Julia Richards has travelled with me and Viva70’s story for nearly 2 years and I am so grateful to this dear friend for all her expertise and wisdom as a medicinal herbalist. Thank you Julia. You have been our most regular and much loved contributor and we couldn’t walk down…

It’s moody, humid and overcast in the Central Highlands today. The sort of weather I associate with the pre-Christmas season. I like it. It doesn’t have the roar of summer sun and the battle to keep cool and keep new plants alive. Today is gentle. The perfect time to walk…

Another sensational article from Julia Richards, our dear friend who runs a herbal medicine practice  in Yorkshire. Thank you Julia…..Great article and a quiz to take as well! It’s a really good reminder that rest is more than sleep. Why you need seven types of rest With the ups and…

It’s the perfect storm for creating anxiety and fear, particularly here in Melbourne at this time, but also across the world. A summer of ” unprecedented” bushfires. Then an ” unprecedented” Covid-19 pandemic for which there is no cure. A predicted ” unprecedented” economic disaster and images of  Australians in…

” There is nothing older than not wanting to grow old. Our world presents us with a disastrous image of old age. We are afraid of dying badly, of ending our lives alone, unloved, perhaps dependent or suffering from dementia. Instead of confronting this fear, we ward it off by…

A friend and I were having coffee the other day and comparing our fingers! Yes, that’s right the gnarled joints and sausage sized fingers that have become our ageing hands. We reminisced longingly about the small box of precious rings sitting in the cupboard, rarely worn, because arthritis has twisted…

We’ve talked recently of inspiration books and the power of words and images to shift the mood and lighten the spirit. This morning my lake walk was magic. A frosty morning, with the sun tentatively making a shy appearance. The birds had none of this reticence and warbled wildly as…

It’s here! Winter has arrived in Melbourne and the tights, boots and big jumpers are out… a great disguise for all that banana bread we’ve been baking..and eating. The frosty mornings, sneaky sunshine, heavy rains and cosy evenings by the fire are a welcome relief after fires,drought and pandemic. It’s…

My son and 2 year old granddaughter  came to stay overnight. It was the first sleepover at granny’s house without mama being there. A big step for all of us. As the little one gets older, develops her character and I spend more time getting to know her, this clever,…