Dharma in the Garden

Energise

In an effort to get this old body moving better I have ordered two of Shiva Rea's DVDs - Yoga for Beginners and Daily Energy.

I saw a few minutes of her Daily Energy workout on the Body in Balance channel last night - she has an amazing body (soooooo jealous) - and then I found my yoga mat behind the sofa bed in the spare room (it will sure do me a lot of good there!).  

So I thinking that with a little discipline and determination I could become stronger and more flexible but I want to learn yoga for my mind as well as my body.  I am not confident about going to a class right now so being able to workout in my own living room is appealing (no-one to see the saggy bits except me!)

Did do some de-cluttering of wardrobes and drawers today in the belief that clearing out the old will make way for new things to come in.  Despite the cold I opened the windows to allow fresh air and new energy to circulate.  There is a slow thaw in the garden (can now see a little of the grass!) but it's still too cold to venture outdoors or to do work in the summer house.  But I have a new Tuesday morning class starting soon at the local art gallery learning all about the collections and the role of the curator.  So lots of new and positive ventures on the horizon for mind, body and spirit.  

New look

Okay, thought it was time for a new look so have given the garden a bit of a make-over.  Might take a bit of getting used to but quite like the fact that it has a crafty, home-made feel about it.

I move beyond

I came across a piece of paper today which had the following typed on it. Obviously at some point I had found these inspirational words and typed them out.  For what purpose I cannot remember.  However, they align very much with how I feel today and how I want to move forward into 2010.  

(I can't take any credit for these words and I don't know who penned them but my grateful thanks to their author whoever and wherever they may be.)  

I move beyond old limitations and allow myself to express freely and creatively

Life is about change, and I adapt easily to the new

I choose to allow all my experiences to be joyous and loving

I relax into the flow of life and let it provide all that I need easily and comfortably

I forgive myself and others, release the past and move forward with love in my heart

I love and approve of myself, am at peace with my own feelings and stand tall and free

I am strong, capable, loving and lovable and perfect just as I am

I freely love and enjoy life, allowing it to flow through me, rejoicing in my self-expression

I allow every moment of every day to be joyous, harmonious and loving and I feel peace and comfort in every area of my life

I am enthusiastic about life and create it the way I want it to be and my life gets better and filled with more energy, vitality and passion every day

I extend love to people everyday -- little by little, task by task, gesture by gesture, word by word

I accept Divine guidance, trust the process of life and am always safe, secure and protected by Divine Love

I rest securely knowing that all my needs are taken care of, only right action is taking place in my life and all details take care of themselves

January

"January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,
A frost-mailed warrior
striding a shadowy steed of snow."
Edgar Fawcett

Very apt given that the UK is in the grip of the coldest January in nearly 50 years.  A recent NASA satellite picture shows the entire country covered in snow.



It is beautiful, but I do long for Spring...

Floating

"The discipline that we would like you to exercise is to make a decision that nothing is more important than that you feel good, and that you are going to find thoughts that feel better. Your cork floating is the only thing that is worthy of discipline." Abraham-Hicks

Wishes

I have just received a small pack of the Angels of Awakening Angelic Wishes Oracle Cards by Daisy Foss & Laraine Krantz. There are 36 cards in the pack - 12 Wishes of Life, 12 Wishes of Creation and 12 Wishes of Love.  

Asking the angels for a wish of love for myself, a wish of life for others and a wish of creation for the world, I selected three cards at random:

Wishes of Love - I sing and dance to my own tune, I make a positive influence in the world
Wishes of Life - Ensure all creatures are safe and healthy
Wishes of Creation - Help nature maintain a balance of health for our planet

These are beautifully illustrated little cards and their messages are uplifting and inspirational.

Beginnings

"Every morning is a fresh beginning. Every day is the world made new. Today is a new day. Today is my world made new. I have lived all my life up to this moment, to come to this day. This moment - this day - is as good as any moment in all eternity. I shall make of this day - each moment of this day - a heaven on earth. This is my day of opportunity." Dan Custer, Author

Organised?

Determined to get myself organised so have bought myself the Life Book Diary which has lots of space to jot down notes, has tear out shopping lists and fun stickers for all sorts of activities and events, even has a portable address book.  Have already started adding to the handy pocket at the back so suspect that all too soon it will be bulging with all the usual lists, receipts and bits of paper torn out of magazines that I plan to do something about and then forget.  These are the lists, receipts and bits of paper that were located in several other journals/diaries/notebooks that I bought in an attempt to "get organised".  The journals/diaries/notebooks that I start to fill until I discover something prettier/smaller/larger/with stickers.  But I will use this one. I will. I definitely will...

Done complaining (well, almost)

My Complaint Free bracelet has been ordered but as it could take up to 45 days to arrive I have decided to start my challenge now and consider it a bit of a practice session to see how I get on.  So far I have learned that by monitoring myself for every little moan or complaint I might make I am able to turn my attention to more positive thoughts and feelings.  I have forgotten a few times of course and ended up having a good old rant about something or other.  So early days yet.  I think the physical act of having to switch the bracelet from one wrist to the other each time I catch myself complaining will definitely help.  Even if I stop complaining simply because I get so fed up switching the bracelet back and forth!  Of course I could just take the bracelet off altogether but that's just defeatist.

A Complaint Free World

I'm seriously thinking about taking the challenge to go a full 21 days without a single complaint.  This inspirational challenge has been set by A Complaint Free World, an non-profit, non-religious organisation who envision a positive shift in the world's consciousness.  The want to inspire 1% (60 million people) of the world's population to leave the toxic communication of complaining behind and experience an internal shift towards being more positive, hopeful and optimistic.

One of the ways they hope to achieve this goal is by selling purple bracelets. You wear the bracelet for 21 days and each time you complain (about anything) you switch it to the other wrist.  The goal is to go for 21 consecutive days without complaining or switching the bracelet.  

I found it interesting (and slightly synchronistic) that their motto is "if you don't like something, change it, if you can't change it, change your attitude - don't complain."  I have this quotation pinned up beside my computer at work but didn't realise these are the words of Dr Maya Angelou. She received the 6 millionth purple Complaint Free bracelet on 10 September this year.  Eckhart Tolle also expresses these sentiments in his book The Power of Now.  

It's certainly very easy to complain about our lot in life rather than counting all the blessings we have. I've just finished reading an article by Doreen Virtue in which she asks that we enjoy our life now in this moment and not waste our life waiting for some future day when we have no problems.  Every single moment contains a blessing, even the worst day of our life.

The same magazine had an article by Tim Freke in which he talks about the mystery of the moment and how by spending so much time engrossed in the story of our lives we are missing out on all the wondrous magic of our existence. Just by stepping out of our 'story' for a little while and noticing the beauty and mystery all around us can be exhilarating and helps us see everything from a new perspective.

21 days of no complaining seems like a tough challenge - I wonder if I'm up for it.  Watch this space.

Beauty in Nature

Hmmm, I notice that all the bulbs I planted last month are already starting to poke their little heads through the soil.  It's all this warm weather.  I'm sure once the first frosts arrive they will disappear rather fast - hopefully to re-appear next Spring - but it's all very confusing.  The garden is slowly closing down for the winter but in one corner there is this sudden burst of new life.  Green shoots surrounded by death and decay but there is something rather beautiful about that too.

Simple Pleasures

With my newly acquired ILA (individual learning account) I signed up for a 10 week watercolour course. It's a lovely way to spend two hours on a Monday morning (Mondays feeling so much better anyway now that they are no longer work days!) and it's definitely time well spent.  I'm learning so much about this medium that I couldn't have picked up by myself.  Haven't produced any paintings as yet - learning all about colours, washes, mixing, stretching paper etc - but I'm enjoying every minute.  Will definitely be looking to book another art class in the Spring.

A Hind's Daughter

This was painted by James Guthrie (one of the Glasgow Boys) in 1883.  It caught my eye while watching a programme on Scottish Portrait Painters.  I love this painting. The girl could almost walk out of the scene, she looks so three dimensional.  The way the artist has used his brush to create the texture and shading of the child's clothes, the contrast of the pale bodice against the darkness of her skin and hair, the simple country scene, it all works so well and really drew me in to the painting.

A hind is the name given to a farm labourer in Scotland and the artist has caught this young girl in the act of cutting a few cabbages.

This painting is currently on display in The National Galleries of Scotland

NICE

"Don't you love it when people go out of their way to be nice? Like when someone waits to hold the door for you. Or when a stranger waves you into a line a traffic. Or even when a coworker shoots you a friendly smile along with a "have a nice day." If everyone was a little bit nicer to the folks they encountered each day, perhaps the world would be a more pleasant place. Operation NICE was initiated to remind you that a little NICE goes a long way."

via www.operationnice.com

Melissa Morris Ivone has a great goal - to be as nice as possible.  If only there were more like her.  This is such a great endeavour on her part and so inspirational that she has my wholehearted support - hence the Operation NICE badge on my site.  I recommend a visit to her site - this is a NICE woman.

Out of Action

Oh dear, well if I didn't go and fall off my high heels yesterday and twisted my ankle.  So here I am having to sit my foot elevated until the swelling goes down.  Feeling a little bit foolish about it all really. I don't normally wear heels to walk around town in (I'm actually quite sensible about things like that believe it or not) but my friend and I couldn't find a parking space and we ended up miles from where we wanted to be and had to walk to our lunch destination.  It's not like we were going shopping - it was supposed to be coffee, chat, then lunch and more chat but we decided to move from our coffee stop to a lunch stop and that's when it all started to go wrong.  Anyway, I blame the uneven paving rather than my ability to walk in what where actually very high heels and white (yes, white!) jeans.  You know, they are actually very flattering jeans and look great with a heel but then they do say that pride comes before a fall.  And it is certainly not very flattering having to hobble down a busy street in what were now not-so-very-white jeans.  My pride may be dented but it's my ankle that has taken a battering (and bruising). Now I'm sofa bound for the duration with only a netbook and TV for comfort. Oh the frustration!

I've been reading about a range of painting mediums called Golden Gel Mediums in this month's Leisure Painter.  I want to give these products a go mainly because I like the idea of reverting to childhood and making pictures from tissue paper and other materials, building up layers and textures. Essentially just having fun and seeing where it goes.  I have another little project I'm about to start - a watercolour scene of a garden viewed from inside a doorway. I want to keep it quite loose but might use texture paste to capture the roughness of the stones outside the door. 

"You intended to come forth into the physical realm of contrast to define what is wanted, to connect with the Energy that creates worlds, and to flow it toward your objects of attention, not because the objects of attention are important - but because the act of flowing is essential to life."

Via Abraham Hicks 

This resonates with what I am reading in 'Angel Inspiration' by Diana Cooper.  Angels are our invisible companions constantly drawing us towards our destiny. When we relax into the powerful current which they create, our life starts to flow. Too often we put up resistance and want to go our own way but by working with our angels they will help us move around problems. We are the intermediaries through which angels channel their energy on Earth.  But they have no free will and therefore cannot help without our co-operation. We need to realise that the combination of humans and angels working together is such a powerful force that miracles can and do occur.   

"If you were to start your own business tomorrow, what would it be?" 

Via Blogs.com

A sanctuary somewhere peaceful which is near water and set in a large and beautiful garden - a place of creativity, healing and growth.  It would offer various classes and short courses (art, meditation, yoga/pilates) and provide complementary therapy treatments.  There would be space for a gallery and a working art studio and provide accommodation for people attending courses.  I've planned it down to the smallest detail and can visualise it perfectly in my mind.  If I keep hold of this vision and keep moving in the direction of my dream then all things are possible. 

No Limits

"Someone asked us recently, 'Is there any limitation to the body's ability to heal?' And we said, 'None, other than the belief that you hold.' And he said, 'Then why aren't people growing new limbs?' And we said, 'Because no one believes that they can.'

Via Abraham Hicks

 

Life Lessons

"If you could go back in time and undo one mistake from your past, what mistake would you undo?"

Submitted by Los Angeles Style Salope.

Just one mistake? I've made so many. And that's only today!  But mistakes are all part of our learning process.  And if we keep making the same mistakes then we're obviously not learning the lesson. Thankfully life just keeps presenting us with more lessons until we get it right.  Although it would be nice to nip back if only to do one year at art school.

This Week

So far this week I have been:

trying out texture paste and masking fluid in the studio (this wasn't a success and it wasn't just the masking fluid that was blue...); removing weeds, flower heads and a tangled mess of growth from my (non-flowering) clematis; taking photographs of the garden (see Photographic Memory); reading Soul & Spirit Magazine (great inspiration!) and loving Victoria Laurie's latest book in the Psychic Eye Mystery series; determined to keep my blog up to date; meditating when I can but not often enough; watching yoga, pilates and energetic workouts on TV mainly with my feet up (as a woman of a certain age I don't need to do too much to work up a sweat!); waiting for the arrival of The Urban Warrior's Guide to Health, Wealth, Happiness & Good Looks by the Barefoot Doctor (one of the world's leading authorities on Tao healing and meditation)

Finally

You know that place I go to in my spare time because I get some money in exchange for carrying out a few administrative tasks? Well, they have agreed that I don't have to go there so often because it's plainly obvious that I'm an artist and that's what I should be doing with my life.  So I'm pretty pleased to say that I now spend two whole days every week being that artist.  It's wonderful!  Big thanks to them for agreeing but even bigger thanks to my hubby for understanding just how important this is to me and letting me pursue my dream. 

New Abbey Artists Workshop

 

On a very warm and sunny day while visiting New Abbey in Drumfriesshire we came across the New Abbey Artists Workshop.  Phil, one of the artists, was happy to spend time chatting with us about his work while he sweltered in his workshop - a metal shed the outside of which is painted in many colours.  His partner Roz makes Batik pictures, wall hangings and scarves in a summer house in another corner of the garden.  Roz only gives demonstrations at weekends but Phil was able to show us the basics.  The workshop is crammed full with his paintings and ceramics as well as Roz's Batiks and when we visited he was also sharing the space with one of his six cats (Pipin?), a very affectionate black & white feline who didn't like to be ignored!  I knew I wanted to purchase something but there was so much to choose from.  In the end I chose one of Roz's framed Batik paintings of a small black & white cat which seemed appropriate.  I explained that I was an amateur artist who had a similar work space in our garden and that it was my dream to be doing what they were doing.  Phil asked if I had sold any of my work.  Of course I was now able to reply in the affirmative (see my previous post) and he said in that case I was now professional!  Phil & Roz have a website showcasing their work but their workshop in New Abbey is definitely worth a visit and you can be assured of a warm welcome from artists and cats alike. 

Sold!

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Marie who has bought my painting 'Ballerina'. As this is the first painting I have ever sold I am feeling ever so slightly 'flushed' with success.  This means I'm actually on a par with Van Gogh!  OK, best not to get too carried away.  Still, every artist has to start somewhere and this sale has given me enormous encouragement and inspiration.  

Healing Plants

I have started giving myself daily treatments of Reiki again.  You need to practice regularly to keep the energy strong and unfortunately I have been very bad at doing this.  I have even been treating a couple of my plants to a healing session. Well, you never know.  If it can do wonders for me who's to say my plants won't benefit.

I've added an Osteospermum, a Geum, a Gentian and a Poppy Orientale to one of my borders.  Oh and a Stachys Byzantina (lamb's lugs). It's the poppy that needs some TLC at the moment.  I planted it when the weather was warm but since then it has turned really cold so it obviously didn't like that (I wasn't too happy either!). Sadly it also looks like my Apple Scrumptious won't be producing fruit again this year. It might have apple scab. Then again it could be blossom wilt. I really don't know. And my clematis has still not produced any flowers (this is it's third year).  So I turned my garden into an outdoor treatment area and went round giving Reiki to various plants.  If anyone had witnessed the scene I'm not sure what they would have thought.  Anyway, the experiment is in its early stages and I think more sessions are required.  But I could be onto something here...

Learning to follow my bliss

"Nobody else knows your reason for being. You do. Your bliss guides you to it. When you follow your bliss, when you follow your path to joy, your conversation is of joy, your feelings are of joy -- you're right on the path of that which you intended when you came forth into this physical body."

Quote courtesy of Abraham Hicks

How many of us can actually say that we are on our path to joy, that we are following our bliss.  There are brief moments, heck I would go as far as to say there are even whole days, when I know I am on that path and bliss is my companion.  Most of the time however I find I'm way off the beaten track and stumbling through a fog.  Sometimes the detours can be interesting but I always feel bliss calling for me to get back on the right path.  More and more I am starting to listen to my guide.

Icicles

We have had very low temperatures this week so I just had to take some pictures of the icicles hanging from the guttering around our house.  Feeling very sorry for our feathered friends who are struggling to get much to eat.  I haven't seen the garden in over a week but there is a thaw in sight so hopefully will see the plants again soon.

Yellow Monday

Let's get rid of 'Blue' Monday.  I suggest something more positive - re-name the third Monday in January 'Yellow' Monday.  It should be a day when everyone does something positive and 'yellow'.  There is already enough doom and gloom out there without having a whole day dedicated to misery.  It's high time we had one dedicated to happiness instead.

This afternoon I have been selecting the plants and flowers I want to add to the garden and looking at potting benches and seed trays.  For my 'hot' bed of oranges and reds I'm thinking about crocosmia masoniorum and Cana 'Phasion' to give it a tropical feel.  And I think Alliums will look good in the borders. This year I want to bring more young plants on in my mini greenhouse rather than just buying adult plants and also try to grow strawberries and tomatoes.

I know it's still mid-winter and it's too dark to see my garden in the mornings, but losing myself in gardening magazines and catalogues made Spring seem just a little closer.

Tony Hart

Like many children in the 1970s, I loved watching Tony Hart in Vision On and Take Hart.  As a child who loved to draw and 'make things', Tony Hart was my hero.  He made art accessible and he made it look fun.  He was definitely an inspiration to so many young artists and I am sad he is gone.  

One regret is that I never did send in one of my drawings for display on the 'picture wall'. Although I understand that Tony Hart's website is still accepting artwork for display in his online gallery so I guess it's still not too late.

Thank you Tony for making me believe (and for Morph).

Various reasons have kept me apart from my virtual garden for several months but it's good to back, especially since my fab new Netbook allows me to visit almost anytime of the day (or night)!

Since my last visit, I have finally completed my Style Coaching course and received my Diploma so over the coming months need to decide on the next steps.  I did manage a few afternoons in the summer house getting back to basics with my painting before the winter set in and the lack of daylight prevented any further activity.

It's great to see that there have been quite a few visits to the virtual garden recently so thanks to everyone who popped in and had a look around.  Typepad continues to impress with all the latest updates - can't wait to get started!  

Two Days

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry,
two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is Yesterday with all its mistakes and cares,
its faults and blunders, its aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in
the world cannot bring back Yesterday.

We cannot undo a single act we performed; we cannot erase a
single word we said. Yesterday is gone forever.

The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow, with all its
possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and its poor
performance; Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise, either in splendour or behind a mask of
clouds, but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in
Tomorrow, for it is yet to be born.

This leaves only one day, Today. Any person can fight the battle
of just one day. It is when you and I add the burdens of those
two awful eternities, Yesterday and Tomorrow, that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives a person mad, it is
the remorse or bitterness of something which happened Yesterday
and the dread of what Tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore, Live but one day at a time.

Author Unknown 

The root of the problem

I have one border in the garden that I would like to become a 'hot' bed. Not one of sin, but one of colour! I want strong oranges and reds, with some blue for contrast, and lots of green.  At the weekend I bought a few packets of seeds (hybrid sunflowers, marigolds and a meadow mixture) to sow in this bed. The different heights will give it some structure and the colours will be wonderful!  The bed already has a large Buddleja and an Escallonia, also a fern which I thought I had lost over the winter but it has recovered again.  On Monday I also decided to put the Cordyline in the ground as it hasn't been a success in the pot.  Besides, it has such a tropical look and feel to it I think it will work really well in the 'hot' bed. 

I eventually got the Cordyline in the ground (it looks good next to the fern) but getting the spade into the ground was hard work.  This was due to a large network of roots lying just under the surface of the soil which are growing horizontally along the ground, as I discovered when I tried to pull one root out.  As the bed is against a perimeter fence, I suspect these roots are coming from the garden next door.  The house has been empty for nearly a year and the last owner never really was much of a gardener so the garden had become a bit overgrown.   I moved further along the bed and stuck the spade in the ground - it would hardly go in at all!  Just under the surface there was a fine mesh-like tangle of roots growing all through the soil.  I took me ages to clear just one small area. I'm not sure if these roots will cause any problems.  Certainly my Buddleja and Escallonia aren't affected by them.  In the end I decided to give the seeds a go and see what happens.  I've planted some of the marigold seeds in a pot filled with compost to see if there is a difference in how they grow compared to the ones in the soil.   We've had a little rain overnight, more rain this morning, so all of the garden looks so much fresher.  The whole month has been so dry that the ground is looking very parched.  I've been watering some of the plants in the other beds and also my Apple Scrumptious.  Sadly there has been no blossom this year despite the tree looking very healthy.  The Apple Discovery blossomed earlier this month so at least we will have one tree providing us with fruit this year.   

 

Floating down the stream of time...

I am so pleased to hear that Yvonne Innes and Olivia Harrison have been awared a Silver Gilt at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for their garden 'From Life to Life'.  This specially designed garden was inspired by the life of George Harrison - I particularly love the Indian pavilion which represents the spiritual aspect of his life.

Today's Abraham Quote

Life is supposed to be fun. You said, "I'll go forth and choose. I'll look at the data, and I'll say, yes to this, and yes to this, and yes to this, and I'll paint a picture of the things that I want, and I'll vibrate about them, because that's what I'm giving my attention to. And the Universe will respond to my vibration. And then I'll stand in a new place where a whole new batch of yeses are available, and I'll say yes to this, and yes to this, and yes to this." You did not say, "I'll go forth and struggle into joy", because from your Nonphysical Perspective you know it is vibrationally not possible. You cannot struggle to joy. Struggle and joy are not on the same channel. You joy your way to joy. You laugh your way to success. It is through your joy that good things come.

Quote courtesy of Abraham-Hicks

"With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy." Lope de Vega

Letting it flow

Today's Abraham Quote

"Aren't you just thrilled that there are billions of beings of intelligence within you? Cells that each know what's best for them? And as they find what's best for them, it is ultimately what's best for you - unless you're focused upon something unwanted and using that as your excuse to block the flow. They are asking, Non-Physical is answering. Are you in the way or are you letting it flow? That's what this "Letting go and letting God" is all about. It's about relaxing and no longer hindering the communication between the individual askers. Every particle gets to individually decide. And as every particle asks, it is answered - and the Whole continues to thrive."

Thanks to Sally for telling me all about the The Teachings of Abraham and to Abraham-Hicks for the above quote.

Slow down, you move too fast...

I regularly walk to and from work.  It's my way of keeping relatively fit and healthy but at this time of year it's worth it for the birdsong alone.  There's also the pleasure of a walk in the morning sun, looking in all the gardens that I pass on the way, seeing which plants are starting to bud, doing a comparison with my own garden, and getting a few ideas. 

Some new visitors in the garden this week, making good use of the bird feeder.

a male chaffinch

and a female Chaffinch

a male Greenfinch

and a Tree Sparrow.

Missed Blessings

With thanks to Manidooke for sending me the following.  As requested, I am passing the message on:

"My instructions were to send this to people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. Won't you please pass this to people you want to be blessed.

The man whispered, "God, speak to me" and a meadowlark sang.

But, the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, "God, speak to me" and the thunder rolled across the sky.

But, the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, "God let me see you." And a star shined brightly.

But the man did not see.

And, the man shouted, "God show me a miracle." And, a life was born.

But, the man did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are here."

Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

I found this to be a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted ... even in our electronic age.

So I would like to add one more:

The man cried, "God, I need your help!" And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.

But, the man deleted it and continued crying.

Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect."

There have been a few new additions to the garden this week.  In between the showers I managed to get in the ground the Astilbe, Aquilegia, Japanese Anenomes and Phlox that Mum had given me from her own garden.  Given the eventual spread of these plants, I split them and spaced them out round the borders.  I also have a Cordyline which needs re-potting and the rest of the borders to weed (jobs for this afternoon if the weather holds).

This picture of our summer house was taken before the roof shingles were finally replaced yesterday.  It just needs one more coat of clear varnish outside and in and it will be ready to use!

The new bird feeder in our garden is really becoming a star attraction for birds.  We had a pair of robins at the weekend, which is quite unusual as they are normally solitary birds.  Lots of sparrows of course and our little blue tits who have taken up residence again in tree at the bottom of the garden.  However, there was one bird that we can't identify.  It had a red, black and white striped head, a black and white spotted body and a yellow tail.  So far a search of the internet has failed to provide the answer. I do hope it comes back so I can get another look   Although it is proving quite difficult to get pictures of our feathered friends.  Either I can't get close enough or they are never around when I have the camera in my hand.  But we are awaiting a new camera which has a very powerful zoom lens so I will be able to happily snap away without them knowing from the bedroom window.

The true meaning of celebrity

"I'm a personality as well as an actress.  Show me an actress who isn't a personality, and you'll show me a woman who isn't a star." Katharine Hepburn

When we talk about celebrities and personalities today we are usually referring to a television soap star or a contestant from a reality show enjoying their fifteen minutes of fame.  Once upon a time actresses (and actors) were celebrities in the truest sense of the word.  They were larger than life personalities who shone so brilliantly they were called 'stars'.  Katharine Hepburn was one such star of stage and screen with a career that spanned seven decades.  A talented actress who was by far the most decorated actor of her generation with 12 Academy Award nominations for Best Actress and four wins in the category.  She was also nominated for four Emmys.  She died on the 29th of June 2003 at her home in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.  She was 96.

A Guardian Angel

A guardian angel
Flew down from above,
To teach me a lesson
About the powers of love.
She whispers to me,
Takes a hold of my hand,
There are so many things
I wish you to understand.
About the powers of love,
And all it can do,
To someone who needs
To share it with you.
A pat on the back,
A kind smile on your face,
Can make someone's life,
A much brighter place.
It doesn't take much,
To show someone you care,
To give them the love,
God gave you to share.
So please keep in mind,
All the powers you possess,
To grace someone's life,
When they're in distress.
You've been put on this earth
To bestow the powers of love,
And with those final words,
She disappeared up above.

~Author Unknown~

Changes

I've updated the site today so it now has a new look and feel.  The home page is now an 'about page' rather than my weblog (which can now be found under 'recent posts' or 'archives') so hopefully this is more welcoming.

Feeding the birds

"All gardeners need to know when to accept something wonderful and unexpected, taking no credit except for letting it be." Allen Lacey.

Since installing a hanging bird feeder in our garden last weekend we have been visited by lots of feathered friends.  The blue tits like the bird seed while the sparrows like the suet balls. Our blackbird family can't manage to hang from the feeders (although Dad has made valient attempts!) so they sit underneath to catch any crumbs. One day we had two pigeons and a little robin pay us a visit.  The pigeons were very curious and surveyed every part of the garden in great detail, finally deciding to sit under the feeder for a while before departing.  The pigeons haven't returned but yesterday I spotted a little robin sitting on the apple tree.  I like to think of our garden as a little pit stop for birds on their travels where they take time out to rest and snack before going on their way.  I'll attempt some photographs if I can get close enough.

... but is it Art?

"There is no "The End" to be written, neither can you, like an architect, engrave in stone the day the garden was finished; a painter can frame his picture, a composer notate his coda, but a garden is always on the move." Mirabel Osler.

Art can take many different forms and can mean many things to many people.  A recent online discussion about how art can be both healing and transformative prompted me to view my own garden space as an artistic work in progress, one which has no end as it will always develop and change.  The whole process of creating and watching my garden grow and develop has been hugely transformative for me and is a source of much healing.

"All things that pass are wisdom's looking glass." Christine Rossetti

After a lengthy absence it is good to be back and to be feeling more optimistic again. There have been several delays with the summer house although it now has electricity. Unfortunately after a lot of stormy weather, one side of the roof has lost most of its shingles. Thankfully no water has come through to the inside so fingers crossed it stays that way until the roof is fixed. The main difficulty has been finding someone to paint it. We applied a base coat outside ourselves as soon the summer house was built in October but didn't manage to get the inside done. I have found a painter but as he can't come for another six weeks, we are now thinking of putting the inside base coat on by ourselves and leaving him to do the top two coats inside and out. Hopefully by the end of March it will be ready as my studio when it will be all systems go! Watch this space.

Saying a Prayer

"Connection with gardens, even small ones, even potted plants, can become windows to the inner life. The simple act of stopping and looking at the beauty around us can be prayer." The Sacred Garden by Patricia R Barrett

Sadly there has been little connection with the garden in the last month what with one thing or another.  This is the week the summer house should be built - I am just waiting for the phone to ring to give me an exact day.  I've been struggling for several weeks with health problems so this has curtailed quite a bit of work being done in the garden.  I did manage to cut back the japonica in preparation for the summer house but I still haven't got all the spring bulbs planted yet.  There are also major changes and upheaval at work which have seen me retreat into my shell.  In all honesty I am feeling battered and bruised not to mention rather lost and confused right now and just want to hide away from the world with all its ugliness and mess.  I pray that the arrival of the summer house will have me poking my head out from under the covers and help me connect with dharma once more.

Time for a Change

Today's horoscope:

"The big picture is capturing your attention, regardless of how much you usually like to stay focused on the details. Get ready for a change, driven by your own restlessness. Use this time to make adjustments, especially wherever you feel stifled or held back. You have an opportunity to return to that which you like to do. Don't accept the status quo if you want something else."

I've been ready for a change for a long time.  I've been restless for a long time. And I do want something else. I really do.  I just don't know what it is!

Saturn moved into Virgo yesterday and will stay until 2009.  As Saturn takes 29 years to orbit the sun and only spends two and a half years in each zodian sign, it's been a long time since it last paid a visit.  Now apparently in astrology Saturn highlights what isn't working and shows us where we need to put in the effort to make changes.  In mythology he's described as a strong old man who wields a scythe.  So I'm hoping that Saturn will use that scythe to clear a path for me. Maybe if I can see a clear route I can start to make the changes.

September

"By all these lovely tokens, September days are here, with summer's best of weather, and autumn's best of cheer." September by Helen Hunt Jackson.

A definite chill in the air this morning but the sun has shone all weekend and I notice that the leaves on the trees are starting to change colour.  I do love September.

Here is a picture of the summer house we ordered on Saturday.  Finally!  We have had our garden nearly a year now and it has looked incomplete with just a concrete base in the corner where the summer house should be.  That should all change in about six weeks.  Then we need to get the electrics put in and have it painted.  I'm thinking inside it will have white walls and floor with maybe a pale blue ceiling. The exterior will be a wood stain - not too dark. It would be nice to paint the exterior like it is in this picture but I think that might be a litte too bright for our little garden!

Then it's off to the art supplies store to get myself an easel.  I've always wanted one and now I will have the space!