Sunday, December 31, 2017

Striding on to 2018

 
On the eve of a New Year, when we think about the path we will walk in 2018, we examine our hopes and dreams and yearn for good things.  I would like to share this tiny piece of my life with you, to remind you that dreams can come true. 
Plant your dream seeds and nurture them with patience.  Great things could happen.

As a child, I dreamed of living in a forest, with pools and waterlilies.  I had some kind of fairy thing going.  I inended to plant trees all over my garden when I grew up.

 I made this drawing when I was 10 years old.

 Water lily drawing.  Also age 10.  
 
Many years later, one of my first dates with Henning was a trip to the Witwatersrand Botanical Gardens.  On that day he surreptitiously harvested seeds from a number of trees, brought them home and planted them.  Today, those seeds are the trees in our little forest.

Our garden is lush and green after good rain this summer.  In time, it has become a place of trees and ponds.  Because water is scarce, we do not cultivate flower beds and lawns.  Every evening, I take a walk with the dogs.  Walk with us if you like, and I will show you my favourite spots.

We are setting out from the gate, walking down the driveway along the eastern border.  

Next to the Irish cottage is the pot lady.  The dogs think she's a water bowl.

 
The Irish cottage staircase. 

 
I hang old birdcages in the trees here.  Some have ceramic birds in them.  

In this corner, there is a bit of open ground, we call it 'the meadow'. 
On the far side of the meadow, you can see the barn, and the mud pond.  

Whenever we reach this point in our walk, the dogs play a game of tag, then head to the pond for a drink.  Henning is doing woodwork in front of the barn.
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At the top of the secret staircase, is the koi pond.

Beautiful water lilies!

And there's the gazebo, a place to sit and look at the pond.

The trees we planted here are starting to make a green tunnel. I love this path. 

We are on our way back to the studio.  But there is more to see.  

First we pass Siegfried's aloe garden.

And the 'hut pond', which is overgrown and full of tadpoles.

The wisteria breakfast corner.  Always cool and quiet in there.

  The herb garden.  We should have figs to eat this season, if the birds and the monkeys leave a few.

The water tank next to my carport.  Colani often naps next to my car.

 Dino's favourite shade spot is the breakfast corner in front of the studio.

Clyde's hangout is the bushes next to the studio.

Attila crashes on the grass in front of the house, she's the only dog who sleeps there.

A fancy water bowl next to the house.

But they prefer to drink from the washing line pond.

 Black bamboo and moss next to the staircase going from the house to the studio.

 A peek at the pool, the fountain, and the studio.

This year flung a fair share of rotten tomatoes at me.  But there were also awesome times.  I would say it's a year in which progress was made and on the last day of 2017, I'm satisfied.
I continued my studies. I learned to set goals and follow the steps to achieve them.  As a result, good things happened in my business. 
I participated in an art therapy group, and spent a lot of time on self reflection.  I agonized an awful lot.  As a result, I've come to a place of acceptance, and I've laid some old issues to rest.  Honestly, after a year of this, I'm sick of feeling.  In 2018 I would like to get on and DO things.  
I regularly dragged a tutu over my middle-aged hips and went off to ballet dreaming that I'm a famous dancer.  I'm afraid that's a swan that has sailed, but the exercise is good for me.
What made 2017 memorable?  

War and peace with an awesome life partner.
Solitude and serenity at home. 
Fantastic, fantastic friends.
Growing my business.
Learning things.
Crafty projects.

Whatever your year's highlights were, may you have heaps more of it in 2018, and may all your dream seeds grow straight and true!