Reverb 10 - my approach

At this time of year I like to reflect on how the year has been for me and think about what I would like for the new year. Rather than making new years resolutions, I have had a theme for each year for the past few years - beginning 2006 I think. Maybe I will write a bit more about that on here sometime. I am just beginning to think about what the theme may be for 2011. 


The other day I stumbled across a fantastic blog called Reverb 10. Actually I found it through a link on Patti Digh's blog, 37 days. Every day in December an author posts a prompt to encourage reflection on 2010 and looking forward to 2011. Immediately I decided I would like to be a part of it but wasn't entirely sure what my approach would be. Especially as I am feeling rather time poor at the moment and not sure that I can commit to posting something every day. I put the badge to indicate my participation in the sidebar of this blog and began thinking about the first prompt. I did a little writing in my journal. The next day's prompt helped to consolidate what my approach to this project will be. It was the December 2 prompt: 


December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)


One thing that I do know doesn't contribute to my writing is too much worry about audience. This can even stop me from getting started and affects the quality of my writing I am sure. Thinking about audience is very important when writing and I am keen to share my writing more widely. However for this project I am wanting to really uncover what I want and to do this I need to let go of worrying about what others may think if they read it. For that reason I have decided that I will respond to each prompt. Hopefully it will be on the date posted (or the next day actually due to the time difference between America and Australia) but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself and will do it after if necessary. I will respond to each prompt in my personal diary and maybe with some art creations as well as writing. I will respond to each prompt without worry about what others might think if they read/saw it. Depending on how I go it is likely that I will share some of my writing/art on here but that is not my main intention.


I am looking forward to my further participation in Reverb 10. It should be fun as well as challenging.

Congratulations Alysha!

A close encounter with a leaf insect

Brianna meeting a leaf insect.

The November garden update

Squeezing the November garden update in just in time. The garden has been left largely to its own devices during November. Most of the water it has received has been directly from the sky. The onions have all finished and the silver beet has gone to seed. The Italian parsley is still growing well and the Basil I thought was all dead seems to be reviving. There is a jumble of plants in garden bed 3 - including the beginnings of an apricot tree and the pumpkin growing from the compost. Chester (and possibly other cats) seems to think that garden bed 2 is a large litter tray. Unfortunately the seeds planted by Brianna have failed to grow after being dug up. 


The snow peas have well and truly finished. I look forward to planting more next year.

The celery seedlings suffered somewhat with some recent heat and lack of water. I hope they will be able to recover.

The tomato plants are growing well. I have pruned them a little. There are some tomatoes growing now. The chilli seedlings I planted have not all survived but there is one plant growing very well. 

and that's the main November garden news.

Tiny glimmers of cope

Tiny glimmers of cope


All seems so very dark
you feel there is no hope
but then you catch the sparkles
the tiny glimmers of cope
like flutters of glitter in a breeze
they gently settle on your skin
replacing heavy with new ease
the birth of sparks within
through darkness to invade your week
and you question, you wonder, 'Is it really all so bleak?'


I haven't posted a poem on here for ages. I haven't written a poem for quite a while actually. I did do a tiny bit of writing earlier this evening but no completed resulting poem yet. I thought it would be a good time now to post 'Tiny glimmers of cope.' This is the revised version, written on the 24th of June this year. It is not hugely different from the original, written on the 16th of February this year. The title came from a mis-write in my journal one day when I meant to write 'Tiny glimmers of hope.'

A healthy dose of sibling rivalry

Yesterday afternoon, we (Alysha, Brianna, one of Brianna's friend and I) arrived just in time for Alysha's regular Friday netball game. Unfortunately the other team did not have enough players to play and had to forfeit. How disappointing. After some confusion and trying to work out what to do, the two teams decided to have a scratch match. The other team needed a couple more players in order for that to happen. Brianna and her friend offered. Brianna's friend had thongs on so wasn't able to but Brianna took to the court. Another ten year old, the brother of one of the girls also played. Brianna got the first goal of the game! Alysha and the rest of the team weren't too happy to be getting beaten by a team with a couple of ten year olds on it. They had a short break and then went back on the court for a little while. The second time, Alysha was GD for her team and Brianna was GA for the other team. As they walked back on, after being warned to be gentle with the little ones, Alysha yelled out, "I can play hard that's called sibling rivalry." It was fun watching them both play, especially their reactions when Brianna got another goal. 

Onions are ready

A little on the smallish side but I'm pretty happy with these onions which were planted from seed on the 22nd of May. Looking forward to cooking with onions I grew myself!

Let me in...Please!

Let me in...Please! Or maybe not quite that politely. This is how our cat, Chester, asks to be let in. He jumps up to the kitchen window when he sees someone in the kitchen. And then he yells. His yell is followed by a quick jump down to the back door where he waits. Then if nobody lets him in, up he jumps again and yells louder. 

No cat was made to wait during the photographing for this blog post. It did take a few tries though to capture the yell. 

Zumba! Fun!

Yesterday was my sister's birthday. Happy Birthday Kate! A few people went to Zumba before we had a picnic at the park. I went along with Alysha. Brianna came to watch (she is too young to participate in the class but is keen to start a children's class soon). Alysha loved it! I really enjoyed it too although I found it rather challenging. I felt so absolutely uncoordinated. I completely missed some of the turns. It seemed like a good idea to just give up at times. Instead I kept reminding myself of the concept I have been working on with my class recently "Be brave. Participate to progress" - from Wilson McCaskill's Play is the Way. So at times I couldn't do the moves at all but just reminded myself to keep moving. It gave me some insight too into how children may feel when they just can't do something. I had the urge to be silly at times to hide the fact that I was feeling so incompetent. It is okay to have a laugh and be silly at Zumba. After all, that is part of the fun. But not at the expense of actually trying to do the moves. 
This morning I am feeling a bit sore - a great sign that I did participate. I am looking forward to going again and Alysha is super keen too. 

Trick or Treat?

Brianna's Halloween costume.

Yesterday evening Brianna and a friend enjoyed knocking on doors on the few streets close to our house and collected quite a supply of sweets.