10 DEFINING MOMENTS

I was thinking about the post I wrote on the seedsavers blog about the trip to Tasmania all those years ago and the fact that I wouldn't be the same person now if I hadn't done that walk. It started me thinking about defining moments in our lives and also crossroads where we took a definite change of direction. Sometimes they are obvious but more often you can see them in retrospect, I think. Here are mine so far:

1. The day I decided I wasn't going to study to be a vet because it would have meant going to live a long way away and I wasn't ready (because there weren't any vet courses in my state universities). I gave up my desire to be a vet for African wildlife that day. So, I went the way of Japanese, French and the study of language, in general.

2. The day I told my year 12 maths teacher I was not going to her lessons because she was such a bad teacher and then, that same day, being voted class captain by my classmates (for standing up to her) and since she was the class teacher too she then knew that they were all behind me. I had been a nobody at school until then. That day I learned to have the confidence to stand up for what I believed in and that, once I did, others would stand up behind me but I would always be the one to act first and take responsibility for it.

3. One day I came home from uni and said I wanted to grow vegetables. I was 17 or 18 and I have no idea why I felt that way, but start I did, over 30 years ago. and never stopped.

4. The day I met Roger at a friend's 21st birthday; I was 18 he was 20. Also over 30 years ago! I knew that night that we were made for each other but it took me 6 years to convince him! I always get my way eventually.

5. Here slots in that walk in the Tasmanian wilderness, followed by many more wilderness trips.

6. Getting married - the proudest day of my life.

7. Being pregnant and having a baby. No words to describe how that defines you forever!

8. Then not much time for defining moments for about 20 years!...next one 2006 and the start of the Hills and Plains Seedsavers group and that first meeting at Fern Ave Community Garden.

9. Making the blog for the group. This has been the greatest change in my life since having children. Connections, writing, growing food for other purposes than just eating it, developing ideas and plans and looking at the 'why' in everything.

10. Deciding that this whole earth-care thing is what I want to do and realising that I am really happy with where it is taking me. Creating my motto:

"Life is Good. Get there fast and then take it slow."

Where to now? My idea for Australia's 2020 vision. Making it happen.

BONGIORNO

Mi chiamo Kate e sono australiana, di Adelaide. Il mio compleanno è luglio trenta. Lavoro a casa. Il mio numero cellulare è zero quattro due due quattro sei nove tre zero otto.Parlo japanese e parlo francese un po' anche studio l'italiano da 12 settimane.Non practico uno sport ora ma faccio la vela, la pesca, lo yoga e cammino. In tempo libero preferisco giardinaggio, cucinare e studiare l'italiano. Preferisco cucina greca e turca, il vino rosato, il tè al latte e preferisco il caffelatte.

Ho una borsa nera. In il mio borsa è una penna nera, una matita marrone, una gomma bianca e un cellulare rosso. Ho bisogna un vocabolario italiano ma ho un vocabolario japanese e un vocabolario francese.

In macchina ho un ombrello arancione e la patente di guida. Non ho una tessera.
Ho voglia di vigiare in Italia, France, England e Austria.

Ciao!



Maintenant, je l'écrirera en français parce-que .....l'année prochaîne je voyagera à Europe et donc il est necessaire de le practiquer chaque jour.

BORN FREE

I loved this song even as a child of 8 years of age. It featured in a movie/documentary of the beautiful book "Born Free", a true story about the Adamson's raising and re-release into the wild of several hand-reared lions in Kenya. Even at this young age I was attracted to the idea of being born as free as the wind blows. This blog is about freedom and I want to start by dedicating it to this book which started me on my love of Africa, wild animals and thinking outside the square. Here are the words:

Born free, as free as the wind blows
As free as the grass grows
Born free to follow your heart

Live free and beauty surrounds you
The world still astounds you
Each time you look at a star

Stay free, where no walls divide you
You're free as the roaring tide
So there's no need to hide

Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
'cause you're born free

Stay free, where no walls divide you
You're free as the roaring tide
So there's no need to hide

Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
'cause you're born free