As this move which consists of 1763km or 1095miles half-way across this vast country of ours edges closer, the inevitable "goodbyes" have begun. I'm not one for fuss, much preferring to slip away quietly with a quick "see you later."
But even those are hard.
Today my heart ached as I sat at my dear friend Sally's kitchen table for the final time for goodness knows how long. Sally and I may be women of different generations, but the similarities in our philosophies about being homemakers, living simply and frugality are oh so similar. She gently teases me for being a "funny old thing" who is just like her, which I take as the highest compliment.
We chat freely and openly about all manner of things sometimes laughing big belly laughs, other times sharing a few quiet tears. To know such friendship is a wonderful gift.
Every time I visit, Sally walks me through her cottage and the farm depending on the weather. Showing me what she is working on, her new tiny chickens in the veggie patch, her beautiful cows, the pigs, recent sewing projects, her clever cheesemaking while gently imparting her huge wealth of knowledge. I savour these tours and marvel at Sally and Brian's skills and resourcefulness, as well as the care they have for their land and their animals.
I also I caught up with a bunch of wonderful women at our monthly 'Slow Gatherings Barossa' this week, where women of all ages meet to primarily discuss Instagram and what we are each trying to do with the various small businesses and hobby's we each have. The catch ups are full of wonderful homemade food, a trading table of the excess produce we have in our gardens and women who all want to see the best for each other. Its a group full of encouragement and support as we navigate the sometimes baffling platform of Instagram, and ensuring what we are each doing is falling in line with our "why" and our long term goals. I later caught up with a new friend Angela who is a writer and a blogger from the group and we spent the afternoon talking about all things writing. Really I cannot describe the joy in finding this group, and I consider myself deeply blessed to have been part of such a wonderful gathering of amazing women.
I think about the women I have been friends with since high school, one of which is now my beautiful sister in law. The dear friends I have met through raising my children, the children my children have knows since 6 weeks old. I remember with gratefulness the times we have sat around each others kitchen table over long coffees, sharing in the trials and triumphs in each other's lives. sometimes with endless laughter other times shedding a few tears. But always supporting, encouraging and loving each other.
And then there was saying goodbye at all those I love at church.....Goodness, I blubbered a bit more there.
I'm not going to lie, leaving all of this is hard. It's painful. A kind of dull ache hits my heart and my eyes well with tears if I allow myself to think about it too much. These women may not all be connected to each other, but together they weave the very fabric that has sometimes been the only thing to keeping my head above water in this messy thing called life.
I am deeply thankful for these women, (and men in the instance of church!) for how they have shaped me, how they have loved me despite all my many quirks and imperfections.
As I reflect on the end of a season I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and love. If wealth was measured in a person's friends and family I reckon I would be the richest woman in the world. I think I might actually be the luckiest.
Much love,
Emma
xx
But even those are hard.
Today my heart ached as I sat at my dear friend Sally's kitchen table for the final time for goodness knows how long. Sally and I may be women of different generations, but the similarities in our philosophies about being homemakers, living simply and frugality are oh so similar. She gently teases me for being a "funny old thing" who is just like her, which I take as the highest compliment.
We chat freely and openly about all manner of things sometimes laughing big belly laughs, other times sharing a few quiet tears. To know such friendship is a wonderful gift.
Every time I visit, Sally walks me through her cottage and the farm depending on the weather. Showing me what she is working on, her new tiny chickens in the veggie patch, her beautiful cows, the pigs, recent sewing projects, her clever cheesemaking while gently imparting her huge wealth of knowledge. I savour these tours and marvel at Sally and Brian's skills and resourcefulness, as well as the care they have for their land and their animals.
A new bread of bantams that Sally has at the farm, brought in to keep away earwigs in the veggie patch. These guys are TINY, and they happily exist around the veggies without doing any damage. Sally has DIY frames with mesh over her herbs and seedlings until they are established, but then the veggies and the chickens co-exist well.
I also I caught up with a bunch of wonderful women at our monthly 'Slow Gatherings Barossa' this week, where women of all ages meet to primarily discuss Instagram and what we are each trying to do with the various small businesses and hobby's we each have. The catch ups are full of wonderful homemade food, a trading table of the excess produce we have in our gardens and women who all want to see the best for each other. Its a group full of encouragement and support as we navigate the sometimes baffling platform of Instagram, and ensuring what we are each doing is falling in line with our "why" and our long term goals. I later caught up with a new friend Angela who is a writer and a blogger from the group and we spent the afternoon talking about all things writing. Really I cannot describe the joy in finding this group, and I consider myself deeply blessed to have been part of such a wonderful gathering of amazing women.
The spread at our monthly 'Slow Gatherings'
And then there was saying goodbye at all those I love at church.....Goodness, I blubbered a bit more there.
I'm not going to lie, leaving all of this is hard. It's painful. A kind of dull ache hits my heart and my eyes well with tears if I allow myself to think about it too much. These women may not all be connected to each other, but together they weave the very fabric that has sometimes been the only thing to keeping my head above water in this messy thing called life.
I am deeply thankful for these women, (and men in the instance of church!) for how they have shaped me, how they have loved me despite all my many quirks and imperfections.
As I reflect on the end of a season I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and love. If wealth was measured in a person's friends and family I reckon I would be the richest woman in the world. I think I might actually be the luckiest.
Much love,
Emma
xx
