Just give it a go!

It's good to try new things and sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. It's good to recognise that not everything will work out but it is worth giving it a go anyway. It is worthwhile to just start sometimes! Then sometimes success does happen when you were not sure that it would but had just started anyway.

I planted carrots on the 22nd of May and wasn't sure if they would grow or not. According to the back of the packet it wasn't really the right season but I thought I would try anyway. I was also unsure if I had the correct soil as prescribed on the seed packet - "an open airy situation with light fertile soil not recently manured." Yesterday I pulled this carrot up and I think they just need a little longer in the soil and they will be perfect. Hope they are yummy!

Writing a poem: being a work in progress

From red to green

--

These questions, the ones that keep forming in my mind

Holding no respect for the traffic lights of my life

No wishes to intrude and intent to be kind

But when the light is red, there they are; rife

Inside my head, pushing every boundary

Jostling with each other like a couple of young sons

It's a different case when the light is green

The invitation, "Do you have any questions?"

And they are gone. Nowhere to be found

From red to green, will they learn to stay around?

--

I wrote this poem in March this year. On Saturday I attended a Speed Poetry Assessment at the Noarlunga Library. What a fantastic experience to have. I took this poem and it was read by 3 established poets (Steve Evans, Tess Driver and Deb Matthews-Zott) and they gave me immediate feedback. It was an inspiring as well as challenging experience. Challenging particularly because I don't have a wealth of experience of discussing my work (in various forms) with others. I was a high achiever at school and did not really receive a lot of feedback over and above excellent work. With the exception of when I was studying Honours Psychology at University I also did not discuss my written work much at University. I am so glad I found the courage to go to the Speed Poetry Assessment on Saturday and actually enjoyed being challenged - "What do you mean by that?" Following the session I was inspired to do more writing and re-writing. One of my rewrites was of the poem (From red to green) which although still a work in progress I would like to post here. I also found it very interesting to hear three different poets comment on and discuss the same poem with me. The feedback was quite different but useful from all three. The rewritten poem is now titled "Traffic lights of my life."

--

Traffic lights of my life

--

These questions, they constantly form in my mind

Hold no respect for the traffic lights of my life

I have no wish to intrude upon

Nor hurt the feelings of another

But when the light is red, they are rife

Inside my head they push every boundary

Jostle with each other like a couple of young sons

The questions are there

Always the wrong place

The wrong person

The wrong time

The light is red!

Then the light turns green

And I am asked "Do you have any questions?"

But they are gone

Nowhere to be found

A Dr Seuss quote for today

and every day!

I love this Dr Seuss quote. I was reminded of it yesterday through a facebook post.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." --Dr Seuss

Can you identify this plant?

My sister got this plant as a seedling at the Sustainable Living Expo in May. I have since planted it into my garden and it has recently flowered. Yesterday I saw the same type of plant at the Adelaide show but with smaller leaves and more flowers. I am wondering what it is. Can anyone help?

The Adelaide show, the weather and a garden report

Yesterday I was with Brianna in the Goyder pavillion at the Royal Adelaide Show. I was really looking forward to watching the "Jenny Gillies Blooming Marvellous" show, having enjoyed the performances so much last year. Just a couple of minutes after the show began, the lights suddenly went out. A group cheer when the lights came back on was quickly followed by a group groan when they went off again a second later. The lights stayed off so we headed out of the hall in the semi darkness. There was some emergency lighting but all of the stalls were dark and people were waiting and wondering what to do. Once outside we could see that the lights were still on in the showbag hall and it seemed many people were flocking there as it was raining and very windy. Some of the show rides had shut down for safety reasons and SES crews were securing loose objects. Police soon arrived at the showbag hall and it was closed for a while to deal with the overcrowding. It was strange seeing sideshow alley so quiet on the first Saturday of the show and outdoor entertainers playing to audiences of 10 or so instead of the usual hundreds. Once the showbag hall reopened we collected our showbags and had a pleasant trip home on the train. After the chaos I think many people left straight away (as we almost did) and others decided that if they were staying they might as well stay longer. There wasn't many people on the train at the time we chose to leave.

The wild weather continued into the night. This morning I checked the garden to see how it had fared overnight. There was some damage (to the snow peas and some of the broccoli was on a lean) but also obvious signs of the love of the rain. The broccoli has really grown and there is plenty of weeding waiting to be done. Maybe I will get out there later today?

The snow peas are so top heavy now. They are secured with some string and some curling ribbon (what I had on hand at the time!) and after last night I need to tie the frame up again and secure them a little more.

The broccoli has grown so much with the recent rain and there is the beginnings of broccoli florets on some of the plants.

Snow Peas - Yay!

freshly picked this morning!

Where's Wally?

Here's Wally's friend Wenda. Has anyone seen Wally? Where's Wally?

It is Book Week and Brianna dressed up as Wenda. What a find the umbrella was yesterday - $5 at Cheap as Chips. Thanks so much to Casandra for knitting the beanie! Brianna loves it!

I have just returned from the annual Book Week Parade at the primary school. How wonderful to see most of the school dressed up and so many happy faces as each class took their turn to walk around the gym. The creativity was inspiring.

My art in a book!

It has been an exciting week! Earlier this year I responded to a call for art for a new book - Four-Word Self-Help by Patti Digh. Last week I was so excited to receive my copy and see my artwork on page 48. Here's a little I wrote around the time that I submitted the art:

'I love to create (to play with patterns, shapes, colours, words and ideas) and learn so much about myself during the process). I was excited to receive the eagerly awaited 'call for art' email. My first reaction though, I must admit, was that of disappointment. I was randomly assigned 'tip the hotel maid' to illustrate. I was not impressed and started formulating a reply email in my head - "Sorry, can't do it. I don't travel! I haven't been in a hotel room for a very long time! It's not relevant to my life! I can't draw a maid!." Then I started to think about showing gratitude to those who help and how that also helps us. I started to play with colours and shapes. I found myself liking the creation that unfolded. The stars represent the wonderful job a maid does in making a hotel room beautiful and the large gold star represents the tip - the gratitude expressed. I really enjoyed creating it despite my first reaction of rejection. I'm glad I persisted. I particularly love that this piece of artwork exists only because I participated in the 'call for art.' '

and here's me at Christies Beach with my copy of the book (page 48!)

--

Wisdom from Brianna on a Saturday morning

This morning Brianna announced, "that song 'Nobody's Perfect' by Hannah Montana is wrong."

"Why is that?" I questionned her.

"Because everyone is perfect in their own way. You might even be perfect at not being perfect."

Couldn't have said it better!!

As challenged by Alysha

Metrophobia is a fear of poetry

i

The teen has her head on a pivot
From the mirror to me to the mirror to me
Fingers run over a neatened bow
Clumpy, is my hair too clumpy?
And inside my head 'clumpy' chimes
Then bursts out loud
Clumpy, clumpy, clumpy
Love, love, love that word
Mum, STOP! Please stop
Remember, I have metrophobia
There, can you write a poem about that?
So I did