Winter Blue...

I am really feeling the winter blue.

Not, the blues as such.  But more that wintery blue which some days fills up your entire head and chills you down to your toes.  It's not sadness, but rather, it's reflection.  It's a little weary at times, but nothing a good book and a toasty fire cannot remedy...

I cannot express how sorry I am for being so quiet here of late.  I'm sort of here, but not really - reading blogs like a lurker - not commenting, just absorbing...  Not giving back to my faithful friends for their efforts and heartfelt accounts of life and living.  But I shall no more be this way.

I feel this winter has thrown me into a world of unknowns, some exciting, and some a little frightening.  Or all a little of both.

One thing I can assure myself and you of, is that I am growing.  I am challenging myself to be braver and bolder than ever.  I may feel a little cocooned at present, but I am nearly ready for blooming.

Like the wintery twigs,
which seem lifeless and still,
inside are growing,
and plotting pink blossoms
for the spring.

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

Dear Charlie...

To finally bring Charlie to film is wonderful to say the least - and a lot of other things...

A song I wrote on the pianola in Mum's lounge room,

after Sarah told me she liked said name...

Charlie has been my muse, my tragic creature, my real life & imagined hero...

And now he is my latest film-clip-video-baby adventure!

I want to thank Kate, Sarah, Anna & "Scottwell behind the mirror"

• for attention to everything important,
• artistic ability unsurpassed;
• enthusiasm {for my foolish schemes} galore!
• And just really, more thank you's than a day could hold for letting me prance around {like a big curvaceous purple woman in front of camera} all day!

What paradise would be - to do such all day, everyday anon!

Songsmith {and friends} xx

Adventuring for Arts sake...

Not behind the lens today, but in front of it...

On the set of a new film clip...

Among long green grasses, and the plentiful, purple, poisonous Patterson...

The lens flattered me (a miracle of science!)

And provoked me -

Ever eager am I to show you the adventure, and the art we began making today...

{All photos today taken by the wonderful Anna}

Shell xx

Away too long...

Apologies.

I've been silent in this space too long of late. So where have I? What have I? I hear you inquire?

I've been watering and examining my upcoming apricots - perhaps close range photography will improve them? I've also been further digging in the post rain, soft soil around my house, making garden beds, pulling weeds, thinking about things, and sort of "discovering" another part of myself I knew not was there - the gardner.

The physical work of it is wonderful, I love to really stagger away from the shoveling, long after my back and surrounding muscles have asked me to. I somehow seem to crave exhaustion! But really, I am discovering more of myself as I learn this new skill... And working the ground with my shovel, my feet and my two hands is somehow making me even closer to wondrous Hillview...

On Friday I came home from the fruit market to find a package on my door step.

Addressed to me in the most AMAZING way by the Divine and Darling Kerri!

I can only say that I have been given a treasure! It's a small screen print on canvas, and has the pure spirit of it's maker around it... Upon my opening, I looked, and these two little birds winked at me, and said that I was to use them as inspiration for the wall above my piano where I have been meaning to arrange a selection of inspiring pieces of art to look upon while I am writing playing and arranging.

I have to say, I am always thrilled and amazed by the way inspiration flows and simply grows through the artists I have met in this blogging place. Thank you Kerri. Touched, delighted and honored am I!

I have also been observing pink sunsets; and capturing them for display here... Meaning so truly to make each of these pictures and subjects into posts of their own all week. But my days have been long, and I am feeling the pressure of four children all the more with my friend away for work all week. Especially with one of them sick overnight...

But certainly on the mend with a smile like this on his lovely {burning up} face - and his cousin over for a compassionate visit! I couldn't resist taking a photo of them looking so cute!

I have indeed been away too long, but intend in future not to let the noise in my head make for silence on the screen.

Shell xx

Scenes from Saturday night...

Forward:

{Is is not possible for me to explain the amount of hours the collage that lies here beneath has taken to create!}

Saturday was a hard days night, for The Tullys. We performed at the wedding ceremony and reception of a bride who happened to be one of my close friends from school, in Canberra about twelve years ago.

It's funny when you see someone again - even funnier when for me I have, since walking the school corridors with her, become a Christian, been married myself, given birth {four times, mind you!} and, generally - non-specifically speaking - grown up.

Singing for her, and her about-to-be-husband as she walked down the aisle was a wonderful mixture of happiness, graciousness, and terror that I simply HAD to get the song right! Well I did get it right, and her smiles to me across the crowded terrace were an instant confirmation of that.

I shed a little tear during the pivotal moment of the reception, when the bride and groom grace the dance floor together for the first, momentous dance. Again, it was when she looked at me, her arms and graceful figure against her new husband in waltz hold, with such a smile and a gratitude as we played and I sang, their special song.

Lots of bands look down their noses at the good ole' wedding gig. But we have always seen it as a chance to serve through our music. Remembering that they will remember this day forever. And through this act of service we too have been so blessed by the people we have met, the places we have been, and the music/magic we made there.

I raise my glass to my dear friend, and her new husband! Hoorah!

Songsmith xx

A blogger's dedication...

{I'd like to dedicate this post to the three winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2009}

...For making the technology of digital photography a reality to all of us folk in the blog world, and everywhere on the www.

The communicative, and artistic opportunities are made excitingly, endless thanks to such genius - and I feel a duty to thank them from my {down under} speck of blogspot - where, without digital photography, {provided by this beautiful baby} - I wouldn't be able to so often convey how I feel, who I am, and where I am, from my lens, to you dear reader!

In celebration, I took a little walk this afternoon with my fancy digital camera, on this most bleak, cold and grey Canberra day.

And I am posting the following pictures in honour of technological blessings, and with thanksgiving for such darn cleverness!

Bless you Nobel Prize winning men! You've helped make our beautiful, vast world, small enough to see it all, through anyone's eyes.

Shell xx

Morning Skies...

...awaken me from weariness,

call me from my rest,

cause me to reflect underneath them;

Showing me orange 'slices' of sunshine-

amidst a fading grey night;

Oh I am a bird for the morning!

my spirit sits up in those trees...

And sings of the wonders and the woes,

Of this world below.

Songsmith xx

Take to the sky...

Oh the goodness of Friday mornings!

Of not rushing out the door...

Of staying in, by the fire;

Of having L-O-N-G cups of tea;

Planning a peaceful, fruitful weekend;

Of just sitting still {when possible}, and reading wonderful, inspiring blogs - friends whom I have found, and have also found me...

Such delights and insights doth include:

Songs Of Light - by the amazing, insightful Kerri.

Thoughts & Biro Sketches - by my {chanced upon in paper shop} kindred spirit, Emily. {Which we both know was never a meeting of random chance..!}

In a Nutshell - by the wise, sensitive, sewing, mother heart that is Allison.

Snap That - by the passionate, Godly, explorative, joyful - Joyful. {Possibly the coolest pen name ever!}

This list could go on and on and on and on, and how you all make me feel, and smile, and inspire me to be more, and do more, and calm down, and make art - spread out my wings, and take to the sky!

Thank you.

And do tell me, what blogs make you want to fly?

Shell xx

{Songsmith}

How well it is...

...to be walking once more

with my friend.

We walk-

 & talk about the silly & the serious,

about our children,

about ourselves {also children}

Ever aware of the passage of time,

The colour of days

the sound of our songs

the fragility of life

the holding of hands

the sharing of loves-

that is - when one is so & such in love

One has such & much, 

more love to give!

In Love

Songsmith xx

Sunday Morning Tea...

For one.

Is contemplative, and warming,

Silent and still,

Ever so slightly lonely,

However patience & time

will see me back with my friend again-

Before long.

Shell xx

Rain Dance...

...in an almost puddle,

where there are drops on Azaleas,

and the cars window,

Wishing I was wetter!

But dancing all the same,

in the rain.

Shell xx

Palette of the Autumn sky...

I am sort of loathed to be at the end of Autumn for another year.  So as a bit of a farewell to the season, I took myself for a little photographic tour this morning of all the trees and leaves which have been the objects of my out of window looking all season...

Check the hidden bee...

Honied yellow dripping gold,

     Leaf of autumn 

          in the cold

     Dancing on

          in crisp despair

     Whirling on

          enchanted air

     Falling silently to

          earthen tomb

     Away from tree's

          rooted arm

     Perhaps the silence

          broken then

     By hollow cries

          of autumn grief

    Synchronized with

          the falling leaf

- S.K.Lindeman

from Poetseers.org

Shell xx