Dot Roberts & Co - a New Chapter

I’ve moved to live in Warragul, Victoria, which is located about 100 kilometres east of Melbourne in the beautiful Baw Baw Shire, Gippsland.

Over the past 4 months, I’ve been settling in at my new home, exploring the incredible countryside and meeting the friendly locals. I’ve joined a local book club, a community garden, the library and a walking group. I’ve been enjoying bush walks, local markets, walks around the neighbourhood with Duncan, my elderly Border Collie, and have had lots of lovely visitors to stay and share my new home.

Dot Roberts & Co has started life as a small business!

Here’s my business information flyer

Poetry to inspire our days

I have been turning each morning to a poem by Mary Oliver for comfort, reassurance and inspiration.  Her words continually inspire me to believe that there is a kinder and gentler way of living, with empathy and compassion, and that these aren't weaknesses but essential traits to guide our daily lives.

Mary Oliver is an American now in her 80's and is a Pulitzer prize (1984) winning poet.  Her Wikipedia entry is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Oliver

As I continue my February challenge to make more room in my life, I was inspired by a poem titled Storage by Mary Oliver, kindly passed on to me by my friend, Melbourne Jenny.  It comes from Mary Oliver's collection of poems in Felicity

When I moved from one house to another
there were many things I had no room
for. What does one do? I rented a storage
space. And filled it. Years passed.
Occasionally I went there and looked in,
but nothing happened, not a single
twinge of the heart.

As I grew older the things I cared
about grew fewer, but were more
important. So one day I undid the lock
and called the trash man. He took
everything.

I felt like the little donkey when
his burden is finally lifted. Things!
Burn them, burn them! Make a beautiful
fire! More room in your heart for love,
for the trees! For the birds who own
nothing – the reason they can fly.

Simple beauty in the light from an open window, small flowers, a quiet moment in a busy day.

Making more room in my life

I've started a 30 day declutter challenge where I spend at least 10 minutes a day decluttering.  I've been subscribing to Leo Babauta's Sea Change http://seachange.zenhabits.net/   for a while but haven't until now seriously taken the challenge to fearlessly declutter.  Leo's blog is at https://zenhabits.net/archives/

Leo's main focus is mindful living and he embraces a wide range of topics such as mindful meditation, minimalism, living with purpose and so on. 

The "BEFORE" view - this is not pretty.  Where did all this stuff come from?

I'm starting here with my desk - under my desk, on top of my desk, in the sideboard and bookshelf. 

There's a lot around at the moment about inspiring a more minimalist lifestyle.  One of the current top picks trending on Netflix is Minimalism: A Film About the Important Things http://minimalismfilm.com/watch/    which presents a good summary of the main ideas and aspirations about a more minimalist lifestyle: to live a more meaningful life with less.  I love their slogan: Love people, use things. The opposite never works.

It's the 1st of February so let's see how I go.  A new month, a new challenge.

The Holidays are Over - it's 2017!

What a time it's been - the lead up to Christmas and then harvest (drawn out over about 9 weeks), Christmas and New Year, lots of visitors, hot days, warm nights, cricket and tennis on the TV, lazy afternoons reading and snoozing, but it's time to become more productive.  The holidays are over and I'm wanting to create, make, and grow.

I want to write more, draw and paint more, sew more, garden more, walk more - fit more in my day.  I also want to stress less, watch TV less, consume/purchase less - allow more quiet space in my life.

I'm living in Cowra in the beautiful Central West of NSW but I miss my life in Melbourne.  I've been thinking of ways I can live a more Melbourne type life while here in Cowra.  I have the sense that there is more community where I was living in Northcote - tram stops, cafes, community gardens, farmers markets, with a broader range of ideas, information and discussions.

There are ways of adding a more Melbourne flavour to my life in Cowra, such as seeking out and spending time at regional art galleries and museums.  I need to take the time to explore more widely to find accredited farmers markets, locally grown produce, and innovative cafes that are more sustainable or creative. 

I'm still regularly listening to Krista Tippett's On Being podcasts.  They are a gift and set things in motion in my mind and in my life.  So many good things and amazing ideas have become part of my life - John O'Donohue, Mary Oliver, David Whyte, Michael Longley, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ruby Sales, Alice Parker, Paulo Coelho, Xavier Le Pichon, Henri Nouwen, Yo-Yo Ma, and so many more.  How had I never heard of all these incredible people before now?

For January, the "Melbourne living challenge" will be to:

- Visit the Brett Whiteley exhibition at the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery

- Memorise a Mary Oliver poem - good for the soul as well as trying to get the brain into action!

- See a movie

I'm hoping to create a better day by getting up early, walking Duncan, watering the garden, listening to podcasts, drawing and painting, and making healthy meals.

The side garden is still a work in progress but I now have chives, coriander, mint, and basil for picking, as well as the old favourites of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.  For the first time ever, I'm having trouble with zucchini's not growing to a size big enough to pick.  Other friends have been having the same problem and we're concerned there aren't enough bees around to properly pollinate our veggies.  I need to plant loads more bee attracting plants - we all do.  But the big problem is all the pesticides used by our broad acre farmers . . .

There's lots to catch up on

It's been a long break since my last post back in mid January.  I was ambushed by a full time job that consumed my time and energy but paid my bills. I compromised a lot on how I wanted to live - to slow things down and live with more simplicity and creativity.  I ended up with no time for the simple life.  No space for family time. No energy for creativity. There's lots to catch up on.

One of the good things about going through a tough time is that I'm making some decisions to make changes that will make a difference.  Happiness is not about individual entitlement and materialism but more about kindness and empathy with others, connecting with them in whatever situation they are in, and not walking away because of being too busy or caught up with deadlines to notice things and to care.  I hadn't been able to be with my beautiful Melbourne daughter, son-in-law and grandson, nor spend the time with my Yass son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, or my Farmer son and other family and friends here in Cowra.  I know that I am at my most happiest when I am with them just doing the little things of daily life - sharing a meal, helping out, holding a child and reading a story, walking the dogs, pottering in the garden.

So I've been making up for lost time since my 12 month work contract finished at the end of August.  I've been on full time Nanna duties in the Yarra Ranges caring for my 14 month old grandson while my daughter returned to work.  It's been amazing to be part of their journey as they adjust to new routines. I'm missing my little man so much now I'm back in Cowra - his fluffy hair and cuddles in the morning, his playfulness, his chatting and saying new words, reading books, chubby legs crawling so quickly . . .

I'm back to reclaiming my simple life:  being grounded, finding my centre, my core strength, my soul and giving it voice - allowing gentleness and kindness space instead of the rushed hard word, the knee-jerk reaction.  It's meant some changes.  With the US election done and President Elect Trump dominating the news, it's best for me to have the TV off, especially as our politics isn't much better.  Having the TV off is making the evenings quieter and giving me time to use the longer daylight hours to garden and then read or listen to podcasts.  I'm getting to bed earlier and getting up earlier.  At 6 am, I'm having a quiet cuppa on the front verandah, reading and journalling - letting my thoughts out and giving my day a sense of direction.  I'm walking Duncan, my old border collie, each morning and never fail to come home inspired and refreshed.  I'm baking no-knead sour dough every second day and working hard to establish lots of herbs and vegetables in the garden.  There's lots to catch up on after being away for nearly seven weeks.

I've given myself "leave without pay" until the end of February - I'll have to stick to my budget to make it work.  I like a challenge!

Making:  Knitting two cushion covers in Patons Botanica

Baking:  No-knead sour dough

Sowing:  Swan River Daisy seed

Reading:  "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman (a slow start but I'm hooked)

Listening:  Krista Tippett's podcast "Becoming Wise"

Challenge:  To write down three lines in a notebook every day (whatever comes to mind, nothing fancy or to be shown to anyone) and see what I notice.

Picked on my walk this morning, Native Frangipani (Hymenosporum flavum), with a delicate sweet frangipani fragrance which always reminds me of summer holidays in Manly.

Inspiration

I had a day out yesterday with Farmer Son.  We had coffee and breakfast at Canowindra and then drove to Orange via Cudal.  It was a picture-perfect summer day with a huge bright blue sky and golden stubble paddocks.  We had a relaxed time shopping and a quiet pale ale at the Union Bank. 

I love the colour scheme at the Union Bank, Sale Street, Orange - inspiring!

We had a peek at The Orange Regional Gallery's exhibition Drawing Stories, a great selection of original illustrations by Freya Blackwood.  I had no idea that Freya had illustrated such a wide range of children's books over so many years.  I've always loved her style and found the exhibition inspiring.

Also inspiring me at present, is the latest offering from Jamie Oliver:

So this week's challenge is to cook from Jamie.  First on the menu, is Sizzling Moroccan Prawns, Fluffy Couscous and Rainbow Salsa.

Foraging

This is something I've never done despite often reading about it, particularly in the beautiful UK Country Living magazine. It seems like the fertile English hedgerows have more potential each season for foraging than our generally dusty and dry Australian roadsides.  Until today.  Farmer Son had given me a tip off that he had seen peaches on the roadside when heading out with his mates to go fishing.  It was just too tempting not to test out his tip and this is what I found:

Beautiful white slip-stone peaches on the roadside ripe for the picking

I thought I'd been a bit optimistic taking two buckets but they were easily filled and will give me plenty of fresh peaches to eat as well as poach and bottle.  There are also nectarines and apples nearly ripe for picking on the same roadside which has become my "secret place"!

Saturday morning

I have a simple Saturday morning routine that has gently evolved.

Tea, toast and the paper

Feeding the girls:  Basmati, Jasmine and Chook

Collecting the eggs - three a day!

Watering the garden

Checking the seedlings

What's new in the garden - a sunflower this week near the chook pen

Spending time at my desk - a letter to my Melbourne daughter or writing a blog post

This is a lovely way to start the weekend and a very different routine to my week days where I'm more focused on getting ready for work and keeping up to date with washing, cooking and cleaning.  If I keep to my weekly routine, I get to enjoy a relaxed and simple Saturday morning!

A New Year - Start the Journey

I love the start of a New Year.  Having a new Diary, lots of fresh, blank pages just waiting to be filled. I have found moments to quietly reflect on last year and to think about life choices for making this year different and hopefully more fulfilling.  Already, "last year" sounds like a long time ago so it's good to think about what was accomplished and to recognize the journey taken where there were significant "ups and downs" but progress made bit by bit.

The big lesson is that I have a choice; I can choose life.  I can choose to simplify my life and find different ways to sustain and enrich my daily life.  Little steps have been taken along the way that have added up to be a significant difference in how I approach each day.  I have quiet optimism.  I have learned to take a moment and breathe in and breathe out.  I have enjoyed gentle times with candle light, comforting and soothing, giving me a chance to be reflective and recharge the soul.  Long walks and time for doing nothing have also given me head space and allowed creative and positive ideas to flow instead of just keeping busy, and allowing anxious thoughts to dominate.  Through my friend, Melbourne Jenny, I have discovered the words and voice of John O'Donohue and his words will be a companion with me in 2016.

"Buy the ticket.  Take the ride." - Hunter S. Thompson

The challenge is this year to stay engaged with doing new things, learning new ways, meeting new friends and staying connected with old friends and family near and far.  I need to make an effort to make the road trip, learn a new skill, get out and about because if I don't, I'll never know what might happen, whom I might meet or where I might end up.

Fresh herbs from the garden - too hot for flowers

Introducing Duncan, the border collie

Just before Christmas, Duncan came to live with me.  He's seven or so and needs to go to boot camp to get fit and lose weight, just like his new owner!  We are cutting back our portion sizes and going for walks but if it's too hot, he keeps me company inside with the air conditioning. 

Left to Right, Duncan with Henry and Pip, my Melbourne Daughter's visiting border collies

The house is now quiet and empty after my Melbourne Daughter and family visited, including three month old baby, Harry.  Canberra Son and his family, with nine month old, Millie, also stayed as well as Farmer Son completing the get together.  It was wonderful to have them all here together and to play with the two babies and five dogs (the dogs weren't all here at once)!  Lots of good company, food, drinks on the back lawn, lamb on the spit, music and choosing which baby to play with - it doesn't get any better.

2015 - A few of my favourite things

Novel:  "One Life - My Mother's Story" by Kate Grenville

CD/Song:  "Be Still" from the album "Battle Born" by The Killers

Blog:  "Be More with Less" by Courtney Carver

Podcast:  "On Being" with Krista Tippett and "The One You Feed" by Eric Zimmer

Audio Book:  The John O'Donohue collection

Cookbook:  Phillippa's Home Baking by Phillippa Grogan and Richard Cornish

"Buy the ticket.  Take the ride." - Hunter S. Thompson

The challenge is this year to stay engaged with doing new things, learning new ways, meeting new friends and staying connected with old friends and family near and far.  I need to make an effort to make the road trip, learn a new skill, get out and about because if I don't, I'll never know what might happen, whom I might meet or where I might end up.

And so it is Christmas

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas.  We're in the middle of a heat wave so as I step out into the backyard, I can hear the loud, constant background buzz of cicadas and the hum of my neighbours' airconditioners all working hard in the sweltering heat.  There are bushfires in Victoria and I have a constant nagging worry from my Melbourne daughter and her family living in the Yarra Ranges.

After feeling tired and overwhelmed by the thought of Christmas, I'm now starting to reflect on the opportunity given to us over the Christmas period to focus on values and beliefs that are important.  With all that's been happening here and overseas - all the violence, fear and the overwhelming and ever increasing number of refugees, it's good to take a quiet moment and reflect on what we hold dear and why, to be thankful and grateful for where we live and all that we have.

For the first time, I am celebrating Christmas with two new grandchildren, Emilia (9 months) and Harry (3 months) and it makes me think of how special it was for my family and I when I was growing up to spend Christmas with Grandma and Grandfather Roberts.  It was a huge road trip for us from where we lived in Inverell in northern NSW to Guildford, Sydney.  Mum and Dad piled three kids (and then four when my youngest brother came along) into the car and pulled a trailer for the 10 to 12 hour trip (we had to stop often because we were terrible travellers).  The first stop was generally at Tamworth where we had the novelty of buying Heinz spaghetti on toast for breakfast at the roadside service station diner.  We later moved to Cowra and thankfully the road trip was greatly reduced to about 5 hours (again with lots of stops).  Grandma and Grandfather lived in a two bedroom house at Guildford where my mother had grown up with her older sister and younger brother.  I loved staying there and slept in a tiny sleepout on the back verandah that had been built-in.  Grandma and Grandfather lived by a simple domestic routine that revolved around a huge vegetable garden down the back which provided seasonal vegetables for Grandma's beautiful meals cooked in a tiny kitchen on a green Kookaburra gas stove top and oven.  There was no hot water other than that from boiling a jug and lighting the gas water heater over the bath (which often lit with what seemed to us to be a dangerous explosion).  There was a toilet outside down the back steps in the laundry.  Grandma still used an old washing machine with a mangle to squeeze her washing, which was rinsed in the laundry tub and then put through the mangle again, before being hung on the prop clothes line that ran from the back door down the back path towards the shed.  Washing day was Monday and the clothes were sorted and folded with great precision.  The ironing pile was dampened down with a sprinkling of water before being ironed often with spray on starch.  Grandma always had a knitting project underway and for many years kept all her grandchildren in jumpers for school and also for Sunday best.  She darned socks and did the mending each night while watching her favourite television shows in the lounge room with Grandfather.  I remember Brian Henderson on the channel 9 news and Grandma religiously watching the weather forecast which determined whether she went out the next day or not.  Coming from country NSW where you were lucky to get the ABC and perhaps one commercial station, it was a novelty to choose from ABC and three commercial stations.  We loved the cartoons with Tom and Jerry, as well as the Cisco Kid, F Troop and Hogan's Heroes. 

Christmas Day was spent at North Rocks with mum's sister Mari's family so we had three cousins to play with and spent hours in their backyard pool, playing hide and seek and lots of board games, which cousin Brian mainly won.  Uncle Keith was known to pop a garden sprinkler on the roof of the carport to cool the area while we ate from long trestle tables covered with plastic Christmas tablecloths.  Grandma Roberts always made the pudding and put sixpences in the pudding which we could cash in for five cent pieces.  I later discovered that she always checked that an even number of sixpences went into each piece of pudding for the grandchildren.  So there were stories and yarns told, jokes swapped, up dates about absent friends and family,  lots of talking over the top of each other, lots of beautiful food and most of all, lots of freedom to play and play and play.  No doubt, the adults left us kids to it and retreated to wherever it was coolest and quietest for a nap after lunch.  When it got cooler, they would sit in the shade and watch us kids playing in the pool and then leftovers for dinner.  Boxing Day was at Pymble with my Skinner cousins.  Dad's brother, Bill, and his wife, Wendy, had three children much the same age as my brothers and I and we loved our Boxing Days at their place.  We usually didn't see each other much during the year but it didn't matter, we just picked up from last Boxing Day as if it was only the week before. 

I reflect on the fact that it's been over 30 years since my Grandparents moved into a retirement village and then died in 1988.  Aunty Mari and Uncle Keith moved from North Rocks into a retirement village 10 years ago and Uncle Bill and Aunty Wendy have both passed away years ago.  My parents moved from their last family home nearly 10 years ago and Mum has had a stroke and is in a nursing home.  I truly miss the traditions of these Christmases past where we had simple routines, beautiful food and lots of family fun and time just spent together.  There is no home to go to now that has these memories and it makes me realise that I'm now the Grandmother to start these Christmas traditions, to give rise to a new generation of happy memories and time spent together as a family. 

It's been a huge year and a tough journey at times but made in the company of good friends and family.  But I've made a fresh start, with a new job and new resolve to make a simple home with what I have.  I have two new grandchildren and have just adopted a dog so there's lots to be thankful for and to look forward to.

So as we prepare for Christmas, take a moment and think about what you hold dear.  I wish us all a truly happy Christmas where we enjoy moments of quietness and stillness, where we can be filled with love, hope, and joy.  Let us be gentle with our family and friends and find ways of expressing our gratitude with generosity and kindness.

Harvest time

Harvest is well underway and going well now that we've been having hot, fine days which is a relief after receiving over 3 inches of rain a few weeks ago.  I spent time with Farmer Son yesterday afternoon keeping him company as he chased some lambs back into a paddock, checked hay to see if it was ready to bale and finished harvesting a paddock of canola.  The summer colours of golden wheat and bright blue sky were beautiful.

Busy Times

So many things seem to be catching up on me and I'm conscious I need to work a bit harder to keep on top of things.  I'm getting tired which means I'm slipping into bad habits of letting important things slide such as my early morning routine of walking, gardening and writing notes for future posts - like a kind of daily journal.

I've been so blessed lately to have had time with either my Canberra granddaughter or my Melbourne grandson over each of the last four weekends.  The weekend before last, I was in the Yarra Valley with my beautiful Melbourne daughter, son-in-law and their dear little boy, Harry (9 weeks but already so big).  I also had a lovely day with my friend, Melbourne Jenny, who drove out to meet me at Yarra Glen and we treated ourselves to such an indulgent day of catching up under the jasmine covered pergola at Yering Station, and then having a beautiful champagne lunch at Meletos.  I love the text message I received from her letting me know she'd arrived ahead of me:  I'm sitting amongst the jasmine past the cellar door.  Follow your nose and you will find me - and I did.   I find our time together, whether in person or in conversation by long distance phone calls, feeds my heart, mind and soul. We've made quite a journey together this year, my friend and I.

Impressive sapling tee-pee for beans at Meletos' kitchen garden, Coldstream

In the garden

There are beautiful things in my Melbourne daughter's garden.  Each time I visit, there is another surprise.

A very striking Pelagonium

A soft pink and lightly fragrant climbing rose

I also saw this terrific pot plant on display at the Healesville nursery which is a creative way of using a broken pot:

My garden

I love bearded iris.  They grow well here in Cowra with minimum fuss or bother and their flowers are incredible.   Over the years, I have often used them as inspiration for watercolour paintings.  I have recently been given some plants from a friend of my father's who was dividing his iris and I also bought some plants from a roadside stall at Yarck on my drive back to Cowra a week ago.  They were labelled with such fantastic names such as Morning Shadows, Tranquil Sunshine and Deep Dark Secret.  I now have an iris garden alongside the back driveway leading up to the garages

A tip for summer

I'm loving adding fresh mint to cool drinks - takes a good drink to the next level of taste and so refreshing.  The herb garden also has lemon verbena which I intend picking and putting the leaves into a teapot, pouring over boiling water, allowing to steep, strain and cool.  I'm tempted to try this with gin over ice and a dash of soda water.

After a busy and tiring number of weeks, it has been restful to write about gentle things - time spent with children, grandchildren, good friends, as well as gardening and cooking. 

Saturday Morning

We've had a week of overcast, stormy or rainy weather with over 50 mm of rain.  But today the sun is shining and I'm sure all the farmers around Cowra are out windrowing canola or cutting hay to make up for lost time.  I sat out on the front verandah earlier today and listened to what a sunny Saturday morning sounds like.  I could hear lots of bird song and the hum of lawn mowers.  There are yellow dandelions flowering in the front lawn, roses blooming and a gentle breeze - just lovely to take a moment.

The beans, beetroot, basil and cucumber plants are all growing well in the recycled box.

The warmer weather and rain has meant that the lawn is completely overgrown but the vegetables and herbs have also thrived.  I picked my first bunch of rhubarb during the week and have had heaps of fresh basil to cook with which has been so good.

A pink petunia is looking pretty on the potting bench.

So some lawn mowing, weeding and more mulching is on the agenda this afternoon.  I'm finding active gardening is such a rewarding and relaxing form of exercise and most days I'm getting in about half an hour to an hour as well as an early morning walk.

An arch covered with Pierre de Ronsard climbing rose admired on my morning walk.

Another favourite Blog

I have been listening to lots of podcasts about living simply and I have a draft post I've been working on for a while about my favourite podcasts which I intend to finish soon, I promise.  In the meantime, one of my favourite blogs is by Courtney Carver who writes at Be More with Less.  I have found her writing about living a more minimalistic / simple life is inspiring and practical.  As she says:  Minimalism isn't living with nothing; it's being intentional about how you spend your time, energy, and yes . . . money.  One of the things that she is passionate about is that by consuming less, spending less and reducing debt, we increase the quality of our lives by having more time to do the things we value most.  Have a read and see what you think.

It's warming up

The last fortnight has seen things warm up to summer like temperatures.  Things have gone crazy in the garden.  I've planted the veggie seedlings into a timber packing box my Farmer Son brought home from a local farm machinery operation - a great example of recycling and repurposing - I think I may have to put in an order for another one!

Veggie box planter - 27 September 2015

I've planted climbing beans, cucumbers and beetroot in the box.   In the space of a few weeks, things have started to take off in the veggie planter box - makes all the difference having more hours of sunlight rather than too much shade where I previously had the veggie garden in the back corner of the backyard.  I've been picking rainbow chard, broad beans, radish and have a healthy couple of plants of rhubarb that are nearly ready for picking.  I need to do some weeding so I can plant my pumpkin seedlings which are getting a bit leggy.

Veggie planter box - 18 October 2015

First Roses

Here are the first roses I've picked from my front garden this season.  The photo really doesn't show how stunning they are.  I've been enjoying finding jugs and jars to use as vases and group together in different spots inside.  The fresh flowers really make a focal point in a room; a pop of colour and with roses, the added bonus of a waft of fragrance as you pass by.

I've been away awhile

I've had two trips to visit my Melbourne Daughter who has just had a beautiful baby boy, Harry.  What a wonderful thing to nurse a brand new grandson and marvel at it all.  I'm relatively new at being a Nan and lots of people have said to me there's nothing quite like it and it's true.  Feelings are complex and bring back lots of memories of my babies when brand new; appearances, smells, sounds - that newborn cry, the cooing noise when feeding, snuffles in their sleep and so on.  So there's been a gap between posts but it's all been good just busy.  The hours on the Hume Highway have meant lots of catching up on podcasts and I'll do a post on my most favourite podcast shortly.  

I loved the look of this farm somewhere near Yea, VIC - it looked like how I think a "real" farm should look with a big garden and lots of sheds and the farmhouse partially hidden from the main road.

I have a secret passion . . .

I've discovered podcasts.  My friend, Melbourne Jenny, and I have regularly given each other tips about various podcasts we've been listening to.  It all started towards the end of last year when my Tram Buddy, Suzanne, told me about This American Life's podcast, Serial.  If you haven't already heard of it, all 12 episodes are still available and I'm not going to spoil it.  Just binge and enjoy.  Google a bit about Serial if you want to get the background and there's a lot of detail to get your head around to start with.  I found it completely absorbing and compelling listening, especially coming from a legal background in my past life!  And there's a whole lot happening post Serial which is incredible but I don't want to spoil the ending!

And then Melbourne Jenny and I discovered the podcast On Being with Krista Tippett - The Big Questions of Meaning, and in particular, her interview with the late John O'Donohue.

More recently, I've binged on all 19 episodes of Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb's podcasts at Chat 10 Looks 3 .  They're an amusing, entertaining and informative pair who are obviously crazily good friends, and about as hopeless with technology as I am.  Their conversations are amazingly similar to lots of my catch ups with Melbourne Jenny; often in a rush, crammed full of books, cooking, digressions, laughing, commenting on current topics, a bit of TV and a few movies and covering a huge amount in quite a short time.  And who knew that Leigh Sales sang show tunes (and does so far too often according to Annabel)!  Their website is a great way of catching up with notes from their podcasts and links to things they've referred to. 

A visit to the Yarra Ranges

I've just visited my beautiful Melbourne Daughter and her husband and their newborn baby boy - my first grandson.  The miracle of new life is just amazing and the depths of that love conquers all pain and sleep deprivation and fills me with awe and wonder.  They have the most beautiful weeping cherry tree in full bloom to gaze upon from their living room window.  I was standing under it and there is a pink glow all around creating a truly magical world.  King Parrots (I think that's what they are?) visit regularly to feed and tiny wrens flit about, darting in and around the incredibly beautiful blossom.

A big thank you to Anitra for these two beautiful photos!

Bit by Bit Progress is Made

I'm having to remind myself that I can't rush things; that it takes time to feel confident and competent in a new job; that it takes time to feel settled back into a community after a long absence; and that it takes time to move on from unexpected sadness from an inevitable ending but sad still the same.  I have learned from my first weeks back at work that "bit by bit" still equals progress and that moving forward slowly may lead to a stronger understanding and more detailed knowledge.  But I'm impatient and I want to stop feeling that everything is new.  I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be authentic.  John O'Donohue talks about connecting with your inner self in much the same way as I would say being "true to yourself".  He speaks about how in our rushed, materialistic lives, we lose connection with our spirituality and hence our humanity - the essence of what makes us human.   He talks eloquently about mindfulness, silence, finding your rhythm in daily life, connecting with your inner spirit and soul and, as a result, living kind, gentle and generous lives.  My Melbourne Daughter has said this sounds a bit wacky but listening to John O'Donohue's beautiful Irish voice and incredibly beautiful choice of words, his message connects and resonates, comforts and strengthens my heart and feeds my soul.  I am listening to his audio book instead of reading before bedtime - very soothing and a good way to end the day.  John O'Donohue's audio books are available through itunes and were a beautiful present from Melbourne Jenny. https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/longing.../id679442168

Gardening Australia on ABCTV is always a favourite - full of enthusiasm and handy hints and part of my weekend routine.

Spring has sprung

The past week has been one of new beginnings with a new job and a new routine.  It has taken a surprising amount of energy to concentrate and adapt to new tasks, learn new things, meet new colleagues, start new routines but it has been a great start.  After an intense week of adjusting to working full time again after such a long time, it has been perfect to get out into the garden and relish the potential of spring.  Quite a few of the seeds have germinated:

This probably isn't the most exciting photo but there are tiny basil, borage and dill seedlings - just so amazing to come home and find they had popped up!

The broccoli and kale have both grown since the recent rain and warmer days:

The mauve stems of the kale are a gorgeous colour against the blue grey of the leaves . . . and I had no idea that broad bean flowers were so stunning (see below).

I planted three strawberry plants in front of the kale and started weeding the front rose garden.  I'm thinking I'll plant beetroot and bush beans in between the roses as the front garden gets more sun than the mainly shady back garden.  With the success of the seed raising, it's dawning on me that I won't have enough sunny garden space in the backyard.  I'm also planning on extending the herb garden in front of the chook pen so I have room for the herb seedlings when they're big enough to transplant.  Pumpkin seeds saved from fantastic pumpkins grown by Farmer Son have also been sown into pots which he is planning on planting out at the farm near the dam.  So there's lots of dreaming going on which is always a good start!

Menu Planning, Walking, Letter Writing and Decluttering

Here's how I went with my 4 Simple Goals.

1. Menu planning and cooking each day - this goal was achieved, so gold star to me!  Dinners included steak with mushroom sauce and buttery potatoes, roast lamb with roast pumpkin, potato and sweet potato, spaghetti bolognese, and a pasta bake using leftover spaghetti bolognese and roast vegetables with a cheese sauce.
2. Walking each day - not so well.  We've had at least 100 mm of rain last week and I've discovered I'm a fair weather walker.  No walking in the rain for me!
3. Writing a letter - this goal was achieved, so another gold star.  I wrote letters to two of my sisters-in-law and enclosed photos of my beautiful baby granddaughter.
4. Decluttering - this goal was partially achieved, so only a silver star.  I have a box to donate full of an amazing amount of Christmas wrapping paper and other bits and bobs.  The second bedroom has been cleared of all the stuff I had dumped in there over time.

A beautiful notecard by Sydney watercolour artist Gabby Malpas.

Setting goals prompted me to focus on these tasks and be more motivated.  I still need a breakthrough in achieving the goal to walk each day.  I'm started a new job yesterday so part of establishing a new routine will be that I'll aim to get up early enough to go for a walk before breakfast - we'll see!

And Another Favourite Blog

I love Lee Drummond.  I aspire to her optimism, energy and enthusiasm!  I first came across Lee some years ago when watching her cooking show The Pioneer Woman on one of the Lifestyle channels.  So it's mainly for her recipes that I visit her website.  But I also read her Confessions, which is her blog about her life out on the cattle ranch (I think in Oklahoma) with her husband and children and the daily routine and challenges.  She takes great photographs and if you've heard her voice on her TV show, she writes just as she talks and I can hear her as I read - she seems like an old and good friend!

Getting Ready for Spring

There was a softness and warmth in the air last Saturday that reminded me that spring is around the corner.  So there are things to do - seeds to sow, spring cleaning and new projects to plan.

In the home

Here's a plan to get me started:

1. Grab 3 crates or boxes and label:  Keep, Rubbish, Donate.
2. Start with my wardrobe and be ruthless in sorting through winter and summer clothes.  It would be good to hang clothes according to season and in categories such as cardigans, jackets, trousers, skirts, shirts, dresses etc with coordinating scarves.  I'm more likely to wear my scarves if they are hanging with coordinating cardies than if they are tucked away in a drawer.
3. Room by room, assess the clutter and decide what to keep, what's rubbish and what to donate. 
4. Room by room, do a spring clean:  cobwebs, dust, polish, vacuum.
5. Wash windows inside and out.  Luckily, I have no curtains to wash and only blinds to dust.

I came across new blog today Practising Simplicity which talks about the concept of decluttering our lives.  It featured a quote: 

"Clutter is not just physical stuff.  It's old ideas, toxic relationships and bad habits.      Clutter is anything that does not support your better self." - Eleanor Brownn

Which took me to Eleanor Brownn's blog and three questions that Eleanor suggests we ask ourselves when dealing with "clutter":

1. Is this bringing me closer to my goal or taking me farther from it? What is our goal, and are our possessions, activities and relationships meaningful in helping us reach our goal?
2. Is this a reflection of who I am today?  We all change over time and tend to hang onto baggage that is connected with a past self and past hurts and resentments.  If something is not part of who we are today, get rid of it.
3. What would I do if I had faith?  We often hang onto things out of fear - fear that we might miss something in the future.  A treasured relationship or a precious photo we should hold on to.  But otherwise, we should have faith that we'll move on okay without a particular item - lighten the load and clear the clutter. 

Some of my inspiration for spring cleaning has come from Rhonda Hetzel's book, "Down to Earth - a Guide to Simple Living".  Rhonda also has a great blog at Down to Earth which I thoroughly recommend.  She writes in a positive, down-to-earth way and covers an extensive range of subjects such as all things about household management, gardening, keeping chooks, green cleaning and so on.   I liked her suggestion to start a home management journal for each calendar year.  It's just a binder folder with tabs so you can keep track of recipes, menu plans, random printed information, seed catalogues, plant tags, your budget, to do lists, birthdays, or any other category that's helpful to you.  Her section on homemade green cleaning products is simple and clearly written and has inspired me to give some of them a go.

In the garden

I've sown seeds for veggies and herbs that arrived by mail from Greenpatch Organic Seeds last week.  The veggies include Red Noodle Snake climbing bean, Prestons bush bean, Bulls Blood beetroot, Jimmy Nardello Capsicum, Anaheim Chilli (Heat level 3 - I'm a wimp), Green Gem cucumber, Mesclun mix (a mixture of green and red lettuce), Cherry Belle radish, Golden zucchini and Black Beauty zucchini.  Aren't the names amazing!  I've also sown seeds for herbs including Sweet basil, Licorice basil, borage, coriander, dill, and oregano.  I've dug up and weeded a garden ready to sow seeds of Cosmos, Gomphrena (gorgeous globes of bright pinky mauve and white with soft grey foliage) and Love in a Mist.  I would love to have more flowers to pick for bouquets and posies to go with the foliage and flowers from different herbs. 

Gomphrena or Globe Amaranth - a bright pop of colour in the garden and great for picking.

Spring is a time to be optimistic and think about new life and fresh directions. So let's clear the clutter, travel light and enjoy the moment! 

4 Simple Goals

Oh no, I hear you say - not another self-help lecture.  I promise this blog will not go down that track.  But I love lists, I love simple goals, I love to tick things off and move on to the next good thing.  If I feel myself floundering or getting a bit lost in the daily grind, there's nothing like a list to help me set my course again.  And so, thinking about four simple goals is part of that.  Nothing too hard or world-changing - just a few things to work towards to sharpen my focus.

1. I will menu plan and cook using the stash in the pantry and freezer this week - this may end up getting a little creative but could be fun!
2. I will take a walk each day this week - rain, hail or shine, even if it's only for 10 minutes.
3. I will write a letter to a friend or relative, find a stamp and send by snail mail.
4. I will declutter and reclaim the spare bedroom - how many rolls of Christmas wrapping does one person really need?

A favourite blog

I confess that over the years, I have spent a lot of time reading and being inspired by a number of beautiful blogs.  One of the first blogs I discovered was Alicia Paulson's blog Posie Gets Cozy.  Alicia lives in Portland, Oregon, USA and shares my love for the simple life.  She loves to make things and her photos are always a treat.  Her blog roll has also provided many hours of browsing and enjoyment.

A drive on a back road

I'm making the most of my free time before starting next Monday.  Each year at this time, I have always loved to drive out into the countryside along a favourite back road to enjoy the wattle flowering in the bush.  It's not far out of town but once you've ventured onto the gravel road, it feels a bit in the middle of nowhere.  I stopped at a picnic area and got out the Thermos and had a sandwich and coffee.  It was perfectly peaceful and good to take the moment to listen to silence apart from birdsong and the breeze in the trees.

And there was wattle.  The yellow is so intense - just beautiful.

I love a winding road . . . Let's see where this week takes us.