2011 leaves with a Shake... so what will 2012 begin with?...

2011 is leaving.
Well, ceasing. And The Bitch doesnt want to leave us without a decent farewell - We got that!
Today we had a 4.82 that the USGS recorded as a 5.2! Some serious shaking, more damage for some, liquefaction for others - us, the lucky ones, just a stern reminder that Mother Nature Lives Beneath.
After a drive yesterday, we realised sadly, that yes, there are changes being made in Canterbury, but our neighbourhood is now looking like a series of country lanes, empty houses on funny angles, broken bits and bumpy gravel roads and neglected spaces where gardens still bloom regardless. Sad and Forgotten for the most part. The people who drive by, are just there just to look, to Thank God, maybe, that it isnt them?  and then they drive back from whence they came.

Did the Mayans truly predict that The World Might End in 2012? Im sure the Mayan who was in charge of writing the numbers at the time, lost count of where he was, and then decided, he had to go to the bathroom. When he arrived back, he looked at what he was writing (The Calendar) and shrugged... Meh. It seemed like a good thing to do at the time, but Im over it... and off he went to lunch. Never would he ever guess that he left us all hanging...
Ok, so thats not it at all, but we will never know :-)
Im picking The Changes that are spoke of,  have begun already. Theres an air of unrest right around the world.  Chaotic Economic changes, Natural Change, More water, less food, more people, Earthquakes, Floods, Famine. Civilization is Changing.
It is all part of an energy that means we MUST assimilate Change - Into our lives, our homes, the way we educate our children, technology, it all will change.
Change never happens without some sort of negativity or positivity to activate it. We need to get used to the changes, and its tough!
Its what they say - What doesnt Kill Us, Makes Us Stronger.
Im about as Strong as I can be. No - possibly not, but lets not push that to trial.

... Out with the Old, In With the New...I just want to cruise - no - sleep! through the end of 2011. I do not like New Years Eve at all.
My family are not entirely with me, and never are now theyre older and have Social committments. New Years Eve for me brings back sad memories of people dear who are no longer with us, of past Memories that bring home how much I miss the ones I love.
So Im a sad sack, and I ll be happy just chilling with the littles, watching some TV, then drifting off...

OR WILL I?
This year in Christchurch, it seems half the world wants a reason to celebrate... and why not?
Weve had some kind of wacky stuff to deal with  this year...
On with the good stuff - Celebrate Your New Year Cantabs~!
Parties on each side of the street here, and lots of music.
Someone was jamming on an electric guitar before - It sounded awesome, even from here, and Im picking it was a few houses down. The unfortunate thing, is that next door have Elton John on Replay, and the two playing alongside one another makes me want to run for cover :-)
Shouting can be heard, (the happy kind) and lots of families walking in the night air. It isnt dark or cooler yet, at 7.30pm its a nice time of night for a stroll around our neighbourhood...
Let the celebrating fill your heart, and let go of the fear - not just here, but whereever you are!
We got through, we will continue to make good.

Love, Light and Blessings
HAPPY FABULOUS NEW YEAR

Roll On 2012!!
Love
Earth Butterfly
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Tuesday already...Plans... Globe Trotting Teens... Bikkies for Breakfast.

Cant believe it is  Tuesday already. I know, its Tuesday every week, but this Tuesday has come around so quick. Think about what you were doing last Tuesday. To be honest, Im not sure I can remember the details. It involved reenactment of the chicken with its head cut off, panic, frenzied shopping and Lists. Ahh. Thank Goodness that is over!
This Tuesday Im planning. Ive just bought another red currant. And an Autumn Bliss Raspberry that fruits late Summer/Autumn. I think it is the wrong time of year to buy things like this, but they are On The List of Wanted Plants, and they can sit until the beds are ready to go in. Im planning next years garden already.

My list of Wanted Plants is extensive. I think Dwarf Comfrey sounds good. The blue variety. To put right along my fenceless edge that I share with our neighbours. Theres a huge *hedge* of Flax and Bears Breeches, and Im thinking some dwarf comfrey along underneath might encourage some good soil eventually.
It is very dense soil out there, and it has been sorely neglected.

Also, I have a list of herbs Id like to have access to. Not all for culinary purposes, but medicinal too.
Some of the herbs have the most romantic names - Pellitory-of-the-wall, Alexanders, Skullcap and Lovage...
Watch this space, Ive not made my selection yet, still in the Learning stages - ie, Im reading up on things.
Thank Goodness for my aged copy of A Modern Herbal by Ms Grieve. It is great for reading up on herbs...
Yes, this book information IS ONLINE!

So the Pre-teen with the Cellphone has spent the morning catching up with his brothers. Theyre the Globe Trotting Teens that have this morning, hit Auckland and are looking to see as much as possible while theyre at a Family Function. Its awesome theyve had the chance to go, their Dad is very brave taking two unruly teens on holiday with him and his wife, for a week... I hope Auckland looks after them - if youre up that way and you see one very bedraggled, tired looking man and two perky looking teenagers, its them...  :) I hope they have a blast! Its not often they all get away together.

And Im picking Im in line for Bad Mother of The Year award given this mornings fare for breakfast. We have eaten so much of late, and there was a dearth of goodies left, or given... It was bananas this morning, that took their fancy, and shrewsbury biscuits, with milk and shortbread afterwards... Oophs!!

After watching Harry Potter (Deathly Hallows 1) last night, this morning I have the pleasure of watching The Muppets Take Manhattan, with Miss 5. She loves it. The rats are so funny, and she giggles her way through it all... I get more pleasure out of watching her reaction, than the actual movie.

Well thats us.
I hope youre all doing fine, and enjoying the sun if you have it. Remember to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap if youre in the sun!

Thinking of You,
Love,

E BUTTERFLY
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The Big Wake Up Call...5.1 for Breakfast!

Blue Skies with a tinge of cloud, and an aftertaste of SHAKE!
Good Morning Christchurch, this is your Mother speaking - Mother Nature that is!
WAKE UP! Youve slept long enough... Yeah I know, you didnt sleep a wink... Or you lot there (Us!)
I know youve just got to sleep, but cmon - WAKE UP!!...




Zander

 5.1 should be enough to wake the dead.
Oh wait, theyre NOT dead, theyre just rather badly traumatized and very very tired!
My Littles didnt sleep well. We went for a walk around the neighbourhood last night, checking on their local haunts.
They came home, we watched TV until late. Sleep. Bliss. Shake. Uh-Oh!
We were awake between the hours of 1am and 3am. Sleep again. Wake Up!!! Mother Nature calls... The 4.2 at 5.50ish I almost slept through, rearranged the blankets and cuddled under again.
6.30ish and we have LIFT OFF.
By the time I get off the floor to check the kids, the damn shaking is over, and I realize that I was the only one moving. The only one awake...Oh except for one very scared, big-eyed cat who meows at me.  (And now I think about it, that meow could have been for food, not empathy for our predicament!)

So. Its Saturday, and I have visitors arriving later, Family!
Bring it on. Lets Celebrate all that comes our way.
Best foot forward and besides, its CHRISTMAS EVE.
Joy. Peace. Spirit of Santa - of GIVING, sharing, loving.
The Joy starts when I realize Im alive. Theyre alive.
Im safe. We are safe! We have everything we need.
Most of what we want.

We can celebrate and whilst we celebrate, we can duck into doorways when required...The serviettes may not match, the glassware will be sparse.
It wont matter at all.

Merry Christmas.
Happy Holidays
Blessings!
E Butterfly
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Catching Up...Baking Up A Storm... Sunday, Sunday!

Its been a while... This new computer is awesome, but its taken me a while to figure out how to get everything on again... Happy is, having a big hard drive for lots of photos...

Sumner Main Street

So... lets see some... We took family for a break out to Sumner, I have to say, it is beautiful out there, even in its delicate state. It was a central part of the earthquake, and I was astounded to see the damage, and yet delighted to see the heart of Sumners shops still buzzing, slowly maybe, but steadily all the same.

Road to Sumner, paved by Road Cones!

Shipping Containers edge the road below the cliffs

Underfoot, the scars remain

The Beach Footie Must Go on!

The shops that remain open are well patronized, and Sumner still has such unique places to go and find all manner of things you dont find any where else...

Cute Kiwiana!



Idyllic Buildings especially this one!

 Im eternally grateful I dont live on a hill overlooking the sea.

You can see the gashes where the rocks have fallen

Looking up at them always did make me nervous, the pigeon filled cliffs have fascinated me, the birds fly out now and again en masse, and now, looking at the piles of rubble along the base of the cliffs, and the shipping containers placed there to make the roads safe... the mind boggles.

Cave Rock - the Cave is now filled with boulders

The iconic landmark as you go through Sumner on the beach, is Shag Rock. Of course, the one photo that *didnt turn out* was the one of the new and changed Shag Rock. It doesnt even look like the same place... The funny thing was, we were travelling through and when I saw it, I took a photo, but there was a sign nearby that I caught right in front of the Rock, so here ya go

 ... needless to say, Shag Rock is now small. Very odd... but still has the Shags...

Life Goes On, so glad to see theyre open and Ok

Little Lady Goes Shopping With Daddy

Doesnt matter the age, the hands both went out automatically to run along the top of the rock walls :)

Spa Pool Anyone?

What a gorgeous day for having a stretch of the legs, and a small road trip from the suburbs. Well, Sumner is still a part of the city, but so different from our part of things...

Eww Ahh, a Tractor... We saw two actually!

Theres still a dearth of Diggers and Council vehicles... If youre missing a digger or two... I know where they are! Oh and Road Cones. Christchurch has a million... or two.

The Substation next to the RSA in Sumner

We made a big batch of cupcakes this week.

Our first ever try. Miss A was suitably impressed, and we packed them up and took them around to our neighbours. Blue and Pink icing too... yum. Just what you need :)

Actually Daddy was very impressed with them... We have promised to make them again. Four dozen small cupcakes, it was fun! Weve made a couple of our Fruit Loaves too. Theyre yummy! I think Im channelling my inner Domestic Goddess at the moment, its so much fun to bake esp when its cold outside... and Miss 4 has been learning about mixing and stirring... she loves sitting up there chatting as we bake.

Pumpkin

Another week of school and theyre off again for Easter break. Two weeks of changing weather - lets just say, its usually crappy weather this break, hopefully this year will give us a couple of good solid weather days so we can get out and about... before Autumn cracks and lets Winter in.

Bergamot

The Easter bunny better pop in too, Ive heard Creme eggs are on The Easter List this year, as well as Golden Bunnies from Lindt. Expensive tastes, my children!!

Look Mummy, Im a bwide!

Autumn Colours

Beautiful Lillies

And after all that, May will slide in quietly...

Signs of Winter approaching - Our Empty Swimming Pool...

Our weekly scoop from the garden... Seed Pods and Veggies

My bull-headed Taurean turns 11 on the 8th of May. He is my Mothers Day present, bless him.
This year I want to make him something special, hes had a whacky kind of year - two earthquakes, lots of responsibility and not as much schooling as usual. He is holding it together, but the cracks are showing... I think we all could do with a holiday, but where to go? Hes asked for books... so easy to buy for :)

The new Echinacea I bought has flowered, three tall (majus var) flower heads which I watched over as they died and dried... I bought them inside and shook them tentatively... Yes!! We have seeds. Im so pleased. I hope they are viable and easy enough for this amateur to grow from... Excited? Well yes! I am! :)

My pumpkin is still growing ... Im cautious, as I know the first frost will kill it, but even to get one small pumpkin would be so cool. Its so shiny and green, its very pretty...

Our bergamot has flowered beautifully (photo above), the flowers dont seem to have seeds which concerns me. I dont know what Im looking for however, so maybe I have just missed them this year... I must remember to *google* them...

Mr Winks

Not a lot more to report. Ive just put some boxes and old towels/sheets out for the cats. It is getting colder at night and now that we have two extras, they seem to fight over the old dry haunts... so theres a new box in the garage, and another under the table out the back in the porch... I have to growl at them for fighting, and they adore me seriously... no, honest, its true. They hang on my every bowl of food.

Heres hoping your week is a happy one,
Wishing you Sunshine and Light,
From My Hearth to Yours,

Winter Colour amongst Liquefaction

Earth Butterfly
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Slowly does it, Sunday!

IN CHRISTCHURCH AND FINDING IT HARD TO COPE?

CLICK HERE FOR SOME IDEAS

Had a late night last night, repacking the car, folding washing etc, so today we are off and doing with a slow start... though I see it isnt morning any more, its now almost two oclock and honestly, I admit it - Im a lazy tart! I simply cannot get out of my own way today...

Dishes are done, washing out. Sun is trying very hard to get through what looks like a very thick cloud... Some blue sky is visible, Mr 10 just asked me what I would knit with the blue bits we can see, was there enough to knit anything?
His Great Aunt used to say, when asked about the weather, If theres blue sky - enough to knit a hat with, it must be a good day! Hehe, its a family thing.

Free Coffee at the Supermarket is a good start to anyones day, though being at the S/market on a Sunday isnt my idea of fun... We were there sorting through what colour and essences to get for our Sunday Project. Mr 10 and I are going to make some play dough to keep Miss 4 busy. We decided, if we did that, she would be kept busy so we could do our *stuff*...

The school shoes are shiny after some spit and polish this morning, Mr 10 is almost ready to get back to regular schooling. I have to be honest, I will miss him, hes a darling.
I think the threat of heavy earthquakes might just escape us for a few weeks... As I write that, the desk shudders and I hear the wood creaking in the hallways as an aftershock hits. Meh. A little one, thank goodness. Ive decided, theyre not going anywhere, neither am I, so there we be, an empasse. I can live with them... if I have to, and I think we might need to.
The Earth is doing what it does, it is just a shame Christchurch city is situated right on top of where the Earth wants to do its rocking and shaking for now.
We are getting better at ignoring the routines of the Earth. Weve had a succession for the mid three to mid four range. Theyre enough to give you a fright if their onset is quite rocky, but otherwise you sit them out and breathe through it.

Thank God and the wonderful Naturopaths for Rescue Remedy and Flower Essences. We are using them at present, and Miss 4 has responded well to her *flower medicine*.

The city is beginning to show signs of progress. There are still big problems with bottle-necked traffic at peak hours, but people are working things through by making sure they check their routes before they go out... (some, not all!)
There are always going to be arrogant rude people on the roads, but most of us care... and show that by tempering our speed... or not going out at all. Im deciding not to use the car unless I have to. The biggest thing in my decision was the cost of fuel. Petrol is now $2.17 a litre. My car takes over $100 to fill, and I just dont need to do this. Everything I need is within a good walk, or if neccessary one trip a week... barring earthquakes and emergencies... I have taken to asking around before I go to the supermarket, in case others need things. We are going to car pool for school pick ups and drop offs... it makes sense.

The roads are still a myriad of bumps - mountains and craters, complete with diggers, work men, diggers, did I mention diggers?

Oh and the gorgeous big orange signs, arrows and cones... Im glad I am not just learning how to drive, Christchurch streets are confusing at the moment. I have such respect for those men who are hard at it, digging and cutting into the streets to fix the roads. Theyre awesome :)

Now, a plain and easy Play Dough Recipe ...

PLAYDOUGH


2 c flour
1 c Salt
1 t cream of tartar
1 T Oil
1 c water
======================
Add a couple of drops of your favourite essential oil or essence to add scent
and/or a couple of drops of your favourite food colouring in to the mix too...


Store in airtight container, lasts a couple of weeks.

=====================
Weve ended up with some banana smelling yellow, and some coconut smelling pink playdough!!

Hope your weekend is going well,
Love and Sunshine!

EButterfly
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