Fresh New Day» morning

Surf’s up, Seth

Lynsey — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 08:34:20 +0000

A beautiful Spring morning is just perfect for friends to go for a walk along the beach. Seth and I mooched along the high tide line at Lyall Bay, each of us happy in our own thoughts. That’s the great thing about some friends – you don’t have to fill in every second with conversation – in fact, some things are best unsaid, not just bad things (of course), but good things too. There’s a definite pleasure in that splendid, comfortable, companionable silence of friends.

There’s another terrific thing about having friends who see things in other ways. There’s a universe of sounds, sights, and smells out there that we don’t always notice, or take the time to pay attention to, let alone to enjoy. If you’ve got a friend who can show you something new to hear, see, or smell, your perception of the world expands to a whole new horizon. It helps you feel better about yourself too, experiencing new things in new ways. And being out, on a bright and beautiful morning, with a friend, on Lyall Bay beach.

Manifesto
01. Every day is a fresh new day.
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.

Billing

Lynsey — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:43:36 +0000

Do you remember those amazing days when you were first in love? When it seemed like the top of your head was going to just explode off? When your heart would start beating madly? If you haven’t checked your email 60 times an hour, or waited up until 2 in the morning in case there was one – last – message… then, dear friend, it’s time you did.

It’s the best thing ever, if for no other reason than when you’re in love, madly in love, you become kind of blind. You just don’t see the world around you in quite the same way – everything is either beautiful – or you don’t care – or both. No-one knows where love grows … but I love that it does.

Manifesto
17. Every day look through a new lens.
18. Every day express love. Some people need to hear it. Most people need to see it. Don’t take it for granted.
46. Every day you can change your thoughts.

Welcome, stranger

Lynsey — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:14:18 +0000

The first day of Spring, a beautiful warm morning. And there, in our garden, bright against the blue sky – a white iris. There’s nothing exceptional about most white irises.

Except this one.

There were no white irises planted in our garden as far as I’m aware. We’ve never had white iris flowers in this spot before. So, where did this mysterious one come from? My guess is, it’s as a result of the unprecedented snow fall we had a couple of weeks back – somehow the snow transformed the usual dark velvety blues into crisp white. Suburban magic!

Manifesto
02. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.
08. Every day choose to bring about change.
32. Every day have a laugh.

Ephemera

Lynsey — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:38:23 +0000

So beautiful. Early morning sun sparkling on the countless spider webs stranding across the graceful parsley umbrels. The seeds are maturing and already the replacement plants are beginning to sprout in our herb garden.

Taking in a deep breath I can smell the moisture, the parsley, the thyme, and the sun-warmed linen. The birds are calling, somewhere a lawn mower is meditating. Later summer, perhaps.

Lately everything seems there yesterday, gone today. For the moment, there was a silence, a stillness. The whole world catching a breath, taking a moment. And then the curtain ever-so-slowly, gently, drawn out by a restless breeze.

I breathed out.

Manifesto
02. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
48. Every day there are things you can’t change. You can change the way you think about them and deal with them.

Pea green

Lynsey — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 10:55:42 +0000

The soft new sugar-snap peas leaves are so beautiful in the morning light. I love the way they stretch out with their delicate tendrils. When they find a suitable grip they wind around and grip with a strength far greater than you might first suppose.

We’ve harvested some of the first of the crop, plucking the pods off the vines before the sun dried off the dew. A quick rinse and then sensuous ritual of cracking open the swollen pods and rolling the fat peas bouncing into a bowl. There’s a complete set of sounds associated with peas – the squeak of the pods, the plock of the pods as they snap open, the pluck of the peas parting from the pod, and the boing-bounce of the peas in the bowl. So far we haven’t cooked the peas – we can’t bring ourselves to spoil their crisp purity. This year we enjoyed their divine freshness in green salad – beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

We could buy frozen peas for cooking with if we really needed to. Or wanted to. Or could think of a reason why.

Manifesto
20. Every day say thank you.
29. Every day eat, drink, rest, work, exercise, play, love, create for your own good. And the good of others.
49. Every day is a good day.

345 – Bus stop / start

Lynsey — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:48:40 +0000

I picked up my sister Carol from the bus stop last night, we have an all too short conversation and then we’re off to bed so we can start up at 3:00 this morning when I dropped her off at the airport. I get what I really want – an update about Mum, some clarification, and some discussion about the past, present, and future of our lives. Carol and I have (I believe) a good understanding of each other, and it always seems like there’s never enough time to say all the things we want to.

Bus terminals are like that – I think the world over they must be built on sites with a certain harmonic – a particular zone where people suddenly remember the things they needed to say – or do. And when these sites are located the immediate human response is to build a transport terminal as soon as the people concerned can say goodbye. A long, lingering farewell. Holding on to moments, drawing out the inevitable moment, standing, weeping, waving, holding on to the streaming ribbon until the last tug parts the company…

As compared to greetings. Hi, hello, how are you, a quick kiss, a hug, a handshake, grab the bags and head for the exit. Go, go, go. Get away. Go home, spend as much time as possible with your loved ones. As far away from the departure lounge as possible. Come home soon, where ever you are.

Manifesto
02. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.
10. Every day connect with somebody.
18. Every day express love. Some people need to hear it. Most people need to see it. Don�t take it for granted.

331 – Early birds

Lynsey — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:46:51 +0000

High drama on the back lawn early this morning. A hen blackbird had somehow managed to land a rather large earthworm. And like the rest of us, the bird was determined to keep the worm away from me. Like I really want to start off the day with a nice fresh worm – although I probably would’ve been interested to stage a rescue bid – the worm could be doing good work in our vege garden.

The battle with this kind of thing – ecology is so complicated – everything is connected to everything else, so denying the bird the worm probably will have some other negative result somewhere else down line. You have to be careful about connections.

Manifesto
11. Every day do something for someone else.
16. Every day looking at the order of things gives you power.
28. Every day you will be tested.

287 – Making the change

Lynsey — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:07:44 +0000

I go out to make sure the car was ready for the car ambulance to take it to the hospital. The sun was just starting to creep into driveway. The rain has given was to the frost and in the middle of all the chaos and frustration I’m struck by the beauty of the frost crystals. There’s nothing like a beautiful sight and sunlight to lift my spirits.

The car ambulance was late (stuck in traffic). I’m getting agitated and ring in to work. The ambulance arrives. I manage to convince the car into life and we load it up on the ambulance. We drive off into the morning. The change was amazing – just in this relatively straight forward set of actions I was starting to feel better. Less stressed. The frost was thawing.

The ambulance driver was friendly. The car hospital staff were their usual friendly selves. The car is in good hands (even though the day visit has grown into an overnighter). I headed off for work feeling pretty happy – later than I’d planned, but still getting there. Thanks to everyone along the way.

Manifesto
20. Every day say thank you.
27. Every day pain is a sign of growing.
28. Every day you will be tested.

257 – Lemon zest

Lynsey — Sat, 15 May 2010 08:17:56 +0000

Our lemon tree is finally fruiting this year. I believe it has fruited before however the indifference of the previous owners and the unforgiving nature of the local clay has meant it has taken some nurturing to encourage, first leaves, then blossoms, and now fruit. A fruit tree, a citrus fruit tree, and in particular, a lemon tree, with fruit gladdens my heart like money in the bank. I love the fragrance of lemon – natural, real lemons, not that nasty lab lemon beloved of chemical manufacturers everywhere. I created a painting at school inspired by the fragrance of lemons in the morning, and the flavour of dew licked off the fruit. When I shut my eyes I can see the painting and I can taste the lemons.

Manifesto
01. Every day is a fresh new day.
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.
36. Every day be still. Connect to your inner being. Listen and be guided by it.

252 – Perfect day

Lynsey — Mon, 10 May 2010 10:27:28 +0000

This morning the garden really wanted me to stay and play. In the crisp misty air the light was – well – just beautiful. I didn’t stay. I went off to work. I trudged. Snail-like. The way I used to trudge off to school. Nothing really changes, even when everything changes.

At lunch time the weather was perfect. Warm and sunny, with the slight autumnal edge. I was feeling sad. I’ve spent the morning stuck in the office. When how many perfect days do we get in our lives? I mean really perfect. When the air smells sweet with adventure, and there’s a tension in the atmosphere like there’s something more interesting happening just around the corner. Over the next hill. A day to explore…

Every day.

Manifesto
01. Every day is a fresh new day.
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
23. Every day retain your personal power. It belongs to you. No one else.