Trust.

I feel safe Pauline is driving. Note the face in the rock watching us go by.

Trust.

Taken from a foot bridge.

Trust is a white line 100 mm wide separating two vehicles, traveling in opposite directions, hurrying to save time. There could be a loose nut holding the wheel, besides that there could be a mechanical fault. People dice with death to save time. To them time equates to money it is x number of dollars per hour and those dollars can be hoarded and used later. Not realising time cannot be deposited in a bank to use later, they risk their lives. Time is wasted when we buy more than we needed.  Time cannot be stopped in its relentless progress, to be spent later. Foolishly hurrying to meet dead-lines the now is lost. We cannot trust that thin line to save us from an abrupt stop, ending our progress and acquisition.

Driving at 110 no time to look at the scenery.

Time has to be spent now. Life is wasted if the now is spent regretting the past and if what we are doing now is rushed, wanting to be somewhere else. The joy of engagement with what we are doing now is squandered if we are hurrying to a future enjoyment. We often find our expectations disappointing, especially if a TV program is the enjoyment we are rushing to.  If driving and our mind is wandering the machine could also wander crossed the line and all future plans are then postponed or terminated. The Buddhists say “When you wash dishes, wash dishes.”  Today dishes are often hurriedly put in a machine to be washed. We think we are saving time, but the machine has a price tag and running costs

Having a great time, Goulburn art gallery.

Life was leisurely when time was measured by the position of the sun as it steadily progressed across the sky. Now every second of life is measured with digital precision, this combined with other technology has affected our lives. These inventions are wonderful if they are used wisely. Be aware the value of a labour-saving device must be balanced against its initial cost, its running costs, storage and maintenance.  Think do you really need what advertising says you must have. Some ads even say “buy now pay later”, and you will pay dearly later. Hurry, buy now while stocks last. Think, if they are selling so fast why are they paying to advertise, surly word of mouth would suffice.

Relaxed focused on pearl and plain.

Things we do by hand give much more joy and satisfaction. A home cooked meal can be a pleasure to make and nourishing to eat. But you may not have the time to cook a meal if you are working long hours to pay for a state of the art stove and a dishwasher. So you go and buy a Chinese take away, knowing they are the best of the fast food places. A vegetable stir fry with fried rice is healthy. Asians usually use a wok and a gas burner to cook and get fast results with simple equipment.

Cooked in minutes using a wok, gas burner.

Being aware of what we are doing we make fewer mistakes and driving mistakes can be fatal. Walking is a healthy pleasure, not a waste of time. Working to pay for petrol may not be as enjoyable.  Although if we have chosen an occupation we can take pride in, our work becomes a pleasure. These are things to quietly consider before any hasty action, especially buying something. Do we buy to fill a genuine need or is it a prestige icon to boost our ego? Will we get useful value, or will this be another thing to store and maintain?

Is it a dead loss?

 What is all this consumerism doing to our eco system? These are a few thoughts to consider when you are tempted by advertising to buy.

It is not only your life at risk.

Depending what country you are driving in keep to the legally correct side of the white line. Be mindful, courteous and do not speed. Do not trust road markings to protect you; alert defensive driving is your only protection. We spend a lot of time out in traffic and more people are killed in traffic accidents than by spiders, snakes and sharks.  Are you more afraid of these creatures than busy streets?  Yet these creatures mostly avoid humans because they fear us. Our fears are mostly misplaced we should be cautious, but not afraid, and on the roads careful, cautious, courteous.

Why hurry? We all know the end.

Read Full Post »

Time piece.

Town hall clock Brisbane.

The Grandfather Clock.

Facing up to the times.

I am like the grandfather clock, obsolete. I have been ticking for a long time now. This old ticker of mine has pumped enough blood to fill a Lake Argyle. Round and round I go in the same old circles, repeating the same repetitive chimes everyone has heard before. I used to be more like an alarm clock, wind me up and I could be relied on to go off like crazy. Other people, not educated ornithologists, associate me with the cuckoo clock.

A bird in a clock is not worth one in the bush.

Life was leisurely before we became so reliant on the chronometer. The rooster crowed and it roused us from dream land. It was time to think about what we needed to do that day. To put food on the table and protection from the elements. Through the day the position of the sun let us know how we were doing.

Cloudy days were declared holidays.

We looked forward to a beautiful sun set to let us know it was time to rest. To sit around the camp fire till it turned to embers and another day was done.

Grandmother and Grandfather clocks.

Then some fool invented the clock, a dictator to rule our life. The clock has become so precise one can lose the race by a fraction of a second. There are no ties or dead-heats, you either win or lose in the digital rodent event. The sundial was not too hard to adapt to. The hour-glass was a bit disturbing, what will happen when the sand runs out and no one is around to put it right? Then the villain with face and hands came along. Telling us to hurry up or be left behind. Left behind, what a cheek, it is not right!

Buy one if you are looking for trouble.

We may protest but still want a Rolex, not to tell us the time but as a status symbol. A Rolex is unnecessary we have our mobile phone for telling us the time and heaps of other stuff to clutter our life. We do not have to wind the clock up we are the ones whose main spring is being put under tension. Stop being so preoccupied with time. You do not need all these precision instruments to be happy. All that is necessary is the sun in the morning and the moon at night.

Time does not stop Watchers do.

A book of verses under the bough,

A jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou,

Beside me in the wilderness,

O, wilderness, were paradise anon!

…………. I only know two verses…

Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,

Before we too unto the dust descend

Dust unto dust and under dust to lie,

San wine, san song, san singer and san end.

These lines are an English translation of a poem attributed to Omar Khayyam.

Time has run out.

 

 

Read Full Post »

Drawing on time.

Time and the garden gate.

Drawing on time.

Roosting rooster.

Why is a picture worth a thousand words? The first cave drawings were done by the indigenous people of Australia. The importance of man discovering drawing allowed ideas to be passed on to future generations. The Egyptians then discovered hieroglyphics, picture writing and the Chinese developed abstract picture characters. This allowed information to span across the obstacle of time. A giant step was made in human knowledge allowing vast stores of information to accumulate unobstructed by the barrier of time.

Taking it easy.

This has made possible the technology we have today. From cave drawing to letters, the pin hole camera to moving pictures. Need I go on; you only have to look at your P.C. as an example. Although it is not obvious, those primitive drawings were responsible for the visual wonders we have today.

We are safe the cats are contained.

The written word in book form is being overtaken by the technology of today. We are becoming more reliant on pictures for our information. There is a danger in the ease of this visual excitement, we can become lazy.  Sitting back and becoming what is termed a couch potato, vegetables planted in the T.V. garden, vegetating. Letting multinational corporations brain-wash and lead us to believe whatever is in their vested interests. It could be to coercing us to buy something we do not need and possibly cannot afford, or frighten us into increasing our armaments.

Play time.

Be aware a picture may be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the mercenary few who control our media. To those few mercenary people I would like to say contentment cannot be found in material things. It is a poor man who needs position or possessions to be happy. Pleasures are fleeting and like a mirage can never satisfy our thirst.

Our wondrous world with Sun Bird and Zygo cactus.

Today we have too many wondrous distractions to divert us from our arts, crafts and the enjoyment and pleasure in living closer to nature. We are misled into thinking we need many things to be accepted into society. Most of these things are unnecessary desires not needs. We should carefully consider our options also balance our time and activities.

More wonders.

Today it may be thought that drawing has little significance other than an enjoyable pastime. This is not the reason why I am not drawing. The reason is I have been enticed into buying a digital camera and a computer I have taken the tempting bait I am hooked like a greedy fish.

Isa Brown, my favourite red hen.

There are other reasons I am drawing less. Pauline and I are caring for a two and a half acres property; it is wonderful to be gardening, watching seeds grow, caring for hens and roosters, turning the soil, with the fowls following scratching in the soil, There fresh eggs are pure gold reflecting their natural happy lifestyle. I am also learning to play a ukulele my son gave me and practicing the Chinese way of painting.

Getting into the food.

Take a look at Pauline’s blog pommepal@wordpress.com to see more photos and details of our adventures in Malanda and activities on the property in a forest setting. You will see pictures worth a thousand words and words worth reading. Pauline is now drawing really well and her photography justifies the invention of the camera.

Free range, every fowl should live this way.

All our inventions are wonderful if used to enhance the joy of life. We may overcome the obstruction of time but we can never triumph over time. That is impossible, for man is mortal and time never ends. Time moves relentlessly, we must use it well and enjoy as it is limited. No matter how many short cut inventions we acquire, never forget our time is still the more valuable.

With room to roost. after foraging all day.

 

Read Full Post »

The big questions.

Good outlook, heigh position.

The big question.

Philosophers ask the big questions, here are some small questions and ironic answers.

Great job.

Why are we working long hours? The answer is to pay for time and labor saving devices. Why do I need a car to go to the gym? Because we get no exercise driving a car. Cycling or walking in the open air with the world unfolding at an enjoyable pace is worth considering.

Skys the limit.

Why do we need a car that travels faster than the legal speed limit? Same reason people smoke. We need to slow down and look at the flowers you do not see much at fifty km/hr through a smoke haze.

No gym fees low cost transport, no smoke.

Why do we buy expensive equipment and not read the manual on how to use all the available features? Because we do not need all the features we have paid for.

Why do we discard things that are still useful and serviceable? The reason often is because they are not the latest fashion.

We have it all.

Why do we waste our time on material things we do not need? Because we do not value our time that is an irreplaceable commodity.

We may think he has it all.

Why do we want everything? Because we are lacking something.

Why do people argue with us? It is because we are disagreeable. Why are we too short of time to relax? Because we are too busy making money.

On reflection this one has it all.

Why do we worry because most of the things we worry about never happen?

Why do we try to convert others to our beliefs? Because we will not consider changing our beliefs.

Why do some people want for nothing? It is because they are contented with having what they need and real needs are not extravagence.

Which one is the best?

It is a poor man that needs to greedily hoard material things in an effort to be happy. Modern technology can never surpass, in any field of mans costly endeavors, natures gifts. Nature’s wonderful gifts are free to those that respect and appreciate what she offers.

I think I’ll go by train.

This entire futile struggle needs to be questioned and a more leisurely approach, in balance with the flow of nature, is required. 

Bikes are best.

 

Read Full Post »

Time to Live.

 

Time well spent.

 

Time to live.

Time has taken a holiday.

We are measuring it in the ancient way.

By a cast shadow time was measured.

In this way every moment was treasured.

Not watching digits flashing past.

Reminding our life will not last.

Are you old enough to tell the time.

Although you have what you require,

you hasten for all things you desire.

There is no need for frantic action.

Let the sunset be today’s attraction.

Nature’s gifts are totally free,

a fantastic treat for you and me.

The sun has done its work today.

A wonderful time of day to appreciate.

Now the stars will come out to play.

Twinkling bright for all to see,

They spread all the way to eternity.

There is no moon in the sky tonight.

Therefore the stars are extra bright.

A glass of wine the stars above,

Relaxing with the one you love.

Pauline and Jack.

Savouring the taste of Cheddar cheese,

the scent of Frangipane on the evening breeze.

Life is delightful; all you need to do is take it slow.

Do not struggle, co-operate and go with the flow.

Hurrying to the fabled gold at the rainbows end

It is only a mirage; always out of reach my friend.

Orchids are beautiful but you can not eat them.

Nature’s priceless free gifts will come to you,

Spending time with her is all you have to do.

Your life will sparkle things will shine.

If only you would take your time.

Give it time and you will have pumpkin soup.

Read Full Post »