World Harmony Day

My Harmony Day Helpers, Taylah, Macayla, Jade and Winsome.

It was Harmony Day on March the 21st and i spent some time thinking how I could bring more harmony into not only my world but into other people's lives. Iasked and was then given the oppourtunity to talk about world harmony day on a Wild Mountains Eath Keepers program who was staying at Wild Mountains at the time. What better way to bring more Harmony into the World than through shareing with kids. I thought from a while and I read to them the below. It went down a treat, they all enjoyed what I had to say. When asked what a random act of kindness theycould do was someone suggested hugs were. Therewas a mass breakout of random hugs and they continued for the rest of the camp ( I think I was the main benificerary!)

What I read to the St Adians group:

Today is World Harmony Day

What do you think it means?

Harmony can mean two or more sounds played or sung together in a pleasing manner.
But today we celebrate it as a day to bring people together and celebrate community harmony, participation and cultural diversity.

As you go about the rest of the evening and the week, you can think about how you might be able to bring more harmony and peace into your life.

Perhaps with Random acts of Kindness?

You know one of the greatest acts of kindness that takes only a couple of seconds and has a wonderfull effect is a smile.If you smile at someone, you are saying that that person is accepted, appreciated and loved. If you can add a quick "hi". that would even be more of a huge bonus. Your smile will last in that persons heart for hours and make them forget for a good while about their problems or issues and maybe give them the incentive to pull themselves out of their problems, if they have any

......another quick thought, giving someone a quick, quiet to yourself prayer for 15 seconds have unknown positive effects on that person and brings blessing and peace to your own heart. ...I

What is a random act of kindness you can think of? (Here there was a breakout of hugs and giggles)

Poem (Annonymous):

..you never know what your thoughts may doin bringing hate or love, for thoughts are things and their airy wings are swifter than carrier doves they follow the law of the universe that each thing must create its own kind, and they speed over the track to bring you right backwhatever went out of your mind.

Much Love Lizz

What a Week!

Wow, what a week . Last weekend we were involved in an Earth Keepers program. Which is a program that Wild Mountains runs for Primary kids to gain a better understanding of how we are all connected in a hands on way.



Pier (Richard) explaining different parts of how the Envioronment is connected



Scott ( Red wig) Hosting a game show



Most of the St Adians environmental group, all wanting to be in the photo!

Then after it rained out during the week we put the roof on the Aframe.

Attended the AGM for Wild Mountains which was fascinating and also applied for membership to Wild Mountains. At the AGM there weresome facinating people and someamasing idea's. I will now have the oppourtunity of helping to create a "Relationship Stratergy" for Wild Mountains which looks at the image they present and how to comunicate cohesively to the enritre group and the community and to encourage particpation. We met a lovely man called Rob who runs "Food Connect" in Brisbane who strive to "put the culture back into agriculture" http://www.foodconnect.com.au/ they deleiver fresh produce to your door and are doing some amasing things for the environment and community! And his partner Emma who also runs her own business car sharing for inner Brisbane called Gwhiz, with the mission to have fewer cars on the road http://www.gwhiz.com.au/. With thier three kids (and 1 on the way ) from the Left - Darcy, Dougal and Joseph

Then last night a group of walkers from IPT graced us with their company with Colin (an architect who we had some beautiful conversations with) and Vite leading the cooking ans set up for the group.



Colin and Vite - Chefs extraordinaire

At least I didn't make a pickle out of my Chutney!

Lizz Making Chutney.

This is my first shot at preserving fresh produce! I embarked upon the mission of a Mustard pickle, a Choko Ginger Chutney and a Basil Pesto. And ended up with a Curry and Cabbage Pickle, a cabbage and ginger Chutney and a Herb Pesto. All in all a great experience and a good effort of a first time. Although we have to wait till the Chutney and pickle matures (in 6 weeks) before we can see how it tastes everyone enjoyed the pesto.

I was pleased to have Susan in the kitchen to advise ( she is an old hand at jams, pickles and preserving in general as she has lived at Wild Mountains over 20 years) she was able to direct me with what could subsitute and get away with and how to effectively sterilize all of the jars first.

Curry and Cabbage Pickle



This is a pungent little number inspired from the "Australian and New Zealand Complete Book of Cookery" ( to quote Liz Cameron "Whats that? ...its like rotten tomatoes but worse")

Ingredients:

3 large choko's (my first time ever using this vegetable, I was still peeling it off my skin the next day very odd stuff)
Half a head of cabbage
5 onions
2 cups celery
5 tbs salt (I used vegi salt)
2 pints malt vinegar (... I wasn't sure what this was and used white wine vinegar instead)
1 cup raw sugar
1 tbs curry powder
2 tbs dry mustard power (...I didn't have any of this and used garam masala instead)
2 teaspoons tumeric
1/2 cup of flour with 1 cup malt vinegar (...ran out of white wine and used plain vinegar)

This recipe took a day and a half to make and probably 3 hours in total , I ended up making 5 jars worth... and i hope it taste's much better than it smelt while cooking.

Cabbage and Ginger Chutney



This beauty was inspired from "A Table in Buderim" , I liked the look of it for its use of ginger .

3 large choko's
250g dates
250g raisins
250g sultana's
1 large onion
1-2 granny smith apples
1/2 cup ginger in syrup (... was not in my kitchen so i use crystallized ginger)
1 1/2 cups raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups malt vinegar ( yep used what ever vinegar I could lay my hands on .. white wine I think)

I liked this recipe it took about 2 hours or so and smelt great, plus no soaking overnight required :)

Herb Pesto



I love pesto and had intended to make a nice basil pesto with basil out of Joan's garden from down the road, I took Justin with me to pick some herbs and collect a bit of fire wood.

We came back with 4 pumpkins, 6 choko's, tomatoes, and a bag full of herbs- rosemary, basil , lemon mertly and oregano. I thought what the hell , let put it all in. It turned out well , the pesto has a deep rich flavour and is delicious. It took forever to make because I was not use to the tools I used.

Granny would have been very proud :). I look forward to further kitchen escapades.

Building an Aframe at Wild Mountains- the beggining bits ...

Learning to build an A frame has been lots of fun for us both!



Some of our work mates.

This is the view from our "office window".



This is where we started the building by laying out the bearers.



Then next were the joist's of the Aframe.



I have learn't a bunch about how things work and fit togther. Even how to get things "level" and square. So much fun, I am really enjoying learning how to build.



Justin measuring a Mitre cut.




This is where we are up to :) so far... looking forward to seeing it finished.

Much Love

Lizz

Wild Mountains

We are now at Wild Mountains, http://www.wildmountains.org , its an amazing place. The Wild Mountains Trust is an independent, community focussed, non-profit organisation providing leadership in environmental education and conservation. We are living in the loft of "Bruce's Shed" and each morning wake up to complete raw nature. One morning while brushing my teeth over the kitchen sink I looked out to spot a koala curled up in the crook of a tree. We are miles from anywhere and anyone.



We have dinner with our host's and good friends ( from the left Susan, Richard, Lizz and Justin) up at "Caddie's Place" most evenings and are never disappointed by the culinary delights.



Wild Mountains...magic :)

The Magic Head Shave

Mt Cotton Guest House

Hi all,

Mt Cotton guest house was a great way to start WWOOFing to ease into things. Although we didn't set out to learn much , as we were launching the book throughout our time there, we did end up with a understanding of how a bed and breakfast is run, insight's into how effective business systems are important within business from a new perspective and that caravan's are never comfortable. I (Lizz) got started learning how grinders and drop saw's work as well. The projects we completed in the end were a small walking bridge, repairs of a trailer floor, Justin created an outdoor seating area and I (Lizz) published a Mt Cotton Guest house Wwoofers manual. As when I arrived it took me over 3 weeks to figure out how to do simple things like which colour sheets go on which beds or how to use the dryer. We had the opportunity (??) of running the guest house entirely while Trevor was away for 10 days in Japan, an experience, it has given me the confidence to perhaps take on a position of Care Taker we were offered next year...but then again its a 24hr position so we will see when the time comes. The surrounds of the place were magic, I enjoyed not being assaulted by traffic upon waking and having all the animals around. Yoga and meditation in the mornings surrounded by bird song was inspiring. The birds, like rossellas, cockatoos, Australian king parrots and bush doves regularly joined us for breakfast with the seed we put out.


I (Lizz) also decided to shave my head, it was one of the most liberating things I have done in a while :) I had been toying with the idea for over 8 months as I wanted to experience the concept that our external appearance effects our identity and they way others treat us also challenge my view of beauty. I waited until after our wedding ( i could not imagine looking back in 20 yrs on a shaved head at my wedding) and the book launches. I have had some response's I was not expecting like the types of people who start conversation with me in ques and I had to strangers come up and hug me...all in all it has been a fascinating experience. My Gran also remarked that it is a great traveling hair style!

Much Love.