Thursday 25 August 2011

Cloud Cuckoo Land, courage and moving on!



Cloud Cuckoo Cottage is set in a pretty row of terraces in Cromer, North Norfolk. The name is very apt for me as after 3 years of living in cloud cuckoo land inside my head, it seems I am taking a few steps forward. Its not easy by any means...like the Lion in The Wizard of Oz  I seem to of lost my courage somewhere along the way like he did. Some days just getting to the local supermarket becomes an ordeal, which is very frustrating as it was not so long ago I would reach for the moon and follow dreams. I feel like a little bird in a cage....but I know I have the wings to fly and make changes.
So I am at the crossroads right now, I can either stay the way I am....or embrace the future, and live my life. My Aunt threw those words at me over the weekend, and yes she is right, I can either sit around waiting for God, of go for it and embrace life as I did a few years ago. Of course there are many changes, children are adults now, and no longer need my full attention, The house still feels so unfamiliar after the restoration...if you don't know we had a major house fire 3 years ago, and I find myself almost guarding my nest in case it happens all over again. I no longer have my dogs to walk each day and so much of my creativity has vanished. But I am sure it will all come back and hit me on the head. he he
Last week I has a 2 day adventure of my own, a trip away was just what i needed to boost my self esteem. Facing my fears was not easy but the feeling afterwards was euphoric. No monsters those 2 days He he x
So onward and upward one day at a time. I have booked a short break to my favourite part of the world....yep you have guessed Norfolk. i will be taking part in a yoga and meditation workshop and after I am chilled and calm spend the next couple of days revisiting favourite familiar places and catching up with a very special friend.Maybe we will get to sail paper boats, throw found driftwood back into the sea on a new journey, and of course sip tea and eat cake in a steamy tea shop :)
Hopefully standing on my own 2 feet for a few days will be the foundations for a new confident journey ahead, and I will dance down that yellow brick road just like the lion with his friends. You never know I might even join my aunt and get a tattoo!!!! lol 


The next full moon is on the 12th September which will be the start of my trip....and I will be looking at that moon and making a wish and reaching up for new hopes and dreams.Watch this space :) Hugs 4 smiles M x


Wednesday 24 August 2011

Butterflies, fairies and lollipops :)



Auntie Margaret and me!


Meeting up with one of my aunts this weekend was therapy indeed. My family is one divided and I had not seen Margaret for a very long time, over 25 years, and until now I have seen few of my extended family, my parents died a fair while ago, so this was a chance to discover a little bit about me and my roots.
I have a few childhood memories of Margaret, my uncle and my 2 cousins, and the same goes for many other aunts cousins and extended family. 
Margeret was so very welcoming and we had a lovely weekend catching up with chit chat.Old albums were brought out to ponder over while we sipped tea and munched on lovely light Welsh cakes, she lives in Wales and is very proud to do so. We also got to learn a few Welsh sayings and discovered lots of Welsh culture.
My great Grandmother
My Great Great Grandmother
Over the past few years I have spent time tracing the Wall family tree, and have researched back to 1700 and discovered where and when these people lived but until now many have remained faceless.Margaret enlightened us with happy and sad stories of days gone by and helped fill in some of the gaps. Many of my ancestors came from Shropshire and worked on the land and judging by their photos life was quite tough.
As we turned the pages I could find few facial similarities between myself and the eyes looking back at me, I suppose I have taken my Mothers Jewish looks on instead! But some of the stories my aunt shared made me realise some of these people had left their footprint on my funny little ways. I discovered my Gran loved fairies and always decorated a small tree at Christmas with lollipops for the children who dropped by. If you have read any of my other posts you will know my fascination with fairies, perhaps it is due to her that I break the shell of a boiled egg on finishing it, to let the fairy out. And up until a few years ago I always decorated a branch sprayed with gold and silver paint with colourful lollipops for anyone who dropped by over the festive season. I seem to of stopped doing this now my gang have grown up, but maybe its time to return to the tradition!
I am the worlds worst fidget and rarely keep still....oh and talk to myself....light candles each day and it appears my aunt is the same. I worry sometimes about old age too, but Margaret is 76, wears really trendy clothes, loves life, and buzzes around like someone much younger.....oh and she is also having a tattoo done next week of 2 butterflies....I am a fan of butterflies too. 'When I am old I will will wear purple' springs to mind, but in this case its 'when I am old I will have a tattoo'....he he 
My Grandmother and Grandfather on a day out

                                       
A young grandfather
Granny as a girl
It was fantastic to gather up the stories of her childhood with her brothers and sisters, and all the extended family, the album really came to life.And I feel I have discovered a little bit about me!
My Gran, Margaret on right, Peg (Primrose left) Clive (my Father) in front
So if you have an elderly relative, drop by and get them to chat about the 'good old days' you will be surprised at the little snippets of information that they give you about family....and Oh boy do we have lots of skeletons in the cupboard!!! But that's another story.
Hugs for now M xx

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Dreams and Driftwood


Aberdeen 
I seem to of been in hibernation for a bit, creativity has eluded me these past few weeks, but once again I have bounced back for a while anyway!! The picture of distant boats on the sea at Aberdeen reminded me of my Paper Boats, setting them to sail and hoping they reach their destination.Words written oh so carefully on  paper, of secrets hopes and dreams, then carefully folding the paper into a little boat, and letting it free on the waves, along with its spell, watching it drift away on its own, finding its path and enjoying the adventure, a bit like me really, seeking out a new journey, new dreams to reach for. 
I know I am not the only person who sends dreams across the ocean....I have a friend who on finding driftwood, sends it back on its journey after whispering a few quiet words. I wonder if their hopes and dreams are similar to mine.. maybe.. I shall never know. But its a bit like a child crossing their fingers for luck....you never know what may come back :)

 I picked up some driftwood on the beach in Aberdeen and unlike my friend I brought them home to capture their colours and textures in pencil. I wonder what stories these sea washed branches can tell? Adventures from all over, stopping here and there for a moment... or longer, someone walking on by and throwing them back, or a dog picking them up taking them to their owner for a game of fetch. Children decorating sandcastles, or playing games of dragons and knights in armour, with the branches becoming swords, or people like me stopping to admire their rugged beauty and wonder......making up fanciful stories....
You know I do believe paper boats come home, and driftwood keeps its words of dreams inside resting one day on the beach....and like the boats when they are discovered by the right recipient the words are shared..... Who knows...Dreams can come true....
Well hugs 4 smiles, and I hope your dreams come true as well xxx