The Chicks Were..........

The chicks were happily climbing their favourite tree again today as I contently sat watching them.

Little Pluto is getting a real rooster chest on him already, and he doesn't mind posing for a photo either.

One of his sisters was enjoying a contemplative moment nestling on a branch.

Would love to know what she was thinking.

She seemed completely lost in her thoughts.

It has been a beautiful time watching the chicks growing and exploring, seeing the swift changes that they go through.

And having three this time instead of just one solo chick has really taught me so much.

Plus it has given me a deeper understanding of the love these beautiful creatures have for their babies.

Seeing how the other hens and rooster integrated them into the flock without too much aggression took the stress out of it for me, I was very concerned that the chicks would be hurt when they were learning their place as they were so tiny.

But I need not have worried.

Chickens really do have a flowing order to their lives.

 Watching the personalities begin to shine through as the chicks get older is rather fascinating, each has their own little quirks.

Today I noticed that dad was keeping an eye on them as they explored, such contentment and happiness in the garden really does make it the perfect place to simply be..........

 

Sungazing Song (feat. Aimee Ringle)

Being In Tune.....

Being in tune with my surroundings I never miss an opportunity to stop and see the wonder in little moments during my day.

Watching fish lazily swimming.

The patterns of the ripples.

The distorted reflections in the water.

All creating such beauty.

Sadly a trend here in the corner of the world I reside in is for people to surround themselves with no garden at all.

Apparently they are too busy or so I am frequently told, to enjoy the benefits of nurturing and caring for a garden.

Distractions are taking humanity by storm.

Humans keeping themselves so busy they don't have time to be still.

To reconnect.

To recharge.

To stop.

To be.

Even the people around me who could have also stopped to watch the fish were all zooming past, no time for a bit of wonder for them.

As people glanced my way a few bemused looks were cast my way.

There is always time in my day for the most important things in life.

Watching the wonders of nature........

 

A Little Motorbike Frog.....

A little motorbike frog warming in the sun.

They get their name because of the males mating call.

It sounds like a motorbike changing gears.

They are ground dwelling tree frogs, they are only found in one small corner of Western Australia.

This one lives in a fabulous habitat of reeds and low shrubs.

They apparently like to sunbathe for a few hours each day, and this one was certainly enjoying the warmth of the sun's rays.

I particularly liked the flower petal adorning it's head......

A Busy Bee....

A busy bee collecting pollen and nectar on this spectacular wedding bush I happened upon on a walk.

The fragrant daisy like flowers are really dainty.

Not a native to this part of Australia, but having said that it does seem to thrive here, it loves a sandy soil.

Was unusual to see only one bee feasting on the flowers.

How hard the worker bees work as they gather food for the hive.

They never appear to stop, they flit from flower to flower buzzing as they work.

Watching this tiny one going about it's daily business lead to a deep meditation.

Completely focused on observing.

Everything seem to stop.

I found that time simply ceased to be.

The sun warming my back.

The gentle hum of life throbbing around me.

Calmly enjoying the vision before me.

Taking a moment to acknowledge the gift of my senses.

To see and to hear, to smell and to touch, each sense such a gift.........

 

Spending As..........

Spending as much time as I do lost in the awesome wonder of nature, I felt the clouds calling, causing me to stop.

Being in a space where everything else falls away and only this moment I am viewing is what matters.

No mind chatter.

No feelings other than contentment and bliss.

Yesterday the sky held me spellbound.

Gazing upward and outwards towards the disappearing horizon I stood silent in the presence of this majestic vision.

Seeing my Earth Mother in all her wondrous glory.

So full of love, so absolutely transfixed  by what I saw before me.

Peaceful.

As I stood listening to the ocean, hearing the gentle rippling of the water nearby, smelling the salt carried on the wind. feeling the caress of the wind as I stood in humble gratitude.

Gratitude for being able to see what is around me.

For feeling the call of nature so deeply within my heart.

For always preferring nature to whatever distractions the human world offers.

And realising how calm and centred I always feel, because no matter what I am doing or where I find myself, my beloved Earth Mother is never far away........

 

Well It Seems....

Well it seems that I was wrong about who the boys were!

The silver grey chick which I thought was the girl is actually the budding rooster.

Having taken photos down to the place I purchase my chicken feed from I got a few lessons in identifying male and female chicks.

Firstly the males usually develop the combs first and they are usually very red.

Also I was shown how the roosters have pointy ends to their tail feathers.

The girls have rounded ones.

Fascinating!

I also learnt that roosters will not fight if raised together, so I should be able to keep Pluto as he has been named, as I was getting a tad frantic about where he would end up.

I said that I didn't really want to have anymore chicks but was worried about the rooster mating with his daughter, or sisters as the case may be, but apparently this isn't an issue. They explained that linebreeding is okay in the chicken world as long as it isn't done to excess.

Phew!

Me being me, I was worried about where these beautiful little beings would end up.

Would they be kept in bad conditions?

Would they be harmed or neglected?

Would they be eaten?

Lots of would they's.

The lovely men at the produce shop have stated that it would be perfectly okay to keep the family together.

Huge sigh of relief from me.

In all the years that I have had a rooster in with my hens it is only this year I have had chicks and although I find it such a beautiful experience to have new life in the garden, it does bring stresses with it.

So no more chicks, I feel that nine chickens is quite enough.

Little Pluto is a friendly boy, and I am getting him use to the occasional cuddle.

He will actually close his eyes and go to sleep while being cuddled.

His dad Aslan is a very calm and non aggressive rooster, so I am assuming that Pluto will be as calm as dad, Nova has passed on her quirky personality traits so the chicks are really comical to watch.

I have already witnessed little Pluto's caring side, which nearly made me cry.

One of the other hens was coming over to give the chicks a good peck, and Pluto stood up, stretched his body over his sisters and spread his wings out covering them from the other hen.

It was a moment of such beauty.

His protective instincts already so powerful.

So it is here these little ones will stay, to live their lives roaming free in the garden never having to worry about cruelty or neglect...........

 

With The Weather.....

With the weather bringing a bounty of rain over the last few days the chickens have taken to enjoying the patio.

They are now deciding that the furniture makes fabulous places to roost.

Ducks are preferring to drink from the puddles of fresh water dripping from the roof.

Looking out the kitchen window always gives me a different view of the antics of my chicken family and the many other birds who come to the garden daily.

Never a dull moment and always a scene that makes me smile.......

 

Honest Government Ad | The Melbourne Cup

An Important Message from the Trees, Dorothy Maclean

Healing and The Path to Wholeness - Dr Gabor Mate

The Tranquility.....

The tranquility of a peaceful and content Nala...

 

Waking To The........

Waking to the glorious sound of rain pounding down on the roof yesterday morning was music to my ears.

Laying in bed snuggled in the warmth listening to the rain steadily falling and sensing the relief of my garden.

It rained steadily all day, and the need of a jumper was welcomed too, I much prefer the rain and cold to the scorching heat of the summer months.

Driving to the local shops was such a pleasure, the sky full of wonderful dark clouds, the rain quenching the bushlands that have already begun to dry out as the weather has heated up all to quickly this year.

Another cooler cloudy day welcomes me this morning.

Hoping more rain is headed my way today too.......

 

How Do I Remember Myself When Facing Challenges?

A Gift Of......

A gift of a cat shaped motion detector which meows if something walks in front of it had the kitty kids very intrigued.

Letting them have a sniff at this strange plastic cat before it was placed outside did have them engaged for quite awhile.

 The meow is not really how a real cat sounds and when I turned it on they all ran for cover.

Slowly they came out one by one to investigate this strange unmoving cat.

Nala lost interest rather quickly and prefered to watch at a safe distance. 

Miss Bear gave it a really thorough sniff and a few light taps.

And Charlie being Charlie just had to try to eat it.......

 

There Was Something........

There was something quite mesmerising about the sky as I ambled along on my morning walk.

Eyes gazing heavenward and seeing how glorious the dawn light is as it shifts and changes as it ascends creating such beautiful vistas beginning a brand new day.

The cycle of life, taken for granted by billions as they go about their days.

But this cycle is seen and acknowledged by me daily.

It is rare that I miss the rising of the sun.

No day is the same.

Each morning brings with it a fresh new canvas.

A place where nothing is written.

A space where we have the ability to create our day and choose what we infuse into it.

Whatever happened yesterday is gone.

And whatever situations and emotions were present have dispersed into the night, drifting away with the stars and we find ourselves waking to fresh energy and the ability to flow along with the ever changing current of life..........