At times, it can really stretch us – living with lots of different people. But we can learn so much about ourselves  when we are surrounded by others. Life is really full and amazing – seeing so many different aspects of the Divine coming together!  We are so grateful to be a part of this new developing place we call home.

There is always so much happening around here – from looking after the animals to working in the gardens…. And I had to smile this morning as Les and I lay in bed and we counted all of our blessings. Even the ones that are teaching us to be stronger and more lovingly assertive.

This is such a beautiful practice – to be Thank-Full. Practice this today with your loved ones.

We have new WOOFAs arriving – to help us with the gardens. We are also going to be making a new compost area for the garden waste. The chickens are growing  and come running when they hear my voice. The guinea pigs are thankful they are not sharing their cage any more with the chickens! They were petrified of them. (I only had the chickens in with them for 1 day because of their reaction!!) Will is happy with lots of people around – always someone to give him a pat. And the donkeys are using their new stable – which is great news! Yoshoda looks like she will give birth soon.

I have been reading Peter Andrews book called “Back from the Brink” about the soil degradation that has happened in Australia. It kind of puts me off getting more hard hoofed animals for Heartland due to the way they compact the soil. But we need some way of keeping the grass down – we have so much of it! (A good 4 wheel drive tractor will be the way to go I think).

All the natural animals species from Australia are soft footed. Nature seems to exist in harmony – until humans come along & want to change everything to suit ourselves! When will we ever learn? Hopefully, we are starting to wake up!

Until next time – count your Blessings!

Trudi

When we went to the farm barn to find some chickens to bring home to Heartland, we found some really cute fluffy yellow chicks all happily cheeping away. It said on the outside of the cage “meat chicks” but I told the salesman that I would like to purchase some of those chicks to lay eggs. The man said that particular variety don’t lay many eggs at all and are specifically grown for meat.

I said “ but all chickens lay eggs and I don’t want to eat them so I will just buy them for their eggs even if they don’t lay many”.

“Those chicks only have a very short life span – they will grow quickly and will die in just a few months” he said. “That’s what they are bred for – a quick life where they fatten up fast and then they get killed. If you don’t kill them they will die anyway. Sometimes they grow so fast that their legs can’t even support their big bodies”.

Well I have to tell you, I knew that at chicken farms the chicks are fed growth hormones so they grow quickly & get killed young. What I didn’t realize is that now there are specific breeds of chicken just for this purpose – to grow fast & fat as quickly as possible – and no longer able to just simply be normal chickens & grow normally & lay eggs like normal chooks!

Chicken used to be my favorite food – and the one I craved the most when I stopped eating meat. I think all people should get to know what they are eating a little better.

Eat with Awareness & Good Health!

Trudi

We have 2 very special ladies helping us at the moment and both their names start with “M”. Hence their nickname M & M’s!  Maxeen is here for 3 months and is the most amazing helper and supported & giver. She always goes the extra mile – happily doing for others all the time. Malfred has joined us a couple of weeks ago and she has taken on looking after the vegie garden from Richard. So the Heartland vegies are well loved & nurtured!! We’ve been eating the tastiest lettuces & pak choy!! We are having cucumber juices just to use them up and it really is delicious. We have just eaten our first radishes, and the tomatoes & corn are almost ready. It is so wonderful to be eating what has come out of the soil here. It fills our hearts with joy as much as it fills our tummies with nutritious fresh food!

The latest addition to the Heartland farm are some chickens. We first bought 3 bantam chicks and we had them for a few days then we bought 4 baby guinea fowl. We slowly introduced them, somewhat a bit nervously as we thought it was possible the bigger ones would peck the smaller ones (we were told this might happen). But when we let the little ones out, they scrambled over each other to get to the bantams. The bantams have taken on the roles of “mothers” to the little chicks. It has been so cute watching them and learning about them.

At the moment, it is raining due to the cyclone off the coast. So it is a wonderful day of watching the rain and catching up on indoor things.

I have been learning so much lately. Everything “out there” is a reflection of what is happening “in here”- in ourselves. In our thoughts, in our emotions, in our actions….. and I  am learning more and more about clear communication. We need to be clear in our minds & clear in our hearts. Then we can have clear thoughts. In this way, we can speak without being in the past. We can speak without the baggage of yesterday.  We can speak about what is in this present moment and not be in the illusion of what has been.

We can learn to always come back into our inner heart and listen to the silent voice within. I think there is far too much chatter in this world. Its like we have to fill every silent space with what we think we know and then while we are so busy chattering about nothing-much… we miss hearing the silent voice of God.

Why do we have this need to fill every space? Why are we so afraid of being silent? Is it because we fear what God will say? Do we fear what our inner voice will tell us? Are we constantly running from ourselves because we really can’t stand ourselves? Why do we not simply be still (and quiet) …… and listen to God.

This sounds so simplistic – and it is! But to actually do it…..well… we can think of a million reasons why we can’t, don’t, won’t…..too busy, too this, too that….. but if we just STOP for a few moments each day, connect to our hearts, and sit in the quiet stillness, we can make a space in our hearts to welcome God.

Blessings & peace,

Trudi