Wednesday, January 2, 2013

slow summer days...


Somehow days are very full at the moment, making posting at my blogs a very rare event sadly! I say sadly because I am fond of bloggy friends from near and far and I really miss the to and fro of this realm! Two years ago over the xmas/new years period we had huge rains and floods in this part of the world and I remember blogging non-stop through al that. Last summer was cool and quite wet too... hence much time spent catching up online. This year is different with bushfires more likely!


Xmas seems ages ago now ... I downloaded photos yesterday and noted I was so relaxed over my 6 day break at the coast I rarely got my camera out. I shall have to find if my brother down south has photos from xmas night when we revisited all the songs we used to play on guitar and sing together. That was blissful!

Having little ones around demonstrating their excitement always makes for some fun! William enjoyed his nan's pavlova smothered in berries! Some memorable moments conversing with him I must say! Lunch under the mango tree at my niece Lara's home was really delightful.... photos of the magnificent tree and the even larger macadamia tree next to it...? Too much going on I'm afraid!



William at lunch!


Patrick eating blueberries ...recovering from 
a fall where a front tooth met an early demise!


out the front of our holiday place!


A last minute online find for our family gathering up the coast. The deck overlooking the water was blissful... we spent late afternoons and evenings mesmerised by the water and boats coming by, some with xmas decorations and passengers waving and singing out to us!

13 of us had a peaceful xmas night on the deck with the family musicians Lara and Dwight playing so many wonderful songs for us... including all our requests from the 70's and 80's. Words were remembered and harmonies too! Cheeky friends used to call us the Von Trap family with good reason... piano lessons, singing and guitars were compulsory for my 3 siblings and I. As were the hours of practice and the Eistedfodds etc! These moments years later make it so worthwhile.
Four year old William loved the evening by the water... effusively commenting on all the boats coming by and people waving. It was hard to leave I must say.

News for 2013 is that we're in the midst of rethinking "home". Getting the house ready at the moment to be offered for sale soon spells major change. House hunting took up days before Xmas and now that we are back its all go with the fresh makeover in readiness for the (daunting) experience of showing our home.

Perhaps it's the same the world over... here it's definitely a buyer's market .... houses sitting for a long time on average before selling. Many sellers are taking their homes off the market because offers aren't meeting expectations. We've no great imperative to move...yet in saying that there are changing requirements and timely reasons to move. There'll be tears, yet there is much excitement... and maybe it wont even come to pass! For 25 years this has been a lovely family home. I came here in 2008 not long out of hospital (from Interstate) ....and needing a slow recovery. I painted and walked the leafy streets into a new life here... gathering seed pods from day one... and giving shape to a whole new project and direction during 2009 that has carried me through to 2013, and for the 4th year I will be pursing "homage to the seed"... albeit in its latest incarnation.

As you can appreciate this is throwing plans a little ... navigating competing agendas and prioritising left, right and centre! Having moved no less than 36 times in almost as many years there is a weariness... yet...  I also know new spaces bring forth things one can't even imagine. I thank my stars for the fact of a roof over my head, and as always happens when change looms ... every single thing around one's home is seen as if for the first time and cherished that little bit more. This is a not a time to take anything for granted... of that I am sure!

Ive been wondering if it's best to take a blog-vacation for a while... that may come.

For now I wish you all a truly wonderful 2013... may it be richly rewarding for each and every one!
Many blessings all through this new year before us now! Be strong and live from your deepest passion... I for one will continue to aim for just that! No matter where I am living!
S xo

16 comments:

ronnie said...

happy new year sophie... taking it slow and easy is the best... it allows great things to catch up with you! xx

Sophie Munns said...

Happy new year Ronnie...
hope its bee a time of picnics and beach visit etc for you... must pop over and see whats been happening in your world!!
xo

Sandra Robinson said...

Happy New Year Sophie, wishing you a fabulous 2013. x

Sophie Munns said...

and to you Sandra... may it be a year of fulfillment in all respects!
S x

ArtPropelled said...

Such a peaceful spot, watching the world sail by from the deck. Hope your house sells when you are ready and that you find the perfect replacement. Happy New Year, Sophie!

Sophie Munns said...

A wonderful 2013 to you Robyn!
The holiday spot was a true surprise ... will be hoping for a little of that same magic to help us create our next chapter. Thanks for your kind wishes!
We were all amazed at the effect of the water... almost could pretend we were on a houseboat the water was so close and the feeling so reminiscent!
Our xmas night songs carried across the water and there was a point where there was a little applause from across the way. A priceless evening!

Mlle Paradis said...

Sounds like a wonderful Christmas Sophie, and very well deserved, too! How lucky you all were to find such a great space at the last minute! Have a wonderful, wonderful New Year. I wish you the very best for this next little house-move adventure and for all the richness that inevitably must come of it.....as and when you are able to put down new roots. Milles kisses from P.P.!

Sophie Munns said...

hello mlle p... a lovely xmas.
And over the years there have been many xmas tables in many places with different families, fellow orphans and the like.This one was minus pomp but full of warmth and simple rituals that flowed easily.

Thanks for your encouragement... as one who has been through major re-rootings you well know the score.
twill be fascinating... though somehow dont think there will be a jetty out the front!
Will keep you posted!
xox

Anonymous said...

I love the photos. The boys are very sweet and the summer sky looks so lovely.
We have been in this house since December of 1990. There are times that i think that i would like to move.

Cheers, to the new year!

Sophie Munns said...

hello Nance,
Happy 2013 to you.
The boys are sweet-hearts ... so glad to have some days under that summer sky!
I wonder will you move.....or simply move things around. Thats always been a fallback position in some of my longer stints in places.
possibly it might have been fatal my tendency to save things...but life's "plans" to keep me moving sure have helped counteract that!
cheers to you,
Sx

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

Blissful is a perfect description for your holidays! The deck, the children and the songs...again sounds like blissful!
I wish you the best on the new year move...not saying it is easy, having moved a bit myself but with a good attitude there can be some wonderful experiences and surprises. Blog when you can...Happy New Year!

Valerianna said...

Hi Sophie, wow, that sounds like a LOT. Moving is really quite something. So, good luck with selling, and finding something perfect elsewhere - and then the duanting moving thing... yikes! Glad to have you here whenever you can make it into cyberspace. Happy New Year, may it be filled with peace, joy and abundant seeds and inspiration to carry you through many, many more years of creating and learning!

Lari Washburn said...

A very Happy New Year to you Sophie! It's always a pleasure to see what you are doing in your art with your wonderful passion and curiosity. It looks like you will be having a year full of changes and growth, which is always exciting. Maybe some day you will come to Haystack in Maine in US and I will have a chance to meet you. There are some interesting programs there this year! All the best!

Lari Washburn said...

Happy New Year Sophie! I think my long comment here never made it...we are having similar problems on blogs!! I'm always inspired by your enthusiasm, curiosity and beautiful work. Good luck in your move and all your endeavors in the coming year. Check out the offerings at Haystack for this year. I would love to meet you someday, and Haystack is fairly close to me.
xo

Sophie Munns said...

Its such a pleasure popping in after a looong day to find messages from bloggy friends.
Have been out looking at bathroom towel rails. tiles and grout, attacking the painting in a bedroom etc... so thank you Mary Ann, Valarianna and Lari for enchanting me with your messages!

Mary Ann... sound like you're quite familiar with the relocating scenario. Sometimes I think i should like to research stories of the differences b/w those who have moved a lot as adults and the opposite. I'm deeply interested in patterns of thinking that can arise from such different ways of navigating.
Thanks for your good cheer!


Valerianna,
daunting yes. ... but with excitement. Long list of criteria to factor in with this hunt for a home.
I find myself thinking of so many places I've lived and images of cooler climes and gardens of those places preoccupy me.
Fact is... I miss the gardening and lifestyle of those cooler non-tropical climates. Here I have family and great mutual support... two things not always close by in some places I've lived. As I got older that was incredibly important to me. So now I'm thinking hard about what is essential... what I will be looking towards and hoping two others will also feel similarly.
Trees V... thats what I keep seeing such an absence of. If I have sometimes wondered what on earth I am doing making such a fuss of seeds ... but 6 weeks of house hunting later... not many places have had enough vegetation for me to feel happy... and that's without even thinking do I like the houses or not! Trees ...we so need them... its such a hot place here the need for shade, let alone anything else, is crucial.


Lari... that would be wonderful!
Shall have to pull some rabbits of hats to make something happens...but would so love to be travelling over there and meeting with you and some dear bloggy friends. Thanks for that delicious thought.
Your words are encouraging truly. Thanks you Lari!


thanks to all who pop by here, who read and maybe don't even get to leave a comment! And to new subscribers. I need to seriously update my blog lists... I've friends to add... do pardon my neglect!
S xo

Velma Bolyard said...

a marvelous and happy new year sophie. new things, moves, so much work. but it sounds good and maybe it's ok to be quieter (blog) sometimes, though your voice is important so please don't take too much time away! wishing many good blessings for you.