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THE PATTERN OF EXISTENCE.....
The journey of life is a long and sometimes arduous one. If you add joyous and remarkable, you begin to see a larger pattern which represents life in all it's colours and textures; a complex weave with threads which connect with those closest to you in your day to day endeavours. For all the many moments we experience each and every day, there are about as many emotions! Life can be likened to a stage-play; a theatrical performance which takes place on the everyday arena of existence; beautifully choreographed by one's own impression; recordings made via these memories of both good and bad; memories containing the embodiment of life ~ leaving lasting impressions on your soul.
Surrounding your existence are those most intimately involved in your journey; those who belong in the defining and constant and sometimes challenging aggregate of family, friends, and even those who fall into the category of 'acquaintance in that they offer some kind of service which forwards one's survival. The business of life is vast, and intricately woven together with the main theme at its core; multiplied by as many individuals as you could imagine! Life and it's complexities astound, admonish, invade, critique, enhance, justify, enlighten one's path and yet there are so many other objectives which could and should be entered here! There are as many paths on as many plains as well, and if you enjoy travel, then it is tempting indeed to try as many paths in life as you can handle - one or two may seem rather boring!
Along the road you come across many fine individuals; each with their own story; impressions and paths they have travelled, making it an intensely interesting and varied experience. There are those who you find an easy discourse as if you'd known them a lifetime; and those whose cold indifference makes you glad you have friends! There might be as many reasons for the open hostility you run into at times, including the many things that happen to affect people's lives each and every day. Take for example, age and all its complexities. Age is to make nothing of one's once buoyant existence when life was carefree and responsibility was nothing remarkable. As time rolled forward, you found it building all kinds of structures around you and the carefree days of one's life dropped out of sight; along with the integrity of youth . . . .
As happens in life, the structure that once surrounded your existence begins to crumble when those near and dear to you begin to pass with the natural course of existence; their loss a grim reminder of mortality. Hard to bear the loss of loved ones; it can leave an emptiness which is almost impossible to fill. When one has spent years in the company of someone whose very existence was everything it is a truly dreadful thing when they suddenly pass away. That kind of loss often brings deep sadness and despair. How difficult is it to carry on without that vital life-force?! Life is peppered with such losses. No one is exempt; everyone must eventually live with, and through such experiences.
I came across an intriguing quote recently; and in fact, I feel sure that is what sparked thoughts which lead to this writing. As a final word, I would like to present this quote here and now; with fond regards, and best wishes to you - no matter what comes to you; I am glad you are here!
Sincerely . . .
(quote)
"Sometimes the one who is running from the Life/Death/Life nature insists of thinking of love as a boon only. Yet love in its fullest form is a series of deaths and rebirths . We let go of one phase, one aspect of love, and enter another. Passion dies and is brought back. Pain is chased away and surfaces another time. To love means to embrace and at the same time to withstand many endings, and many many beginnings ~ all in the same relationship."
- Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.
The way to maintain one's connection to the wild is to ask yourself what it is that you want. This is the sorting from the seed from the dirt. One of the most important discriminations we can make in this matter is the difference between things that beckon to us and things that call from our souls. Nowhere can this be seen more clearly than in the choice of mates and lovers. A lover cannot be chosen a la smorgasbord. A lover has to be chosen from soul-craving. To choose just because something mouth watering stands before you will never satisfy the hunger of the soul- self. And that is what the intuition is for; it is the direct messenger of the soul."
- Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.
. . . . . (End quote)
Memories at Christmas…..
Hello. No need to worry….although Christmas seems to have popped up rather suddenly, it’s because time has seems to have skipped a beat or two this year! It’s reminds me of a very old song, though I don’t know why?! ’Skip to my Lou, my darling’…… It was only two blinks ago, that I was having my photo taken wearing my Christmas present; a gorgeous hair clip!
Looking back to the very first Christmases I experienced as a young girl - one of five children - I can’t believe how very vivid my memories are of that time; almost as if I’m standing in front of the huge wood table, with it’s incredible selection of Christmas fare…
There was a big roasted chicken on a serving platter, with attending large carving knife and fork. The chicken was lovingly prepared by my mother; home made stuffing - the lot! Back in the day, it was gas cooking so it was roasted to perfection as well. Taking advantage of the hot oven, mum would have prepared either a home made custard, or a rice pudding. Both of these were equally delicious and always a generous sprinkle of nutmeg!
Along with the roasted chicken, there was a whole side of ham. This was rarely cooked at home, but the local delicatessen had the most succulent and delicious baked sides of ham; an easy choice! Then there was the traditional Greek Salad.
My mother delighted in producing this delicious fare - consisting of washed crisp iceberg lettuce, fresh juicy tomatoes, slivers of sliced crunchy celery, crisp crunchy slices of cucumber, grated carrot, and over the top she’d sprinkle greek salad dressing: there was nothing quite like the taste!
Set out on the sideboard, were little dishes containing the following; cherries, ripe and wonderful plums, Christmas lollies, smiths crisps, twists, and various other snake foods such as toffies, and the like. On the other end of the table, there were plates of slices of watermelon, rock melon, grapes, and mango!
Set aside for after the main meal, there was a huge crystal bowl in which a home-made fresh fruit salad had been prepared. With this delicious dish, you could have fresh whipped cream, and/or vanilla ice cream! My goodness, when I think of this feast, my mouth waters….when I reflect on the amount of food people put away at this time of year, I wonder how we didn’t fall through the floorboards!
Along with the fabulous feast at Christmas, before this day began, earlier in the month, we’d be sat in the living room, helping to make decorations! Oh there were some shop-brought baubles, tinsel etc, but we’d make the paper chains, and twist the corrugated foil with silver on one side, and either pink, blue, green or yellow on the other side. When you put up that particular decoration; if the breezes caught it, it would make the most beautiful sound. One I always associated with Christmas!
One thing was very different. While we had a to - die - for Christmas meal, there were no such things as ‘gifts’… There were of course, the rare exceptions. Like one year, from my grandparents, I got a hat. One year, we were given a handkerchief each. That was about it! I never really thought anything of it to be honest, because that was the way it was!
Sharing my old memories was once a regular thing on my blogging page. But it has been a long time since I wrote my memories - I used to keep all my posts on file, for convenience sake, but some of them have gone missing… Anyway I hope you may have enjoyed my trip down memory lane today!
Wishing you a very happy Christmas…. [if we had that kind of fare these days, I reckon we’d have to reinforce the table, so it didn’t crack under the strain! Haha!]
[End] Christmas, 2022
[picture of the ABC studios where my father worked.... a scene showing some musicians, in his working day, they were working on a score! - I once was introduced to Ms Helen Reddy there...when she was busy recording for the ABC orchestra that day... I was in pigtails at the time! lol]
I have the most vivid memories of my [late] father dressed as fine as can be, polished shoes that glowed; hair immaculately combed, not one hair out of place, his briefcase in one hand, as he said his goodbyes. He was going off to work! It was a way of life, and he always looked so clean, neat and brilliant every single day! I didn’t really understand where he went when I was very young, but as I grew older, I began to gain a real picture of his life as a working person; besides he’d taken me into the studios at ABC where he worked in producing music; making recordings and that sometimes included television and radio! It was all very exciting! I was in a pretty pink dress and with my hair plated neatly the day I saw him recording artist Helen Reddy who would one day become quite famous.. It was the impression he gave me connected to the whole concept of what it was to work; earn a pay check, to have high morale because you were contributing in life, paying your way etc. It marked my approach to an entire lifetime as I moved into the workforce and found out for myself the difference between a life with purpose and one where one merely sits on the sidelines… There is something very significant about the whole concept of what it is to have work ethic. I just had a look online at basic definitions and here are some of those in relation to work ethic: - work ethic n (Philosophy) a belief in the moral value of work. The principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward. Work ethic is a value based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. A work ethic may include being reliable, having initiative, or pursuing new skills. - Where people only see work as a money-making thing, and not as a privilege with being able to not only contribute; but in assisting in some way in life, it can have a very negative impact. As part of this, I recalled a prominent doctor I knew very well telling me that it was a sad but true fact that when people retired, if there was a lack of purpose there after, they would quickly sicken and sometimes die. I was very real on this, having witnessed first hand when a relative was made redundant and in a remarkably short space of time, began to drink heavily, became ill and died from a liver-related illness soon after. I was horrified at the time; being very young at the time this occurred, not really being old enough to understand the consequence of what was happening; but learning a salutary lesson about life and it’s consequence, and as I matured, it was to become more real as my comprehension grew on the importance of the whole work ethic. From personal experience, I could not help drawing the conclusion that a great majority of people I’ve had contact with have a bleak view of work. It seems to have derogatory connotations. However, it is a simple fact that to gain money in exchange for work is vital in order to survive in life. Perhaps it is this aspect of the relation to money and work that has caused such a black shadow over the whole subject of work. Work itself is also absolutely essential; it also has an integral part in building character; in exchange in life, and on the subject of a man’s contribution to life. It is all part of the big picture. But at a glance ~ if you take away the incentive for work; take away the ideals of work and what it means to contribute, then I can see how it is that we have enormous numbers of young kids too who leave school and then become beach bums or simply hang about on the street and end up on drugs and other less than wholesome pursuits including criminality – usually to handle the fact that drugs and alcohol cost money! Sadly, the privilege of work has been so undermined, so maligned and equated with drudgery that we miss the most important thing of all. Just ask someone who is “retired” . . . how they feel about it now they are on the other side of their work a day world… It takes teamwork too to bring about desired outcomes in any area in life you care to look into… Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. ~Vince Lombardi No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.
Once upon a time…. When the world was young, and so were we…. The family packed up everything in sight, and moved to the coast! I was about 10 at the time. It was the most exciting thing you could imagine. Going from a small house and shifting to a large, 4 bedroom home, with a huge glassed in front veranda, and the breakfast room at the back of the house, with a 360 glass in surround, so that you could see forever outside. The yard itself was small enough, but our next-door neighbour had a lush, and simply gorgeous garden, filled with delightful green ferns pines and vegetation, populated with glorious flowers. This was visible, and a very pretty sight it was. The dividing fence opened up a view of a huge backyard area, that came with the house.
A separate garage which became my teen brother’s ‘hang out’ where he’d practice morning, noon and night, beautiful classical guitar. It was these wonderful pieces of music that inspired me to play classical guitar myself…which sparked a long love affair with it, as I began teaching myself some of the pieces I could hear him playing. I did not know it at the time, but my father, who was a producer dealing with recording orchestras, tv shows, and radio, told me after hearing me sing, that I had ‘perfect pitch’ and an ‘ear’ for music. This was how come I could hear something, and then go away and play it. I taught myself some beautiful classical music on my own guitar, which I adored….
Another aspect of this move to the coast was…the seaside. Oh my gosh. It was a mere 10 minute walk to the coastal beach and ocean pool area. We all became regular swimmers, and I found that I was a mermaid in a way, being able to dive and swim underwater for ages, and becoming very brave indeed, swimming in Shark Alley, a section of the surfing area where boardriders came on good days, I recall once swimming so far out that I gave myself a big fright, when I saw a small fishing boat! Upon turning about, I saw that what appeared to be miniature people were in fact those who were on the beach! I rushed to catch waves back into the shore, but all in all, it was a great adventure, and I lived to tell the tale too! In fact, I never once saw a shark!
Our dog, who was bid in no uncertain terms, to ‘stay’ due to the law about ‘no dogs allowed’ at the park and beach area, would become crestfallen, whenever we went off in pursuit of our new occupation. She’d wait till she thought we were out of sight, then tail slunk down she’d sneak out the gate, and gingerly plod down the footpath behind us, careful to keep enough distance. Only we knew she was there.. if you checked behind you slowing down a pace, you’d see a curved question-mark kind of shape, peeking out behind a bush, or hedge! She’d do this all the way down to the road leading to the beach.
Once we were on the beach, by a series of stealth-like moves, she’d “show up” at the beach where she’d proceed to inspect each and every pot hole with sea life and salt water. If Mother was snorkelling along the coast, looking for abalone, etc, the dog would cock up her ears, and rush along with worried eyes, seeking Mother with every intense intention to somehow protect her, come what may. Believe me, it was a delightful sight! Dog and Master; unknowingly at one with the other!
Here is an old photo of 4 of the 5 children who were at that very same beach I am talking about. Mother took the shot, and I can see by my stance, facing the ocean, wandering gaze, I had no thought of the camera! Beside me are my sisters, and behind us, Nick, my dear, and beloved brother. From the looks of us, I’d say that photo was taken not long after we moved to the coast, judging by our size and ages. We ended up living there for some 7 or 8 years, upon which time we had an emergency which involved having to let go out precious house, and move closer to the city.
Thank heaven we ended up on another area of coastline; Bondi. Once again, it was a ten minute stroll to the top end of one of Sydney’s best loved beaches at the time. I was not a mermaid when we lived there, but loved to walk along the promenade and attend concerts there, after the big City to Surf race, once a year.
[end]
Another day hits town, and for me, it was a 4.30 a.m wake up. I think it has something to do with the fact that I seem to be . . . . teething! YES .... I did say teething! Seriously, ever since my mid 20's, every few years, one of my wisdom teeth makes a move; an effort to break through the gum, and when that happens, I feel like I'm teething! I get sore gums, a bit of a face ache, and on the side of this 'event'... I get a sore and swollen tonsil! How about that?! I have left it alone because I hear that anything to do with wisdom teeth can be an absolutely horrendous experience, and I figure why rock the boat?! It only causes a little bit of discomfort - a little pain, for a couple of days, and then it's gone, for another 4 or 5 years... sometimes longer! Well wonders will never cease! I tell you....stories I've heard about wisdom teeth, removal of, operations about etc.... well it's enough to make me want to rush off in any direction but that of the dentist! So my early wake up was due to some of the unpleasant symptoms, and now here I am - waiting for the day to follow through with regular routine, so when the time comes, I can get back to bed! I almost never want to sleep in day hours - I've only ever done that on very rare occasions.
Alright, that's it for this post. See you later. Hope you have a good day.
Good heavens....the Easter weekend was so different at our place this year. I mean seriously; where once upon a time it would be easter eggs city, we did not really have them this year! It has more to do with our girl sticking to her Keto diet than anything else. Not that I was complaining! No... not me. Far from it! In fact, I am and have been for some time, rather allergic to the effects of sugar on the whole. So avoiding it is a very survival thing for me to do!
I was not aware I had this kind of bad reaction to sugar and sugar related products. Mind you the way I was raised, I'm not surprised I had no 'tell' instinct because my mother (bless her sainted socks) would not *underlined* have sugar or their basic products, in the house when I was growing up!
I'm serious! While other kids had cake, biscuits, lollies, tarts, Corn Flakes breakfast cereal, and including Rice Bubbles and ALL manufactured breakfast cereals, my mother utterly refused to buy such things, or have them in the house.
We were raised on rolled Oats, cooked or raw, eggs, bacon, milk for breakfast. Lunch?! During school hours- a vegemite sandwich. 365 days per year. Dinner was beef in the form of chops, steak, or perhaps fish, stews and such things with fresh vegetables every single day.
Once a week, on Sundays - mum would put on a roast. Either beef, or lamb. With roasted potatoes and vegetables. Because the oven was hot, she'd often bake a home-made custard (from eggs) or a rice pudding. A sprinkle of nutmeg and dinner was served!
So I had no idea of the effects of sugar and by the time I found out, I had become ill from the way I dived into it once I'd left home. I learned the hard way, exactly why my mother divorced herself from sugar, and all the products that were closely associated with the horrid additives.....as time has gone by, there are more and more products on the supermarket shelves simple stacked with sugar!
But I digress..... Our easter this year was without the once a year 'treat' if you can call it that - NO easter eggs. Our food however, has been very good. I recently took to using pure unadulterated lard in cooking, and having noticed a huge improvement in digestion I fully intend on keeping it going. It really helps having a fast and happy digestive tract!
Whatever else has been happening, I am pleased that we have sailed through a very tough time all of us, and keeping the home fires burning with happy people who are well fed without having their systems stacked with anti health oriented food and products. I hope you may have enjoyed a super nice easter with family and friends. Take care and have a great new week. Monday being a holiday, it will shorten the working week very nicely!
Hello. How are you!
I thought I'd come over not only because it's Monday, but because I felt it might be good to share some old stories about some of our pets, and their funny little habits! Here we go!
* Luba, the family dog, had a 'crush' on rocks! Oh yes my friends - she LOVED chewing on them. She'd find one she thought was worthy.... sit down on the side of it, and then, tenderly, lovingly, and yearningly, begin to chew on it.... gushing and salavating all over it, she'd be in seventh heaven! The result of this mad crush she had meant all her teeth had square ends instead of being pointed, because she'd gradually worn them down!
* Binky - our orange and cream pet tabby cat. She loved onion. And tomato. And Lettuce. She was a Salad-lovin' puss that's for sure. I don't think it had any detrimental effect on her ..... but we all used to laugh about her special 'diet'...She liked well done steak too!!..
* Blackies - my very own, personal and very special cat. I was given her as a kitten, so we were fast friends. She had 6th sense. She would sense if I was upset.... So if I was unhappy about anything, she'd climb up on my bed when it was night time, and sit with me! She'd snuggle in, burrowing her head next to mine, and purr loudly! She did this, until she thought I'd gone to sleep. Then she'd hightail it outta there, zipping up onto the window ledge, and off she'd go, to play in her night time playground. She would wait, always, until I was asleep (I tested it once - pretending to be asleep)
* Luba's Ballet lessons. Sometimes when Luba came into the yard, after a furiously busy morning, I'd find her there, panting with her tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth, her sundrenched eyes half closed in the rapture of the heat of the day. When she was in this zone, I'd sit cross-legged next to her, and begin our ballet lessons! I'd gently take her paw, and point her leg here and there, telling her she was doing great, while her eyes would roll in her head, she'd be 'smiling'! I did it with her back legs too! Sometimes I would get her tail into the act. She wasn't too happy about that one, so I usually left the tail out of it!!
* The backyard Fence - or The Pie, from National Velvet. The fence was to all intents and purposes, a horse for me to ride in the grand national! Yes, our Fence was The Pie, and I had a rein attached somehow and off we'd gallop down the stretch.... we were such great winners, the Pie and me.....
So tell me.. did you have any pets that did strange things, or ate unusual foods?! Just leave a note below, and share ~ thanks for the fun.....
I was born in the Royal Women's Hospital Sydney. After marrying, my parents had lived on the North Shore, and a couple of places, until they began having children. I was the third in line - after the two boys - Christopher and Nicholas! Christy and Nick for short. My first memories of the house on Sutherland Road was of the veranda at the back of the house, and the tiny front porch at the font, with several steps leading up to the front door.
The front yard was a fairy-land of flowers! Right in the middle of the yard at the front of the house was a magnificent Camphor Laurel tree. I had many adventures up that tree, even managing to hide myself there a few times! No one could find me! aha! What a buzz I got from being able to ‘disappear’! Growing in profusion around the pale yellow front yard fence were brilliant little yellow buttercups, in contrast to the lush green of the front lawn. On either side of the house were different flowers growing gaily here and there, in carefully selected and beautiful order; such as the pretty yellow rose bush that was trained to climb the lattice which stopped short of the front room window!
On the other side were the ‘ballerinas’…..so named by yours-truly, because the delicate pink and cream coloured flowers looked like little ballet dancers! There were snow peas, and nasturtiums of every colour imaginable, with beautiful sunny green leaves….and round the corner, snug in the rock-beds grew incredibly bright purple and green ‘pig faces’ - one of my mother’s favourites because of the shine on these glorious flowers! Further along towards the back yard were other flowers all colours of the rainbow - I cannot recall exactly what they were; but I have just remembered that along the front yard fence there was a flower bed separate from the buttercups - chrysanthemums! These were soft creamy white, and pale yellow, and were picked for Mother’s Day once a year, and we’d take them into mum on the day, with a freshly brewed cup of tea!
Now we come to the magnificent back yard. For a start, it was miles long! It was in at least 3 sections; and each had it’s own special part of our lives at the time. The veranda had a lovely green lattice upon which my mother had trained and grown a passionfruit vine! What delicious fruits they were and often used in our desserts! There was also a lovely scent in the air from the jasmine vine growing in thick rich flowering vine on one side of the lattice! The wood was painted the same pale yellow as the font yard fence - a perfect foil for the lush green of the vines growing there.
The first section of the back yard had 2 big gum trees - one of them grew in such a way as to allow the addition of a fabulous hammock which we had the joy of swinging in when ever we liked, and it was FUN! Further up towards the big dividing hedge, was a lemon tree, and on the other side of the path, an orange tree. Just past the dividing hedge, was a long rope suspended in the old-fashioned way of a clothes line, cleverly tied on either end to the large X shaped pieces of wood, to hoist one side then the other of the clothes line. A bag of wooden pegs lived there hanging off the hook specially provided. One time, my brother Nick, wanted to help mum with the washing, and firstly washed, and tried to hang up our pet cat, Rosa on that clothes line - mum found out in time and let the poor cat go!
There was a pear tree, and some other bushes in just past the hedge was kept the rabbit hatch and inside, a beautiful creature; soft and fury, a dear little rabbit. We had so many pets it was amazing how they all lived in good accord with both humans and animals alike! Not that they always ‘got on’ well… there were some clashes - just as there were between the members of the family who lived there! I cannot recall what the rabbit had been named, but we had Rosa, Blackies (my cat) her mother; Fluffy, Stockinette, SweetPea to name a few of our cats, and kittens. There was Luba, the dog we rehoused because it’s owners could not give it a good life, and at one time, there were 2 ducks, Scotty Micko, and Henry!
Further up the yard in the left hand corner, right by the backyard fence, was a HUGE mulberry tree! It was glorious, and it was the reason for purple and black stained little faces and feet! OH but we enjoyed each season it flowered with it’s delicious berries - what a feast we had then! Sometimes we’d been sent to pick some for a mulberry pie…. If any actually reached the kitchen in the bowl thoughtfully provided by mum that is! Haha!
A nice little trip down memory lane this afternoon….I wonder who lives in that house now… and whether or not they still have that huge back yard! Time to close now I hope you’ve enjoyed my story today - it’s lovely memories have been like a warm cloak round my heart here this afternoon! Take care, and enjoy YOUR memories ….. I’m sure you have some lovely memories to look back on as well....
I usually like writing with a light-hearted approach because I figure life brings hardship and difficulties and it would be better to bring something to my blog which will help brighten my friend's day. In the middle ground, there is writing what is happening – sort of like filling in a diary – not that I've ever kept one!
On the other hand, I have written articles which simply talk about life, in general with myself as the centre of whatever the experience is that evoked the idea to write it out. After all, when you write something, it would be coming from within; from one's personal experience – trimmed with artistic prose; dusted with pixie dust to give it some colour, and garnished with sprigs of reality!
Accepting change; that can be very difficult. Often when you have been in a set routine for a long time, it becomes second nature; and therefore harder to break! At least, that is what I have experienced. I suppose it's different for everyone. Everyone deals with some kind of challenge; sometimes on a daily basis.
It brings to mind a long winding path from early on in life, from experiences which happened when we were very young, to those issues which were being dealt with once school was a dim history; and in among these new challenges, it is the way that we bounce back that never ceases to amaze me!
Loss of loved ones; leaves a hole in your existence; since no one could possibly replace the person who has passed, you are left to mange that loss; real and long lasting bereavement takes it's toll and yet we find strength we did not even know we had! Gallantly, we carry on, working to be there for those who have also lost and been through similar things; and of course, those who are family who have also experienced the same loss….
Along with personal loss, there is the loss of quote; " What might have been…." In the course of existence, you are at a fork in the road of your journey; you make your choice, and with gathering momentum; you travel the chosen road, where ever it takes you. It is a long, sometimes arduous journey. You learn much along the way......
One fine day, you spot a seat in a meadow.
It looks very inviting so you take off your hat, and sit down, gratefully: it has been a VERY long walk…..
You're sitting there, not really taking much notice of the beautiful butterfly which has landed on your shoe… Instead, you are reflecting on the fork in the road; all those years ago, and wondering what might have been, had you taken the other road…..
No matter which road you are on, it is your feet which must take you to where ever that road leads. Only you can decide the direction!
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