Happy New 2012

We travelled! We travelled 4,500kms across the bottom of Australia to vist family over East. And all the way we tic-tacked with a south coast storm.

By day we drove through and beyond it; watching its swirling mass of grey cumulus disappear to vapour in the rear-view mirror. By night she puffed right up next to us; rinsing the van of desert dust and like a lullabye rocking us with whistling gusts into uncertain sleep.

By the next morning we were ready again for the dance: chase and race.

We drove the longest stretch of straight road in the world, curved across the Great Bight and sidled along the Treeless Plain. We watched salt lakes disappear into surreal pink pools and salt-bush bend into granite-like balls.

Across this broad continent 'December Storm' had become our traveling companion. It felt almost sad to bid her farewell as we returned our hired camper to the yard and drove into an unfamiliar suburban landscape.

We had arrived in streaky creased road-trip clothes with suitably dusty feet to a throng of family for a family reunion and Christmas celebration. Intense humidity, excited humans and makeshift bed exhausted me yet the smile on my face could not be broader, fuller nor deeper. It was truly great to have arrived!

 Arrived in a city I had never visited before. Arrived in-tact and in good spirit. Arrived to celebrate! Celebrate family: young, middle and old. Arrived at the end of 2011. Arrived on the doorstep of 2012.

We ate, laughed, shared and cried. We remembered, reminisced and recited. We grew together again. Sewing old ties with new threads - new stories - new family - new generation.

Relieved of the full responsbility of day-to-day domestic mundanities, with so many others to share these tasks, I relaxed. Relaxed in to my childrens hearts, my husband's arms and the warmth and laughter of his family.

I softened as all the curly bits of the past year fell into thistory. I surrendered to a holiday pace and the wonder of seeing through uncluttered eyes - a new and exciting city caught my attention. Sparked my interest. My view became BIG again.

And while my view woke up - there's a whole BIG world out there - my heart deepened in - my family are my life. They are witnesses to my existence. They are there for me. As I am so here for them.

This year I will keep my heart and vision big and open - as I focus on the love that is close to me.

In 2012 I know that "My home is where my heart is: My heart is in my home". :-)


Happy New 2012 :-)

A Long Day

It's nearly Christmas; and supposed to be summer! The sky is full of marbled grey clouds that seem to have lost their direction and have decided to hover in waiting for some seasonal wind to blow them on their way. They cast an interesting backdrop as the summer sun streams insistent light beams through the finer spots and smiles reassuringly across the tree tops.

Today has been so enjoyably long; helping a friend get blogging, visiting my parents who are themselves visiting the region and dropping off, picking up (repeat) my sons at various locations. A long day of flow. Each moment flowing into another. One part finishing in perfect timing for the next to begin. I'm sure that's always the way - just today I have really noticed this perfect unfolding.

And now we are all home listening to the patter of a very gentle rain. It feels like the clouds are bidding us farewell.  Perhaps they will be gone by morning.

Two phone calls and one blog

Today I had two phone calls and a blog to read. All from friends currently in their own travels upon lands of  warmth and sunshine. Descriptions of hot winds, unbearbale midday heat, stunning desert landscapes and 360 degree sunsets warmed me up a little. Their stories touched my heart and prodded me forth into the weather of my own southern WA climate.

Winter! Brilliant and sharp. Todays piercing rain splattered into a frenzy of polka dot micro-puddles before completely disappearng. Blocks of slate grey cloud, approached, encroached, released then left.

And in their wake aquine drops laced the forest undergrowth and shivered to a shimmer in the post-pour breeze. Long delicate fringes of stubborn WA shrubs draped like well trained ballerinas - pointing to the soggy organic ground and whispering wet secrets and promises to their unseen tangle of roots and rich supporting soils.

Reaching low creamy shafts of late day winter sun stroked the pathway of the early storm; softly reassuring and caressing the outer skin of plants, animals and humans - while the light reached deeper in.

Wherever there is weather there is inspiration; and as there is always weather, no matter where we are, then we can say there is always inspiration.

Have a great day wherever you are.

Found a new dawnspace

Ok
Another e-presence. This time it's dawnspace.
(Not sure if it's dawn space or dawns pace or if its both: dawns pace in dawn space.)

This time it has been initiated because I want to keep in touch with my friend and inspiration on her family travels at Random Roaming.
Why?
Well so I feel that I can teleport at anytime into the beautiful sunsets, sunrises and very real unreal Australian landscapes she keeps posting.
And of course comment on the family ramblings, discoveries and self-questioning.
Perhaps be inspired to do some discovering or rambling myself...in dawnspace
I'll keep you posted.
Love me.