Strathean - June 2014
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you
Don’t go back to sleep
You must ask for what you really want
Don’t go back to sleep
People are going back and forth across the
threshold where the two worlds touch,
the door is round and open
Don’t go back to sleep
(Rumi)
Strathean over summer was the driest we have seen in years, burnt to a crisp. However the rains eventually came and nature responded rapidly with fresh growth to repair the damage.
The Strathean Week saw a dedicated team achieve great results on the work front as well as ample time to discuss, meditate and enjoy good company. The large unproductive olive tree on the front lawn was removed to allow surrounding trees more room. Members gardened, weeded, cleared stone walls and started the clearing of grass from around the orchard trees. Harvest Weekend also provided a chance to enjoy each other’s company whilst peeling and chopping. We had only a small crop of apples after the hard prune, most of which were lost the hungry birds, but Wendy’s organic Hawkes Bay apples saved the day.
Strathean’s friend John Druce visited and felled 3 trees for our next batch of firewood. There was considerable excitement when one decided to become hooked up in its neighbour. John returned the following week to get it down and to cut the trees into rounds. We borrowed the neighbour’s tractor and that, combined with two utes managed to pull it free. He also returned with the log splitter and a combined, day long effort from the two Johns, Von and Norfolk granddaughter Hannah, we managed to split and stack all but a few rounds of the three trees. We have a great heap drying under the pines for winter use.
Although Strathean is well used by groups we do have the odd free weekend and midweek days when the house is available. Members are most welcome also to contact me regarding use of the cottage which is not always occupied, likewise the Studio which smaller groups do not use Otaki is a great base to explore the Kapiti Horowhenua area. Do phone or email me on Strathean 06-3643127 or [email protected]
Namaste. Yvonne and John
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