I wrote this to accompany native Tasmanian tree seedlings Paul and I gave everyone for Christmas in 2008 ... Mum ended up planting hers and requested her ashes be scattered there.... (she died four months later a week after planting her tree)
Hello there………
I’m your new tree.
I’m here to grow tall for you
As you take care of me
I’m Tasmanian you know
Fit right in I will….
Instructions for looking after me
Are right here in my soil
Now happily imagine
You find a great spot
Dig a little hole
And straight in I’ll plop
A little bit of water
And LOTS of TLC
I’ll grow strong and beautiful
For years to come you’ll see!
I’ll always be here for you
To remind you what’s real
To give you some shade
And a place to just feel
Bring along your picnic,
Your pets and your friends
Beneath my strong branches
Good vibes I will send
You know if all’s well
I’ll just keep going
Long after you’re gone
My life will be flowing
Now that’s a cool story
Those after you will tell
“My great gran planted this tree
‘Aint that just swell?”!
So now your thoughts turn
To where you might plant me
A huge choice of spots
So think about it carefully!
I suppose it could be nice
Somewhere in the family
So all its descendents
Can visit me gladly
It might be your home,
Your bro’s house or a park!
You could sneak in by stealth
And plant me in the dark!
The little wooden stake
Beside me will be dug
And remind all that YOU planted me
When they give me a big HUG
Merry Christmas and lots of love from Paul and Janine
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Byron Bay here we come
After two glorious nights in Bellingen - still talking to myself about not keeping my word and going to Heartland Retreat (in Queensland - 2 hrs north from Brisbane and about 8 hours from Bellingen) - I um and ah ... and then decide 'stuff it - i'm driving there today - I will just have to be late). Still feeling very raw about Paul and the whole baby thing - I set off ... more singing to be done and a bit of Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now on my ipod .... (via fm) ... unbelievable. I had been wanting to go to byron for so long - and since I am now going to the jillaroo school next MOnday I feel like going to heartland as well is compromising my 'free spirit time'.... I watch as Byron bay comes and goes ... then figure I"d better call Les and tell him, I actually am coming contrary to the email I sent you two days ago).... \
50 ks past Byron, I talk to Les, and he wasn't all that friendly about it, then the phone dropped out. Feeling raw, and rejected, I turned off teh highway and called Pual in tears ..... man waht a struggle I can make things some times!!!! We talked it thorugh, and I thought, stuff it, i don't like that guy, Im not driving another 4.5 hours just to be trapped in a retreat for 5 days, pining for Byron!!
So I did a u-ey, and drive the 50 ks back to Byron.
what a synchronous series of events.
On arrival at Byron i saw all the traffic and kids on school holidays and thought - i'm leaving ....
I talked myself through it, then thought, no, park the car, go for a wander, connect in some way, then decide.
So I did. Lo and behold, around the corner, was Abruxas (??) bookshop. New age, and a gorgeous welcoming so friendly woman behind hte ocunter . I instantly befriend her and she tells me 'you want to go to Belongil Beach HOuse'. I love it, I love it. That's where I stayed for months, before decideing to stay here for good!!
She also tells me about her natural horsemanship book after I share about my upciming jillaroo thingy.
Well, she was on the money... the beach house just slightly out of town is perfect! A whole beautiful double room tom mylself, and an ensuite. All for $80 a night, and 1 min walk from the beach. It even has its own cafe with great coffee. What else could a girl need?
I go in and book a 1 hr float, and 1 hr massage at the pamper place, also in the grounds of my beach house! For 7p. Then I make my way back to the bookshop, where the promise of a Tarot reading awaits. I am feeling raw, teary, ungrounded, like i want a home, and wondering what I am doing here! Awful awful feeling.
Well, my tarot experience was soooo good. Really healing. Then man, the float and this wonderwoman of a massage therapist ... my god, sh ewas walking on me!! She was so so so soo amazing. I am just speechless.
I leave, floating along, my body feels like it has let go of everything. Absolutely everything. All the energy has been moved through and out of me, and what is left is a grounded, present, and happy soul.
I just went back to the room adn enjoyed my solitude. And the most perfect nights sleep I have had in a looooong time.
50 ks past Byron, I talk to Les, and he wasn't all that friendly about it, then the phone dropped out. Feeling raw, and rejected, I turned off teh highway and called Pual in tears ..... man waht a struggle I can make things some times!!!! We talked it thorugh, and I thought, stuff it, i don't like that guy, Im not driving another 4.5 hours just to be trapped in a retreat for 5 days, pining for Byron!!
So I did a u-ey, and drive the 50 ks back to Byron.
what a synchronous series of events.
On arrival at Byron i saw all the traffic and kids on school holidays and thought - i'm leaving ....
I talked myself through it, then thought, no, park the car, go for a wander, connect in some way, then decide.
So I did. Lo and behold, around the corner, was Abruxas (??) bookshop. New age, and a gorgeous welcoming so friendly woman behind hte ocunter . I instantly befriend her and she tells me 'you want to go to Belongil Beach HOuse'. I love it, I love it. That's where I stayed for months, before decideing to stay here for good!!
She also tells me about her natural horsemanship book after I share about my upciming jillaroo thingy.
Well, she was on the money... the beach house just slightly out of town is perfect! A whole beautiful double room tom mylself, and an ensuite. All for $80 a night, and 1 min walk from the beach. It even has its own cafe with great coffee. What else could a girl need?
I go in and book a 1 hr float, and 1 hr massage at the pamper place, also in the grounds of my beach house! For 7p. Then I make my way back to the bookshop, where the promise of a Tarot reading awaits. I am feeling raw, teary, ungrounded, like i want a home, and wondering what I am doing here! Awful awful feeling.
Well, my tarot experience was soooo good. Really healing. Then man, the float and this wonderwoman of a massage therapist ... my god, sh ewas walking on me!! She was so so so soo amazing. I am just speechless.
I leave, floating along, my body feels like it has let go of everything. Absolutely everything. All the energy has been moved through and out of me, and what is left is a grounded, present, and happy soul.
I just went back to the room adn enjoyed my solitude. And the most perfect nights sleep I have had in a looooong time.
A wandering up north - and a stop at Bellingen
Well, hello there. Today is day 6 of travelling. My original intention was to 'pack the car with the tent and just go for a drive wherever it took me'.
The temperatures however have definitely chickened me into the warmth and cosiness of a timber roof over my head, and a big comfy bed instead!!
I set off from The Vibe and Paul on Saturday, to many tears and also excitement of what lay ahead. It was like breaking an umbilical cord. My planned destination was Byron Bay - ahead of a a subsequent 4.5 hour drive to Heartland Retreat in Gympie (i'd booked in for 5 days of healing and cleansing and retreat).
Well, having cried my way in between happily singing my heart out to first, Robbie Williams, then Abba and then as approaching Bellingen - Elton, well, my vocal cords were well oiled and very happy.
After six plus hours of driving, and it being a little late in the day, I just couldn't bear watching Bellingen go by - Cate's Robb talks so highly about it as a possible place to take our retreat ... I decided to go there. I'd also heard that the YHA was a fantastic spot (voted best backpackers in Australia).
They first told me there were no others booked in the hostel that night, so i figured i'd get a dorm room to myself. It wasn't to be, and these two gorgeous young early 20s girls came in. They were school friends from BAturst. Alice is studying environmental science of Uni of NSW, and Sophie is a 'rookie' nurse at Bathurst. Both were so refreshingly full of spirit and vibrance. And excitedly share that they have lined up a community gardening day the next day if I would like to join them.
Well, that put paid to making it to Heartland retreat - something I"d been chewing over anyway - so I said YES, and next day we set off.
I ahve to say Bellingen was so lovely, I awoke before them next day, and went for a walk. All the locals greeted me with a 'good morning!! have a great day"... so exuberant and friendly. The rainforested mountains in teh distance, the river running through it, adn the sleepy litl ehouses... the green pastures with curious cows, and just beautiful beautiful peaceful place.
The cafe in town tells me tey have a 'transition town cafe' project underway, looking at how the town can skill itself up for sustainability in light of peak oil and all the rest. This is a forwad thinking town!!
WEll, at the community garden - where i met four of the eight families sharing the plot, met the most wonderful wonderful souls. They are all looking to pilot the community garden to Council, in hope that it creates a model for council to provide community plots in future. They have all sorts of veggies growing. One of the participants is the local TAFE organic farming teacher. The other couple are testing out their biodynamic preparation. WE got to help them stir it and spread it around. It was like homeopathic drops for plants!!! Such a beautiful day.
WE also met Fiona, a vibrant woman, who was right into the whole thing. We hit it off as she has read Anastasia!! She lives in a timber yert on the hill (compliments of Goulburn Yert Works), she promies to take me up there later in the day.
She also put Alice in contact with Nell, and drove us up late rin the day to meet this dynamo of a 70 plus year old woman. Who had the most incredible garden and orchard you could imagine. She was just amazing. Alice decides to go and WWOOF for her (willing worker on organic farm) when Sophie heads off the following tuesday.
What a community! fiona goes on to tell me about the solar energy project they have got running - a neighbourhoood of people putting solar panels on their house . .They are pioneering the project, and got the price down from $3,500 to $895! Amazing.
What a first day on my travels!! Could not have asked for a more nurturing and engaging start to my travels.
The temperatures however have definitely chickened me into the warmth and cosiness of a timber roof over my head, and a big comfy bed instead!!
I set off from The Vibe and Paul on Saturday, to many tears and also excitement of what lay ahead. It was like breaking an umbilical cord. My planned destination was Byron Bay - ahead of a a subsequent 4.5 hour drive to Heartland Retreat in Gympie (i'd booked in for 5 days of healing and cleansing and retreat).
Well, having cried my way in between happily singing my heart out to first, Robbie Williams, then Abba and then as approaching Bellingen - Elton, well, my vocal cords were well oiled and very happy.
After six plus hours of driving, and it being a little late in the day, I just couldn't bear watching Bellingen go by - Cate's Robb talks so highly about it as a possible place to take our retreat ... I decided to go there. I'd also heard that the YHA was a fantastic spot (voted best backpackers in Australia).
They first told me there were no others booked in the hostel that night, so i figured i'd get a dorm room to myself. It wasn't to be, and these two gorgeous young early 20s girls came in. They were school friends from BAturst. Alice is studying environmental science of Uni of NSW, and Sophie is a 'rookie' nurse at Bathurst. Both were so refreshingly full of spirit and vibrance. And excitedly share that they have lined up a community gardening day the next day if I would like to join them.
Well, that put paid to making it to Heartland retreat - something I"d been chewing over anyway - so I said YES, and next day we set off.
I ahve to say Bellingen was so lovely, I awoke before them next day, and went for a walk. All the locals greeted me with a 'good morning!! have a great day"... so exuberant and friendly. The rainforested mountains in teh distance, the river running through it, adn the sleepy litl ehouses... the green pastures with curious cows, and just beautiful beautiful peaceful place.
The cafe in town tells me tey have a 'transition town cafe' project underway, looking at how the town can skill itself up for sustainability in light of peak oil and all the rest. This is a forwad thinking town!!
WEll, at the community garden - where i met four of the eight families sharing the plot, met the most wonderful wonderful souls. They are all looking to pilot the community garden to Council, in hope that it creates a model for council to provide community plots in future. They have all sorts of veggies growing. One of the participants is the local TAFE organic farming teacher. The other couple are testing out their biodynamic preparation. WE got to help them stir it and spread it around. It was like homeopathic drops for plants!!! Such a beautiful day.
WE also met Fiona, a vibrant woman, who was right into the whole thing. We hit it off as she has read Anastasia!! She lives in a timber yert on the hill (compliments of Goulburn Yert Works), she promies to take me up there later in the day.
She also put Alice in contact with Nell, and drove us up late rin the day to meet this dynamo of a 70 plus year old woman. Who had the most incredible garden and orchard you could imagine. She was just amazing. Alice decides to go and WWOOF for her (willing worker on organic farm) when Sophie heads off the following tuesday.
What a community! fiona goes on to tell me about the solar energy project they have got running - a neighbourhoood of people putting solar panels on their house . .They are pioneering the project, and got the price down from $3,500 to $895! Amazing.
What a first day on my travels!! Could not have asked for a more nurturing and engaging start to my travels.
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