Exotic Fruit Pitayo and Kiwano

Look what I found at my local fruit and veg shop!

The girls always like to try something different so I couldn't resist buying these. The yellow one is a Kiwano or African horned Melon and the red one is a Pitaya or Dragonfruit. They are so intriguing to photograph too such beautiful shapes. So we tried the Pitayo yesterday for afternoon tea. First we looked it up online and found that it is a cactus fruit that grows in subtropical regions. Then we cut it open...

Whoa it was really cool kind of looks like a cross between a beetroot and a Kiwifruit.

Then it was a matter of getting everyone to try it. Needless to say the girls were pretty apprehensive about the whole thing.

To be honest they looked at me like I was feeding them poison but once they tried it they really enjoyed it. Even the Mr liked it and between us we licked to platter clean. It tastes a bit like kiwifruit but sweeter and is very refreshing to eat. There is also a variety that is white inside with black seeds which looks very striking. SO if you see it why don't you give it a try. Oh and one more thing it stains your tounge red.

Mission Accomplished

All done but i'm very tired next I need to back up
and then actually get some photos printed what a crazy idea!
heres a random picture of a colander I liked the shadow it cast

And heres a pic of fire dancing I took at music mountain

That's all I got for tonight now I need sleep

Goodnight 

Photo overload

I have so many photos!
and they are in random folders like clear this camera 350 images
if I had a whole week I couldn't sort them all out
heres a couple to look at

My attempt at self portrait on Kawau Island April 2010

Playing with Camera settings at the Lantern festival 2010

Photo of Petra taken through the hole in a Kina shell at Tawharanui

beach.

Three down two thousand eight hundred and seventy to go...

I believe

I believe in God
purely because of experience in my own life
I believe i know him? her? (I believe god contains both male and female aspects in one being)

The character of God

unconditional love and acceptance
encouragement, care, sense of humor, joy

that is what i believe in

It feels like most of the time organised religion stands as a wall between us and knowing that divine being
rather than drawing us closer.

I don't want to be powerless. So many people in the world have no choice how they choose to live.
I do. I will not surrender that power to any other person or organisation

I don't believe God requires of me to give up this freedom
I believe God is more interested in relationship and partnership than having power over me


I am a Christian who doesn't like to use the word because of the associations people have with it.

I am a Christian with many friends who tell me I have changed the definition of the word for them.

I am a Christian who believes because my heart tells me to rather than because I know all the answers.


All I know is what I have experienced in my own life. I do not see myself as having the right to argue or push my view on others, they are on their own journey.

This is my truth today and I believe I will learn more and understand more tomorrow as long as my heart is open.

A painting I did in 2006 rays of light from heaven have always made me feel close to God.

Would like to hear what others think what is your truth?

long weekend

not as in time off it was just long

had people round for dinner Friday night
conservative people really nice not used to wine though
it was interesting to watch them unwind after a couple of glasses
but I had double booked myself so i had to eat and run to the pub
our gig was a the salty dog it went down well got asked for three encores
it was a jam night so different musos and playing songs you have never heard of before
meant we ended up with some FUNNY songs like an R and B version of the punk song wheres me jumper
didn't get home till two slept till nine forty five saturday when i needed to be somewhere at ten...gotta hate that
then worked then had staff drinks and another late night
sunday did nothing all day was awesome
then went for a wintry walk on the beach with the family under stormy skies
had to run for the car when a squall came over
fish and chips for tea with a beer
talked my hubby into coming to karaoke with me and the girls
so cute to see my five and seven year old on stage singing bob marleys three little birds together
this isn't a real post but it will have to do for today
night =)

First eye candy yum!

Hey found some cool as art today by Shane Hansen in your home and garden magazine of all places. He is a maori chinese european painter who works with a lot of screenprinting. You can check him and heaps of other cool artists out at http://www.cleverbastards.co.nz/

This stars journey

Well here I am blogging it sounds like something you should do in private in the bathroom. But hey lets do it in the beauty of cyberspace where everybody knows your blog address but not your name or where you live. My plan is to explore my thoughts and progress on here in the fields of art, music and spirituality. It is a place to muse and to share what I am up to what I am creating and what I am thinking about.

So I am in art history today and the talk is on feminist art. got me thinking about the whole feminism issue. Here are my questions how can I express my femininity and girly side without buying into the stereotypes that have oppressed women for so long? How will my art reflect my stance on this? How will I express my own views in my work? What is more important finding an answer or finding more questions to explore?

After thinking about it I have decided I am not a feminist. Or maybe I am a feminist but also a masculinist as well? Maybe the easiest way to put it is to say I am an equalist because I believe both women and men should have more freedom than they have now. I desire for everyone to be free to follow their own path because it is not a matter of male and female to me. We are all human. I would call myself a humanist but that has other connotations. At the same time I am aware that the majority of women in the world are oppressed and that there's still a long way to go for womens rights. How to reconcile these two ideologies I wonder? What do you guys think?

So I am thinking of setting myself some art challenges to keep my working like a drawing every day for thirty day or something? And then I could put the results on here? Think I will do that will keep you posted on when I'll start.
So what I am trying to do is learn to relax and worry less what others think only problem is that it's really hard! Ash (the hubby) just got me on to some relaxing visualisations they are SO good. I can't remember the last time i felt so relaxed! I know it sounds dumb but it really worked for me you can check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn9HQqE96Rs I mean who doesn't need to chill out more?

Anyway this star is on the move journeying on to find my art my music and my place on earth and with God you are welcome to come along for the ride but the only guarantee I can give you is one of complete randomness! There will be music art cool stuff eye candy and hopefully some cool as revelations.

Guess that's the end of my first blog hmmm it wasn't so bad i could like this =)