Blank slate

When I wrote this post recently, about our predicament with access to permanent water supply - I could almost hear the crickets in the background, afterwards. Not from my readers, but within my own head. I'd accounted for a pretty big, system failure. Which meant, the way we did things around here, was about to change.

Having a realisation though, and formulating a response to it, doesn't necessarily happen at the same time. Hence, the cacophony of crickets. It took several days, pondering the blank slate before me, in order to pick a direction.

Two things happened, during this period of reflection though. Firstly, I started a new online art course, which I poured myself into. You can read about it, at Make-do-Studio. Secondly; was having my mind in Permaculture Solutions mode. Because I had a property with a problem, of not being able to grow food - so how was I intending to use it, in the future?

Native Spotted Gum

This land was successfully used for logging, in the past. It grows 40 metre hardwood, eucalyptus trees, in a very short period of time, on natural rainfall. We have needed to control the saplings, before they turned into those towering monsters. But several have gotten away on us, and are now too close to the house.

So we cannot grow food on natural rainfall, but we can grow weedy, hardwood trees, that NEED to be controlled. Ideas started to cross pollinate, between the two things I was pouring myself into: the property, and my new found desire to create things.

 A beautiful rainbow, fell over our trees, on Christmas 2017

I started to wonder, could they be merged? Could our land be used, to create things, other than food - to trade with those, who CAN grow food? This is what I am pondering at the moment. I have a few ideas kicking around, which have silenced the crickets for now.

Anything I do, has to be manageable mostly, by me though. As that was another system failure, I recognised, in close succession to the water issue. Maybe another post, for another day though? But I have to be able to run a household, a property, raise a family AND (dare I say it) look after myself, while developing a new business I can run from home?

The property was on my mind, so I used it, to create a picture

Titled: "You-eclipsed-us"

In closing, I need to comment on my word for the year. Sacrifice. It has let itself be known, quite often, during these precedings of reflection. I've had to give-up growing food (for the immediate future) and sift through the ashes of what's left. As unpleasant as the notion of sacrifice may be - it's conclusion, creates room for new things to flourish.

So that's how I plan to move forward - exploring new opportunities, which pays homage to our land for what it is, not what it isn't. If I seem a little different than normal, at all, on this blog - it's because I'm sorting through the changes I need to make. For things to continue to prosper, however that turns out. Thanks in advance, for bearing with me.

Are you having to do anything different, than normal, in your daily life? Or have you had to give up something, you weren't anticipating?

What's next?

The gauntlet of Christmas festivities, has been diligently run, and ready or not, here comes 2018. There are big changes ahead for us. Not only is our youngest, going to be starting Prep (school) next year, but David just started a new career too.

He received the news, as we were heavily in the midsts of Christmas preparations. Then on the day he signed contracts, we suddenly learned Christmas day, was off the table. He was rostered to work instead.

 Making flat land, for temporary gazebo

Timing...where were you? Because gazebo's had already been purchased, retaining walls, built - relatives planned to drive over an hour, to eat lunch in the new outdoors, entertaining area. Were we supposed to consider, canceling Christmas? Fortunately, David wasn't expected to work Christmas eve, so that became our new Christmas day. Close enough.

There is more to share about his new position, and even about Christmas, but I'll save those for future posts. This one is about the anticipation of a new year, and how we're planning to spend it.

 December 25, closed with a spectacular double rainbow

Rather than make new year's resolutions though, I'm choosing to adopt a word for the year, instead. "Sacrifice", is going to be my word. Because a bunch of things conspired at the end of 2017, to make me focus on it. I'm not planning to make specific sacrifices, nor any challenges for myself. It's simply a contrast, to the reward-based psychology, prevalent in our culture.

I want to practice more identification with "sacrifice", as a possible, positive influence in my life. It seems to be a word associated exclusively with martyrs, or even a form of punishment through self-deprivation. Basically it seems like a foreign concept, assigned to either greatness or unworthiness. My natural curiosity, wants to explore all the layers in between, to see it's full potential. 

What will this examination process, lead to? I don't know. But I look forward to contemplating the perception of sacrifice, in 2018.