Reading through the old blog pages and nothing here for 3 years. Been a bit of sadness at the photos of Yessabah. Moving on though and a note to self to continue with the blog now. New car, new camera and health to improve greatly. Swimming every day. Cycling when I can. Tai Chi....oh the Tai Chi......
So long since I have listed a post. Much has happened since November 2008. Much has happened to my body and my life. I learn to live each day and accept what is in each moment. There is a peace and calm that holds me and nurtures me. Not all the time, as I am still journeying on the way to truly discovering my 'Being'. Some times I get lost in my feelings and thoughts of past and future. I breathe and listen to my breath, I listen to the rhythm of the sea and I am in the moment and am calm again.
It's about time I sent some photos across the www to let everyone know that we are alive and kicking, though the time since we moved up until now has been pretty hectic, and still much to do to get really comfortable. But we are settled and taking it slowly as far as organising the house. Have put in the veggie garden and herb beds as well as the pond, (which is leaking as we speak!!!)
We have eye level trees at the back of the house which is where we spend most of the time or downstairs at garden level. The scaly breasted parrot is a new one for us, as they are native to the coast, but the rainbow lorikeets follow us everywhere..
The tree that they love seems to keep them entertained for ages with little seeds amongst the foliage. The trees are like a railway terminal, with different birds coming at different times of the day, friar birds, fig birds, cuckoo shrikes, parrots, magpies and even kookaburras.
South West Rocks has beautiful beaches and we are positioned in the middle of the main beach away from most people. Town at one end and national park at the other. We can hear the sea at night when the normal suburb noise is quiet.
The walk from the house to the beach is along a little cycle path which though it runs the whole length of the bay cuts across to the beach.
The track crosses the estuary with its little mini wetland, full of more birds...a place for us to canoe/kayak in the future maybe... a 10 minute walk to the beach is not bad..
The back of the house looks out across the bay though we only see the mountains in the distance though we do have a few glimpses of the sea through the trees in places...
The back verandah is the place to be, by the way thats Zoe, Jarrahs fiance...now includes a bigger table where we can eat breakfast....
The house is very comfortable and I have only a few steps to the office downstairs, and the garage is big enough to finally have a workshop, now I just need the time to do the woodwork...
All in all its wonderful, a shock to start off with, having neighbours is new...no more absent mindedly walking outside naked in the morning with my first cuppa tea...
Its all been a bit mad since coming out of hospital but am slowly getting fitter. Am yet to start the swim everyday and build up the walking to something decent but al will come. Managed the move and all the stuff that goes with that without putting myself back in hospital so have done well. Even managed a gig with Boom and a bit of drumming.
Have included South West Rocks Google Map if you want to see where we are...
Hope all are well, new babies too eh S&D. Will try to get in touch soon....
Sound the bugle!
Well the bugle cries into the wilderness that is Yessabah and the house we are soon to leave. Much sadness to move away from a piece of this Earth that we have come to love so much.
To have a house that is surrounded by such a forest has indeed been a privilege..jpg)
The light in the afternoons is magical as it ours through the trees from the west, and creates strong silhouettes against the sky. The Big Old Gum behind the house has been home to many birds. Often we hear a cacophony of screeches as one bird tries to oust another, on quarrels as to who has ownership. It is a very favourite tree and leads the eye to Cullantine behind us, our bit of mountain..jpg)
I hope that many more birds can find refuge in the holes and secret places that are way to high for us to take a peak at.
It is one of those images that hits us every afternoon whether winter or summer. The light glows and the parrots and birds take that alarm call to have their last feed before darkness comes down.
Walking around today, saying goodbye really to many parts of this property that are loved so much and that hold many memories for us, did fill me with not just sadness but such a joy at the same time to have been able to witness all this nature in such close proximity.
We have had visits from so many birds, and in the last year of immobility I had much time to gain solace from watching and getting to know their movements 24 hrs a day.
Sadly though it has become too much to look after and keep on top of it all, let alone doing improvements that we wanted to do.
It will be always in our hearts no matter where we are, especially the sunset in the winter afternoon......
Along the drive. Mandy's walk with Charlie...
Towards the gate........
The yellow robin became a very good friend as Robins do, and watching the comings and goings at the water bowl has delighted us everyday. At times the bowl is covered with finches, or blue wrens, or bar-shouldered doves, who seem to walk around like pet sheep and only fly when scared.
The bougainvillea has grown now and started to creep along the front verandah, its taken a couple of years, but it made it before we moved on...
Our very good friends have allowed us to watch them over the years. We have watched young emerge from the pouch for the first time, and watched those same young grow and have young of their own..
Wild flowers out now...that's what's wonderful during the winter months...the natives......
Our very good friends...first to call in the morning and the last to hear at night...this is the favourite perch on the water tank..or the roof of the front verandah...Charlie doesn't move when they suddenly crash down close to her and grab an insect or spy a worm....of course they are also partial to snakes.....
What would have been like without the king parrots...haven't seen old gammy leg for ages and would like to say goodbye before we leave...hope he is still going strong wherever he is......
The bush is alive with colour if you only look....
Charlie will find it all very different...a garden block and nowhere to run wild, and also to learn she doesn't really own everything..
though she has the oval close and the golf course...and she will have the beach to run and chase a ball on...but this is how we will remember her on walks...always patient...easy to keep away from the wallabies...
Mandy will find another sunny spot for afternoon Sunday reading...
And we will watch the ocean and swim in it, watch whales and dolphins and walk in the National Park. A different adventure due to start on Sept 1st.....
We will keep you informed.....................
Am just filling in the gaps between the last post and now, and an explanation of what and why it's been so long. Firstly of course, time, secondly, Facebook and the family seems to have taken up that time that I am willing to spend fiddling around with the Net.
The major reason has been the injuries to the back and the herniated discs, and the long journey that I have travelled to get to this stage. It has been many things, and many lessons have been learned and still more each day in getting the body back together.
The worst of it all was having to have surgery. For me, who has used alternative therapies with success this was a major hurdle, psychologically as well as physically. A broken piece of disc on my spine left no alternative. Funny that it was my acupuncturist who after taking my pulses told me that I had a broken piece of disc or bone sitting on my nerve. All the normal medical imaging later and a specialist in Sydney and that was the diagnosis.
The strange thing about the surgery was the suggestion that it was keyhole surgery, and when M looked to see what had been done I realised that it must need a really big key. Found one to fit but not the size I imagined. Note: when doctors say keyhole surgery, ask to see the key.
All that said the surgery did turn off the nerve pain which had been there for 9 months. Then six weeks post op recovery, so I waited and recovered. All now very different, I can walk again, and though still very precarious and much work is needed to build up the body again, I have walked on the beach and swam in the ocean. Woohoo, that was a big one. I relearn to do many things all over again but in a very body sensitive way.
Of course the surgery was pushed through by the wonderful neurosurgeon in Sydney as the wedding was getting closer and seemed more impossible to do what we wanted. So at five weeks post op recovery the wedding went ahead.
What an amazing day...better cos I could walk and didn't have that pained look on my face. Surrounded by wonderful family and friends all went as we had hoped in fact better. Thanks go to Jul, Jaz, Zoe, Cara, and Ryan for all the work in the afternoon. To the Sheilas, thanks for the Shed and to all that came thank you. We even got a drum in.
Now after wedding and a brief trip to Byron, where we lazed and ate and relaxed, all back to normal, save we are so very happy to be husband and wife.
Any that want to view the pics from the wedding, then check in at Facebook.
Well Hi everyone, its the silly season again, and though I am nor sure who reads the blog anymore, am making a supreme effort for Christmas.
Fraid that this pic from us was taken awhile ago, now seems like years ago, before I turned into the hobbledy boy.
It comes with lots of love to you all at Christmas and with a wish for a bright and beautiful New Year.
Its been a while since I was at the beach and can't really get onto the sand or into the water but always with the help of beautiful Mandy I get to sit at my favourite spot with a good coffee and overlook the water...that's what's important, seeing that water and thinking of everyone.
The parrot is a dear friend and the only one I feed by hand if he wants, but he prefers the food bowl I think but certainly will fly onto my shoulder if there is no feed or he can't get near it cos of the other parrots.
You see he also has a gammy leg, though he has done much better than I with it, and never complains. We have spent much time together and he helped me through the worst patch of the disc, back thingy.
Now, I have an appointment to see a neurosurgeon on 22 Jan 2008, and thats exciting. He will tell me whether or no, the surgery. Feeling much better with it all, though still frustrated at not being able to do much. Mandy is just the most amazing woman and has all the stuff to do here as well as her job. I do wash up, which believe it or not is a great acheivement.
At this time of year though when there is much to do it's hard to not get in and do my bit, but as they say this too will pass.
So all our love to you all, and may your Christmas be bright. All the new babies will have their first Christmas and am sure the grannies and grandads will be buzzing.
HAPPY DAYS
For any reading the blog, though at times I do wonder if I am just writing a personal diary, thought I should at least make an effort to add some 'doings'...umm think that is a word borrowed from my father.
Lots has been happening which is why I haven't added much of late. Larry the lump reappeared and has been causing some problems, but working on alternative treatment, which I think is moving forward, but is slow. At this time though better than surgery. No worries though, all seems to be calcification...this has all taken much effort at healing and some rather cosmic approaches. Oh well always ready for an alternative.
Had some time in Sydney while M was away on a tour. Must say that this trip was not the best and she returned completely exhausted. Always sounds good on a tour but not always as one would hope.
One of the delights for me apart from catching up with daughter J was that we found a delightful garden in the middle of Sydney's Darling Harbour (no not in the water) a Chinese garden that almost seemed magical and certainly we disappeared into the quiet and peace of a Chinese garden.
Winter is upon us and the lower temps are here, though no complaints as we still have an average min 8 degs max 19/20. The tomatoes from the end of the season are still growing as are the capsicums????
The beautiful frogs we have on our verandah that are very very tiny...this one loves it amongst the Aloe Vera are now hiding away for winter...amazing that they change colour to suit their surroundings...found one on an earthenware pot and was hard to see it the colour was so well matched.
The garden needs much work and lots of compost so have bought a mulcher shredder to convert all our mass of waste growth into mulch. Still haven't used it yet but on the go for this weekend after clearing much bladey grass....
Mandy and I have spent much time at Turtle Rock (our name for it) right on the edge of the ocean where we watch the green turtles feed and play...sadly very hard to catch on film....
Hope that the other hemisphere has much warm and delightful weather....
More to come soon I promise........
Just a few pics to tell a story of a beautiful afternoon in the autumn sun at Trial Bay Gaol
...as you can see the stonework is still there but all metal was removed (for scrap) when the Gaol was decomissioned after the second War...it had been a prison of sorts for german and political prisoners. The mission to build a stone wall out into the sea that had commenced in the early century continued though once again the power of nature proved that this was a ridiculous operation to attempt. The prisoners during the war led a relatively easy life in comparison to others around the world.
Sunday saw an Arts Council sponsored event that brought Dya Singh and his band to the Gaol...stangely it was a wonderful background to his hindu spritual music.
His daughter is amazingly beautiful as are all his daughters who sing with him. We were treated to a bollywood dance by her as well as a beautiful voice. Her father looked on and though he said that Bollywood was not his thing I don't think he would say no to her.
In a time of such war and turmoil amongst religions it was a peaceful space to connect with others and be thoroughly spoilt. Dya Singh tours all over the world and has his own web site should you be intersted.
Reading blogs from the other side of the world is sometimes strange as we are all planting the same things lately, yet ours is for winter growing. The summer garden certainly suffered from this years heat. Now though Autumn has hit as if someone new it was the end of daylight saving.
Night temps are down to 15degs but the days still range from 24-30.
The Golden Orb Weaver has now finished her sojourn with us, Oct-March and then gone, as a silent signal heralds the colder months and time for her to sleep.
The walks on the beach now catch the last of the light on the shorter evenings, and soon we will have to catch the sun during the day on the weekend as the weekdays will be too short.
And for the blogger who placed 'Where's Wally' pics or rather 'where's the deer' well can you find the animal in the first picture...of course the second one gives a hint and sorry so small but it is not easy to catch a pic of these as they dissapear quickly.
Wishing you well with the gardens and the Spring and some warmer weather. What will the climate do this year I wonder.......
