Meditating on meditation

I have always had an interest in meditation but I have never been very good at it. Perhaps I am missing the point? You're not supposed to 'be good' at meditation, are you? It's about the journey. What I mean is, I have never found a great sense of calm or peace in it. Now, more than ever, I would like to find that sense. I think it would be lovely to have a 'quiet place' to go to every day. Does anyone else meditate and if so, do you have a favourite practice?

Winnie Pooh

I discovered this yesterday on You Tube - a 60s Russian version of Winnie the Pooh. I have no idea if the subtitles are accurate but I just love the look of it - the colours, the different style of Pooh and of course his little song with the affirmative 'Da!' at the end. Beautiful stuff!

There's an App for that

As much as I love my blogs, email, Facebook and Etsy, I sometimes get a little teched out. Do you? So today's cartoon from Harold's Planet seemed very appropriate!

Springy Sunday Sunshine!

Apparently Sunday was the first day we have had over 20 degrees celsius for something like 100 days!

Spring and Autumn

Wishing everyone a lovely Spring or Autumn Equinox, Ostara or Mabon, depending upon where you are in the world ~ but joined together by the beautiful story of Persephone and Demeter.

Of David Bowie and Fairy Tales

David Bowie has been my soundtrack this last day or so as I've been having a little burst of creative energy - doing some writing and making some new cards. I especially love this song - "The Man who Sold the World". I was hoping to find an original 70s clip of it but this one is pretty good anyway. I had no idea either that Nirvana (another fave of mine) had done a version. So here they are :) Love that opening guitar riff!

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I am also reading The Fairy Tale Series of books which are adult rewritings of traditional fairy tales. Tam Lin by Pamela Dean is my favourite book ever and I found Briar Rose by Jane Yolen and Fitcher's Brides by Gregory Frost in the thrift shop yesterday. I love the surreal world of fairy tales so I am thoroughly enjoying these. Do you have a favourite fairy tale?

Bits and Pieces

I am reading Untangling my Chopsticks by Victoria Abbott Riccardi at the moment and really enjoying it. She went to Kyoto in the 80s to learn a specific style of cooking associated with the tea ceremony. We were in Japan in 2008 and I just loved it. So beautiful - especially Kyoto.

So I am keenly interested once more in all things Japanese. We are hoping to get back to Japan later this year on a mini-break (it's only about 10 hours from Australia) and this time I want to go prepared! I doubt very much that I would ever become fluent, but I have just bought Japanese for Busy People at the thrift shop, so perhaps one or two phrases might eventually embed in the brain cells! I also found a Japanese cookbook so if I master anything out of that, I'll show you. Has anyone else been to Japan?

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I have to say Blogger is being a bit naughty loading photos at the moment. Or perhaps it is my computer? Is anyone else having problems?

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On the David Attenborough documentary Life, there is footage of the Yemeni island archipelago in the Arabian Sea - Socotra. So beautiful! Apparently much of the flora and fauna there is found nowhere else on Earth. And one island is not inhabited at all. I loved the Dragon's Blood trees which reminded me so much of the Baobabs in The Little Prince. Has anyone else heard of Socotra? Or, better yet, been there?