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the beach some more – love local

Friday is our archive day but how about we go to the beach instead!! We have plenty of time ahead for the archives.

Yes?

Ok!

First get out of bed!!

MoMo the cat.

Kapiti Island.

The weather has been stunning.

I said to the boys that we were going to the beach to do beach art. Create little installations. They could bring one thing each. I thought string or something – I took a peg off the clothesline on the way past.

The eldest took a stick. The youngest a book. I looked up from my own installation and there was the youngest standing in the surf, reading. Chip off the old block that one.

We made art.

Then let the sea have it.

There will come moments in your life, in our lives, that stretch our love for our fellow humans. Some of these moments are not even moments but long stretches of time. Holding on to anger and despair across these long periods of time will burn us out. You will hurt yourself. So, manage your anger well. Keep putting the love out there. Instead of wasting anger on those who will not listen, move love around to the people that will. Engage with local love and a little less news. A lot of our news is not news; it is bait to elicit a reaction. Those reactions are designed to wear you out. Wear us down.

Then we rage against the big world and maybe neglect our little local world in the process. Look behind you. The kids need assurance that we are still their people. Still looking for the good.

So let’s get back to basics. Look after your people. Look after your garden. Invite those who might be struggling, but hiding it well, over for dinner and share your garden with them.

Grow. Eat. Nourish. Love.

Let’s take our love local.

Love Celi.

The Summer Sauce recipe is HERE. I wrote it into yesterday’s post along with Winnie the Pooh. We are coming to the end of Winnie the Pooh. Then what?

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15 responses to “the beach some more – love local”

  4. What a lovely letter from Down Under in my mailbox! Thank you for taking us to the beach with you and the boys … just what my heart needed. I loved your beach art. Spring is making tentative forays into our neck of the woods … mostly as smells (I have some of my sense of smell back!) and as a warmer sun on my back when I am walking in the park. Tomorrow winter is going to pretend to take the upper hand again – but the rain will chase that away by later in the week. It is coming! Please tell MOMO that I am a big fan of his/her ears.

    It is easy to get lost in the frenzy of the news lately … I am very grateful for my large, expansive lake view. Did I tell you that we moved UP a few floors in this big apartment building to a unit that totally faces the south? I am very happy we managed to snag this home. Now I am looking up what kinds of plants I can pot up on our balcony this summer. They will need to be heat tolerant … and sun tolerant. I am adapting well to this city life. Phew! Just one year ago in April that we had to leave the farm.

    I know you are keeping busy with your children, and grandchildren and family gardens. I also know that at times you must be thinking of Tima, and WaiWai and the ducks and the fish pond. It is wonderful that you have someone sharing photos of how they are doing. I am sending you warm hugs as a balm for your heart strings that get stretched no matter where you are in the world. Such is the cost of loving. xoxo

    Reply

    • I love that you are starting to feel the effects of spring. It will make all difference I think. Thank you for your hugs!! I am on the second to last move before Australia. Then I can settle for a little while – and lose some weight!!

      Reply

  6. Hi Cecilia,

    I love reading about you doing beach art — especially here in Aoteroa New Zealand.

    ! I’ve been doing it for decades, and having now started putting up my archive on Substack: Art in Nature Blog.

    Do take a look. I think you will relate to this.

    Here’s the first post in case you want to read forward through to the 6 done so far. (I’ll also include the link the the 5th one)

    I’m so glad you said I could comment by email because WordPress still won’t let me, but Substack is no problem.

    https://jbatten.substack.com/p/art-in-nature-blog-introduction https://jbatten.substack.com/p/art-in-nature-blog-introduction

    https://jbatten.substack.com/p/art-in-nature-blog-women-water-and

    Best wishes, Juliet

    >

    Reply

  7. Beautiful pictures. Today’s post was needed, I could almost feel the air. I am trying to stay away from the news today. It is a fine line between staying informed and being consumed.

    Reply

  8. I am so glad that you are here enjoying our magical summer in Aotearoa. We are so lucky to live in our peaceful, beautiful part of the world far removed from the shenanigans in the White House. I haven’t watched the news on TV for several weeks choosing instead to get it from the radio or the local paper. AmI hiding my head in the sand? No, I think I’m choosing to fill my head with positive thoughts and ideas rather than all the things that are open to us on the news..

    Enjoy the rest of your time here, walking on the pristine beaches and making art with those little ones

    Reply

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