Who Loves Old Wood?

I love the richness of old, well worn wood.

Could not resist adding this preloved bookcase to my newly renovated living area just as it is.



To me the bookcase speaks of years of much loved books and memories.

Now it is full of my own books,



and memories.

These shells are ones I collected during my many beach walks when I lived in my apartment by the beach.



This is a painting by a friend.



This vase is a little chipped but was part of my parents' living room. It is full of memories of special occasions in that room.

Fresh Food Bountiful at Community Garden

TJ is cooking the mashed potatoes for dinner. He called into the garden to find some fresh herbs to add. Tasted them all before deciding on garlic chives, mint and basil.



The first lemon ripens on the trees planted last July when the garden opened.



Bok Choy and Sweet Basil Seedlings recycled from garden areas.



The rains have made the soil ready for new seedlings.



Older plantings are becoming bountiful once more.



The view from the composting area shows one side of the garden with evening shadows falling.



The garden has been open now for about eight months and members are learning all the time time about the soil, plantings and the weather.

Sharing ideas with other garden members is an important aspect of being part of a community garden.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday at `Food Renegade, Real Food Wednesday at `Kelly the Kitchen Kop' and Natures Notes at `Rambling Woods'.

Breast Cancer A Personal Walk

Eighteen years ago I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, and although I have had two further breast primaries I am currently clear of cancer and in my best health ever.

It has been a real learning curve and still happening. Understandings and treatments were so different eighteen years ago but I had a wonderful friend now in her late eighties who had had five separate primaries. She was an inspiration and gave me practical help through my experiences.

I still hate going for my yearly checkups but know early detection is crucial for survival. The first two primaries I actually saw myself and went to the doctor but the third one was in a position I could not have seen so I was lucky it was picked up early during an annual checkup.

My growing awareness of the role of sustainable living in staying well has evolved as I was grew to understand what was happening to my body and read books such as Your Life in Your hands

My first doctor also made me aware stress levels can create hormonal changes and this has been a second area I have needed to work on in my life.

My growing walk with Christ has also provided ongoing spiritual strength.

Overcoming breast cancer is not a simple equation and different for each person but for me I have found it requires a constant awareness of body, mind and spirit.

We all have hurdles in our daily life and living sustainably is not always easy in the contemporary world, but each day I try to be part of creating a better more sustainable world where cancer is less likely to happen.

From Weeds to Beauty

All the garden areas below were weeds when I brought my house last May.



Each of these plants I have transported from elsewhere, planted and nurtured.



Today their metamorphosis into objects of beauty felt so good had to share.



The frangipane below showed the color of its flowers for the first time today and it is a rich red. Red frangipanes are so very special. It really was exciting to see the unexpected.



This post is part of DIY Day at `A Soft Place to Land', Get Your Craft On at `Today's Creative Blog', Metamorphosis Monday at `Between Naps on the Porch', Talented Tuesday at `My Frugal Family' and Toot Your Horn Tuesday at `Silly Little Sparrow'.

Creating from the Earth

Still digging in my garden with trees to plant and a new vegetable garden to create, but my friends are getting impatient with my not painting.

I seem to need to start from the earth upwards when I create.

The painting on my easel is one I created at an earlier home where I grew daisies from seed amongst the aloe growing beside my fence.



At my new home I am still planting the aloe and the daisy seeds are in the ground so who knows what will be created here.

My friends have been very generous with the plants and cuttings they have given me from their homes and gardens.



Did some further work on this area at the bottom of my garden yesterday and it is starting to look like something that will inspire me to paint.

Here is a closer look at my earlier painting which is available in print form at Zazzle.

Daisies & Aloe Against the Fence by Newearth
Browse Canvas Posters

A Green Earth Joins `Friday Blog Hop' & Discovers How to Have Sustainable Teeth

This is my first Friday Blog Hop and look forward to discovering some great new blogs.

The Blog Hop is hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades!.

They invite you to join them every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs.

It is all about sharing and having fun.

They're excited to announce their First Sponsor of `Friday Follow' ` A Tooth Soap' that is non-toxic, sustainable, organic and has no need for a warning label and was created by a mom who has kids with no cavities.

Yellow Black Bean Blossoms & Sky

I thought my Black Bean Tree was dead but with the rains it has burst forth with yellow blossoms and foliage.

For me it is a beautiful sight against the sky and especially love to watch the native birds sitting in its foliage or flying around it trying to catch butterflies.

The black beans themselves are poisonous but Australian aborigines are said to have soaked and washed the cracked seeds, then ground them into meal which they made into baked cakes.

I won't be trying these cakes. Need someone who knows just what they are doing to make black beans safe to eat.



This post is part of Looking at the Sky on Friday at Crazy Working Mom.