And the dreams that you dreamed of really do come true

Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high

And the dreams that you dreamed of once in a lulluby

Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly

And the dreams that you dreamed of

Dreams really do come true ooh oooh

Someday I'll wish upon a star

Wakeup where the clouds are far behind me ee ee eeeh

Where trouble melts like lemon drops

High above the chimney tops that's where you'll find me ooh

Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly

And the dream that you dare to, why, oh why can't I? iii iii iii

Version sang by Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole

This song has been my new mantra, my dad was singing all the time throughout his visit here in Columbus, it was so awesome to have music throughout my home everyday and every night, I'll miss the sweet sounds however it will always resonate in my heart in my soul and now in my son's heart & soul, Kia Ora dad, ka aroha au kia koe.

Studio 7.5

A big part of my life here in Canal Winchester is spent in my studio called Studio 7.5. What alot people don't know about me is that I am blessed with a beautiful art space shared with 7 talented amazingly beautiful women. Studio 7.5 is a co-operative art studio locted at 7.1/2 North High Street in Canal Winchester, Ohio. The Studio opened its doors in March of 2005 with four members and has grown to its present membership of 7 artist. It is located in the center of town in one of Canal Winchester's historical buildings which is over 100 years old. Since the Studio is a working space, each member maintains her own space. I remember the first day I visited downtown Canal Winchester back in 2001, I was standing outside the Harvest Moon Cafe on Waterloo Street looked up at the big window above the cafe and said to myself, "I wonder what its like up there, imagine if it were an art studio I'd love to have that space", unbeknowst to me that my goal that was set many years before in Australia to have an art studio above a coffee shop were about to come true. Sandy is one of the 4 founding members and we are both apart of the Canal Winchester Art Guild (CWAG) and had mentioned to me if I were interested in joining and having an art space that I needed to act quickly, of course at first no, there's no way I have enough arty stuff to even fill up the space, oh I was in denial. After a trip back from Australia, I knew that the members had moved in and so I decided to go visit the studio and once again I fell in love with the space and Sandy asked again whether I'd be interested and I told her that I had to pray on it and if I get the message to go ahead I'd let her know, well what have you that night I just couldn't sleep and the very next morning I went ahead and a few days later was signing the lease to my little 12x12 art space. I haven't looked back and am very blessed to be apart of such an amazing experience, these women have become my extended family, support and creative energy and I so appreciate them very very much, just the other day when I came into my space I noticed a beautiful big canvas with a portrait painting of my son Sydney on it, Margaret gave me it as a gift, I am so blessed, that's how they do around here. I'm gonna bless her with an amazing art piece of mine as well, its a beautiful energy exchange, enjoy the portrait I know I will. Well everyone enjoy your labour weekend, if your in downtown canal come visit us at the studio we'll be open Saturday only between 12-4pm we'd love to see ya. You can view our artist website at www.artstudio7-5.com.

love & light
r
:)

You Grow Girl

So when my mum & dad came to visit she and I got a chance to dash off and I took her for a looksy around Easton Town Center and we met up with my three angels Angie, Michelle & Baby Sunny for lunch at Chipotle, she loved the taste of Chipotle and we had the best time with the girls, laughing and bonding and cracking up about the littlest things, anyways as we walked around she noticed all the beautiful plants that were landscaped around and of course being my mum she couldn't help herself and picked starts off of all the plants for me as you'll see in the attached photo's, well they have been in water for the past 2 weeks and now have rooted and you'll see in the following photo that I have finally planted them into their pots and hopefully over winter I'll be able to keep them alive and well so they'll be able to see another summer. I think my mum will be proud of what I've done, I so am loving my green thumb its has been so healing for me mentally to be in my garden, I thought my garden needed me however it turned out that I so needed my garden.

Speaking of the garden, we picked Sydney's first cucumber, red capsicum (bell pepper), and sweet tomatoes for dinner this evening, I so enjoyed cooking up some Pad Thai with our home grown vege's, this is what life is all about and now we're getting ready to watch Barrack Obama's acceptance speech for the Democratic Party, a historical moment for America, 50 years after Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech we will be witnessing the first African American Man stand before us to take on this important role as nominee for President may God bless him and his family.

Summer Fun

It's official summer is over, Sydney starts back at school today, he's entering 3rd grade at Liberty and is extremely excited in going back to school, his enthusiasm to learn just excites me and the fact that his 3rd grade teacher sent him a Welcome to 3rd grade postcard was even more special, I can feel another awesome school year ahead for him, for us all and I'm looking forward to what new and wonderful ideas he'll be coming home with.

As summer comes to a close I sit here contemplating about our summer break and what great and wonderful things we've been up to. The last time I made a blog was at the beginning of August and its now the 27th, so where do I start, there's so much to report that I'm gonna have to put it into bullet point form and elaborate on each point as different blogs as the month goes on, there's one thing I can report is that 2008 has been the most enjoyable summer I have experienced here in Columbus ever and I've been here for 9 years now, my anniversary date will be Sept 16, I remember this because I came over to visit my fiance at the time for my birthday which is Sept 16 back in 1999 and never left. I had one suitcase of summer clothes, big wide brown eyes and a smile to match and no idea that I'd be relocating to the states literally reinventing myself, my being and my life. Fast forward now to summer 2008 and here I am a local of Canal Winchester, surrounded by wonderful people and now have a wardrobe of not to shabby clothes, I've come a long way from that little maori girl in Sydney, Australia, yep I'm now that little maori girl in Canal Winchester with a little maori boy son Sydney & me hubby Dazza (thats aussie for Darryl) and enjoy reading our summertime stories.

* Scout Camp

* Sydney's Herbie Birthday

* Rocket Making

* Ward Family Reunion

* Parents visit from Downunder

* Experienced our first Native American Ceremony - Blessing of

the land

* Listened to some great speakers, Randy Sanders - Tree Farm Owner

Ken Harsh - Crystal Rock Guru

* Sunflower Garden, Vege Patch

* Met new friends, creative energies

* Inspired creatively

* Master Weaving Class with my Mum

* Reiki Attunments

* Baby Homebirths

There's so much to share and talk about stay tuned and I'll update ya'll for sure.

Peace

Love & Light

r

:)

New Month, New Moon, New Beginnings

Ever had that feeling when you're so happy you could scream, well thats my thoughts for this morning, early this morning. Its a new month, a new moon which signifies new beginnings and a solar & luna eclipse are to happen this month, go figure as I'm already feeling the emotional vibes throughout my body, no wonder I want to scream. Where has this past week gone, time seems to be flying by yet I'm so present with each day each minute that I don't notice that the day comes to an end, bizzar. Well this week I've been encouraging my son Sydney to dream journal, that is when he remembers his dreams to write them down and we'll discuss and giggle and I find it so fascinating on what ventures he gets up to while he's sleeping. I myself am a big dream journaler, have been for many years now and so I have this dream journal which I read to Sydney a few of my dreams to give him an idea and now he writes in the same journal, its pretty cool. It's amazing what you'll find out about yourself just by dream journal, anyways I'll talk more about that later I'm sure.


I've been really busy with my bum up and head down organizing for my husbands family reunion coming up August 7th and I'm excited because my parents will be visiting all the way from New Zealand and my 8 year old nephew Duante from Australia and we have great plans set up for them and all our American family here in the buckeye state. With the help of my two fav girls Angie & Michelle, we made homemade buckeye's and Michelle will be making some awesome gluten & dairy free brownies, Angie is my floral setting decorator and I really am appreciative of their help I so depend on their support and creative energy thank you darlings ever so much.


As each day draws closer to my parents arrival I get really emotional, I haven't seen them for 2 years and oh how I miss their company and I know I'm gonna cry big time when I see them come through the gates here at the airport, it will be my dad's first time in the United States and first time to come visit me here so its gonna be very overwhelming to see him, I just miss my dad you know and I can't wait to give him a big hug, he's one of those kinda men of "Steel & Velvet" qualities we all love in a man, he's a man but is very emotional as well and my poor husband has big shoes to fill as of course our fathers are our first man we women have ever loved right. Don't think I've forgotten my mum, we are very close even though we live thousands of miles away I can sense her as if she was right with me, we are that close, and sure enough when I pick up the phone she is thinking of me, so its like we are talking constantly spirit to spirit anyways and I just can't wait to see her as well and give her a big hug and squeeze her, and then there's my cute adorable nephew Duante who is 7 days older than Sydney and those two have an amazing connection and Duante is so grown way beyond his years, I just love him and can't wait to spoil him when he gets here. So a few days of rest for the family so as they can get over their jet lag, it takes approximately 24hours to get from downunder to columbus ohio, and with the time difference they'll just need to relax, eat and relax some more. However I plan on showing them real American things, like take them to eat at Sonics where the servers rollerskate up to the car and take your order, now that's American, visit the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe, now thats American, if time allows us a pow wow would be cool and so on and so on. Just driving on the opposite side of the road is gonna be different for them and I can't wait to see Duante's expression when he realizes this is happening, Sydney remembered that when he travelled downunder and found that fascinating that I could drive on both sides, its alot of effort on my behalf but when I remember what country I'm in it comes naturally to me, thank goodness.


Well stay tuned for updates on our family reunion and our visit from family from downunder.

love & light

r

:)


Photo: Sydney & Duante with their moustaches
they wanted to be men so I drew them on