Celebrating the Winter Solstice was a cold but cosy affair…
Things To Be Grateful For When Life Is Sh*tty And Hard
In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer Hey, Lovelies. I was speaking with a friend yesterday who is going through a very rough, very dark patch in her life. She has […]
The Source Of Today’s Happiness
Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~ Marcel Proust Hey, Lovelies. Something wonderful happened yesterday! My social media feed and my inbox were filled with examples of the things you have chosen or done for yourself this week in […]
Random Things That Made Me Happy Yesterday
The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters. Audrey Hepburn Hey, Lovelies! Happiness finds me often – even on my hard days. How about you? One thing I have learned, whatever you look for you will find, so I try my best to live from gratitude and to look […]
Don’t be a prisoner to the past…
One need not be a chamber to be haunted;One need not be a house;The brain has corridors surpassingMaterial place. Emily Dickinson Hey, Lovelies. Today I want to remind you not to dwell in the past. Memory is notoriously unreliable. Ask any detective or psychologist. Ten people could witness an event and each will have a […]
The Power of Gratitude – Monday Oracle 4 May 2020
“We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.” Neal A. Maxwell Hello, Lovelies! May is a month for speaking your truth, for standing up for what matters, for action, and for emotional healing. Keep that in mind as we explore the gifts that the oracle card GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION brings us […]
Ordinary Luxuries
“Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people […]
Boost your immune system with these three things
“What happens when people open their hearts?” “They get better.” Haruki Murakami Hello, Lovelies. My inbox is flooded right now with messages from people who are scared and anxious about Coronavirus, or their job security or the health of their business, or the failing economy. I know. All of these things are worrying. And they […]
Just Be Kind, Okay?
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ~ Desmond Tutu Hey, Lovely! Can you do me a favour? Be kind to yourself today. Be kind to those you meet. Smile. Give encouragement, or a compliment. Even if your own road is hard, or […]
Humble Thank-Yous
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” ~ Elbert Hubbard Hey, Lovelies. I just wanted to thank you for the outpouring of support and love that you showed me yesterday when I updated you on why I’ve been so stuck with my memoir. Not long after I posted my […]
The Joy Of Old Friends
“Make new friends, but don’t forget the old. One is silver, the other is gold. ” ~ Joyce Cody (My Nana, from my Autograph book, 1976) I’ve had a dear friend staying at the farm these past days. She’s someone I’ve known since school. Someone who knew me before Ben, before my first serious boyfriends, […]
The Joy Of Rain
“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.” ~ Bill Watterson Down in our part of the world we’ve been in drought all Summer. The land has been so dry that the pasture has become crunchy and brown beneath our feet. Great cracks have opened up in the land. […]
Energies of February 2019
“ Your greatest self has been waiting your whole life; don’t make it wait any longer. ” ~ Steve Maraboli Hello, Lovelies At the beginning of every month, I discuss the energies and gifts of the month ahead and how we can best use them to make our lives satisfying, meaningful and productive. I also choose […]
Night Time At My Farm
“The sky grew darker, painted blue on blue, one stroke at a time, into deeper and deeper shades of night.” ~ Haruki Murakami After a short holiday we arrived back at our little farm in the Byron Hills yesterday. It was so good to be home, so good to be in our own space, to find […]
Energies of October – 2018
“The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.” ~ Blaise Pascal Hello, Lovelies October brings our focus back to our home environment, our heart-space and our soul’s journey. We’ll feel a need to nest, to clean and beautify the spaces where we spend most of our time (this could be your body, home, work […]
Things to be thankful for…
“Take time daily to reflect on how much you have. It may not be all that you want but remember someone somewhere is dreaming to have what you have.” ~Germany Kent This morning I’m counting my Blessings. Such a simple thing to do, and it always makes me feel richer. I like to count them […]
The Lady And The Poet
“Once, poets were magicians. Poets were strong, stronger than warriors or kings — stronger than old hapless gods. And they will be strong once again.” ~ Greg Bear I’m in Adelaide for a conference this weekend. The event began with welcome drinks at our hotel last night, but I was feeling tired and poorly and wanted […]
An ordinary night of magic!
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt We’re in the city right now, and last night something quite wonderful happened. Our neighbour joined Ben and I and we walked a few blocks down […]
Energies of June – 2018
“Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all is a form of planning.” ~ Gloria Steinem Hello, Lovelies Take a deep breath, schedule some downtime, and welcome the energies of June. June is a quieter month that invites us to spend time with loved ones, time on […]
Monday Oracle – 8 January 2018
“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.” – Meister Eckhart Hello, Lovelies! The cards I am using for guidance for 2018 are the enchanting Inner Child Cards – A Fairy-Tale Tarot by Ishna Lerner, Mark Lerner and Christopher Guilfoil. I’ve used and loved these cards for over 25 years […]
The Energies of December – 2017
“Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more?” ~Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart Hello, Lovelies Finally, here we are at December. It’s a month for counting our blessings, filling ourselves with […]
Gratitude; A Way to Comfort Ourselves – Monday Oracle 27 March 2017
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~ Oprah Winfrey Hello, Lovelies! Here’s the oracle card I have chosen this Monday, and my take on the energetic outlook for the week ahead. I use any oracle or tarot cards shown as a […]
Let There Be Sleep!
“We went down into the silent garden. Dawn is the time when nothing breathes, the hour of silence. Everything is transfixed, only the light moves.” ~ Leonora Carrington My conference here in Cebu is drawing to a close. Last night we finished the formal activities with a White Party on the beach. A fabulous […]
Five Things That Made This Week Extra Wonderful Already!
“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” ~ Charles Dickens 1.New Journal Challenge! It’s been a while since I ran a journal and oracle card challenge, so I’ve decided to cook another one up for you. It’s […]
For When It’s Hard To Be Grateful…
“But that was life: Nobody got a guided tour to their own theme park. You had to hop on the rides as they presented themselves, never knowing whether you would like the one you were in line for…or if the bastard was going to make you throw up your corn dog and your cotton candy […]
Dear Lightworker, Let Yourself Rest
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” ~ John Lubbock Dear Lightworkers, I know that some of you are feeling incredibly […]
Boots ‘n’ All
“It is only with true love and compassion that we can begin to mend what is broken in the world. It is these two blessed things that can begin to heal all broken hearts.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free That, my friends, is photographic evidence of true love. Me in […]
We’re nearly at magical 2 Million!
“Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take.” ~ Angela N. Blount, Once Upon an Ever After When I first started blogging, on December 11, 2011, I didn’t expect that anyone would read what I might post. Cauldrons and Cupcakes was an experiment. An online journal in […]
The Joy Of Ordinary
“And while it takes courage to achieve greatness, it takes more courage to find fulfillment in being ordinary. For the joys that last have little relationship to achievement, to standing one step higher on the victory platform. What is the adventure in being ordinary? It is daring to love just for the pleasure of giving […]
Sunshine and Apples
“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness — just the pure air to breathe and the […]
The Glorious Journey of Our Love Mala
“The best teachers have showed me that things have to be done bit by bit. Nothing that means anything happens quickly–we only think it does. The motion of drawing back a bow and sending an arrow straight into a target takes only a split second, but it is a skill many years in the making. […]
Celebrating Our Anniversary ♥
“Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your […]
Here Comes The Sun
“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness — just the pure air to breathe and the […]
A Social Kind Of Day
“In Ireland, you go to someone’s house, and she asks you if you want a cup of tea. You say no, thank you, you’re really just fine. She asks if you’re sure. You say of course you’re sure, really, you don’t need a thing. Except they pronounce it ting. You don’t need a ting. Well, she […]
A Little Christmas Gift from Me!
“They always gives me bath salts,” complained Nobby. “And bath soap and bubble bath and herbal bath lumps and tons of bath stuff and I can’t think why, ‘cos it’s not as if I hardly ever has a bath. You’d think they’d take the hint, wouldn’t you?” ~ Terry Pratchett, Hogfather Merry Christmas! Thank […]
My Christmas Eve Gift to Myself
“Just imagine becoming the way you used to be as a very young child, before you understood the meaning of any word, before opinions took over your mind. The real you is loving, joyful, and free. The real you is just like a flower, just like the wind, just like the ocean, just like the […]
A Lovely Night of Normal
“Become major, Paul. Live like a hero. That’s what the classics teach us. Be a main character. Otherwise what is life for?” ~ J.M. Coetzee One of the problems of having a chronic illness like Lyme Disease is that so often you end up marginalised in your own life. If you choose to expend […]
My Day’s Best Medicine
“Always laugh when you can, it is cheap medicine.” ~ George Gordon Byron There is one thing Lyme has taught me that is well worth sharing. Some of the best medicine isn’t prescribed by a doctor. Here’s some of my favourite medicine. The smell of pine trees and sunshine. Posies of sweet little flowers from […]
A Little Taste of Our Sanctuary
“Each positive thought is your refuge and your sanctuary, where in that thoughtful moment, you are safe.” ~ Bryant McGill, Simple Reminders: Inspiration for Living Your Best Life It’s our final day of the 2014 Soul Sanctuary Retreat, and I thought I’d share just a tiny part of what we’ve been doing. We’ve come […]
Starting from a Place of Gratitude
“The unthankful heart… discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!” ~ Henry Ward Beecher Whatever we focus on, we draw to us. Whatever we constantly think about, adding strong emotion to that […]
I should be grumpy this morning…
“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher I should be grumpy this morning. Really, really grumpy. I have now completed my third drug-free week from my lyme treatment, letting my liver have a break. At first I was so grateful to not have to […]
And the Lucky Rune Winner is…
“Because I was more often happy for other people, I got to spend more time being happy. And as I saw more light in everybody else, I seemed to have more myself.” ~ Victoria Moran, Lit From Within: Tending Your Soul For Lifelong Beauty There were so many names to put into the hat for […]
Random Magical Things
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” ~ Roald Dahl Here’s a collection of random magical things, because it’s Friday, and magic seems appropriate today, don’t you […]
Update from Lyme Land
“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” ~ Winston Churchill It’s […]
Roadside Bounty and Shared Harvests
“We must give more in order to get more. It is the generous giving of ourselves that produces the generous harvest.” ~ Orison Swett Marden On the back roads around our own little farm, many farmers and those folks with large home gardens have set up roadside stalls to sell some of their surplus produce. I […]
I’ll Keep This Short And Sweet
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” ~ Barack Obama Not much time for blog writing today. A dear […]
A Gentle Morning at the Farm
“Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself.” ~ Henry David Thoreau, Walden Autumn is a magical time at our farm. Gentle showers soak the ground during the night, and in the morning thick mist wraps itself around the mountains. As the sun burns […]
Heartbreakingly Wonderful News
“How strange that the nature of life is change, yet the nature of human beings is to resist change. And how ironic that the difficult times we fear might ruin us are the very ones that can break us open and help us blossom into who we were meant to be.” ~ Elizabeth Lesser, Broken Open: How Difficult […]
A Little Piece of Normal
“There is nothing that makes me happier than sitting around the dinner table and talking until the candles are burned down.” ~ Madeleine L’Engle, A Circle of Quiet While I’ve been in Brisbane this week for all my medical tests a dear friend took me for an early dinner. Collecting me from my front door she […]
Easy Five Minute Meditation
“Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.” ~ Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Ever feel like there’s just not enough time in your day? I have a technique that literally extends moments, even when life […]
The ’10 Lovely Things!’ Challenge
“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~ Marcel Proust Yesterday morning my lovely husband set me a glorious distraction (for those of you who aren’t up to speed I am currently taking a savage amount of drugs to combat Lyme Disease […]
My ‘Sunday Markets’ Outing
“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again […]
5 Random Things That Make Me Happy
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien 1. Little details of loveliness that show people care. Fresh flowers on a cafe table… 2. Singing along to my favourite songs in the car! 3. Being lost in a book… 4. Seeing […]
Slow Morning at the Farm
“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” ~ Eddie Cantor It’s a slow start here at the farm this morning. The air is cool, everything is damp after the night’s gentle showers and all […]
Working to Create Positive Change – An 8 Week Program
“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” ~ Jim Rohn We’re living in exciting times – times that are opening us up to great new possibilities and future directions. But how can we make the best of these energies of change that are upon us? Over the next eight […]
Favourite Things
“Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow It’s Sunday, and for me it’s a day of favourite things. Meditation first, before the sun comes up, with my Mala beads and Tibetan Bowl. A short walk around the farm with Harry while we wait for the rest […]
Chronically ill and Happy!
“The individual who says it is not possible should move out of the way of those doing it.” ~ Tricia Cunningham I’m not happy because I have a chronic illness – I’m happy because I still love my life! It’s possible, and in fact I think it’s necessary, to find happiness when life has dealt […]
Homeward bound!
“And when the day arrives I’ll become the sky and I’ll become the sea and the sea will come to kiss me for I am going home. Nothing can stop me now.” ~ Trent Reznor The ute’s all packed, it’s not quite dawn and we’re heading home to the farm. I’m filled with a quiet thrill. […]
Someone to watch over me…
“It is the custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. If you could keep awake (but of course you can’t) you would see your own mother […]
The Joy of Guerrilla Art
“Art is not a thing; it is a way.” ~ Elbert Hubbard I went to my local Library in Byron Bay yesterday, and was delighted to find a small house made entirely of books (used in such a way that they were still readable) displayed prominently in the middle of the room. The librarians had found it […]
An Afternoon Walk On My Farm
“When I woke up I was changed. The land had recognised me again.” ~ George Djilaynga, Neil Murray, Warumpi Band I’m home again, at my little farm at Possum Creek. Yesterday I went for a walk in the late afternoon sunshine. The wind was rustling the branches, the giant wedgetail eagle flew above me, fat […]
Making My Life Work for Me! – A 6 Week Journal Program
“I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It’s all a question of how I view my life.” ~ Paulo Coelho I’ve been quite overwhelmed with the flood of messages and emails since yesterday’s post on Remembering to take care of YOU! Seems that many of […]
Simple pleasures
“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter… to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple […]
We All Have Days Like That…
“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.” ~ Coco Chanel Ah, it’s inevitable, isn’t […]
Everyday Blessings
“Sometimes it happens that you become one, in some rare moment. Watch the ocean, the tremendous wildness of it–and suddenly you forget your split, your schizophrenia; you relax. Or, moving in the Himalayas, seeing the virgin snow on the Himalayan peaks, suddenly a coolness surrounds you and you need not be false because there is […]
Happy Birthday, Mum!
It’s my mum’s birthday today. I can’t pop in and see her, take her flowers or make her a cake because she’s visiting with my brother down in Tasmania. (And yes, they are all safe from the fires, thank you!) So instead I thought I’d take a moment to say thank you to my mum […]
We’re One! My Blog’s First Anniversary ♥
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss Wow. That came around fast. Today marks the first birthday of my blogging career – a whole year of sharing words, images and my crazy life. Who ever knew it could […]
And the Winner is…
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” ~ Melody Beattie As my final November gesture to celebrate all […]
Win a Healing Necklace, Made Especially For You!
This is the final week of my blog supporter love-up, and I’ve saved the best ’til last. So far the beautiful Anita has won the every.day.presence book by Simone De Haas. This week Tammy of onelittlestranger wins a crystal just for her, chosen and channelled by me. Congratulations, Tammy! I shall be delving through my […]
Win a Crystal, Chosen Just for You!
Last week I announced that in honour of the unexpected success of Cauldrons and Cupcakes, and my wonderful readers, I would give away three prizes. The first was this beautiful little book by Simone de Haas, titled every.day.presence – and the winner is Anita! Congratulations, Anita. This week I am giving you an opportunity to win […]
Will you do something for me today?
Will you do something for me today? Hug the ones you love. Tell them you love them. If they aren’t close enough to hug, pick up the phone and let them know you care. Take a minute, stop, and just appreciate this gift of life. Smell the roses. That’s why they’re there. Look after yourself. […]
Breathing in Life…
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~ Albert Einstein Yesterday was wonderful from start to finish. And yet it was also the most ordinary of days. I didn’t win lotto, there was no major excitement, no […]
Signs of Spring
Down here in Australia (where our seasons are reversed from Europe and America), Spring is just around the corner, and already there are signs that she is close at hand. As I lie in bed, or sit on my verandah, I inhale a heavenly bouquet, and it fills me with hope and renewal. The heavy […]
3O Days of Gratitude to Change Your Life
Are you ready to change your life? Are you ready to attract things that make you smile, that improve your health, that attract better jobs and relationships, that make you laugh, that fill your bank account with money and your heart with love and gladness? If your answer is yes, then read on! I’m a […]
Down at the Farm…
A Garden of Love grows in a Grandmother’s Heart ~ Author unknown I’m feeling circumspect today. My beloved Nana is in hospital after falling and breaking her hip. She’s 97, nearly 98, and it’s been hard to be brought up close to the truth of her age, her mortality, and that her time with us […]
Things to be thankful for…
“The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their troubles” This morning I’m counting my Blessings. Such a simple thing to do, and it always makes me feel richer. I like to count them off on my fingers – a tangible act, and a way of really anchoring their truth in […]
Don’t be a prisoner to memories…
One need not be a chamber to be haunted; One need not be a house; The brain has corridors surpassing Material place. ~Emily Dickinson, “Time and Eternity” Memory is notoriously unreliable. Ask any detective or psychologist. Ten people could witness an event and each will have a differing version. And that version will change over […]
Using your Internal Compass to Navigate Life
At any moment, you have a choice, that either leads you closer to your spirit or further away from it. ~ Thich Nhat Hahn Inside each of us in a compass. Although we can’t see it, it spins and turns in ways we can feel, if only we learn to tune in to it. The […]
Drought, Poetry and Roses
Today’s post is inspired by a flower – a single rose blooming in my garden. Bless that rose, and all she means to me… A few years ago we weathered eight years of the most horrendous drought. Our farm in the Lockyer Valley was baked brown, and it seemed surreal to be without water up […]
Soul Mates – How to Recognise One
A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge. Thomas Carlyle You might wonder what a Soul Mate relationship feels like, what it looks like, and how you’ll know… Let’s start by looking at what a Soul Mate relationship is not. A Soul Mate will not share every view, feel as you do about everything […]
Making Peace with Right Now while Holding a Picture of a Brighter Tomorrow
Don’t let your current reality dictate your future possibility. Hold true to your dreams. Miracles are entirely possible if you dispense with miserable thinking!~ Nicole Cody The reason for today’s post comes from something seemingly ordinary. But what’s ordinary for some can be positively miraculous for others. Yesterday I walked up the stairs carrying two laptops […]
Writing Yourself into Abundance
Money frees you from doing things you dislike. Since I dislike doing nearly everything, money is handy. – Groucho Marx Writing is a powerful way to get unblocked and back into flow, and one of the areas we often seem to be out of flow is around the area of Abundance. Abundance can be many […]
Cow wisdom and farm life
Late yesterday afternoon, just as the cicadas started singing, just as the light began to soften, my favourite old cow, 767, came up to the fence and called me. We have a special connection, her and me. She is eighteen now, old for a cow, and an illogical keep, but I cannot get rid of […]
Embracing the Small Things – an Antidote to Despair
Like you, I’ve known hard days. For a while I even had a run of days that piled up into years. Poor health, awful health, nearly deadness, and then the fallout of the mess that is created from a person incapable of functioning. It doesn’t matter what the reason for the non-functioning is – what matters […]