Taking the studio route-----

It's amazing how the light here changes with the seasons in such

a short time. Just a few weeks ago at 5-30 in the morning

it was a' before dawn' sky that I saw from the terrace; this morning

 the sky glows a rich orange/red, burnishing the sea with bronze.

    -----Beautiful!

As we walk along to the studio,the sun

has risen, and dances on the water.

Oh yes---there's Bugibba across the water, the local tourist

area,soon to be awake with shoppers and

holiday folk moving themselves into the

sunbathing scene.

We're into daylight now!Round the corner and up the hill,

see how the coast-line curves.

Across the water here is Xemxia, another harbour

for the boats. there were rumours once that there was

to be a marina here,---no sign yet.

Below  the shrubs is a tiny secluded bay,

a favourite for teaching the toddlers to swim, and close by

is the base for the sailing school for youngsters.

Last lap now! Up the hill a little further,

round the corner, and there's the

studio. not the big building that's the old palazzo!----and so to work!

Mo.

Summer scene-and weekly painting.

The hot weather has returned, so to complement the summer scene

- a little watercolour- 'Solitude.' It's only 7"x5"

 with a narrow off -white mount, and is on cotton watercolour paper.

Palm trees abound here, some fairly new, some really old,

and those peaceful palms outside my 'Oasis' studio

are quite ancient.----I love the atmosphere

 and sense of history.

I called this painting 'Solitude' because of the ambience

of peace that I felt as I worked. Early morning, birdsong,

a sense of stillness, a deep feeling of being alone yet not alone.

Palms speak to me of blue skies,sunshine,lazy, shady hours,

peace, tranquility and refreshment. Within the

encirclement of these majestic trees,one can

dream dreams and feel free.

If you are interested in the watercolour-Solitude- as a gift

just be in touch by comment or Email.- guide price is 20 euros+P. P.

 Mo.

If you're happy and you know it--------!

This morning at the coffee shop Joey was excited----he has just
discovered YouTube. ! With his lap top he can watch
 all his sixties favourites in the shop,and also discover
wider horizons. His sweet nature drew him to the animated
films and all those traditional songs that children love.

It reminded me straight away of the advice given in a
short, fairly intensive Hypnotherapy course that
 I  followed years ago:-'Always, when you give
a session, imagine that your patient is a bright
 nine to ten year old, and use your voice accordingly.'

The songs this morning were really bringing Joey
a happy feeling.Perhaps in their simplicity they touch
on the deep need we have to return to the innocence
of childhood, and that  happiness  that we are all
searching for..Perhaps our sophisticated life patterns
are  denying us that essence that is the real meaning of it all.

Anyway, I felt happy this morning----hope you enjoy the song!
                                              Mo.
PS. It's interesting to note that over thirty million people have watched this!

Here comes that wind again!

         

Last week was unbearably hot and sticky,the last few days have

been wild windy and cold,-well cold by comparison.

The weather is going crazy and I think it's sending me

a bit that way too,my body rhythms go up and down

like a yo yo.

I really try to keep each day positive, simple, balanced

and as rhythmic as possible,enjoying the moment

and seeking out the colourful and beautiful.

It's a difficult task here when there is a strong

north westerly battering on the windows

and rattling the doors,howling around

menacingly.

Windows ofcourse have to remain closed,

and yet dust seems to be everywhere inside and out.

Any washing is constantly tangling itself on the line

if not blowing away over the roof tops never to be seen again.

Our poor little fig and pomegranate trees

are being constantly battered and I can't bear to look out

 at them, and as for the lovely scarlet geraniums---well,

I leave you to imagine.

Honestly I keep trying to find the positive side to this,

I really do.It reminds me of teaching days

and the kids on those windy days going

quite wild in the playground and the classroom!

Oh well---nothing for it I suppose but to keep

trying to look on the bright side, sending out those calm, positive,

 rythmic vibes, and praying for better things tomorrow.

Apologies for this uninspiring, uncreative,negatively

dominated blog,-----but being honest is what blogging

 is all about isn't it?

Mo.

                                                                                

An evening with friends---simple pleasures.

We spent sunday evening with friends, in their tiny flat

overlooking the village church- ( the one close to

the site of St. Paul's shipwreck)-a perfect setting.

The evening was cool after a week of stiflingly hot weather

-we were quite thankful for the relief.

So lovely to sit back and relax with simple fare-

cheeseboard, crackers, delicious wine.----

Well, maybe  a little too much of the wine

but how I love that warm -inside moment

of unwinding, letting go a little, and for a time

experiencing that delightful sensation of

all being well with the world,the feeling of

at-oneness,---why can't it last?

I

How could it be otherwise with good friends,

easy, light conversation,  a soft backdrop, and

the soothing voice of Andrea Bocelli

singing sacred arias?

A beautiful happy evening------- simple peace!

Mo.

Summer solstice in Malta's temples.

Mnajdra

Selected by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, the Maltese

prehistoric temples are a real treasure.

At the times of the winter and summer solstices they

provide a fascinating experience.

At dawn on the 21st june, the day with the longest

daylight period, sunlight passes through a hole

at Hagar Qim known as the'oracle hole.' which opens into

a chamber on the northeast side of the temple.

Here the sun's rays project a disc of light on a stone slab

at the entrance of the apse.As the minutes pass, the disc

becomes a crescent, then elongates into an elipse,

elongates even further and finally sinks out of sight

as though into the ground.

At Mnajdra, the first rays of the sun light up the edge of a megalith

to the left of the central doorway connecting the first

pair of chambers to the inner chambers.

 Mo.

Wishing you a clear day------with Barbra Streisland ofcourse.

I don't have much time today for blogging, but
I hope everyone enjoys a  really good day.
What better than the kind Barbra Streisland
sings about so powerfully-----What depth and height
of vision in a little song.
After this feel free to move up up------ and away!
                         Mo.

                                                  

                               

                              

Morning walk-----changing scenes.

Our early morning walk took us along the coast to the coffee shop.

It's a lovely time to feel refreshed, and do some relaxed meditation.

So often I just have to take out the camera

as the light takes on different patterns.

6-00-and it's already hot as the sun rises, a serene reflection in the water.

You can just see the tops of the pool-side umbrellas.

And now a full view of the pool, umbrellas reflecting in the pool.

I'm thinking---Who needs a pool when surrounded by the Mediterranean?

------Obviously lots of people, because in a few hours time

there won't be a spare umbrella or empty lounger!

On along the coast and we greet  a few early morning joggers.

It's still blissfully quiet and peaceful and I'm thankful

for this lovely time of day.

Reaching the pier, the scene is a sharp contrast to that

 of just a few weeks ago. No longer a vast emptiness,

now the boats are arriving by the day, ready for action.

 

Yes!-----There is Captain Morgan and The Buccaneer all set

To take the trippers round the Island.

Summer has certainly arrived!

Mo.

 

P.S.-----Just to say that Oasis Saturday will now be from 5-00 to 6-00

in the evening.

 Mo.

  

My apricot energy biscuits.

In this very hot, humid weather we prefer lighter meals, lots of fruit,

 salads, nuts and seeds.I don't do much baking,

and when I do it tends to be a bit rough and

ready,no meticulous measuring out of ingredients etc.

I put together this recipe in one of my enthusiastic phases,

and infact they are quite good.Very filling and  you can use them

as a snack or with a salad meal.They really are full

of good, wholesome energy, protein and fibre.

You might like to give them a go.

1  large cup almonds

1cup sunflower seeds

1 cup chopped dried apricots.

Grind the nuts and seeds then add the apricots so that they

are very finely chopped.

Place in bowl and add 2 cups rolled oats.

Mix thoroughly.

Add enough water to make a very thick batter consistency

then finally add 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Mix very thoroughly, then spoon the mix onto a greased baking tray

flattening to two and a half inch squares, approx.

quarter inch thick.-Makes about 12 biscuits.

Bake for approx. 15-20 mins. in pre-heated oven

200c.

Hope you enjoy them!

Mo.

Cat Stevens.------and a beautiful morning song.

                                                                                    

Although this lovely song   is all about morning anywhere in the world,
somehow it always reminds me of a garden in England.
Dew on the grass, birdsong and blossoms, the fresh sweet
smell of Spring and early summer; these images and memories
play evocatively on the senses, and I find it quite magical.

                                                              

The Summer here can be drainingly hot and much of the landscape
takes on a more arid look,-it's then that the memory of fresh,
green grass and leafy lanes begins to stir more forcefully.

Cat Steven's interpretation is gentle, almost reverent, and it
makes a lovely start to the day.-----Enjoy it!
                                                    Mo.

In the cool cool cool of the evening-----

                                                           
Summer heat is upon us here in Malta,and so instead
 of complaining about the cold winds, the theme is now
how unbearably hot it is becoming ----and oh-the humidity!

The only thing to do is try to keep cool,---in all ways!
It's lovely to appreciate the  early mornings just before
sunrise,with their freshness and  calm.

What better than to move into the cool of the evening,
relax with a refreshing drink as the sun sets gloriously,
and bathe yourself in the gentle ambience of lovely
music?

                                                  
                                                             

I love to listen to' Putamayo' music in all its different moods.
I feel it brings such variety  and talent together in its unique way.
Great for dancing too, in a completely different scene.

Meanwhile, for this evening, -kick off those shoes, pour out that
drink, lie back and relax!---Enjoy the music.
                                          Mo.
                                                       

Summer hats-----oh no!

My aversion to hats began with childhood experiences.

Sunday visits to church always involved the hat,

and Easter Sunday was a special occasion for them!

Then later there was that ugly velour, or was it felt,

that we were obliged to wear with our school uniform.

Horrors!!

Oh the joys of college days when hats were forgotten and I

could embrace the world of 'Hippydom' and Its freedom!

Beads, headband, cotton scarf, whatever your heart

desired.----It was great!

But as for now----I have a problem----

Minute by minute here it is growing hotter, and you just don't venture

out for long without a hat.

Now what should it be? Maybe one of those jaunty caps or flower pots;

or how about

a dashing straw stetson? Are those broad brimmed affairs

 with flimsy bows the ones to go for?---maybe just a little

 too obviously feminine. Well there is always the sporty

visor, perhaps the right look for this sporty season.

No---- on second thoughts there is nothing else for it!

I'll have to dig out my faded old cotton kerchief

and venture out, gypsy style to brave the sun.

Mo.

Sparkle sparkle----the water dance.

My camera is't an expensive one, and not very good for zooming in,

but in the evening when I look below and see the sun sparkling

on the water,I just can't resist a picture. There is something

magical, something ethereal that draws me, lets me dance within

 the sparkle,and feel part of it.There's a dazzling,

scintillating lightness that intoxicates the senses,

and in a moment reveals the very essence,- the very spirit of God.

watercolour 6"x10"

The water dance,- God's spirit dancing on the water,ennervating,

 animating, scintillating, shining, dazzling me.I  breathe in

this life force,  melt into it,feel at one with it,at one with life.

Here,- reflected in the brightness , I find myself at peace.

Mo. 

Colour my morning---

I take an early morning walk as dawn creeps in,the boats shadowy,

bathed in an orange glow,-beautiful and silent.It's a time of

solitude and mystery and I love the sense of peace.

Then ,quite suddenly, peeping over the top of the old watchtower,---sunrise.

A moment of simple splendour.I drink in the light, bathe in

it, and feel energised.

Back home again and the sun is up,lighting the rocks below.

Still a quiet scene though,- no one up and about yet.

Ofcourse----I forgot Cikko. The ducks have been fed and

his little boat glides over smooth, glass-like  water as he looks for  octopus.

---So the morning begins, and I'm thankful for those moments

of colour, light and peace, ----I think it will be a lovely day!

Mo.

Oasis Summer Newsletter-.' A New World of Love.'

Peaceful Palms.

It has been a long time since The Oasis vision began,-1988 infact. Through all these
years it has never wavered from its central theme,- 'Love in action.' It points to
a future Event that will be massively beautiful for those following this way of life,
and so the Oasis practical aspect has offered constant guidelines to help individual enlightenment as to this way.

 It needs so much enlightenment really for this way of life to work perfectly. It needs people who are willing to give their life to a way of living that is dedicated to a true altruistic development where they live together, sharing all of themselves and what they possess in terms of talents, abilities and resources to develop an environment that is able to energise each other with the power of love. 

 No wonder such a delay, -such a long preparation! Motives and actions will have to be elevated to an enlightened level, with a clarified perception, where love is the primary, in fact the only meaningful motivation and function. Egoism, selfishness, greed, possessiveness  jealousies, etc. will have to go, and only then can this new world make a forceful movement into its meaning as  heaven on earth.

We are moving into hot Summer days here in Malta,and so people are concentrating on more leisurely activities when they can.
The Oasis vision repeats as always the need that we have as individuals to realise that we can only find true relaxation when we are at peace with ourselves. This involves a complete reorganisation of one's life to adopt a pattern that is truly based on a loving understanding of each other.

 It appears that the main theme of modern society is a simple code that believes in the nature of happiness as linked with money.  This is leading people into a false sense of safety because they lose sight of the real meaning of life, which is to fulfill themselves as individuals in a way that lets them feel free. 

 Again The message from The Oasisis  is that the best way to achieve this is with a simple approach that believes in a natural order in terms of living, so that people share their abilities to develop a way of life that is peaceful, free, safe and secure, within a framework of interchange that has a spiritual basis, this being love in action. 

 So The Oasis vision continues to advocate this way of life and infact  states that it is the only way that can reorganise Life back into a truly stable development of Peace Love and Light in the world.
                                                                                   Maureen.

A quotation from 1988.
                            'Love is the totally energising Force that gives body to existence.'

The Empty Room.

Sun in an Empty Room----Hopper.

            I walk- light footsteps in an empty room.

                                       I see with clear vision my life erupting,
                                       moving into chaos in a moment of loss.
                                       I shout,- no one hears the cry.
  
                                      The stillness echoes in my heart tearing it open
                                      leaving me here,-alone with the light-and peace.
                                      A feeling so deep,here in a moment-everything.
                                      I see this in the stillness of my being,
                                       I find myself at last.
                                                               Mo.

Quotes for today:-
                             'A man may be so much of everything that he has nothing of anything'-Samuel Johnson.

'One's own self is well hidden from one's own self;of all mines of treasure
 one's own is the last to be dug up.'----Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche.

Summer crowds-----etc. etc.----

Kew Beach Toronto---1935.

We met Cikko our old fisherman friend the other morning and he

was not his usual cheery self. It wasn't long before we discovered

why.----'SOMMAIRE is here again!' he moaned. Gone are his

peaceful mornings strolling about the rocks,gone are those

moments of solitude as he mends his nets in his little fisherman's hut.

No longer can he talk quietly to his friends the ducks

without people gathering to survey the scene,no longer can he

wander out in the balmy evening air to chat with a handful of friends.

No!---All is activity here now. Maltese holiday makers are

already arriving at their summer apartments,sprucing them up

and unpacking. Tourists are taking up their positions on

 the rocks below us, youngsters are  ready to break loose

 from school,and descend upon us in a state of highly energetic

excitement.Litter bins are already beginning to

overflow, and nearby shops heve stocked up hopefully

with the usual assortment of swimwear, sun creams,

wrap-arounds, sun hats, beach towels, souvenirs, and

ofcourse ice cream with a  special range for diabetics.

All too much for Cikko! And I must say a litle too much for me too.

 I love the Summer, and I love to see everyone enjoying

a bit of relaxation. But somehow here it's all too sudden.

We are hurled from a winter scene of near solitude,

into a buzzing  scene of sudden noise and almost

hyper- activity.Too much of a shock to the

system I feel.-----Oh well----I'm  just not going to say

'Roll on WINTER TIME!'

Mo.

Here comes Summer!

Yes Summer has arrived!-I opened the terrace door last night to

 this beautiful sunset.Glorious colours,  serene calm,

perfect peace. This morning, early, the calm persists,

promising a pleasant day of blue skies.

How the sun uplifts the spirits, colours the day really.I always

respond by feeling lighter,more buoyant, more at ease

with myself and the world.

Hopefully  tonight we will enjoy another  sunset

on the terrace- with friends.As the song says'----

'What a lovely way to spend an evening.'

Enjoy yours!

         Mo.