I love you boot
So we have progressed from “I Lud Yoo Moon” to “I love you boot.” Jacinta still loves the moon, and she also says this lovely phrase to the stars, but next on the list are the red rain boots. They are her ticket down the stairs and out into the yard so they are very important. The pride on her face when she successfully puts them on or takes them off her self is hard to ignore. With a disorganized mom running around rapidly preparing to leave the country for a month, Jess found one red boot this morning. While patiently awaiting the arrival of her other red boot so that she could go and feed the chickens she actually said “I love you boot” sending me into smiley giggles for a while.
We have had quite a few laughs this week, but perhaps more coughing, and a few tears. After submitting to all out herbal treatment due to a strong will to heal and also the lack of available doctors, Matt finally got into a doctor and found out that his nasty cough was indeed pneumonia. He cured himself of pink eye with herbs, but couldn’t kick the pneumonia. With all of this renewed building energy for our future dwelling he had to sit in bed and be deliberately unproductive. He has read quite a bit and knows a lot about the state of the world through the internet, but gets “puffed” from exerting energy in any form. My grandfather passed away late in the week, so then came a few tears along with peace for grandpa after a few years in assisted living. We all need the land and something to make us feel useful, especially farmers. Matt then spent a morning on the phone and on the internet with the airlines figuring out my trip, got “puffed,” but felt good to be able to get me out to grandpa’s funeral with 3 days notice.
Life on the land this week was quite exciting. Michelle, Keith and I really dug into the terrace garden in efforts to save the children from protruding logs, uneven paths and steep drop-offs in turn saving the plants from destruction. Keith carved a seat into an old stump with a chainsaw, made steps and began straightening out the paths. Michelle and I continued the work: wood-chipping and widening the paths, making more steps, planting a native grevillea bush in a new designated play area, and making a gate. We also tried to create the third terrace and almost finished but then I got busy preparing to leave. I am pretty lucky to have Michelle, Matt, Keith and Mary to take care of the gardens while Jess and I are gone. There is now plenty of lettuce, bok choy and swiss chard to eat, and even some beets! It is sad to think that I’ll miss out on a month of growth in my gardens but not worth a thought compared to the joy I’ll receive from my family and friends.
Last night Jess and I took the three roosters to Justin and Melina’s to learn about life and death. Well, I did, Jess came along and understood what she could, being 22 months old. She saw them in the car, enchanted that they were in a new place but confused. Two hours later she saw them being plucked and recognized that these were the “babies?” She wanted to help a little but mostly jumped around while Justin, Melina, Neri and I, while talking and laughing, pulled out all the little feathers. While she played inside Justin, quiet and reverent, showed me how to cut the head off on the first two and allowed me to do whatever I felt capable doing. I am very proud of myself for doing this. I then learned how to “dress” the chicken. I felt no guilt, no sadness, only maturity I guess. We then cooked the chicken and the rest of the meal and joyfully celebrated the good food. Meat has a strange texture after going for a while without it. Jess ate about a teaspoonful, chewed very hard and that was enough.
I will not make a habit of this but now know what it means to bring animals up and then use them as nourishment.
Last night I spent a while trying to dye Easter Eggs naturally. Hmmm….brown eggs, well, they turned browner. Keith and I then painted a few for fun, and by then it was 11:15pm. Today is Saturday, and it is Jess’ Easter celebration for we will spend the real Easter on an airplane. Rory and Michelle came for coffee, hot cross buns and an Easter egg hunt this morning. With their grass and flower filled baskets in hand and the sun shining bright, the kids trekked down to the garden, with Michelle, Matt, Keith, Mary and I as their guides (armed with many cameras). We had hidden 10 chicken eggs, an emu egg and an ostrich egg that Keith had painted long ago in the terrace garden. It is so fun watching young children search for things that seem so obvious to the adult eye. We all had a great time helping Rory and Jess find the eggs hidden in bok choy plants and in between logs. I rediscovered a lost love in my life, hiding Easter eggs! I remember now that I used to re-hide them and drag the search out for as long as I had company. This is exactly what we did today and what fun it was.
So I will see a few more of you than I had planned which is wonderful, but on a sad note. I hope you all find rebirth in life and in yourselves this Easter whether you celebrate Easter or not. Easter in Australia means chocolate eggs, not spring and rebirth because it is the beginning of autumn. If that makes you happy too, here’s to lots of chocolate eggs! Happy Easter!
We have had quite a few laughs this week, but perhaps more coughing, and a few tears. After submitting to all out herbal treatment due to a strong will to heal and also the lack of available doctors, Matt finally got into a doctor and found out that his nasty cough was indeed pneumonia. He cured himself of pink eye with herbs, but couldn’t kick the pneumonia. With all of this renewed building energy for our future dwelling he had to sit in bed and be deliberately unproductive. He has read quite a bit and knows a lot about the state of the world through the internet, but gets “puffed” from exerting energy in any form. My grandfather passed away late in the week, so then came a few tears along with peace for grandpa after a few years in assisted living. We all need the land and something to make us feel useful, especially farmers. Matt then spent a morning on the phone and on the internet with the airlines figuring out my trip, got “puffed,” but felt good to be able to get me out to grandpa’s funeral with 3 days notice.
Life on the land this week was quite exciting. Michelle, Keith and I really dug into the terrace garden in efforts to save the children from protruding logs, uneven paths and steep drop-offs in turn saving the plants from destruction. Keith carved a seat into an old stump with a chainsaw, made steps and began straightening out the paths. Michelle and I continued the work: wood-chipping and widening the paths, making more steps, planting a native grevillea bush in a new designated play area, and making a gate. We also tried to create the third terrace and almost finished but then I got busy preparing to leave. I am pretty lucky to have Michelle, Matt, Keith and Mary to take care of the gardens while Jess and I are gone. There is now plenty of lettuce, bok choy and swiss chard to eat, and even some beets! It is sad to think that I’ll miss out on a month of growth in my gardens but not worth a thought compared to the joy I’ll receive from my family and friends.
Last night Jess and I took the three roosters to Justin and Melina’s to learn about life and death. Well, I did, Jess came along and understood what she could, being 22 months old. She saw them in the car, enchanted that they were in a new place but confused. Two hours later she saw them being plucked and recognized that these were the “babies?” She wanted to help a little but mostly jumped around while Justin, Melina, Neri and I, while talking and laughing, pulled out all the little feathers. While she played inside Justin, quiet and reverent, showed me how to cut the head off on the first two and allowed me to do whatever I felt capable doing. I am very proud of myself for doing this. I then learned how to “dress” the chicken. I felt no guilt, no sadness, only maturity I guess. We then cooked the chicken and the rest of the meal and joyfully celebrated the good food. Meat has a strange texture after going for a while without it. Jess ate about a teaspoonful, chewed very hard and that was enough.
I will not make a habit of this but now know what it means to bring animals up and then use them as nourishment.
Last night I spent a while trying to dye Easter Eggs naturally. Hmmm….brown eggs, well, they turned browner. Keith and I then painted a few for fun, and by then it was 11:15pm. Today is Saturday, and it is Jess’ Easter celebration for we will spend the real Easter on an airplane. Rory and Michelle came for coffee, hot cross buns and an Easter egg hunt this morning. With their grass and flower filled baskets in hand and the sun shining bright, the kids trekked down to the garden, with Michelle, Matt, Keith, Mary and I as their guides (armed with many cameras). We had hidden 10 chicken eggs, an emu egg and an ostrich egg that Keith had painted long ago in the terrace garden. It is so fun watching young children search for things that seem so obvious to the adult eye. We all had a great time helping Rory and Jess find the eggs hidden in bok choy plants and in between logs. I rediscovered a lost love in my life, hiding Easter eggs! I remember now that I used to re-hide them and drag the search out for as long as I had company. This is exactly what we did today and what fun it was.
So I will see a few more of you than I had planned which is wonderful, but on a sad note. I hope you all find rebirth in life and in yourselves this Easter whether you celebrate Easter or not. Easter in Australia means chocolate eggs, not spring and rebirth because it is the beginning of autumn. If that makes you happy too, here’s to lots of chocolate eggs! Happy Easter!
posted by Matt & Shana & Jacinta & Genevieve Henry at
5:28 PM
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