a farmer's wife

this blog reflects the experiences of a fledgling farm wife. and i am now officially a farmer's wife! will write more once home - in singapore on the free internet at the airport so not the ultimate blogging location. the day went fabulously and we hope that we share many more visits with the people who travelled in for the occasion. we have just had some serious tropical time, with 3 weeks in thailand. back to perth tonight, and off to the farm soon. photos soon.

new year's resolutions

I read this in a meditation today. Considering my new year's resolution was to try to be better at remembering and recognising people's birthdays, I thought it was brilliant.

Birthdays are so important. On our birthdays we celebrate being alive. On our birthdays people can say to us, "Thank you for being!" Birthday presents are signs of our families' and friends' joy that we are part of their lives. Little children often look forward to their birthdays for months. Their birthdays are their big days, when they are the center of attention and all their friends come to celebrate.We should never forget our birthdays or the birthdays of those who are close to us. Birthdays keep us childlike. They remind us that what is important is not what we do or accomplish, not what we have or who we know, but that we are, here and now. On birthdays let us be grateful for the gift of life.

If you are my friend and you have a birthday, I will be getting in touch soon to write you in my calendar.

sorry

today we, or at least the government, said sorry. and i was teary with happiness. about time - as kevin said, we can be slow sometimes. he has gone up in my estimations.
may i continue this year in sensitivity to the things i need to say sorry for.

the sunday times

oh how the mighty have fallen. there once was a time when the australian was the only paper for me. living 45 minutes from the nearest purveyor of newspapers, i am now reduced to asking people, yes actually asking, to buy the sunday times for me if someone dashes into town. while i know i am going to be disappointed, there's something about a cuppa and the rustle of newsprint that i am looking forward to tomorrow at about morning tea time.

never put pickle in vegemite jars

i have just this instant learnt: never pour hot zucchini pickle into vegemite jars. while i'm sure you can guess what happened i will tell you that while tim was holding the jar, it shattered in his hands. shame steph alexander forgot to mention the above heading when explaining her zucchini pickle. crisis averted and i have 3 other jars of zucchini pickle in the fridge.

in other news...i find myself addicted to other people's blogs and procrastinating my own. i need to be more disciplined as this is proving an effective way to give voice to this newish farm wife life. heading to the big smoke this coming week for some much needed girlfriend time and general being together. while it feels like life moves slowly in such a remote location, i do learn such lessons every day, and i would like to document my shift from driven career woman to something else (as seems to be happening). will let you know what that turns out to be.

this esperance summer

If I had a digital camera that worked, I would take a picture of the view out the window. It has been overcast and drizzly all weekend. It is good for the garden, I keep thinking! Good weekend home produce wise - 7 eggs today and many capsicums ripening on my plants!! While the grasshoppers have made the vegie patch their home, the capsicums, tomatoes a nd sunflowers have survived.
Have just spent the weekend off the farm, and it has done a world of good to my state of mind. Things are still ticking along for the wedding, and it is now 41 sleeps. i had intended to write a blog entry as soon as I got home to express my rage at the poor service at most food shops in Esperance - but it is interesting what time and space do to priorities. Suffice to say that the Turkish shop in town ran out of bread to wrap around kebabs by 8pm....
Tim is spreading clay at the moment, and I have just been to get a load of flat rocks in lieu of slabs for the garden. Hope summer is treating you well wherever you are.

mornings and evenings

"It is difficult to accept that life is difficult; that love is not easy and that doubt and struggle, sufering and failure, are inevitable for each and every one of us. We seek life's ease. We yearn for joy and release, for flowers and sun. And although we may find these in abundance we also find ourselves lying awake at night possessed by the terrible fear that life is impossible...Nature however requires that we have the darkness of our painful feelings and that we respect it and make a bold place for it in our lives. Without its recognition and acceptance there can be no true sense of life's great depth, wherein lies our capacity to love, create and make meaning...Nature requires that we be soulful and therefore require a dimension within us where darkness and light may meet and know each other. Mornings and evenings somewhere inside, with similar qualities to the mornings and the evenings of the earth.."
Michael Leunig always comes along just when i need him. This is something I read that helps me remember that everything belongs. I am on countdown to the wedding and looking forward to the rich time with friends that is approaching. Here's to the coexistence of mornings and evenings.