Friday 20 July 2007

Eight Random Facts About Me

I have been tagged by http://bimbimbie.blogspot.com/ to give eight random facts about myself. In turn, I would like to offer the challenge to http://cornflower.typepad.com/domestic_arts_blog/ and http://edaleputt.blogspot.com/

I have no way of knowing who has been tagged in the past, so if anyone reading this post would like to take up the challenge, please feel free to do so :)


Being flexible is one of my key principles in life. To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go go creating oneself endlessly.

I am an incurable optimist by nature, always looking on the bright side of things, which my husband says is a euphemism for 'idealist'. My husband, on the other hand, is more of a pessimistic nature, but he prefers to think of himself as a realist.


I would describe us in this way... I am like Tigger, full of insatiable energy and bouncing around. He has a strong tendency to be like Eeyore, with his, 'Oh, no! Not another rainy day!'

Whenever I get too 'high', he tugs on that invisible cord between us and brings me back down to earth. Whenever he gets too 'low', I pull him back up again. They say opposites attract. I'd say it's that magical thing called love :)


My maiden name is of Norwegian descent. It means 'Fresh pastures at the top of the mountains', as in the story of Heidi, when she took the goats to the fresh mountain pastures after winter. No doubt my ancestors were Vikings who came to Scotland and settled on farms, though a few of my relatives are sailors.
For moments of relaxation I like to do su dokus and crosswords, though, when I have a longer spell I love to sit and read through some of my favourite poetry books or browse through my collection of art books too, especially paintings of Turner, Titian, Rembrandt and Caravaggio.
Artistic expression has always played a major role in my life, so much so, that I feel I am full of restless creativity. I was born with the gift of being able to turn my hand to most things, which means I am never bored.
Light is important to me. Light is knowledge. Enlightenment is about the lightening of the mind and the spirit. For me, light has a spiritual dimension. I like things that are lighter, brighter, more colourful and happier...and, therefore, full of laughter.



I am a Christian. In this complex mystery we live in, nothing makes sense to me without my faith. It colours my attitude to everything I do in my life, from how I have dealt with personal adversity, such as my mum's gruelling death from cancer and my brother's life being cut short by unscrupulous men, to my attitude to giving to others less fortunate and learning to forgive.

I believe faith's greatest challenge comes, not from intellectual argument, but from a heart broken by grief and despair. While knowledge may make a person look big, it is only love that can make one grow to full stature, and we are mature only to the extent that we can love.

I believe we are the stewards of the earth, and that we should do all we can to leave the world a better place.

Faith and doubt march in a holy crusade against a common enemy - absolute certainty.

I agree with Martin Israel when he said that love is the keystone of the arch that joins the soul to God.

My favourite prayer is by Michel Quoist.


Lord, I have time,
I have plenty of time,
All the time that you give me,
The years of my life,
The days of my years,
The hours of my days,
They are all mine.
Mine to fill quietly, calmly,
But to fill completely, up to the brim,
To offer them to you, that of their insipid water
You may make a rich wine such as you made once
In Cana of Galilee.
I am not asking you today, Lord,
For time to do this and then that,
But your grace to do conscientiously,
In the time you give me,
What you want me to do.
Amen.


21 comments:

Cornflower said...

A fascinating, thought-provoking and uplifting post!

A wildlife gardener said...

Welcome, Karen, and thank you for your encouraging comment. I meant to write something about my love of music, since it permeates all I do, and there's always a song buzzing about my head...but it'll keep.

Dirty Fingernails said...

I ABSOLUTELY believe we stewards of the earth.. If we don't take care of it who will?? Sorry about your mum and brother..

A wildlife gardener said...

Each of us have to do our little bit, whether it's a window box, a pocket-handkererchief of a garden or acres of land, dirty fingernails, I agree. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

BJ said...

Such a beautifully written post! And so much to think about. What is there, if it not for love? I can't begin to imagine how one would feel to never have loved. But only to have grieved. One must absorb the beauty around them. Thank you for reminding us to do that.

Sue Seibert said...

Oh, Gardener, I do love your words. I needed that poem...Time. Yes. You photos are beautiful, as well. Thank you.

Bimbimbie said...

I'm going to call you Tigger from now on ... I can just picture you bouncing about your paradise busy, busy *!*

A wildlife gardener said...

Hello, bj, and a ver warm welcome to you on this very chilly July Saturday here in Scotland. You are so kind and gracious in your comments about this post, and I thank you very kindly.

Lovely to meet you, sue "sioux" seibert. Thank you for introducing yourself. You are most welcome to our little corner of paradise. I am positively purring after those lovely comments. Thank you so much.

The name of Tigger suits me well, bimbimbie, because I have been blessed with boundless energy, even though I have been a chronic insomniac for the past 20 years...and there are still never enough hours in the day for me. Each morning when I bounce out of bed, my head's buzzing with all the things I want to achieve :)

Sally said...

You write so beautifully W.G.

A wildlife gardener said...

Helo Sally, and welcome to our little corner of paradise. You are too kind :)

paris parfait said...

You and I have so many things in common! And the relationship you describe with your husband is exactly the same as my relationship with my husband (I'm the optimist; he's the pessimist and we balance each other out). Lovely post.

A wildlife gardener said...

Welcome, paris parfait, to our little corner of paradise. We are kindred spirits :)

Greg C said...

I am a tigger too and DW is the Eeyore in our family. But you know what the most wonderful thing about tiggers is? I'm the only one, lol

Love your pictures.

A wildlife gardener said...

Hi, gardener greg! Lovely to see you again. Tigger's great fun....sunshine on a rainy day :)

Unknown said...

What a lovely post--I do feel as though I "know" you much better after reading it! I know about that invisible string which you mention... my boyfriend and I have one of those, too. :)

A wildlife gardener said...

Hello again, blackswamp_girl, and a warm welcome to you. When we are writing about our flowers and plants, it is rather anonymous, that's true. I suppose that's why these MEMES were designed...so that we will reveal our innermost thoughts and feelings.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Thanks for this lovely and thought provoking post dear Tigger. I feel I know you a bit better now.

A dear friend of mine once said that grief breaks your heart but not in pieces, but to open it up so that it can be filled with even more love.

A wildlife gardener said...

Welcome, Yolanda Elizabet, to our little corner of paradise. It is lovely when we get to know eahc other better, I agree.

I think that what your friend says is very profound, and spoken from experience. It is true that our hearts are full of love and that love keeps growing inside us and changing us for the better.

When we live through heart-breaking experiences we are then able to truly empathise with others, whether they be family or friends, or strangers we meet for a few moments along life's highways....nd we learn that the sun does shine again.

smilnsigh said...

I think that's pretty exciting! That your ancestors were probably Vikings.

Mari-Nanci

Sheila said...

Lovely post WG.
It's always fun to learn new things about you.
Your flowers are spectacular, and seem to bloom non stop..!

A wildlife gardener said...

Welcome, smilnsigh. It is interesting, isn't it? I also have cousins named Sigurd and Sweyn, Earls from the Viking legends!

Hello, Sheila, and welcome back after your lovely holiday. It is fun getting to know each other. The garden amazes me after six weeks of almost non-stop rain.