Looking On The Bright Side Of Life: Healing is Possible

Yesterday winter arrived with wind, heavy rain, and cold.

Today there's a bite in the air, but the sun is shining and the world is sparkling. When I went outside to feed the ducks, dog and chooks, I could hear birds making noise everywhere. The ducks and chooks making their hurry-up-and-feed-us noises, a variety of pleasant songs coming from the trees including from this piwakawaka -

- and a ruckus. Looking out towards the back paddock, I saw seven or eight pukeko having a major scrap just over the fence in the neighbours' place. By the time I got there the mother, father and chicks were flying off to the next paddock, and these two were strutting and crowing proudly.

 The bush was so clean and sharp in the post-rain sunshine.

 We are so lucky to have found this beautiful place to live in.

The pineapple sage is glorious, as always at this time of the year, and I find I can sit and watch the insects on it for hours - not just my honey bees and bumble bees, but all kinds of creatures enjoying one of the last plants with flowers in abundance before winter closes in.

 The bamboo roots we planted this year have taken off and we will need to ensure that the 'moat' around the island is kept clear. It is a clumping variety, but still spreads easily. So pretty and useful though.

 Even the 'weeds' bring a smile.

 And our mountain - so good to see her today.

Of course a bit of morning joy can come at a price........

 It would have been a good idea to turn the feijoa jelly off, rather than up to full, before heading outside in the sun! On the plus side, while I was out there, I did collect another bucket full of feijoas, so I can make another batch of jelly.

But the greatest joy of the day was when, half way through the clean up, I realised that I had not abused myself - not even in my thoughts. There was a time when I would have cried and screamed and yelled the most horrendous words at myself, and plunged into self-hatred and despair for at least the rest of the day, and often for a week or more.

This silly little incident, which once would have seemed a veritable international crisis, shows me that, although there is more healing to do, healing is possible.