Scrumptious

There's something quite special about this November.The weather has been exceptionally beautiful, gorgeous blue skies during wonderful crisp Autumnal days. But as December beckons, Winter has truly arrived. . The abundant snow which has almost brought many counties to a freezing halt has abstained from our little corner of the world. In much celebration here in the South East we're enjoying blue skies.The morning frosts are absolutely scrumptious. Glistening as if every plant & tree has been hand pained perfectly with  as dusting of snow, the lawn crunching beneath our feet as we enjoy our Morning walk.We're having our  'Christmas Festivities'  early this year,  the 2nd weekend of December will be our Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day .. not only is it the only time family & friends can be altogether but we're off to tour the Middle East for the Seasonal Holidays.   Consequently I'm a few weeks ahead of most in my mind, preparing in advance gifts for loved ones, baking & cooking, freezing & marinating already. All reminding me of the great many luxuries we all enjoy, the freedom we have & the love surrounding - embracing out lives. With heartfelt gratitude I am so grateful for the gifts I can share, for the meals I can prepare & cook for all guests. There's something quite sacred & scrumptious about delicious food painstakingly prepared, cooked then lovingly shared with loved ones.  For all we share, for all we have I am eternally grateful.  This year's ending will be one most worthy of celebrating . We've all had a tough journey, extreme stress, grief, bereavements, ailments & illness. So it is with great respect I raise a toast to all those who too have endured a tough old time. Raise my glass to those greatly loved and sorely missed, those who no longer reside this earth, to those who no longer are able to come to our home or share life's days,  to all those who tread the long lonely path conquering cancer or any other debilitating illness, to all those isolated in the dark lonely corridors of depression & fear. Hoping they too can discover within their hearts & Souls' the ultimate only true alternative paths to tread. 
A path of consciousness, a deeper understanding & acceptance - a surrender to life's language, a deep knowing within that without those depths we would merely flirt with life's superficial qualities. How can we ever know such  true joys, authenticity, appreciation, security, trust, kindness, love & gratitude if we have no comparisons of their counterparts.  A route where all people in our lives bring us gifts for our Soul's authenticity. Times when we learn so much from all people, even those, especially those who cause great pain. Its easy to love those who make us happy. Its enlightening, liberating & awakening to unconditionally love all.  So I raise my glass, offer a toast to welcome in another New Year, a toast to be thankful for all lessons learnt from both exquisite experiences &  enduring ones.  A toast to wish good health & good cheer to all for the upcoming year. Abundant Blessings to All,  With Much Love  xXx

Inspirational Indulgence

It was nearly 6am, almost time to to walk the wee pup as I turned over in my cosy bed just one more snuggle I thought. Distracted from my slumber  I saw an unusual bolt of bright light shining through the slightly opened doorway, for a moment puzzled I wondered if my daughter was ok, why would she be up so early, could she be poorly.  Intrigued I crept out of bed opened the door & followed the trail of light. Awesome, much to my surprise & delight the amazing illumination came not from my daughter's bedroom light but from the glorious full moon, placed so low, so perfectly positioned  in the darkness before dawn sky its path of light blazed straight through our landing window.  How fortunate to witness such an amazing sight. Yet, within a few seconds the clouds rolled on by concealing the vision of loveliness - all trace of such a spectacular moon vanished. 

Inspired I thought I'd capture, continue the sky gazing armed with camera walking the pup  - but not to be -  to capture all splendour of the moon at dawn hijacked as the sunrise commenced, the darkness disappeared when morning arrived in all her grandeur. The sky again is beautifully clear & azure blue. We're so lucky to have such a glorious November. Every morning is a celebration, a joyous thanksgiving of all Nature's masterpieces. Every day a journey throughout the familiar, peaceful, constant yet elusive companion of time. So much to do, so many people to see, so many places to be - the daily grind, the rat race yet time itself seems only to ask for great honour.

So it is with great honour & respect I shall indulge, bathe in the inspirational ebb & flow of time - each & every moment acknowledged. How blessed we are to know & enjoy such freedom with much pleasure. One world yet in so many different places, so many of us have such different lives, living such varying perspectives from the sublime to the extreme opposite. Still I sit & wonder, sometimes I wonder why,  often I wonder why I wonder of course which ultimately becomes I wonder why I wonder why ... at that moment I just become the moment & just sit - with love - embracing life. Loving the natural wonders.

Empathy

We humans are flesh & spirit in union - entwined together by the fibres of love, courage & wisdom. Many whispering dreams awaken within our selves, many hopes to guide us towards our purpose, hopes & dreams which can come true if only we have the courage to pursue them. Thus 'Trust' in our instinct & intuition is a most significant  wonderful companion.  Yet between friends,  kindness is the manifestation of inner strength & heartfelt resolutions. When 'Life' ought to be considered a crusade of constant desire toward exquisite joys & wondrous adventures, whose nobility will fertilise & nourish the Soul. Here's to exquisite joys, simplicity of contentment & the joys of loving during this wildly wondrous adventure we know as life.  Especially when some days are harder than others, when we draw breath & just be .  Remembering the quickest access to our authenticity / truth, (and also to beauty) is when you are totally intimate with all of experience, the inner and the outer, the depths & heights. Even if the experience isn't  what we logically comprehend as "good" it accesses a cherished jewel within our Soul.  When being intimate with the whole of experience, the divided mind has to let go of whatever its project is at the moment. Whether the qualities of the experience are unpleasant or beautiful, as soon as you are intimate with the whole of experience, there is openness... and whatever is happening tends to resolve itself . To consider the outcome or host expectation is to wholly limit the mystery. Embrace the mysteries :)

Some days I forget I belong to the Universe as an integral part of the whole, and the Universe is an integral part of my wholeness.  During such disconnected moments in isolation to have purpose, find a sense of belonging, host gentle, tender loving caring regard & respect for each & every moment with its accompanying guidance is enough to bring light & hope.  Always finding the highest possible outcome of all situations. Retaining the intention to be a bringer of hope, with love & kindness no matter what! Sometimes we forget we can still bring & give even when we would like to take or receive. Just to share Abundant Blessings should any of you be having a tough - enduring lesson to learn from - time, when trying hard to believe somewhere, somehow you belong .. sending a huge hug wrapped in love xXx  

Intoxicatingly Sensuous

Sloe Berry

As me & the endlessly happy hound  walked our usual little Dawn break march, the frost crumpling beneath my feet - which were absolutely gorgeous and warm thanks to my new fur lined short wellies :) ooh how the simple things in life fill me with such pleasures - the heavy widespread frost reminded me the remaining Sloe's would be perfect for picking. Later this afternoon we shall go Sloe Berry picking again, also must retrieve the  Sloe Gin recipes. Mmmm today it seems will become a day of home creativity ..  lots of baking to do, some work between then into brewing, clearing, cleaning & cooking. Although the bread is almost done, we're having mixed seed loaf which already smells absolutely delicious - will be even more tasty toasted. There's nothing quite like the smell of fragrant bread baking .. well except maybe the accompanying coffee and the constant, gorgeous smell of log fires.  Our senses are such incredible luxurious necessities, forever I am grateful to have all... common sense being perhaps the most significant one too ha ha. 
Wow, just looking out of the window - the gateway to elsewhere - the wondrous canopy we know as the sky stretches far - it's absolutely gorgeously clear and divine hues of blue,  still feels very cold  but thankfully its dry which is wonderful. Perfect views this morning, about 45 miles of panoramic beauty. After 21 years of living here upon the hill, still I adore each & every moment & never a moment the same. Transfixed, the sky is my heaven - my sanctuary & a constant source of inspiration. I am fascinated by clouds, love cloud formations, adore the forever changing weather fronts & of course the broad perspectives. I truly can't ever imagine living in a valley looking beyond the tree tops has been my view for so long now - blessed is life.  Brrrrr,  the heavy frost means the car windscreens are frozen. Right now bless, our daughter's little finger tips will be frozen too - defrosting her little car before leaving for school. How the years fly by - it doesn't seem two seconds since she would sit in the car all wrapped up, wearing her favourite pompom hat & soft scarf, her little coat & fur lined boots & a blanket watching me scrape the ice from the windscreen. Each & every moment a moment of creation, never to be repeated only reclaimed in memories. How many times she would hear me whisper, "keep it simple - just be the best you can be Darling, just do the very best you can & all else will be as its meant to be"  (best according to her gauge not any others - no ego 'best' only authenticity :)  There are so many things we wish to share with our children, but I live very much here & now, the past I learn from but don't hold onto & the future, ultimately  I suppose I contribute to creating in every moment of my choices - but many other ingredients merge to make the mixture of life, destiny & purpose ..  it kinda looks after itself.  Its all so very intoxicating. Life - Love - Living - Being & Doing .. all with love, kindness & celebrations ..   so if there's anything I hope, of all the things in life I could share with her,  that simplicity is the philosophy I hope she will most remember & adhere to.   Being in the moment & choice is the most important quality we have.  Oooh talking of being in the moment & making the most of it,  must whizz the bread's done!! As the Sloes are ripe & ready to be picked I must ensure the gin awaits its rich flavouring.  First though, a long delicious mocha coffee with some freshly toasted bread. Oh what simple joys.

Expression

Radiant Inner Beauty

There's something so beautiful about the early morning light slowly illuminating our rooms. Living high upon the hill, we've never needed to close any of our curtains. The dawn softness is a comfy blanket, especially at weekends when we lie all snuggly cosy and warm, just watching the sky & the clouds roll on by.  Bliss.  The soft light compliments my Hubby's sleeping, beauuoootiful handsome face. Angelic & serene. Reclined next to him, I hear his constant breath, watch his familiar face. Smiling to myself, remembering a conversation a while back when he was in a similar stance looking at me. " You have a new wrinkle" he whispered. Both laughing, we traced, with our respective fingers, this new addition to my face. Smiling as only weeks earlier I'd observed and said the same to him. We smile, laugh & pay no attention to the visual aspects, but there's something sooo beautiful, so warming and so comforting that together we have shared every crease, dimple, wrinkle & frown for the last 21 years. Something so endearingly nourishing. The feelings fill me pride, we've done so well, against so many adversities but thats many other stories, my intention is to share the thoughts rising from such feelings.

Working in Dubai last year, only for 5 months, but during that time my eyes were opened wide to the very many totally opposite facets of my normal living & life. An enjoyable, fascinating time & a most wonderful experience but, one of the many things I observed was so many of the ladies there indulged in cosmetic enhancement. Injections into their cheeks, their lips, their eyes & wherever any plumping, filling, straightening or smoothing they thought were needed. Sitting amongst  a small group of ladies one evening, the whole conversation contained comparative details of injection amounts, which Dr did what & who was best at this & thats & the other. I was the only one present who had never (& would never, never ever  have)  had any kind of external unnatural substance injection internally into my body to improve my appearance.  My approval of wrinkles seemed gross & incomprehensible to their minds.  Equally my approval or understanding of any injections to remove each & every beautiful line, crease, wrinkle in any ones face is abhorrently incomprehensible to me.

Rays of Laughter

If for a moment we consider our heart is the organ of perception, we are able, have the capacity to love so unconditionally, endlessly & abundantly. Our face, often the outward expression of such loving, emotions & feelings. A very personal tangible map of life, every route & journey etched with lines of wisdom & experience, the softness of the ageing process very visible. Often many so called proverbial  ugly ducklings become naturally  beautiful as the maturing years soften all features. There's so much more to the face than just how it appears.  The fluidity of expression, the movement & spontaneous mannerisms captured in a smirk, twinkling eyes with a host of laughter lines. Unspoken language all of its own. We're naturally brilliant at reading people's nature, their whole lives stand before us in fine details,  their compassionate nature acknowledged all in a 3 second glimpse.  Why would anyone want to remove Natures miracle & perfection, we - just as wine does - mature, ripen  & season.  We too mellow with great improvement.  Give me a face full of life, a map of all they are, where they've been - a front of authenticity, a visual face - page of truth & purity. Give me laughter lines, love lines, frown lines, anxiety lines - give me wrinkles & dimples  - squishy soft flexible mouth - give me expression, reflection & truth of the life lived. Give me the wrinkles & spontaneous smile bursting into a zillion laughter lines any day.

Rays of Sunshine

To meet another's true authentic face with beauoootiful lines, creases or  wrinkles is to meet the Mind, Heart, Body & Soul's expression of miraculous creative wonderment. The map of life & all its diversions & journeys.  We are evolving miracles, age should be revered, each & every etching celebrated. The most wonderful process in life, a creative masterpiece yet many can't recognise its natural magnificence in all its splendour & brilliance. There's a childlike beauty about freedom of expression, its light & illumination, authenticity & warmth. Its contagious - when you see a child laugh we all laugh, often just at the very expression. Imagine filling any part of a child's face with silicone plastics so it didn't crease or wrinkle just so they looked beautiful!! To me all children, all adults look so naturally beautiful when their eyes are bright, curious & warm - their face full of expression, laughter lines & a smile.
Here's to discovering many more laughter lines & wrinkles :) Ageing is simply beautiful. Enjoy the process, embrace each & every crease or wrinkle.

Unseen Untruths

November is such a cyclic wonderment. When the rich, dark Earth prepares for a time of gestation. Seeds in such darkness, quietness & isolation prepared for all yet to become. A doorway to such a natural sacred sanctorum, beyond the doorway lies the deep caverns of our Earth  - a Mother's womb - a creative abyss from which grows all that is intuitive , contemplative & nourishing.  The ritual fires & bonfires which cathartically  seem to burn away all images of the passing old year.
Always my body, mind & Souls' so intricately entwined with Mother Natures seasons & celebrations. There's something quite necessary about outer external darkness needing such time for still, peaceful, quiet, dark nourishment within.  As the glorious sunlight of Summer fades to distant shores, Winter is a time for internal light to bring warmth & illumination. Time for reflection, rejuvenation & restoration.
We merge into the natural comfort phase, when each of use come to realise  the process of changes, each knowing beginnings, each knowing endings - with every turn of the yearly cyclic wheel brings birth and death.
Every breath we take a reminder of such blessed newness in every moment.
During November, when the seeds within the Earth lay dormant - alone - awaiting - I acknowledge and cherish that we too must use this time for nourishing within. I understand the deep strength of purpose, the seed knows not of loneliness but of faith. Being alone is quite different - when we retreat to our time of great internal nourishment, to our inner sacred temple - to find light & warmth - as our inner wellness bubbles over and the more we share in light & love the more we have.
From You I receive, to You I give Together we share - from this we live. As the leaves fall, surrendering their life to the Earth - I too move my attentions from my outward stance to my inner Buddha nature. In this Season of stillness enter the sacred temple of inner knowing. Prepare for Winters initiation  to cleanse my heart & mind, strip away all that stands between me & the source of all. To slow life's pace and just be the harmony to Novembers song ... a melody played throughout our hearts.

As we become the song.  Time to sit and stare at burning logs, raindrops on a leaf, frosts upon the lawns. In all things we find our own image of time & timelessness. In the flickering flames deep primal inner voices whisper the Nature's nourishing songs within.

Pilgrimage

‎"They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them . . To the end, to the end, they remain"

   11th hour, 11th day, 11th month

 . . . silent in memory with greatest respect.  .  .  .  my heart so full of eternal gratitude and love.  

I have freedoms, choices & a life so very different to how it all could've been. 

For my life, my freedom & all choices I have .. Thank you.


Peace & love, kindness & compassion is the path . .  with honour respect thy neighbour. .
 with love make a difference. Give easily, without hesitation, bring warmth, light & hope.

Awaken

At the crack of dawn we're walking amongst the almost frost like heavy dew. Dawn kissed jewels sparkling. Forging a wonderful swirl of patterns with each & every step we take, weaving trails through the otherwise unspoilt blanket of moist morning perfection.  The black leaves changing slowly to their true magnificent colours of Autumn. Embracing & being part of such gentle ambient light,  I too am awakening slowly, its such a nourishing peacefully beautiful start to the day. A trace of last nights fireworks very slightly still clings to the air - only just mind you in comparison to yesterdays all encompassing bonfire & fireworks fragrance. This morning, mostly my sense of smell became distracted by a wonderful sense of feeling, a sense of being as the frosty, bitingly  cold air wrapped & clung to my warm cheeks. So much so it made me smile, how  wonderful to feel such cold yet be so snug & warm from the inside out. How amazing our bodies are in regulating our temperature.  As I walked and puppy played I was contemplating the inner & outer harmony, somehow which drifted into the love of friendships which spilled into families & onto neighbours exploding into contemplation; communities, counties & countries. My observations were very simple,  yet thinking about the consequences of implementing such simplicity into daily lives everywhere actually could be quite significant. so I shall share this thought & maybe actions of trials & tests will proceed.

I was thinking how important it is to give (as opposed to receive)- to bring (as opposed to taking) .. .  It is in all that you give, all that you bring to any exchange/relationship - in kindness with love - which makes all the difference.  During many conversations, I've noticed so many discuss, seeming only  to notice all that is received or moan about what is not received, all that can be taken from any situation or relationship. Ah, that delicious word again 'Expectations'.   Yet, how wonderful if, with love, we could all detach wholly from all expectations! Live our days just to 'Give with all of our hearts the kindness and compassion to any & every relationship without ever the need to receive'.  I wonder how different many relationships would be, curiously I then wonder how many hearts would heal just by the simple acts of giving - sharing & showing kindness - when our breath & time is used only to bring light. All changes externally triggered from within. What a beautiful thought - taking it a step further -  how during our educational years - if we can teach our children the value of doing & being as opposed to self serving wanting & expecting what a glorious vision towards to the feeling of communities 'belonging' together,  how beautifully all would be created.

Then all wishful thinking reminded me of the lovely song John Mellencamp wrote & I thought today, maybe is a day for many such dreams as we tread through the heavy dews of November, carving our path throughout humanity in our own little corner of the world.  Make a difference, give wholeheartedly, share compassionately in every exchange 'be the difference', to bring light & transformation simply with all we are, all we can be & all we bring. With Love xXx 

Save Some Time To Dream

Save some time to dream
Save some time for yourself
Don’t let your time slip away
Or be stolen by somebody else
Save some time for those you love
For they’ll remember what you gave
Save some time for the songs you sing
And the music that you’ve made

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there’s nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
‘Cause your dream could save us all

Save some time for sorrow
Cause it will surely come your way
Prepare yourself for failure
It will give you strength some day
Try to keep your mind open
And accept your mistakes
Save some time for living
And always question your faith

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there’s nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
‘Cause your dream might save us all

Cast your eyes up to heaven
Oh what does that mean to you
Try not to be too judgmental
So others will not judge you
Save some time to think
Oh before you speak your mind
Many will not understand
And to them you must to be kind

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there’s nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
‘Cause your dream might save us all

Oh yeah
Your dream might save us all

Interpretation

Often tis only through adventures that some truly succeed to find oneself- in knowing themselves. Uncharted realms revealing its many discoveries & stories one moment at a time - an adventure of the Soul is the pursuit of life's expression xXx

This too will pass

No matter where we are, no matter what each & everyone of us are doing, in some way its the adventure which will bring us home to that place within, where we find no other but our own counsel, faith & trust.  Yesterday our daughter was somehow trying to prepare for her day in London where she was to share a 4 hour seminar,  an impersonal room in which she will listen to the most personal memories from  a Holocaust survivor.   Next week her 'education' takes her to Poland to visit Auschwitz, during this logical educational reasonable part of the intellect expansion, which will perhaps at times try to make the incomprehensible comprehensible. I am attempting to find the appropriate balance within the words used when I try to teach her, somehow, someway remind her to explore, to try wholeheartedly to share with her to find the 'value' of such an atrocity, persecution & genocide.  Somehow someway try to utilise all they experienced into all she experiences - in turn to then translate within, to ultimately share within this generation within her Soul.  As the values of such History & experiences must be grasped. This generation must remember, must be aware & know the extremities of all humankind.   To transcend & transform - to utilise with great respect, honour & wisdom the knowledge - to take all forward - to share - to always always remember we have 'choice'. We choose to learn or we choose to ignore. Its so easy to 'hate' so easy to condemn - yet its so significant that we as a conscious whole that we find 'love' & all its expressions.  
All experiences bring gifts to all growth, to our paths & journey. Such atrocities will certainly ignite depths of feelings never known before ..  hopefully from them the importance of compassion & empathy .. when great love overflows .. love is always the only way forward especially when its greatest counterparts are truly being challenged. When we have to endure great loss, suffering & persecution it is then we have to dig so deep, in such darkened depths to find the light, the strength - the courage & the wisdom to find Love's greatest act of response - forgiveness & kindness.  
To forgive the unforgivable acts we create a future based on compassion, love & hope.  Knowing energy wise - what happens to one, touches another .. no such thing as an observer ..  we each create a legacy to remain for those yet to be born. What is our choice will be their inheritance.  Its fascinating how the generational experiences entwine timeless - yet full of value in the present. We learn so much from each other  yet so many forget this, we all infinitely belong to one another. Blessed with Love is the one route we can all choose, aspire to journey. Love can change many things & create much.  So yes, you - me - them - us - all adventurers & adventures are held close in prayer, as the adventure is life's expression from which we transcend to become our purpose. .. however - wherever that may be .. in the garden, the home, the workplace. All equally as significant.  
The amusing facet of this particular daily adventure  for our daughter, is when she listened to the Holocaust survivor sharing the depths & realms of his story,  the huge inconvenience of the Tube strike, for a few minutes in her day, will indeed fade into the welcomed world of wonderful insignificance in the grand scheme of things.

'Perspectives' - in many wondrous ways will broaden today thats for sure!
xXx