It's good.

It's good to be getting out in the fresh air.
... in the sunshine
... experiencing warmth
... as busy neighbours tending their yards
... and young ones run around the park

It's great to be getting out in the garden,
... bearing witness to Spring's emerging glory
... in the dirt
... as flowers blossom
... and new ones take root

It's grand to be waking up early again
... getting things done
... beyond the bare necessities
... finding comfort in work
... making plans
... making plans happen

Out and About

I love visiting different places but I’ve also come to realise that travelling is much more than that. It’s usually what puts me back in touch with nature and beauty after months of being cooped up at home and work.  I get to encounter fresh ideas in new places and find myself being inspired with the possibilities of life.

I relished the recent opportunity I had to go interstate with Mr S as we had not been out and about for some time. Mr S had been invited to the 50^th anniversary celebration of some very good friends of his so we made the trek across to South Australia.

We had two lovely days as Mr S caught up with his friends. After what has been a challenging year, it heartened me to see the light in his eyes, the glow on his face, as he was reunited with friend after friend. We even went for a bike ride/run along the track through the parkland and wetlands where he used to run every day.

We stayed in Hahndorf which is a highly commercialised, old German township, though, once you got past the tourist crowds and kitschy stores, there are many delights to be found.  I loved looking at the very old sandstone buildings, especially the old cottages, and picturing life going on there many years ago. They’ve retained a lot of character about the place.

Mr S and I also joined family down at the beach for a couple of days. We went to Barwon Heads, a seaside town, which was crowded with holiday makers. Like Hahndorf, it’s quite a small place with a main street which attracts many in the holiday period. I fondly remember walking back along the main street in the evening when the shops were closed and seeing how pretty and peaceful it was.

I’m certainly enjoying creating a routine for myself now that I’m back home. I do love homelife and I cherish this week where many people are still away or busy with family and I get heaps of “alone” time. However, the lure of travel always appeals and I’m already dreaming about possible trips for the year ahead.

Living Simply on Sundays

I’ve been trying hard to do a new recipe each week since these days Mr S tends to do most of the cooking and I want to  keep my  “skills” up to scratch.  Last Monday I tried a dried fruit slice. There was far too much fruit in the slice even though I had followed the instructions.

Mr S has got a vegie garden up and running but there’s still much to do. We could only do so much. We don’t have a ute and we were not willing to pay $40+ to have sleepers delivered 4 kilometres down the road, but fortunately for us my brother is coming over today to help us out. I planted 8 broccoli plants a few weeks ago but there are only three left. Mr S is having more luck with spring onions, carrots, peas, spinach and lettuce, planted in the bed above.

In a roundabout way I’m trying “live simply” at work as I declutter my many folders. I keep hundreds of worksheets. Many are filed, some are not. I finally had some time this week to tidy my desk but I decided to approach it a little differently. In the past I would keep everything. My idea now is to keep only one copy of each file, with a view to reducing as much of the paper as possible, working towards having a copy of most files on the computer. Even though it means throwing away lots of paper, I have to admit I can’t always find things because I have way too much.

Wow! Holidays are good. We had lovely weather today so I suggested we go for a walk around Newport Lakes and visit the Native Nursery. The lakes and parkland have been reclaimed from an old quarry. It was very pleasant until Mr S saw a snake and I quickly took a detour. Later on we saw a lizard trying to blend in with its surroundings. Mr S does not like snakes either so I think it will be a while before we head back there again.

Often my weekends are taken up with housework and schoolwork. I couldn’t help thinking how nice it is to be able to get out and enjoy life. Now that spring is here I hope we can do more of this: relaxing, getting out of the house, enjoying the local area, and doing it all simply. No cost or little cost (just an icecream today). No stress (except when there’s a sign of a snake). Easy on us, easy on the environment.

 Enjoy your Sunday!

Savouring the (little bit of) wilderness

One of my goals in June was to get back to running. Part of my exercise regime is to at least get in some walking if nothing else. Now, to be honest, I'm not exactly on the home stretch. In fact, I'm far from it. But I did get in a little walking in June. 

Every time I walk along the creek path I love one particular scene of what is quickly becoming the last tract of wilderness around these parts. I live on the outskirts of suburbia so when I come home I can still get a glimpse of the windswept plains and a sense of the open and beyond. Alas, not for much longer. The soil has been turned and it won't be long before that piece of wilderness is transformed into another emerging suburb.
Not all of it is wilderness. Some of it is cleared land which has long been neglected. But when I walk by the creek and see the gnarled, outstretched trees close to  the water's edge, I feel immense respect for them. Those trees have managed to stand strong against human conquest of this land. Just. I do wonder for how many more years those trees will hold their ground.

I'm very grateful for the taste of nature each time I leave home. Even the weeds, pictured above, offer a welcome touch of colour to combat the gloom of winter. 

Living Simply Out and About

I've been enjoying the term holidays. It's nice to have a change of pace with enough time to talk to friends, go for leisurely walks and simply take it easy. 
I caught up with old college friends on my friend's farm. Good, homecooked food, wonderful company, hills and mountain ranges.
We stopped off at the Great Western Seppelts Winery. Lots of sun and, though I don't drink wine, the history of the place interested me greatly. 

In the middle of nowhere, you never know what you might see!

I've spent a bit of time at a friend's house close to where Mr S works, so I get to see him every day.

Mr S's brother is over for a visit so we've been doing sightseeing. I've only ever paid short visits to Daylesford and Hepburn Springs but this time I got to spend a few days up there. So much: cottages, historic buildings, bushland, relaxation, the lake. I bought two beautiful "reused" tables for our home, drank mineral water fresh from the spring and I discovered a cafe-though expensive- which combines the heavenly ambience of a homely library and a cosy lounge. Divine. Even if it doesn't sell chai lattes.

There was also time to catch up with family and join in the annual Easter egg hunt.

We've kept living simply with the occasional treat here and there. We brought food from home that was already in the cupboard rather than eating out at restaurants. We lit warm fires at night using firewood from the property and picked pears off the tree.  Going for walks costs nothing. Long, endless talks with friends is priceless. I did lash out and buy a couple of small, beautiful tables which we needed for our lounge area. I saved up money for some home accessories last year that was never spent so I "transferred" the funds from there to finance it.

I think I'm not farm girl material but I love being close to nature: one toe in the bush and one foot in a cottage in a small town sounds like perfection to me. I love the character of country towns. I'm grateful to my friend for opening up her home. I'm already thinking about the next time I can get up there. 
We were going to do some weeding for her but her warning not to poke around woodpiles, lest we waken the snakes, has ensured we stick to the paths when walking in the bush and kept us at a safe distance from her garden!

Vegetable Garden update

Life is getting exciting in the vegie garden. I've been watching green capsicums and green grapes turn red, to my surprise. The green grapes have never made it this far. I thought they were turning rotten but, to my delight, it's just part of their transformation.

The zucchini are about to take off. They've been ripening at the timely rate of once or twice a week but any day now that's going to increase.
Mr S loves tomatoes so he planted as many as he could. Some are from seed, some sprouted in the compost and some were given to us. They've taken off with neither of us having had the chance or means to get them properly staked. I'm still  looking forward to tasting them.

My beautiful pink hydrangea, which was a splurge last year, took a battering on one of our 40 degree days. I forgot  to cover it. I'm hoping that with some extra tender, loving care, it might rejuvenate itself.

One of the unexpected delights is the iceberg roses. They've never looked so good. They got a very tough pruning after a run of hostile weather but they've come back better than ever.

The strawberries look great but what is one to do with 3 tiny ones? I think I'll need to plant more next year.
The apple tree is netted.It's a minature and was here when I moved in, so I don't know what variety it is. Last year I was away as they were ripening and we had a shocking run of temperatures in the high 30s. The apples are ripening so it'll be interesting to see what they taste like.

Have a relaxing Sunday!

On the road: simple travelling

Two weeks ago I was travelling on the road and feeling invigorated by life. It was a simple, no frills trip. Now I'm back home and, again, swimming in the busyness of life. The sun was shining today and I was itching to be out and about, enjoying this gorgeous world.

Tonight I had my blogging class  and now I'm back home getting ready for some guests who will be arriving tomorrow. It's going to be 34 degrees so I will need to find time to water the garden before I head off to work in the morning. There's beauty around me, even here in suburbia, but not a lot of time to savour it.

I'm putting up some snaps taken while I was over in South Australia recently.  I love getting in the car and driving away from the hustle and bustle. When I'm in the car, out on the open road, I really can't respond to phone calls, student problems or the sight of a messy house waiting for some attention.

   

I'm free when I drive.

 I love listening to radio broadcasts unless of course, it's a Saturday and every station is broadcasting sports events. Now that's a tough ride. I've gotten used to driving interstate so now I know the radio stations in each region, as well as good places to stop. As someone who was fairly uncomfortable with public toilets, I must say that the ones at the parks  approaching the Victorian/South Australian borders are impressively clean.

This time I managed to get a few photos along the way which is not always easy when you're driving down a highway with heavily-laden trucks and 100 km speed limits. It was clearly hay-making season in the rural areas, whereas the previous time I went across the fields were covered in bright, yellow canola.

Canoe Tree - on the road from Strathalbyn to Goolwa

 I've travelled extensively over the years. When I was younger and backpacking around the world I cut down on sight-seeing to stretch the money as far as I could. Now that I'm a little older I still like to keep travelling simple. Like my homelife!! I can squeeze three landmarks into a day if I choose, or I can take on one landmark that I'm really interested in (not necessarily the ones the tourist brochures insist I like). These days I much prefer to find a good walking track or a lovely place to sit , drink coffee and absorb the local atmosphere.

My friends in South Australia are on a tight budget so there were no fancy dinners. We took a walk to the top of a hill which I had expected to  take thirty minutes, thinking it was not far from their house. It was a warm day and we started late. The top of the hill turned out to be beyond the edge of their suburb, in and around the farmland. During my trip I saw many tumbledown farmsheds and rotting fences. I couldn't help thinking that we will lose all those untold stories as they rust and fall to pieces.

An hour and a half later we got back home. I had gone without water and was terribly thirsty but I managed to make it to the top of the hill  and all the way down. There was some beautiful countryside and my legs got plenty of exercise. As we walked, our chatter wandered in all directions, except when we got to the steepest part of the hill....at which point I couldn't do too much talking and had to conserve energy!

I was relieved to get back home but proud to say that I had made it to the top. The fresh air, beautiful views and good company were just as satisfying as any fancy dinner or some over-the-top, contrived landmark. This was my kind of travelling: simple, easy, enjoyable, good company, natural, authentic.

It was a really difficult time but...

It's been a funny old week. I've not been getting a lot of sleep which is making me tired and grumpy. It seems no matter how much time I put into my work- including unpaid time at home- it's never enough. I've been feeling tired and stressed.
A few years ago I had a young person stay with me for a few months. It ended up being an extremely difficult time. At that stage I did not know about social anxiety so there were many instances when I needed to be firmer but I wasn't. This resulted in a lot of unnecessary stress.
Several years ago I lost my father and it was a very painful process. I grieved for a long time, mostly on my own. It was one of my toughest experiences watching him die and trying to make sense of his death.
Through all of these difficult times I'm always amazed at what comes out of it.
Before Dad died I really didn't know how to acknowledge my feelings. I knew how to say what I believed others wanted me to feel but I could not actually recognise my own feelings. Through the turmoil of grief I turned to counselling. Through counselling  I finally  learnt to identify my own feelings. Through all that pain I learnt many vital life lessons.
When the young person stayed with me I had very little time to dwell on my thoughts which made me see how much I get caught up in my own thinking when I am on my own. This helped me realise that in one way or another my inner chatterbox gets carried away when the reins are let loose, and that perhaps it is something which I can change.
This last week I have not enjoyed the stress but amidst all the weariness I  managed to do something I have wanted to do for so long. I love nature and in my little suburb there's almost none. Almost. Except for now. We have a grasslands area with ponds and ducks, swans, lots of trees and open space. Yes, it is between a long line of back fences and a big electrified wire fence which  protects the grasses. But it is a little haven with a beautiful path winding through it. and it is so close to my home I can't believe I had never tried it.
For three years I had wanted to go there but I've always hesitated and chosen to go around the block instead  or  just  stay at home. I was always a little anxious about visiting somewhere new and feared that I might find silly young people around, causing havoc. What I did find was peace and tranquillity and enough openness for me to sing my heart out without bothering anyone.The walk was invigorating on a cold, Sunday morning and I felt mighty chuffed by my achievement. I hope to make it a weekly ritual.
The fact is I only got there because last Sunday morning, I was getting too caught up in my "down" thinking  and I wanted to cry out of frustration. The idea of walking around the block depressed me.... but I wanted to shake off the blues, somehow. I thought, if only I could escape to the bush and nothave to worry about work and everything here...and then the grasslands came to mind!

By the way, when I got there. no young ones were wreaking havoc, just  a variety of individuals  out walking vigorously. 
(The photo is not of our local grasslands but taken in bushland another hour  inland)
Have you ever found that something really difficult showed you the way to something new and enlightening?