The waters of this world...

...I'm not much of a swimmer -

But I know not who could have resisted these waters..?

Certainly not, me.

I have been washed in clear river waters of late.

I even rode the rapids! (tentatively, once!)

Spent time praying by the shore...

Eating gourmet picnic delights.

Escaping the intensive heat.

Playing with my children/niece/nephews.

The world I am in, is in tosses and turns at the moment.

No doubt in a wonderful way!

For I am embarking on several new adventures...

And look forward to recounting them here with you soon.

Until then, I hope you feel the cool, the clarity, and the pleasure I have taken in these waters of late.

I hope you take pleasure in them too.

And also in a phrase, I heard mentioned by a wise soul the other day -

which has been swirling round my head - cooling, and clearing my fear and my thoughts:

"It's only a short trip through life,

and the idea is to leave it better, than you found it."

Amen to such wisdom!

Which inspires me to embark on betterment with a clear, collected view, of my walk through the waters of this world.

Shell xx

To the sea...

For a change of colour, sound, smell and scene... We - upon not much more than a moment's notice - headed towards the ocean blue...

To be washed in yellow sand, in salt and water. And play on the beach with our babes.

To observe those costal bound birds - and enjoy Tara at one, all but flying high alongside with them, and quite certainly right up in the air, in her mind...

A long journey to a seaside town,

On a moment's notice,

Arm in arm with my love, my children,

My brother and sisters, niece and nephews,

Home to have church and read Proverbs 28,

Drink tea together and enjoy some lingering Christmas Belgian dark chocolate...

This year so far is immensely, undeservedly blessed!

Shell xx

Looking Up...

...with headphones on.

Holding on through difficult days,

Like a soldier knowing when to lay low,

And when to fight.

The war is spiritual,

The path is narrow,

and I am looking up,

with mellow tunes in my ears:

{Image courtesy of BigPond Music}

Shell xx

Many posts, in one...

I've been singing in rooms with high ceilings. To the sound of my good friend the piano - and to the incredible guitar skills of Cam & Jamie. Not to mention the unsurpassed beats of Mr RC. We've added a new backing singer to our on stage musical family, & I am enjoying the new colours she brings...

We played this {below} beautiful room on Friday. Happy people, sensational dancing, extraordinarily hot weather! A country town, a Catholic Church. I should have remembered my camera while we waited outside the ceremony to walk the happy couple down the road {singing Irish folk songs!} to said beautiful room - as I have an obsession with old country towns and especially old churches in old country towns.

On Sunday I took rest. Which normally I don't, and therefore, am generally no good at!

We took the long and winding road back to the river somewhere... Picniced under welcomed, much cooler overcast sky.

Others swam, but I stayed still by the river bed. Reflected on two long gigs just merely behind me; the state of my heart at the turn of a new season, the lovliness of my children playing by the water... And, although said above, I am normally fairly bad at relaxing...

In a place like this...

Next to my love {finally returned home}...

I excelled!

I read my book, and giggled much. Wrote lyrics to future songs in my leather bound journal. I let my spirit rest, and be glad in it.

We drove home in witness to the beautiful valley. How can you look out on it and not say a prayer? And not be thankful? For patience, and constancy, and perseverance. For a blessed, eventful, challenging and therefore, most wonderful, poetic life.

Shell xx

My little piece...

It's been an amazing time -

in and around my little piece of Earth,

I have been amazed by the people

I am privileged to share this life with,

and I've wept for this life,

Shuddered at the realness of it's death

I've put my heart and my patience to the test

I've talked, at length about real things - with myself...

And thus I see a new chapter is dawning -

in and around my little piece of Earth

Time to put to rest some,

And time to awaken some others...

I know you're there

and will wish me,

all the good that there is to wish,

As I too,

Wish it for you.

Shell xx

Every new day, is new...

...and random projects in my domesticity inspire me in both what I eventually produce, and the internal, spiritual trail I take while getting there...

Songsmith xx

That place...

Good morning to sunshine. The morning after a long, late day. The relief of reaching the top of the hill. The time to think along the way. Fog like pea soup! I climbed above it! And looked out over the top. To find sun shining above it all.

At home for me waiting. Tea, toast and warmth.

Amen to such things! To prayerful meditation, while overlooking vast sloping valleys, or just a humble tea cup.

Amen indeed.

Shell xx

Standing in the sun...

I love to watch the sun rise over my green house, especially at this time of year - in the winter - where I watch it slowly encompass the ground melting the ice in it's way...

And I notice, on my way to the clothes line this morning, a point at which one half of the ground it frozen, shivering cold in the darkness, and the other, glistening, thriving, having been warmed now, by the sunlight...

The poetic voice inside my mind says; this is an analogy - this is the choice to be made everyday, and for our lives...

If I may think of the darkness and the frozen ground as the place of fear - where nothing grows; in fact staying here, will not only be cold and lonely, but will see me slowly rot, as nothing thrives in the darkness and the cold...

And if I think of the sunlight as a place where all is seen, then surely, if I am to stand here I want all that there is of me, fit to be seen... Only in this light can I aspire, can I grow, can I stand brave, and be seen...

Then the thing that occurs to me, is that before this light rose over my green house this morning, all was in darkness. And slowly the light is delivering life.

I stand in the sun and feel ready to grow. Ready to be seen for who I surely am, and in absolute understanding that this day is a gift, that the Lord has given.

Shell xx

{Sun-smith}

In my place...

This be one of my favourite places...

Where I can take snippets of reality and fantasy - scribble down poetic phrases - make them into songs.

Songwriting is my first love and craft. As a child it was my escape - something I knew I could do well, it was a different, secret world, where I could live...

As an adult, and a Christian it is still my love and my craft. It is now my {though humble} income, a big part of my identity - I have lived out so many of my musical dreams already. I have found a band in my husband and brothers - such gifted and fine men. I have recorded at Studios 301 in Sydney with Abbey Road producer Richard Lush, I've taken my music to America and played for what I think are the nicest audiences in the world. And it seems that my music in part, has become my ministry.

Still I am asked so often, 'what kind of music do you play?'

I'm not "fashionable" - so it can't be Pop!

I'm not cool - so it shan't be Rock.

I'm not classical, or tutored, or trained -

I am organic. Handmade.

Sepia toned.

Folk geared.

Mildly hysterical!

Commercially inept...

Slightly teachable?

Whole heartedly passionate.

Wide awake-

{if daydreams don't count?}

and above all,

I am Yours!

I'm anxious to know what you may call it?

Songsmith xx

Where to begin?

I feel ambitious,

Full of plans, ideas;

And a little bit scared of them too...

I suppose such anxiety is the fuel for action,

{Or should be}

And I know that now is the time to take the step,

In faith, that this is my gift and I want to give it.

With, or without you.

I am ready

To begin.

Shell xx

Inside my soul, and other tales...

I have been sporadic with my blogging of late. But I must tell you, there has been much going on at my piano and recording studio to show for it! Perhaps excuse me of it?

Sharp Frog Studio

I have been commissioned to write a song for a retired couple who approached me because they are long term fans of my work, and wanted me to write their funeral song - for whichever of them should pass away first.

What I love about it is that it's not a song of sorrow! It's one of celebration, of love, and life long commitment. The lady of the couple had written a series of three poems which she asked me to write the music for, make into a song which they could then use to express their love for each other, and to share with their friends, family and children, for, and in years to come...

It is all finished now, I have handed over the finished product, been received with rave reviews, cups of coffee, hugs, laughs, tears, and I think, life long gratitude. And perhaps beyond!

A short while afterwards I was told by a friendly passer by that they knew I was 'that singer' and they had downloaded some of my songs from iTunes, and particularly loved the song Anything. I was truly chuffed and encouraged! So thank you dear stranger!

My album, available on iTunes

I feel so terribly blessed to be someone who can translate feelings which are heard through the ears, and seem so often to penetrate straight into the soul.

I seem to spend much of my own thought life {and even physical life} inside my own soul. I have not much developed the skill of disassociation from the spiritual, I like it there!

I am always half in that daydream. Which I believe, is what keeps me wholly happy...

Photo by the Windhover

Songsmith xx

A friend in me...

It has been a week indeed.

My friend has had the week off since returning from China, and we have taken the chance to do some of the many things we often don't have the chance, to chance upon...

One of which was visiting the National Portrait Gallery for a first, and long overdue explore. Wandering around the Vanity Fair exhibition was delightful and inspiring. And it became apparent to me how emotive it is to look at so many representations of different people, members of our species, from many, and any points in time. It was undeniably confronting, and I also found exciting, fulfilling to look the person - the portrait - in the eye and give them a knowing smile.

We have carted out a new piece of furniture - which had typically met with an untimely demise, and carted in an old one, which is much more delightful {and thrifted from the shearing shed!} to begin a new life...

We have mostly just been at home. Meaning to do more than actually got done. Going to bed too late, and laughing with our children at the table...

But the true untimely demise this week, is that of Michael Jackson.

I still do not believe it. And I hope somehow it's not true.

One of the most gifted artists of our time; a spirit nearly too beautiful and artistic for this world, perhaps can now be free from confusion, and the world's lustful pursuit of his image and his fame. Now perhaps can just be that artistic soul forever, here in the fallen world, and there, in God's perfect Heaven.

I feel slightly relieved. As though his gift, and his life long innocence, can now be an eternal portrait for modern musical history, and humanity.

"You've got a friend in me..."

I give you Ben.

Songsmith xx

A time of pleasure and of plenty...

I often have talked here about my take on the seasonal changes of life...  Being only days away from the beginning of Winter here in Australia, I thought it time to post more observations...

For me, I feel like it's time take stock of all that I have, and be so wholly thankful for this time of pleasure in the simple, yet plentiful things...

This winter I plan to record my album - develop her theme, her name, and start to show you all her new songs;

I plan to make lots of pumpkin soup from the produce of my garden!  

I plan to be frugal with money, as we enter into the grown up world of house mortgages;

I plan to light the fire more often, and stay inside, sitting down reading to my children;

I plan to iron less, and serve others more;

I plan to keep warm of heart, of spirit and  of body this coming Winter.

What plans have you?

Shell xx

A lesson in time...

It had been 24 years since last I saw Belinda at Para Hills Primary School, until today.

Being a reader of this here little blog I insisted that she join Emma and I in one of our 'feet' photographs!

There was much to catch up on, and we laughed all afternoon while our daughters played together as once we did.  

It is strange, but wonderful to witness the passage of time, by looking at the face of  somebody you knew so well as a child.

To really understand that the spirit is just the same, only the body changes with years.

So let it remind us to take care of the spirit, not just the body; the character of our hearts, not just the outer presentation of our flesh, which is left behind here on the Earth...

I wanted to tell you this story through the pictures of our daughters today, since my realisation that there is little difference between us all in the physical sense; it is only the shape of our hearts, and spirits which glow unique.

A happy day indeed.  A lesson in time.

Shell xx

A walk in the rain...

We were threatened with rain when setting out on our Good Friday picnic down the paddock yesterday, but had high hopes for returning sun.

We had chicken soup under a tree, as the sun promptly arrived;

I put my Nikon to the test by zooming up on mountains;

And stopped to hug trees - how impressively big is this one?!

Walked home with Tara holding my hand, and thanked the Lord for giving us such inspiration, and guidance in Jesus; and remembering, to remember this, at Easter.

Shell xx