This week I heard someone talking about not wanting to be ‘that kindergartener who thinks that their artwork is amazing while everyone else looks at it sadly’. OK maybe that sadness is only when it is a pensioner instead of a kindergartener – else it is just sparkling disappointment, or something like that.

Your honour, I give Exhibit A: the ‘art’ of my caped avenger that I created in a women’s group. “Nature Goddess” can communicate with all animals and plants and rescues animals in need. I loved her and when I created her I put her on my fridge – yes like a proud kindergartener.

She lived there until too many people asked if my grandkids made it and I had to admit that nope, I did. I realised to other people it was pretty rubbish ‘art’ for a grown woman, but I saw what was behind it. The feeling of belonging to the woman’s group. The fun of play and creation. Thinking about what I saw as beneficial to the world but still fitting my ‘brand’.

This week I had just finished my morning prayers outside and Finn came up to me and gently dropped something at my feet. I thought it was a piece of wood and went to pick it up to throw it for Finn and I then realised it had eyes. It was a tiny little dead mouse (not THE DeadMaus). Mousie was not killed by Finn, he was discovered in the hedges. I hope the neighbours are not putting down poison, I worry about the animals getting hold of something that died by poison.

Then when I was sitting at the back later that day I saw a movement and looked up to see a little squirrel slipping down the tree towards the bird feeder. He dug around and saw nothing of interest then tried to get seeds from the other feeder but both needed to be refilled. He knew I was there, he looked at me and I told him he was safe from me. He casually poked about then wandered across the grass and headed to the front garden.

I had to break up a fight between 2 pigeons this week. There is a young pigeon that sits in the trees of the fairy garden often. Lil Pigeon was sitting calmly on the ground and a bigger Pigeon (Big P) flew down, shrieking and flapping and fought with Lil P. I loudly said ‘Hey! You are both allowed to be here if you behave! If you are rude you must go elsewhere.’ Lil P and Big P looked at me, looked at each other, turned and walked in opposite directions. I half wondered if they might whip out tiny dueling pistols and only one of them would survive but no, they just huffed off.

Last Saturday I mentioned that I went out with some girlfriends for lunch. For our outing I wore a new outfit I have had for ages but not worn since I seldom leave the house. The pants are from Me&B and are massive but have a drawstring so they do not fall off. The shirt is my beloved Jackalope shirt. The shoes are from Leluya and I love them. I now have 5 pair in a variety of colours.

I met up with Louise and Yolande for lunch at Izakaya Kúkai, the fabulous Japanese restaurant in Hout Bay. We were celebrating good news for Yolande so they cracked open a nice bottle of bubbles.

We chatted so much I forgot to take pics of all of the food. I had bang bang prawns as did Louise. Then I had the tempura prawns.

I also had a portion of the salmon roses sushi which was so fresh and delicious.

After I got home I kept feeling this weird bubbly feeling in my stomach. I had to stop and question it, going through my interoception wheel of many colours. Interoception is the internal sensory system that allows you to feel and understand what is happening inside your body. I have mentioned I am not very good at knowing what I am feeling. I often do not become aware of an issue until I am in crisis. I finally figured it out. It was Happiness! Just pure unadulterated happiness.

One of my elder communications really struck me. “How happy we should be to talk to the Grandfather, to have the choice to start each day on the Sacred Spot – our place of communion with the Great Spirit.” I do this daily and it grounds me so.

I feel like I am finally release a lot the trauma my body has been hanging onto. My hip pain is gone, my body is stronger and I am content. I feel so much calmer. I am jumping every afternoon, I missed on Thursday as I seem to have a bit of food poisoning. My abdomen was cramping something dreadful. I did not eat because it made me instantly cramp. I was back to it the next day however.

Sunday was another day of miracles and animal performances in my fairy garden. I had a Sunbird fly over to snack on the Indian Hawthorn bush, then he went over to the hanging baskets, then he flew in a circle around my hanging dragonfly lights, then came under the patio cover and flew in a circle over my head. Norm was standing there or he never would have believed it.

Usually by the time I grab a camera they have hummed off away elsewhere. Occasionally I catch images of them but it cannot represent the feeling of them humming around above your head.

Then a little squirrel came out before I had a chance to fill the bird feeders and he did not seem impressed with the lack of service at my little restaurant.

A small robin chat was pretty much living back there all weekend and I assume it was the mother of the nesting babies. At first, I suspected it was one of the babies as they say they stick close to the nest initially. It was also so clumsy. It kept crash landing. It tried to eat out of the bird feeder and it just kept tossing out the pieces of fruit onto the ground like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

I was walking toward the fairy garden & the robin was hopping about on the paving to my left. We gave each other a surprise, I shrieked and she squeaked and then I laughed a lot. She kept hopping near to me and flying away only when Poppy gave in to her urges and chased her away. Poppy sat watching her for ages.

Then on Thursday the Robin disappeared. There has been no activity near the nest since the sparrowhawk was here and I began to suspect Mr Sparrowhawk had eaten the babies. He was visiting for a reason. I hoped the Robin just left while I simultaneously imagined a dramatic death due to a broken heart. But is that just every day life for a bird? I remember last year we had 4 Robins in our garden, the 2 babies and the parents. I will not have that this year.

Then on Friday I looked out and Miss Robin was bouncing across the grass! Who knows where she went? Maybe she went to get some more babies loaded up from a nearby boy Robin? Maybe she had therapy because she certainly seemed calmer.

I had a lot of other birds step up to fill the gap. On Friday morning I woke to a bird singing loudly outside our bedroom window. When I went downstairs to say my prayers on the hill, I heard him singing still. I turned and asked him to please fly to the top of the tree so I could see who he was. I told him his voice was delightful and thanked him for his song.

He flew up to the tippy top of the tree and perched there and continued his song. It was a lovely Cape Bulbul. This is not my image and he did not have a black face, but you get the gist. My tale is more about accepting the magic of the moment than it is about science. If you want to learn about the different Bulbul we get in South Africa here is a link.

The weather has been a bit all over the show again. We had several days of wind, some hot, some chilly and everything in between.

There has been so much traumatic info in the news this week. We have all heard the horrendous news from Nepal, I ask for mercy on the humans, animals and plants.

We lost one of the world’s most beloved humans, Dolly. I watched Dolly on the Porter Wagoner show with my Granny and we loved her even then. I remember her becoming famous and thinking how proud I was of her. I followed her career and always loved her.

We also lost one of the most talented actors ever. Tim Curry, made a household name by starring in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’. When I was in high school we attended this movie every Friday night for months. I have seen it live in London, Atlanta and soon in Cape Town. I may be a little obsessed. He was able to transform into any character and make it his own. RIP to Tim.

Today we have woken to a very overcast day and intermittent rain showers. I have a few girlfriends coming over this afternoon to hang out and I always prefer to be outside. Hopefully it will be warm enough at the back of the house that we can sit there.

I wish you all a wonderful week ahead. Until next time, Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxxo