Withywindle Wanderers

The woman is perfected. Her dead Body wears the smile of accomplishment, The illusion of a Greek necessity Flows in the scrolls of her toga, Her bare Feet seem to be saying: We have come so far, it is over. Each dead child coiled, a white serpent, One at each little Pitcher of milk, now empty. She has folded Them back into her body as petals Of a rose close when the garden Stiffens and odors bleed From the sweet, deep throats of the night flower. The moon has nothing to be sad about, Staring from her hood of bone. She is used to this sort of thing. Her blacks crackle and drag. Sylvia Path

Daddikins!

Eowyn's photography! Bens is off to Oregon blackjacking, so it's all Ladies at the Adies!

Thanks Bucca!

30 teeth, would you believe now this one just fell out, perfectly celebrating Seren turning 30!

30 Mushroom slices celebrating 30 years or Seren, whom We've called 30 times today to sing HAPPY 30TH BDAY SEREN!

Hurrah!!

Sisters...

Coco's discovery . . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEREN!

And there are more celebrations of wonderful Serendipity Rose at Dad's new blog!

I love you, dear Sister! I remember rocking your dark brown wooden cradle before you were born, longing for you to arrive in the world. I remember peeking around the door, watching Mum groan through a labour pain in her rocking chair by the fire. I remember dancing in ballet class while you were being born, SO excited to meet you. I remember looking into your eyes, holding you, loving you, being so proud of you. I love you as a newborn baby, snuggled in my arms. I love you as the little darling blonde toddler who would follow me around, talking in your dear little high-pitched voice, so responsive to kindness. I love you as my dearling room-mate in Queenstown - you would wake up in the morning so full of energy and delight, and stand in your cot talking to me, as I slowly opened my sleepy eyes. I love you as a ballerina, beginning aged 3, so elegant and graceful and perfect in your movements, shimmering and silvery in your 20's dance outfit on stage in Kyabram. I love you as a lit...

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things - Gerard Manley Hopkins

Dad at the JOSEPHINE dinner party @ Katie's! thanks Katie!

Dad is here!

30 daisies celebrating 30 Seren years!

My little family and I just watched The Princess Bride at our friends the Crawfords, in their outdoor theatre, under the stars and the waning gibbous moon. 6 year old Eowyn snuggled up on my lap, really enjoying herself, reminding me of 6 year old Sam, whom I took to see The Princess Bride in 1987, in Port Macquarie, who also really enjoyed it!!! And sang the theme music, 'Our love is like a story book story' at Benjamin and my wedding in Port Macquarie, (at which I don't think anybody was 6!) 9 year old Seren and 12 year old Rachel also accompanied me to see TPB that first time, as well as the younger Beiers, and tonight, 4 year old Coco, 33 year old Bens, and the Crawfords and Co.! Layers and layers of connection over the years. I wonder what it's like to be 97? Miracle Max and Mrs Miracle Max are my favourite characters. Just before I left for Africa in 1996, I watched their bit again and again and wrote out the lines and used them in a talk I gave on the lawn outsi...

30 Toes, Celebrating Seren's 30 Years!

30 Leaves, for Seren!

30 Spaghetti, for Seren!

30 Lego Blocks, for Seren, arranged and photographed by Eowyn!

30 Crayons for Seren!

30 Fluffy Beads, for Serendipity Rose, who is turning 30!

...Darling Josephine June Traverse (who LOVES being massaged!!!!!!)

Coco and Mummy's Annual Bastille Day Afternoon Tea!

Do you know who's my bestest friend in the whole wide world? asked Eowyn... NANA!

Susan Ann Eaton Ady Thanks Uncle Steve!

Yesterday was Nana's funeral. There was a beautiful photograph of her as a bride at the front of the church, with the most gracious, demure expression on her face. Somehow, having an actual funeral made the fact of her death real, causing deep tears to flow from my heart down my face. People's stories about her - her gentle kindness, her love of laughter, her impishness - made me thankful for her. I can't understand why I was so mean to her in the early years of Bens and my marriage. I think moving to the USA was so overwhelming for me, I feared I would be consummed and somehow lose who I was, and where I was from, in a culture which was so all-encompassing to those existing within it. On her deathbed, dear, gracious Nana expressed to me a deep understanding of the pain I went through during that transition. Her words and soft looks and touch were so healing for me. I love her. I love that she has the grace to forgive me for pushing her away. She has been a wonderful, lovin...

Just heard my NEW NEPHEW's lovely voice after a delightful phone conversation with Anita, Tom, Eddie and Sebastian!

Lake Washington, where i just swam, nakefrei! i finished Les Mis, girls @ summer camp, and Bens i-view w Obama Campaign!

Megan says I have to tell you that this is Benjamin blogging, because the Americans will get angry if they think it's her calling it "Empire Day" (presumably because she's Australian and somehow that means she doesn't have the right to make political comments about America. which is ludicrous. But I digress). So--this is Benjamin blogging. If you're angry that I called it Empire Day, please feel free to let me know at Benjamin DOT Ady AT gmail.com. I'd love to talk about it.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!