Day 275 - a tale to blow the mind. xx

Wednesday 2nd October

It might only be just after 2pm but it is cold on the island today so I have lit the fire early and moved my 'office' right next to it.  My cat appears to have followed me...

Thank you so much for all the comments and messages after my piece yesterday on my woodland experience.  Trees have come to dominate in life in recent weeks and the 30 day rewilding challenge played its part in that.  I have been invited to take part in International Remembrance Day for Lost Species.  On this day, all around the world, people will be holding small events to mark the day.  After much consideration I am to focus my event on the Common Juniper as this is on the endangered list.  I will be planting a sapling on Hazelbank before making a print of the branch and fruit to use in some dedication cards and fabric crafts.  It is not much, I know, but it is something positive and I shall share pictures here.  I have been wanting to design a new batch of cards after my vintage pressed flowers ones sold out.  In the coming weeks I have a lot of people to thank as One soul many hearts goes live.  Contributions are still coming in and I have enough copy and images to see the site through its first few months.  I have set up my sponsorship page so that you can all see who is sponsoring the site and in all cases not a penny has been exchanged.  I am bartering my extensive readership reach with goodies from the sponsors and so we are all winning.  I will be running both a photographic and writing competition in the near future so the prizes from the sponsors are most welcome.  All my sponsors will be featured in an editorial piece written by me.

I am delighted to announce a last minute addition to the team.  I met Lisa through the rewilding challenge and she takes the most enchanting photographs that tell their own stories.  Pop over to the Contributors page to see where she lives....

After two days working on the site my brain is not accepting anymore information so I am off to tackle new projects.  I have sent out month 5 of my Meditation through Writing course and I think it will be a popular month as it includes some creative activities.  This is the time of year when my winter creative projects are being planned.  I am already mid way through an embroidery depicting a special group of bohemian friends and it is a joy to sit by the fire and sew. 

I am still hoping to offer the next delivery of Meditation through Writing in January so if you would like to join do let me know.  There is a nominal monthly fee for the course but you can work through it at your own pace.  Each month you will get a ebook into your inbox giving you meditations and writing exercises to try.  I will also be running the course through a private facebook group so we might connect with others on the course.  If you have any questions just message me anytime.  I am also still writing my two additional courses.  One is on mindfulness gardening and the other is on the language of flowers.  I will be posting more details soon but, again, let me know if you are interested.  They will work the same way as Meditation through Writing.

The reach of Scottish island mum never ceases to amaze me.  Some of you will already know my little tale as I shared it on my personal facebook page last night.  On Monday night I forced myself to watch a programme on the plight of emergency medicine in Syria and areas where there are Syrian refugees.  It was shocking and completely draining so I went to bed with a very heavy heart and a real feeling that I should be doing something.  Yesterday after a very long day of writing an email came in that made the most perfect of responses.  I have been invited to join an international peace keeping bank of writers to work with international charities.  I can not be more specific than that except to whisper quietly that I have already said yes, been given my first assignment, completed it and it is in print as I type.  Whispering even more quietly that my first assignment was on behalf of a charity working in Syria.  I am hoping that this has rather blown your head off because it did mine and I am still struggling to take it all in.  The nature of the work is 'immediate' so I have not had the luxury of thinking about it for too long.  My new employers figured that if I can write a blog every day I can respond quickly to emergency appeals.  Everything from here on is anonymous to avoid becoming a target but suffice to say that I did not hold back on my first piece stating that there is 'no defence for children being caught up in war' and that 'preventing essential medicines getting through can only ever come from a position of evil'.  I will not be able to say anymore but you will all know how completely thrilled I am to be doing this work.

Somebody said that this was about destiny and it did make me stop and think.  Pete and I have created space for me to do more writing and also to take on more charity work.  Then the two come together so neatly that we can only ever be thankful.  It is now, though, that I need to restructure things in order to make space for this new work and so the restructuring continues.  I was completely humbled by the comments on my facebook status following this status update and I consider myself very fortunate to have such wonderful friends.  But it is my readers I have to thank most.  Your loyalty has seen this little blog sprout wings beyond our imagination and now Scottish island mum is making a real difference to real lives in a responsive and immediate way.  Who would have thought words could be so vital in the midst of a raging war....thank you to each and every one of you. 

Until tomorrow.  xx