BACK AGAIN

Back again after quite a long break. This past year or so I dealt with some health problems and depression problems (not related) but now I am well and happy and looking forward to the run up to Christmas which is my favourite time of year.

I questioned starting up my blog again. Is it just self indulgent? Is it just plain stupid? But I love to write and a few people said they missed Piggywhistles so I decided to give it another go.


I started writing my blog for a couple of reasons. The main one is to help me look at the positive things in my life. Life events have made my life different to that of my friends. But I try not to focus on these differences and appreciate the small moments in my life. Sharing these moments on my blog makes me stop and take note of the good things in life.

I often write with my friends in Canada in mind, letting them know a little of my life here on the south coast of Australia.

And so to the quote above by Rosa Parks; 'I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.' This is so true for me. One of the mottoes I live by is,  'You have to have a plan.' I find if I don't have a plan, time just slips by and I don't get things done.

Now I am retired, days can just slip by without me doing anything much at all. I need to make a plan for the day; for the week; for the year. 

When my children were younger and had problems they needed help with we would always devise a plan to help solve the problem. I think this made them resilient and gave them some problem solving skills.

A few weeks ago I made a plan to restart my blog on the 2nd of November. I finished this post but on that day I got cold feet.

Then I came across this quote:
  
The enemy of a good plan is a perfect plan. 
 (Carl von Clauesewitz)

This quote spoke to me and so I clicked 'Publish'.





A walk in the Botanic Gardens

A few days ago Peter and I took a walk in the Wollongong Botanic gardens. Because it is spring, many of the flowers were out. Below are a few photos of the gardens.

I took a special interest in the red poppies. My mother has just knitted 30 of them to be worn on Remembrance Day, 11th November.

These red poppies bloomed between the lines of trenches and in 'no man's lands' on the Western Front in World War One. In the 20th Century wearing a poppy for Remembrance Day became established in English speaking Western countries. These poppies are also known as Flanders poppies.

John McCrae was a poet and a doctor from Ontario, Canada. At the age of 41, McCrae enrolled with the Canadian Army following the outbreak of the First World War. He fought in the Second Battle of Ypres on the fields of Flanders in Belgium. Alex Helmer, McCrae's best friend was killed at this battle. McCrae performed the burial service himself and noticed how quickly the poppies grew on the graves of fallen soldiers. The next day he wrote the following  poignant poem.


         In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
    Between the crosses, row on row,
  That mark our place; and in the sky
  The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead.   Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
  Loved and were loved, and now we lie
      In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
  The torch; be yours to hold it high.
  If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
      In Flanders fields.



Interesting sites

1. Chapel turned office

Photo source

This chapel in Belgium has been turned into an office and juxtaposes the old and modern in a really interesting way, Click here to read more.



2. Tiny octopus on floating trash

Photo source

This tiny octopus was found by researchers floating on a piece of plastic in the ocean. Click here to read more.



3. Australia - the successful rich economy

Photo source

We tend not to see our nation with the fresh eyes necessary to maintain perspective about where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we might be going. Click here to read more.

 

LOVE IS WHAT YOU DO - NOT WHAT YOU SAY

How true is this statement!

It is so easy to say you love or care about someone but it is showing you care by actions that is important.

Last night we went to the Sunset Movies at the Wollongong Botanic Gardens with some of Peter's family. We went to see the movie 'Trolls'. Justin Timberlake was the voice for one of the main characters and I was interested to see in the credits that Russell Brandt and John Cleese also had parts.

 It was fun.  It did pour with rain just before the movie started, but we all managed to shelter under a picnic blanket and then retrieved some umbrellas out of the car.

It was a lovely evening. Peter and I will have to look into going another night and seeing a more adult movie. There seems to be a range of movies over the summer - child and adult; old and new. Click here if you want to find out more.


I always look forward to the  Crepe Myrtle trees flowering down in Balgownie Village, but they are not as prolific this year as last year.

I did spot this one in the Botanic Gardens last night.

It's not a great photo. I took it really quickly through sprinkling rain as we were heading up to watch the outdoor movie mentioned above, but it does give you an idea of how pretty they can be.

I intend to do some research on propagating crepe myrtles and see if I can grow them from a few cuttings taken from down in the village.

It is interesting watching the succulents I planted before Christmas start to take off. You can see the tiny little plantlets  starting to grow on the edge of a larger leaf. It really is fascinating watching them grow.

You can find some interesting information about propagating succulents here.

I put a vase of Vietnamese mint on my windowsill last week...

and in a couple of days it had grown these roots.

I was very surprised at how quickly they grew. So I decided to try propagating them and have put a few cuttings in pots.

I'm not sure how they will go. We have had a heatwave and they seem to be taking a while to get going.

I am moving a bookshelf and not looked at the books in it for ages. Some of them I can't even remember buying,

These are some of the books I found. I can't wait to start looking through them. I have just been too busy to read the books I have bought over the last couple of years and this year I am changing that.

The first book I am starting with is The Idiot's Guide to Plant Based-Nutrition by Julieanna Hever (2011,Penguin.) I can't even remember buying it, but I think I must have bought it on Amazon a few years ago. It is available here at Booktopia.

The more I read and learn, and look at my family history, the more I consider that a plant-based diet is the way for me to go. I consider myself a piscatorian as I eat fish but tend to avoid other animal products except for some cheeses like feta and Parmesan. I do eat meat to be polite if necessary.
I will let you know if this book is useful next week.

Meanwhile you may be interested in the recipe for some vegan fudge I have just made based on black beans and with no added sugar. In the photo below it has just been taken out of the freezer, which I think is the best way to eat it.

 I found the recipe here at Peachypalate. I made a double quantity. I used turtle black beans; date paste instead of Mejool dates, to make it a bit cheaper; and ordinary cocoa. It's not a terribly sweet fudge but Peter likes it and it is high in protein from the black beans. 

Even though it is holidays I administered 2 reading tests this week for young primary school students who were having some difficulty reading. As is usual with students with a reading problem, these two were not sure of their vowel sounds. Over the years I have had to teach 16 and 17 years olds their vowel sounds. One of the best things you can do for your children before they start school is have them recognise the 5 vowels: a,e,i,o,u, and the short sounds they represent.

If you would like some information on ways to teach your child vowel sounds check here,

I am aiming to post this blog on Saturdays and am hoping to become more successful at that as time goes on. I guess a day late isn't too bad.

Don't forget to check out Bean Stuff  to follow  my daughter's and son-in-law's gardening and creative adventures. They will give you ideas for living a rich life on a very limited budget.



Interesting sites

1.

 Homeschooling in a VW van

Photo source

Click here  to read about homeschooling 3 children in a VW van.


2.

Crazy windsurfers in hurricane waves

Photo source

Click here to see windsurfers surfing the waves in hurricane conditions.

3.

 Fairysteps

Photo source

 I love the handmade bags and shoes at Fairysteps in the UK. Click here to see their beautiful creations.

2017 WEEK ONE

This quote links up with the current popular idea in psychology about 'being in the present' or 'mindfulness'. Often we are distracted and not enjoying the present moment, but I thought it was a bit much when I did a course recently about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and the homework given was to be mindful when you are doing the dishes and concentrate on every aspect of the process so you can really appreciate it - the shapes of the dishes; the feel of the water etc. 

I couldn't really see the point of this. Isn't it better to escape with your thoughts somewhere else when doing something so tedious and mundane as washing dishes? I do not enjoy doing dishes so why not make plans for the next craft project, or picnic or whatever, so that that experience becomes richer from the planning. At the same time I can 'escape' from the tedium of dish washing.

I think it is really important to appreciate the small moments in life because this is what life is made of, but there are just some moments I really can't enjoy. In fact there are times when I look forward, such as when my car has broken down, and I just think, "In a couple of hours this will all be over and everything will be back to normal and what seems like a big problem now will be solved." I must admit that while I wait for the NRMA I am in the moment playing 'Words With Friends.'

So on with 2017!

The first day of 2017 was spent at the Wollongong Botanic Gardens with some of Peter's family. (Please note that I have not shown people's faces so as to maintain their privacy.)

The duck pond was a highlight.

Going through the rain forest section was fun.

The oriental bridge was unusual but not ideal for a stroller.

Two cousins found a 'tent'.

Orchids in the greenhouse.

Grandson number 1 in the cacti house

Number 1 grandson outside with giant Cacti.

On 3rd January Peter's elder daughter came down with her two beautiful daughters and we went for a bike ride at Stuart Park.

We had lunch at Diggies and I had the most delicious mussels in wine sauce with sourdough bread.

I must cook some mussels again. Peter doesn't like them but they are high in iron and low in calories.

This was the view from our table, out onto North Wollongong Beach

My Vietnamese mint grows at a great rate and threatens to take over my garden so I picked a lush bunch and placed it in the kitchen window where I can pick the leaves at whim.

These sprayed candlesticks turned out well. I bought them at Vinnies for $5.

This is before:

This is after:

I have plans for them

Happy Birthday

Today is my wonderful daughter's 37th birthday. Life has been a bit of a struggle for her but she had always acted with a lot of integrity and never tried to take the easy path. Much of this is due to the support of her partner who is also her carer. I am not allowed to talk about her on this blog (which she prefers not to read) so if nobody tells her she won't know that I have told you that if you would like to see some of her artwork Google Jade Pegler. She is in the stable of artists at http://www.gallery9.com.au/ You can see some of her last exhibition at Gallery 9 here.

Here is just one example of her work from her last exhibition.

Rhiannon's garden

My daughter Rhiannon and her husband are gradually establishing a garden. They are up to their second raised veggie bed.

I love watching the progress they make. You can follow their progress here on You Tube.

And in deference to many of my family members I will leave you with this.

Interesting sites

1.

Solo Mountain Climber has no fear

Photo source

It is all to do with the amygdala. Click here to read more.






2.

 Automated car park

Photo source

Click here to view the video of this automated car park.




3.

 Vavasseur's cats

Photo source

Raphael Vavasseur does beautiful but unusual paintings of cats. Click here to see more.