for goodness' sakura!

this is now the third year in a row that i have enjoyed cherry blossom (sakura) season in japan via instagram and it is so beautiful, it kind of hurts. this time of year is always bittersweet, because as much as i am in total awe of the spectacular blooms i see vicariously through others' lenses, i wish to be in tokyo so badly. i'm a firm believer in 'if you want something, you should be doing it' (though i know too well, this is often easier said than done)…yet, another end of march has passed and i did not spend it in japan. i vow right now that this time next year (unless there is some unforeseen circumstance, like i am giving birth or something…?!) i WILL be in tokyo for a sakura spring. yes!

all images via here

making connections: game of thrones.

i just love making little discoveries with images on the internet or with photos i may have taken and somewhere down the track connecting them to memories i've had or noticing that i was subconsciously inspired by something i had seen earlier. this latest unearthing is oh so exciting and one of the best examples of the small thrill of happenstance in my recent history. ready?! when we were in Morocco in late 2012, we went on a trip into the Sahara desert and one of our first stops was to the Aït Benhaddou Kasbah (castle). there was a set being built in front of it at the time and i've only just realised after watching the last episode of Game of Thrones series 3 two days ago (just in time for the first instalment of season 4) that they were building the gate that all of Khaleesi's freed slaves walk through in the final epic moments of that last episode. ahhh!  i was so excited to have figured this out!

*i remember arriving here and my eyes welling up a bit. i felt so overwhelmed about how far away from home we'ed come (that everything is new, safe/unsafe feeling) and looking onto this gigantic real life sand castle, that didn't seem real at all. and there were freakin' camels in the distance and donkeys inside the kasbah. it was a very raw, very special moment.

 

the inside was filled with room upon room of discarded objects that were left in the castle by previous owners, all covered in desert dust.

getting my Khaleesi on; checking out the view.

the big picture.

hello everyone! could you please take a minute to like my travel photo on the Sydney Morning Herald traveller section of their website.  it is part of a contest that i have entered and would very much like to have a shot at winning (it's a trip for two to abu dhabi!). all you have to do is go here and hover over the image with your cursor- the Facebook like button should appear and if you are a Facebook user you can 'like' it. thank you!!!

first snow fall.

home has had its first snowflakes for this winter this morning. it always seems to snow right around halloween every year, never fails; then comes christmas! i cannot wait to be home for the holidays!

pinterest

whale watching.

this past week i have been blessed with whales breaching out in my ocean view. they journeyed north in the winter to give birth and are now making their way home with playful, energetic babies in tow. i get a free whale watching show twice a year! it has been such a magical way to start the day; such majestic creatures.

pinterest, follow me

on this harvest moon...

'But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancin' in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night.' - Neil Young 

i had a totally spontaneous moment last night where i went outside for a breath of fresh air after a bath and for some reason went up to the corner of my street (which i never really do) where i was surprised to see the most incredible, bright, giant moon in the sky over the ocean. i felt compelled in my body to follow it down to the edge of the cliff and have the closest look possible at it. i walked a couple of blocks in my star-spattered fleece pyjamas (with a beer in hand no less) and just stood in awe for minutes. this moon's energy was so intense that it had the power to lure me out of the house and down to the water's edge; i felt like a proper wolf woman. hear me roar howl!

seed circus!

this event looks so wonderful (helped out i'm sure by this beautiful poster design). i wish my momma lived here and we could go together...

buffalo spirit.

i'm not sure who the artist is, but this picture makes me feel like home right now- the wide open prairies. the stars give you so much room to breathe.

i heart the sahara.

if you're ever headed to morocco, i highly recommend making time for the sahara (it was a three day round-trip from marrakech). to begin, the 1 and a half day road trip to first get there that you're dreading is not dreadful at all; it's absolutely fascinating. that's where you get to see moroccan townsfolk and the berber hill dwellers doing their thing; working the land, shepherding animals, selling apples, minerals and fossils on the side of the road, children working alongside their parents or playing in the fields. this is not the type of car trip where you doze off for a minute.
when you finally get to the sahara, you first have a glass of mint tea and a swim in solitude (if you came prepared), then get on your camel (dromeda actually- one hump, not two) for the mini-trek to your camp. you arrive at your camp just as the sun is setting, offering cool air and the most opportune time to climb to the highest peaks to check out the great expanse of burnt orange sand for ever and ever. you settle into your camp while your tour guide (of sorts) is busy making the most delicious feast in the make-shift camp kitchen; he is a saharan jack of all trades, because after guiding us out on camels, then cooking, he leads a musical moment with hand drums and singing.
we chose to sleep out under the stars which was absolutely magnificent. i did not have the most restful sleep, covered in dew and sand, but feeling so small in this big, big world for one night was a magical experience. the stars and moon had shifted above you each time you opened your eyes; the milky way shone oh so bright and there were shooting stars galore.
you awake at dawn and there is no sight quite like a saharan sunrise. whhhhhooooooaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.

 

happy father's day!!!

thank you so much for all of your love and immense support over the years Gray!!! i love you, i do. you look like a johnny cash record cover in these photos ;)

the latest family photo...i love it because we don't actually have cats, these are farm kitties:

ojos de dios.

a little bit about what it is that i have been making for my shop: little nicki.  the majority of my handmade items at the moment were inspired by a very memorable trip to Mexico City. namely the Museum of Anthropology- hands down, the best museum i have ever been to. the vastness of their ancient collection, the richness in colour, texture and culture; the whole experience was mind blowing. my favourite items in the entire place that i kept seeing over and over (yet, could not find in any shop or market, of course) were these amazing feather sticks with ojos de dios (God's eyes) attached. i've made some of my own interpretations which i refer to as mexican voodoo feather sticks; i have one hanging in my bedroom window at home as a pseudo dreamcatcher. i cannot seem to find any information about them specifically online, though i dare guess that they were traditionally made by the Huichol Indians of Mexico and are some sort of spiritual object (a version of their ojos de dios). here is what i know about the ojos de dios:

they are a ritual tool, magical object and cultural symbol of the Huichol Indians of Jalisco, Mexico. traditionally they were made when a child is born and would be added to each year for the first five years of a child's life. they are believed to heal and protect and were made to ensure children a fruitful and happy life. the ojos de dios hold the power to see and understand the mysterious unknown and unknowable.

i like that children often wore them in their hair...for this i might start making some hair pin ones (?!). personally, when i see them i think of hippies, camper vans, spiritual awakening, free love...that whole 60's/70's vibe. to me, they are the new dreamcatcher. get onto it.

the best part about them is that they can be as simple or as complex as you want, with no option lacking in beauty. as a decoration, the possibilities are totally inspiring & endless...


from the museum of anthropology in mexico city:

looks like they do this version of dream catchers too.

my interpretive creations available at little nicki:

ojos de dios out in the world:

something to aspire to?!