Hello.

At ten to seven this morning the sky was a dark and inky blue. Adorned only by Venus , glowing beautiful and bold to the north. I watched the sky rapidly bleach out to a pale blue. It stayed that way a while with only a few puffs of clouds around the hills, coloured pink and purple by the rising sun.

Soon those clouds drew in though and another grey day began. It was much more tolerable today though considering the beautiful sunshine of the weekend, and when the rain arrived again I didn’t even mind.

As I said before, Im moving on. Sometimes you just need to move to a new neighbourhood, cut your hair, try a new style of outfit, or order a long black instead of a flat white - generally just branch out a bit. Come to think of it, I'm not really moving on, I'm branching out. Like a lovely Kahikatea perhaps.

Anyway my friends, I would like to introduce myself anew. I hope you won't mind that I haven’t introduced myself properly before. It was only ever for my own self protection (in all kinds of ways). This is my last post here, but I would like to invite you over to my new home, Im excited to see you there…. HUGS


UPDATE: I just realised today (9 Aug) that I never published this post ... its a few weeks late, but better late than never...



Thank you thank you thank you for all the healing, learning and growing of these last days weeks months and years and thank you for all the days to come. I am grateful.

Spring. Changes.

Its not spring, but I wish it was. The daffodils I bought at the vege market this week are giving me hope, showing me the light at the end of the tunnel. Spring will come.



I'm sitting here at my desk, looking out this window. The Tree Lucerne is especially popular with the Tui, sparrows and Tauhou. Everytime I see them out of the corner of my eye as I work away at the computer, I feel so lucky to have this little patch of paradise to live in. Last week a Kereru even came to visit the Tree Lucurne, I'm hoping he or she will return. The Tui (below) are always around and I never grow tired of seeing them.



Ive been quiet. Some time ago i found I didn't feel like writing. So I didn't. Today, I feel the need to write again. Although Ive been quiet Ive also been busy.

This blog began on a whim. I started it for myself as a place to help me see the beautiful abundant blessings in my life. They are always there, but Ive found having a place to 'collect' them has increased my appreciation of them. This blog was going to be a private journal of thoughts and things important to me, but then I started commenting and connecting with other people through their blogs and it changed slightly.

Ive kept this blog separate from my 'real' life because initially I was concerned about the freaks and weirdos out there in cyberland. Because I certinly didnt want my potential wedding photography clients to find this blog and discover my unprofessional, jumble of ramblings. Because I didnt want to feel like I had to conform to people expectations of what they know of me. Ive kept this blog separate from my 'real' life because that is what suited me.

Ive loved that this blog didnt turn out the way I anticipated. Ive loved the authenticity Ive read on others blogs and Ive loved the connections that can be made out there in blogland. Ive loved the inspiration and encouragement.

I want to participate more authenticity in all of that. Ive been pondering this for a while and ive decided its time to move on.

I just havent quite figured out where I will more on to. More on that soon.



Thank You. Just Thank You.

Strange Peculiar

The inhabitants of the trees around here are noisy this morning. Noisy in a restless, something's up kind of way. The Kaka are screeching and squawking as they swoop dramatically from tree top to tree top. Way up above large seagulls are circling and crying out to each other. The blackbirds keep making startled exits from their morning foraging grounds. Calling out their distinctive warning signals as they take flight, as if danger was lurking nearby.

There’s no sunshine, but no rain either. There’s hardly a breath of wind. The temperature has risen to a mild 15C. All the windows are open and a subtle ocean scent has risen from the harbour, drawing me to pause and stare down at her unmoving waters. A ship sits, neither leaving or arriving, in the silky grey expanse. A bumble bee is determined to fly in the window, knocking on the glass as I type.

Its one of those days where you cant quite put your finger on it, but all and all, something is a little peculiar.


Its been a week of progress and procrastination for me. Progress: working on pieces for the art show. Procrastination: suddenly deciding I must have an ‘art’ website and spending hours tinkering on designs and deciphering HTML.



My trust in myself knows no limits, thank you. I patiently listen for the answers and I hear them, thank you. I am grateful for every little blessing in my life, thank you. I keep on going, thank you.

Hotties and Woollies

Winter arrived last week right on cue. I celebrated the new season by buying a fabulous new Fashy hot water bottle. I love my new hottie! I pulled out my thick woolly jumpers and I started wearing these great fingerless mittens to type in (better than fingerless gloves). Plus, I colour coordinated my woolen blankets. Makes me feel cozy just looking at them.




I am grateful for blue skies in winter, thank you. I keep up to date with my To Do list with ease, s0 happy for this, thank you. I am surrounded by lovely, supportive people and I am so, so grateful for the strength I gain from them , thank you.

Winter Weekend

Walking North into the late morning sun.

My weekend was all big blue skies, sunshine, an endless beach and the chill of winter. Very nice.

We drove home early this Monday morning. The landscape blanketed in frost and mist. Spindly branches of the leaf-lost trees scratched the pinky lavender haze of sky. The full moon hovered in front of our path, just above the horizon. The sun rose behind us as we drove away from our weekend holiday.



Lemon and Honey works miracles, thank you. I work efficiently and enjoyably, thank you. I am grateful for new adventures on the horizon, thank you. All is well, thank you.

Things on my desk

An old doily, a stamp, a couple of beans and a Kowhai seed pod stuck to a paper bag. Why? Why not?

Ive been doing little bits here and there on my creative projects but with not much to show for my once a week creative self check in. This weekend we are off to the bach and I will take some materials to play with. So hopefully more progress to show next week.

A random selection of stuff piled on my desk.


A little nest, found by Jamie last weekend, some pink seaweed from the sack loads I gathered for my garden recently, and a lichen covered twig blown off a tree a few days ago.

An page torn from and old House and Garden magazine (click big to read details). I love the combination of European and Maori influences. Especially love that fork.


Ive always used paper for my paint palette, usually newspaper.


Some mysterious words to spark the imagination.

Happy Friday! Send me some blue skies for my weekend at the beach.


Moving, jumping and twirling to music fills me with laughter, thank you for all my opportunities to dance.

Birds

My home perches on the edge of a hill, sandwiched in a narrow valley. Somewhere down below this view a creek rambles towards the sea. I cannot see it though the wild tangle of green, but I hear it. The hill opposite rises up sharply, and thankfully it would seem, it is too steep to build upon. I'm glad of that and so are the birds.

Not long after moving here I heard an unfamiliar bird call. I learned it was a Kaka. A recent returnee to this neck of the woods, thanks to the Karori Wildlife Santurary. Ive been trying to catch a photo ever since.

8:16 Am. The sun glances through the trees as it begins its daily journey west. Jamie calls me out to see the spectacle. A bold Tui is defending its territory. The Kaka doesn't seem too concerned, jumping about from branch to branch with the aid of its beak as it finds its breakfast in the banana passionfuit vine.



The Kaka seems an easy going type, not willing to fight. He (or she) takes flight only to settle again on a nearby tree moments later. The Tui retreats to plan its next ambush, reappearing with a swoop moments later, and so the routine continued.





Grateful for my sanctuary in the trees, always, thank you.