Different Paths to the Same Place

There are many things happening that seem to be emphasising the differences between people. It seems that there is a lot of TV coverage of the major Catholic event of a new saint and perhaps especially so because she is Australian. I didn't think that saints had nationalities? What is the nationality of Saint Christopher? Does it matter?


Personally I find that there is perhaps a lack of respect and value given to the natural world by Christianity. I have not read the Bible from cover to cover though! I also have never ever since I was a little girl, understood why there can be so many factions of one belief. I have never had that question answered satisfactorily. I guess it is the same as the extremist Muslim groups and it is as wrong to judge all in that religion as to judge everybody by some of the things that have been done in the name of the Christian God over the centuries.


I do however believe in a greater power because I am very sure in my mind that no human has the capacity to produce the beauty and wonder that is our natural world.
To look at the pregnant belly of a woman or a horse or a dog and then to see the resulting infant is miraculous. We don't know how it begins for all man's fiddling with gene's and DNA etc. I don't believe the answer to the chicken or the egg has yet been found! That is Great Spirit's little secret and long may SHe keep it.
 

Three very pregnant mums!



A very proud mother with the result of her big belly!


I also personally think that it is very important that we do have a spiritual belief as I think it makes life and death much more pleasant and easy to deal with. If you have thought about and come to a firm belief, then living and all it's ups and downs becomes much easier to accept and be positive about and death is not just inevitable but a place we will reach in its own good time. We will all reach that place but all by our own individual paths. I believe that there are as many points of view as people on the planet.

Enough of serious matters now. I haven't written for a little while as I have been very busy doing double shifts at work which leaves me with minimum time. So I bought someone else's beautiful handmade jam this week. I thought it looked so beautiful that I took a photo to show you. It also served a double purpose as it was purchased from a school fund raising stall. It will last me for many months! Yum yum.
 

L to R Passionfruit & Melon Jam, Lime Marmalade, Quince Jelly, Crab Apple Jelly, Blackberry Jam.



The flowers of the Crab Apple!

Another instance of what I find a natural wonder is this!

The start of the contents of the jar second from right

 is shown in this photo.
This is my beautiful Crab Apple tree.

I was given a tree such as this by a very dear friend who died

suddenly and though this is not the same tree - I had to leave that at a previous residence - it still reminds me of the love and preciousness of the friendship she gave to me and my family. I think of her often and feel grateful for having known her love.

That is another whole discussion for another day! Friendship and what it means.

Ah what a wonderful and multi dimensional world we live in.

May all the Catholics enjoy their day of great significance tomorrow!



We Must Have Rain in order to Have Rainbows.

I had to rush outside last night and  take a photo of the beautiful complete rainbow that shone in the sky after a heavy downpour. It looked so beautiful and reminded me that there is always beauty if you look for it.
The rain and the warmth is certainly giving me (and everyone else) plenty of work in keeping up with the lawn mowing but just think how the worms, the yabbies, the plants and the trees are loving it and feeling so relieved that they have some water.
The drought may be over officially but don't forget that one year of rain does not make up for fourteen of drought. I do not understand why water restrictions have been lifted in Melbourne.
Melbourne businesses and residents should remember that in order for them to have water they are taking it away from other places. To bring water down from the Murray means less in that river and its systems. To have it piped down from the Thompson dam means that there is little flow in the Thompson River. The beauty and the ecosystems of the Wonthaggi area have to be affected in ways that cannot be known yet in order for cities to have water. Would those people who use the water with little or no thought be happy if a huge structure was built in  their street to take care of some rural area? I don't think so! All of us need to be more aware and grateful for what we have.
My daughter gives an example of this awareness as follows: think about the resources required to make a takeaway coffee cup. You need the man and the trucks etc. to cut down a tree and take it to the processing plant. Then you need the many people required to put it through the processing plant to make it into paper and then send the paper off to the processing plant to make it in to a cup and coat it with plastic so that it is heat and liquid proof. You will then need a transport and driver to take it to the coffee shop and then you will need someone to make the coffee for you. So far all of this has probably been a process that has taken many hours over weeks and now you have your take away coffee! It will take you all of maybe 10-15 minutes to drink it then you will throw it away. This is why you have people talking of sustainability. How long can we use all this energy and time and cost for so little reason? That is not taking into account the further cost of taking the throw away cup to the tip and how long it takes to break down in the soil.
If you do enjoy a cup of coffee think seriously about using a 'Keep Cup'. To buy these go to the following link: http://www.keepcupstore.com/ . Thank you for being aware and taking care of this wonderful blue planet.

Well I have got off track from rainbows but you know it is all a great big web that we are in whether we like it or not! So enjoy and we will talk again soon. Have a great day.