tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90177434366621063112024-03-04T22:09:21.387-08:00Completely SophsSophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-35448571448411256562023-06-05T06:04:00.001-07:002023-06-05T06:04:05.667-07:00Autumn breeze<p> For just over a year I have worked at a school for children with social, emotional and mental health issues. Some of the children I work with live in a children's home on site and have experienced trauma and abuse. These children often have difficult days where they are really struggling emotionally and spiritually. On one such day, I was with a particular boy who I knew had suffered the worst kind of abuse and I felt totally at a loss to help him as I witnessed his deep depression and self-hatred. It was like he was sitting at the bottom of a pit in the dark and knowing what I did, I could totally understand why he was there. I wished I could help him climb out but all I could do was sit with him in the dark and bear witness to his pain, anything else would have felt contrived and forced. I felt heavy with sadness for him in the evening and I wrote this piece which, a year later I feel to share. My hope is that it may connect with some of you as we journey through this precious yet sometimes deeply painful life together. </p><p><u><i>Autumn breeze</i></u></p><p><i>As the Autumn breeze swirls the dry, crumpled leaves in frenzied spirals, so are some human souls.</i></p><p><i>As you watch, don't weep, for their journey is not your own.</i></p><p><i>Every once in a while perhaps the wind will slow and a leaf will rest near you.</i></p><p><i>Then you can take it up, examine it in the light and tell it how beautiful it is, how fleeting, </i></p><p><i>how wonderfully the light falls through the gaps and cracks in its papery skin.</i></p><p><i>You cannot run after the frenzied leaf and hope to catch it, </i></p><p><i>you can only hope that in the pause before the next great blow, </i></p><p><i>somehow as grace aligns you find this beauty and speak to it truly, speak to it tenderly.</i></p><p><i>All things die, decompose and return to life again.</i></p><p><i>Every act makes a difference in this life or the next, </i></p><p><i>nothing is meaningless.</i></p><p><i>Allow the wind to guide you today. </i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-35930690148332410072022-01-08T06:24:00.001-08:002022-01-08T06:24:13.318-08:00Invisible Nirvana<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> It takes time for a tree to grow</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">it takes time for a flower to bloom</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">It takes time for a baby to form in the darkness of the womb</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I was reaching for the heavens</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I was dreaming of the stars</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">my growth became thin and weedy</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">reaching for some invisible Nirvana</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">So chop me down and burn the firewood</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">let me start again</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">this time, my roots strong and deep</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">aware of my place and the ground around me</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">grateful for the rain that washes me</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">and the chance to start again</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I do not reach for the heavens</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I do not dream of the stars</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">but I awake each day to a new dawn</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">and that is more than enough</span></p><p><br /></p>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-68742579729013201012022-01-06T01:41:00.003-08:002022-01-06T01:44:23.272-08:00Human<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Here I am, here I am, here I am </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">A tiny being, yet fully aware, fully feeling</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">My heart beating in time with millions of others</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">dancing over the Earth with our strange soft feet</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">feeling the breeze on our faces, tiny curls of hair blowing around our ears</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">We are made of blood, made of water that has always been here</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">shared in our saturation</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">our spirits different and yet alike, our quest for knowledge collaborative</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">our need for healing unanimous</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">we are people forged from the Earth</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">inexplicably connected and yet separate</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">we dance warrior-like</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">we swim frog-like</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">we smile, shiny like</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">we love, we love, we love</span></p>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-55389981000788776432022-01-05T13:53:00.005-08:002022-01-06T01:53:50.858-08:00Bittersweet<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> <span face="-webkit-standard, serif">This year I want to dance more, laugh more, hug more,</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">present with the sheer joy of living,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">soaking in the sacred preciousness of my breath. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Last year we felt the deep pain of loss,</span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">but in the midst of the bitterness was so much sweetness. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">And that's what makes a life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">The bitterness and the sweetness, </span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">the birdsong after the darkest of nights.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">The magic of an ordinary day, </span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">highlighted like dust motes in sun rays.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">The touch of a hand, soft breath on the cheek,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">children's laughter and a glint in the most pixie-like eye.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">The kindness of a friend or the </span>unconditional love of an animal,</span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">permeating my heart like water on parched soil.</span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Life- something alive beyond my understanding,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">breathtakingly beautiful, painfully hard.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">The blood, sweat and tears, and resounding, deafening grief...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">and yet the sweetness so sweet</span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> it breaks through the brittleness, the stagnancy,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">and somehow it is beyond, it is deep, it is beautiful. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-48170396388873868612022-01-04T03:36:00.007-08:002022-01-06T01:54:09.831-08:00How to be a conduit<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">We've all been told, "follow your dreams" so many times it no longer feels inspiring, it's more like a tired quote you might find at a tacky gift shop on a fridge magnet. We tried following ours but it's not that simple. How can something so fundamental become so complex and out of reach? You feel the glow of your desires in your heart, you create something with them and share in the hope it will serve humanity- right? However, being human, somewhere along the way ego gets involved. We are told through various sources that our dreams will provide for us financially, that somehow they are connected to manifesting our desires. Vision boards with million dollar cheques on them and large fancy houses with swimming pools. Since when did serving humanity become so self-serving? Well I think there is a grain of truth in it all. I think that if you give of yourself in service you will be given more to give with, but perhaps not how you think. If you give of your words, do not fear, you will wake up with more words the next day. If you are a teacher and you share your insights and wisdom, do not fear, there will be more insights and wisdom waiting for you. If you are a musician there will be more music and song. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Hold onto that anchor of hope in your heart and don't let go.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Work in progress. </span></p>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-79203207320625298812021-11-07T01:37:00.003-08:002022-01-06T01:45:19.916-08:00Quiet knowing<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> So many possibilities, so many things to choose from. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Each day an opportunity to evolve from the one before; </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">to take two steps where you only took one; </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">to take the deep breath instead of holding it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">You are the creator behind your life; </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">you hold the paintbrush and the possibilities.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Which colours will you choose today? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Will you rise above the oppressive thoughts there to hold you back?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Will you look at those around you and remember how deep your love is? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Will you fly on the wings of trust rather than hold back in fear? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Every day an opportunity, an open door. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Yet how will you know which way to go if you don't listen? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Your inner navigation system is the quiet knowing, it's not the frenzied thoughts. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">It's the gentle rising of feeling as steam rises from the cup. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">So you must make space for the delicate feeling to show you which way to go. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">To show you which opportunities to take, which thoughts to allow. </span></p>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-55337712366725041232021-11-04T02:23:00.003-07:002022-01-06T02:01:20.609-08:00<p> <span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Belonging</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Wow such a powerful word. In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, 'love and belonging' appear on the third level of the pyramid, with only physiological and safety needs below them (Maslow, A. H., 1943). According to his theory and from my own personal experience, the need to belong is deep and potent. In the age of social media, the dynamics of belonging can be exaggerated and my perception of it can be misconstrued. Friends and acqaintances construct their social personas for the online world and it can be very hard to understand how people are truly feeling. Are other people lonely? Do other people long for deep connection and solidarity like I do, or do they already have that, along with the perfect home and the perfect life? Somehow I know that's deeply untrue. And yet... when a friend of mine posts pictures of a party my daughter wasn't invited to even though she's told me she's 'besties' with the daughter of the host, or when I see a group of Mums gathering together socially, it cuts me to the core. I immediately feel the pain of being the outsider, of not belonging, not fitting in. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I remember reading a post by a famous blogger once and she wrote how her teenage daughter was getting together with a small group of her friends. The Mum heard one of the teenagers say, 'let's not post as we don't want others to be hurt' and this Mum was quite blown away by the emotional maturity of these teenagers to be able to make that decision. It's a shame a lot of adults aren't the same, but I think the need to post when you are at a gathering or get together could come from the same place as the need to belong. If you are invited to these events and you post, it's validating your own belonging at the expense of other people's. It's like you're waving a flag saying, 'look I do belong, I'm here and you're not.' maybe that's why it hurts or maybe I'm just reading too much into it? It's not like I think people should be banned from posting when they get together, because obviously that's what social media is for. However I do think a little bit of emotional maturity might be helpful. There are times when I post and times when I feel a check about it, perhaps what I'm trying to say is, can we all be more like those teenagers please?!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">One of my favourite writers, Brene Brown, talks about true belonging in her book 'Dare to lead,' she says, 'true belonging never asks us to change who we are. True belonging requires us to be who we are,' This feels so good to me, the idea that I can exhale and be who I am, rather than trying to climb the social ladder or win social points; as deep down I know that's a game I can't win. In the past all sorts of insecurities have kept me from being more social, but at this point it feels like there are certain communities that play by certain rules and some are certainly more open than others. Where I come from there are several small rural communities where people have grown up all their lives. For those on the inside with all their childhood friendships around them it's working pretty well, so why would they even notice those lonely ones standing on the edge of the playground? For us lonely ones- the outsiders and misfits it can feel impossible to truly belong. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I saw a listing recently for a free chest of drawers so I went to collect it and realised I had seen the couple giving it away many times at school drop off. They opened up to me that they had struggled to fit in in the community despite their best efforts so they were moving out of the country and starting again. I immediately felt repentant, here was a lovely couple who I'd seen every day, not knowing that they were feeling lonely (and they weren't the first to move away because of this either). This gave me the wake up call I needed to put myself out there more, to try and 'be the person I need' and gather people together who might be feeling lonely. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Last night I was out with a lovely group of women, they had very kindly invited me to go out with them even though I only knew one lady, my neighbour. I was so uplifted to sit around a table with some nice people and talk and laugh. I felt so touched that these people were open enough to invite me when they all knew each other and didn't need to open uo their circle for themselves. As Glennon Doyle says, <span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">“I hate how people stand in circles. I wish we'd all agree to stand around in horseshoes, with room available for awkward outsiders to join.”</span></span></p><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><span>Brene Brown (2021) 'Dare to lead: True belonging never asks us to change who we are' Available at: </span><span>https://brenebrown.com/art/true-belonging/</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Glennon Doyle (2020), 'Untamed', The Dial Press</span></p><p><span face="Montserrat, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(85, 73, 72); color: #554948;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-96.</span></span></p><div><span face="Montserrat, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(85, 73, 72); color: #554948;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-83494500759075833542020-09-24T04:52:00.010-07:002022-01-06T01:55:10.919-08:00Wild Woman<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> She danced like the breeze,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">like a hunting lioness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">She knew the ways of the wild woman</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">had been kept from her</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">and she longed</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">for spiritual salvation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In her curving hips she felt the power of the stars.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In her gut she knew that there was more to find.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Life awakening in her bones.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">She danced on the dry ground and flowers appeared.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">She danced on the graves of her dreams and they arose into the great blue.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">She dug her hands into the soil and green bullets cascaded in every direction.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"Come home" she called to all the daughters.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"The water is good. Come dance with me"</span></p><p><br /></p>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-84563674695995626532018-01-06T01:57:00.000-08:002022-01-06T01:58:04.650-08:00There is a River <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There's a River<br />
Deep within<br />
Flowing to my, everyday life<br />
Telling me I'm fine<br />
There's a River<br />
In my soul<br />
and it tells me that I'm really whole<br />
Connected<br />
Part of something bigger than myself<br />
There is a River<br />
and its love<br />
is flowing from me to you<br />
as I serve this weary world<br />
in the way I can<br />I know its true<br />
there's a River flowing<br />
a river flowing<br />
for you<br />
<br />
so dont let go<br />
of your love<br />
and you will find<br />
that you have<br />
no where to hide from the light<br />
and its alright<br />
it will find you in the end<br />
whether your ready or not<br />
its coming for you<br />
<br />
there is a river<br />
there is a river<br />
oh there's a river<br />
and its flowing for you<br />
<br />
all connected in Love<br />
we are all connected in love<br />
all connected in love<br />
and you will find<br />
that you bring your light to life<br />
and you will find that you can be yourself again my darling one<br />
so don't let go of what youv'e found<br />
and don't let anyone dull your sound<br />
and you will find<br />
the river in your soul<br />
<br /></div>
Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-52161343788664756142017-04-15T00:48:00.000-07:002017-04-15T00:48:20.192-07:00Hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57hyphenhyphenng1OByPNhkk-_N5UOccG5CFYXI6Jqlte-7X3BMa83VAWKvZjhhQmSBOzSvraZox1A_PoqTCZMwYYE7IuOSNAX5wa9Q3mVXFuu2wvKb5-icyhKUdVysQVjWeM0EUJA2LGkYi5yjQdW/s1600/IMG_2251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57hyphenhyphenng1OByPNhkk-_N5UOccG5CFYXI6Jqlte-7X3BMa83VAWKvZjhhQmSBOzSvraZox1A_PoqTCZMwYYE7IuOSNAX5wa9Q3mVXFuu2wvKb5-icyhKUdVysQVjWeM0EUJA2LGkYi5yjQdW/s640/IMG_2251.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hope-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">is the belief in goodness</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">its the Sunrise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the green soldiers that rise up</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">through the cracks in the pavement</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's the New Day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the new baby</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Its the first kiss</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the fluttering</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Hope-</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Butterfly's wings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hope takes us up into truth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">a warm shower</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the smell of hot coffee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the thing that we live for</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and rise for every day</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Hope-</span><br />
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the new beginning that comes the morning after the ending</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The blackbird's song that is sure to come</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the dancing leaves and dappled light of the morning</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the promise of a beautiful day </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The pathway winding around the corner</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the backpack ready for the journey ahead</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is hope in the heartbeat of living things </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and the new breath after new breath after new breath </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The butterfly emerges</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the egg cracks</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the bluebell flowers </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The bulbs planted many moons ago </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">bloom again</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Expectation of goodness</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The love squeezed out until the container overflows</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and there are drops for everyone who will drink</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hold out your tired hands </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and receive </span><br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hope</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">let her kiss you today</span></div>
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</div>
Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-1599147116606420522017-04-14T03:38:00.000-07:002017-04-14T03:48:50.855-07:00A Butterfly's Journey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Metamorphosis is derived from three Greek words meaning 'transformation', 'change' and 'form'. One of my favourite definitions that I've happened upon is: <i>'changing form in keeping with inner reality.'</i><br />
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When I think about metamorphosis, I immediately think of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly or a tadpole a frog. I particularly like the caterpillar to butterfly process as it seems to be a perfect parallel story for my own spiritual journey and transformation process. I like the incomplete metamorphosis of the dragonfly as well, partly because I love that the young are called 'Nymphs' but also because the young look very similar to the adults only they are missing their huge pair of glimmering wings and their beautiful colours- how many of us can relate to that?<br />
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I was reading up on metamorphosis this morning and there were a few things that really spoke to me. In the caterpillar stage, there is really only one purpose- eat. The caterpillar eats, eats and eats until it is so huge it needs a new skin. It then splits its old skin and lo and behold there is a new one underneath so the caterpillar has lots more space to eat and eat again. Does this not feel like the childish state of humanity. We live in a caterpillar word where it is all about eating, eating and more eating. However, there are lessons to be learnt in the eating, for one, if you're just eating to get bigger you will always feel like there is something missing because there is that 'inner reality' of the butterfly that is not yet a true reality for you. Secondly, if you are on a Spiritual path, you will know that feeling when you just don't fit your currently life reality anymore, you have eaten everything within reach and nothing seems right any more. Everything feels tight and painful and it feels like you are probably dying. Just when you feel like you cant take it anymore, your skin splits open and you have a whole new reality that fits you so much better. These death-life cycles are incredibly important on the Spiritual path. Something dies- something is born.<br />
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Once the caterpillar has eaten and burst 4 or 5 times, there comes the next stage, the Pupa or Chrysalis stage. At this point the caterpillar has had several practice runs of what it feels like to be too big for its skin and gone through several small transitions (which feel a bit like death), and they are ready to undergo their final transformation to become their true selves once and for all. This is probably the part of the process that we don't like very much and don't want to go through. It looks like death and it feels very unproductive, however it is the only way. In my life this looks like, the acceptance that I feel uncomfortable and that i need to focus my energy inward. It looks like choosing what lives and what dies in my life- what still serves me (relationships, hobbies, how I spend my time) and what doesn't serve any more. It is a state of trust to let go of those comfortable things that feel familiar and safe, waiting for the new things that are just around the corner of this ending. The green shoots will come up out of the warming ground in Spring, but Winters job must be completed first. There is a surrender to the small, still voice of truth here, and you must truly listen, even though it may be very painful, it will lead you home to yourself. So, even though when the caterpillar is inside the pupa it looks like nothing is happening, VERY big changes are happening inside.<br />
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And one day, it is time for the butterfly to emerge. This feels a bit like a birthing to me. The butterfly must go through the process in order to split open its chrysalis and come out. Once the butterfly is out, it pumps blood into its wings to 'inflate' them'. I like the 'pumping' metaphor. Once you are emerging there will still be the peaks and troughs, and the more you pump goodness into your spiritual life/ work, the more your wings will inflate, but this too is a process, and there will be times when you feel tired and wonder if you will ever get there- ever find your 'thing'. But one day you will! Your beautiful wings will have unfolded and dried and you will be ready to learn to fly.<br />
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So what is the adult butterfly's purpose- reproduction baby! As fully fledged spiritual butterflies, it is our job to create more love, more life and more goodness wherever we go. If we refuse to go deep down into the 'death' cycles then we will probably still be stuck in the 'feed me' stages of our development, but, but, that is where the adult butterflies come in too, because those of us who are still stuck on the caterpillar stage on the leaves, will look up and see these beautiful creatures soaring above them, and something inside them will yearn, and be inspired, because all of us were born to fly. Just like the ugly duckling calls out to the Swans soaring above his head, so truly we all know that we were born to drink from flowers and bring beauty and colour to the world.<br />
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Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-4157017739716439102016-09-13T04:01:00.000-07:002016-09-13T04:01:11.283-07:00Fly butterfly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am my priority. My life force is my focus . My energy levels are paramount. We cannot give what we do not have, and yet we do. We have been taught to prostitute ourselves for connection. Where does that leave us? Feeling alone, empty, unafraid and unworthy. So now, to let go of the requirements of life and others and to begin to write a new story, my own story with my own plot lines. To trust that my love is enough. To have faith that my connection with the Divine is indeed sacred and separate from anything I could ever do or achieve. Now to begin anew so that I may spread my wings and fly above it all, laughing that I once crawled on a leaf below.<br />
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Fly butterfly, fly!</div>
Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-3103064850522785652016-09-12T05:10:00.003-07:002020-09-24T03:59:10.767-07:00Two Buttons and a shoestring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sometimes it feels like life is asking an awful lot of me. I know I want to give something, I want to help people heal and I want to inspire people back to love. However, it feels a bit like one of those stories where the main character is being sent off on an important quest and an old sage is giving them their last pieces of advice and also some seemingly useless implements which the elderly sage insists are important and that the main character should keep them safe. The main character usually smiles and thinks the old sage is crazy but holds on to the implements anyway. Later on, these implements do come into the story and end up being vitally important in order for the person to complete their task.<br />
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So why am I saying all of this? I think its because I feel like I have two buttons and a shoestring in my pocket- or in my case a handful of poems, songs, and thoughts which I don't know what to do with. But maybe the whole point is that they seem so small and insignificant, and yet, yet we know that they have come from the deepest part of ourselves- we know they are golden. And so in choosing to turn our attention to them and to nurture them and let them find their place, we are honoring the gold in us. Here's what I think, we cannot judge what has been put into our pockets- we have to trust that they are given by someone with greater wisdom and foresight than our own. We must not bury what we have, instead let's use it- even if it seems small, and trust that in investing it, we will get more- the next piece of the picture.<br />
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So I am asking myself today, how can I honor what I have in my pocket right now- all the pieces of my life. How can I draw them all to me and not cast any pieces of myself aside? When I get still and listen to my heart the answers usually come and I just know what the next right thing is.<br />
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Peace to you.</div>
Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-84269944893883206802013-10-02T06:06:00.000-07:002013-10-02T06:06:59.485-07:00How life looks to me right now.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am ready. Ready for a change, ready to speak out from the truest part of me. There seems to be a truth telling revolution going on, started by such warriors as Brene Brown, and I want in. I am sick of comfort and conformity. I don't want a comfortable life, not really, it's just I've been taught and told that I do. I really want an adventure. I want to feel the cold wind swirling around me, wet with rain and rich with the smell of the earth and sea. I couldn't care less for comfortable mediochrity. I am a daughter of the dawn, a friend of daring. So let me be a dreamer, let me truly live and breathe for as long as I can. Don't let me be fooled into thinking that I will live tomorrow or 'when this bit is done' or 'when that bit is out of the way.' I want to live now. I want to follow my passion to the ends of the Earth. I want to feel alive, feel the loving beating heart of promise in my blood. I want to pour out all that I am into a message of love. A message of hope for the human spirit.<br />
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Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-63556100566365804912012-07-10T05:39:00.002-07:002012-07-10T05:39:31.345-07:00Motherhood, the early days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Fleurie is 9 days old. That sounds like such a long time and such a short time. She is beautiful. I fell in love with her straight away. Her tiny perfectness, fully complete, fully there, I am lucky, blessed, full of love. She has a lovely shock of velvety smooth dark hair, and dark blue beady eyes. Newborns are divine, pure and simple. They have a language all of their own which says love me, nurture me, protect me, I'm oh so cute and oh so vulnerable. At the same time, how could one so small look so infinitely wise, with eyes so deep, and ancient like the night sky full of stars, other-wordly, beyond time. It is such a privilege to live out my day simply giving love, Motherhood is a beautiful gift and I am unwrapping it slowly, savouring every moment of the experience.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Bw2amDMEbhHbzzpK72AFz0E-BlghPnZ1MGqLilBTmJV05kk0AG5acRVsChi_vDeo4lCksV5fZYJdWM-MML6A3_584m146OajQOyL74fK6F0co-tFW38jlxIEJpnfvpA88EgIkcGJiYES/s1600/DSC01728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Bw2amDMEbhHbzzpK72AFz0E-BlghPnZ1MGqLilBTmJV05kk0AG5acRVsChi_vDeo4lCksV5fZYJdWM-MML6A3_584m146OajQOyL74fK6F0co-tFW38jlxIEJpnfvpA88EgIkcGJiYES/s640/DSC01728.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Fleurie is my third baby, and experience has taught me so much. I learnt through the other two and I am still learning every day. I've learnt to chill out, at the end of the day babies are very simple creatures (if they are fit and well), and my philosophy is to parent in the way that most minimises stress, happy parents, happy children. If routines make you stressed, don't do them, if they make you feel more confident, go for it. Try not to think too much about what's right or wrong, not thinking, but being and flowing with the moment seems to be a much easier way to function. Experience has taught me that although life revolves entirely around children right now, it won't be that way for long, so enjoy those baby snuggles while they last. Sleep will return, and so will grown up evenings, suck up all the goodness of newborn smells, toddler first words and five year olds first stories. One day they'll be calling you from some other country and you'll miss the time that naughty little girl was sneaking out of bed just for one last bit of contact from you (even if it was a cross word!).<br />
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We could talk until the cows come home about what children need, how to discipline, ways to show love, but the simple truth underneath it all is that everything they need is inside your heart. Loving starts with you, so feel the wonder of your breath, the life within your bones, sit in the stillness and let love fill you up. Know how infinitely precious you are and then snuggle those babies, let love surround you all.<br />
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<br /></div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-47333906665585750432012-06-26T02:16:00.000-07:002012-06-26T02:18:54.971-07:00Amber's Panda Party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow, I am so behind here. I'm not sure why I haven't felt like blogging recently, but I've just kinda gone with it, fully expecting that side of me to come back when the time is right. I wanted to share some pictures of Amber's party that we had recently. She is Panda mad, so we wanted a panda theme. When I started looking online for some party things I realised that not many children go for a Panda party (oh I do love my unconventional family) so I had to be a little more creative to make the party special. So without further ado here are some pictures, I hope it inspires anyone who has panda crazy children like me!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6a0f8-Yc2A2WN7J8d1m9BrkOcADudcmALe1iKCrNshogDGkp_DRszCNIlf6KIzv_NoCZs7T_di6Aqg8osmuIHh5qImqzgEx1x3fiV6cqZt8-GgozIF7vRvy-7Us9IW15d4OOALHMY3TS/s1600/DSC_6408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6a0f8-Yc2A2WN7J8d1m9BrkOcADudcmALe1iKCrNshogDGkp_DRszCNIlf6KIzv_NoCZs7T_di6Aqg8osmuIHh5qImqzgEx1x3fiV6cqZt8-GgozIF7vRvy-7Us9IW15d4OOALHMY3TS/s400/DSC_6408.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Panda balloon- from Amazon<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUDCUlAkKfNv-FEXDPkjsjxf03wp2aZ2O-6-iAPCz7qkXD2B6m-ILzIeyhiu4Ap082NkufzTt2BdwQyFsnlZXqLbbUdcFs8e3WLMBkiiOmbnWOJGpmu-ZSOCF_Qq8ZE38ZLgY6Qm2WO00/s1600/panda1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUDCUlAkKfNv-FEXDPkjsjxf03wp2aZ2O-6-iAPCz7qkXD2B6m-ILzIeyhiu4Ap082NkufzTt2BdwQyFsnlZXqLbbUdcFs8e3WLMBkiiOmbnWOJGpmu-ZSOCF_Qq8ZE38ZLgY6Qm2WO00/s400/panda1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I decided to get plain pink party boxes and then I decorated them by designing a panda and sticking it on. I used black card for the back, then I stuck on white paper for the tummy and face and then used a black marker to draw on the eye and eye patch and nose and mouth. I then stuck a felt flower (pre made) onto the head to add that girly touch. The boxes had sandwiches and various other party food in them as I felt that would be the easiest way to feed everyone, even better my very generous Mother in law made all the food and filled them for me, which was a real blessing. We also had lime green and hot pink party hats, party poppers, cups and umbrella straws and roses on the table.<br />
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We hired a local hall which limited us slightly because we weren't allowed to use blue tack or attach things to the walls unless there was already a hook there. I overcame this using lots of helium balloons in green and pink. Some had balloon weights and some were tied to chairs. I got the balloons and helium from an online party supplies website and we filled them on the day. I also strung some chinese lanterns across the room, I loved them, so vibrant.<br />
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The panda cake! My husband made the pandas out of icing and used cocktail sticks for bamboo. We glazed it all with honey.<br />
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All the activities went down really well, we only had girls which made the planning so much easier. The biscuit decorating was definitely the biggest success, some girls sat there and just decorated one after another!<br />
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My husband took the girls outside for some games after lunch, including the panda chases rabbit game, where whoever has the panda toy has to chase the person with the rabbit toy until they can get back to their place- like duck duck goose! They also had a relay race going on with various jungle animals in a bucket that they had to collect.<br />
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We had a wonderful time, and really enjoyed celebrating our little princess. I can't believe she's 5 already, it sounds so grown up.<br />
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Non credited photos taken by <a href="http://www.essentiallyyouphotography.co.uk/">essentially you photography</a> in low res form here, but really show the mood I think.<br />
<br /></div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-7661843957300172572012-05-10T06:02:00.000-07:002012-06-26T02:19:25.026-07:00Being true<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;">I've been in a bit of a dry spell recently, in terms of creative expression. This came up in conversation with Jonny the other evening and talking it through with him gave me some real clarity. I told him how I felt embarrassed of my original drawings for Sophie Sailboat, the ones that I made into cards, how I felt like they weren't good enough and I wouldn't want to push them out there any more. It was interesting processing why I've felt this. We realised together that when I did those original drawings, I was just myself making art for fun and taking my stuff seriously for the first time. This then became the launch of having my own little business and doing a few card sales and things. I think when I had my own business, I began to put pressure on myself- like "I'm an artist, therefore what I create should be 'good'." I began to limit my expression which ultimately meant a dry spell creatively.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Talking things through was sooo good, because it reminded me of what art really means to me and why I love to draw. For me, it has to be a way of expressing how I feel and making that into a visual picture to share with the world. It has to be authentic because that is what makes it feel magical. This goes for any creative expression, music, art, writing and so on, I think you can tell immediately if something is a true expression as it moves you in a way that you can't really explain- it just feels so good. It is the human heart being true to the beauty that it really is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, I decided to just go and sit and see what came out of me rather than prescribe to myself what 'should' come out, and to be honest it was really hard at first, but once my idea was down on paper it was great fun. I love how it expresses so much of how I have been feeling recently. My hand represents openness and vulnerability of heart and the bird represents the inspiration or dream that I want to share. I like that it's a blackbird because I think sometimes it can be very scary to let our dreams out, and I wanted to keep the bird black for this reason. Then the song that is expressed by what feels like such a humble creature blossoms and branches out into the world and impacts far more than we could ever have guessed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-45549759533655546682012-05-09T09:38:00.000-07:002016-09-14T09:45:25.664-07:00Perspective<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What a glorious day outside and a much needed walk in the sun. I've been feeling a bit cramped recently, a bit limited, like I'm ready for circumstances in our lives to shift and why won't they, now?! As I was walking my mind was refreshed with the simple realisation that all of us are limited in some way by our circumstances, no matter what they may be, but that all of us also have control over our perspective. What do we focus on and where do we put our energy?<br />
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Do we think about how much better things will be when... or if only I had that then I'd feel free. Ah, we're missing out on so much if we focus on lack rather than on the abundance that we already have in our lives. What do I have today that I can be grateful for? What do I have today that I can be creative with? These are all a completely different perspective that will set your heart free in your situation. If you take the example of a birthing Mum, she may be desperate to be holding that baby in her arms, but she still has to go through every process of labour in order to get to the part at the end. She still has to let go and listern to her body and surrender to the process. She still has push when her body says push. She has to trust her gut and go with her instinct to get that baby out.<br />
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What I'm trying to say here, is that being present where you are and enjoying what you have will set you free. You will no longer feel tied down by your circumstances, you will feel free within them.<br />
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We have a 2 bedroomed cottage and a baby number 3 due in a few months time. Rather than focusing on 'We need more space', I have decided to love our home and try and find ways to be creative with our space. This makes me incredibly happy, rather than frustrated that we can't move right away. We can all choose to look up rather than down. There's a big blue sky up there that speaks of peace and freedom. A child will always try and find a way to play, whatever the circumstances (and what fun games can be had with pots and pans, sticks and mud)! That is my word for right now, 'play', play, play, play with whatever you can, wherever you are, make it fun, make it interesting.<br />
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I have realised that situations that seem so limiting are often blessings in disguise. For example, if Jonny and I booked a holiday in a month's time and I made a decision to 'just get by' until the holiday, I would be making a decision to just survive for a whole month of my life in order to finally get to that holiday. And then oh my, when the holiday came, the pressure to relax would be so overwhelming. Not having a holiday on the horizon means I have to find creative ways to make the 'right now' a mini holiday. I have to find ways to 'fill up' every day. I end up enjoying my life and not needing a holiday, but rather being thankful for one (and the fresh adventure it would bring) if it did come my way. My husband is very good at analogies and we were having a chat the other day along these lines, and he said - 'see yourself as a bucket, right now you're empty, and all you have is today- find a way of filling it, because an empty bucket isn't a happy one.'<br />
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Find a way to fill your bucket, right now with what you have, where you are. This is the lesson I'm learning. </div>
Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-37302096154977698422012-02-16T13:49:00.000-08:002012-02-16T13:53:47.990-08:00Things I'm enjoying right now<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I asked my little girl what she liked best about the day at Suppertime and she turned and smiled , "Right now!" I responded with a smile, because I've learnt that enjoying the 'right now' is a wonderful place to be. So without further ado, here are some of the things that have made me very happy this week...</div>
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<i> Fresh coffee and an almond croissant in the morning with my best friend (that's my man- the big one, not the little one!).</i><br />
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<i> Romantic dinners by the fire, especially when my husband cooks pasta. Here we had linguine with prawns, garlic, chilli, white wine and parsley, delish!</i><br />
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<i>Beautiful, friendly horses with their velvety, proud noses and warm horsey breath.</i><br />
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<i>Happy little birds, especially the inquisitive little robins because I can actually capture them on camera before they flit away! I want to take my zoom lens next time as I saw some sweet great and blue tits and some chaffinches as well. They all seem to be paring up for Spring! </i></div>
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<i>Little nests exposed in the Winter hedgerows.</i><br />
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F<i>eeling small- in the good way, small and safe.</i><br />
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<i>Sketching natural things, not worrying about perfection but instead focusing on expression. Wood makes me happy. </i><br />
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<i>Poplar trees. I love how they are planted in rows, they make a real statement. There have been Poplar trees in the gardens of both this current house and the one before, and I love them because their leaves sound like rainfall in the Spring and Summer and like cracking fire in the Autumn. </i></div>
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<i>Bark that I immediately want to touch, like hard old Elephant skin.</i><br />
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<i>Where I live. It's the kind of place I could imagine Elizabeth Bennett from 'Pride and Prejudice' walking, so green and quintessentially English.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OhxCbJrwGWOY-7vAYooyW6OophHYPAFDNXiWndvFHIQPqAhgs_O7MHDfSBKVZ9EMx47RsJ67PZmXnGm8Vr2EPOujjzKOLa4vC2kL-7WNORY6hBDGWTdNnfUMRy1szsiB8R-0rMgXuexJ/s1600/DSC00882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OhxCbJrwGWOY-7vAYooyW6OophHYPAFDNXiWndvFHIQPqAhgs_O7MHDfSBKVZ9EMx47RsJ67PZmXnGm8Vr2EPOujjzKOLa4vC2kL-7WNORY6hBDGWTdNnfUMRy1szsiB8R-0rMgXuexJ/s640/DSC00882.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Mystical Pine groves that I happen upon during my walk. </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadXejthRBi_k96ApspkfQiHpzHniDaVhyphenhyphenGIjgKnPG33yY7aYarO56WrRhgJD8HkvU1TdcHvYrRXqm0v9okf6skbYN0ZxrQRvw2w0qawDmVFhO79Md5V8d3W4MI0FK929857S8YGu1F5uP/s1600/DSC00884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadXejthRBi_k96ApspkfQiHpzHniDaVhyphenhyphenGIjgKnPG33yY7aYarO56WrRhgJD8HkvU1TdcHvYrRXqm0v9okf6skbYN0ZxrQRvw2w0qawDmVFhO79Md5V8d3W4MI0FK929857S8YGu1F5uP/s640/DSC00884.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Baby Christmas trees on a local farm, they're so sweet! </i><br />
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<i>And again, where we live :) </i><br />
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<i>My Children loving each other, their friendship and love for each other makes me so happy. </i><br />
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<br /></div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-47376516345405912162011-12-02T13:08:00.001-08:002011-12-02T13:27:11.966-08:00A new venture to share :)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've just been looking at my blog and feeling that I really need to update it and make it nice and Christmasy. I can't wait to get crafting and decorating and baking so I'm hoping all these things will make their merry way onto my blog. But ah, life with two little ones and lots of sick bugs one really does have to grab every bit of passion, inspiration and energy when it's there! After what feels like a stormy few weeks I'm feeling some passion rising up in me again to get out for some early morning walks and to spend more time being creative and I know that when I spend time in those places, I blog, so here's hoping there'll be more to share!<br />
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Anyway, I just wanted to share something tonight that I'm really excited about. My husband is a pretty amazing guy! He started his own business in 2007, the year our daughter was born. He did very well on some levels gaining some very high awards for the technology he produced. Unfortunately times were tough and the business never really got off the ground financially. It became clear in 2009 that the business needed to be closed and that my husband had lost passion for it! He had begun to write a novel in that year, and 112,000 words later his first book is complete,so watch this space on that one! He has also been getting very excited about web design, I mean I have to tell him to take a break in the evenings because he just loves learning about all the new things you can do online! We have just launched a website called <a href="http://www.north1.co.uk/">North1</a>, our own web design company. We are so excited about it because this really is work that feels like play to us and we can't wait to get our teeth into a project! Please do check us out (www.north1.co.uk) and take a look at our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/North-1/141430362629980">Facebook page</a>.<br />
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Would love to hear any feedback or impressions on the site. Thank you so much for looking :)<br />
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A very merry eve to you all, back soon with lots of festive things, promise!</div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-54874284766774543302011-11-22T05:47:00.001-08:002011-12-02T13:27:31.537-08:00The reason I've been so quiet...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been very busy over the past few weeks getting ready for my daughter's school fair. I had planned to sell my cards and a few craft bits and of course I got very into the crafty bits and went crazy for a couple of weeks making flower hair clips and Christmas spice birdies. Of course my house looked like a bomb had hit it but otherwise I managed to look after the children and craft and perform basic necessary domestic duties like cooking! I thought I'd share a few photos from the fair here. These pictures were taken by Penny Foxwell who is just about to launch her own website <a href="http://www.essentiallyyouphotography.co.uk/">essentially you photography</a>. Her website isn't quite up yet but check back in a few days and it should be online. As you can see from the photos Pen was also selling some handmade bags and things. We had great fun, although we realised through this experience that school fairs aren't the best place to sell crafts. I think I'm going to try a real craft fair next. Has anyone else had any experience with trying to sell crafts and any recommendations? I'd love to know. I may blog about how I made some of these things over the next few weeks so watch this space!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwj8fWrV9ghIAO6-61qI1nWdgdv_ZGmbTUuyFUV6s2d60oyWNVtvBgWSv4NPZTCwNEiPNZ7LOHQu-Qg2OjXglLr-hqVmap8qcSvxLTfl9eK8XPfBuyT_qriYZpRLxYFBTIeNtXzKQrUYD3/s1600/fair1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwj8fWrV9ghIAO6-61qI1nWdgdv_ZGmbTUuyFUV6s2d60oyWNVtvBgWSv4NPZTCwNEiPNZ7LOHQu-Qg2OjXglLr-hqVmap8qcSvxLTfl9eK8XPfBuyT_qriYZpRLxYFBTIeNtXzKQrUYD3/s640/fair1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our stall</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEJPQ-SzjPcjxIdNKHzHCFMkjFP_SKCZ8mFLS16CEy0aj9bkp63FzcOPuY9QETyC9Fe7LtdywGb3KtXGk8r91hH8yt6my16STo0mowXXQhKfqHvJwwJG8d4B2xQDp9kfo8UeWHZC5izt9/s1600/fair2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEJPQ-SzjPcjxIdNKHzHCFMkjFP_SKCZ8mFLS16CEy0aj9bkp63FzcOPuY9QETyC9Fe7LtdywGb3KtXGk8r91hH8yt6my16STo0mowXXQhKfqHvJwwJG8d4B2xQDp9kfo8UeWHZC5izt9/s640/fair2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gnVkfgNIDTcjfIu-aBGrPmBqauTq_uBpdWQsYsGm3w6kF2sdvzDYchacMMBiwVGL9xrWBP1iy7sAVQwpftS2KUQD25xSMnhbtycgI8yzNQ8SJqlJijclGtcatKdIhEyMXGemjh2rHz4K/s1600/fair3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gnVkfgNIDTcjfIu-aBGrPmBqauTq_uBpdWQsYsGm3w6kF2sdvzDYchacMMBiwVGL9xrWBP1iy7sAVQwpftS2KUQD25xSMnhbtycgI8yzNQ8SJqlJijclGtcatKdIhEyMXGemjh2rHz4K/s640/fair3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and the things I made :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZmnRGEOJzyJeLOTyfr9JChUZeLMUHRCPAJ79Zc05I424i7w8a7P5oZlo27kOnGgvdV_8S1ONaW3sj5j7W9-sWO6_ZhQk2xz4E5ebc9rrXJ8JWy0J111gA7mfJxKXkAgUxELleU8jnDlK/s1600/fair4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZmnRGEOJzyJeLOTyfr9JChUZeLMUHRCPAJ79Zc05I424i7w8a7P5oZlo27kOnGgvdV_8S1ONaW3sj5j7W9-sWO6_ZhQk2xz4E5ebc9rrXJ8JWy0J111gA7mfJxKXkAgUxELleU8jnDlK/s640/fair4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Admiring some of Pen's photography work</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDB29ntwy8u7OYCGgy5lpvD12CvkTd79k64emXMO4j-dfJwq-KXXzxb9X_NwSTogQlRfgDfvmzS_X4F6Bmv5WupuNyttlIEI87xQkWVRP9BLu050aNAVKYT2MDrTLnE_oM8ldDoAQjmrOw/s1600/fair5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDB29ntwy8u7OYCGgy5lpvD12CvkTd79k64emXMO4j-dfJwq-KXXzxb9X_NwSTogQlRfgDfvmzS_X4F6Bmv5WupuNyttlIEI87xQkWVRP9BLu050aNAVKYT2MDrTLnE_oM8ldDoAQjmrOw/s640/fair5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pen and the things she's made</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNhVMxYnw3iMt0JmmAR_xIe4R6kv_TGa-GtaS9q5HVIZ3r9SpCIjwxNgd9Z4tO09AShrE42bu6dIPZpR_j347LzVsVafK0NWzIDoCjucF89Tnr46fTVoFQmntoPWv9nY_GM4c4_PjI3Ih/s1600/fair6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNhVMxYnw3iMt0JmmAR_xIe4R6kv_TGa-GtaS9q5HVIZ3r9SpCIjwxNgd9Z4tO09AShrE42bu6dIPZpR_j347LzVsVafK0NWzIDoCjucF89Tnr46fTVoFQmntoPWv9nY_GM4c4_PjI3Ih/s640/fair6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUn7pjuAdQlY_X8ECg5LfdFXyHChLQVkbIY9r_aqaP2Wlcg1bbNMt-OKABSLeszKjvqEb38YoFFz2SPDNiU-5i6rCmG4FrO7GL11HUuO3PZ6JxRrFf_YZd9QK8pNi1sMFxBTKI0dYqqIQ/s1600/fair7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUn7pjuAdQlY_X8ECg5LfdFXyHChLQVkbIY9r_aqaP2Wlcg1bbNMt-OKABSLeszKjvqEb38YoFFz2SPDNiU-5i6rCmG4FrO7GL11HUuO3PZ6JxRrFf_YZd9QK8pNi1sMFxBTKI0dYqqIQ/s640/fair7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas spice birdies, flower hair clips, soap in a shell, lavender eye pillows and cards!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhycsvLvqxHRG1wzdsWT6p1Wmr8PPC8OEiiVWpyBdlCh-l5NHfNiFUAEptOvb_ZO1yks_VL-2HiiDgLw6tQfnf1tmrZdAivYq4-qv5sMnzoP8DlP4cqj5ROW8bIo7thlGWmnsegpO6wqyO5/s1600/fair9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhycsvLvqxHRG1wzdsWT6p1Wmr8PPC8OEiiVWpyBdlCh-l5NHfNiFUAEptOvb_ZO1yks_VL-2HiiDgLw6tQfnf1tmrZdAivYq4-qv5sMnzoP8DlP4cqj5ROW8bIo7thlGWmnsegpO6wqyO5/s640/fair9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-12542123678902898722011-10-19T10:45:00.000-07:002011-10-19T10:45:20.581-07:00Autumn Recipe- My Favourite Butternut Squash Soup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have a quick Autumn recipe for you tonight, my all time favourite soup that I make again and again at home, all year round. Except that I like it even more now that it's Autumn, it's golden orange hue is the perfect seasonal shade. One of the reasons I make it so often is because it's so quick and easy to make, here's my how-to:<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 large butternut squash, de-seeded and cut into wedges<br />
1 red onion<br />
2 sticks of celery<br />
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds<br />
a bay leaf<br />
turmeric/ garam masala/ ground corriander or all three<br />
chicken or veg stock<br />
Parmesan or sage leaves to serve<br />
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Method:<br />
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C<br />
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Put a liberal drizzle of olive oil into a roasting tray and throw in your butternut squash wedges, cumin seeds and a scattering of spices of your choice. Place this into the oven for 40 minutes or until tender and crisp at the edges.<br />
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Meanwhile chop your onion and celery sticks into small pieces and add to a pan of medium- hot olive oil with a bay leaf, turn the heat down, place on your lid and sweat until nice and soft.<br />
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Once your squash is cooked and your vegetables are soft put them all into the same pan and crumble over your stock cube and pour over about a liter of water or more if you like a thinner soup. Bubble away for about 10 minutes and then remove the bay leaf and blend until completely smooth.<br />
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Serve with a scattering of Parmesan cheese or a few sage leaves that you have fried in oil until crispy.<br />
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Enjoy! (the pink bib was his sister's!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mFHsivqG_Ji_XCimo1LD2CdckIbPNyFx5J6526IdOEXD3Kzpburg-sIFQm5_3ey9_hM-IDa83X0a76Gc_CJ93hsD6RBui2VZq3ARDYFb0xRLR0FS1XeXlpkR78p4K5K8tPoYHIz5j7pe/s1600/DSC00136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mFHsivqG_Ji_XCimo1LD2CdckIbPNyFx5J6526IdOEXD3Kzpburg-sIFQm5_3ey9_hM-IDa83X0a76Gc_CJ93hsD6RBui2VZq3ARDYFb0xRLR0FS1XeXlpkR78p4K5K8tPoYHIz5j7pe/s640/DSC00136.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-90113381253542073172011-10-14T11:50:00.000-07:002011-10-14T11:51:43.260-07:00Christmas Cards now available!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hello everyone, this is just a quick post tonight to say that my Christmas cards are now available to order. I can offer a price of £2 per card or 5 for £7.50. Please contact me on sophiefoxwell@gmail.com to place an order (if you do place an order I will be so excited!). I can ship internationally as well, I'll quote for postage per order. Please look at the different photos available below. You can also order through my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sophie-Sailboat/164797930254265">Facebook page.</a> By the way, the cards are the photos with a white border, but I added colour behind to show this. Many thanks all!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCZ39JgkSw7GOzfsFxe-HY7yvS3Yub0dZbt63ER13KN4MgCT8JwNS1VLGldrRbdwVF1soO9AWrYA56c_DOIGIQmXGtE0DL9Hk2kySB6P0huq1IQ-UOOAIUFJ0iB9Nohbz1_GyfYzP_BRx/s1600/facebook3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCZ39JgkSw7GOzfsFxe-HY7yvS3Yub0dZbt63ER13KN4MgCT8JwNS1VLGldrRbdwVF1soO9AWrYA56c_DOIGIQmXGtE0DL9Hk2kySB6P0huq1IQ-UOOAIUFJ0iB9Nohbz1_GyfYzP_BRx/s400/facebook3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A crisp blue morning, Rye Harbour</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBo9UyqY-uCqSsa3FE2-wePYrzzdNfuiVYI6eQAehI_FqNX3GNIis8JPO8hvd7yem8_fzO-atBj6-jAcMNLi7ACQLkiZZphMZcfPihjS7iTkG7yYExko-jiuCgYSlLF5js2JZyROgMfj7/s1600/facebook4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBo9UyqY-uCqSsa3FE2-wePYrzzdNfuiVYI6eQAehI_FqNX3GNIis8JPO8hvd7yem8_fzO-atBj6-jAcMNLi7ACQLkiZZphMZcfPihjS7iTkG7yYExko-jiuCgYSlLF5js2JZyROgMfj7/s400/facebook4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A winter sky on the Appledore road</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpzJctppURkGwbIQa2ERQ2mMPYP1JwCCuFxyS9N4j1ZcpeoMM6N5gnJ2gDK1eKfKh8XNsmZ11r9ERFFeNDuoCmS_bIMR4uItKAwNd_yn1ULK1etc6QJGVoeKZDxgY7MkqmYadBfe_vKAI/s1600/facebook2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpzJctppURkGwbIQa2ERQ2mMPYP1JwCCuFxyS9N4j1ZcpeoMM6N5gnJ2gDK1eKfKh8XNsmZ11r9ERFFeNDuoCmS_bIMR4uItKAwNd_yn1ULK1etc6QJGVoeKZDxgY7MkqmYadBfe_vKAI/s400/facebook2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A winter's morning at the beach, Rye Harbour</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyB2lbYZod99xLdjzmsI9lb1dPx8L7ddnxySsdDjC-q8tbE7U40vkalCeYXv1UoyhLkmxG69c9dinll4ARIsxYKPcXxX1KXJYoWwVS19OVD2E6ZcfqD00VCIAkmHHBVbUvr0Mni0vTKUJ/s1600/facebook1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyB2lbYZod99xLdjzmsI9lb1dPx8L7ddnxySsdDjC-q8tbE7U40vkalCeYXv1UoyhLkmxG69c9dinll4ARIsxYKPcXxX1KXJYoWwVS19OVD2E6ZcfqD00VCIAkmHHBVbUvr0Mni0vTKUJ/s400/facebook1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The red hut turned white, Rye Harbour</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTtnr2yp5mJqBtjwFdRgk1TblmYPPsqzylVVJWXV9kPBhwbooh_xabjjxEOT2guQKHtv_FveRZTdeCw09-6X11Tf2Xh57InbIT9E_3Our8Y38QIJPdqzL7krzoGXgE1-FodulSBoOe5z6/s1600/facebook5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTtnr2yp5mJqBtjwFdRgk1TblmYPPsqzylVVJWXV9kPBhwbooh_xabjjxEOT2guQKHtv_FveRZTdeCw09-6X11Tf2Xh57InbIT9E_3Our8Y38QIJPdqzL7krzoGXgE1-FodulSBoOe5z6/s400/facebook5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft snow falling, Camber</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEDzfzJEQ8mpQ7B42fTcO9ZWAEZKiGA48zYSMYYCRyhdcGRk8-5SH9Aox1HEpB6sqSQGATfKxRPoSUe2BBIJe4R_lnp3yAI4fcH7IQ_AzYqnWEvAfVALAV7t85Ucaor0O630e4yAtaItU/s1600/facebook6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEDzfzJEQ8mpQ7B42fTcO9ZWAEZKiGA48zYSMYYCRyhdcGRk8-5SH9Aox1HEpB6sqSQGATfKxRPoSUe2BBIJe4R_lnp3yAI4fcH7IQ_AzYqnWEvAfVALAV7t85Ucaor0O630e4yAtaItU/s400/facebook6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A festive shower, the High Street, Rye</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-FdqKVmgJYCF-tcV0by2doWkCA3VPe-spDC99xZoTaV8wvXMHaB0-4Cdbq34n4JQYONTkvrS_HpUfh1OXagApJUgaPFXlynjgcCNqhskE3A80LbZtpJUpWGowDZLA8vTrvoNAm9EbPR8/s1600/facebook7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-FdqKVmgJYCF-tcV0by2doWkCA3VPe-spDC99xZoTaV8wvXMHaB0-4Cdbq34n4JQYONTkvrS_HpUfh1OXagApJUgaPFXlynjgcCNqhskE3A80LbZtpJUpWGowDZLA8vTrvoNAm9EbPR8/s400/facebook7.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping warm and merry, Rye</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1ZpE-E1ajeQesRYGG0Se_68PsTrzSkky_rA4CbG8QIS_HYLeTrK7n44-Lbj4RRyjQjz3h1owyZhfUD6jNeRz4I_TW_ZnBfU29lFhRJ8aVs-kgk6cB_FMUp1nlzoMdOoBRLv6bxGRHwV9/s1600/facebook8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1ZpE-E1ajeQesRYGG0Se_68PsTrzSkky_rA4CbG8QIS_HYLeTrK7n44-Lbj4RRyjQjz3h1owyZhfUD6jNeRz4I_TW_ZnBfU29lFhRJ8aVs-kgk6cB_FMUp1nlzoMdOoBRLv6bxGRHwV9/s400/facebook8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow-one at the park, Rye</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPScZBBKc08RWjjE47CFFrMFpz3UI-bX7z40kx-maQFrmFxfGrKs4-MWEfCuD8qOOIKuYFTqLheaH6-iZCk57c4Cm3Dx3T8K_dSNnRqxeUucMnqqCOykV0Yp7cBD61yZp4k8iuMy_V-6P/s1600/facebook9+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPScZBBKc08RWjjE47CFFrMFpz3UI-bX7z40kx-maQFrmFxfGrKs4-MWEfCuD8qOOIKuYFTqLheaH6-iZCk57c4Cm3Dx3T8K_dSNnRqxeUucMnqqCOykV0Yp7cBD61yZp4k8iuMy_V-6P/s400/facebook9+copy.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Together in the snow, Rye</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30qBffMpvUUPBYPwHHHb6llYBsjlZ0cq2VQAu4b5jiqswd0IvGj-cZIzPIskb3qf5KlJFmZx0Y1H3sEcTy58hW0RmeLgygMsYv9SUyuNhpSr7dOZYhvy5ihFMT81if2CTHiTQD7SkKsuz/s1600/facebook10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30qBffMpvUUPBYPwHHHb6llYBsjlZ0cq2VQAu4b5jiqswd0IvGj-cZIzPIskb3qf5KlJFmZx0Y1H3sEcTy58hW0RmeLgygMsYv9SUyuNhpSr7dOZYhvy5ihFMT81if2CTHiTQD7SkKsuz/s400/facebook10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow on the dunes, Camber Sands</td></tr>
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</div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-20312279979768433352011-10-13T14:00:00.000-07:002011-10-13T14:01:51.830-07:00Cosy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'm really getting into the mood of the season this year. I've just realised that the past two Autumns I have been moving house, so I think that I am able to enjoy immersing myself in Autumn festivities because I am more settled than I have been for a while.<br />
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I have made yet another decoration for our home. I have been so inspired by my fabric leaf shapes (remember I made bunting and falling leaves too). This time I made an autumn 'chandelier', inspired by <a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/complsophs02-21/detail/0007360576">this book</a>. I threaded rose hips onto some wool using a large needle and then tied the bottoms onto a wreath made from hazel, silver birch and ivy- simply bent into shape and wired. I then sewed on more of my fabulous leaf shapes and some real foliage is poked in too. I love it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lRm8G7qVDkY_Q4Em6EWhyphenhyphenD-KpyYTZGW6iP-5yfN4AacMnZc3yJ_58jEYILHahZU8D9x7Ib4qq_HX66ndq1qdfluEMKSK3cuU3OlrNeXhyt2Sx-pUdGO6l3mp0vQFhKez0qd0aTie9LqS/s1600/DSC00109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lRm8G7qVDkY_Q4Em6EWhyphenhyphenD-KpyYTZGW6iP-5yfN4AacMnZc3yJ_58jEYILHahZU8D9x7Ib4qq_HX66ndq1qdfluEMKSK3cuU3OlrNeXhyt2Sx-pUdGO6l3mp0vQFhKez0qd0aTie9LqS/s640/DSC00109.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFlDZfFLpp4IOer2vrcodMGf7ZcYZaPCg90hN9JelUvU8imZg1WczfYs0p4is9cX4Po6YM_ikdD1WmreVuObpumuBhF8j4spQ8SImEdT0-_aM4l8zLb8NJBeZ_ahwCLOXcDi-CJLLLImh/s1600/DSC00110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFlDZfFLpp4IOer2vrcodMGf7ZcYZaPCg90hN9JelUvU8imZg1WczfYs0p4is9cX4Po6YM_ikdD1WmreVuObpumuBhF8j4spQ8SImEdT0-_aM4l8zLb8NJBeZ_ahwCLOXcDi-CJLLLImh/s640/DSC00110.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br />
This is my little corner of the world and I love it!<br />
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You can't beat a blue skied October evening, it is so cosy- making.<br />
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One of the highlights of my week so far... the coffee my husband made for me... sigh!<br />
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This was really all about the photos and to gush about Autumn. More to come soon.</div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017743436662106311.post-40579662129222235772011-10-07T14:49:00.000-07:002011-10-07T14:49:43.258-07:00Ode To Autumn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZXQA-A8qH85zLAjEN1QVkhC5ccY2U2JXcBixox8ZSQmOsWkd6E5ktO8My8ccw8-MccsRGQiBQUSP6UcKZBp9UDl6xgdTAF59fpP7YkHOjbJM9ggAFszAXdOpeog6Kf6IlhnJAgzCtHzT/s1600/DSC09723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZXQA-A8qH85zLAjEN1QVkhC5ccY2U2JXcBixox8ZSQmOsWkd6E5ktO8My8ccw8-MccsRGQiBQUSP6UcKZBp9UDl6xgdTAF59fpP7YkHOjbJM9ggAFszAXdOpeog6Kf6IlhnJAgzCtHzT/s640/DSC09723.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>Conspiring with him how to load and bless</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>To bend with apples the moss'd cottage- trees,</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>And still more, later flowers for the bees,</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>Until they think warm days will never cease,</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>For Summer has o'er brimm'd their clammy cells..."</i></div><br />
An extract from 'To Autumn" by John Keats<br />
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In the front of my very old poetry book, it says that Keats wrote in 1817 "I find I cannot exist without poetry- without eternal poetry- half the day will not do..." His artistic career only lasted some five or six years, but he is described as one of the most wholly and completely obsessed English poets, which is why he wrote so much in such a short space of time. Here is another man (see yesterday's post) who found what he loved to do.<br />
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I love reading his ode to Autumn, because I can relate so much to his love of this season, and it fascinates me that nearly 200 years ago, Autumns came and went with the same fruits and smells as they do now. There is something hauntingly beautiful about the way that I can relate to someone who lived such a long time before I did.<br />
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I have been crafting away this week, purely for pleasure. It's been quite a restful week, letting go of the pressure to perform and putting my heart right back in the centre of things where it belongs, following inspiration, allowing for disruption, and not worrying if things seem very unproductive!<br />
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I took some inspiration from <a href="http://www.kellehampton.com/">Kelle Hampton's blog</a> and I made some Autumnal decorations for the house. First I picked some leaves, then I drew around them onto cardboard and then used these cardboard shapes as stencils. I drew around them onto felt and fabrics, I was digging the purples and yellows. It was then a quick needle and thread job through the fabric leaves to join them together. I made one leaf bunting swag for the fireplace and some falling leaves decorations for the window. They look great and the children love them. I love the leaf shapes so much that I now feel inspired to make other things decorated with leaves... we'll see if I have time!<br />
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I'm enjoying our first fire tonight, it's very cosy :)<br />
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I've just remembered I wrote down some of my own thoughts about Autumn a few weeks ago, so I'll leave you with that:<br />
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Acorns litter the floor like confetti<br />
the Orchard is shrouded in mist<br />
apples scattered on the floor<br />
like the ones who didn't make it<br />
on a battlefield, a faint wiff of cider<br />
The trees black and delicate against the white sky<br />
yellow leaves lie softly on the ground<br />
they'll soon be brown.<br />
The song of blackbirds<br />
and other birds I can't identify<br />
light up the morning with their song<br />
Spider webs brush against my cheeks,<br />
some speckled with dewdrops<br />
The light, broken by tree trunks<br />
reaching for the sky<br />
the light through the trees is always magical<br />
Mushrooms push their plump heads up through the leaf litter<br />
like proud marshmallows<br />
the water droplets drip through the leaves of the canopy above my head<br />
Rabbits scurry in the path ahead<br />
I try and stay quiet<br />
but the heavy clonk and squeak of my khaki wellies gives me away<br />
Oak trees reach to the sky like pillars in a temple<br />
in a copiced clearing<br />
their beauty gives me strength inside<br />
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My baby boy is getting big!<br />
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Night all.</div>Sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14137621887604913740noreply@blogger.com0