The Māori Goddess Taranga by Robyn Kahukiwa

In Maori legend, Taranga is the mother of the god Maui and her husband is named Makeatutura. When Maui is born prematurely, Taranga wraps his body in her hair and throws him into the waves. In the ensuing years, sea-creatures care for Maui, hiding him in the sea coral and kelp until one day following aContinue reading “The Māori Goddess Taranga by Robyn Kahukiwa”

10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #52

Put on your red shoes and get ready to dance the night away to these funky sounds, through the cavernous expansive realms of history, time and space. Don’t forget to pack your space suit and have a safe journey… What Life Was Like For Pompeii’s Citizens? Pompeii With Mary Beard The great Mary Beard, myContinue reading “10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #52”

People make things to express their need (or fear) of connection

“It seems funny to think that healing or coming to terms with loneliness and loss, or with the damage accrued in scenes of closeness, the inevitable wounds that occur whenever people become entangled with one another, might take place by means of objects. It seems funny, and yet the more I thought about it theContinue reading “People make things to express their need (or fear) of connection”

Ancient word of the day: Uncanny

The ancient word of the day is Uncanny. This is the feeling of encountering a landscape, person or object that is both frightening and unsettlingly dissonant. Freud coined a similar word for this “unheimlich”— which is to say, eerie and both homely and unhomely. I’m sure you would be able to recall some uncanny encounters,Continue reading “Ancient word of the day: Uncanny”

10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #49

Roll up, roll up to this multi-tent travelling circus of bizarro delights. I promise a hall of funny mirrors, weird alien creatures and music to get your hips thrusting, just be careful not to thrust openly on the train, but if you are in a car or in a bed with someone it may beContinue reading “10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #49”

Ancient Word of the Day: Whelm

Whelm originates from Old English and it means to overturn or capsize a hollow vessel (a boat, a heart); to bury by wave, flood, storm, avalanche. The etymology is from the Old English hwelfan, to ‘upheave’. This explains the modern use of “overwhelmed” and “underwhelmed”. No voice divine the storm allay’d, No light propitious shone;Continue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Whelm”

Book Review: Two Sisters: Unsolicited Advice to my Daughters by Małgorzata ‘Googie’ McCabe

A beautiful compendium of universal wisdom that’s simple, wise, soulful and timeless. I fell in love with this book as soon as I saw it. The illustrations and words are by my wise and kind friend Googie McCabe who wrote this book for her two beloved daughters, as a way of healing and dealing withContinue reading “Book Review: Two Sisters: Unsolicited Advice to my Daughters by Małgorzata ‘Googie’ McCabe”

A History of the Beautiful Highland Cow

Highland Cows or as they are commonly known in Scotland Highland Coos are an ancient breed known to have grazed the rugged Scottish landscape since the sixth century. Their genetic origins are still up for debate. They may be native to Scotland or introduced by the Vikings to Great Britain. One scientific train of thoughtContinue reading “A History of the Beautiful Highland Cow”

Artists & Writers in their Own Words: Monica Olivia

Introducing my poetic, spiritual, wise and beautiful friend from Norwegian Lapland Monica Olivia. She is a self-taught Sámi artist who makes art of mind-blowing beauty using a palette of vivid hues found in the most northerly regions of the earth. Monica also has a spiritually nourishing and beautiful blog ‘Ask the Mountains‘ where she writesContinue reading “Artists & Writers in their Own Words: Monica Olivia”