Changing the world one ramble at a time.

“Sometimes things must change so you can change.

Sometimes mistakes happen so wisdom can be earned.

Sometimes you must overcome heartache so you can follow your heart.

 Sometimes you must break a little so you can peek inside yourself 

and see how great you really are.” 

~ unknown

You can tell it’s the height of summer when you walk through the Dell.

It’s awash with cicadas

Thousands of them.

Singing a love song as only they know how.

Their clickety clack chatter drowns out the activity of anyone.

Human or otherwise.

It’s anything BUT tranquil but I love it.

Rambles put my world to rights.

Yes.  My eyes often leak.  

Yes.  My heart frequently aches. 

Yes.  My soul is cracked and fragile. 

BUT

there is ALWAYS something 
on a ramble to find joy in.

Whether it be Teddy Bears in trees

A Teddy Bears Picnic and Treasure Hunt in the Dell.

or hounds on the beach

JOY is out there in abundance if we have eyes to see it.

I love this little spot in the world that I now inhabit.

I love my little space in The Flat @ No. 14

I love the people that are in my life.

Finally, a little Wagtail ... need to get closer though!

There is no certainty in life
that what I’m doing and the choices 
I’m making are the right ones.

But that doesn’t matter

What I’m doing NOW 
is making me happy.

I’m changing MY world 
one ramble at a time.

And THAT is all that matters.

"People grow when they are loved well. 

If you want to help others heal, 

love them without an agenda." 

~ Mike McHargue

Caught up with Cosmo on the beach .... totally addicted to sticks!

Caught up with Charley too.

This is life.

 “A real work of art destroys, in the consciousness of the receiver, 
the separation between himself and the artist.” 

~ Leo Tolstoy

There is no better way to spend the morning after an amazing festival than to wallow in the tranquility and peace at Churchill Park.

Especially on a magnificent summer’s day.

Mornings just don’t come any better than that.

We sat and watched white eyes and blackbirds feed of the insects on the water lilies

Rosellas dropped casually onto the grass, then took of in haste when they realised they weren’t alone.

Even the Pukeko graced us with their presence.

Briefly.

I still find them the most comedic of birds to watch.

Their spindly legs and feet look so clumsy and yet they move so effortlessly.

Until they attempt to fly.

Take off is labored, awkward.

Crash landings are common.

Their voices run the whole gamut of expression.

From curiosity to scolding to interrogation.

We got the scolding. 

We were on THEIR turf.

This week also found us on the sandspit and mudflats of Tahuna Torea.

The bird reserve is a no-go area for hounds so we took ourselves onto the sandspit.

The tide was out so MUD became the new accessory.

There were no Kingfishers to be found so we stalked the Skua instead.

Skua are very vocal.  

And loud.

Reveling in the magic all around as they had their say is priceless.

Nothing can beat it.

All the mayhem and angst that accompanies life vanishes into the ether.

THIS is life and this is REAL.

These many miles that the hound and I ramble each day are cathartic.

They give back what the chaos takes away.

Surviving is an art form.

We’ve got it down pat.

“Go out and walk.  That is the glory of life.” 

~ Maira Kalman

ps.  I had thought I’d got this survival thingy down pat but today showed me that I haven’t always.  That trusty little mobile steed of mine that’s taken me miles and miles to markets and to visit the SO is in need of some TLC.  For too long we’ve patched it together with bandaid.  Tonight the bandaid didn’t work.  A tow-truck will be needed.  

I can HEAR the cheers already!

“The earth is heavy and opaque without dreams.” 

~ Anais Nin in December 1940

Dreams ... visions ... fantasies.  I dream often and not only when I’m asleep.  I daydream too ... more so when life is stressful.  It’s an easy way to escape from reality and surrender to a fantasy world where the sun always shines, the clouds are ALWAYS cotton wool and the skies are cobalt blue.  

It’s my fantasy world.

It’s not populated by Dog Wardens either.

Today’s fantasy was triggered by an episode of Midsomer Murders I’d been watching last night.

Yes, I’m a fan.

This particular episode featured a colony of artists who, when confronted by an officious council worker, upended him and dumped him in a duck pond.

The idea appeals!  

Newspaper headline “Dog Warden dumped in waves”

I can hear the cheers already.

SUMMER ... whilst having many of the ingredients necessary for the fulfillment of my fantasy is also the season of the dreaded SUMMER-TIME dog laws.  

Dog Laws that are enforced by ‘Hitler-esque’ Dog Wardens.  

You might think  ‘Hitleresque’ is a made-up word but surprise, surprise it’s not.  

It’s been used to describe, amongst other things, Obama’s presidency

 and his disassociation from reality.  

Yep ... I googled it. 

It’s not only the Dog Wardens that need to be told how unpopular they are.

Despite our petition, despite the over 10 000 signatures collected,  despite it having been approved by the greater Auckland Council, we STILL don’t YET have more hound-friendly access to our beaches.  Apparently, despite being part of a super-city, local boards are able to chose, or not, to implement the new Dog Control Laws.

The hound’s 20m length of rope has surfaced again. 

I’ll try NOT to entangle a Dog Warden in it.

“Sometimes I just look up, smile and say ‘I know that was you God.  Thank you’ ... and then sometimes it’s a seagull.” 

~ anon.

Mother Nature chuckled!

Summer’s come back to visit.

Yesterday I thought winter had arrived ... with a vengeance. 

Mother Nature CHUCKED the rain down and blew the seagulls back into their nests .... and then CHUCKLED.

This morning they’re out stretching their wings in a cobalt blue sky.  

There’s sunshine in abundance and not a cloud to be seen.  

I’m LOVING it.

 I can stop and smell the roses and NOT get a mouthful of raindrops.

Our man Sam was back in the groove today after being away for a week. He knew it was a Tuesday and Tuesdays mean he and his favourite furry friend get to spend time on the beach.  To try and speed up their departure from home .... he’s impatient like that .... he bought all the shoes he thought Carol might want out of the closet and lined them up neatly in the lounge.  

He only brings ONE of each shoe though which isn’t really helpful when you need a PAIR.

We weren’t in our usual spot on the beach when he got there.  I could see his confusion.  He raced onto the beach and headed towards the cliff, which is where we usually wait, then ran back to Carol circling her in frustration.  His consternation was visible .... where were we?

He’s like a rocket launcher when he spots us. 

NOTHING and NO-ONE, not even a hound, distracts him from his target.  It’s Carol and Chocolat and I need them ... NOW!

Once the enthusiastic greetings were over we got down to the serious business of throwing rugby ball after rugby ball after rugby ball into the waves.  That dam Chiefs ball’s back again.  The hound EVEN relinquished her mammoth log to go play with the Chiefs ball.  

I HOPE it’s NOT an omen as my Sharks haven’t been playing too well of late.

The hounds did their usual “entertain the locals” bit whilst we basked in the sunshine and caught up on each other’s week.  

Did I mention there was caffeine involved?  

I thought not ... but there was.

These hounds are special.  The time I spend on the beach with them has benefits way beyond just the physical exercise. This time allows me to function ... to try to do and be the best that I can in this mixed up world I find myself in.  Just for an instant in time all the difficulties and pain in the world disappear.

“Do you not see how necessary a world of pain and trouble is to school an intelligence and make it a soul?” 

~ John Keats

Max ` the Bernaise Mountain Dog

Our lives are a journey and not always an easy one.  We all face difficulties but a friend’s reality has this last week sharply smacked me in the face and found me wanting.  

Reality bites. 

My heart aches for her.  Too many people suffer losses that are beyond explanation and beyond our understanding. 

Knox ... a bull terrier .... a rather pretty one.

Love doesn’t always make the world right.  Sometimes no matter how much you love someone, it’s not enough to make them love themselves.

Never stop doing the little things because SOMETIMES those little things are all a person has to hold onto.

“Don’t sit and wait. Get out there, feel life.  

Touch the sun and immerse in the sea.” 

~ Rumi