A Time to Take Stock

Just a little taking stock post today. Thanks as always to Pip from Meet Me At Mikes for the prompts for these posts. Life has been, shall we say, turned on it's head somewhat in my neck of the woods lately. I have been running non-stop just dealing with the day to day jobs that need to be done, and I've not paused for too long to actually sit and look at my life, as it is night now. Maybe it's time.

Making: gardens, garden beds and pretty outside spaces. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Morning tea and afternoon tea. Coffee's and bubacino's. Little bracelets for my little crystal shop. The best use of the evening light, while it's still here.

Cooking: lots of healthy and hearty and nurturing meals based around produce from the garden. Which pleases me no end as I wasn't expecting anything much in the way of produce from this garden, first time around. Not after getting off to a slow start. But it's all come good.

Drinking: less tea than usual. Still hooked on my one coffee a day. And lots of water. 

Reading: a book called 'The Art Of Belonging' by Hugh Mackay. With a title like that, how could I not pick it up. There is so much food for thought in this book, keep an eye out for a little review (not a proper book review, just a little ramble about it really) in a week or two.

Feeling: pretty good, really. Life has changed in ways I never wanted it to, and somehow I am finding my way with all the grace I can muster. And it's going pretty well, considering, and I am feeling pretty good, considering.

Deciding: to be fully present in the moment. To not dwell on what has happened in the past. To not look too far into the future. Just being here, right now, with life as it is, and doing what needs to be done. And being so grateful to have my little boy by my side.

Enjoying: the warm March days. Although some rain would be good (when wouldn't it!), I am making the most of the weather at the moment - deliciously warm sunny day after sunny day. The sort of warmth that you can go out and enjoy. Pure autumn bliss.

Waiting: not waiting for anything. Everything comes in it's own time, and to be 'waiting' for something strikes me as being not fully present. The things in the future, they will come when they're ready and I'm not waiting for any of it. I'm living for now.

Liking: the lavenders I planted around the clothes line. They are pretty, so pretty, and they smell lovely. And when they grow bigger, I don't mind at all if the sheets brush up against them, because then they will smell lovely too.

Loving: that I'm back on the reiki wagon, after falling off (hey, parenting makes you fall of lots of wagons doesn't it?). I'm getting a daily practice, no matter what, at the moment and I am a better person for it. This comes about after doing my Reiki II certificate a month ago, which was an amazing experience.

Pondering: what to plant in the garden, when I pull out the tomatoes. Which I plan to do as soon as we get some rain (if I can wait that long). They're right in the prime spot in the garden, outside the lounge room and I'm not sure what to put in. It will probably end up being broad beans, for now.

Considering: all my options, right now. All of them. 

Watching: the garden take shape and form, as I work and work and work at it. I want to at least have some structure to it before winter comes, and slowly I work on this bit and that bit, and somehow, it is coming together, just right.

Hoping: that the crystal man will be at the Talbot market tomorrow, as I saw a lovely green obsidian he had at our town market last weekend, and I think I would like to buy it. I reckon he'll be there. The regulars are always there.  

Marvelling: that Jock came home. My little dog, who has been with me for so many years, but who we re-homed after I lost the baby. He came home. I'm happy he's home. I think he's happy to be home too. William is happy that he's home. 

Needing: about 5 more hours in every day, so I can get done all the things I want to get done, and still get to bed at a reasonable hour!

Smelling: freshly planted lavender. And freshly planted pittosporums. I adore the smell of pittosporums, I have always had some growing, either in the ground or in a pot, for years now. I've just planted out a row for a hedge and already I'm happy, the smell just holds good memories for me.

Wearing: my hair up high. New pants from the op shop in Port Fairy. Singlets. Crystals. 

Following: some new accounts on Instagram. Yes, I got myself an Instagram account again, after I made such a fuss about closing down my old one. So it goes. See, it's totally shop related, and that is all (@thelittlecrystalshop if you're interested). And being inspired by some very crafty and clever people. 

Noticing: my not-quite-two-year-old speak in full sentences. He just amazes me every day, with the things he knows and what he does. He's definitely got this talking thing sorted.

Knowing: that somehow, all is well, all is as it should be, and that I must have faith in the ebbs and flows of life. For this, too, shall pass.

Thinking: that on Sunday, I will give myself a day off from everything other than the essentials. And I will take my little boy to the market and hopefully find the treasures we want and need, and eat some yummy food. And that I deserve a relaxing bath. Because that is what Sunday is for.

Feeling: the warmth from the sun on sheets and towels as I fold them after being on the line. I made my little boy's bed with freshly washed sheets, and they were still warm from the sun as I tucked them around his bed. Beautiful.

Sorting: space in the house. Always, always sorting space in the house! The joy of having very little storage space. Finding space to keep my shop crystals, and all the associated bits, away from our everyday things. Carving out a little space that I hope will one day blossom into a full blown studio. 

Buying: a new kettle. After months of have a kettle that was a bit broken, but still functional. And then it finally became a bit too broken to use, so I was boiling water on the stove. Because finding a new kettle was just one more thing to do and I did not have the time. And now - new kettle. It feels like such a luxury!

Disliking: the chooks having a dust bath around my new lavender plantings around the clothes line. They don't even bother to move when I shoo them away any more, they just look at me. I have pretty much given up. 

Giggling: at my darling little boy, who has claimed ownership of the old broken kettle. It is now outside, packed full of tomatoes, acorns and dirt. He has been having a blast playing with it. Of course, kids love to imitate, don't they? He has been making pretend cups of tea with his Nana and I'm not sure what he's making with the acorns. It doesn't matter anyway, he's having fun.

Snacking: on cheese and crackers. We love our cheese in this house. Most evenings I snack on some cheese, and like clockwork, Motley the cat appears from nowhere for her cheese. Of course I always giver her some cheese. We love our cheese.

Dreaming: of having a studio space to call my own. To make pretty things, and take pretty photographs and tap away at my macbook. And a little room in which to practice reiki. That would be pretty nice, I think.

Hearing: the sound of the wind rustling in the trees outside. And waiting for the sound to turn to rain, but I don't think it's going to happen. Not just yet. And a truck driving, somewhere up on a main road. And the low rumble of a train. Who says living in the country is quiet?

You know, I write these posts every now and then, and I always get caught out thinking it will be an easy post to write. I actually find them the hardest posts to write, of all, and I labour over them for hours. I don't know why.