Someone asked me recently why I had called my blog “The Holly Tree Tales” and whether it had some special meaning. I was pleased to be asked, as I had been meaning to write about this ever since setting up the blog on 1 January 2015! If you have ever seen a holly tree in … Continue reading Why “The Holly Tree Tales”?
Philosophy
Mindful On Mother’s Day
It is Mother's Day in the United Kingdom and I am thinking of all the Women who have been and are mothers to me, as well as all the Mothers who are taking care of others right now.On the day this photo was taken, Thursday 8 February 2018, I had just attended a small and … Continue reading Mindful On Mother’s Day
We Lead By Example
Leadership is leadership. Parenting is leadership. Whether we are leading teams, family big or small, classrooms full of children, organisations, churches, businesses, society, clubs ... the group that we are leading is simply a group that we are leading. No matter the situation: We lead by example. When we become aware and mindful of … Continue reading We Lead By Example
Authenticity Is A Key
What if I told you that authenticity is a key to a sustainable lifestyle and that being the real, most loving You is what helps others the most? I once cracked under the strain of trying to meet others' demands and expectations, in some cases people who had never ever gone beyond their own comfort zones in … Continue reading Authenticity Is A Key
Why Do I Write ~ Revisited
Asked: “Why Do You Write?” Answer: “I write because I can’t draw … No, that is not entirely true. I write because it is the music I make without a keyboard with sounds. I write because I have written since I was a little girl, learning to spell, standing in line to have … Continue reading Why Do I Write ~ Revisited
Snowdrops And Fortitude
Pictured above, snowdrops in our garden, just beginning to spread their carpets of beauty in the first month of the new year. Snow has not yet fallen, but the snowdrops are creating the elegance of white calm on the ground. In various social media spaces lately, I've seen fleeting mentions of a ten year challenge. … Continue reading Snowdrops And Fortitude
A Tribute To My Mother
Taking a moment to honour my mother. This is the woman who gave birth to me in South Africa, two weeks before Christmas, two months before her twentieth birthday, the parent I grew up with in Africa, before she returned to live in the UK when I was 21. I had 'left' home for practical … Continue reading A Tribute To My Mother
No Benefit Through Enquiry – A Poem
No Benefit Through Enquiry – A Poem Do not ponder on the analysis of a situation, Do not delve too deeply into any question, Do not read and reread into any motive, Do not inquire into the meaning of a statement. Remain content with every answer, Remain dumb to double-purpose, Remain satisfied with unexplained … Continue reading No Benefit Through Enquiry – A Poem
Treats And Truths Of Country Living
Our peaches are ripening! The bumblebees, and a little hand pollinating by feather, have done the trick. An exciting time in the rickety greenhouse on our organic acre in Berwickshire, UK. These are the treats of country living that are hard to beat, a blessing so much appreciated, especially when one pays such a high … Continue reading Treats And Truths Of Country Living
Forgiveness Is Key
On Forgiveness, in life generally and from a Christian perspective ... Forgiveness is the starting point of any type of success, and is necessary every hour, every day. Forgiveness is one of the driving factors that prevent childishness, tantrums, delays, excuses, the laying of blame ... and all other forms of behaviour … Continue reading Forgiveness Is Key
The Holly Tree Tales 