Cause to be

 

I had chocolate for dinner,

so now I felt it necessary to share

some sweetness with you.

Can't be greedy now.

...

One via..

Foxtail and Fern (you will get lost in the soft loveliness)

Two and Three via..

unknown (help?)

Recuperation Wednesday

"music is the weapon of the future"

- shirt, '07

I have spent the majority of the past few days hunting and sifting and fossicking for new music. For some reason, (still) nothing has really been as meaningful as I'd hoped but with time and further listenings, I'm sure that I might be satisfied with more than just one album.

So I don't really have any musical recuperation today, but these are pure goodness..

A spot-on opinion piece. In fact, just trawl this whole site.

Some evocative, thought-provoking writing to make you feel

like you're living in NYC, circa Dylan, Cohen and Mitchell.

Visit here to reignite the poetry in your soul. Mandy has a real gift.

...

I had the loveliest conversation about music and writing and poetry and lyrics and creativity last night. It's reassuring to know that your passions can always be cultivated, you just have to know how and where to water them -- there isn't always a when.

Have a Wednesday that you're a part of, not wanting to be somewhere else.

xx

...

Picture by me

Florence and the Machine - St Jerome's Laneway Festival

Brisbane, 2010

Hyggelige

Denmark is such a special place. This word is by far my favourite -- such an innately special concept. Perhaps a direct line to what we all long for when life and the moments are especially where you want to be.

One of the fundamental aspects of Danish culture is "hygge": spending a calm, comfortable time with good friends or loved ones, often while enjoying good food, snacks and something to drink. Lighting candlelights is also often associated with "hygge". Christmas time, when loved ones sit close together with candles lit on a cold rainy night, is a true moment of "hygge", as is grilling a pølse (Danish sausage) on a long summer evening. These examples, although they do not precisely define "hygge", can give an English speaker an idea of a deeply valued traditional concept of Danish culture.

For me, hygge is my parent's beach house. Always and forever. 

...

Definition via Wikipedia (no judgement)

Photo by me

Hey calendar

I worked on my calendar today. The warped and superstitious part of me doesn't feel right talking about it, but should I make it through this semester -- determinedly, passionately, successfully -- I will graduate.

It feels pivotal and strange and scary. I'm not after a magic number, a dream degree, I still don't know how to answer with what I want to be.

I just want to work hard, play hard and be the best I can be. And have nights like the Saturday just been, take runs like the one I took yesterday afternoon, and feasts with my special people.

I just want to live life like it was meant to be: without guilt after fun, and trepidation over writing. I really feel that life will begin after, and good enough will be more than enough.

...

This entry made me dream very hard too.

I don't think I've ever really felt like this before.

It's like I finally have a proper dream.

Ohhh November..

...

The sweetest friends

One taken by April

Two taken by Elise

Sunday Sweetness

I can't seem to sacrifice Sundays anymore - I want to eat this day, savour its unique taste, and be as "now" as possible. A little bit of these things are never far away..

To be rested, rejuvenated and perfectly happy:

1. Roast dinner Friday, Greek food Saturday, Eggy brunch Sunday

2. Leg cuddles

3. Very apple pie

4. Walks at night

5. Laughter with dear friends

6. Fruit and yoghurt

7. The Decemberists

8. A new couch and nothing to do but lay on it

9. Plenty of inspiration

10. Time to dream

Have a soulful Sunday.

Always

xx

...

Image aquí!

Recuperation Wednesday

For whatever your sweet little self desires - comfort, inspiration, colour, cosiness, twirling, crooning, giggles, indulging or an excuse to stay in your happy home..

Watch..

The gorgeous Feist and her amazing community of artists journey through the dreamy and lush experience that was the creation of The Reminder (2007). The process of multiple collaborations sees us through concept, recording and touring. Seriously, so amazing.

The new album Metals is due out in October!! More here.

Nom..

The best Dahl in all the world. We make ours from this book, but there are more here. Try adding cauliflower, broccoli, peas and chickpeas + greek yoghurt + lime pickle + cucumber and baby spinach. So good in hot and cold weather..don't try and stop me. And coriander!

Sip..

Masala Chai is always the most delicious. Or so I have found through my demanding tastebuds. This one over at Everybody Likes Sandwiches is perfect and can be tweaked for your enjoyment, trust me. That is not to say that this recipe is not delicious, I just like ginger. And cinnamon. And the occasional vanilla bean.

Ooh and pound those cardamom pods good! We have also dry roasted the spices before simmering.. 

Extra dark chocolate to nibble is ultra optional, I'm not saying the blocks I buy for baking actually make it into brownies.

And while we're on the topic of her lovely site, they're not really sippable*, but I should mention these muffins too. Love the 'Sandwiches site!

Have a restful, snuggly night,

wherever you may be

xx

...

* Pouring cake batter into one's mouth

doubles as quality control.

Life, ohhh life

 

Easy and simple, no-wrong-steps recipe for 

A Lush Sunday

...

* sleep late/nap often

* find some bagels and spread with delicious things

e.g. avocado and vegemite

* watch consecutive episodes of guilty pleasure/toxic awesome tv

* do some loads of washing; don't hang them out

* walk in the mid-afternoon sunshine

* buy some treats for your tummy

* gather some sweet friends..

* ..light candles, make pots of tea, hoover nutella and strawberries..

* ..work in some berry froghurt, fig ginger honey ice-cream and spekulaas..

* ..turn up the heater, make antipasti, invite more friends and lovers..

* ..frangelico, coconut and pineapple cocktails..

* ..laugh, listen, dance in your chair..

*..rose tea and caramel chocolate..

* ..write quietly as your dearest snores

...  

oh yes.

vegemite is purely optional..

 

I hope your Sunday treats you very right

xx

...

Title from Tracy Chapman (that one's an in-joke)

Paris image source unknown - help?

22.

Just over a year ago S and I were here. 

It was such a swift, precious time.

In a bit over two months 

we will have been in one another's hearts 

for three years.

I did not know at 19 that I would meet a man who would

help, guide and nourish me so.

I honestly had the vaguest idea of what love was.

Even now, 33 months and a fortnight on,

I continue to learn from him every day.

Now that we live together and have purchased

Ikea furniture and an almost-cat*,

I am still astounded, yet a little scared, and overall

overcome by how blessed I am to have met him,

and allowed myself to fall in love with him.

 In no way was it hard to fall in love with him.

The thing with love 

- in my singular and limited experience -

is that it is truly free fall.

That late Spring, early Summer of '08 

I was constantly asking myself if it was happening.

In truth it happened a number of times in that period.

It has happened a million times since.

I love that he fulfills me to the point that

I now trust in the magic, infinite nature of growth.

Every day, even the nasty meh days, involve a sweetness

I now can't remember being without but cherish,

completely besotted.

I love striving to be better in every way, in small ways and big.

Making coffee, other foods and looking after myself spiritually.

Being more of a lover than a fighter now.

Stopping to appreciate little bits and pieces of our neighbourhood.

Ultimately, I know that it is neither my job, nor my obligation 

to make him happy.

But the love we share is such a positive honey pot

that it makes me value the healthful, inspiring and delicious things

this dreamy life has to offer in an alternate way

to what my life was up until I was given this gift.

Love is all, and I already had so much of it in my life before now.

But this sort of love is not tangible like those

and I understand the richness which has been 

bestowed upon me is strong, supportive
and, of increasing importance recently, accepting.

Perhaps what love truly is is acceptance.

*I say "almost-cat" as Phase Two of engineering

a cat is almost complete..

xx

...

Photo of Springbrook National Park via Google Images

- this is an amazing place for

a trip of any length.

The walks through the falls and lookouts 

are especially breathtaking..we didn't get to the Glow-Worm Cavern, 

sad panda!