Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

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Tuesday 28 July 2015

Allowing time to sit in my winter garden

One of my favourite poems as a teenager in high school was this one by TS Eliot. The words easily conjure up the pictures in my mind. See if you can see the pictures too.

Prelude

The winter evening settles down
With smells of steaks in passageways.
Six o'clock.
The burnt-out ends of smoky days.
And now a gusty shower wraps
The grimy scraps
Of withered leaves about your feet
And newspapers from vacant lots;

The showers beat
On broken blinds and chimney-pots;
And at the corner of the street
A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps.
And then the lighting of the lamps.


I can't bring you images of gusty showers, chimney-pots, and lonely cab-horses, but I can bring you withered leaves and a few images from my winter garden. 






A month or so I blogged about life running too fast - Is life running too fast?
and I must tell you that life hasn't slowed down since then, if anything it has sped up even more. Amongst a full day yesterday of a couple of hours paid work, a quick visit to my writer's group, a meeting with a care agency, and dance class, I took time out to visit my dear artist friend who is an alternative therapist.... no I am no sick, I just needed time out. What came out of it all is that I need to give myself permission to let go of what does not work for me anymore and to not feel I have to be everything for everyone. That I have a choice about what I take on. When I left my job in April, I relished the idea of having time to contemplate who I was, what I wanted, and to start along the creative path that I wanted to go. But since then I have had people clamoring from all different angles for my time and energy, which is actually taking me away from what I want to do. It feels a little self-indulgent and selfish, but I need to give my self permission to say no, to only do what works for me, to be who I want to be, to take much needed time out to sit in my garden and nurture who I am. Then I will be a much happier person.

So today I bring you time out in my winter garden..... enjoy! 


 On my way home from seeing my friend I stopped for a short while at Crooked Brook Reserve in the Ferguson Valley.  It is a lovely place for a walk in spring when the wildflowers are out.  I found that the Prickly Hakeas have started to bloom. I love the way the leaves are wrapped around the stem and the flowers nestled in each leaf.



Bring on the rain.
It's been a strange winter. We don't have snow in my corner of the world, but we haven't had any where near the amount of rain we should have had by this stage. I hope we get some soon. Our farmers are in desperate need of it.



I blogged last week about our stay at Wooleen Station on the Murchison River. (please go to the link if  you missed it -  Camping at Wooleen Station
It rained the night before we left, and in the morning we had to pack up in the rain. All our canvas was wet and so were we. The track was awash with water on the way out turning it to red mud and the Murchison River was flowing over the cement crossing. In the pics below you can see the sign which shows the 2006 flood levels. This is an amazing amount of water when you consider it is flat country around here.


Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return.
I hope you make time for yourself and let go of what is not useful to you anymore - you don't need it. Be happy and have a wonderful week.



 I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Our World Tuesday

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global

Agent Mystery Case
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday


19 comments:

  1. I am always drawn to your photographs!

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  2. Beautiful series.
    Thanks for linking up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/07/variations.html

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  3. It's good that you recognise that you have to and am able say no. Beautiful photos as always, I love the first one and the prickly Hakeas xxx

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    1. Oh Rae, it is one thing to recognise it, but another thing entirely to do it!

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  4. Hello Jill, beautiful photos and post. Your garden images are lovely. I am glad you have learned it is ok to say NO!
    Take time for yourself, you certainly deserve it. Enjoy your day and the week ahead!

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  5. Jill, when I left the structured workaday world, I feared boredom and lack of identity. . .I may well have lost some identity but I certainly have never been bored! Far too many things to do (chores and fun) and too many books to read (stacks of old ones and still ordering new ones) and friends with whom I could have coffee and lunch dates and then there was the gardening. . .and the travel. . .and finally I told myself, 'time out' and now make sure that every so often I do sit in the garden or read a book or just enjoy a few moments of the day, alone with me and my thoughts. Great post!

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    1. I here you Jackie - certainly no time to be bored. I have so much that I want and need to do! Sadly sitting in the garden with a book seems way down on my list...I must move it up a few notches. Thanks Jackie.

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  6. Giving ourselves permission to take time for ourselves is often the hardest to do and when we do to follow through. I've enjoyed my visit with you. Your words and photos are wonderful. Best wishes to you.
    Take 25 to Hollister

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  7. Nice! I am in summer garden mode here in Oregon!

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  8. Oh wow, I want to sit in that glorious garden with you. It is simply stunning! I don't have a beautiful garden to sit in but I am very close to the beach and that is where I go to clear my head and gain some inspiration.

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  9. Beautiful captures Jill, The wilflowers up here in Wongan Hills are starting to appear, they make the most spectacular transformation to our dry bush. Ferguson Valley during winter is not to be missed. We must all "stop and smell the flowers" take time to enjoy what is around us.

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  10. I'm so surrounded by green and colors that your first picture looked almost strange to me!
    Love the flowers!

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  11. I think it's so important to clear your head and outline some parameters when you stop going 'out' to work, otherwise your days fills up with 'stuff' which takes you away from your purpose. Good on you for realising this ... it's so hard to guard our time and not appear selfish, and when does doing what we love actually mean we really are being selfish! Conundrums which time in your lovely garden just 'being' might make clear. Beautiful photos as always :)

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    1. Thank you so much Jo. Saying no, and setting perameters is not something that I am at all good at....so it will be a work in progres....

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  12. I don't know who is enjoying your time more, you or us that get to enjoy your gorgeous images! Always a treat.
    Hugs,
    Patti

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  13. Thank you for the tour of your winter garden Jill, the blooms are all so lovely. I can relate to your quest for finding authentic peace and quiet space for creativity... among our countless distractions, it becomes difficult to focus. Hoping you find it :)

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  14. I'm loving your flowers and the prickly hakeas are so unique!

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  15. Hahaha - and I'm laughing WITH you, not at you! We had a similar experience this year of packing up in the rain when we visited Angorichina in the Flinders Ranges. SO much mud - we're still getting rid of it! Next time, we'll stay put and wait for the road to dry out!!

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I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my blog. Thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to comment. I read and very much appreciate every comment and love hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return.