{this moment}

A Friday ritual (started by Soule Mama).
A single photo - no words - capturing a moment. A simple, special moment. One I'm so very grateful for.

Happy weekend everyone. xox

Mistaking the garden hose for a snake

On Monday nights my good friend, A, and I go to the Tara Institute to cast some light on the week ahead and reset out minds to a more peaceful place.
We always come home a little lighter and take something from the night to make us laugh (or at least.... a little gentler & kinder on ourselves & others) in times of complete & utter frustration each week. This week it was the Buddhist fable about mistaking the garden hose for a snake.

Watching the news this morning, something I rarely do, I heard myself say 'Oh dear, they've clearly mistaken the garden hose for a snake.' What trouble we get ourselves into by perceiving a situation to be other than it really is.
Have you ever bludgeoned a garden hose with your pick axe, mistaking it for a snake? I know I have....well, metaphorically (incase you're imagining me out in the garden with my organic insect repellant and a pick axe...).

This sweet chappy was made for Z from all the woollen scraps left in my mum's knitting bag after she passed away. He's a jolly little friend who ties up all the loose ends and hangs on the chair in Z's bedroom. He's testimony to the fact that it's all a matter of perception... not all garden hoses are snakes and not all snakes are out to get us. oxo

this post is dedicated to my dear friends A & M. May you never mistake a garden hose for a snake ever again. love xox

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Source: penguin.com.au via Stupendous Joy on Pinterest

We have a hungry little caterpillar living in our vegie patch. He's chewed threw our spinach, chard, celeric & kale.....& it's only Wednesday!

Z & I have just made up some all purpose insect repellant using the recipe below, which we found over here. We had all the ingredients stashed in the panrty already. Don't you just love that! No last minute dash to the shops. I wish dinner was that easy.
It's steeping now, while Z takes a nap. I'll let you know later in the week how it goes. Hopefully we save our hungry little caterpillar from one huge belly ache....and save our plants too.

All purpose insect repellant:
1 head of garlic
1 small onion
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 liter water
1 tbsp liquid soap (biodegradable)

Chop garlic & onion. Add, with cayenne pepper, to the water & mix.
Let steep for 1 hour.
Strain & then add liquid soap.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Use as a spray, as needed.

ps. check out The Very Hungry Caterpillar screen savers over here. Cute. x

one to make you laugh Jubby xox

Source: google.com via Stupendous Joy on Pinterest

no more need be said...really. x

Bring on the night lights

We spent the good part of 1.5 hours on Friday night stuck in traffic. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross town on Punt Rd (yes, please build this tunnel!) we wove our way through to St Kilda Rd.... hoping, ever so unrealistically... that the flow of traffic would sweep us to our destination in a heart beat.
This, needless to say, didn't happen. But I did enjoy watching the sun fade and the night lights take on an ethereal quality as we inched past the Art Centre and over the bridge towards St Paul's Cathedral.
I discovered the Sweet Honey Murcott yesterday, via my Slow Text project and realised I never read the signs in the fruit shop. To me the Sweet Honey Murcott was just another mandarin... Would he taste sweeter now that I knew?
I was instantly transported back here... to year 12 VCE (heaven forbid)....

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title.

and then here and here to Masaru Emoto's water experiments. Surely 'mandarin' & 'sweet honey murcott' would produce 2 very different looking crystals...would they not?

So many questions, so many answers. I hope you find the right answers to your questions this week? If not, just look again....& laugh xox

{this moment}

A Friday ritual (started by Soule Mama).
A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special moment. A moment I'm so very grateful for.

Have a beautiful weekend. x

Clare Bowditch & Lanie Lane

I had the pleasure of seeing these two amazing ladies, Clare Bowditch & Lannie Lane, at The Thornbury Theartre a few weeks back. It was pure joy...so, I thought I'd share the joy with you.



I was also fortunate enough to see Clare in Tales from the Life of Eva Cassidy recently. She was incredible. I cried from the moment I sat down...this may have had something to do with it too (it was the first song played and also one of the songs we played at my mum's funeral. I'd rushed like crazy to get there so fell into my seat...and momentarily, into a heap). It's a pretty special song for a lot of people, all for different reasons. Music is amazing the way it transports people. Is there a song that gets you, every time?

xox