She hath wings

Learning to soar above life's storms

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about

I am a wife and mother of three beautiful children. I love to write, do craft, cook, visit the beach, shop, go for walks in picturesque places, play music and sing.
  • Waves In The Distance

    Waves In The Distance

    I’m lying in a tent, less than an hour from home. I can hear waves crashing in the distance and I remember the wonderful afternoon we had, sculpting the sand and dipping our toes in the water. A few waves took me by surprise so I ended up with jeans that were sandy and wet halfway up to the knee!

    An ibis wandered in the carpark soon after we arrived and greeted us on return from the beach. After a simple dinner of homemade souvlakis the kids and I played the McDonald’s version of Monopoly. That was the best Happy Meal toy my daughter has had I think!

    In the eucalypts overhead, we watched a ringtail possum leap from one branch to another. This is why I give up my comfy bed and reliable sleep. Nothing beats being out in nature.

    I recall a camping trip in my late 20s to Lake Elizabeth, in the Otways. There were glow worms in the mud at the start of the walk and we awoke one morning to find a sizeable koala climbing up a tree just a couple of metres from the tent.

    I generally find it hard to sleep while camping but now that all the families are asleep or quiet, it is beautiful to tune in to the night soundscape. I’m reminiscing about the camp fires and friends who surrounded them over a decade ago. I can still picture the laughter and eating too many roasted marshmallows. I’m also dreaming of some new camping experiences with some wonderful families we know. Now the kids are getting older and we have no travel restrictions, the possibilities are opening up!

    What are some of your favourite camping experiences? I would love to hear about them in the comments, or leave a link to a blog post you have written about it.

  • Tiptoeing My Way To Health

    Tiptoeing My Way To Health

    A few weeks ago I saw a little pink flier in letterbox, no bigger than my hand, and I decided to make inquiries. Adult ballet, available even for beginners, just 7 minutes from my house! The time slots will work in with the children and so I am starting in a fortnight. I have had an interest in dance for most of my life and over a decade ago I first had the idea of beginner ballet.

    The best part of all, was that somehow the classes are very affordable and my physiotherapist thinks they will be great preparation for Irish dance in terms of strength and flexibility. Also, doing stretches aids circulation, and having been sedentary a lot of the time due to many respiratory illnesses this year, this is a huge benefit.

    For those of you who, like me, have had limitations which prevent you from doing the exercise that you love, I encourage you to start small, rather that dive in to something too challenging and risk injury (which was my old way of doing things!). It’s okay for fitness and weight-loss to take time- the important thing is to make a small positive change rather than none at all.

    I may feel like an elephant wearing stilettos at first (!) but I have my eye on the prize- the ability to dance gracefully would be such a fun way to keep fit. Look out for the follow up blog post in a few weeks- I will let you know how it goes!

  • Caring Cats

    Caring Cats

    Do they park themselves next to you, keeping you warm,

    Or play with the pen in your hand?

    Do they meiow the house down when you put them to bed,

    Or distract you for hours, unplanned?

    Perhaps they greet you at the window,

    Or skid playfully across the floor-

    Do they curl up and clean away salty tears,

    Or offer you their paw?

    Often described as self centred at best,

    I have found it is not always true;

    There seems to be some cats on this earth

    Devoted to me and you.

    From dawn until dusk while they are awake,

    They’re involved in our routine;

    Drinking from our cups, staring down the toilet bowl,

    Or ‘helping’ us get clean!

    Jumping up on the childrens’ beds,

    Purring through “Story Time”;

    Chasing inanimate objects like mice,

    Always new heights to climb!

    Do they steal your heart, when you couldn’t love another,

    And cost you an arm and a leg?

    Do you give up your dressing gown, to keep them warm,

    And listen whenever they beg?

    Such beautiful creatures- our longtime companions,

    A language all of their own-

    Clambering into our hearts and our homes,

    With them, we are never alone.

    © M. Patterson 14.9.22

  • To My Dad

    To My Dad

    You weren’t always in agreement with me,

    But you were by my side;

    Serious when you needed to be,

    But always willing to chide.

    You worked long hours to keep us fed,

    Setting foot on many a shore-

    Oh how I wish that just for one day,

    You could come back through my door!

    You fixed my wounds and waited in hospitals,

    Driving me everywhere-

    You bought me things I didn’t need,

    Just to say, “I care”.

    Although you didn’t always have the answers,

    I believed you when you did-

    And I have so many great memories

    Of when I was just a kid!

    Today I long to bring you gifts,

    And hear you laugh again-

    To throw my arms around your neck,

    And let go of the pain.

    I know that Father’s Day comes and goes,

    But it reminds me of the bond we had;

    I hope you knew how proud I was,

    That I could call you Dad.

    © M. Patterson 3.9.22

  • Cats Choose Their People

    Cats Choose Their People

    Tonight I thought I would write a little post about Rosie, my cat. I have had her since Mother’s Day, 2013 and she’s still going strong, despite having thyroid disease.

    Due to a string of illnesses in the house and Rosie’s need for regular cortisone or antibiotic injections at the moment, I had to enlist help to get Rosie to the vet the other week. A contactless appointment was made. Rosie would be collected from the car and the driver could just wait in the vet carpark. Imagine my shock and amusement when Mav (not my husband’s real name) volunteered to take Rosie to the vet, given that Mum (then only other cat-over in our family) wasn’t going to be in our area at the right time. Mav is the man who has threatened to run over the cat, frequently exclaims, “You stupid cat!” and reminds me of how much money she uses per year (I don’t ask for flowers 🤣).

    I made a joke out of it and said, “ Here’s your chance- you can come home without her!” to which Mav replied, “I wouldn’t dare- I know the relationship would be over after that”. Who knew a fur ball could have such pull power?!!! After loading Rosie in her cage, I gave Mav some final instructions. “She likes classical music, not too loud. She will stop meowing once you are coming home from the vet!”.

    That poor cat was subjected to everything in Mav’s Spotify list it seemed. He was out to find out the true favourite feline hits for 2022. Mav came home in almost record time and declared, “It’s not the music! I’m convinced that she doesn’t like the bumps along the road as I drive!”. Trust Mav to turn it into a science experiment!

    The best was yet to come. Rosie and Mav now have a bit of an understanding. She comes up to him while he’s lying in bed or sitting in a chair and rubs around him like she owns him. She has picked her people, and his was the first ever lap she chose! Mav will go on declaring that he hates cats – Rosie especially. Yet he brought her home that day and so for Rosie, that is enough and she’s standing by her man! 😂

  • The Social

    It seems like it was just yesterday –

    The Grand Chain and the Strathspey-

    My purple skirt and cheery face

    Dancing lithely in the space!

    Travelling step, then right and left

    The music churning; timing kept-

    Those were the days of love and dreaming;

    Cares forgotten- face kept beaming.

    Easy to imagine that I could go far,

    As I danced the pas de basque.

    On and on, the music played-

    With energy I could have stayed

    Yet sadly I laid those shoes to rest

    Thinking that it would be best.

    *****************

    Now my daughter learns sevens with ease

    Over two threes and skipping knees

    A fun way for energy to burn …

    I have a notion to return!

    The Scottish dance continued on

    The Irish too, when it was gone.

    It doesn’t matter what I choose;

    My feet were born for dancing shoes.

    © M.Patterson 21.8.22

  • Yes You Can Change!

    Notebook ready,

    A list is made;

    Timeline, SMART goals –

    Mood is frayed!

    How to step over

    A sizeable rut?

    Food the medicine,

    For the wounds that cut.

    Then there was injury-

    So much of that;

    Nothing was going to

    Whisk away fat!

    Well-meaning family

    Didn’t understand ;

    Circumstances seemed to be

    Out of my hand.

    The will to change existed-

    Just a really bad run;

    Yet somehow I’d finish ,

    What was begun.

    The children were keen

    To see me recover-

    It would have been a dream

    To have an energetic mother

    Yet the years crept by

    And tears fell a-plenty

    Nothing would motivate;

    I ran on empty!

    Slowly, something

    Now starts to emerge-

    The past being processed

    I get the urge

    To throw off this weight,

    And find my true face-

    No better situation

    Than this time and space.

    Little by little,

    (Consistency the key!)

    I find this path

    Is freeing me.

    Not for praise

    Or stealing the scene,

    Living more fully

    Is what makes me want ‘lean’!

    Today is a new day

    With much hope within it

    I’m going to choose well

    Until the time that I get fit-

    On and on,

    This journey will go;

    No doubt with a change

    My heart will soon grow.

    **********************

    Ready to receive

    All that life has in store,

    You and I can change

    So we can live more.

    © M.Patterson 17.8.22

  • Returning From The Rubble

    Returning From The Rubble

    To say it crippled me, would be an understatement. Not only had I lost Dad, but my health kept taking a nose-dive, the house fell further and further into disarray, and my motivation was about as strong as Solomon’s in the book of Ecclesiastes, who wrote, “ Everything is meaningless!”. Little pockets of energy powered me now-and -then, but it took some time to come to this realisation; life moves on. I was waiting for things to improve before I embraced the moment. Now I know this must be turned on its head. Time waits for no one. Yes I may carry a pain around in my heart every day, but I can still be purposeful. Trials will come and go just as they did before Dad took sick, but it doesn’t mean I can’t accomplish things of worth. I had believed the lie- that my happiest days were over. No! It’s time to get up and live. Now is not a time to hide away. Now is a time to share some of the many things I carry in my head and heart.