dam and the remaining yabby returned to it’s habitat for another day …until we work out how to catch and purge multiple yabbies without them killing each other before they get to our cooking pot!
The net was brought in and four more large yabbies were released and returned to the water.

Those who know me, will be aware of my interest in orbs.
I’m slowly building up a collection of photos as they reveal themselves to me.
Occasionally I catch a glimpse of “something” without the camera, but down at the bottom dam a series of photos managed to capture a few images, whilst the following photos taken immediately afterwards, show nothing.
 To me, these images are special – a confirmation that the spiritual energy of the land is happy. I feel very comfortable in this place and was further delighted when, on my wanders to find the most suitable spot to build the labyrinth, a large hare jumped out of the bushes!


Settling in at the Retreat

Abundance, Autumn Equinox, balance, calm, creativity, dreaming, Energy, guides, Insights, intention, possibilty, Purpose, Reiki, restoration, Spirituality

Summer has been long and hot and with the threat of bushfires, particularly as we are reasonably close to the Rushworth State Forest, trips to the retreat have been dependent on checking out weather conditions and deciding if we want to be there in the heat or stay home and have the option of a pool to slide into to cool down!
Being self employed gives a little more flexibility and we decided to add an extra day either side of the Labor Day public holiday to avoid traffic and have more time to do “stuff”.
Packing the car has become an art form as necessities (& luxuries) are taken up there and left….

Luxuries like 4 matching banana lounges….perfect for star gazing!
Sitting in a normal deck chair to watch the satellites and stars, results in a cricked neck if you do it for too long, so the banana lounges are ideal, even if they are a little low to the ground…..

The shed has become a cooking area, with gas camping stove, electric frypan, Dad’s old toaster and benchtop oven and even a donated microwave….
A comfy 3 seater lounge and chairs (also Dad’s old furniture) are also stored in the shed.
This last visit saw the installation of a roman blind over one of the shed windows to reduce the sun fading the fabric on the sofa  and there have been discussions about installing a roof vent and insulation to make it more pleasant to be in (hot in summer and no doubt it will be chilly in winter).

About 10 acres of the block is covered with a bush that is locally considered a nuisance, but not a noxious weed. It has grown too high to use the slasher, so the only other option was to attach a grader blade to the tractor.
Only problem was that the blade was seized stuck with rust from being in the open.
With a little work (& diesel and oil mix) and pushing up against a strong tree, the attachment loosened up and Michael and a friend, Rod, began the task of flattening the bushes by driving over them and dragging the blade behind. More comfortable than sitting for some time, twisting backwards as the tractor is reversed over the bushes.
Hot and dusty work and the aging tractor began to make some ominous noises from the gear box.
Most of the area treated this way has stayed flat over a two week  period and is dying off. The flattened bushes can be removed by hand and stacked up, ready to burn once the fire season is over, but this is labour intensive and I’m not so keen on having piles of flammable material, whereas if it is flat it may mulch down.
Another alternative is to find a fencing contractor who specializes in brush fencing and offer them the option to harvest it for free. That way they will get their fencing materials and we will get rid of the bushes!

The composting toilet is working well, using 20 litre buckets, recycled from the local (city) chicken & chip shop, sawdust from the hardware store and we picked up some mulch from a roadside heap that was created after the bushfires near Kilmore. The intent is to leave the sealed buckets for 12 months or more to get rid of any pathogens & then add them to a compost heap to break down further.
This will then be used on the planned fruit and nut tree grove.
I hope to install a second composting toilet in the cottage in the near future and the ceramic pan (which was not hooked up to anything and lacked a cistern) has been removed, leaving much more space in the shower room.
The previous owners left behind a chemical toilet, but that requires some nasty chemicals, water and a disposal pit,  although it has been suggested that a homebrand nappy soaker is more environmentally friendly.

On to more pleasant topics….
The visit at the end of February involved cleaning the lichen off the fibreglass dome. Washing it off also washed off the top gel coat of the fibreglass and we were left with a milky white liquid.
Fortunately, the camper trailer we have is fibreglass and the manufacturers included a bottle of fibreglass polish and wax…. only thing was that we didn’t have it with us on that trip. So Labor Day weekend saw the application of said wax early in the morning, before the heat and flies became a problem. Luckily the dome roof rotates, so I was able to move that around and work in the shade most of the time. The eastern walls had to be polished in the evening!

The idea behind having this place is create a retreat.. both for myself and my family but eventually having a space for practitioners who might need some time out to live simply for a few days.

This requires some preparation… energetically clearing the space, using Reiki and feng shui and adding some comforts.
Using the Autumn Equinox was perfect timing to start some serious energy work.

I brought up some Tibetan Prayer Flags on this trip and installed them around what will be a central gathering /fire pit area.

In this way, their energy will be working for the space even when I am not there.
Their vibrant colours will fade in time and the breeze over the weekend kept them active, adding to the energy.

The colours of the sunset on the night of the Equinox faded quickly, but I managed to capture them on the phone camera as I was having a wander around looking for a site to build the labyrinth.  Originally I had thought that a flattish area to the west would be ideal, but it is just a little too close to the neighbours. Then I thought down between the two dams….. but in winter that area will be quite boggy (if there are good rains).
Trusting that the right place would be revealed as I explored more, I continued to meditate.
Some time alone the next morning allowed me to do a really good energy cleansing of the cottage, which I finished off by cleaning the windows and adding Reiki symbols all around.
 Curiously the sliding door screen stuck fast when I opened it, and I couldn’t move it at all.
Michael returned from his expedition to the Aboriginal Waterhole at Whroo and inspected the damage. It was decided that a visit to the hardware store in Heathcote would be in order, to get new parts for the door.  That done, the door still refused to move freely on the tracks….. Too late for a return trip, it was decided to make a repeat trip the next day.
No part available …. so a road trip to Bendigo was in order to a larger hardware chain. A bit of a wander around and a late lunch eaten in a park, then back to the retreat.
The new parts (hangers) were fitted to the top of the door and just as the door was moved…… crack…. both parts broke.
We had been gone 4 hours on the return trip to get those parts…….
Luckily, Michael can think laterally, so he used screws we had bought from the Rushworth hardware store to install the roman blind, to connect the broken bits together and eventually we had a screen door that opens and closes as it should……. what a day!!

An old yabbie net had turned up on our explorations, so some left over meat was put into an onion bag and tied securely, and the net tossed into the top dam. A couple of hours later, there was a yabbie having a feast…. disentangled and it scarpered back into the muddy water. Later that evening, when we checked with Peter who had come over from his place at Redcastle, all the meat had gone .. & so had the yabbies!!
We had another go on Sunday morning and caught 2 more. One with half a claw missing…. and both back into the water…
Apparently they have to be purged in fresh water for about a week before eating… so the net from home will go up and the yabbies may become an Easter feast……
As I went for a last minute wander on Sunday after packing up, I came across a space that somehow I have missed before.
Towards the Eastern boundary, yet quite private.

 A bit more of a slope than I would prefer, but that could add to the sensory experience…
It feels as if it is the right place for a labyrinth….

 And just a little further to the East ….
…….a small clearing, almost circled perfectly by some trees….

I can see the potential to put benches in the spaces between the trees and a small fire pit to do some circle work……..

Australia Day working bee

Australia Day, lifestyle, projects, restoration, water tanks

The Friday before dawned cool and damp. Heavy rain in the metropolitan area and some forecast for the bush, but unless you are there, it’s difficult to know how much will actually fall.
We set off just before lunchtime, this time taking a packed lunch as we didn’t want to sample either the delights of fast food (ugh!!) or the local bakery in Heathcote. Traffic was a little heavier than expected for the time of day and it was bothersome to realize that we had left the keys to the shed and dome behind. Luckily we weren’t yet on the tollway, so we took the next exit and returned home to fetch the keys.
A couple of projects had been planned, so we had the ladder, some pavers and a water pump loaded.

First project to tackle was sorting out the gas bottle.

With a decided lean on it, the regulator had started to come away from its fastening on the wall.

The paver supporting it was not only a little too small but had subsided since the original installation.

A larger paver had been purchased and this one was going to be re-purposed for the next project.

The bullants generously donated some of their ant sand/gravel to seat the new, larger paver & in return got some food scraps later.

The next project was a little larger.


We had been generously gifted a tank stand by a friend, whose copper tank once graced it…..until some unfriendly passers by “liberated” it.
It was the perfect size to relocate the 500litre tank next to the cottage.
The tank had been installed with no room to add pipes to take the overflow away, so any excess water flowed directly onto the wall of the cottage and onto the ground.
A half brick held the downpipe in place at the top of the tank.

In order to move the tank, the water needed to be drained.
Rather than wasting it, some was pumped into clean 20litre drums and the remainder pumped into the main concrete tank.
The residual was tipped out and allowed the silt that had build up to clear from the bottom of the tank.

Gingerly, we rolled the tank away from its base……

The bottom of the tank was rounded from the weight of the water once the original wooden stand had rotted away.

Also resident was a large redback spider and a family of fat huntsman spiders lurking in the holes of the bricks……

The redback was dispatched to its maker and the huntsman spiders scuttled off to find other accommodation.

Gloves on, the rocks and bricks were carefully removed to reveal how badly rotted the timber supports were.

Lifted off with a shovel and put aside they will eventually form part of the environment or be used once the firebans are lifted as small kindle for the evening fire.

The tankstand was set in place and the pavers lined up.

A little work to level them all out, then the empty tank was lifted up onto it, and some work done to shorten the down pipe.

The overflow was placed away from the house and will have pipe plumbed in to divert the water away from the cottage.

The tap was located (to the right in this photo) so as to make it easier for hand washing and shelf will be added later.
A small retaining wall was built to divert the natural runoff away from the pavers and eventually garden drains will be added as part of the plans to have paved areas around the cottage.
 The leftover bricks were used to form a platform for the rubbish bin which is currently used to collect greywater from the kitchenette and also form part of a temporary splashback for any overflow if the tank fills.
Water from the 20litre containers was pumped back into the tank to provide weight, so that any strong winds don’t catch the tank and blow it away.

Another project that was underway on Saturday was the restoration of the futon mattress.
A distinct “parfum le chat”  assailed the nostrils on awakening and the mattress was removed out into the central area and washed with a mixture of laundry detergent and PineOClean.  A parting gift from the mad cat that lives downstairs……
Perhaps the cleanse and a couple of days of strong UV would restore it to almost new….

Sunday’s projects were a little less obvious, but still industrious.

With plenty of sunscreen on, the dirt and lichen was removed from half of the Observatory.
From a distance the lichen looks like holes and can’t be good for the fibreglass.
Two buckets – one of soapy water and alternating between the use of a scrubbing brush and a tea towel, the dirt was cleaned off.  The other bucket was for rinsing off the grime.
 It was easier at times to pick/peel the lichen off once it was moistened.  
Heat and flies got the better of us and we retired for lunch.

More projects are planned over the coming months, such as creating either a paved area around the cottage or constructing a verandah.

Sunday afternoon saw the temporary placement of “pegs” to mark out the proposed area.

This is something to contemplate for a while as drainage needs to be considered.

Later in the afternoon, an amble down to the front boundary fence to check out what needs to be mowed, slashed or fixed.
Apart from the gate posts, there are a number of posts that have rotted or been damaged by falling trees, so there is no possibility of having any animals on the property for agistment.
The local kangaroos have well worn pathways where the fallen branches have flattened the fences.
Again, another job to be put on hold for when we can safely use the chainsaw.

A Master Number Day

Abundance, dreaming, Goal Setting, gratitude, guides, prosperity, release, Spirituality, Tarot, Transformation

 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 0 + 1 + 4 = 11 ….. a Master Number Day……. and what an interesting day it has been so far….
This month is a continuation of last year’s quest to simplify and a few activities that I was involved in last year have now been put aside. Just to test me, a possible new venture was put in my path and although the person was quite persuasive, it didn’t sit right.

Business planning for the next 90 days is underway and a review of websites and their content is happening. Pages have been deleted and templates changed.  A quick break for a cup of tea and a refill of the water bottle and back to the office……and just after I had entered the room….. an almighty crash!! Two certificates fell to the floor…… two others, above and below stayed secure on the wall. No glass broken… and another tenant came rushing out to see if I was OK.
A quick spray of space clearing essence and then some clearing work to be done as a couple of things have moved in the past week or so and my sacred bamboo has suddenly turned up its toes and terminally wilted.

My timetabled study done, another break was beckoning. This time I decided to consult the cards ……Using the Rider Waite deck, the following 3 turned up. I don’t consider myself a Tarot reader  to read for others, but I will turn the cards for myself.

In the context of my life at present, I found it interesting that I picked up a card with a garden or agricultural background.

Currently sowing the seeds of new beginnings, I will tend these seeds carefully so as to be rewarded with a good harvest.

I also see this as holding the foundations of future abundance as I begin to follow my soul’s path.

The second card I drew was the 3 of Swords.
Initially when I looked at it first I saw only the Heart, then the piercing of it with the 3 swords.
A validation that the ending of several draining relationships was literally, in the cards!
A time of release…. and time to focus on recovery by letting go and moving on.
Explains the deep sadness that has enveloped me the last couple of days….

I had to laugh to myself when the third card revealed itself…. The Fool!
Carrying a bag of tricks  on his shoulder, if one should look inside, I’m sure it contains powerful dreams and gifts

Stepping out and beginning a new journey, the challenge is to maintain balance on what seems to be a narrow path, yet maintain an equilibrium between heaven and earth. I’m always needing to be more grounded!!

The small white dog seems to protect yet push the boundaries of the traveller who seems to be appreciating the beauty of the journey – sun shining and mountains in the distance. With face turned heavenward to better receive the information of the gods and yet treading lightly upon the earth, this card seems to me to be a signal to confront any fears and trust that I will take the next step safely.

Only today, I noticed that the card has a zero at the top. Starting with nothing and creating the endless possibilities contained within a circle? Or “O” for optimism?

A pleasant interlude and the creation of a space to share my personal interpretation of the cards.

On the road to Mastery…

Homeopathy, Hypnotherapy, Meditation, Philosophy, Polarity Therapy, Reiki, , , , , , , ,

People come and go into your life for different reasons and seasons ….(as the well known poem at the bottom of the page goes…..)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAJust recently, I have re-connected with a couple of people not seen for many years and whilst there has been the occasional email or social media contact, it really isn’t the same as chatting easily over a cup of tea or coffee.

One meeting triggered an examination of my personal journey over the last few years. A reflection, perhaps triggered by the review and planning process of the New Year.

The questions were asked……

“Are you still doing your Energy work? 

Your website and book don’t say that you are.”

Immediately I replied with a “Yes”, but in that moment realized that although I have a daily Meditation and Reiki practice  – often sending absent Reiki to friends and colleagues, I have let much of the spiritual work in maintaining Mastery slide. An audit of what studies I have done showed a common theme….. starting many years ago with weekly Yoga sessions, then Meditation.

Life was on hold for a while as I juggled young children and going to work as a teacher, but in the first school …. a most unlikely place, I thought, I had  a Lifetime person step into my life when she introduced me to Reiki. She could see I was stressed, put her hands on my shoulders sending Reiki…… It felt as if my blood had turned to lemonade…. I went all “fizzy” with the energy. Weeks later, I found a Reiki Master and was attuned to the energy…. the start of an amazing journey.  Level 1, followed by Level 2 and I resisted becoming a Master for another 9 years!!

Birthday morning 2013Other energy therapies beckoned in that space……. EMF (Electro Magnetic Frequency) Balancing, Homeopathy, Polarity Therapy, Touch for Health, Pranic Healing….Spiritual studies…..

I find it curious how the path of life often weaves a different pattern to what we might envisage for ourselves. Yet all these studies and people who taught them  have contributed to my mastery…. they have been there for a reason or a season or a lifetime.

Whilst reflecting on what Mastery means, I came upon a list of some 44 attributes that a person seeking Mastery might have.  A little daunting… but a good challenge for the coming weeks, months and years ahead….

Interestingly,  at the top of the list was Balance….defined as:

  • a state of remaining upright and steady; equilibrium
  • an appropriate proportionality between different elements

Two more that I would like to share with you are Courage:

  • strength in the face of uncertainty
  • the ability to do something that may be fearful

and Flexibility:

  • capable of bending without breaking
  • ready and able to change; to adapt to different circumstances

I printed out the list, ready to refer to it and have decided to randomly pick an attribute  to work on each week and write in my journal about the journey.
Later this week I will revisit a teacher of one of the Energy therapies I studied a while back and will perhaps refresh the knowledge in this new year….

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.                                                                                                                                                          Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

A balanced start to the New Year

Life balance, Meditation, Philosophy, , , , , , , , , , , ,

sundown NYEStill waters run deep ……

I wasn’t about to test the depth of the dam waters on a clear summer evening in the bush, but it was pleasant watching the sun go down over the horizon for the last time in 2013.

As the evening lengthened and the first stars made their appearance, the reminiscences of the past year and earlier years began…

Gradually the night sky darkened and unveiled the Southern Cross, the magnificence of the Milky Way and more… Our necks grew tired from leaning backwards in our chairs… satellites, shooting stars…. all glowing brightly in the night before the new moon and the new year.

The only thing missing was the music from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon…..

Breathe
(Waters, Gilmour, Wright)

Breathe, breathe in the air.
Don’t be afraid to care.
Leave but don’t leave me.
Look around and choose your own ground.

Long you live and high you fly
And smiles you’ll give and tears you’ll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be.

Run, rabbit run.
Dig that hole, forget the sun,
And when at last the work is done
Don’t sit down it’s time to dig another one.

For long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
And balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave.

A balanced end to 2013

Abundance, calm, conversation, creativity, dreaming, Energy, gratitude, Insights, New Moon, Nurture, Reiki, spirit, synchronicity

A big grass fire up near Tooleen on Boxing Day, helped us to make the decision to postpone our trip to the block in the interests of staying safe.
Temperatures in the high 30’s are much more pleasant when spent around a home pool rather than a dubiously muddy dam….
With the CFA Fire Ready & VicTraffic apps downloaded, we loaded up the camper and car and set off. The journey up was incident free and took around two and a half hours including a stop (mistake) for fast food on the outskirts of Melbourne. We would have been better off, financially and healthwise had we waited for the healthier option of a salad roll at the Heathcote Bakery.
Gate unlocked and we took a slightly different route in (2nd mistake) and arrived to notice a rear tyre rapidly deflating.
We unpacked to lighten the car and the tyre was repaired.

This trip saw us taking up a few 20 litre buckets and a newly constructed toilet pedestal for a composting toilet, as well as a small supply of solar lights and some other bits and pieces that we intended to leave up there.
The toilet was placed in the “en suite” that sits high on the hill.

No water or plumbing connected, but it has potential to have it connected as well as an external power point to plug in the power.

However we solved the lighting problem by installing a solar shed light that reflects into the mirror, giving lots of light.

The porcelain septic pedestal was removed and the wooden pedestal placed over a bucket, which will be used for composting in about 12 months time.
Another large bucket of sawdust fits into the cubicle and that is used in lieu of flushing with water.
Handwashing is either with antiseptic hand wash or in a bucket of water outside, to be used later to water some of the succulent plants that are scattered around the living area.

 The view from the loo is quite peaceful as well, looking towards the back fence and small birds can be observed in the trees.
We discovered that they like to forage for small insects and spiders in the dead mistletoe  high up in the branches.

On our second day, we had day visitors for lunch in the cottage.
 Having the futon  and a card table has made a difference to our seating arrangements and we decided against eating in the shed as it warms up quickly. No doubt it will be chilly in there in winter.
The paddock bomb was fired up and taken for a drive, needing one rescue by the Patrol when the battery died…. It got going again and the visitors were taken for a tour of the boundary fences…. doing a bit of bush bashing through the scrub that needs to be slashed. 

Another visitor for dinner that night, our good friend Peter, who has built a mudbrick cottage some 16kms away. (It is on his property that I have built the labyrinths). Good wine, good conversation and and agreement to celebrate New Year’s Eve in a similar fashion…..

The morning chores done, I sat down to do a little crochet, a little reading…..

Peter arrived late afternoon and we strolled down to the top dam. The kangaroos didn’t seem too perturbed by our presence and allowed us to get within about 20 metres before hopping off.
The temperature was somewhat cooler down by the dam and we wandered down to the lower dam to watch the sun go down.
All very peaceful….

Realizing that it was after 9pm, we strolled back up to the cottage and sat outside with fruit and wine to observe the stars.

I’m thinking that my next purchase for the block will be some banana lounges so that our necks don’t get cricked looking up at the Milky Way.

Satellites crisscrossed the skies at regular intervals, some traversing North/South, some the other way and others travelling West to East.

Suddenly we realized it was approaching the magic hour when the year ticks over to the next…..
….and there it was….. a new year, with a new moon on New Year’s Day.
What a great start …..!!

All in the cards

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Sorting through my home office desk, I found a small purple box of treasure…

Treasures from Tikashi – cards from the days before large oracle cards became popular.

The card I drew today, was “Stillness”.

Take time to be still to appreciate the beauty in every moment. Quiet your busy mind and allow the still softness of peace to envelop you.

Do not rush into anything, but sit meditatively – and in this stillness your answers may be found.

To attain what has eluded you, be still and allow it to land upon you. As a feather would gently float into your hand, so do your wishes descend upon you.

 

I thought this rather appropriate for this time of year…..