Over and over, this summer, we have gone to the land- Papatuanuku- the earth mother and over and over again she has welcomed, blessed and healed us. Her gifts are so many and generous- every day we learn new things about these offerings.
Just last Monday we headed back in to our beloved Esk valley to visit with the hawthorns we had seen. On the journey we discovered a whole forest of them- all lining a steep bank.
We both experience a peculiar sensation of home-coming when amongst the hawthorns.
This darling little fantail visited with us while we picked a basket of ripe berries- beautiful heart nourishing medicine.
We had been entrusted with the knowledge of a sacred & secret river spot that we discovered to be truly magical & a perfect place for tea.
The yarrow, apple and spear mints were still in bloom. The butterflies and bees didn't seem to mind where the flowers were- even in a jar on our little table.
Such a glorious hot day for early autumn and of course we had to bring this adorable tepee to put up in the meadow.
The Esk river in summer is clear, clean and ever so serene.
In the arms of Papatuanuku there is rest.
In the heat of the afternoon sun we swam in the cool waters.
We have gone out again and again to gather and to walk and to play. We have witnessed full moon rising
and breathtaking rainbows across the sea.
It is also through this time that we have come to understand, best expressed in the words of Ljeoma Umebinyuo, the Nigerian poet in her book Questions for Ada- "Bless the daughters who sat carrying the traumas of mothers. Who sat asking for more love and not getting any, carried themselves to light. Bless the daughters who raised themselves".
And so it is that we have come to realise that we have sat our whole lives carrying the traumas of mothers and barely living our own sacred lives. No longer will we tolerate the desecration of our precious lives by those whose hearts are filled with poison and whose mouths are filled with lies, whose unhealed wounds fester through to life's end. I cannot describe to you in words the full extent of the darkness and the evil that has been woven through our lives by those who should have loved us, but a day of reckoning for the their acts of desecration will surely come. I wish it weren't so, but it is true.
And so, we have set about creating our own Mainland Island Reserve, like this one we visited a while back at Boundary Stream near Tutira.
We discovered when we arrived that a Mainland Island Reserve is a sanctuary with a special predator proof fence that protects the native species within and therefore provides a safe haven for them to thrive.
Like this darling little North Island robin.
And this precious man called Rob.
It was about this time that I came across another beautiful Maori concept- that of Whanaungatanga which means: well, familiness, really.
1. (Noun) Relationship, kinship, a sense of family connection, a relationship through shared experiences which provides people with a sense of belonging. It develops as a result of kinship rights and obligations which also serve to strengthen each member of the kin group. It also extends to others that one develops a close familial friendship or reciprocal relationship."
And that's when we realised that we were "the ones asking for more love and not getting any so carried ourselves to light." And it was as we came to Papatuanuku that we experienced a deep sense of Whanaungatanga- familiness, belonging.
Suddenly we knew how precious we really were and that our lives are truly sacred and have been all along.
So when we came across this beautiful video that embodies Whanaungatanga so perfectly, we both cried and cried knowing too, that our marriage was meant for such sacred blessing.
And so it is.
Being a human being doesn't feel very marvellous for many of us, much of the time. There are so many who carry sadness, trauma, grief, pain; who wrestle with depression, suicidality or even just misfitment- we've been abandoned, cast aside or we just don't belong where we got deposited in to life...& it hurts. Perhaps for no apparent reason at all, there are those who just haven't figured out who they're meant to be- a disconnection from true self occurs and there's just no spark or colour. As a by-product of such states- addictions, ocds and personality, eating and social disorders can arise. In the past we've locked such people in asylums- away from the "normal" world, casting them off as worthless to society or branding them unsolvable.
Of recent times, new theories have suggested that the remedy for the spectrum of addiction is simply- connection. Simplistically, that's not a bad concept- after all, the higher self hook-up (a primal form of connection) has been the basis for the AA programme from it's inception. But...we've come to discover, through our long healing journey, that there's a whole realm of something quite else- something so deep and wide and profoundly restorative that it way surpasses mere connection and truly begins to resolve the melancholy many of us experience. The essence of this something else is called Hygge. Hygge has been popularised through social media and the internet over recent years and it's certainly a very happy concept and lovely of Norway and Denmark to let the rest of world in on their secret, but here in New Zealand some of the Hygge characteristics just don't quite fit our climate or our style. If you look up "what is Hygge?" you'll find it described as "cosiness" most of all, along with lots of nice lists about woolie jumpers, hot chocolate, blazing fires and socks. More recently there's been a leaning towards the inclusion of decluttering and even a touch of minimalism.
(Of course you don't have to be bruised or squashed to live a Hygge life you can just be a perfectly regular human being!)
Then one day we woke up and realised that our whole lives are Hygge (Hoo-gah) in the most wonderful and charming sense of the word and concept.
We began to realise that connection alone had healed very little for us, but as we began to settle in to the feel and space of the authentic people we have finally unearthed and become, we also began to find and live in the rhythms of of our kind of Hygge- and it is, in fact, Sunshine Vintage life.
Sunshine Vintage Hygge means coming to everyday life with the eyes of a child.
And simply paying attention.
To see and notice the tiny blue forget-me-nots in spring and remember the sweetheart rose Cecile Brunner of my wedding bouquet- now nearly 40 years a memory.
In fact, Hygge is brimming over with nostalgia.
It means allowing ourselves to hold, value, create the tiny darling things that mean nothing to the consumeristic world, but speak to our tender hearts of peace, comfort, safety and innocence.
It means rustic, homemade nourishing food so that even date slice (caramel square, cheese scones- doesn't matter what it is) is not just a "treat" but a happily included, heart- warming part of the day, the tea party, the picnic or the- "I think I'll make myself a cuppa & have a slice of that".
Fruit juice made in to jellies and stored in jam jars in the fridge speak to our child hearts and make us feel nurtured and happy, yet truly nourish our guts too,
The seasons and the gifts that pour forth from them, lift our spirits and amaze us with their faithful provision. Every October and November we keep our eyes peeled for elderflowers. The inhalation of the scent of an elderflower immediately reminds our ragged souls that life is good, help is at hand, and that just as before- all will be well.
Queen Anne's Lace is a wild flower that is a special flowery friend to me and I am always so excited when I spot her unique little signature gift- the red heart at her centre "No reason", she says, "just because I love you".
Blankets and rugs- vintage, hand knitted or crocheted, op-shopped, gifted or handed down they are one of our favourite Sunshine Vintage Hygge treasures. We have piles and piles of them- all in different shades and colours.
They often have dear label stories like this Robinwul.
Even cemeteries can be quaint Hygeely places where peace is found and homemade elderflower champagne is welcome.
There we may also find Heartsease, Johnny-Jump-Ups, Heart's Delight, Jack-Jump-Up-and-Kiss-Me.
A good farmer's market is a Hyggery kind of place where we might find connection, good conversation and Granny's Secret lettuces.
Light- all of it- sunrise, sunset, moon rise, "that certain kind of light" are all part of Hygge and how we see the world.
Garden rooms, small spaces, garden furniture, quirky toadstools, bouquets of wildflowers, vintage tablecloths and more old blankets- just in case it gets chilly, also warm our little hearts.
One of the artists that we loved the most out at the Wildflowers and Sculpture exhibition was Katie Whitcombe. Her work embodied a certain kind of Hygge. It was described in the brochure this way:
"Katie's work encompasses the old and sometimes forgotten. Here she has worked on the tools of the trade- saws that cut down trees and help build homes, wheelbarrows that carried heavy loads, spades that helped dig holes for foundations or to plant life. These items now have a new purpose, to remind us of the history and the beauty that can still be held in forgotten objects."
Fabulous, delicious, colour-full, beautifully crafted food from Hapi at the Farmer's Market made us feel special and it was delicious shared at Christmas.
Picnics in the landscape where we find ourselves perennially warmly welcome...
and we are offered gifts of food and medicine wherever we go.
Gloriously scented rugosa roses are just exquisite and dry beautifully too.
Fragrance and over-the-topness is a quintessential part of a Hygge life.
Bothering to be so intricate and well formed- just because that's what you're here for- to be a rosebud pelargonium is quite astonishing. Even better that they each have such lovely provenance.
Touch- especially the hand of a grandchild- suspended in time as precious.
Learn to sniff and savour like a child.
And delight in water- a sprinkler found for $2 that brings us squealing joy with it's rhythms as it waters the lawn.
And delight in hearts made for human joy.
Shepherd's Purses whom most see as a weed, but can staunch bleeding and save a life.
Cats know how to do Hygge perfectly- you just make yourself right at home, even in someone else's house.
The warmth of Hygge can envelope us at any moment- it's often wrapped in beauty.
Be-bothered to make butter curls for a picnic in the park, is a Hyggery thing to do.
Especially when that picnic is in the middle of a park garden, under the indulgent eye of the just emerging magnolias.
Of course Hygge is also found in books, illustrations and beautiful art.
There's something about the quirky, the unusual that offers itself as a joke but it delicious and makes us smile. Their grandiose name is Rampicante.
That something can be repaired or mended is also comforting and offers the gift of reassurance.
Wandering in the landscape we find ourselves continually welcome.
And look there too is Hygge!
The Hygge cafe at Clifton describe Hygge this way: Hygge is a Danish term pronounced "Hue Guh". It means the essence of what is good in this life. WARMTH HAPPINESS ENJOYMENT COMFORT PEACE Whether warmed by the fire or warmed by the heart. ~ The loving acceptance and enjoyment of the moment alone or together, away or at home ordinary or extraordinary with family or friends. ~ We believe in creating a sense of comfort. The place you are in, the people you are with, is important to us, so we aim to create you a sanctuary. We believe in celebrating and appreciating the seasons and look to making space to warm the heart. ~ Our food is sourced ethically and as much as we possibly can, organically. Our decor is chosen with the feeling of home in mind and we hope it sparks joy with you. ~ Immerse yourself in the gift of the moment.
Hygge is slow, nourishing comfort food
like roasted fig icecreeam
And a walk in the woods in early spring to gather wild violets
to make into this glorious violet honey syrup that heals a sore throat so beautifully and tastes amazing and is kept in the freezer!
Hygge is peering in the window of home and knowing that the lights are on just for you.
and a silence in which another voice may speak” Mary Oliver, Thirst
"The spell was broken. My uncle learned to laugh, and I learned to cry. The secret garden is always open now. Open, and awake, and alive. If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden."
Margaret Tarrant
Fairies I have met!
wouldn't it be wonderful to find this book
Katie daisy
The glories of spring
Remember you can click on any of my photos to see them better. Click on any words that are highlighted & that will link you to a new site to give you further information.
vintage Sanderson
"The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life." William Morris
"The past is not dead. It is living in us & will be alive in the future which we are now helping to make." William Morris
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