Are you a gardener? What does it give you?   

Thanks for your comments on the photo...and for sharing your gardening experiences both past and present.

When you describe the choice between a massive green garden and the joy of being able to intereact with kangaroos, rabbits, snakes, frogs, wombats, eagles...ohhhh especially eagles I love them! i just might be willing to take the animals over plants! Sheep and cattle, well we have a lot of them in the little rural burg we live in. Lots of farms around here for sure. We're in the hub of a largely agricultural area.

Just curious about your bush country move. We didn't go 'real bush living' by some people's standards. But we did move to 20 acres on the lake in 1999...and it realized we were not cut out for it. I mean we were not really roughing it or anything. The house was only five years old...with all the amenties. What we didn't like was the isolation...and travelling to town to get our groceries...then forgetting something and having to drive the distance again. People where we were didn't like 'Tobins' as they called Manitoba transplants. So we ironically we were able to move back to the house we left...and are now in because it didn't sell while we were doing our bushing country adventure.

That is why I said that we've been blooming where we are planted since we came back to this house and yard in 2001. We love it...and the fact that things are simpler and easier to maintain when you're not moving every couple of years. Life lessons...we all have to learn them...and expertianal learning can be the toughtest!LOL

If you go bush in Australia... you are better be prepared for it. It is a different lifestyle.

I am 60 kilometres from the nearest town with nothing in between. And the first 20 kilometres are on a dirt track. There is no question of forgetting the milk. I plan my shopping for a whole week... sometimes two weeks. If I am out of something... I stay out until my next trip into town.

In winter... a lot of time is spend collecting and cutting firewood as it is the prefered method of heating in the bush. Mostly because the wood is free if you care to go and get it.

Everyone in the bush is on water tanks. And if we are several months without rain like last year... that means no water.

We rely heavily on electricity as we don't have gaz. And we have many power cuts for one reason or another. When that happen... I cannot do anything. I rely on an electric pump to pump the water from the tank. So no water... no cooking (electric stove)... not even a cup of coffee.

If you want television... you need the most expensive antenna on the market or satellite.

If you want the internet... it is either 30kbps dial up or very expensive broadband through satellite.

Because of the lack of rain... we are extremely conscious of our water consumption and usually make every drop count. I probably only use half of the water I was using in Sydney.

Thank you for getting back and opening the lens on your Australian outback lifestyle. Wow..you are truly a bush man. After our 'cushy' in the woods experience with all the amenities we had nothing like you do to contend with. The worst thing that ever happens to us when we had power outages and it got a little chilly at times. We took our water from the lake so when it froze we were without water for awhile...but we could work around that by showering at friends...and doing our business in the bush. However...it is a little chilly on the hiney when the weather is 25 below!LOL

If you don't mind me asking what prompted you to become a bush person...and do you have a partner, pets, kids...and how they feel about the experience? It is fun having some catch-up coversations...after all the philosophical ones we've shared since I've been here. Your lifestyle sounds very interesting...even though I know for sure I am not cut out for bush living..our foray was enough to convince me of that. Thanks for sharing your stories!

Sydney has changed a lot over the past 30 years. From being a beautiful peaceful city in the 70's with 3 million people... it did grow to 4 million people... and its traffic congestion drives me mad.

But the main reason I left was because of my agoraphobia. I could not cope with the city. Too much pressure.

I am single with a cat. The cat got lonely and brought a wild cat home for company.

The coldest it gets here is minus 6 during the night in winter and 10 during the day. So it is not too difficult to cope with it. During the long summer... it is between 30 and 40 everyday for 3 months.

The weather is more extreme here than in Sydney. I am only at 250 kilometres from Sydney... but it is like living in another country. Sydney gets mild weather along the coast all year long.

Gardening can become like most other passions...very addictive. Yes, I can see that Britain's weather could be prohibative in creating lush green gardens. We have harsh winters in Manitoba...but our summers are 16 hours long...and usually with a lot of sun...so our perenial garden is well protected with snow cover...and comes back in full force every Spring.
Thanks for your feedback..and additions to the topic. Seeing as you like the idea of sitting out in the back garden...I've included another shot to assist you in your visualizations. You know my motto..anything the mind can conceive...and believe it can acheive. So hold that thought...and here's the image.

You always say the most heartwarming things...and I appreciate it. Yes, our garden is a wonderful have. Part of our great pleasure now is finally having it pretty much the way we want it and just being able to kick back and truly enjoy it. Next year we will have to do some heavy duty thinning with the perenials. That is okay thought because we get to share them with other gardening friends or drop them off at a thrift store where other gardeners will pick them up and add them to their garden.
Your gardening experiences sound like lovely memories and I enjoyed hearing about them. In regard to ideas for your herb garden...we made ours out of recycled bricks and placed it towards the back of the garden. Maybe I will do a post of that and let people know how to make one. Our 'herb wheel' is a conversation piece and they herbs thrive in it. So watch for that I will maybe do it within the next week.
Seeing as you love the peaceful feel of our sacred space I have included another photo for you to see it from another angle. If you enlarge it you will be able to see a little bit of the circular brick herb wheel in the middle of the back path. Thanks for your interest and participation. It is joy to be sharing and caring with you ZenDove.

Well...another thing we have in common. You are right about the work and sweat being a not to difficult exchange for all that it gives back. Too bad your neighbour has so little forethought about the effect his spraying would have on your wildflowers.

If you want to find an easy way to discover the names of books I suggest you check out Lois Hole's series on gardening. She has books in full color that are cross-referenced and easy to read. She is the gardening guru of Canada...and sadly she passed away a few years ago. Her son is carrying on her legacy and the books really make learning names easier.

If you hold that as a strong intention...you probably will. In the meantime you can look through gardening magazines and begin to develop ideas for your special nature retreat. It is worth every bit of effort...ask any avid gardener!

Well thank you very much for that. You will appreciate this healwell...I do Reiki on all the plants when I place them in the ground. I also envision the "Universal Light Energy' continually nourishing them...as I now It does anyway. But the healing hands routine when first being transplanted seems to reduce the 'shock.' It appears to work by the lushness within our garden...and how few plants that we actually lose.
Your encouraging words are appreciated!

Interesting to practice Reike on your plants - I would not have thought of that!

Yes...I do Reiki on my plants...and the fish in our aquariums...especially in moving them from one tank to another..or bringing new ones home from the pet store. Thanks for your friends request too!

I can tell how much you love gardening by the eloquent and poetic way you describe your time in your personally created nature space. It is amazing to watch the various birds, insects and in our case amphibians that share our space with us. Your views are like mine and most others who put so much thought and time into creating their Eden...it is tranquil and a place for peaceful contemplative throughts.
Seeing as you mentioned butterflies twice in your post...I added a photograph of a butterfly that came by for a busy and allowed me to get up close and personal. I didn't even have a macro lense on it...just moved in...and clicked the shutter.
Good to compare notes...you have the heart of a poet!

Why thankyou very much!

Why thankyou very much!

Thank you for your compliment...and the picture. Your garden is lovely too! Since reaching the 500 club I am delighted to be able to add visual images to posts when possible...then to have other members do the same thing. Gives topic a extra 'punch.'
Your sacred space sounds wonderful too...we have an arbor garden with climbing vines too..I'll include a phote with this one. My hubby built the fence, deck and lattice courtyard. We have it covered in English Ivy vies and Hops. It provides some needed shade.
Star gazing within your hand-crafted nature space (with your chickens) sounds positively heavenly. We have our vegetable and herb garden towards the back of our garden too. And yes, a gardener's work is never done...but I am glad of that. I love having something to do while communing with nature.

Greetings...and I love your Avatar! Thanks for stopping by and adding what gardening gives to you. My feelings are the same..anytime I am in the garden..I am happy and relaxed. Then yes, after working lying in our hammock or sitting on the swing an surveying the co-creative efforts with nature is very uplifting.

With your climate and terrain I am not surprised that you have facing some challenges in getting things to grow. Sorry to hear about your climbing roses...we have some in our front yard and they are in a sunny southern location and are doing well. We have other rose bushes in the front too...we dug up all the grass there and made a full garden in front of our house. I have included a photo to show you. Like I said...almost every inch of yard space is a garden!

in regard to your experiences...I bet it would have been cool to have a lizard and family. That is the great thing about living in different climates...you have a chance to see different creatures in their natural habitat.

I posted another picture...of our little piece of heaven. Thanks for you comments on the pictures. You know how much I value your interest and your great stories! Maybe you should write your life experiences...you've got a lot to tell.

your yard is my dream but alsa I can t do it here and for some reason what I had the first couple of years didnt reproduce!
I started a life story but it is boring at first I hadnt got o after I met this last hubby I just am not a writter so will never make a book but I think part of m story would make a good movie of what my hubby did for work. He was a LIneman built power towers poles what ever also worked in caol burners power houses and nuke power houses

Thanks for your comments on the various pictures. As a friend it is enjoyable to share some of the personal aspects of our lives too. The deep philosophical 'thinker' topics are great...but I am enjoying hearing about our friends, yards, pets and other interests.

We are fortunate to have good soil in our yard and favorable growing conditions even with our long, cold winters. The snow protects the plants and provides moisture.

In regard to your life story and your hubby's experiences. If you don't feel comfortable writing it you could tape record your stories and maybe have someone co-author it with you. When there is a will...there is a way. Would be nice for your grandaughter to hear it in your own words too. Each time you tell me something...I realize how much fun it would be to sit and chat! Maybe someday..in the meantime we'll have this way. It sure works for me!

Anyway will be signing off soon...love, hugs and blessings to you and yours.

you are most welcome the are darn good pics.
yes I like these post too. but also like the brain twisters lol
We dont have much snow here but we do get sort of a rainy season in Jan and feb/
If we do get snow it only stays long enugh for the sun to hit it then it is gone think I have seen maybe a 1/2 inch of snow at one time here.
Blessinga to you hope ya had a nice sleep hugs

Sounds much different than our winters here. If you check my photo section you will see how much snow we average from December through March. We love part of the country and will get back there one day...that is a commitment we've made to ourselves. The power of intent within the Law of Attraction has produced some amazing results in our lives. So who knows?

Oh yes I haved lived thu alot of snowstorm. a few hundred miles to the north east of here up where my mom lives aboue Salt Lake City Utah in fact. We had snow like this eevery year I was growing up.
And then in 91 we were in Wisconcin where it had snowwed so hard that the kids couldnt go halloweening three foot of snow had fallen and our mail man never evn made it around till 7 pm that one night usually he was there around 1 pm.
and thats why I like it here like to watch snow fall but dont want to drive in it if I dont have too. and yes one day we will get to see this together blessings

Good to know that you are keeping touch and maintaining such a positive, accepting attitude through the challenges you are facing. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

You are right watching snow gently falling on big drifts of snow does have a magical feel to it. But I agree with driving in it is not fun. We live in the hills and it can be challengint to get around at times.

Gardening to snow...we sure have a lot of range in our chats don't we? Anyhow I will not be on line much for the rest of the evening. My Sweeties and I are going to have some snuggle time and watch a movie with our dogs and cats this evening.

So I know you know that love, support, care and concern are winging their way to you. If there is anything I can do to assist you...please let me know. God bless you Lakota12. Hugs and bright blessings to you too.

awwwwww tyI do me best to stay this way.
YEs we do have alot of ground to talk abiout in our pots and respoes .Have a goos snuggle up time and enjoy! hugs and blessings to you and yours

Hi, had a lovely evening with my Sweetie. Then a gal pal came over for an overnighter...so I haven't been here much...and won't be for another couple of days. Another article is due...but just now I am praying for you...and with you.

I will chec your site for an update. Wishing you much love and light.

ok have fun and enjoy and hope you rarticle comes out good as I know it will hugs

Thanks, I finished the article...now I am working with the editor to shorten it a little and do some edits. This one is an article for the Manitoba Gardener and I may be assigned a couple more if this one works out.

I also checke your picture of your hubby and his proud look by his tomatoes!

Great now you are going to have more work it looks like but as long as ya love it thats fine!
Thanks he was very proud of them tomatoes think I wrote some where were our four plants made more thatn the neighbors 50 plants lol hugs and blessings

Happy gardening memories...good to have. Yes, the neibours do like to receive bounty from the garden. At this time of the year we are giving lots of cucumbers and zuchinnis to our neighbors too! That is the fun of gardening...sharing the bounty!

Take care...my thoughts, love and well wishes are being sent to you every day.

yes good to share.
Thanks for all your careing words hugs and blessings

You are welcome...you might be tired of hearing it...but they are coming at you because you deserve all the love and light you give to others to come back around to you!

nope never get tired of hearing it for I give them back to you too always. hugs and blessing

Good to know it isn't tiring...probably because with your intutive nature you sense it is straight from my heart to yours. I am signing off, going to join hubby for awhile before going to bed.

Sleep well and we'll chat tomorrow sometime.

Hugs and blessings...hope you rest well too!

Raia

Yes I do and hope that you had a nice evening with hubby take care and see ya later today.
hugs and blessings