Campfire Songs

A few songs that will make me think of Embercombe for a long time:

Fields of Athenry

By the lonely prison wall I heard a young girl calling,
Michael, they are taking you away,
For you stole Trevelyn's corn,
So the young might see the morn,
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.

CHORUS: 

Low, lie the fields of Athenry,
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing,
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

By a lonely prison wall I heard a young man calling,
Nothing matters Mary when you're free,
Against the Famine and the Crown,
I rebelled they ran me down,
Now you must raise our child with
dignity.
REPEAT CHORUS

By a lonely harbour wall She watched the last star falling
And that prison ship sailed out against the sky
Sure she'll wait and hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay,
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.
REPEAT CHORUS

Two Little Boys

Two little boys had two little toys 
Each had a wooden horse 
Gaily they played each summer's day 
Warriors both of course 
One little chap then had a mishap 
Broke off his horse's head 
Wept for his toy then cried with joy 
As his young playmate said 

Did you think I would leave you crying 
When there's room on my horse for two 
Climb up here Jack and don't be crying 
I can go just as fast with two 
When we grow up we'll both be soldiers 
And our horses will not be toys 
And I wonder if we'll remember 
When we were two little boys 

Long years had passed, war came so fast 
Bravely they marched away 
Cannon roared loud, and in the mad crowd 
Wounded and dying lay 
Up goes a shout, a horse dashes out 
Out from the ranks so blue 
Gallops away to where Joe lay 
Then came a voice he knew 

Did you think I would leave you dying 
When there's room on my horse for two 
Climb up here Joe, we'll soon be flying 
I can go just as fast with two 
Did you say Joe I'm all a-tremble 
Perhaps it's the battle's noise 
But I think it's that I remember 
When we were two little boys 

Do you think I would leave you dying 
There's room on my horse for two 
Climb up here Joe, we'll soon by flying 
Back to the ranks so blue 
Can you feel Joe I'm all a tremble 
Perhaps it's the battle's noise 
But I think it's that I remember 
When we were two little boys

Soft Moves

When it is a Saturday and I am procrastinating doing computer work I need to do

I found myself playing in the Mezzanine.

 

(The top (it is one) is one I found in Trago that used to be Ruth's and the skirt I bought in a charity shop in Paignton when visiting Grandmom Franklin and Paddy.) 

Misculanious Pictures

The People's Circle. The orange tent is where I sleep most nights.

Mick, Ruth, and a group of the school kids just after lighting the lime stone (cobb) kiln

the school group spent the past 5 days making. 

Advice from a Dreamer

I raised my hand with gentle speed when the question of who wanted to be dreamer today was asked. It felt like my time. Here is something I wrote while dreaming: 

Adapt.

Be logical.

Be conscious and aware.

See the colors.

Walk on.

Love those you love.

Let the world keep turning.

Dance in the wind.

Harmonize with the birds.

Follow your nose and go back to the fresh air.

Have something with you.

Speak the truth.

Struggle.

Life isn’t flawless.

Let the sun warm your skin.

Leave the mud on.

Remember the memories behind the scars.

Listen.

Play.

Allow your muscles to grow.

Shape your life.

Breathe in the rhythms.

Touch what feels good.

Ride on the water.

Pay close attention to plants

-they will make or break you someday.

Life.

Feel.

See close.

Look far,

Hold on – and be sure to

Let go.

Take things slow.

Feel the ground under foot and know there will be brambles.

Allow questions to appear.

Ask for help and knowledge.

Remember what is important.

Know who you are and be constantly on the journey of discovery.

Moments cannot all be planned.

Understand to expect change.

Be open to accept.

Learn from everyone.

Watch the birds fly.

Soak up the love around you while not letting your ego grow bigger than your heart.

Take care of yourself.

Remember the good times.

Learn from those that weren’t good.

Let your stomach go empty every once and a while.

Give them a chance.

Love yourself.

Shape life to be a good journey.

Let the tears roll.

Know that everyday is different.

Thing about what you are willing to give.

Share.

Take care of what is yours.

Sit on the ground.

Know your body.

Treat yourself.

Acknowledge moments of suffrage.

Fill the air with joyous laughter.

Blow in the wind.

Eat what makes sense.

Be in the mindset of learning forever.

Stay warm.

Allow your eyes to wander.

Inquire.

Seize the day.

Live a caring life.

Simplicity will get you far.

Moments of solitude are necessary.

Interact with diversity.

Breath in curiosity.

Let go of boundaries.

Follow your instincts, they will not lead you too astray.

Hold onto leaves.

Pick up the laugnage around you.

Travel.

Be fair to yourself and others.

Stillness is educational.

Silence  -----

Chip away the layers of yourself.

See from many angles.

Express.

Give it time.

Today Looked (a Bit) Like This

There certainly are missing pieces (as there always will be) between this post and the last one, but for now I have got to just continue moving forward.

Today looked a bit like this...

Had the great intention of waking up around 7, having a nice lovely warm shower and some time to myself before the "work day" began.
The reality ended up me unzipping my sleeping bag around 8 AM and gobbling my bowl of oatmeal in front of the washing up sink just as the morning meeting bell rang at 8:30.
Community garden session turned into Dan, Vikki (16 yr old from Germany), Meg, (and her little one Patcha.) Hand weeding around spuds.
Lighting of the lime kiln the school groups that are here currently made.
Spent some time journaling with the horses waiting for Fi. Walked down the lane with Star on the lead with Fiona and Mikey in front of us.
Pizza oven dinner prep, full action, pizza (yum!) and clean up. (I jumped in and covered Cara's evening shift because she forgot to look at the rotter and didn't know she was on dinner shift. I was very content and out right happy in choosing to stay through to the end - leaving mid way through would have felt incomplete.
And now - sitting in the volunteer office, most likely one of the last ones on the property awake (it is 10:30 PM - on a 'work night.')

After working for about 12 hours today I am ready for bed, refreshed, experienced, and (as always during my time at Embercombe) excited for the next day - curious what it will bring, what I will do and all I will learn.

I might be the dreamer tomorrow. I am feeling a draw to that these past few days.

Leaving Paignton and re-arriving to Embercombe

Kitchens are some of my favorite and most comforting places.

Pasta with a veggie sauce. By the time I made it Grandmom and Paddy had fallen asleep.

Having just left Grandmom's - 6:30 AM.

Look closely! 

What I saw when I looked out the train this morning. 

Looks like a painting, almost too perfect. 

Walking from St Davids Station in Exeter (where my train dropped me) to Central station in Exeter 

where I was to catch my bus. Remembering doing the same walk on my way to Embercombe for the first time. 

A patch of beautiful fox gloves along the road on the walk to Embercombe. 

Ben told me the name of that flower and it really stuck with me. 

They are very beautiful. 

That yellow sign in the distance is pointing to the Embercombe driveway!

Good to be home.

I missed my wellies.

Re-connecting with the lake - it had been nearly a week.

My wellies have been many places. 

They are more often sitting waiting for my feet than they are actually on my feet!

Dan, Patty, and Luci (apprentice Lucy) weeding and hoeing. 

My friend Patty.

Exploring By Foot, Solo Style

A pretty road I wandered down.

Oppsie, I got a bit turned around. No worries!

I wanted a sink. I walked in to the bathroom and I found this...

Not helpful when I wanted a drink and to splash my face. 

Feeling goofy

The sunlight at the right angle. 

Just after I took this I passed a Mum walking with her son and daughter. 

I said 'hiya' as I do to most people and in return the little boy said "Hi Kiera." 

At a closer look I realized he was one of the little boys that helped with the school project. 

I could say it is a small world, but really I just happened to be about 5 blocks away from the school

and it was just after the end of their school day. 

My smile was so big as I continued to walk down the hill after that friendly encounter!

 Inspirations by Chloe and the weird Doll museum were both things that Ruth, Annabie, Ivo and I looked at during our lunch break the first day. Walking past again, solo this time, was interesting. Like I was walking history.

Walking to the school, just 2 blocks away now. 

A picture taken by standing on my tip toes and holding the camera over the wall from the other side of the very solid wall that surrounds the school. 

The garden boxes were part of our project. The shed/shelter roof was there before. 

Above the wall. What looks a bit like a castle is the school.

Standing on Grandmom and Paddy's balcony. 

This is a picture but really looks like a painting. The sky looks so deep!

Picture of a picture. Photo credit: Rebecca Sullivan.

This is from Feb 2013 at Ian's wedding in Florida. 

June 19th and 20th Journal Entries

Some clips from my journaling since I left my Embercombe family and walked to Grandmom and Paddy's:

June 19th 2013

What could be the sounds
of a bed hitting the wall
right now in my life
is the sound of an older person's foot steps
never knowing when they will stop.

My eyes grow heavy
as I lay in my Grandmom's bed,
as my hand strokes todays' mark (a future scar),
dirt under my fingernails,
sun kissed cheeks,
hair blown by the sea air,
and my mind reflecting the day on today,
thinking about the future
and connecting the dots of learning.

I am learning --> every moment.

I love love love being part of a diverse (age particularly) group in a public place. Seeming like a family with people who I met but 15 days ago and have been in many situations with since.

Life is good. My life is good.

June 20th

My reality feels like I am living a dream (70+% of the time).

Just spent a bunch of time with Craig. I learned, laughed, adventured, and ate good (definition?) food.

I love the high I get from traveling, seeing new/old places, and interacting with people that aren't in my everyday life.

Our (Craig and my) conversations felt like waves:
calm and flat at times
and one flowing into the other
at times. No matter what
type of wave was present
and evident it was still
really nice.
Refreshing.
Like the ocean itself;
so much unexplored.

Craig and I:
-talked about the difference and value in life smarts vs school smarts
-walked around town
-discussed distance in light years
---earth to the farthest (current) planet traveling at 186,000 light years per second would take 13 billion years...
-stuff, objects
-happiness
-Embercombe
-food
and more.

The air is damp both both from the ocean and the mist and fog.

All done with the journal entries--
There was so much more for today. Such a good day. It is nearly midnight and I really must be in bed. (Fingers crossed Totnes tomorrow with Craig will work smoothly and be full of joy.)
 
 

My First Night and Full Day in Paignton

I remember this very clearly from past visits.

On the way too Craing's.

On the Way Back From Craig's.

Henry and Craig.

Henry and Bob the tortoise. 

A wee bit of thatched roof hidding behind the wall of flowers.