Time for Rebirth

January 23, 2013September 1, 2013 / Robert / Leave a comment

Birth rates explode, highways choke, buildings soar,
Man’s pollution adds to global warming,
Nature responds with electric storming,
Power struggles between nations bring war,
Plundered resources stripped from the Earth pour
Economies fall, others are booming,
“There’s nothing wrong the data is zooming!”
Always the call to provide more, more, more

Evolution speaks it needs a new deal,
A time bomb is ticking to bring rebirth,
Help needs investment, yes it can be bought,
There’s mounting support from the around Earth,
Our planet needs time to renew, to heal,
Is it worth bothering? Surely we aught!

Rubbish Dump to Park

January 18, 2013 / Robert / 3 Comments

Brick works in the 19th century, rubbish dump in the 20th, thank fully the last 22 years have seen the City of Sydney transform this mistreated landscape into 44 hectares of parkland to be enjoyed in the 21st century.

path

Sydney Park’s 12km (about 19 miles) of paths are enjoyed by walkers, joggers and cyclists. Being an off leash parks, dogs are free to run while children play in a safety.

There is space to picnic and also to enjoy the native shrubs and trees.

As the park matures ducks are attracted to the wetlands.

If you are lucky you can enjoy the sight of black swans regally, gliding by.

Liebster Award

January 16, 2013February 10, 2013 / Robert / 16 Comments

I feel humbled to be nominated for the Liebster Award, thank you Kozo @Everyday Gurus, I recommend that you visit his inspirational blog.

11 Random things about me:

Eldest of three sons
Surname has Welsh origins
Shropshire is the closest to Wales my ancestors called home (researched so far)
First name means bright fame
I have been described as a quiet achiever
Magick has helped me to focus my life’s path
Never owned a bicycle
Qualifications in children’s shoe fitting and ceramics
I read tarot cards
I was awestruck by the red earth and blue sky when I walked down the steps of the plane in Alice Springs
Former boss wrote in a reference that I was economical with words

My nominations in no particular order:

Adventures and Musings of a Hedgewitch for prolific posting
Leaf and Twig for bite sized posts of words and images
The Temenos Journal for sharing memories, a journey and passion
Janas Journal for inspirational watercolours of everyday life
A Mental Mystic for inspirational thoughts and friendship on life’s journey
Notes from the Underground for magickal inspiration and sharing my posts
Canadian Hiking Photography for beautiful landscapes
To Be Aware for practical tips on life’s journey
My Awakening Life for handmade trees of life and guidance on the path
Exhale Joy for inspirational words and images
Christian Mihai proving persistence pays off

Thank you for making me feel welcome in the blogosphere (excuse my bending of the rules for this award, I have no idea how to measure the number of followers you have).

Feel free to share whatever your heart desires (rather than answering 11 questions).

Robert (theINFP)

Grevillea flower

January 15, 2013January 16, 2013 / Robert / 1 Comment

I am constantly amazed by the native Australian flora and fauna. Delicate feather likes leaves and the arrayed tendrils of the flowers combine to make Grevillea one of my favourite plants.

Lilly Pilly Flowers

January 14, 2013January 16, 2013 / Robert / 3 Comments

When we moved into the house around 1.5 years ago the Australian native Lilly Pilly hedge was in a sorry state, suffering from a severe case of scale.

A couple of feeds with fertiliser pellets and white oil treatment has encouraged a few flowers to appear this year.

Resolute Spirit of the Tree

January 13, 2013September 1, 2013 / Robert / 13 Comments

Green moss adorned onlooker of the World,
Home to insects, animals, birds and snakes,
Lashed by rain, lightening scarred, while the sun bakes;
Stalwart sentinel, twisting branches, knurled,
Reaching to clouds on high with leaves unfurled,
Seasons run their course; sudden peace breaks
As man cuts down life for the wood he takes
Screeching saw, “Timber!” strip, chop, trim and hurled.

Fearsome visage masks gentle inner force,
Resolute guardian, woodland watcher stands,
Spirit strong among the trees’ earth bound roots;
The forest needs to stand free from man’s hands,
The cycle of life, a natural resource,
Relieve harm to Gaia as man pollutes.

I was inspired to write this poem when I saw what appeared to be a face, spine and pelvis in the mirrored image of moss growing on a tree trunk in Sydney Park.

Flame for Peace

January 12, 2013September 1, 2013 / Robert / 6 Comments

To me a flame signifies power, remembrance, passion, energy and creativity;

We give power to the metaphysical flame from the light within us,

Without our intent the power of the flame diminishes,

Peace is possible by combining individual calls into a united voice,

Join me in sharing your inner flame for peace.

https://bloggers4peace.wordpress.com/about-b4peace/

Kindness

January 6, 2013September 1, 2013 / Robert / 26 Comments

It’s a self fulfilling state of being,
not to be switched on and off to be kind,
it needs patience, caring, presence of mind,
active listening, compassion and seeing;
sharing from my heart enriches I find,
the soul, while relieving the daily grind,
and empathy holds the gift of freeing.

Tender caress of a warm, gentle breeze
carries a message from the divine,
“use feather light fingertips of kindly hands,
bring forth light from within to share, to shine”,
I drift away on barely rocking seas,
reflecting on deeds; my learning expands.

It is a few decades since I have written a poem. To my knowledge I’ve never attempted a sonnet. Writing “Kindness” has been a fulfilling experience both in articulating what kindness means for me and in having the opportunity to learn a new skill. I took the photograph in 2012, knowing that one day I would have the opportunity to share the image of the kindest fingertips I know.

Your feedback would be appreciated.

http://everydaygurus.com/2012/12/30/monthly-peace-challenge-acts-of-kindness/

https://bloggers4peace.wordpress.com/about-b4peace/

Aunt Maud

December 29, 2012December 29, 2012 / Robert / 6 Comments

In the mid ’90s I was living on the outskirts of Worcester, UK. While out for a stroll I came across some farm buildings that were being converted into a restaurant. Being England, a pleasant sunny afternoon quickly turned dark as rain clouds rolled in from the Malvern Hills. I decided to head home; on turning the corner of the farm I noticed a number of framed portraits on the side of the road leaning against the side of a red brick barn. The pictures were in various states of decay suffering from water damage and mildew.

By now large rain drops began falling, so I hastily grabbed one the photographs and headed home. I was able to lightly clean the picture and restore the frame.

My female ancestors have a curious assortment of first names from Doris through Hilda to Emmelina. As far as I was aware none were named Maud, so as the the unknown woman in the picture looked like someone I wouldn’t mind having as an ancestor she became my adopted Aunt Maud. Years later while researching relatives in my family tree I found I had a great grand mother called Matilda. Maud is a medieval form of Matilda, spooky………..

Aunt Maud hangs above a stone mantle piece in the kitchen. The fireplace would have housed the range when the house was built around the turn of the 20th century. A fitting place for my great grandmother’s namesake to watch over us.

Seeds

December 26, 2012December 26, 2012 / Robert / Leave a comment

Inspired by the pictures posted on JanasJournal.com, this is the first time I have posted an artwork on my blog.

Using an app to paint is something new for me as my preferred mediums are pencil and watercolours. I created the above Seeds image while doodling with ArtStudio for iPad around a year ago. I find the layers function great for creating depth.