just us here

Wandering the garden this morning with my tea

As I find myself needing to do each and every morning

The bird song

The chickens

Fat boy awaiting my treats

And the bees

Just us here

There are sunflowers standing tall and proud in my garden again

There's something about them that just makes me smile

I think it's a combination of their larger than life existence

The way they tower over my head

Their green leaves that could easily cover more than one dinner plate each

My eyes can't help but be drawn to their vibrant yellow and then skyward

and I dream of climbing them, just like Jack and his beanstalk

I wonder what sunny land would live at the top of such beauty

Floating in the Flood

Seems all this rain has taken it's toll...
I've returned from a stay at the farm to a former river city that has quickly gone underwater....no *river* to speak of.
A raging brown torrent exists instead and deserted city streets strangely filling with calm yet dirty rising water.
The sun has eerily been shining here since yesterday
and the footage I have been watching on the TV has been so incredibly surreal.
Streets and places I have walked and driven are not even recognisable now.



but ever so gratefully me and mine are safe and dry and if not for the footage and the strangely quiet streets and empty supermarket shelves we would not even know what is occurring just *down the road*.
Homes submerged... restaurants, pontoons, jetty's and boats washed down river and out to the bay.



And compared to those in a neighbouring city up on the range we are the lucky ones.
My heart breaks for those with no warning. Lost.






Queenslanders are a tough bunch though. Even our animal friends are banding together.

It's a humbling experience.
The power of Mother Nature and our vulnerability even in the *big* city.

My heart is with those suffering...please spare a little of yours too?

Here's a little more on the disaster...

new days

a new year...

new days...

1.1.11

Those very numbers must denote a new beginning mustn't they?

I was home alone last night

not through want of celebratory invitations and phonecalls and possibility,

but through a need for quiet

and contemplation

and quietness as my babes peacefully and innocently slept around me, oh so soundly.

Contemplation of life's twists and turns and meaning.

Today is a new day...coincidentally a new year... open to me...

a crossroad

a blessing and a curse

a challenge and a reply...

a look at what was reaped and sown throughout the last...

a slow deep breath after a long swim against the tide.

I'm not usually one for new year sentimentality

and truth be told I struggle to stay awake to even see one in,

just as I did last night...

but sometimes, just sometimes

the universe throws us a new beginning we need...

a reason to be sentimental

and grateful

and strong

and vulnerable

and me.

Happy new days everyone.

May they bring all the new opportunities and peace you need also.