Category Archives: labyrinth

Autumn Planting

first of the home grown oaksProbably not the best time of year to start planting, but on advice from a friend that is wise about these matters, I put in the first of the home grown oak trees just after the first Autumn Full Moon.

The soil was just a shade softer than concrete. It’s a heavy clay and as the summer sun has dried out the moisture and the grass has died back and gone crispy and crunchy underfoot, a pick was required to loosen the soil.  After digging just four holes, I was dreaming of a mechanical auger to do the holes for the next 10 or so trees that are waiting to be planted out, until I read the reviews on several sites and forums.

The first of the composted toilet bins has gone beyond 12 months of “cooking” in the sun, so once a deepish hole (around 500mm) was dug,  half a bucket was tipped into each oak tree hole and mixed with the soil to help with drainage and feed the trees. Surprisingly, there was very little odour, so I assume that the composting has been successful.

the first of the pomegranate treesStakes and tree guards were put around the two Oak trees and the two Pomegranate trees that were planted and watered in well. Another acorn was planted directly into the ground next to the passionfruit vine which on this visit was looking decidedly unwell. I had planned to move it to a less sunny spot as “full sun” up here is equivalent to baking and crisping!

Having discovered that a reasonably liberal sprinkling of gypsum throughout the labyrinth has made the soil there a little easier to dig, I will take up a couple of bags on the next visit to apply before putting in the next trees and see if it works it magic again.

The driveway has a collection or avenue of native trees such as wattles, eucalyptus and pinwheel hakeas as one heads up from the roadway towards the cottage and shed. Most of the property was pasture at some stage, with a remnant stand of Bull Mallee trees at the high point and some tall eucalyptus trees on the lower slopes, which I usually refer to as the  “wild area”.  One can choose to continue driving along the fence line or turn east along the edge of the “wild area” towards the astronomy dome which sits like a lonely Dalek in the paddock.  It is along this area that I will create (if nature and the wildlife allow) a deciduous avenue of oak trees -perhaps in the future they will become the backdrop to a garden of a house yet to be dreamed of, let alone built. Planning the future plantings and ensuring a good water supply for the cottage, the labyrinth and the trees changes as the land reveals itself takes time and careful consideration.

Orbs like the oak tree plantingEach trip has different highlights. Often it is to note the changes of season, or to walk the labyrinth or to roam the property and catch the energy of the land. Nights are interesting, even though I have vivid dreams in the city, the dreams here are lucid and have characters who seem to have stepped out of a time long gone. Another friend who is a gifted psychic, has suggested I’m picking up on the energy of the goldrush days and the colourful characters that roamed this area back then.  Whatever it is, I’m quite happy to go with the flow and enjoy the peaceful environment and work on restoring the land gradually and along permaculture principles.

Change

“Bamboo is flexible, bending with the wind but never breaking, capable of adapting to any circumstance. It suggests resilience, meaning that we have the ability to bounce back even from the most difficult times. . . Your ability to thrive depends, in the end, on your attitude to your life circumstances. Take everything in stride with grace, putting forth energy when it is needed, yet always staying calm inwardly.”  Ping Fu

Another word for change is transformation. There needs to be a certain amount of flexibility when making a change because if you hold on to something too rigidly, either it or you may break.

Sometimes change is forced upon us…..loss of a family member, redundancy or ill health and you need to call upon your reserves of resilience, be tenacious and hold on without being stubborn or inflexible.

There is room at these times for both sadness and laughter.  Allowing yourself to be in the moment and recognising ……and naming…..what emotion you are feeling, certainly helps. When the challenges occur, they are often pathways or stepping stones not only for your own healing but for those of others.

labryinth in green and blueRecently as my father in law was making his transition, I took some time out to do the shopping. About to return home, a friend in a similar circumstance called. Still in the car park, we had a long conversation about death, dying, unsaid conversations with loved ones and supporting those who are left behind. It was a hot summer evening and I had the window down. So totally involved in the conversation, I hadn’t noticed until it finished that there was another car next to me also with the window down. As I started the engine and glanced over, I observed the woman in it sobbing, tears running down her face.  I realized that she had listened to the whole, emotionally raw conversation and that it had touched hlabyrinth painting in red and orangeer as well.

In the days following there was the funeral – tears, sadness and yes, laughter. This was a who lived his life fully. Friends rallied around the family and there was laughter at shared memories. Grief is expressed in many ways and being non judgmental, opens a space within you for growth and change. Times like this give you a different perspective.  The same event is perceived quite differently by each participant. With this in mind there is the  opportunity to slow down, meditate and learn to trust yourself and thus transform.

Like walking the labyrinth, you enter into it and find yourself firstly traveling in one direction and then another. Tantalizingly, you approach what might be that peaceful space in the centre, then move away again. Mindful of the steps that you take, there is a slowing down as the centre is reached and you can rest awhile.

Here is the space and time to have the courage to face your inner conflicts, the grief, the burdens and set them down or offer them up gently and peacefully to the universe/angels or whatever deity you believe in.  Spend as much time here in the centre as you need and then begin to walk the pathway out. You can’t get lost, there is only the one path and you might begin to notice that your step is a little lighter. Allow yourself to feel any emotions, again take note and name them – are they the same as before? Is what is coming up for you negative or positive? What are the triggers? Are you able to clearly communicate your thoughts and feelings to someone who will listen? Be in the moment and breathe……

 

Enchantment

On a  recent visit to the retreat, I was enchanted with the spectre of a double rainbow over the labyrinth.  It was at the end of a hot and humid day and just as the sun was getting ready to slip over the horizon, the clouds parted and there was a most amazing light dancing on the tree tops. A shower in the distance provided the catalyst for a most amazing rainbow.

Did I manage to capture the image? Sadly no…. one of the rare occasions when I had neither camera or smartphone with me.

Earlier in the day, I had shrugged off the lethargy and done a New Moon meditation and vision book page. The next step was to take the vision book into the labyrinth and meditate further on what had come to me.

As I came out of the labyrinth, I was reminded of the benefit of journalling the experiences, many abridged versions appear here in this blog. I remembered a comment from a reader some time ago who suggested that I include video. With that in mind, I walked slowly back to the centre recording the journey, which I would share, except that it seems that the iphone video is not compatible with this platform. The act of mindfulness in walking slowly and holding the camera steadily made for a different experience. The focus was not on myself, but how could I best film the pathway so that viewers would not feel dizzy or sick and that they could really get a “feel” for the rustic nature of this labyrinth.

It cannot be compared to the  pictures of the labyrinths in North America and Europe that are either beautifully paved or have lush green turf….  This is country Victoria coming into summer.. the weeds and the grass have turned to straw brown, the soil is drying and cracking and the patches of gravel are rust red and need to be stepped on carefully.  The mounded soil of the rings allows some long grass and other small hardy plants to grow, but there is no sign of life in the outer ring where the garlic was planted, except for 2 sage plants and a lavender plant that has just flowered. As each step is taken, there is a crunching sound… the dried up plants…. the opposite to the Northern Hemisphere which had record snowfalls on that same weekend.

So whilst the intent has been to share the New Moon experience with you, I can only do so with words and not pictures…. perhaps some enchanted things are not to share……

Postscript….. If you would like to do a virtual walk of the labyrinth, click HERE

 

Energy of the Labyrinth

Orbs I keep getting glimpses or flashes of movement out of the corner of my eye… taking a photo in the general direction usually reveals a series of orbs… a large, round dark blue  one, an oval shaped aqua blue and a bright green orb. Sometimes they appear on their own and other times all together.

The first time I saw them on camera was on a trip to far north Queensland and we were coming home via Lawn Hill.  Camped in a shady spot called Adele’s Grove, I had a sense of this movement or presence. Later that trip we encountered heavy rain and flooding just out of Innaminka in Central Australia and I discovered the green orb in photos of the very muddy car. 70895-lawnhillorbs I get a sense that they offer me protection.

From time to time as I have walked the labyrinth, I have felt a presence alongside me and since a friend who came to the “Back to Basics” weekend confirmed something similar, I decided to call in the Archangels as I walked the labyrinth on Sunday morning.

As I walked into the third ring, I got a sense of the light making shadow patterns with the grass gently blowing in the breeze. Each coil felt quite different as I walked, notwithstanding the change of direction and the uneven pathway. labyrinth clouds

At the centre, I paused for reflection and the light seemed to intensify and shimmer. When I looked up to focus myself for the walk out, I noticed the clouds……They looked like the remnants of a labyrinth drawn in the sky……

I centred myself and felt a powerful connection to the earth, through my legs and base chakra and then it was gone…. time to return to the outer world and continue with the day’s planned work.  All too soon, I was back at the entrance and aware that a shift had occurred. Re-reading the journal work afterwards, I discovered a passage of writing that has intrigued me since. Next journey within the labyrinth I will ask for it to become more clear…….

Feeling seedy

Overgrown labyrinthThe good winter rains meant that there is a variety of grasses that sprung up to replace some of the weeds that also popped up in the labyrinth. These have now all seeded and the labyrinth has taken on an unkempt appearance.  A trial of sawdust as a pathway covering has mixed success. It feels lovely to walk on and the tannins in the wood have begun to leach out of the damp, underlayer, but a couple of hardy plants have poked their heads through and flowered.

The lawnmower will be packed for the next trip, but before it can be mowed, I will have to remove any rocks from the pathway.

The wildlife has taken a fancy to the garlic planted in the outer marking ring.  It took off really well and in the two weeks since the last visit,  has been munched, so my vision of having a nice summer crop of organic garlic to share has evaporated.  I guess there are a few garlic flavoured kangaroos and rabbits hopping about……as the chap over the back with the shotgun may well find out. I’m sure that’s why they all hang out at my place!!

oak remnantUnfortunately the wildlife also took a fancy to the Oak tree seedling in the centre of the labyrinth. Fortunately there was a strong green stem with a tiny bud to one side remaining.

Having planned to plant out the other dozen Oak tree seedlings over the weekend,  I had brought up tomato stakes and tree guards to protect them, so one was immediately seconded for this little tree.

Oak within a tree guardI’m hoping that this will give it a second chance.  It’s all a learning experience…..! There’s a possibility of returning to an original idea of building a fence around the labyrinth, but I do like the wide open spaces around it.  As yet the wildlife hasn’t got hungry enough to eat the sage or the lavender, so fingers crossed they won’t!!

I’ve found a flat, well flattish, area to build the next labyrinth. Out in the middle of the paddock…. but it will have to wait until the little thistle patch is under control.

I’m often asked what I’m growing on the block and I think people expect a response like “Wheat/barley/grapes or sheep/goats/cows”…  so far it’s weeds……. lots of weeds……

Biddy bush, Capeweed, onion weed, little thistles, mistletoe, dodder laurel, rabbits, roos and I’m sure there are more that I haven’t learnt the names of yet….

I needed to dig a dozen holes to put the city Oak tree seedlings in, so it was decided that they would form an outer ring to a Chartres style labyrinth in another spot. Firstly I had to find the spot and then mark out the compass points for the labyrinth. Using a compass, I marked out the cardinal points. It’s too early to decide whether to enter from the East or West, that will come later. The stakes were a little hard to hammer in as the soil is a heavy clay that has contracted and is starting to crack. Being a novice, I managed to hit my hand a few times!

Just measuring out the cardinal points was hot work! The temperature in the shade up near the cottage was in the low 30’s C, and I didn’t really want to know how warm it would be out in the open paddock.

Next, I needed to measure out where the Oaks would go….. so another circle was measured – allowing at least a  10 meter space for the Oaks to grow and not interfere with the labyrinth or each other. It was in marking this out, I realized that I wouldn’t have enough stakes to protect the Oak seedlings.

Sunday morning presented a different problem. The stakes that I had used for the outer ring (and were to be used for tree guards) were too flimsy and the travelling kangaroos had snapped some off near the base….so  the decision was made to take the Oak seedlings back to the city,  chance re-potting them into bigger pots until they became dormant again. The thinking behind this is to give them a better chance of surviving a hot, waterless summer and the roaming roos, whilst also giving me time to get the holes dug and the stakes in place (without the trees inside) to test how they will stand up to the traffic!

 

 

Busy as a Bee

Busy  beeSpring has arrived, even though most of the wattles have finished flowering and various seeds are sprouting.

I had just about given up on this one…. when I took a closer look at a different shade of green in the centre of the labyrinth.  The outer ring is punctuated by garlic shoots spearing up through the heavy clods of clay – although one or two have been pruned by some hungry creature….. hmmm!! Me-thinks there might be a  pre-seasoned rabbit or two?

The labyrinth construction started on Good Friday this year and we took some time off to enjoy the Rushworth Easter Parade on  the Saturday.  The dogs accompanied us and didn’t enjoy the experience as they were unused to crowds, so I sat out with one of them in a grassy area at the top of town.

Nearby are Oak trees that must have been planted in the Gold Rush days of the 19th century.  They stand guard over the memories of better days for the little town. It is said that it takes around 120 years for an Oak tree to mature and produce a good crop of acorns – these have tolerated drought, heat, cold, frost…. and the ground around them was blanketed with them.

I pocketed a few and took the time to plant 5 in and around the labyrinth. No sign of any growth for many months, except for a variety of plants classed as weeds. A month or so before Easter, I had also gathered some acorns from an Oak tree that was overhanging the fence at my son’s first house out of home. He and his young family were moving out and I thought it would be nice to have some trees as a memento of where they first brought the baby home. Acorns duly potted up, 2 sprouted almost straight away. Not having any use for the pots and thinking I would use the soil for compost later, I left them where they were. To my surprise, just a few weeks ago, I counted another 10 Oak tree seedlings emerging….

Now if only the sage seeds would start doing something!!!! I’m waiting on the Grass Tree seeds to germinate as well. They grow wild in the forest just a couple of kilometers down the track, and many have been vandalized. I bought the seeds, but now I know what they look like, may stop and have a look for some next time I’m down that way.

A single Jacaranda seed, saved from a school excursion my daughter went on years ago, has been potted up and I’ve noticed that the city neighbors Jacaranda trees have some seed pods on them…. time to ask if I can harvest them! Some of the towns to the east of Rushworth have Jacarandas planted in the main streets and look spectacular in flower. I can envision a stand of them along the driveway, perhaps interspersed with the glorious yellow of Kowhai trees competing with the wattles for colour. I still have some Kowhai seeds saved from the house where the children were first raised.

The Oak trees will be planted out closer to where ever the planned retreat building goes, to partly act as shade and being deciduous, as a fire break – but also to offset my carbon footprint. I also see it as building an inheritance for whoever is custodian of the land long after I have gone.

labyrinth12Half a dozen Pomegranate trees are thriving in pots and another 10 or so continue to live in crowded conditions in a corner of the city garden. These are now about 4 or 5 years old and as I thin them out they are growing much stronger and taller.  Having read of the health benefits of pomegranate, i’m sure that I will have a veritable forest of them shortly! As the trunks are rather “leggy”, I’m thinking of using them as a screen in front of the labyrinth.

A pot bound Avocado  that is about 8 years old is destined to make the road trip once I have a couple more seeds sprouting.

mowed area3Visitors are arriving in early October for “A Back to Basics” camping weekend. In preparation an area has been mowed – partly to remove the unwanted Biddy Bush – but mostly to discourage snakes which are likely to be starting to stir after their winter hibernation.  That’s it in the foreground…. 12 months regrowth. It doesn’t have much of a smell to it, but it must contain some volatile oils, because you can pull it up out of the ground (only after a good rain) and put it on the fire – green and wet – and it burns like crazy.

mowing2Driving the tractor is a great time to meditate – you have to be mindful not to mow rocks and to keep fairly straight lines – although I had fun going in circles mowing around the labyrinth.

Another bonus is that a lot of the capeweed flowers were lopped off, and although they might look pretty and the bees seem to love them, I would rather not have them there. It seems that the only natural solution to get rid of them is to mow  before the flowers set seed and mulch, oversow with other grasses and top dress the lot with dolomite.  All the other advice is to spray with roundup or similar…..I don’t really want to become a Monsanto customer. From what I can ascertain, capeweed grows in over tilled soil and where there is little topsoil enriched with humus. It is also a hazard to horses, causing a magnesium deficiency – not that I have any stock at all – except the itinerant kangaroos, who seemed somewhat unhappy that their feed had been mowed and a couple of displaced hares who seem to have moved into next door’s thicket of Biddy Bush.

In between all of this, my city business is also starting to grow with the arrival of Spring. I’m coaching, seeing hypnotherapy clients and this past week has been full of networking activities and late nights. All about that in another post……..

The Labyrinth

LabyrinthI still haven’t managed to get a full picture of the labyrinth, my son suggested putting a card in his remote control helicopter and taking a photo with that, but that’s for another day!

This is after I dug out the lines to redefine the path and added some garden gypsum to the mounds created. The idea behind this is that the channels created will hold the moisture and keep the soil nearby easier to work with. Most of the area is heavy clay, so the gypsum will help break that down.

Originally, I wanted to put some coarse grade gypsum, used for driveways or around cattle troughs on the path, but there are some persistent weeds that would simply grow through the gravel.  The metaphysical properties of gypsum are interesting and it  works on the Heart & Base Chakras as well as bringing clarity to the person using it. Ideal for a labyrinth walk! I will enquire more about the coarse grade gypsum at the Elmore Field Day coming up in October.

You can see in the photo where I started to take a fine layer of soil off the path, but still the onion grass came up.  A bonus was that the five pointed purple flowers  were pretty to look at as I walked the circuit! They have now been replaced by Capeweed, which has bright yellow petals and a black centre.  Ideas for the future development of the path range from sowing lawn seed and getting a mower to maintain it or waiting until the soil softens again and hiring a mechanical tiller and digging it up to weed it more vigorously.

The plinth in the centre has a small depression in it, which I fill with water for the birds. There is a nest of Blue Wrens nearby and lots of fast moving little birds that I have yet to identify. It is offset slightly and one corner is orientated North.

After the gypsum was applied, it was loosely worked into the soil mounds and I set about peeling 6 bulbs of Australian Garlic. Some of the cloves had already started to sprout and as they lay on the tray in the sunlight, seemed to grow a little more each time I glanced at them. Once peeled, they went into a bucket of water and I planted them in most of the outer ring of the labyrinth. It’s just an experiment – if they grow – they grow and should provide yet another purple flower to look at around New Year. The bonus will be a crop of garlic with the labyrinth energy. Rain was forecast for the next day and if the weather report was correct, the area got some 13mm of rain after we left – just enough to water in the gypsum and the garlic.

 

Winter plantings

Sub zero morning

A recent bout of the flu slowed down the plans for planting more productive trees and herbs, as well as the cooler weather and the likelihood of losing plants to frost.

However, over the last month a lemon tree has been planted where the “wild area” meets the paddock and seems to be surviving quite happily.I keep meaning to take up some citrus feed for it….and to start looking around for some other citrus varieties such as oranges, mandarin and grapefruit to plant nearby as well.

A passionfruit vine Chilly Winter's morninghas been planted along the fence that marks the paddock boundary and I discovered  that getting organic certification for the property will not be possible – even though most permaculture sites have articles about safely composting everything – including properly composted humanure – and no pesticides or chemically based fertilizers will be used. Its new leaves and tendrils have been a little tinged by the frost, but otherwise seems to be liking where it is.

The plan is to have mini orchards or small groves of productive plants scattered around the property, modelling permaculture principles. For instance, the pomegranates will go on a slope below the labyrinth where the Biddy Bush has been cleared and to the south, on the rockier slope near the wild area, is a site more suitable for a small stand of olives. Both are relatively hardy species and should do well.

Had the government kept the Carbon Tax, I could have planted an area of non fruiting trees for carbon credits, which would have been an appropriate thing to do as we are spending a lot of time travelling back and forth from the city to the retreat. Not to worry, I shall proceed anyway….it’s all in the planning of where the best locations are for various species.

Already the damp winter has taken its toll on the Pinwheel Hakeas – they were originally found in Western Australia – a couple have “turned up their toes” and fallen over. I’ve harvested a few seed pods and they reside for the time being in a paper bag on the dash of the car, where the heater warms them up. Once open, the bag will be held over an open, smoky fire to encourage them to germinate.

An almond tree and the pomegranate trees live in pots back in suburbia for the time being and will travel up to the retreat inFlinders Ranges Wattle the next couple of weeks to acclimatize before planting out. I’m thinking that the almond tree will replace one of the fallen Hakea trees (which means I will have to get a couple more- maybe 3 – for pollination) along the driveway. That will certainly add some colour and if the almonds set, I’m sure that the Cockatoos will be pleased.

? Bent Leaf WattleAt present there are a couple of varieties of wattles in glorious yellow. One of these is a Flinders Ranges Wattle according to a weathered nursery tag at its base. I will have to watch this one and quite possibly won’t be propagating any more from seed- if it sets any. It’s not listed as a weed in Victoria to my knowledge, but is in Western Australia. Over on the north eastern edge of the property is another small stand of wattles, which I think are bent leaf wattles.  Around the cottage and the labyrinth are Mallee Wattles, whilst the wild area has some scattered specimens of Spreading Wattle – which is white and quite prickly and has been happily flowering since mid May. Spreading Wattle

To further attract the bees and to add more riotous colour to the driveway, I would like to put in some Jacaranda trees. They seem to grow quite happily in nearby Tatura and Shepparton, but I need to investigate further to see if they are likely to end up as a weed. Because the retreat is close to the State Forest, I’m happy to include other species of deciduous trees and shrubs if they are productive and contribute to self sufficiency.

Fire Baked PotatoThe labyrinth sage still seems to be quite happy and the kangaroos still have enough feed to ignore it. A couple more weeks to go before I start to grow more from seed to plant out in springtime. A Rosemary cutting has been planted near the fire pit – nice and close to reach for if there is roast lamb cooking in the camp oven! The mallee wood burns well, but it was a little too chilly this weekend to stand outside in the evening to enjoy the fire! Very grateful that it wasn’t raining as well.

With the low temperatures this weekend, there is serious investigation into purchasing a wood heater for the cottage. The small electric heater that is installed is not very efficient at coping with O’ C  and below and extremely power hungry. The challenge now is to find one that is the right size for the current cottage and will also be efficient in heating any planned extension. With plenty of fallen wood on the roadside verge and around the property, this seems to be the most cost effective heating option.

 

Building the labyrinth

This is the fourth labyrinth I’ve constructed – each one has been constructed a little differently, but all have been started using the Easter energies.
I wasn’t going to get too carried away with string lines or marking paint, so it was started by laying the rake down on the ground and digging a shallow trench along side and a little past it, until the central cross was formed. 
I started fairly early in the morning (of Good Friday) and the outline progressed reasonably well as the soil was still a little soft from recent heavy rains. 
Stopping every so often to observe the traffic passing by, presumably others on their way to camping in the local state Forest, gave me some rest time. As I continued digging the outline, it became obvious that it was going to be a little larger than the previous efforts and I did consider stopping at 5 rings…but then I thought “Why play small? There’s a whole 40 acres to play in!!” 
It’s a 7 ring left handed labryinth….. Left sided entry as that is the feminine side .. and to the East is a small circle of trees, where I plan to put some seating so that people can reflect on their experience.
Being a little larger than I expected, a couple of young gum trees were on the path & I haven’t the heart to cut them down. I will prune the lower branches so they don’t intrude too much as people walk past. I was hoping to finish the outline in one day, but the heavens opened up and I dashed for shelter in the cottage. Shortly afterwards, visitors arrived and with plans to go into Rushworth to see the Easter Parade on Saturday, it would have to wait. 
In the end, I had to wait until Monday, as when I had a little time to myself on the Sunday, the dogs were intrigued by the digging activity and were more of a hindrance than a help. The south eastern side was a little difficult to dig as I struck gravel and I had some time out to chat to the neighbour and her daughter as they came to the boundary fence with their dogs, curious about what I was doing.
With more visitors arriving sometime over the following Anzac Day weekend, I took some more lavender up to plant in the soil turned over by the outline. Work also started in raking up the remnants of slashed scrub off the pathway and removing a fine layer of topsoil in order to level the pathway out. I started in the centre, but decided to work where the whim took me… Having counted out the steps from the start to the centre the previous week, I knew I was in for a big job. 
Using the pedometer on the smart phone, there are 514 steps from entry to exit. I calculated that I would have put the shovel into the ground over 2500 times to mark the outline!

The lavender seemed to have survived transplanting and the kangaroos, so I gave it a drink of water and hope that it continues to thrive.

The visitors arrived Friday and we spent time catching up on the news of their exploits and travels over the last 2 years.

Saturday was another fine day and whilst the men rode their motorbikes over to Maldon to meet up with old friends attending the All British Rally, I headed into Rushworth to pick up some bread and milk. Couldn’t resist stopping at the local plant nursery and checking out their plants. 2 punnets of sage caught my eye and I was given both for the price of one as they looked a little sad. Back at the block, they were removed from their pots and the pot bound roots meant that they could be cut into 2 …. now I had 4 plants!
On waking Sunday morning, I was able to see a large family of kangaroos feasting on the grass in the paddock.
I did wonder if their taste ran to either lavender or sage, but on getting to the labyrinth to do a sunrise walk, found all plants intact.
Setting the intent to allow answers to a problem that I couldn’t seem to resolve, I began my walk.
I got to the centre and spent some time there in contemplation… it didn’t seem like the answer would come, so I began my walk out, thinking to just enjoy the moment.
A wagtail caught my eye as it danced around the surrounding bushes.  
Wagtail meaning …Extroversion. Cheerfulness and gregariousness. Anger and irritability. Friendliness. Curiosity. Socializing. Appealing to others. Effectively maintaining your space and home.

 As I made my exit from the labyrinth, I realized that the answers had come… so I began my return to the cottage and thoughts of breakfast… when I turned and decided to take a photo of the labyrinth. There seemed to be something that caught my eye, but gone when I focused….Returning to the cottage, a flash of red, then 2 more…. red capped robins were in the trees at the front of the cottage.
Red-Capped Robin meaning …The best and brightest, wariness, setting boundaries with other people, inflexibility, faring better in more open environments, preferring to stay away from the hustle and bustle, needing quieter spaces, staying grounded.
Only when I was uploading the photos did I find that I had some orbs in the photo. 

Tasmanian Adventures

The Tasmanian adventure started by the announcement from Random Books that I had won 8 days in a Maui campervan anywhere in Australia (except Broome). I had entered a competition to suggest where Judy Nunn’s next book should be set.
After thinking about a Red Tent Woman road trip after a retreat experience and floating around the idea of a trip with other friends, the inablilty to co-ordinate a suitable time with everyone made it all too hard.
Never having made it over the ditch to the Apple Isle, and aware of the cost of taking the 4WD & Ultimate by ferry, Tasmania seemed like a good option. I booked the trip for the end of January, hoping for warmth, relatively speaking and settled on a 4 berth van. We booked flights over using frequent flyer points and were set.
Originally, I planned to go a couple of days earlier to spend some time with an old friend, but Dad needed medical tests, so I had to postpone that part of the trip.
Arrival at Hobart was late on the Saturday afternoon, so we missed out on the Salamanca Markets, but not having that shopping gene, it didn’t bother me.Viewing the images on the link is sufficient for me.
We checked into our harbourfront hotel and enjoyed the view, before setting off for a bit of a wander.
The Sea Shepherd catamaran Gojira was in port for some repairs and it was interesting to see how the black hull blended in with the sea and the wharf. An interesting afternoon wandering about and checking out the old buildings. Dinner at the hotel was supposed to be a Tasmanian taste sensation – unfortunately not living up to its description.
Sunday morning was very quiet. We wandered about a bit more and I met with my friend for afternoon tea at the old IXL factory and introduced her to a lovely therapist at a little place tucked away in the complex.  Fish and chips for dinner from one of the floating takeaway places on Coronation wharf. Much nicer than some of the pretentiously labeled  dishes from the harbourside restaurants!

Monday we headed back to the airport to pick up the camper & found we had been upgraded to a 6 berth camper. Lots of room! After a quick stop to get provisions we headed south. We had lunch in Huonville and stopped at a boat building place, headed off to the Huon River and an airwalk. (powerwalk for me as it was quite breezy and there was a definate sway happening).
We made it down to Southport for our first night in the van and got ourselves comfortable. A chilly evening followed by a brisk morning!
Good thing I packed a warm sleeping bag!
We meandered back up to Hobart with a few detours. To the top of Mt Wellington and the sub alpine environment so close to town and then down again and off in a westerly direction.

We ended up just before dusk at Lake St Clair, which seemed like a good spot to stop. There seemed to be 3 distinct groups of campers here. The serious bushwalkers, in their designated area, the family campers and us mob in the hired campers.
We headed west again the next day and lunched at Queenstown which was sleeping in the Australia Day sunshine. Michael had previously visited here with a mate on a motorbike tour in 1977 around this time of year, whilst I was in Queenstown, New Zealand at about the same time!
After a burger at the cafe with tabletop jukeboxes, we headed off to Strahan, punctuating the trip with stops to see waterfalls and nature walks. Some beautiful places and so much nicer than the towns and tourist “attractions”.
We found a spot to stay in Strahan and organised the next day’s activity, which was to go on the boat up the Gordon River. All very interesting and even headed out through the entrance to the harbour which wasn’t very wide at all. We saw the salmon farms and a tiger snake basking in the sun, whilst out on one of the walks.
Back on dry land, we fired the motor up and headed off for Cradle Mountain. The predicted rain came in, the temperature dropped and by the time we got to Cradle Mountain it was about 5 degrees.
Overnight it dropped further to about 3 degrees and on opening the curtains of the camper we discovered clear blue sky.
The wind was cool, so we took hats and jackets on our walk around Dove Lake. In my element here, taking photos and enjoying the scenery, letting the athletic types leap and bound past in their quest for their PB time around the lake. I got the photos dude!
We got back on the road again and headed for LaTrobe. I dropped Michael off at the Axemans Museum and backtracked to the Quiet Cone to have a look. Very quiet – in between session times, but the owner was accommodating and allowed a peek inside. Would be interesting to spend more time there for a full session.

However, time was short and the days ticking over and we had a mission to make the East Coast that evening. And we did. Bypassed Launceston and down the highway a bit and then a  left and off to St Helens. We got there just before 6 and set ourselves up for the night. I was quite weary as I had done most of the driving that day and it was predominately mountain roads.
By now it was Saturday. Only 3 days left and so much more to see. Bay of Fires, Bicheno, Freycinet – we did it all on Saturday and managed to see the woodchop competition in the morning! All places to come back to and spend a bit more time to explore and savour.

Sunday saw us heading south again and we detoured via the Tesselated pavement which was fascinating. A natural rock formation that looked as if the stone had been quarried. The lines were amazingly straight and all kinds of creatures lived in the little rockpools along the beach.
Time got away with us here and we arrived at Port Arthur a little later than expected. Not to worry, as it was open until late,. The ruins also spectacular against the afternoon sky in a curiously morbid way. Friends had suggested that the energy from the convict past would be unsettling, but I didn’t feel it. The site of the Broad Arrow Cafe felt incredibly sad and we paid respects and moved on. Unfortunately  the rain came down and while we wandered about for as much as possible it was time to call an end to the day and retire to the camper for a dinner of freshly caught oysters and locally smoked fish.
Last Day!

We travelled around and visited various clifftop viewpoints before heading off to Richmond for our last look at the historic side of Tasmania and lunch.
A nice, easy drive.
Over the bridge at Richmond and into the bakery for fresh bread rolls filled with salad for me and the remnants of the Vegemite for Michael. Finished tidying up the van and gave some perishables to some fellow travellers from Donald and we were off to return the van, and head back to Melbourne.
After a delay of about an hour and a half, the plane was back and ready to board and we were homeward bound.
A different kind of adventure from our usual trips and a pleasant interlude.

And I got to see this!

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