Revival

A message from Brigid ....

I have been a blogger since 2005. At the height of my blogging busy-ness, I had "a small stable" of blogs on different topics: social and political commentary; desert spirituality; food; waste and ....

A few years ago I called time and ceased blogging altogether - although there was an occasional post. I had called it quits. I am an aged woman these days with a couple of serious illnesses. I am not allowed to drive. I am no longer active in organisations. I think it fair to say that I am housebound. I am active on Facebook, although I am not there as often as once I was. I have decided to embark on a re-entry into the blogging world ... beginning with The Trad Pad and, possibly, a return to my food blog, Oz Tucker. I have always used a lot of photographs on my blogs ... and I miss not being out and about with my camera.

The Trad Pad has been my blog for the lovely things of life. The controversial or political has seldom intruded. Occasionally, the spiritual has found its way in, but I kept spirituality for the blog, Desert. I don't yet know if I will revive that. I will stick pretty much to food and the lovely things of life. If I have some regularity with those two categories, I feel that I will be doing well. I hope that, with this blog new friendships can be formed and old friendships renewed; new lovelies discovered; new reflections can enter into the meaning of modern life. I would love to hear from you - particularly if you have suggestions for new topics to enter into the conversation. So, it is a new year. Let's see what it has in store, what it can bring to us. And I hope that those who share the spirit of The Trad Pad can spread the message of a world of beauty, the creativity of humanity, and the joys of simplicity and tradition. ~~~ February, 2017

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Keep me burning......


To keep a lamp burning
we have to keep
putting oil in it.
- Mother Teresa

Oprah, consumerism and a real woman

Miss Eagle is unapologetically an Oprah fan. But she doesn't watch the show much anymore. A few years ago she loved it - there was lots of spiritual stuff, lots of love and goodwill stuff, and the bookclub. Sure, Miss Eagle understands that the show has to make dough - and this has to involve interviewing celebrities and promoting the latest network shows. But when this becomes dominant Miss Eagle is left behind. If Miss Eagle has to conjure up an image of consumerism gone wild, gone mad - it is the screams of the audiences of women at Oprah shows in high decibel form. When there is too much emphasis on celebrity (and Miss Eagle does not deny that she likes a bit of glam and the occasional movie star) it leaves Miss Eagle cold. But Miss Eagle loves Oprah: admires her, thinks she is all woman.
All this leads Miss Eagle to tell you, dear Reader, about Lee Seigel's marvellous article, The strange genius of Oprah: Thank you for sharing, in The New Republic. For those of you who are not familiar with this U.S. magazine, you can receive a digital edition and you can get a four week free subscription and access the story here. If you have any difficulties, please email Miss Eagle off the sidebar and she will see what she can do to assist.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Locusts and ancient wisdom

Miss Eagle does not wish to give offence to those of other beliefs and none. However, recently Miss Eagle was discussing a rather traumatic incident affecting a friend and wrote this. She thought afterwards that this might be of interest to others who may be living through troubled times and so decided to publish it here.
Miss Eagle is a good mate of the 8th century prophets. Loves 'em to bits - even when they're cranky and hard to live with. In the Tanakh (the Old Testament), Joel Chapter 1 is all about what the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten and what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten. Now isn't that a picture to cheer you up! Sheer yuck! But then comes Chapter 2 and I just love verses 25-27. It is all about restoration and it makes Miss Eagle's spine tingle with excitement, dear Reader:

So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust, the consuming locust, And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.


Now, I have to say I have had this experience a few times in my life. In one case, the restoration was specific: item for item. And so unexpected. And when these things happen in life they prepare you and undergird you for the next time. The locust attacks are rather cyclical in this life - and, it seems, we will never rid ourselves of them entirely. They come out of left field, consume all before them, and we are powerless to prevent them. So I am a great believer in restoration and a goodly, godly dose of Joel Chapter 2. I find that God never wastes anything. And he ties up all the loose ends ever so neatly at the back of the tapesties which are our lives.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Warmth from a feather...


To-day, June 1, is officially the first day of winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Miss Eagle has just the thing for those cold winter nights when it gets dark earlier and earlier. It is Feather Pudding and it will warm the cockles of your heart. Eat it with simply oodles of creamy custard. If you want to know how to make it, pop across to Food from Oz for the recipe.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Our deepest fear....



Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Taken from the 1994 Inaugural Speech of Nelson Mandela

Monday, May 29, 2006

The party's over....


The party's over. Normality is beginning to resume after visitors have gone to the airport; empty bottles have gone into the bin; the left-overs have stocked the fridge for the week ahead. Now, with the new job and all, a new blogging routine has to be established. Stay tuned. Thank you to those who have emailed or posted.

Blessings and bliss
Miss Eagle

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