Happy Wandering Buddha

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Year of the Dog - Tribute

Our family dog Patsy. She had six puppies when

we were very small, shown here in the photo.

I remember being so excited. This dog protected us, was loved

by us, and was missed by us. She was with us for a

long time, a kelpie cross, and always joined in the games.

Dogs are just wonderful, and seeing it's the Year in

their honour, this is a fitting tribute.

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Finally for something totally different....

I put away the colourng pencils for today, and finally spent some time with the red clay I bought months ago. during the joy of creating something my mind was blissfully suspende from conscious thought and my pains dropped to nothingness. It was bliss. she reclines accross the room from me. I've only glanced at her a little since the camera was put away. The progress shots are mementos of an afternoon's journey. Surely in some small way, this is how the gods felt on creating?

Postcard Home - Happy Chinese New Year

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Humid Bloom

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Jacaranda Lawn and Bloom

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Winter's Bear Lament

I rather wish I were a Winter's bear. It's quite acceptable for a Winter's bear to curl up in a cave and sleep...and sleep...and sleep.

How I lament not being a Winter's Bear. It's quite cute that a Winter's bear might snore and snuffle and do NOTHING.

Oh how I wish I could be a Winter's bear! It's quite endearing for a Winter's bear to be tubby, hairy and grumpy.

Might I be a Winter's bear when resting at The Hermitage....

Another Little Video

Stretching my editing/animation abilities to produce my last tiny film effort, a click on the image will take you to the video:

Inspiration both ways

Here is a poem in need of a picture to accompany each verse ...

a challenge, perhaps ;-)

faucon
..................................................................

DISTORTION

The charging, churning water of the cataract
caresses alike smooth pebbles, soon sand to be.
There is no distinction amongst fractured souls who's
sorrows are swept away, down to a forgiving sea.

The gentle, languid inlet pool by hidden glade
floats bright blossoms and graceful swan for beauty's sake.
This tranquil dark, deep spread may hide much teaming life,
and decay as well, in Divine cycle to partake.

The sparkling, splendid offered sip from a stranger
is fine wine changed back to the water of life.
No gift in any land more profound than open hand
dipped in cooling, escape from fetid heat and strife.

The morning, misted dew drop draws me ever near
to peer within, but view only curved distortion
of a self I would sure deny - thrice perhaps,
for I sense God's presence there, a foolish notion.

In master Moses' song, thoughts quietly distilled
as dew on the petals to only fade away.
Look for the drop of sweat upon the peasant's brow,
or the joyful birth tears that never seem to stay.

On the twisting, tortured path from will bound plain
to dizzying mountain pass in clouds of mystery,
each form of water will be embraced repeatedly,
for we are beyond dust, of water and spirit free.

Water

Plane Trees after Rain Now.

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Fire

I took these photographs as a tribute towards all the death and destruction caused by the bushfires in Victoria over the last couple of weeks.

Now Open - Crest Hermitage Nature Stores

- New Nature Stores -

Some experimental product, featuring nature

photography from the Hermitage

has been uploaded at the new Crest Hermitage

Online stores. There are four,

featuring varying designs and images.

Please enjoy browsing and provide

feedback if you wish to, enjoy!

http://www.dailywriting.net/RoleffWeb.htm (click)

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Excerpt from Winged Tale #4 - the unseen

Adults, unlike children did not see the fairies. Despite that the fairies did have a little something to do with their lives. Very often an adult shakes their head wondering why a lost object has just reappeared even though they'd looked for it right there many times before. Or a knot in the knitting yarn seemingly impossible to unknot becomes undone almost on it's own. All the little things that cannot be explained away, that is the work of the unseen little people. They might be mischievous too and play little trick, turn the tap on a little as you walk away. Nothing really nasty, just mischief. There are rules the unseen world lives by, for instance horrible things are ever done to good people. Mischief is what monsters and gremlins are for. They don't exist in the adult world, in part because adults do not want to believe in them, and besides that because they are helped to forget. That's what fairy dust is for, to make the adults forget. Why is that? Why do adults need to forget and children don't?

Adults don't believe in fairies because they would ridicule each other for believing in them. Some might even be hunting down the fairies for research and put them in little cages in laboratories like they do with mice. Just a lot less complicated and safe for the fairie if adults do not believe in them. Children on the other hand, should believe in them, often a lonely child has only the little persons in the unseen world for friendship. The fairies just love children, fairies are very much like children themselves, always playing and taking delight in games and observing the natural world.

In the valley the only adult able to see the little unseen people was Big Slow Fred, to him they were very real, and the children soon learned they could talk to him about their small unseen friends and be believed. /sometimes Big slow Fred would even invite some of the kids to watch the goose races at his house with fairies mounted on the big fluffy geese and pixies urging them on. The fairies trusted Big Slow Fred and if he brought the children around they knew those were good children and could be trusted not to try and harm them. Occasionally a particularly nasty child had tried to harm the fairies by throwing rocks at them. the fairies with their magical quickness always got out of the way, but the geese might get hurt. Big Slow Fred would remind them that the gremlins would get them when they found out what a nasty little child he or she had been. Mostly the children in the valley were very good children, but it happened sometimes that a child did something nasty. Even here in the valley.

-- it's a start, slow week, running on an hour of sunlight

A Tree for Vi - Ancient Roots

The Plane Tree species is so old we

are out of counting fingers - this

one's for Vi:-)
copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Doom's Day

Just down the street
is an old people’s home,
an institutional trap.
It is not for the injured,
the bleeding, or bent,
but for those who are guilty
of a most terrible fault—
Their sin is old age.
They are captives of time
brought here to rot,
to be out of the way.
They’re a burden on young ones
who come just to stay
for a moment or two
on some rainy day.

A face at the window,
a lady so tiny and frail…
with eyes hauntingly sad,
who slowly retreats
into the gloom
of her dismal room.

Along comes a hearse
and parks right outside,
a sign of finality
for all who reside,
inside.
Out comes the litter
with its burden so cold.
Another face and a tear
at the door.

Perhaps some day
not too distant and far,
I’ll be brought to this place
and led through the door.
I’ll shout and I’ll scream,
I’ll kick and I’ll struggle—
my captors will smile,
“It’s all for the best,”
they will say.

I beg of you now,
don’t let them take me.
My life will be nothing
if I am not free.
When I can no longer
take care of myself,
I beg of you, please,
take me into the wilds
and then leave.
Let me drop out
as one from the herd.
Let me make peace
within the sound of a bird.
The last thing I’ll see,
if you will allow,
will be mountains and forests,
perhaps a deer or two,
and an eagle to guide me.
I’ll think of my friends
and my family, too.
I’ll think of those
I am leaving behind, and
those who have gone.
This is my wish …
my rightful direction.

Vi Jones
©January 24, 2006

Summer Oleander

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Sunset Stillness

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Afternoon Alder

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Sand Waves

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Fire and Water

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Ancient Cork Oak Study

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Terra Firma

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Elf Party Time - Postcard Home

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Endless Mystery of the Earth's Sea

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

I don't know if anyone is familiar with the work of James Cameron from "Titanic" fame. I haven't seen that film, but I have recently seen "Ghosts of the Abyss" and "Aliens of the Deep". Just when you think you know something, you know nothing. There is amazing footage of creatures under the sea. I just had to share this, and I hope someone has seen these amazing films. Here are some links for further info and pics:

Aliens of the Deep...

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/aliensofthedeep/html (click)

Enter through Disney site, lots of nice pics, then select search "Aliens of the Deep", then

select the first option, which will take you there direct. Enjoy.

Ghosts of the Abyss...

This takes you there direct:

http://disneyvideos.disney.go.com/moviefinder/products/3184903.html (click)

Just so that you know

I do watch this blog and greatly appreciate your photos. This is one of my brother's from a trip to Canada -- great Sail Peak. It pays to get up early.

faucon

Wise Elder

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Dancing Flames

Canna Lilies Dancing

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Subtle Fire

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Abundance

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Cape Chestnut in Bloom

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Many Quiet Lotus Blooms

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Eastern Stillness

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Celtic Monastery

I found this monastery in my travels,

it is a paper model of a Celtic Monastery.

http://www.iol.ie/~mjtie/cuspa1005.htm

It has a place on my desk, for future travels.

Sunset Walk - Red Gold

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Twilight Beauty - Postcard from Enchanted Wood

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Volcanic Creation

This was painted when I was about 16 or 17. Later, I always wondered why

I painted a field with rocks, and then I realised I must have

been inspired by the volcanic regions we often visited with the

family in the country. It wasn't a popular view, yet I

must have found it interesting for that reason. We would

drive through valleys that were once craters, left by

ancient volcanoes. Having posted pics from the same

fields years later, I realise I may have come full circle.

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Mystery Bush - Solved: Smoke Bush!

This bush was so lovely it had to be brought back

to be admired here, but can anyone

say what her name is? I have searched in

vain...calling on the knowledge of

the travellers' for any clues...

UPDATE: Lois solved the mystery, it is --

http://www.botanicalarchive.com/botanical_archive/smoke_tree_cotinus_coggygria.html (click)

Mystery is solved!

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.

Unexpected Bloom

Very unexpectedly, a Christmas Cactus given to me five years ago by my foster daughter bloomed this year. It arrived well after Christmas and the blooms were nearly gone and had not bloomed since. While putting a candle in a candleholder on the back table I noticed something pink. there it was, blooming, my sad looking Christmas cactus after five years of struggling to keep it alive, was blooming.

I could not be happier than with this unexpected gift from the powers that be. for so many years I worked to have it bloom. I was the only one among my in-laws unable to have large full blooms on my Christmas cactus. I was lucky to have it live at all till the following year. Now I have done it, or rather it has done it for me. Is it not beautiful? I know they are a dime a dozen in every Walmart, especially this time of year. This, however is my Christmas Cactus and it is very, very special.



Full of admiration I picked up my camera, and despite the miserable light on such a rainy day, managed to take a few for the record. Life is good.