Yesterday I went into Tiaro to post some mail. When I parked and got out of the car I happened to look up into the cab of a truck pulling into the car park behind me. I noticed that the lady was sitting in the middle beside the man driving. It caught my attention because no one does that anymore - do they? When I saw her get out of the cab I saw that there was actually an empty seat beside the window and that she well and truly chose to sit beside her husband / partner while they drove. I thought it spoke volumes of love and friendship between two people. I can't do that in our car with Mick - there is no middle seat.
I am reading a book on Zen at the moment. "Everyday Zen: Love and Work" by Charlotte Joko Beck. I picked this book up so long ago from a second hand shop somewhere and it has sat on my shelf since then. I have not read a book for a while and then the other night I just stood in front of the bookshelf and this book called to me. So time to read it and see what is in there for me to learn.
I have been thinking today about what I read last night. One thing that has stuck with me is the notion that as I am meditating and I get thoughts coming through is to think "I am having a thought about.....". For example when the thought flits through my mind that the car needs new tyres or that such and such doesn't like me or that I wonder how I will pay this or that bill or find the time to do this or that chore, I actually label it as a thought and say to myself "I am having a thought about such and such." I have only been doing this sparodically over the past few days and WOW is all I can say. The minute I acknowledge the thought and label it as a thought and not actual reality it just feels so different. I will talk more as I progress more through the book.
I have been progressing with trying a new recipe every day for the year. I have missed a day or two here and there but generally I have really expanded into trying new things but more than anything I really like finding recipes to use up and preserve what is currently available without using the freezer if possible. I will add them to the recipe pages on here. Spicy Mango Chutney is a great one and I have made this twice in the past week using up the excess mangoes available here at the moment.
I am picking cucumbers every day and each day for the next week I have set aside a new cucumber recipe/salad to make. I will share them as I go through them.
Basket of mangoes - it has been such a good season this year.
I was fortunate enough to be given a whole heap of gladioli bulbs. I have planted them out into the garden - all in one spot and hopefully I will be able to post some photos later in the year when they all come up and give me some gorgeous blooms to look at.
I was also fortunate enough to be given some Luffa seeds. I planted them all out and I am taking photos of my journey growing Luffas but a sneak peek above is the yellow flowers. I was sent these seeds by a lovely blogger along with a dried Luffa. I wrote all her details down and then over the past year have lost them. I so want to share these photos and my progress with you so if you are reading this and you were the person who kindly shared these seeds with me please make contact.
And an actual Luffa starting to get bigger - looks like a cucumber. I really have no idea what to do - just reading up on the net when I have a question but this is all trial and error and photos are a great diary.
We pulled all the pups of the AGAVE plants out the front garden. Give it a few months and all of this baby plants will be able to be planted out into the garden. There is a banana sucker in there as well.
A side view of my vegetable garden - it is going to be extended asap. I am picking cucumbers every day and button squash and have have beans coming on. I am really enjoying learning to garden and the thril of picking food I can eat that I have grown myself.
