favorite summer day

After a summer day

with smiles and snoozes

Light rain sets in

barely audible on the roof

Later we're outside once more
and whilst turning a corner

the scent of fresh grass

suddenly hugs me like a soft blanket

The hens run around in the field

Calling to me for their supper

The cattle still lazily lying further away

and the sun is showing itself again

In the good life

where the grass smells better still

I only have to remember days like this

to be forever happy.

fun

Having fun is an essential activity. Without it we get lost, sad, need prescription drugs or worse. Just to enjoy another's company, or mosey about with a pet in nature can cure us from worry and other ailments like anger and frustration. Life my friends can be wonderful indeed. (Photo above is taken by me of my husband Nico enjoying a wonderful silly moment at the beach.)

In any case: I have taken to crayons, paint and ink again lately, we are very old friends and are getting re-aquainted. We started off with some goatie drawing to ease into it. These are Molly and her daughter Pompidou who was born less then 4 weeks ago.

Amazing what an old stash of art tools can provide!

And how about what else you can do with them? Artist Diem Chau makes the most intricate fun our of crayons. Literally.

Diem was born in 1979 in Vietnam and moved to the USA. You can read more about her groovy bio on her website here. Aside being well known for her crayon work she also does wonderful other 3dimensional work:

Intricate work isn't it... she loves making stories visual

Have more fun reading her blog! What is life without a bit of whimsy.

seriously?

No. Often things are too serious already. We try too hard. Does that really help? Hm?


Generally we find we have to make light of a situation. Being stuck in the mud only teaches us to get very muddy boots (I literally experienced this yesterday when my husband and I were building enclosures for our two wild piglets). Better to have a laugh and move on.


I like to share this video today which I think teaches us to never complain again. There is no use for such a pass time although all of us have done this from time to time. How do you feel today?

spark of life

Today I faced the cloud of doom I call mediocrity yet again. Great relief to find I'm perfectly happy to make the stance not to fit in that "comfortable" bracket. I have my pride. Hurray! 

So is it worth hanging on to what we believe in? I think so. If we sell out, cop out, lose out, or 'smile out' then what the heck are we doing here anyways? I hadn't planned on becoming a planet drone with a Wallmart sticker across my face. In any case:always a good thing to figure out what we want to define us and if we don't get too excited about what we currently see: to devise an Evil Plan to remedy our situation! We have times when we get discouraged. We look at other people who just pop dazzling electricity like a regular bowel movement. But in all things amazing: we too can share something worthwhile by just finding our own voice. (Read here why we can and why it matters.)

As my friend Ivan Campuzano says: "Doubt is just a word that explains the desire not to participate in life". So: in short: we need to simply do what we need to and want to. This also means doing crazy stuff and stupid stuff which could be embarrassing stuff. It's all part of it. Ivan has written another beautiful post about "sharing your gifts". Read it here and decide to pursue at least 2 of his list today. Sign up for wild water rafting, singing lessons or finally go and knock on the neighbors' door to say hello.

Because changing our perspective and adding onto it with unhampered enthusiasm shapes the world. Literally. What excites you? And then: how can you help other people feel more awesome? Because making other people feel better about themselves always make you feel better too. (I see daily proof of this when tending my goat and cattle herd. Evidence stares you in the face below. I love it when I see them smile. They can you know.)

Yes my friends: we can do it! Hang on to that spark of life before thinking about retirement and settling for something. Today's the day.

skills

My weeks have been busy and chaotic. Most people have that so nothing new there! Now and again I come back to a Dutch book about writing. It's excellent and extremely funny. Why is it? Because the writer writes in a way that draws me in; it's extremely compelling. I love to write.

Who qualifies us to be good writers? Does it even matter whether we are "good"? Perhaps not. I have found that writing for so many years on emails and my blog that certain skills have "upgraded". Practice makes perfect so they say. Developing any skill this way would.

So start doing what you want to learn today. Is it singing? Is it making art? Is it car racing? Is it perfecting your game efforts online? Is it taking up crochet? Is it gluing garden gnomes together and building kinky sculptures? Is it grooming poodles? You never know unless you try.

Me, I'm just a potato head :)

source potato info: via Bitrebels

gentleness

There is much to be said about softness in this oftentimes world of harshness. The way I keep reading in the media about how there are battles to be won, companies to be bought and problems to be overcome. At night I wake up grinding my teeth and wondering why my face has that determined steely set feel to it. Relaxxx I tell myself.
Then the dog died. Glen aka Manny Moo was getting onto 15. His eyesight had long left him seeing fuzzy shapes and his hearing was a lot to be left desired. He could walk but with a wobble and at times he would get caught walking into a bit of sand and would keel over or flop down. Thus it was when I found myself writing a letter to him in the evening, a few hours after I had found him lying so still in his kennel.

Dear Mennie (Dutch for Manny)

On all acounts you appeared to be a normal dog..
You didn't have a dashing appearance, if anything you were pretty scruffy looking.
Yet we loved you straight away and you came with the farm we were buying. How cool!
You rounded up the neighbours sheep when they went on an escapade, because you knew what to do. Naturally we hadn't a clue being farmlet newbies and you understood that perfectly.

Over the years your favorite activity was to find sunlight and then bask in it on the lawn. You loved me brushing your coat. It made you feel like a guy with a tophat being so nicely groomed. And if you could have a rummage in the grass and roll around in it well nothing could beat that. I will always remember you smiling, and it was quite something to behold.

We looked after you and you learned to trust humans again, be it always a bit careful. If anyone put their arm up high you would duck down by instinct. We told you that you didn't have to. We gave you cuddles. I talked to you until even you had enough of it after a while. As time went on you knew the routine by heart of bikkie twice a day instead of once. You never understood what a ball was for though, so we decided to give it to the goats to muck around with. (Not that they did.)

Mennie you were very special to us. You were gentle and you were kind. I will miss you yet I know it was simply time, and I'm glad you died in your own home instead of on the vets table in a clinic. You deserved to live at home for as long as you wanted to. I hope you will like the tree we will pick out for you. Please see us from time to time, but if you don't then that's prefectly fine. An awesome place like heaven can be very distracting I'm sure!

Talk to you later Mennie. Take care and have fun!
Lots of love,
Mirjam (and Nico of course but he's less girly about these sort of things as you know.)

deadlines

We always think deadlines can be useful. Well of course they are, they provide us with a sense of direction and purpose and a TADA! as we get something done in time. The other side of the coin is those who continually suffer from other people's deadlines, the so called provider-of-deadline-allowers. Ever thought of them?


The reality is that whether someone obligingly promised hand over heart to accommodate you, life may go differently. There can be technical malfunctions. There could be a cyclone. They might have the flu. They didn't look when crossing the street and their fresh undies were exposed. You simply can never tell what happened. Sometimes they are sorry they missed your deadline that you feel you have to pay for their counselling fees. Other times there are those who may lie to your face. (It is a very grey area. Tread with caution.)


Mooodlies recently had a deadline crossing. Actually Joi and my deadlines went up in smoke on more then one occasion. We were a bit taken aback but deliberately decided to not blow a fuse. Instead we discovered that a) some people who are deadline-providing-allowers are not as excited about their job as you are about them finishing it and b) have a plan b in order to always have another deadline-providing-allower on board you can count on.


Naturally you may not have the option of a plan b because you have signed a deal or legal arrangement with partner a. In that case another solution would have to be sought. At the end of the day though: life is life and can take us by surprise no matter how well we plan, fret, worry, dance or run with it. The key is then to relax in the knowing that life continues as before and that it's up to us how we react, not the other person. Also I would strongly suggest to work with people you trust, somehow they have the tendency to respect you and thus are happy to aid in your deadline addiction.


I would like to share the following with you that Joi so neatly wrote:


" I make stuff because it releases schools of fish from my thoughts
I make stuff because it keeps my hands busy
and my mind fizzy
I make stuff before stuff makes me.


It's the same reason I think in dialogue,
despise voice chats
see in pictures
even numbers (there are calculators for such problems)
I make stuff before stuff makes me.


When stuff makes me
I have no control of the the way I'm written
and that can't be good
as I end up with too much ears
and very little heart
or too much heart
and not enough tears
I make stuff before stuff makes me."


The world is made of stuff. Make it fun yeah!

How about yes?

We often say no. No to work requests. No to the check out lady when she asks whether you brought your coupon card. No to nice ladies who wish you to donate to charity. No to animals that want food right now. No to kind invitations. No to confirming someone we don't know on Facebook. No to different ideas. No to things we don't agree with.


We could decide to say yes for a change. Have you noticed how we have taught ourselves to usually pop up some automated barriers, when interacting with other people? They ask something and we immediately spell out no or go erm.... and why is that? To protect ourselves? From what exactly? From having more fun?


Recently I said yes to these things:

• I said yes to spending a special day at a friends place in the city even though I absolutely prefer and love spending that particular time on our farm. It made my friend happy that we're coming and me too.
• I said yes to giving money to a busker. He looked happy. I was too.
• I said yes to admitting design work to a local art competition and included a friend of mine. My friend was happy to go along with this crazy plan as the deadline is a week away.
• I said yes to working Christmas eve. My boss was happy and she said I could leave earlier when I felt like it. We were both happy.
• I said yes to many wonderful things next year that I will know will acquire me to be focused and dedicated. I know it will be fun. This made me very happy and my design friend too.
• I said yes to my husband changing his job (Actually I have been saying yes to that for about 12 months now). This made him happy and me too.
• I said yes to another kune kune pig arriving on our farm. After the initial debate pig Spunky had with new pig Piggie we are all very happy. I asked Spunky to learn to say yes.
• I said yes to designing a new book cover for my mum's new poetry book. She was thrilled and I was happy too.
• I said yes to a bbq Christmas dinner and staying at home. I did make a superb desert and it's called Ambrosia. My husband and I are both happy with that.
• I said yes to learning a new skill and accepted it takes time to do it well. It makes me very happy.
• I said yes to new changes and I said yes to new possibilities and new ventures for 2011.
• I said yes to my life changing all across the board. For the better. It's exciting! It makes me happy.
• I said yes to the decision to say more and more yes.

How about you?

yellow brick road

Yesterday a fur seal had an adventure on tar-seal in Dunedin. Fred was on exploration. The humans had a bit of a kafuffle guiding him back to the water whereas Fred was just happy lying on the nice warm grass between the 4 lanes having a snooze. (He loves to eat fresh fish and the occasional muffin. He enjoys playing with humans. Just don't prod him, he has sensitive skin.)

Sometimes other people think we are lost, have no idea what we are doing or doubt our abilities, mostly they just want to do "the right thing" and try and drag us back to that thing they call "reality". Naturally this can be sensible, as let's face it all of us have the occasional blond moment or fly into fairyland. But what if we just want to play? What if we did think about it?


We simply may enjoy having a little adventure, like Fred. Maybe it would be nice if people let us do silly things and pretend we are in charge of our own lives. If we inadvertently hold up traffic, like Fred, then the cops can be called upon. Just don't panic too early when you see someone venturing off into the unknown. It could very well be just the thing for them. Some people call it "going bush", "gone fishing", "painting in nature", "meditating" or "going to a retreat" or even "tree hugging". 


"When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.
-- Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne"


Seeing people do certain things maybe don't make sense, but it can be useful. If you feel the urge yourself, simply do it by yourself and try not to bother anyone else once you're doing it. And when someone does track you down just be nice to them and thank them for caring.

you giving today?

I found this inspirational video and I very much liked the idea, and how it was so simple and effective.
How to cheer people up quickly and why it is so much fun to be the "do-er" and the "receiver" of that gift.





Found via http://www.revonet.co.nz/p/cool-stuff.html via Marc from www.businessblogs.co.nz

fun works

We usually expect Design to be practical, functional. What about another aspect that is important? The fun to use it, the sheer beauty of the design. It turns out that our brain is wired in such a fashion that we can be more creative, and better problem solvers, if we are happy. So it also pays to use design that makes us happy.

I'm a big fan of having fun. What makes you happy? As Don Norman puts it: "so that's the new me, I only say positive things."

creativity

Last week I have spent working on several projects, none of which I can tell you much more about right now, except that the design work I have done for them is great fun and looks wonderful! One is a collaboration project which has had surprising and absolutely kick ass results. So the trick is to be self propelling and self motivated to create. I find this aspect one of my greatest assets.

I designed a side table last week that is also a light. I am positively having itchy fingers to start making it. I had the sudden inspiration after having flicked through a commercial furniture supplier's brochure that arrived in the post. It showed many works from the latest Milan show and I looked at a few shapely curves on furniture that sparked the idea, but none of them were also lights. That only came about after I had started drawing up the table as we need one at home. 


As it was I ended up having to park my side table idea on the weekend, as we have a farm and responsibilities that come before any arty farty time. So now I am thinking on how to get the material for this side table to the farm and then when to start whipping it up. Exciting! My plan is to make one out of mdf or equivalent to see if the design works, and then to sell the plans of it so anyone with some DIY tools can make it too. Cost effective design piece and "green" as it's up to the 'builder' how to finish the design.


So how can any of us be more creative and also; find time for ourselves to make things?
I find this time thing the hardest: basically I'm currently left with only the evenings. (And that's how some people who know me say I am barking mad because I do too many things. I have too many ideas and I often feel like a gas bottle under pressure.)


I also figured out that in order to create "me-time" I had to get better organized. I bought a desk that now more effectively stores my paperwork. This way I can open the mail in the 
evenings for example and tidy the bills and information away quickly, taking only 5 minutes, which means I don't have to sit down and go through all that jazz one day a week which would cost me more time when I'd rather be doing something else. I also have an effective system with feeding the animals twice every day as that is my responsibility and I try to fit in other activities during the week as well so I don't have to in the weekend. It can be quite the juggling act, but really: instead of watching tv for 2 hours every night I could be doing something else instead.


Sparking your creativity:

• get paper out on a table and any pens, paint or whatever you find easiest to work with and just get cracking. I have used ballpoints a lot in my day and it works for me. You don't need fancy materials to draw your ideas down.
• is there anything in your house or room that you've been wanting a solution for? Write down a few things and make some sketches. Start drawing.
• magazines and websites: create a clippings book and bookmark your favorite sites. Compile sketches. I see many things every day and my brain stores the images as I have a visual memory. Things can pop up at the craziest times, but it is handy to have an actual reference.
• nature; there are so many things to see and admire out there in the world, whether it is the surprising and silhouetted shape of trees or a concrete jungle sparking graffiti.
• collaborate: do you know any one who is as crazy as you? Talk to them and see if they're game to start up a project together. This way you learn from each other and it's simply great fun.
• do a course if you feel that you require direction to focus your abilities. You also get to meet others which is inspiring in itself.
• write down your ideas. I find if they're still cool after many months, you're onto something. I have a whole folder stuffed with ideas; ranging from bedlinen designs, to lighting, to rough cabin designs and interior design schemes. I am unable to work on them right now so I have to choose, leaving 90% sitting in this folder. They could be of use later down the track.
• never say die. If you feel something bubbling inside of you, don't ignore it. Drag a notebook in your bag with you, store things on your computer if thats' easier for you, put clippings in your diary and add them to your sketchbook at home. Just keep at it. It's worth more to you then you may realize now.

picture above: a sketch design of mine: down-under cuisine 2010

dancing

When you're not sure which way to go about it: go dancing!





(I'm doing an interview on Skype this Saturday with a lovely talented and fun lady who is massively into dancing. No wonder we get along so well...)

because there are goats...

Want to travel and eat good food? Have you heard of WWoofing? It has been suggested to us to become Wwoofing hosts once the farm is fully "goatified". Why WWooff? Well "because there are goats" that's what... of course! Waha. Great vids.







We have heard mixed messages about the WWoofing experience when we came to New Zealand, and Nico and I decided not to go there but pick apples instead, where we learned many things, mostly which was unexpected. And yes the memories are quite extraordinary, and give inspiration too for the future. But hey, it's also hard work being on a farm and mostly it's doing simple things, including manure scooping. Good thing goat poop is so clean really, bless them.

law of attraction

Ever heard of the Law of Attraction or LOA? You may have, you surely have heard of the Secret. As with many things, timeless principles are re marketed and most of it is ancient. The usual bla bla?


Thought creates matter through vibration (as thought is energy - ever realized the structure of water changes depending on what thought is focused on it? Read about that later here it's fascinating). So what are we rabbiting about here?

1. What is alike attracts, whether you are thinking or feeling positive or negative about it.
2. Your feelings are your indicator of whether you are being true to yourself or not. Emotions are extremely strong in adding to your reality, quite literally.
3. Focus on what you want and it will expand, but focus on what you don't want and it works the same.
4. Become aware: tune into your own radio station regularly and pay attention and then switch the dial to positive again if you're a bit "off".
5. No wonder meditation can be helpful, as it quiets the mind and you are more likely to hear the silence: thus receiving helpful input from upstairs (if you don't believe in that sort of thing at least you will be able to relax).
6. Set your goals but as an idea to work towards and to realize it's is definitely coming. This will bring it to you, but without focusing on that it's not here yet. (Yes it can seem fuzzy. Just practice.)
7. The amount of active intention (read: emotion) you add to whatever it is you focus on, will increase the effectiveness of that which will become. It literally empowers it and makes it grow.
8. How quickly things change depends on how clearly you feel and focus upon that which you envision, and how true it feels to you.

The reason I write about it here is because I 'work' with the above ideas and have for years, without realizing it first. Then I met people, I read, I did a whole bunch of courses but ultimately: things fell into place. All the humdrum started to make more and more sense. Very handy this inner knowing jazz. I really enjoy it, because it so simple and yet it always works.


The most fun is to be had when you feel happy. From a joyous place expansion can take place and wonderful things seem to happen. If we're angry what we will literally create is more upset in our life. It's interesting that people who talk much about ilnesses become ill, those who worry have -and continue to have it seems- more problems, those who want to control their lives have a hard time (pushing up hill and getting exhausted) and those who always laugh have more fun and seem to always 'get lucky'. Hm. Why is that? Also: how come that the ones who are wealthy only seem to get wealthier? Because they are used to having and feeling the financial abundance and they expect it. What you think about you become. What you focus on you create more of. That is why some people seem to be stuck in the same over and over and why most keep having the same sort of relationships or problems. I know it sounds yadda yadda, but really; think about it with examples you see in your daily life. 


There is a lot of things we don't quite understand about how life works. I use my inner guidance system and it has served me well. I pick up things about people, I get spontaneous ideas, I try to be sensible and not judge situations, but rather 'read' a lot between the lines. I trust that everyone does what they need to do what's in their best interest and I have come to fully understand that. It's not about right or wrong, there is no such thing. There is only perception and what you do with it. I love designing which I do. I love animals and I have a farm. I am still with my dearest and we only appreciate each other more every year. Of course I have been an idiot at times. Despite the embarrassment it taught me many things. So actually any crisis or mistake can be extremely useful. More so sometimes then when we just toodle along.


There is a lot to be said about living the good life, but really: it's about what you envision and what you intend to do with it that makes it exciting. I think most of all it's important to enjoy being ourselves and to trust what we feel is right, always. And yes, to appreciate all around us including all the people in it. What I try to do is become more aware of my emotional state and keep hoisting up my happy attitude whenever I find myself on the downside. This way I 'recover' more quickly and have better and better days. 


The key is to see that there is a lot in your life you can like and appreciate. Do what you feel is best for you. The point is you are more linked to other beings then you think. Being gratefull and being generous is a normal every day thing to me and it makes me happy. It also seems to make others happy which is even more groovy. My goats always seem to be happy and I love their attitude. They are truly enlightening. They have got a terrific life so it must work for them too. 


Basically I'm in the business of upliftiness. I get a real kick seeing other people excited and thriving. And really if it works out so well, why ignore it?


The secret behind the secret: here
For an introduction: Esther Hicks: on the Law of Attraction: vid
Their website: Abraham Hicks