Tulitha King

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  • soleRebels

    My birthday is just around the corner and I’m looking to invest in some shoes.  I need some flats as the $20 flats I bought about 8 months ago have fallen to bits. I have a few new priorities when it comes to investing in a pair of shoes.

    1) I don’t mind the price so long as the style is classic and durable.

    2) I expect these new shoes to last me at least 5 years, preferably 10 – I don’t think this is unrealistic, my wedding flats, which are of a pretty flimsy design, though the build quality is excellent, have lasted me 5 1/2 years, I feel shoe builds could be way better than they are and easily last this long.

    3) They must not be produced by a multi-national corporation and definitely must not be made in a sweat shop.

    4) Would prefer if they were made in Australia.

    So into Google goes: ‘fair trade shoes’ and a few companies pop up. Some of them are not right style wise, but then I find soleRebels.

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    I am very impressed with the 101 page which describes why a small business model is much better than charities for pulling Individuals up onto their feet and investing in their local economy.

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    I am impressed with the way all their supplies are sourced locally, including using recycled car tyres as their soles.

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    I am so glad I’ve found a company I can support.  I don’t want to follow the trends. Trends demand constant consumerism, which to me is a waste of time and, indirectly, an exploitation of people. I don’t want to be thinking about my clothes all the time. I don’t want to put more thought into my next fashion item rather than the people who are slaving away to produce that fashion item.

    You might say: ‘it’s just the system’ if so I reply: ‘the system is bollocks’, the system, while creating wealth for the west is creating poverty for almost everywhere else. I really don’t want the dollars that come my way to go back into creating poverty.  Although this company is a way away and I will have to fly my fair trade shoes to my feet I think Ethiopia deserves some of the Western Dollars that have callously contributed to poverty and environmental destruction.

    If they shipped their shoes I would be happier.

    If a totally locally supplied footwear producer and retailer opened next door I would also be happy.

    And perhaps (and I will) I will make my own!

  • The expression a woman wears on her face is more important than the clothes she wears on her back.— Dale Carnegie

  • What does chocolate taste like?

    ‘What does chocolate taste like?’

    This question was asked by the son of a cocoa grower in Africa of a journalist tracking the sources of his food and ‘stuff’.  (Confessions of an Eco-Sinner, Fred Pearce)

    When the time came for the abolition of slavery I wonder if people ever said: ‘It is unsustainable to get rid of slaves. If I don’t have slaves people won’t have cotton for their clothes.’

    I wonder if that is the same thing as people saying these days: ‘It is unsustainable to get rid of intensive farming systems. If we get rid of these (horribly exploitative) farming methods there won’t be enough food to go around.’*

    To say such things ignores what humans have proven their whole existence on this earth and that is that we are a very ingenious bunch. If there’s a problem we will find a way.  It also shows the extent of our greed. For the sake of more: more profit, more production, more things we will do…anything!?

    I see this battle of getting our farming practices right, learning to work with the environment, treating our animals and the worlds people** kindly, shifting our paradigms around from Capitalism to….who yet knows what…, as the great struggle of this age.

    I can not believe that the people from whom our chocolate comes from have never themselves tasted chocolate.  Locals along a certain coast in Africa are forced out of traditional fishing grounds, with nowhere else to go, by massive trawlers fishing for the far off European Union.  Beans are exported from countries where people are starving. These things are not right and ought never to be.

    I’ve had it argued to me that Environmentalism (to put that blanket definition over it) ignores people for the sake of animals & plants. I disagree entirely.  Taking care of the worlds environment cuts right to the root of many people problems.  Living in balance with the earths capacities to sustain us is essential to long-term human health & survival.  I’ve also had people say: ‘I don’t believe in global warming.’  All I can say is that there are some cases where simply choosing to ignore something does not make it go away.

    Would we drive our cars and refuse to put fuel in them, change the oil, check the fluid levels or take care of our brakes and simply shrug it off with a ‘I don’t believe in looking after my car.’ and ‘I don’t believe in car breakdowns.’ I think the same holds true with looking after our land, air & water.  If we refuse to maintain it then it will break down.  I think most people don’t tackle this problem because it is bigger than one person can handle, and that is true, but it takes individuals. It takes every individual making little decisions every day.  The poor of this world do not have the benefit of having information available to them at the click of a button.  We do. We have no excuses.

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    * By the by, there are actually extremely successful methods of increasing production 100 fold through ethical, natural, organic farming methods, one of which is Permaculture.  Farmers are also finding higher percentages of Carbon in their soils (Carbon Sequestering) through better management of livestock grazing.  (My dream is that every locality will be surrounded by permaculture farms providing for its food needs, rather than massive monoculture farms shipping all around the country and the world. Of course different diets will need to be adopted – e.g. no cheap mango & papaya for Southern Australians, but instead a rediscovery of temperate climate foods!)

    **We are now a global world and therefore the people in South America who grow our coffee, the people in China who grow our beans, the people in Africa who grow our chocolate, the people in NSW who produce our eggs, are our responsibility.  If we exploit them simply for our own benefit we will have to answer for it.  Ignorance is no excuse. The information is readily accessible for anyone who cares enough to access it.

     

  • Park Time

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    These days I am not so scared of blurry images, in fact sometimes I prefer them, there is a sense of movement and conveys so much of the energy and happiness of childhood.

     

     

     

  • A tree

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  • Sutton Walks

    Many evenings after the dinner dishes are done the kids and I go for a final frolic out-of-doors.  We have been doing this all Summer as, truly, the best part of those hot Summer days is when that fierce sun sinks down into the faraway hills and his glow dims to a deep golden.  It is best for young porcelain skin and my light-sensitive eyes.  

    For us it is the best of ways to relax, a way for my kids to witness nature going to sleep, and a time to stretch our limbs in new ways.  Sophia, such a monkey, climbs higher every time up the tree next to the park.  We hunt for natures goodies, climb down rocks to be near the tiniest pond which flows under the bridge, and find that there is beauty even in the smallest details.  We watch the bees, find where ladybugs set up for the night (a few dozen all on one plant), we see galahs cawing to eachother before they go off to sleep and we always see the rabbits out on the grass eating up before they wriggle into their burrows for bed time.  I love seeing these things through my childrens eyes. Everything is unique and wonderful to them and I find myself joining in and encouraging this wonderment. We say goodnight to all the living things as we go back to our house. I point out the ants who are extra busy before it rains. I follow the flight path of the bee, one of my favourite of all living creatures. I share their enthusiasm entirely and I hope I foster it too.

    I will miss this wonderful space we have had in this little village. It has been most pleasant for our family to have this massive expanse as basically an extension of our backyard. I am totally grateful to Australia for the vastness it provides. I love this feeling of space, room to stretch legs and be private whilst being utterly surrounded by practically nothing but nature and while still have neighbours in calling distance. It is perfect. I am thankful.

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    We actually found some leeches in this water hole, so this is the last time we will be doing this here!Sutton Walks0011

    Frogs eggs, it has been many months since there was such a big batch of eggs, today also we saw many bugs mating and I think it must be time for the Autumn baby boom.

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    That lovely, dominating, fatherly structure, the Sutton Village Hall. Here, in this village, the community spirit of the past still carries on. Just one reason why I love this village so much.Sutton Walks0030Ladybug0001

    Lady bugs seem to love this plant. Plantain is great for so many things, not least totally alleviating insect stings. The leaves, roots, seeds are all edible & also can be used medicinally as a poultice. Sutton Walks0032 Sutton Walks0033 Sutton Walks0034Sutton Walks0042 Sutton Walks0041 Sutton Walks0044

    Yes, we did eat these, and no, we did not die.  I am growing more confident in my ability to identify and cook wild mushrooms, so far there are only about 3 that I am totally confident with.  Books and experienced mushroomers are the most help here.

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    To me, this picture is Sophia all over, free, abandoned, expressive, wild. She is a lot of fun.

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    The humble bee. This creature is not to be underestimated, as those around the world experiencing colony collapse disorder in their hives are now learning first-hand. (Many American fruit/nut growers ship hives upon hives of healthy Australian bees over to their shores where our bees are destined for certain death.  They pollinate and await the Varroa Destructor mite which heralds their demise. Thankfully this mite has not made it to Australia…yet…let us hope it never will.) Decades of pesticides are biting us in the rear-end. I hope Australia learns before it is too late. Anything we can do to ensure the vibrant future of our natural habitats and animals is not enough! I never understand people who couldn’t care less about these creatures. If it were not for these tiniest of animals the naturalist and scoffer alike would have no food; no fruit, no nuts, no veges, even flowers would shrink from sight.  God built all sorts of wonderful systems into the way this world works and it is out of a pure love of His creation that I am driven to protect it. I can not understand the apathy.

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    This one I did not eat, often these mushrooms, if they are too close to trees, will carry slaters, and this one did, though in every other respect a superb mushroom.

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    Sophias finds.Sutton Walks0133 Sutton Walks0134 Sutton Walks0136

    This is a tree I never see in flower. I suspect it is a brief, once a year event.Sutton Walks0137 Sutton Walks0138 Sutton Walks0140 Sutton Walks0141 Sutton Walks0142 Sutton Walks0145Sutton Walks0150 Sutton Walks0152

    And an au natural slippery slide.Sutton Walks0160 Sutton Walks0161 Sutton Walks0163 Sutton Walks0164 Sutton Walks0165 Sutton Walks0166 Sutton Walks0170

    Beautiful Dancers.Sutton Walks0172 Sutton Walks0171Sutton Walks0179

    This boy, that face, that hair! <3

  • Skater Family

    We went out for a skate. We haven’t done this in too long.

    Henry went skating the other day and met boys of 7 or 8 with hair past their shoulders able to ‘shred’ on their skateboards and so he came home wanting that for Gunther.  He already has the hair. He just needs the skills.

    We dressed (the kids dressed themselves) and our little family looked so funny/cool that I had to take a few pics.

    We do appear to be slightly sexist about the whole thing. The girls roller skate and the boys skateboard. But this is just the way it’s worked out, truly. I swear.

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  • Tea Time

    Today one of our usual activities: A cup of tea!

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    Gunny helped by ‘stirring’ which I think is code for secretly eating the sugar.

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    Yes Gunny, you’re very cute and it’s hard to be mad at you.

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    Sophia helped by cleaning which isn’t code for anything, she is simply becoming a divine domestic goddess!

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    We settled into our couches – which I have rearranged to attempt to shut out all the mess and chaos of moving boxes and Henrys inventions which are currently lying around the house. We have actually never used these couches so much, it’s amazing what a simple rearrangement can do!

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    While they sipped & supped I read them Rapunzel, we are working through a book of fairytales.

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    And Sophia is loving it.  Reading and being read to are some of hers (and mine) favourite activities to do together.

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    Oh yeah, and my dear friend (who is studying Beauty Therapy – lucky me!) came over last night and gave me a pedicure.  I have never been one for nail polish, having never had the knack (or skin tone) for it, but I am enjoying toting these traffic light toe nails around town.

    xo

  • Around our house

    It’s been raining, raining, which is more than welcome, but it calls for lots of creative indoor play.

    Henry set up a bit of his sound gear and got the kids singing, playing and ‘engineering’. Kids love buttons!

    My children will not be shy of this technology, and all I am expecting is a couple of musical-genius kids. No pressure.

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  • Travel & the World

    My increasing belief that prosperous nations must indeed change their ways in order to prevent future (not that far) total environmental catastrophe has led me on a journey to relinquish the travel I once held dear.

    George Monbiot in his book, Heat, examines all aspects of modern-living to see if there is some way to reduce greenhouse emissions in the areas of life where we are accustomed to unprecedented luxury: hot showers, running water, electric lighting, retail, transport housing & the rather interesting phenomenom of the modern individuals expectation they they ought to be allowed unrestricted access to any corner of the globe.  I am speaking of aeroplane transportation.

    In all areas Monbiot was able to find a suitable replacement system or source of energy which would, by and large, allow society to continue with most of its current activities…except in air transport.  The only practicable solution to that conundrum was simply: massively reduce flights.

    He says, “We might buy eco-firendly washing-up liquid and washable nappies. But we cancel out any carbon savings we might have made ten thousand-fold whenever we step on to an aeroplane.  ”

    Oh dear. If I am to stick to my principles I might have to give that longed for European adventure up for good, I may never be able to see the Canadian wilderness, I might not even be able to go to greenland, to do so would be anything but green.

    On the plus side I can instead use the time I would have devoted to that pursuit toward enriching my own soil, investing in my own culture – isn’t that more worthwhile than a fling across the Pacific, after all?

    Monbiot sums up a lot that I have already been convinced of regarding environmentalism: “Our efforts are tokenistic.  By and large, whatever our beliefs might be, we consume as much as our incomes allow. Environmentalism is for other people.”

    It is a belief that I find pervasive, but I disagree with it. Environmentalism is for everyone in my mind.  We are ourselves creatures of this planet, from dust to dust. Like it or not we are made up of the same chemicals as other creatures and we are the smartest species (though perhaps not always the wisest…?), from a Christian point of view we have been ‘given dominion’.  To some that means we have been given a toy to play with, to exploit, to waste.  To me that means I have been given a responsibility to care for, to nurture, to love. I am accountable.

    Sadly though, we humans seem unable to control our compulsive nature. Monboit again: ‘Manmade global warming cannot be restrained unless we persuade the government to force us to change the way we live.’

    Therefore, like children or the overweight man at a health farm we are crying out for limits on our freedom, limits for our own safety and preservation, the limits we know we need, though we do not want, or cannot enforce them on ourselves.

    The paradox of human desire, once again!