Earlier this year our Indigenous people demonstrated great leadership in being proactive re the appalling state of the Murray and Darling River systems. Over allocation of irrigation water, questionable water management practices and prolonged severe drought had combined to threaten entire eco systems along the length and breadth of the two great rivers and their tributaries.
For more information on the plight of the wetlands at the mouth of the Murray River see www.lakesneedwater.org
While farmers went broke, or sold their water licences to foreign investors to pay off the bank, whole communities along the rivers were dying. Everyone waited for politicians of all persuasions, or any persuasion, to demonstrate leadership.
Then up to the plate stepped some Indigenous leaders who called for ceremonies the entire length of the catchments. And boy did they ever hit a home run! The results speak for themselves. Both the Murray and the Darling Rivers have been in flood in recent weeks. The wonderful website www.murrundi.org explains the need for ceremony and is a great source of information.
Do you recall the theme of the New Zealand film Whale Rider? The leaders we are seeking are already among us. Ain't that the truth.
Our Indigenous people have a sixty thousand year wisdom tradition and understand well that good science backs the power of ceremony and sacred song. (See blog Feb 13 2009 for more on the power of Indigenous ceremony.)
So I am very grateful for their leadership which has guaranteed a joyful return to health for these river systems, the lifeblood of this ancient country.
Bring on the ceremonies. Bring on the songs. Bring on the stories. Our beautiful planet and all her peoples needs all the help they can get.
From little things big things grow...
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
RAINMAKER MEETS FILMMAKER
On 26th January, in response to my cultural cringe at white Australians driving round in cars with Australian flags stuck on the window, I took myself to the movies to see Bran Nue Dae. It was just the tonic this white chick needed. A couple of weeks later I returned with friends to see it again and enjoyed it just as much the second time around.
The Australian box office reflected this, a credit to the vision of director, Rachel Perkins, the producers, cast and crew. This week I was absolutely delighted to find a fantastic review in the LA Times.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/Sep/10/entertainment/la-et-bran-nue-dae-20100910
It is great to see an Australian film that travels well. What was even better was that the reviewer understood the context, which is more than could be said for the reviewer on Triple J.
So why is a rainmaker writing about filmmaking? Because currently, when I'm not rainmaking or eating clouds, I am a filmmaker. A powerful young Indigenous lore woman, Suzanne Thompson, and I are forming Murubakgira Productions to make the feature film Liquid Assets.
I began the screenplay some 15 years ago, thinking it was going to be a mainstream comedy about an art con which takes place in drought stricken, outback Australia. Somewhere along the way I realised the characters and the country itself had taken over and that the screenplay was writing me, as it were. Then I met an Indigenous rainmaker and experienced the miracle of rainmaking and so began the series of amazing “coincidences” which has resulted in Liquid Assets. Both the film and Murubakgira Productions have the blessings of the Central Australian elders who have asked me to walk this journey beside the beautiful Suz. They are the ones who called me the rainmaker some years ago.
Next week I am off to Sydney to take the next step along the road to a successful international feature film. What a privilege. What a magical, mystical journey. Thank you Bran Nue Dae for paving the way.
PS. the DVD of Bran Nue Dae is currently available on http://www.donedirtcheap.com.au/
The Australian box office reflected this, a credit to the vision of director, Rachel Perkins, the producers, cast and crew. This week I was absolutely delighted to find a fantastic review in the LA Times.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/Sep/10/entertainment/la-et-bran-nue-dae-20100910
It is great to see an Australian film that travels well. What was even better was that the reviewer understood the context, which is more than could be said for the reviewer on Triple J.
So why is a rainmaker writing about filmmaking? Because currently, when I'm not rainmaking or eating clouds, I am a filmmaker. A powerful young Indigenous lore woman, Suzanne Thompson, and I are forming Murubakgira Productions to make the feature film Liquid Assets.
I began the screenplay some 15 years ago, thinking it was going to be a mainstream comedy about an art con which takes place in drought stricken, outback Australia. Somewhere along the way I realised the characters and the country itself had taken over and that the screenplay was writing me, as it were. Then I met an Indigenous rainmaker and experienced the miracle of rainmaking and so began the series of amazing “coincidences” which has resulted in Liquid Assets. Both the film and Murubakgira Productions have the blessings of the Central Australian elders who have asked me to walk this journey beside the beautiful Suz. They are the ones who called me the rainmaker some years ago.
Next week I am off to Sydney to take the next step along the road to a successful international feature film. What a privilege. What a magical, mystical journey. Thank you Bran Nue Dae for paving the way.
PS. the DVD of Bran Nue Dae is currently available on http://www.donedirtcheap.com.au/
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Eating Clouds
Why would anyone want to eat clouds? Well, I am reliably informed that Canadian Native American women "eat clouds" when the weather is wet and they want to dry their washing. It's that simple. That's their motivation and, amazingly, it guarantees them dry clothes.
I was already a rainmaker when I made this discovery. I just hadn't thought too much about the reverse, so I began trying this technique a few years ago during our wet season. I didn't tell anyone what I was doing so that their doubts couldn't impact on my experiment. I simply walked outside, looked at the washing on the clothes line and pretended to eat clouds. I munched 'em. My intention was that I was eating clouds to dry my washing. The results were amazing. Washing dried on my clothes line, even when it was raining at the end of the street. By the time my technique had worked a few dozen times I felt confident enough to share it with others. Like rainmaking it's all about the organisation of cells, quantum physics by any other name.
Recently I received my first newsletter from www.patricenewell.com.au concerning their forthcoming garlic crop. Now I am love great garlic, both for flavour and for its health benefits, and I can guarantee that Patrice's garlic is one of the very best. The only thing threatening this year's garlic November crop is – wait for it – too much rain, or hail storms. Usually it's not enough rain, but this year it's too much. Such are the joys of being a farmer.
So I dashed off an email to Patrice to share the proven technique I'd learnt from an amazing Native American woman. For garlic's sake, or rather for the sake of my garlic order, I hope someone down on the farm gives it a go! It's so easy.
Have some fun with it yourself. After all, if you usually use a clothes dryer in wet weather eating clouds not only saves you money, it's kinder to the planet as well because it is sustainable. There are no carbon emissions from eating clouds.
And, if you are very lucky, I may save some of my garlic to share with you.
Barbara Carseldine
watertools@gmail.com
www.knowingwater.com
Sept 10th 2010
Why would anyone want to eat clouds? Well, I am reliably informed that Canadian Native American women "eat clouds" when the weather is wet and they want to dry their washing. It's that simple. That's their motivation and, amazingly, it guarantees them dry clothes.
I was already a rainmaker when I made this discovery. I just hadn't thought too much about the reverse, so I began trying this technique a few years ago during our wet season. I didn't tell anyone what I was doing so that their doubts couldn't impact on my experiment. I simply walked outside, looked at the washing on the clothes line and pretended to eat clouds. I munched 'em. My intention was that I was eating clouds to dry my washing. The results were amazing. Washing dried on my clothes line, even when it was raining at the end of the street. By the time my technique had worked a few dozen times I felt confident enough to share it with others. Like rainmaking it's all about the organisation of cells, quantum physics by any other name.
Recently I received my first newsletter from www.patricenewell.com.au concerning their forthcoming garlic crop. Now I am love great garlic, both for flavour and for its health benefits, and I can guarantee that Patrice's garlic is one of the very best. The only thing threatening this year's garlic November crop is – wait for it – too much rain, or hail storms. Usually it's not enough rain, but this year it's too much. Such are the joys of being a farmer.
So I dashed off an email to Patrice to share the proven technique I'd learnt from an amazing Native American woman. For garlic's sake, or rather for the sake of my garlic order, I hope someone down on the farm gives it a go! It's so easy.
Have some fun with it yourself. After all, if you usually use a clothes dryer in wet weather eating clouds not only saves you money, it's kinder to the planet as well because it is sustainable. There are no carbon emissions from eating clouds.
And, if you are very lucky, I may save some of my garlic to share with you.
Barbara Carseldine
watertools@gmail.com
www.knowingwater.com
Sept 10th 2010
Friday, February 13, 2009
Climate Change and the Early Adaptor
What a week it has been here in Australia! The devastating floods in North Queensland paled into insignificance in comparison with the horrendous loss of life, homes, infrastructure and biodiversity in the Victorian bushfires. With the benefit of the 20:20 vision of hindsight, what could we do differently?
One thing stands out like the proverbial. True custodians of the land, Australia’s indigenous people were - and still are - masters of the regular, controlled, low intensity burn. This practice controls the build up of fuel. A number of scientific studies have warned of the dangers of the build up of fuel which has occurred both in Australia and the USA because of poor forest management, changes in land use and climate change which increases the likelihood of extreme weather events. These events make it crucial that homeowners adapt to the new conditions. In both countries these warnings have been ignored and wildfires have resulted, even though foresters confirm that an uncontrollable crown fire becomes a manageable ground fire when denied fuel.
Another core issue to be addressed is the current practice of building homes amongst the trees in a known bushfire zone. Like it or not, ultimately the responsibility rests with homeowners who chose to build, or buy, there. In future it may be difficult to insure these homes. Globally insurance companies are reeling from the true cost of extreme weather events and the insurers will be forced to adapt as well. As Darwin discovered, it’s not the strong that survive, it’s the adaptors.
To our indigenous brothers and sisters ceremony also played a vital role in land and water management. “We danced for the rain to come. And when the rains came, we danced again, in gratitude.” There are boxes and boxes of records of indigenous rain making ceremonies in the archives in Canberra. These ceremonies took place all over Australia.
I suppose to a Westerner in the 21st century this seems a bit odd, but it’s not much different from activating a giant prayer network, celebrating Thanksgiving or the harvest in the traditional European way. And it’s good science. We can, after all, alter the molecular structure of water crystals simply by focusing on love, or the icon of our choice, be that Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Mother Mary or Mohammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him. Before and after photos clearly demonstrate the difference. Similarly there have been plenty of scientific studies on how plants respond to different vibrations. Different types of music impacts on plants differently. Our first Australians understand this well and extend the energy way beyond experimenting with a few plants.
As well as ceremony there is the shamanic nature of indigenous art, the theme of the film Liquid Assets currently in development. While researching the screenplay I learnt that Aboriginees believe the act of creation keeps the culture and the country itself alive. Their rock art is intended to be seen in conjunction with ceremony, song, dance and storytelling. A very powerful combination indeed.
In 1987 I arrived in Los Angeles shortly after a severe earth quake. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Native Americans living in the worst hit area had forewarning of the quake and did ceremony and prayed to quiet Mother Earth. None of them were injured. They also have spiritual practice involving the wind. Last year a Cherokee confirmed that if there is a hurricane coming, he has been taught to greet the wind with love, become one with the wind, love the wind and lead it away from his settlement. This is their wisdom and it works for those in the know.
After all, quantum physics confirms that we live in a field of infinite intelligence because every cell has intelligence. Indigenous ceremony and art alter the infinite field of intelligence through the positive power of intention.
Today is Friday 13, traditionally known as “Black Friday”. Today is also the first anniversary of Australia’s national “Sorry” day, a day of reconciliation for our original peoples and newcomers. In 2007 I attended Gin~Murun~Gari, a retreat for external and internal reconciliation, for black and white women alike. Those present will never forget witnessing “Aunty” Jenny Thompson declaring, “I am very grateful for the past 200 years. It has made me strong. It has made me who I am. Now, let’s draw a line in the sand and move on.” There is so much we can learn from these peoples and others like them.
What would it take to adapt our land management and water management and avert needless tragedy?
Bless all those who listen to the planet. All those who listen to the planet are blessed.
Barbara
One thing stands out like the proverbial. True custodians of the land, Australia’s indigenous people were - and still are - masters of the regular, controlled, low intensity burn. This practice controls the build up of fuel. A number of scientific studies have warned of the dangers of the build up of fuel which has occurred both in Australia and the USA because of poor forest management, changes in land use and climate change which increases the likelihood of extreme weather events. These events make it crucial that homeowners adapt to the new conditions. In both countries these warnings have been ignored and wildfires have resulted, even though foresters confirm that an uncontrollable crown fire becomes a manageable ground fire when denied fuel.
Another core issue to be addressed is the current practice of building homes amongst the trees in a known bushfire zone. Like it or not, ultimately the responsibility rests with homeowners who chose to build, or buy, there. In future it may be difficult to insure these homes. Globally insurance companies are reeling from the true cost of extreme weather events and the insurers will be forced to adapt as well. As Darwin discovered, it’s not the strong that survive, it’s the adaptors.
To our indigenous brothers and sisters ceremony also played a vital role in land and water management. “We danced for the rain to come. And when the rains came, we danced again, in gratitude.” There are boxes and boxes of records of indigenous rain making ceremonies in the archives in Canberra. These ceremonies took place all over Australia.
I suppose to a Westerner in the 21st century this seems a bit odd, but it’s not much different from activating a giant prayer network, celebrating Thanksgiving or the harvest in the traditional European way. And it’s good science. We can, after all, alter the molecular structure of water crystals simply by focusing on love, or the icon of our choice, be that Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Mother Mary or Mohammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him. Before and after photos clearly demonstrate the difference. Similarly there have been plenty of scientific studies on how plants respond to different vibrations. Different types of music impacts on plants differently. Our first Australians understand this well and extend the energy way beyond experimenting with a few plants.
As well as ceremony there is the shamanic nature of indigenous art, the theme of the film Liquid Assets currently in development. While researching the screenplay I learnt that Aboriginees believe the act of creation keeps the culture and the country itself alive. Their rock art is intended to be seen in conjunction with ceremony, song, dance and storytelling. A very powerful combination indeed.
In 1987 I arrived in Los Angeles shortly after a severe earth quake. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Native Americans living in the worst hit area had forewarning of the quake and did ceremony and prayed to quiet Mother Earth. None of them were injured. They also have spiritual practice involving the wind. Last year a Cherokee confirmed that if there is a hurricane coming, he has been taught to greet the wind with love, become one with the wind, love the wind and lead it away from his settlement. This is their wisdom and it works for those in the know.
After all, quantum physics confirms that we live in a field of infinite intelligence because every cell has intelligence. Indigenous ceremony and art alter the infinite field of intelligence through the positive power of intention.
Today is Friday 13, traditionally known as “Black Friday”. Today is also the first anniversary of Australia’s national “Sorry” day, a day of reconciliation for our original peoples and newcomers. In 2007 I attended Gin~Murun~Gari, a retreat for external and internal reconciliation, for black and white women alike. Those present will never forget witnessing “Aunty” Jenny Thompson declaring, “I am very grateful for the past 200 years. It has made me strong. It has made me who I am. Now, let’s draw a line in the sand and move on.” There is so much we can learn from these peoples and others like them.
What would it take to adapt our land management and water management and avert needless tragedy?
Bless all those who listen to the planet. All those who listen to the planet are blessed.
Barbara
Monday, January 26, 2009
What does a seaside garden have to do with the film Australia?
Recently, behind the dunes on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, I was shown a new house being built for a young man who intends renting it out. The subject got around to water – as it always seems to around me - and his parents’ belief that he had to landscape wisely, because of budget constraints and also, “Because the tenants won’t water.”
We agreed that a low maintenance, tenant friendly garden was vital. Imagine their surprise when I recommended landscaping for local biodiversity, which is a posh way of saying grow the plants that were growing here before white people came along and bulldozed them to make suburbs. The paths behind the dunes revealed a huge variety of ideal plants which have thrived in the local weather conditions for millenia. His parents were surprisingly unaware of these treasures, even though they had lived in the district all their lives.
Many of these plants are easy to propagate, which is creative, cheaper and fun. His parents live nearby and enjoy propagating, a great solution. A recent foray in my Brisbane suburb yielded a fist full of seeds from a sarsparella vine which had been covered in purple flowers in spring, the very best specimen I have ever seen. I simply tossed the seed pods onto a bare spot in the garden and forgot about them. A few storms later there were a clutch of wee seedlings. It’s that easy.
Of course, no garden is complete without some kitchen herbs. The soil behind the dunes is sandy and won’t retain moisture, so sustainable water management becomes vital. Not to worry, an easy solution is at hand. After a southerly blow there is plenty of pumice on the beach, along the high water line. Ground up into a coarse power, pumice is a wonderful wetting agent, one which has been used along the Nile River in Egypt for thousands of years.
I realized that I was more blessed than his parents, because years ago my awareness was heightened by a walk through this country with Nurden Serico, whose mother was one of the stolen generation from Coolum. Anyone who has seen the film Australia will understand the term “stolen generation”. As we walked, Nurden shared his knowledge of bush tucker, as well as his love for country, and asked, “The earth, She is so beautiful, why would anyone want to harm Her?”
The plants whose names I recall are:
Dianella has tiny blue and yellow flowers followed by vivid blue berries which are great bush tucker.
Midjum is a great bush tucker shrub
Hibertia, or golden guinea flower, flowers all year, is shrubby or will climb.
Carpobrotus, a ground cover, has cerise flowers which contrast beautifully with the hibertia.
Various ornamental grasses, along with the hibertia and dianella, encourage the fairy wrens.
Hovea, a shrub, flowers in late winter and early spring. I collect the seeds in Oct and love to hear them pop on the first really hot dry windy day. They literally explode out of their tiny pods. Good fun, though a bit of a shock the first time it happens.
Swamp lily, or beach lily, has prolific spidery white flowers and is easy to grow from seed.
Iris, 3 different types grow in the region
Leptospermum has white flowers in late winter and early spring
Native violets form a great groundcover in shady spots and the flowers are edible
Mitta vine to attract butterflies
Pandanus palm, or screw palm, to create privacy near the BBQ area, is easy to grow from seed. The big golden seed pods are a delight.
Coastal banksia flowers all year.
Casuarinas and banksias ensure plenty of birdlife, including the yellow tailed black cockatoos.
Wattles
The walk was organized by a community group to celebrate the local wildflowers. Your council will have a list of such groups. Resources on the Sunshine Coast include:
www.Noosanativeplants.com.au or Stephanie Haslam’s book of the same name www.maroochycatchmentcentre.org.au for local species, their nurseries and books
www.fairhill.com.au native plant nursery at Yandina
In the light of climate change and critical water shortages globally, there is so much we can learn from our indigenous people about sustainability. It’s time for us all to be custodians of this beautiful planet. Both my book Creating a culture with a reverence for water and screenplay Liquid Assets, a feature film which goes into production in 2009, attempt to share their wisdom.
Wishing everyone a sustainable and peaceful 2009
Barbara Carseldine
23rd January 2009
We agreed that a low maintenance, tenant friendly garden was vital. Imagine their surprise when I recommended landscaping for local biodiversity, which is a posh way of saying grow the plants that were growing here before white people came along and bulldozed them to make suburbs. The paths behind the dunes revealed a huge variety of ideal plants which have thrived in the local weather conditions for millenia. His parents were surprisingly unaware of these treasures, even though they had lived in the district all their lives.
Many of these plants are easy to propagate, which is creative, cheaper and fun. His parents live nearby and enjoy propagating, a great solution. A recent foray in my Brisbane suburb yielded a fist full of seeds from a sarsparella vine which had been covered in purple flowers in spring, the very best specimen I have ever seen. I simply tossed the seed pods onto a bare spot in the garden and forgot about them. A few storms later there were a clutch of wee seedlings. It’s that easy.
Of course, no garden is complete without some kitchen herbs. The soil behind the dunes is sandy and won’t retain moisture, so sustainable water management becomes vital. Not to worry, an easy solution is at hand. After a southerly blow there is plenty of pumice on the beach, along the high water line. Ground up into a coarse power, pumice is a wonderful wetting agent, one which has been used along the Nile River in Egypt for thousands of years.
I realized that I was more blessed than his parents, because years ago my awareness was heightened by a walk through this country with Nurden Serico, whose mother was one of the stolen generation from Coolum. Anyone who has seen the film Australia will understand the term “stolen generation”. As we walked, Nurden shared his knowledge of bush tucker, as well as his love for country, and asked, “The earth, She is so beautiful, why would anyone want to harm Her?”
The plants whose names I recall are:
Dianella has tiny blue and yellow flowers followed by vivid blue berries which are great bush tucker.
Midjum is a great bush tucker shrub
Hibertia, or golden guinea flower, flowers all year, is shrubby or will climb.
Carpobrotus, a ground cover, has cerise flowers which contrast beautifully with the hibertia.
Various ornamental grasses, along with the hibertia and dianella, encourage the fairy wrens.
Hovea, a shrub, flowers in late winter and early spring. I collect the seeds in Oct and love to hear them pop on the first really hot dry windy day. They literally explode out of their tiny pods. Good fun, though a bit of a shock the first time it happens.
Swamp lily, or beach lily, has prolific spidery white flowers and is easy to grow from seed.
Iris, 3 different types grow in the region
Leptospermum has white flowers in late winter and early spring
Native violets form a great groundcover in shady spots and the flowers are edible
Mitta vine to attract butterflies
Pandanus palm, or screw palm, to create privacy near the BBQ area, is easy to grow from seed. The big golden seed pods are a delight.
Coastal banksia flowers all year.
Casuarinas and banksias ensure plenty of birdlife, including the yellow tailed black cockatoos.
Wattles
The walk was organized by a community group to celebrate the local wildflowers. Your council will have a list of such groups. Resources on the Sunshine Coast include:
www.Noosanativeplants.com.au or Stephanie Haslam’s book of the same name www.maroochycatchmentcentre.org.au for local species, their nurseries and books
www.fairhill.com.au native plant nursery at Yandina
In the light of climate change and critical water shortages globally, there is so much we can learn from our indigenous people about sustainability. It’s time for us all to be custodians of this beautiful planet. Both my book Creating a culture with a reverence for water and screenplay Liquid Assets, a feature film which goes into production in 2009, attempt to share their wisdom.
Wishing everyone a sustainable and peaceful 2009
Barbara Carseldine
23rd January 2009
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Climate change, with its devastating droughts and floods, in our faces every day on a global level.
Fortunately each of us can make a difference, as Sandy McBride, an educator in sustainability, reminded me when she sent me the following:
“Earth Hour 2008 is being held on Saturday March 29th from 8pm to 9pm. How did Earth Hour start?
It started with a question: How can we inspire people to take action on climate change?
The answer: Ask the people of Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour.
On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year.
With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off, and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global event.
The website asks for a commitment registration and it is interesting to see how many individuals, schools and businesses are registered and how this number is increasing.
The website is http://www.earthhour.org/ Enjoy your candlelit evening or games in the dark.”
Bless you, Sandy, for being such an inspiration. I would, however, take a moment to remind everyone what happened nine months after the New York blackout several years ago. Hmmn.
Sustainably
Barbara
Fortunately each of us can make a difference, as Sandy McBride, an educator in sustainability, reminded me when she sent me the following:
“Earth Hour 2008 is being held on Saturday March 29th from 8pm to 9pm. How did Earth Hour start?
It started with a question: How can we inspire people to take action on climate change?
The answer: Ask the people of Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour.
On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year.
With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off, and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global event.
The website asks for a commitment registration and it is interesting to see how many individuals, schools and businesses are registered and how this number is increasing.
The website is http://www.earthhour.org/ Enjoy your candlelit evening or games in the dark.”
Bless you, Sandy, for being such an inspiration. I would, however, take a moment to remind everyone what happened nine months after the New York blackout several years ago. Hmmn.
Sustainably
Barbara
Thursday, December 27, 2007
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
To be as carbon neutral as possible this Christmas, No 1 daughter, Sam-Cate, chose the goodies she sent with my tastes and needs in mind. To my absolute delight everything was recycled and accompanied by a hand made card so beautiful I’m going to have it framed.
In the weeks prior to Christmas a colleague, a wife and working mother, revealed quietly that she was deeply embarrassed by the excesses she observed as she visited the local shopping mall. Her family now has a new strategy for Christmas gift giving.
Sandy and Bob are just back from volunteering at a Thai orphanage. Sandy confided, “I thought we’d just come back and everything would be as it was. Not so.” This traveler looked around with new eyes and found the excesses of Oz gift giving “obscene”.
Sandy and Joseph report that in their large extended family the solution is for each child to draw a name out of a hat and choose a gift for that child. And the adults? They get to make donations to the charity of choice of the name they draw out of the same hat. Sandy’s field is educating for sustainability so she knows it is vital for us all to reduce our footprint.
Check out www.jo-bloggs.blogspot.com for a good laugh on the same subject.
Well done to all these amazing women who are showing such wonderful grassroots leadership while retaining the true spirit of Christmas. Hopi wisdom decrees, “We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.”
To be as carbon neutral as possible this Christmas, No 1 daughter, Sam-Cate, chose the goodies she sent with my tastes and needs in mind. To my absolute delight everything was recycled and accompanied by a hand made card so beautiful I’m going to have it framed.
In the weeks prior to Christmas a colleague, a wife and working mother, revealed quietly that she was deeply embarrassed by the excesses she observed as she visited the local shopping mall. Her family now has a new strategy for Christmas gift giving.
Sandy and Bob are just back from volunteering at a Thai orphanage. Sandy confided, “I thought we’d just come back and everything would be as it was. Not so.” This traveler looked around with new eyes and found the excesses of Oz gift giving “obscene”.
Sandy and Joseph report that in their large extended family the solution is for each child to draw a name out of a hat and choose a gift for that child. And the adults? They get to make donations to the charity of choice of the name they draw out of the same hat. Sandy’s field is educating for sustainability so she knows it is vital for us all to reduce our footprint.
Check out www.jo-bloggs.blogspot.com for a good laugh on the same subject.
Well done to all these amazing women who are showing such wonderful grassroots leadership while retaining the true spirit of Christmas. Hopi wisdom decrees, “We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)