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Tag: balloon animals

February 15, 2014January 24, 2015 The Green Garden

Out of the mouth of Albie: Conversations with Balloon Dog

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Biggest frost of the year. Brrrrr. Hold tight for the morning sun rays my garden friends!
Amazing launch of Pūtātara, a resource I wrote for the Ministry of Education. Pōwhiri and celebration at Raumati South School, with Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins and Minister of Climate Change, James Shaw as well as Professor Wally Penetito. Big feels! Thanks @chrishipkinsmp @jamesshawmp for your presence in busy schedules, and to the school for putting on a fabulous welcome. 🌱💚⚡️
This week, seven years ago, Albie had a massive cardiac arrest and lay in a coma. Which is to say, I know it’s been a long time now and I’m a little sorry for bringing it up. Which is to say, I still remember the ground falling away from me in shards and my arms desperately clawing skyward. Which is to say, that every year, despite the intervening time, a shape still boxed and packed, springs forth at this appropriate calendar slot, with these memories. It’s an amorphous blob of laden feelings - somewhat unexpected this year, to be honest, but delivered to my emotional stoop nonetheless. Which is to say, the shape of the package has changed over time. There’s a lot more gratitude in there now and much less terror, for which I’m thankful. Which is to say, this week is our Family Week, and we celebrate being four people and not less. Which is to say, we’ve planned all sorts of treats for our boys, starting with lunchboxes packed today with two types of sugar (unheard of unless there’s a party) and culminating in mini putt and ten pin bowling. Which is to say, the 8 year old boy did the brainstorming. Which is to say, we should have lost him, and we didn’t and I can’t believe it still. So, brainstorm away kid. Which is to say, we’re profoundly lucky and actually, may I never bemoan the memories that bring this back to me, because I am, and we are. Which is to say, hug your loved ones. Hug them tight. Life changes on a dime. Or it doesn’t. Which is to say - either way - we grow.
Upped my vibration at TEDX Wellington today. Considered human right measurement, sustainable housing, ecological periods, mindfulness, body positivity, garden to table communities, and the future of prisons to name but a few. Deeply moved by @m3mindfulnessforchildren , deeply inspired by @everybodyisatreasure deeply motivated by @wa.collective , and deeply excited by @gedfinch A Sunday very well spent.
So stoked to see Pūtātara go live, a resource I wrote in collaboration with experts and teachers. It gets launched officially by Minister Hipkins next Thursday. Proud as punch. Link in bio.💥
My soul tells me quietly. And each time I bury my hands in the earth, I know it loudly. We need to go back to this. What if the food we ate had only travelled the distance from our working, honest hands to our mouths? What else in the world would change as a result of that? There are heralding cries for the need to be more plant based. But it’s too simplistic. Switching to highly processed, globally-travelled, plastic packaged plant based products from a different corporation won’t deliver the change we desperately seek. The cry should be for us all to be more earth-based. Bind our fingers to the soil, not to our wallets. I revel in there being no intermediary when I grow food for my family. No miles, no chemicals, no exploitation, no plastic. So much liberates and solves itself when we realise that we are all in relationship with Papatūānuku, our earth mother. What’s your relationship with her? Stunning image from @mollyccostello

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