droplets of devotion

up

2010-05-01T20:16:00.000-04:00

things that lifted my spirit this week:

a wednesday evening Skype turned phone date with ab. i wish we were neighbors and at the end of some days we would meet up, say hello, dig in the dirt, go for a run, share a meal, sit on the sofa and sip hot mugs of tea, play in her studio...together. a girl can dream.
a thursday night pilgrimage to Kathy's house for a Mondo Beyondo local gathering. i heart these women ~ i am grateful for this tribe and their presence since the fall into winter and now in spring.
a friday evening walk to a back patio barbecue at the home of dear friends.
a saturday morning call to my parents to say, "enjoy the show!" i gifted them with tickets for mother's day and father's day.
a saturday morning into afternoon reconnecting {to self, another and earth} adventure at Walden Pond with a dear soul*friend.
indian food {take out} for saturday night's dinner.

24 april 2010

2010-04-24T20:37:00.001-04:00

rising + shining at 6 a.m.
dancing to Brand New Day.
tending to a piece of my practice {the business/practice i am creating} that's been in process for weeks now ~ entering a space of clarity + grounding.
preparing for the launch of my practice website!
creating a space to honor bella + our relationship.
an afternoon walk through my neighborhood, camera in hand.
my first butterfly encounter of the season.
a stop at the library to pick up the latest from Katherine Center + Anne Lamott! on the agenda for the week: yummy reading {both books are 7 day loans}.
daydreaming about my nyc urban retreat on monday evening → tuesday morning + preparing my iPod for travel to nyc.
an evening walk to the store to gather some goodies for dinner.

19 - 23 april 2010

2010-04-23T16:46:00.002-04:00

digging Katherine Center. Katherine created the above button. i am looking forward to picking up her latest novel, Get Lucky, tomorrow. would you like one of her buttons? find buttons here.
read a fabulous article about time, written by Dan Sullivan. read the article here. learn about "Free Days", "Focus Days" and "Buffer Days."
walking under canopies of pink blossoms; beside front lawns {urban fields} of yellow and red tulips; and, through shower + rain bursts.
inspired by this post i thought about "what's hot now?" and in response i say: children {i have shared quite a bit of space with kiddies this week while on the subway as it's a vacation week for the little, growin' ones ~ the sweetest treat}; pausing or stopping rather than pushing ~ going with the flow; and, playing + being playFULL!
hearting Crystal Bowersox.
reading about Unschooling. i have been following Sara for a while now and she introduced me to the term, "Unschooling." i deeply, deeply, deeply appreciate and connect with Sara's voice and path.

9 - 18 april 2010

2010-04-18T15:32:00.001-04:00

flying to DC + back again.
gathering with my tribe + celebrating an upcoming birth.
a booth at Lebanese Taverna for dinner.
weekend footwear: flip-flops.
patio seating at Rio, a favorite place for Mexican food.
i put away the shovels + salt. a few days later, winter returned {thankfully, without sleet + snow}.
unpacking my new cloud colored Reiki table.
a Skype date with ab. i treasure her open heart.
honoring + celebrating joyFULLY ~ an anniversary, a baptism. a year ago i received an invitation {from Spirit} to consider leaping north. leap, leap, leap ~ i did. leaping, leaping, leaping ~ i am. i am blessed, blessed, blessed + grateful, grateful, grateful for every grain, thread, bit of my life.
friday night at Club Passim with K, l.m. + d. a mug of hot cocoa with whipped cream in hand. one of the best musical performances i have ever seen: Hadestown, a folk opera. inspired by 14 artists communing on stage + the three women surrounding me. go, go, go + see it ~ the tour schedule is posted here.
game night at my house: a collection of sisters + a brother, Apples to Apples {a favorite!}, Taboo, gluten-free brownies + wine.
baking Glenn's Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Candied Ginger.
some sunday sunlight + blue sky. just a momentary slice of this ~ filled up my home + heart. did you see it? did you "ooohhh" + "aaahhh" like i did? tomorrow it will be mostly sunny + warmer. delicious.
Chipping In + supporting Odette's Girls' Home-Coming. perhaps you would like to Chip In? you can ~ here!
backing {along with 125 other backers + counting} the project of artist + writer, Christina Rosalie. her project, A Field Guide to Now, is "a collection of illustrated essays and prose exploring the fabric of the present tense." Christina has raised $7,772 + has 26 days to raise $2,228 dollars. join 126 of us + back her here. visit her blog {one of my favorites!} here.

5 - 8 april 2010

2010-04-08T20:44:00.000-04:00

i spy: a hopscotch + Happy Easter message chalked on sidewalks in my neighborhood; sailboats on the river; what Helen saw, through her exquisite writing in this post; and, Deb Koffman ART.
i smell: outdoor grilling.
i hear: this tune by Colin Hay; the sound of my momma's voice, lifted + lightening, after some heavy days {i am excited to see her + my poppa on saturday!}; and, a momma calling out to her daughter in the early morning, "have a good day, Lulu!"
i touch: my tree of life necklace, the piece of jewelry i purchased in honor of bella. when i wear it, i feel her circling me, dangling close, within reach.
i taste: spinach pancakes.

1 - 4 april 2010

2010-04-04T21:10:00.001-04:00

sunshine + seventies.
a new + fun {carry-on} suitcase for travelin'. destination #1 ~ to s. + a.'s for a long, celebratory, spring weekend!
an early saturday morning run {no jacket/cover needed!}. sharing the path with many babies + doggie wonders.
five treasures found here. 2 hats {just the kind of hats i've been dreaming about} + 2 bags {the search is finally over!} + 1 sweater {perfect for spring + fall layering}.
dancing to "Bubbly."
connecting with this beauty + grateful for her enthusiastic response to my inquiry {more on that soon!}.
sitting in my square on saturday afternoon into evening.
outdoor phone chats with K + d. + momma.
piecing together a new volume of tunes {my soundtrack for this leg of my life journey}.
gathering goodies for beloveds in honor of easter + happy new home + birthdays/birthday months.
reading Olive Kitteridge.
an early morning easter walk here, where i met flip-flop wearin' K. later we walked to K's new + lovely home.
sitting on the front stoop for an easter afternoon phone chat with mes parents.

these last days of march 2010

2010-03-31T19:13:00.000-04:00

a festive egg dyeing gathering at our home on saturday afternoon into night.
i am leaning in. read Liz's post "toward all of it."
"The goal of your life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature." ~ Joseph Campbell
a wednesday lunch at a new spot, the pulse cafe, with an old friend.
i purchased my "cloud" colored Reiki table!

24 march 2010

2010-03-24T21:11:00.000-04:00

listening to s.'s "droplets of spring" mix this a.m. dancing to track 5. have a listen here.
in love with + lifted up by the words + image in this post by Dixon Hill Girl. bella's life was all about "bounce and boing" + she was a genuine lamb/lambie lover!
you must read this article about saturday morning waffles at Barb's house. it will make your heart sing! this captures the spirit, the essence, of the kind of life i am creating + living. a life of inviting, welcoming + communing.
today i received a christmas card + letter from a dear friend. it's never too late for cheer ~ joy is never out of season.
an early evening walk to the library in the sunlight + wind to pick up Lift by Kelly Corrigan.
tonight i found a most perfect, heart shaped potato chip on my plate, next to my grilled cheese. i savored this chip.

21 march 2010: on the ground

2010-03-24T20:30:00.001-04:00

14 - 20 march 2010

2010-03-21T11:14:00.002-04:00

she's been keeping watch. thank you {again} for this gift, danielle.

awake for a couple of hours in the middle of the {leaping forward} night into the early morning. listening to the rain + wind. this springing forward felt more like a blasting forward.
{last weekend} dealing with some disappointment about canceled plans due to not feeling well. shelter from rain + wind. ease + rest called to me. still, it's been weeks since i've seen K. sigh.
filling up the last pages of another daily writing journal + beginning another.
Ellen DeGeneres + Portia de Rossi on Oprah.
a reiki + massage exchange with another practitioner. wonderful to give + receive.
i read this post by my friend, Trish, at wish studio. she made her blogging debut! i look forward to hearing + seeing more of this talented + spirited beauty in the bloggie world.
5 tips for meaning in cleaning by Karen Maezen Miller. three gems ~ 1. "Focus on the doing, not the getting done." 2. "We spend most of our lives ignoring what’s in front of us and looking instead for something more." 3. "Your own attention is what transforms your life." presence, presence, presence. i look forward to reading her new book.
a few things i spied on my st. patrick's day late afternoon walk ~ eight bikes attached to the fence in front of one house on school street; three houses with statues of mary in the front yards; and, one open window.
sitting on the front stoop in the early evening reading Style Statement.
a thursday afternoon into friday morning visit with t., a philly friend. it was sweet to begin our gathering on a thursday in my new england home as our weekly tea date in philly was every thursday. we walked to + from dinner here. we shared a gluten-free pizza; a spinach, red onion + avocado salad with olive oil, lemon + thyme dressing; and, a gluten-free brownie sundae. we talked, listened, hugged + held. it was the perfect time for this perfect visit.
wearing fresh out of the box sneakers {a purchase made long ago} + favorite warm-ish weather garb.
spring equinox! morning run, clean sheets, laundry + a bit of spring cleaning. catching up conversations + communications. making plans to celebrate an april anniversary {Anais Mitchell + game night}. i followed the light all day ~ working on my practice by the open window in the living room, on the front porch + by the open window in my bedroom. an evening walk.

postcard 1

2010-03-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

dearest s.,

i've been meaning to tell you. many weeks ago i saw a cat, who looked just like your w., sitting in the window of a house {painted spring/easter green} on highland avenue. i have never seen a cat who looks like your w. weeks later i passed the house again + noticed that there was a "npr" sticker in the window. of course it reminded me of our AP english class in high school. how funny is that?! forevermore this will be known to me as "s.'s window." i love that this window is just up the street from me rather than 446 miles away.

xo,
l.p.

{dear reader, l.p. is a nickname s. gave to me in high school. if i were to tell you what "l.p." stands for, it would require a great deal of explaining + now that i think about it, i may just need to write s. another postcard to ask her to remind me again how this whole "l.p." thing started...}

4 - 13 march 2010

2010-03-13T21:06:00.002-05:00

honoring my work schedule for the practice i am creating. this feels so good.
getting ready to order this table {in orchid} for my practice.
writing, writing, writing, writing, writing...writing, writing, writing, writing, writing.
"The other interesting thing about a work life is how different it is from a workday. The tasks we face on a given day are often around specific actions, or specific conversations we need to undertake. The tasks we face in pursuing a work life more often have to do with intangibles, with what cannot yet be touched or spoken, and very often with the great intangibles of our unhappiness. In a good workday you are more often than not trying to make other people happy; in a good work life you are trying to make your self happy. In a work life we must treat the intangibles as seriously and as practically as we treat the touchable, doable tasks of a given day. To do this we must use a different language and a different imagination from what we might use at a desk or a workbench; we must locate a form of current different from the one that powers our laptops or our power tools, an internal current inside the imagination, inside the body that is determined to flow out around all external obstacles and find its way home." ~ from The Three Marriages by David Whyte
a couple of successful runs!
bus to nyc + back. saturday night dinner at Sapori d'Ischia with d. a sunny sunday in manhattan with mes parents {they traveled up from the garden state}. we ate a light lunch at Le Pain Quotidien {the one at abc carpet & home}. we walked + walked + walked from square park to square park to square park all day long. we landed here for an early dinner before saying, "so long. i love you. see you in less than 5 weeks! and, oh dad, i'll drop my tax stuff in the mail this week {so that you can do my taxes for me}!" an early monday morning board meeting on the 38th floor of a building in times square {what. a. view.}.
i purchased a plane ticket to visit with my bff, s. + her partner, a. i am grateFULL + giddy that i will be attending their baby shower + spending a long early april weekend with them!
sore throat in the mornings. a glass of orange juice x 2 or 3 or 4. water x gallons. hot mugs o' tea. bowls of soup. a few bee honey drops. at least one crazy loud sneeze per day. {why yes, i was just getting ready to declare, "i haven't been sick this winter!"}
a friday night skype date with a wyoming beloved, who i can't wait to see this summer.
honoring early march birthdays of dear friends near + far ~ l.m. + s.n. + k.d. + l.w.
a phone message from a friend who lives in the city of brotherly + sisterly love {my former home}. she will be in town this week for a gig + we will get to visit!
receiving a precious note with a tea bag from ab. {ab, i enjoyed the tea this early afternoon!}
Zooey sings Dream a Little Dream of Me.
looking forward to diving into Style Statement.
thinking a lot about shame + worthiness + love of self.
getting ready to spring forward {in all ways}.

3 march 2010

2010-03-03T19:22:00.001-05:00

a day spent mostly at the kitchen table with a candle lit.
"The interesting thing about a work life is that it is very much like a workday. Most of the hard work is done by simply turning up, facing the task at hand and moving forward, inch by inch, foot by foot, until we look around, admittedly after a much greater time than we expected, but surprised to see it has all been done." ~ from The Three Marriages by David Whyte
laundry.
onion, prosciutto, sun-dried tomato + gorgonzola omelet for lunch with a side of roasted sweet potatoes.
You and I. dancing + smiling to this. "...baby how we spoon like no one else..."
making lunches for thursday + friday. tempeh, sauteed veggies + quinoa. yay for tempeh!
spring planning. outlining goals, creating a schedule + noting travels for march, april + may.

the last week of february 2010

2010-03-02T21:38:00.001-05:00

living this prayer written by Alla Bozarth-Campbell. a prayer that found me nearly 13 years ago has called for me again in this season of my life. here, in the wilderness, is where i am residing these days. "The stories you tell / one another around the fires / in the dark will make you / strong and wise... / You have been preparing / for this for hundreds of years. / I am sending you into the wilderness / to make a new way and to learn my ways / more deeply... / You will get where you are going / by remembering who you are..."
change. trish + i enjoyed our last weekly mid-day tuesday tea date downtown. {her office is moving.}
i had myself a rain day on wednesday. sort of like the snow days/weeks beloveds have enjoyed in new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, virginia + even texas. yes, i do live in new england but somehow we've been snow day-less this winter.
a monthly wednesday morning phone date with d., a beloved from seminary. as always, our call included thoughtful listening, hopeful sharing + lightful laughter. {i can't wait to SEE her in nyc this weekend!}
i spied a woman holding a yellow umbrella; feathers, feathers ~ everywhere; slivers of light; and, a dumpster with a large "Y E S" printed on it.
a saturday afternoon visit with family friends from my hometown. feeling at home, nourished, grateful.
fresh flowers, tulips.
this song.
i made "Camping Cookies" with dried cherries.
what i was calling "jogging" officially turned into running!
"Surrendering, anticipating. / Knowing / the explosion of color / that is to follow." ~ Chris Heeter

21 february 2010

2010-02-21T19:55:00.001-05:00

what am i here for?

i am here
to
be
here.

20 february 2010

2010-02-20T20:11:00.001-05:00

today:

this affirmation, "You know what to do." i do know what to do.
morning time with k. in the car, standing in line on the sunny side of the street and at a table for two at a new-to-me spot in a new-to-me neighborhood.
an afternoon catnap. the light in my bedroom is exquisite in the mid-afternoon time. i am grateful i gave myself this gift of rest, rest in the light.
a surprise phone call post-catnap. i thought it was my dear m. instead it was h., dear m.'s daughter, on the other end of the line. such a sweet surprise to speak with a young + growing {+ articulate!} one. i can't wait to {finally} meet h. and her younger brothers this summer.
some analyzing of one sentence in an e-mail received yesterday. some worrying. some prayer. some letting go. knowing + trusting it is all unfolding perfectly.
some replaying of parts of an approximately 100 minute interaction yesterday afternoon into evening. some hoping. some prayer. some waiting. some letting go. knowing + trusting it is all unfolding perfectly.
the made with love soundtrack roomie l. gave to me for heart's day played in the background while i wrote in the late afternoon into early night. on the cover of the cd case are these stamped and handwritten words, "Love...For your open heart and generous soul, here's a soundtrack for a year of love, life and laughter." yes, to all of this!
a night walk under the 40% of full moon. imagining springtime nights in my neighborhood. bliss.

19 february 2010

2010-02-20T00:36:00.001-05:00

today:

this a.m. i left treats and "birthday observed" notes in the kitchen for roomie l. she will be out of town on her day of birth so today at our home it was her "birthday observed." tonight roomie l., roomie s. and i enjoyed three hours at our kitchen table sipping wine, toasting, talking, eating gluten-free pizza and salad from here, singing happy birthday, making wishes and savoring gluten-free chocolate cake with cream cheese icing and hot pink sugar crystals.
a cheerful walk to the subway this dazzling a.m. when i work in my office downtown i usually catch the bus to the subway in the morning. walking this a.m. was a refreshing change. i am grateful that much of my life is {and always has been} spent traveling on foot. i am thankful, thankful, thankful for my strong, healing feet and legs.
on this morning walk through my neighborhood i spied a multi-colored glove for a very wee hand propped in a visible location ~ positioned, no doubt, to catch the eye of that wee one's guardian. throughout my neighborhood this season i have happened upon a couple of spots like this ~ spots where a bright hat or single mitten/glove is showcased, waiting to be claimed. this makes me smile. i don't think of what's lost. i think about what's been found, even given, to me, a passerby, who imagines the little wearers of these goods frolicking about, alive, well and free.
during three {out of a total of five} of my waiting periods at subway stations today there were musicians playing instruments. this made my heart sing.
i finished this book on the subway this a.m. i have been reading it all week long on the subway. sometimes smiling out loud. so funny, this book.
there was a special, four-legged, furry guest in my downtown office. a sweet doggie dear. this afternoon when she visited my desk area i turned to her, she paused and i paused and we just looked into each others' brown eyes for a long moment. sometimes no words are needed to speak, to connect. love.
this afternoon i sat in a familiar place with a relatively unfamiliar person, who felt somehow familiar. mostly what there is to say about this is this {bountiful} handful of words ~ ease, hope, yes to adventure.
this evening, in the dark and chill, another successful jog/walk-stretch x 2. in this space, in this practice, i am attentive to the temple that is my body.
now ~ to sleep peacefully, blissfully.

17 february 2010

2010-02-17T21:46:00.000-05:00

today:

purchasing my airplane ticket for travel to the garden state in may to honor bella and celebrate momma's day and momma's birthday.
a birthday phone message for and e-mail exchange with my bff, s.
a walk to and from the library with my camera in hand.
thankfully my first steps outside did not involve slipping and slamming to the ground, torn pants and scraped palms and knee. however, i cannot say the same for yesterday.
writing hours this afternoon.
making a pot of vegetarian chili this evening.
secret birthday decorating in celebration of my roomie l.
listening to this song and this song again and again.

this long weekend

2010-02-15T17:41:00.001-05:00

sitting at the kitchen table on friday evening talking with roomie*dear l. about so many things including journalists we heart. post-chat l. sent me some link*love and i read this on saturday morning, Domains | Christiane Amanpour. i look forward to reading about others' Domains.
i watched ridingGiANTS on friday night. it was brilliant. "There's times when you experience the most deepest sense of who you are."
researching the horrifying violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo {what is also being called the "War Against Women"} and an organization doing something about it, Women for Women International.
to the library to pick up Nora Ephron's book, I Feel Bad About My Neck {per marta's recommendation} and The Three Marriages by David Whyte {thanks to Jen Lee's reference to it in a recent post and podcast}.
hours of writing here on saturday afternoon while sipping a pot of rooibos tea.
cooking this recipe {with brown rice pasta} and baking chocolate chip walnut cookies using this baking and pancake mix.
disappointment and a wee bit of wondering about receiving voice mail on sunday at 3 p.m. rather than a live voice. less than an hour later a call back, a 40 + minute conversation and plans to meet for coffee/tea friday late afternoon.
viewing Truth In Motion on sunday night. this film is about the US Ski Team's road to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
monday morning still-tucked-under-the-covers-and-i-haven't-even-done-my-morning-practice-yet inspiration ~ issue 32 of this joy + ride, connecting me to him + her, this and this and Marianne's post led me to this {i can't wait to have a listen!}.
i spy yellow on my monday morning jog/walk-stretch x 2 ~ a young woman wearing a bright yellow winter coat; two yellow Volkswagen New Beetles; and, a temporary opening in the blanket of clouds, where light pushed through for a moment.
egg, prosciutto and cheddar cheese breakfast sandwiches made with millet potato bread.
monday afternoon and evening hours here. a cup of chai. writing. a side of K. more writing.

14 february 2010

2010-02-14T18:34:00.002-05:00

i heart:

vanilla rooibos tea
good books
writing
imagining
tenderness
witnessing someone {from a distance, someone i don't know} smile or do something loving
inspiration
traveling
fresh air
the sky
going to the post office
libraries
remembering how safe, clear and at home i felt in my maternal grandmother's presence
remembering what bella looked like and felt like {her whole life} when she was sleeping or just before sleep when she would ask me to tell her a story about when she was a baby or toddler, things she couldn't remember, things she loved being told and retold, things i loved to tell and retell
the color of this sweater

my tribe
the handmade shawl wrapped around my shoulders
having "jog" written in my daily planner for tomorrow morning
Anticipation by dar
Silhouette by Lauren

10 and 11 february 2010

2010-02-11T19:04:00.001-05:00

inspiring me:

new running shoes.
waking on wednesday morning after a restful night of sleep. morning practice, jog/stretch/walk x 2, shower, starting the laundry, and to the library and grocery store ~ all of this on foot (except for the writing part of my morning practice, of course) by 11 a.m.
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan. she has a new book, Lift, coming out 3/2/2010.
this slideshow of heather by doorways traveler.
a big yellow garbage can at the edge of the sidewalk on Benton Road wednesday morning, trash pickup day. it was kind of like this one, only it was entirely yellow, including the lid. it made me think of yellow raincoats. yes to bright yellow raincoats and garbage cans!
crossing things off my list that have long been on my list. for example, supergluing that angel wing back on ~ for weeks she's only had one wing, now she has two.
spice drops in a clear glass bowl.
bubble wrapping treasures to send to my bff, s.
spending wednesday hours, late morning into mid-evening, in my living room with the multi-colored twinkle lights turned on and a candle lit.
the women i share space with on mondays, tuesdays, thursdays and fridays. they fill up the space with sparkle and spice. everywhere i am surrounded by brilliant woman. all my life. extraordinary. i am grateful, grateful, grateful.
"Paul Hawken's Commencement Address to the Class of 2009." read it here. {c., thank you for sharing it with me!} there is so much good*ness in this. like this, "You are Brilliant, and the Earth is Hiring." this, "...if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren't optimistic, you haven't got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world." and that is only the beginning. read on.
Media Voices for Children.
20 years ago today, 2/11/1990, Nelson Mandela, Madiba, was released after 27 1/2 years in prison. i enjoyed reading these reflections about that day.

these last weeks

2010-02-03T19:51:00.000-05:00

these treasures:

a visit from ab! i am grateful x gazillions to ab for making this trip. she flew to new england to visit with me, K and danielle for a long, late january weekend. it was the perfect time for a cozy and heart*connecting weekend. we ate here and i had the artichoke soup and shared the beet salad with ab. i enjoyed a yum, yum, yummy chai here. pictures, involving some BIG sunglasses, were taken here. we sipped more hot beverages here. we ate leftovers. we made books and oatmeal spice cookies. we walked. and, we talked and talked and talked for nearly three days...
TUT's Adventurer's Club. receiving daily "Notes from the Universe." love 'em.
singing and being sung, There Is A Balm In Gilead. "There is a balm in Gilead / To make the wounded whole; / There is a balm in Gilead / To heal the sin sick soul." one of my favorite scenes in The Spitfire Grill is when Percy sings this song.
reading and talking about Sue Monk Kidd.
Hallelujah for Haiti.
"Life is a single skip for joy." ~ from Dedication
wind chimes around my neighborhood.
a recent early saturday morning greeting from a dear elderly man. as we neared one another while walking in opposite directions along magazine street, he said to me, "hello, my dear." he had the kindest voice. his words wrapped around me and held me tight.
while walking home from the subway one night last week i looked up and saw the moon hanging low and large. my view of her face was completely clear and she was nearly full. i told her, "my, you are perfect." then she said to me, "i hope you can see your face in mine." i heart the moon.
cooking this and this. i made both with brown rice pasta.
baking Glenn's Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Candied Ginger.
a journal project with ab. {ab, if you are reading this, the journal is packaged up and i will be mailing it tomorrow!}
gathering together treasures to send to my bff, s., for her 35th birthday on the 17th.
ordering a frame and mat for MAGIC.
new ribbon and paper.
making and sending out valentines.
two successful jogging outings! my next jog is scheduled for saturday morning. this would be a hope-come-true if this continues (and this is my intention). i have long wished to return to a running practice.

13 january 2010

2010-01-13T22:40:00.001-05:00

today:

waking feeling something in the neighborhood of refreshed.
haiti on my mind and in my heart.
kitchen table conversation and a long cleansed-by-the-cold-air walk with l.m., a roomie dear.
walking behind and witnessing for nearly a mile a father and daughter conversing and meandering together, linked, arm in arm. love and gladness on foot.
an afternoon at home viewing of Away We Go.
i am claiming another word, in addition to bliss, as a word of the year ~ voice. two words for 2010 ~ bliss and voice, voice and bliss.

12 january 2010

2010-01-12T22:43:00.000-05:00

today, on this tender day, i found bella:

in a glee*full puppy, bouncing and prancing about, across the street from where i stood while waiting for the bus this morning.
in the golden brown ponytail of a young woman on the bus.
in trish's homemade remedy for heartache ~ thoughtful presence, laughter and all kinds of silliness.
at the end of a heart*full phone call with momma this early-ish afternoon i spotted the tiniest, lightest, most delicate heart-shaped piece of tissue paper on the floor outside of my office.
in the "timbuk2" bag of the person standing in front of me.
wrapped around me while i wore her college hoodie tonight.

8 january 2010

2010-01-08T18:47:00.000-05:00

today:

another day made on little sleep. insomnia. awake at 3:15 a.m. sigh.
thinking about comfort; what truly comforts; needing comfort; and, asking for comfort.
a man sitting across from me on the subway this a.m. was knitting a long purple scarf.
outdoors this afternoon, the delicate snowflakes fluttered about. it looked and felt like what i imagine being inside a snow globe would look and feel like.
a soul*connecting conversation with a woman at work late this afternoon. she has bright, blue, tender, listening eyes.
a "hey, how did your first week of new work go?" e-mail from this thoughtful beauty.

7 january 2010

2010-01-07T19:15:00.000-05:00

two treasures:

a feather on the path, a city street, i walked this afternoon.
nearly home after a day made on little sleep and just around the corner from where i live i heard the tinkling of wind chimes.

6 january 2010

2010-01-06T19:52:00.001-05:00

today:

Epiphany, a Christian holiday. epiphany is also this, found here ~ "a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience."
purchasing a ticket to see Elizabeth Gilbert.
honesty, bravery, possibility.
sitting on the edge of my bed sometime around three in the afternoon, speaking aloud to whomever/whatever was listening, "i am so tired." [my saying-aloud-what's-true-for-me muscle has been getting quite the workout.] dropping my head and covering my face with my hands. lifting my head up and putting my hands down i saw these words, all from the edge of my bed ~ "There is no set path. Just follow your heart!"; "presence"; "Live in Light"; and "Guidemap." and then there were tears.
clean laundry and bedroom. fresh sheets for tonight.
Dixie Chicks.
photo fun around the house.
a skype date with ab. more tears. i am from-the-crown-of-my-head-to-the-tips-of-my-toes grateful for this dear sister, found at SAW.
writing and ritual creating.

4 january 2010

2010-01-04T20:32:00.001-05:00

this morning: morning writing about the last decade. first day for new work. lifted up by all of the "thinking of you" communications i received about this first day.
this afternoon: treated to lunch. a scrumptious salad. salmon, warmed spinach and lentils with herb vinaigrette dressing. settling in to a new workspace, making it mine.
this evening: a gentle walk home after getting off the subway. wondering, will i ever be able to run again? wishing, dear universe, i hope that one day i will be able to run again.
this night: ginger tea. Adele. listen here.

3 january 2010

2010-01-03T21:04:00.000-05:00

today this:

waking to snowfall. still beautiful. quiet. and, when not quiet, the "noise" was soft. what is it about snow that makes this so?
Practicing Resurrection.
sending a blessing to a friend.
an outdoor expedition to the market.
this song introduced to me by danielle marie. "don't forget... / that i believe in you / should you forget... / let me remind you / that i am behind you..."
receiving the perfect written words from a friend as i prepare for a new beginning, new work, tomorrow.
diving into the work of writing.
knitting while watching "The Secret Language of Elephants."

2 january 2010

2010-01-02T21:14:00.000-05:00

today this:

sleeping in.
opening the blinds to snowfall.
Wintersong, Abnormal, the brightness...
turning the pages of A Year of Mornings and Ordinary Sparkling Moments.
the sound of the shovel touching the pavement.
"In your quietest moments... / in those bare spaces where / the sound of your own breath / is all your ears register... / WHAT DOES YOUR HEART SAY TO YOU?" ~ Christine Mason Miller
liz's meditation. loosening, softening of holding, tightness. listen here.
Yogi Tea wisdom: "To be great, / feel great / and act great."
in my pajamas until a shower at 4:40 p.m. after, putting on new (holiday gifts from my momma) cozy-soft-pink snugglies (not quite clothing and not quite pajamas and not to be confused with snuggies).
creating a new volume of gem tunes, a soundtrack of sorts.
preparing for new work on monday.
gratitude for a gentle and spacious day.

1 january 2010

2010-01-01T21:04:00.000-05:00

today this:

my morning practice.
brunch and collage making with K. at my house.
"And I say love will come to you / Hoping just because I spoke the words that they're true / As if I offered up a crystal ball to look through / Where there's now one, there will be two" ~ Indigo Girls
a mid-afternoon walk.
a little bit of work.
making a grocery list.
some corresponding via e-mail.
catching up with my roomie dear, s.h.
a dinner full of kale goodness.
a pencil + my bright pink 2010 weekly planner = thrilling. just like school supplies in september!

at the end of 2009

2009-12-31T23:25:00.000-05:00

it is new year's eve night. i am having a quiet, candlelit night at home. perfect.

i remember last year's new year's eve. i traveled to my parents' home (which was not the original plan for the night) and got motion sick on the way as a migraine erupted. i was in bed by 8:30 p.m. i woke in the early morning hours of 2009 with visions of change in this new year. i saw that there was to be an ending in july and the loss, death, of a mother in 2009.

so it was that i left my work of five and a half years and my home in the city of brotherly and sisterly love at the end of july and on august 1 i moved north. and so it was, too, that in the early days of 2009 my godmother was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor and a few days after thanksgiving she died.

tonight i am thinking about:

the loves in my life and their aches, victories, worries and creations in 2009. i want to tell them, you: everything will be okay, every thing, i promise. i do not know how or when, i just know that it will be. i am holding you in light.
my word for the new year: bliss.
putting together a new volume of tunes inspiring me.
my deep heart desire to create life, love, family and home with another.
gratitude for three wide open days to gently welcome and enter the new year, the bliss year, prior to beginning a new work adventure on monday, the 4th. these will be days full of daydreaming and planning.
entering a period of hibernation.
ab's january visit.
s. giving birth in late may/early june.
traveling to nyc in june.
strengthening my body.
healing and transforming an essential relationship in my life.
launching the website for my practice in early '10.
what will my life look like on december 31, 2010?

my expansive, adventure-full 2009

2009-12-31T14:44:00.000-05:00

dearest 2009,

on this last day of you, i honor thee.

the whole of expansive, adventure-full you.

this year of my being bRAVe in this.

this year of learning how to powerfully navigate the feeling of being "stuck" and strengthening my keeping-the-energy-flowing muscle.

you were this and more ~

the deep, pitch black darkness before the dawn;

The Portfolio Project;

herbal remedies;

watching, witnessing and allowing;

late winter visits from old friends ushering me into the dawn, the spring, renewal;

a trip to new england in april where an unseen future was unfolding and my nose was pierced, a baptism;

receiving a spirited invitation to consider moving north during my flight home from new england;

discerning and choosing to leap north;

a journey to honor bella and scatter some of her dust;

completing my five and a half years of work in the city of brotherly and sisterly love and saying goodbye to my work family;

new live music loves: Rose Cousins and Anais Mitchell;

free teleconference calls with Christine Kane;

mentoring an interfaith seminary student;

bags and bags full of goods to goodwill;

the movement of things in and out of storage;

finding my new home with two roomie dears;

the Mondo Beyondo e-course and local community;

clarifying my core values: voice, vitality, heart vision, gentleness and spaciousness;

Squam Art Workshops: finding my fire*side beauties, meeting some of my exquisite bloggie beauties and making art in the woods;

knitting again;

maintaining a daily morning practice;

weekly tea dates with Trish;

weekly meet-ups (mostly on sundays) with K., a fire*side beauty;

finding a place of worship;

becoming part of a women's spirituality/wisdom group;

an annual columbus day weekend heart*fest gathering in portland, maine;

my first roller derby;

solstice and equinox ceremonies;

building my practice;

being in process;

honoring my rhythm;

inHERviews;

asking for and receiving support in my leaping, adventuring and daily living, learning;

new and inspiring work to assist with generating income while building my practice;

an annual making merry, making christmas weekend with my bff and her partner;

Skype dates with ab, another fire*side beauty;

being big;

a harvest meal;

December Views 2009;

hosting christmas in my new new england home; and,

ending with tonight's full, blue moon.

with the biggest love and greatest thanks,

gem

the eve before the eve of '10

2009-12-30T16:51:00.000-05:00

december 29, 2009 views

2009-12-29T16:50:00.000-05:00

the goods: list 32

2009-12-29T16:36:00.000-05:00

"Within us / is the soul of the whole, / the wise silence, / the universal beauty, the eternal One." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
today is a day all to myself. my parents, bro and the family dog got in a car this a.m. to travel back to their homes after full and festive days here in new england. today this: a morning walk in the wind and cold to the library and grocery store; a phone chat with Trish to check in and plan for meeting up tomorrow; loads of laundry; a string of sent e-mails, offering my thanks for holiday wishes and treats; an updated budget and paid bills; downloaded photos; and, this sitting here ~ stretched out on the red couch, wrapped in blankets ~ with the twinkle lights and a candle lit.
time with sister*friends in the days ahead: meeting up with Trish tomorrow; celebrating d.'s 31st on the 31st; and, brunch with K. on the 1st.
being a part of her "Dig List." i can't wait to SEE her in january!
thinking about my word for 2010. i thought it was going to be "voice" or "clarity" and then days ago another word showed up and i think she might be the one for this new year. more about this later.

boxing day 2009 views

2009-12-26T23:41:00.000-05:00

christmas day 2009 views

2009-12-25T23:28:00.001-05:00

christmas eve 2009 views

2009-12-25T08:25:00.000-05:00

views from around the house

2009-12-23T15:15:00.001-05:00

driver's seat views

2009-12-22T22:24:00.000-05:00

december weekend views

2009-12-20T21:01:00.000-05:00

the goods: list 31

2009-12-19T12:34:00.001-05:00

a new opportunity to generate income (and do important work) as i continue to build my practice. so. very. exciting! what a ride this week was ~ from the time of last friday morning's first phone call to schedule a friday afternoon phone interview, the in-person interview on monday, the "pros" and "cons" list, the trusting self and the not trusting self round and round, the final in-person interview, the formal invitation, the working and re-working details to this morning's "yes, i accept!" cheers to '09 adventures. wow. what. a. year.
"The grace that has seen you through thus far will see you through always." ~ Alan Cohen
an excerpt from Karen Maezen Miller's new book, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life:
hosting a local Mondo Beyondo gathering on thursday night. honoring this time of year. sitting in the darkness ~ illuminated by candlelight, twinklelight and each others' voices ~ together; listening to words (words by her, her and another) about wintertime; and writing holiday cards/messages to ourselves.
inHERview with Christine Chitnis.

feeling blue

2009-12-18T18:49:00.000-05:00

waiting for the brightness to return...

creature comforts

2009-12-17T16:46:00.000-05:00

inHERview: Christine Chitnis

2009-12-16T08:32:00.001-05:00

this month's inHERview is with a dynamite beauty, Christine Chitnis, writer and crafter extraordinaire (and more, so much more...)!

i had the privilege of traveling to Squam Art Workshops with Christine after she responded to my post on the SAW message board requesting a ride to the september '09 session. this is how i first came to know Christine, through her generosity. when i met her and after we spent some time talking and getting to know one another i thought, "this woman is a force." truly. i am deeply inspired by the inventive, cheerful and graceful life she creates day by day.

Who are you?

I am a writer and crafter...a maker of many things. I am both a world traveler and a homebody. I am a city mouse and a country mouse. I dwell in the opposing sides of myself.

Where can we find you?

Here, there, everywhere. This year has been a "vagabond year," involving tons of travel; Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Croix, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Montreal, New Hampshire, Michigan...the list goes on and on.

What makes home "home" for you?

My home is filled with things I made with my own two hands...furniture I rescued from the side of the road, refurbished and painted, pillows I made out of tea towels, all sorts of treasures. My home is filled with color and light, I think it is an extremely cheerful place to be! And how could I forget my chickens...who entertain me constantly with their silly antics. They make my backyard the place to be!

My community is also a defining characteristic of "home." My husband works for Brown University, so the academic community is an important part of our social life. I love the local merchants who make our town the vibrant place that it is. I am our library's #1 patron...I am there every other day checking out a book or ten! Community is a large part of what I define as "home." We are lucky to live in the thriving, diverse community of Providence, RI.

Where do you feel most at home?
If I am surrounded by my family I am at home, no matter where I happen to be physically.

How do you spend your days?
I spend my days writing, dreaming and creating in my studio. I love having my own space in which to spread out and make a lovely mess.

How do you spend your nights?
I love the moment when my husband comes through the door. Dinner is simmering on the stove, music is softly playing in the background, and all feels right in the world. We always sit down together for dinner and talk about our day, it keeps us feeling connected.

How do you spend your weekends?

Weekends are for travel, exploring new places. One of the many things that I love about living on the East Coast is that we are close to so many amazing places; Maine, New Hampshire, Boston, Vermont, Newport...the beach, the mountains, the city. We are so lucky to live where we live. We can hop in the car or catch a train and in a few hours, be in a whole new world.

How do you define your tribe?

The people who, because of their presence, make my life richer.

Who is a part of your tribe?

This past year, my tribe has grown in ways that I never anticipated, and that is due to my attending Squam Art Workshops. I met Elizabeth and we immediately hit it off...we have since traveled together, laughed together, philosophized together. She is "my people." Through her I have met and grown to love the fabulous Swirly, the lovely Jeanine, the hilarious Kellen, and so many others.

It also helps that Elizabeth's man and my man get along. Men must be kept occupied so us ladies can freely do our thing! They are like children at times, "oh look, a ball, go bat it around for a while so we can talk"...but we love them despite this, or maybe because of this!

The original member of my tribe...my best friend in the whole world (besides my hubby), is my mom. She is at the heart of everything I do. I also have a small handful of friends from college and my single days...they knew me way back when, and loved me anyway...those are truly great friends!

What does December mean to you?

December is a time for giving thanks. It is a time to reflect on the year coming to a close. It is a time to be with family and friends. It is a time to practice simple living...small, thoughtful, handmade gifts instead of consumerism and greed. Also, as a Catholic, it is a time for remembering the true reason for the season...that small child born in a humble manger.

I am loving this quote for December: "A small gift given with true sincerity is often worth more than a valuable gift given without it." -Blessed Henry Suso

What adventure are you participating in?

I am on my way to India for the first time this month. My husband is Indian, and ever since we were married, he has been eager to show me his country. I can hardly wait to experience the rich colors, spicy air and friendly, crowded streets.

As far as writing adventures, I have some incredible, big, huge projects in the pipelines. But they are top-secret and cannot be discussed yet. Let's just say 2010 will be an exciting year, career-wise!

What are you reveling in?

The fresh snowfall and my warm cup of coffee...does it get any better than that?

What are you committed to?

Growing as a person, writer, wife and friend.

What song is singing to you right now?
While pondering your questions, I was listening to Chaka Khan's "Love Me Still" with Bruce Hornsby on piano. Jonatha Brooke introduced me to this song at Squam, and it is so beautiful...it is on constant repeat!

If you were to "tell the world just one thing" (as Jewel sings) what would that "one thing" be?
"Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it." -William Penn

A fantastic reminder to forge your own path, no matter what the masses may be doing.

Links to Christine:
http://christinechitnis.com
http://lavenderlimes.blogspot.com

reindeer and snowflake

2009-12-15T22:09:00.000-05:00

all will be well

2009-12-15T09:28:00.001-05:00

i am starting today with this song.

the song that sung me to sleep last night.

i offer the whole of it to you, too.

all will be well.

side by side

2009-12-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

i know you are here.

with me.

beside me.

and, i am most grateful.

i love you, babe.

true

2009-12-13T21:50:00.000-05:00

taken with K's camera

a handful of true things:

this song. "Be still my love/ Open up your heart / Let the light shine in...Just be here now...On a clear day / I can see, see for a long way..."
i found some treasures at the thrift store today. i look forward to wearing one of these magical finds tomorrow during my 10 a.m. interview (an interview for a part-time, potentially perfect, position!). i will be giving away the other thrift store treats in upcoming weeks.
this afternoon i cleaned our living room (one of my roomie chores for the week) and dressed it up in multi-colored twinkle lights and holly foil/wire garland. i heart a festive and cozy home.
tonight my roomie dears and i lit the menorah and said "yes!" to miracles unfolding in our lives.
this morning i went to a worship service where there was talk about these things: love; mercy; waiting; rejoicing; "death is an open door" (oh how this moved me, the way the reverend spoke it, and how i thought about my bella and the door she traveled through and the door i traveled through...); and, "not worry[ing] about anything."

sip, smile, sit & see

2009-12-12T16:45:00.001-05:00

the goods: list 30

2009-12-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

i opened my first holiday card of the season on monday. i heart mail. and, i heart holiday wishes slipped through my mail slot. i think mail is miraculous. when i receive this kind of mail, i imagine all of the hands that touched this treasure along the way. i think of each hand touching a piece of mail as blessing it in some way and when i receive it, grace, like rainbow jimmies, is sprinkled on top.
this recipe.
a phone interview this afternoon with an invitation for an in-person interview. i am being big. very big (a piece of my autumnal equinox vow). and, bRAVe, oh so bRAVe in this (my declaration/intention for 2009).
the business card and letterhead order is in!
"What in your life is calling you? / When all the noise is silenced, / the meetings adjourned, / the lists laid aside, / and the wild iris blooms by itself / in the dark forest, / what still pulls on your soul? / In the silence between your heartbeats / hides a summons. / Do you hear it? / Name it, if you must, / or leave it forever nameless, / but why pretend it is not there?" ~ Terma Collective
an upcoming inHERview! stay tuned.

a green light day made possible by o & k

2009-12-11T19:30:00.001-05:00

the best i can do...

2009-12-10T13:55:00.000-05:00

on my bedside altar

2009-12-10T12:21:00.000-05:00

my new boots

2009-12-09T20:49:00.000-05:00

i needed my new boots today. thank goodness i found 'em and purchased 'em yesterday.

1, 2, 3 for tuesday

2009-12-08T19:19:00.000-05:00

inspiring me today:

tuesday, twelve noon, tea date with trish. same day, same time, every week.
paper snowflakes adorning business and residential windows.
a new red coat and new black boots.

friday x 2, saturday, sunday & monday in pics

2009-12-07T21:05:00.001-05:00

divine embrace

2009-12-04T07:00:00.004-05:00

i affirm this.

this morning i am traveling to be with two of my very dearests for a long weekend.

i am planning to sprinkle affirmations (like the one above) along the way and back again.

to be with my very dearests, in their presence and home, is to be "held in a divine embrace."

we will be making the merriest kind of merry.

picking out a christmas tree, trimming the tree, decorating their house inside and out, listening to christmas carols, snuggling close and watching holiday movies...

it is our annual tradition.

scrumptious, cozy and festive.

this weekend i am wishing you, wherever you are, the feeling of being at home and the knowing that you are held.

dar inspiring

2009-12-03T16:48:00.000-05:00

today's inspirations are all connected to dar. do you know dar? i inHERviewed her here.

today i bring you "dar inspiring":

dar's post on manifesting self-discipline. sister, i hear your lyric.
it seems i am participating in december views. my december views participation will include both image and word. dar, would you add me to the list o' participants?
i wanted to write a little something today about Lanterns: A Gathering of Stories. it is a 48 page love and wisdom book by Jennifer McGuiggan & friends. in Jennifer's words, "this book features essays, poems, and photography about friendship within creative community." and, guess what? i found out today that dar is one of the contributors! read more and order here.

i heart...

2009-12-02T17:01:00.000-05:00

what is this arrow pointing to? what do you heart?

today, i heart:

walking through my new england geography, knowing how very lucky i am to live where i live and how grateful i am to have leapt north.
adorning my room with clear twinkle lights.
oatmeal with brown sugar, raisins, shredded coconut, walnuts, nutmeg and almond milk.
I Like You.
wearing my "Loved In All Things" necklace by Jan.

live in the present

2009-12-01T16:57:00.001-05:00

i happened upon this "window" on my way to meet trish today

also inspiring me:

purchasing holiday stamps for holiday cards.
leaving three anonymous thank you/heart notes around the city for people to find. 1. wrapped up in the dollar bill i put in The Salvation Army red kettle. 2. slipped inside a mailbox. 3. on a counter at the bank.
sitting on the 88 bus at Third and Cambridge, aware and grateful for my happiness and peacefulness. even in the midst of some anxiety and grief, i felt ease and joy in the still center of my being. "what makes this so?" i wondered. "not struggling, fighting, wrestling, resisting...just allowing me to be me and to have my whole experience." my wise being responded. there is room for everything, every thing.
a new month filled with BIG intentions. for example, fulfilling my autumnal equinox vow (to cultivate play, vitality and being big) as i prepare for the winter solstice.
these words have been showing up a lot in my life recently: "the truth will set you free." okay, message received.

bus inspirations

2009-11-30T22:26:00.000-05:00

today i spent most of the day on buses, making my way back to my new england home. here are three things that inspired me in my travels today:

to begin, some background on the first inspiration. my momma's bff since the 3rd grade, my godmother, b.w., died this morning. b.w. & my momma have been best friends for nearly 60 years. my heart aches for my momma, for b.w.'s husband, her three boys (all in their 30s), two daughters-in-law & three grandchildren. my eyes have been full of tears today (as they have been for much of this past week). on the bus this a.m. i opened my book, Girl Meets God by Lauren Winner, to these words: "Randi is the oldest friend I've got. There are a few people out there with whom you fit just so, and, amazingly, you keep fitting just so even after you have growth spurts or lose weight or stop wearing high heels. You keep fitting after you have children or change religions or stop dyeing your hair or quit your job at Goldman Sachs and take up farming. Somehow, God is gracious enough to give us a few of those people, people you can stretch into, people who don't go away, and whom you wouldn't want to go away, even if they offered to."
christmas trees for sale on amsterdam avenue in nyc.
a billboard with this message: "eat right. / be active. / have fun." simple.

a chant of sorts for this season

2009-11-29T21:30:00.001-05:00

i have been feeling (a lot of) anxious lately. off. stuck. worried. heavy. in the dark.

i am noticing how these feelings show up, what they look like, in my thoughts and in my ways of being in the world. frustration. irritability. social awkwardness. self consciousness. shame. incessant thinking about the past or the future and missing the present entirely.

it's been a rugged time.

i am listening for guidance. increasingly. desperately. something to hold on to, something to step up to.

i am receiving the hints and whispers.

these words stringing together a chant of sorts: diligence. activism. wakefulness. new, as a way of being. d.a.w.n.

i imagine this d.a.w.n. chant as a string of twinkle lights. marking where home is and how to get back to it. where the magic is. where hope, possibility and promise reside. yes, where the dawn is.

this intersects perfectly ~ divinely ~ with the arrival, today, of a season i deeply cherish.

the season of advent.

advent is a season of preparation and waiting.

it is an intentionally holy time for me.

i honor the dark and the light.

i celebrate quiet, fulfillment, vision and vitality.

i embrace birth and winter's arrival.

in upcoming days and weeks, i will bring the whole of this here. my path of embodying the d.a.w.n. and living advent. i will document what is inspiring me this season.

today's inspirations:

the Holiday Light Show at Macy's Center City. i saw this show for the first time over 30 years ago, when the store was called John Wanamaker's. John Wanamaker's is considered the first department store in philadelphia and my maternal grandmother worked there for 30 years beginning in 1954. being there always makes me feel connected to her.
The Comcast Holiday Spectacular in 3-D. sitting on a bench in between my momma and poppa. all of us gathered for the 5:00 p.m. show ~ young and old, girls/women and boys/men, city dwellers and visitors ~ wearing 3-D glasses and looking up.
"Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
sipping my first hot cocoa with whipped cream mug of the season. tonight, while writing this post.

the goods: list 29

2009-11-28T20:18:00.000-05:00

by inches* post by Andrea Scher. a poem by Maya Stein. yes, to these words. "By inches, a change sneaks into you, even if it doesn't look like much."
Chilly Cow Pumpkin Frozen Custard. i added another pumpkin good to my list of pumpkin favs.
her glow.
speaking the whole truth with a friend & letting the tears fall while she listened & listened & listened. thank you, K.
it's almost time to listen to Jen Lee's, Solstice: Stories of Light in the Dark.
christmas & holiday tunes.
twinkle lights.
this post by Heather, one of my fire*side beauties from Squam Art Workshops. Heather rocks!
grace, a post by Jeanine. Jeanine included these words by Rumi in this post: "When you are so weak, give up to grace. / The ocean takes care of each wave / till it gets to shore."
living in these words, the words of Anne Lamott, "All you could do finally was to just show up...as it turns out, showing up was the most important thing. Your there-ness, your stepping into their line of vision, was almost life-giving...So you showed up when it felt like the whole world was falling apart, and your being there said that just for that moment, this one tiny piece of the world was OK, was better. You didn't do anything; you were just there."

the goods: list 28

2009-11-20T13:02:00.001-05:00

winning Owl. lucky, lucky, blessed, blessed me. thank you for this offering, dear Pixie.
waking sunday & simply feeling lighter & lightFULL.
my friendship with K. she is one of the beauties i connected with fire*side at Squam Art Workshops in september. K. lives nearby. how did i/we get to be so very lucky? she is generous, wise, thoughtful, brave, talented...
Rose Cousins. K. & i went to see her perform on sunday night. soulful, playful & inspiring. there was even a My Little Pony Cheerilee on stage with her ~ such fun! thank you, Jen Lee, for introducing us to her music.
a visit from t. hours spent at the kitchen table. a late afternoon walk & a walk to dinner. receiving her latest cd (early! the cd release party is december 9th.). thinking of these words: "being unapologetically me."
another Skype date with ab. such a treat to be a part of her 365 self-portrait challenge on flickr & to chat about hope*fully/yes*fully seeing her this winter!
celebrating another friend's great leap into the unknown. it's wonder*full to have partners in the leaping!
Heidi Swanson's photography.
sending out 26 notes of gratitude.
gathering with six other women at our monthly local Mondo Beyondo meet-up. sitting around a candlelit table sipping glasses of water & red wine. enjoying warming-in-every-way soup, salad & bread. "retiring to the living area" & reading to one another (this & more): David Sedaris; Patti Digh; Alice Walker; Edith Wharton; Vicki Forman; and, Shel Silverstein. i heart these gatherings.
exploring The Pioneer Woman per A.'s recommendation. thank you, A.!
a harvest meal at our home this saturday evening with at least 10 lovely beams of light. on the menu: turkey, gluten-free orange cornbread stuffing, soup, greens, roasted squash & sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts & gluten-free pumpkin bread.
my inHERview with Susan Tuttle. read it here.

inHERview: Susan Tuttle

2009-11-17T17:28:00.000-05:00

this month's inHERview is with Susan Tuttle. when setting up this inHERview Susan asked if she could respond by offering a photograph as an answer to each question. we both loved the idea & i trust you will, too.

when i think of Susan & her body of work the word mystical comes to mind. i looked up the definition of "mystical" here & found these words resonating with my vision & experience of Susan: "Of, relating to, or stemming from direct communion with [universal life force]." for me, there is an energy in Susan's life & work that connects/re*connects me with something ancient while grounding me in the center of my heart/life. i am grate*full for such a being. thank you for being, dear Susan.

and to you, dear reader, thank you for stopping by. please enjoy these views...

Who are you?

Where can we find you?

What makes home "home" for you?

How do you spend your days?

How do you define your tribe?

What does November mean to you?

What makes your heart sing?

What nourishes you?

What dream are you dreaming?

What are you harvesting?

What words are speaking to you right now?

If you were to "tell the world just one thing" (as Jewel sings) what would that "one thing" be?

the goods: list 27

2009-11-14T12:21:00.001-05:00

The Charter For Compassion. listen & watch here; it is 2:10 in length. you will see the face & hear the voice of a dear interfaith seminary classmate; she appears for the first time at :18. sign the Charter here.
a friday night birth*day celebration for roomie s. cozying up in the living room, watching a movie, nibblin' on popcorn & sweet spoonfuls of ice cream. tonight the celebration continues with game night!
a wednesday afternoon & evening visit from a beloved. cups of tea in hand. she sitting on the center of my bed. me sitting on the wing chair. open heart speak & open heart listening. a reiki session for her. a walk to dinner. she treated me to her company & a meal at a local indian restaurant.
my fam is journeying north for a new england christmas ~ a vision coming into being. they are staying in my home while the roomies travel elsewhere for the holiday. happy, happy me.
my ticket is purchased. the tradition continues. i will travel south to the home of cherished ones the first weekend of december. we will be making christmas together.
Pixie's words about owl. owl is one of my primary totems ~ perhaps my primary totem.
this video by Kate:

Hail to the Good Things from Kate Swoboda on Vimeo.

these brightFULL & wakeFULL weekend mornings

2009-11-08T12:46:00.000-05:00

walking for miles & miles on saturday morning.

taking in the brightness.

of the wide, blue sky.

of changing leaves on trees & the quilt of fallen leaves covering the ground.

of doggie wonders.

of my heart lifting & my face softening.

of people running, cleaning yards ~ knees on earth, biking, pushing strollers & walking with beloveds ~ hands holding hands & cups of coffee.

taking photos.

attempting to capture just a sliver of this.

how it means so much.

the presence of beings & creatures.

how it saves my life.

wide open eyes, fresh air, rosy cheeks, the sound of others' voices, the knowing you are there & feeling connected.

asana, pages of writing & 14 handwritten notes of gratitude on sunday morning.

waking to this practice.

silence.

movement.

Cat Stevens.

pen & paper.

pouring out.

always

grateful

for

this & you.

the goods: list 26

2009-11-07T09:28:00.000-05:00

Companions for the Journey: A Voice and Story Retreat in NYC hosted by the warm, generous & true Jen Lee. i have been a follower & fan of Jen Lee's work for over a year. i purchased two copies of her Solstice: Stories of Light in the Dark cd last december ~ one for me & one for a treasured friend. in the winter i played The Portfolio Project game with Jen. and, this september i had the privilege of not only sharing a cabin with Jen at Squam Art Workshops ~ i also participated in her Story Weaving class. Jen is a gifted, soul*full & play*full being & teacher. if you hunger to speak, to tune your voice, to tell your story & to have that story be heard & held lightly in the light ~ this retreat will be the perfect place for you. register here. Jen has this to say about this retreat:
There comes a time when you can be silent no longer. When the Self you've been ignoring is clamoring for your attention. When you are ready to stop clinging to what has been, and embrace a future that is calling to you.
One in which you are seen, known, and still loved.
You don't have to figure it out alone.
It's time to find your voice. It's time to tell your story. It's time to have companions for your journey.
It's time to come.
February 25-28, 2010
sunday dinner at home with my roomies + 1. vegetarian chili & gluten-free corn bread made with manchego cheese & scallions. conversations about our work, books, movies, history & herstories. apple crisp for dessert.
Allowing dreams post by Susannah. i heart thinking of my commitments & dreams as children ~ protecting, nurturing, believing in & encouraging them.
a thursday day trip to providence to visit with a goddess. a guacamole & chips, tortilla soup & cheesecake lunch; a walk along the river; and, mango tea at the bookstore. when i returned home ~ dinner, play & visiting time with a dear friend & his boy.
conversations with beloveds about thanks*giving week & christmas*time plans.
a saturday late afternoon/night date with a gorgeous, smart & silly 1.5 year old. this is what i am looking forward to today.

26 notes of gratitude

2009-11-01T21:19:00.001-05:00

in honor of this thanks*giving month & the celebration of thanks*giving on the 26th of november (also big bro's birth*day!) i am committing to write a total of 26 notes of gratitude from now - thanks*giving day. care to join me? feel free to handwrite 'em, paint 'em, post 'em, chalk 'em, tweet 'em...

the goods: list 25

2009-11-01T08:02:00.002-05:00

clean sheets.
my dear roomie, l.m., returning home after being away for three and a half weeks.
my first Skype date with one of my fire*side beauties from Squam Art Workshops. awesome to SEE her. there will be more of this ~ much more of this!
another Mondo Beyondo meet-up with local folks. magazines + scissors + paper + glue stick + the voices of six (five + me) fabulous women = mondo beyondo inspiration!
halloween treats: receiving the best news ever during a two hour reconnecting conversation with a sister ~ one i have known & grown with for over two decades; a walk in the woods at Walden Pond with another beloved sister ~ receiving the whirling wind, the silence, the smiles, the tears, the being held by the great momma earth; chatting with my parents on the phone in the evening; and, a playful & sweet double feature with my roomie, l.m. ~ Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium & Waitress ~ with freshly baked chocolate chip walnut cookies & cappuccino ice cream.
creating an altar in honor of bella for The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los Muertos). i am attending a traditional Mexican celebration of remembrance at a local cemetery tomorrow late afternoon/early evening ~ honoring bella, my maternal grandmother & others.
the beginning of a new month. a favorite month. a harvest month. a thanks*giving month. this month there will be: creation, fulfillment, process, warmth, laughter, gathering, travel, learning, reading, writing & celebration.

the goods: list 24

2009-10-23T14:45:00.000-04:00

my first snow since leapin' north! um, yes, sunday, october 18th. october. mid-october. it's not even halloween yet. um, yes, i chose this. i did, i did!
these words from The Art of Intimacy by Thomas Patrick Malone, MD & Patrick Thomas Malone, MD ~
"If you walk on the beach, especially in a protected area...you experience a different ecosystem...That what you see is different, new, and strange to you heightens your seeing, and you feel an increased sense of connection to your surroundings. If you are out at night on that beach, you may look up and see a broad band of light sweep across the sky...You can actually see satellites go by overhead...nebulas and other galaxies. In short you see the night sky...Seeing it this way, you suddenly realize why earlier people cared so deeply about the heavens, why they named the constellations, why they charted the planets, why they looked at the sky. You feel how they could be connected, and sense how powerful an experience that connection is. In doing so, you connect yourself, in space to your stars and sky, and in time to your ancestors and descendants."
tuesday tea dates with Trish.
a recent 60 Minutes interview with Drew Barrymore. watch here.
last friday i attended a fabulous yoga class at a gym in the city. it was exactly what i needed after a challenging/in my head/stuck/heavy week. getting back in my body, moving deeply & powerfully, being in a new landscape & with a kindred, on the mat to my left ~ was the perfect kind o' medicine. after leaving the class, feeling open & connected while navigating unfamiliar city streets to get to an appointment, a woman approached me as i stood at a crosswalk. she turned to me & said, "excuse me, may i ask you a favor?" i turned to her & said, "yes." she said simply & clearly, "please include in your prayers, Linda, a woman who has cancer." i looked directly into her eyes ~ beyond her eyes, even ~ and, i said, "yes. yes, i will." "thank you," she said. i am keeping Linda in my prayers. after this encounter i thought ~ what an awesome thing, to simply walk up to another being & make a request like this. yes, let's do more of this ~ ask such things of one another...if i may, ask you a favor ~ please keep Linda, a woman who has cancer, in your prayers...thank you.
this book (found via Jeanine). read it here!
love mail to a fire*side beauty & my beloved soul*sister, s. we go way back ~ back since high school.
finding two scribblings on the sidewalk at dusk ~ they looked like angels wings to me.
an updated playlist ~ scroll on down to the bottom of this page to have a look & listen.
yesterday's inHERview with Helen of Dixon Hill. read it here.

inHERview: Dixon Hill Girl

2009-10-22T15:19:00.002-04:00

this month's inHERview is with Helen of Dixon Hill. Helen is a wildly talented big dreamer.

i met Helen at Squam Art Workshops, where we shared a cabin, sat fire*side & walked paths through the woods ~ arms & hearts linked together.

Helen's participation in the inHERview project provided me with the opportunity to discover more of her giftedness. she is a flavor*full one, this Helen. read on & savor the delicious*ness...

Who are you?

I'm a country lass at heart, rooted in place and season. A dreamer, tumbling with ideas. A perfectionist who's trying hard to reform (and failing miserably). A big kid in grown-up clothing. A girl who's desperate to give something of value to the world. And a creative spirit, of course, who just likes making stuff.

I remember telling my first-ever schoolteacher that I liked 'making things'. And that's pretty much what I do. I've dabbled in soap-making, chocolate-making, glass-painting, and textile art of various kinds. I've been a piano teacher, apprentice florist and a nervous harp-player at weddings. I'm a would-be writer, beginner photographer, an event designer extraordinaire (well, lots of piano parties, several egg-rolling contests and one wedding to date...but it was a pretty spectacular wedding if I say so myself...and I'd love to do another J).

As a child, I dreamed of becoming a Blue Peter presenter (BBC children's magazine programme - the presenters get to make lots of things out of sticky-backed plastic). In the end, I did something even better. For several years I ran crafting workshops, initially for children, later for adults, too. They were the perfect vehicle for my disparate crafting tendencies because we made something different every month (though we never did use sticky-backed plastic). Miniature gardens one month, handmade beads the next, Easter bonnets or cosmetics or bird food the month after that...whatever we did was tied to the seasons and traditions of life.

Three years ago I left the workshops behind to accompany my husband to the States. But now I'm back. Bubbling with creative ideas, dreaming big dreams.

Ten random facts about me:

I collapsed at the altar on my wedding day (I was ill L)
If I laugh too much I get hiccups
I was thrown out of the Brownies for earning too many badges (it's true)
My nickname used to be Helen Hat (I always wore hats)
Despite years of trying, I still can't roll my Rs
I usually prefer to sit on the floor, rather than in a chair
I love to read aloud to an audience
If I turn round one way, I feel obliged to turn back the other way to unwind
My secret talent is an ability to divide pies and cakes into an odd number of evenly-sized pieces
I look seriously younger than I am J

Where can we find you?

Online, you can find me at my very young blog, Dixon Hill Doings.

Or twittering at: http://twitter.com/dixonhillgirl.

And you can see images of my world here - on Flickr. That world exists in the Pennines of northern England, where I live in an old cottage on a hillside, surrounded by moorland and sheep. And I love it!

What makes home "home" for you?

My little family - cat, dog and husband.

Where do you feel most at home?

With my wellies on my feet.

How do you spend your days? Nights? Weekends?

They all run into one. Maybe I should consider defining them more. For the moment, at pretty much any time of the day or night, weekday or weekend, you might find me walking the moors with my dog; sitting at my desk, connecting with the world via my laptop; engrossed in some creative project or other; chatting with friends and family; cuddling with my cat; or perhaps playing the piano. Oh, and occasionally doing everyday, household stuff! My special treat when I feel like being indulgent is to watch a film.

Having just returned from the States, I'm not yet doing anything that officially resembles 'work'. But plans and schemes are afoot!

How do you define your tribe? Who is a part of your tribe?

To me, tribe is about belonging. And, in truth, I'm an outsider, a fringe-dweller. I always have been. I'm coming to the conclusion of late that lots of us creative types are. I've never felt I quite fit anywhere and, until just recently, it bothered me. I longed to fit in. But these days I can accept my 'edge-ist' nature and am looking for the silver lining.

Having said that, I have many circles of friends and acquaintances. I'm especially at ease with children and with elderly folk. I have a great extended family as well as a much-loved surrogate family who treat me as one of their own. For many years, my piano students formed another family of a kind for me. And there've been other groups along the way, tribes where I've fringe-dwelt more or less comfortably, some fleeting, some more permanent, some in the real world, some in the virtual. I recently declared myself in need of a new tribe with which to connect and share in a meaningful way...and, just a couple weeks later, found myself amongst the Fireside Beauties. Someone was listening.

What does October mean to you?

Autumn! - always my favourite season; a drawing-in of the nights and of the year; a bittersweet, melancholy something hanging in the air; turning leaves, crunchy leaves, glorious colours; lighting the fire for the first time since spring; wood-smoke curling into the sky; pumpkin-carving gatherings around the kitchen table; harvest festivals; my brother's birthday; digging out my snuggliest wrist warmers, cowls, coats, boots; soup and other comfort food; berries in the hedgerows; Russet apples, pears, pomegranates and figs; sedums and dahlias and crocosmia in the garden; and the Virginia Creeper blazing crimson on the front wall of our cottage.

What makes your heart sing?

Sunshine and blue sky; smiles; flowers; fruit; fresh air; birdsong; the smell of box trees; the sound of a distant aeroplane on a lazy, summer afternoon; church bells; bookshops; blank journals; colour and texture; beautiful textiles; cashmere cardigans and pretty dresses; the voices of those I love; the faithful, unquestioning devotion of my lovely cat and dog; the satisfaction of having created something; the possibilities the internet has opened up for us all; the possibilities life offers us; early morning stillness and ravishing sunsets; being appreciated; having my creations appreciated; living in such a beautiful spot on this earth; knowing there are people who love me so much they will always be there for me; giving; discovering that I’ve inspired or helped someone; the excitement of knowing there’s so much more to this life than the physical world we see; finding like-minded souls in all parts of the world; listening to the Afternoon Play on BBC Radio 4 whilst I craft or bake; losing myself at the piano; the reception my fledgling blog has received.

What nourishes you?

Time spent each morning in stillness and meditation and prayer; being outside, steeped in nature; the love and support of those who love me; sunshine; sleep; lots of fresh juices and smoothies and salads.

What dream are you dreaming?

Of hosting creative retreats in the not too distant future, here amongst the beauty of the Pennines; where folk can come to be inspired and to connect with themselves, one another and with the world in a fresh way. I figured out a while ago that my purpose in life is to create, to inspire, to encourage. This is one of the ways in which I’d love to see that worked out.

What adventure are you participating in?

The adventure of life! Sounds totally corny, but it’s true. However, I only began to gain a full awareness of life as an adventure two years ago. I’d moved to America most reluctantly a year prior to that, giving up a life I loved. At the same time, I knew there was something more out there for me. I hadn’t a clue what it was. My only hunch was that I shouldn’t fill the void I’d created with activity for activity’s sake. So instead, I sat with the space - just left oodles of time free of any fixed obligations and waited to see what would come. At first I was aimless and lonely. But gradually, the journey began to unfold. It’s very difficult to put into words. It was partly discoveries about myself, partly discoveries about life; and a large part of it was a new and positive outlook which came to me unsought. The connections which led me from one thing to another probably wouldn’t be obvious to anyone but me. But lead they did...and have gone on leading to this day. The bottom line is that I’m now aware of a joy in simply being alive that I never experienced before. I’m so incredibly excited by the possibilities life holds and our power to create the lives of which we dream. And it just keeps getting better.

What are you reveling in?

Being back on the moors and geographically closer to the people who mean the most to me; the earthy colours of October; crisp mornings, misty mornings; autumnal fruits; blogging; a ‘dress phase’ in my wardrobe.

What are you anticipating?

The prospective visit of a dear friend and her daughter, all the way from Texas (my ‘roomie’ from Squam in June; we’ve communicated on an almost daily basis ever since).

What are you committed to?

Sharing myself in whatever way seems appropriate. At the end of the day, I have nothing to give the world but myself. If I can help or encourage or inspire or delight someone by sharing whatever time, resources, wisdom, experience, talents life has gifted me with…then I’ll do it.

Seeking the common ground. Focusing on the things which unite rather than the things which divide us as individuals and as communities. We’re all on this journey together, and we’re a lot more alike than we tend to believe.

Helping people to discover the joy of creativity and all that brings with it - self-discovery, confidence, possibility, connection, satisfaction, joy.

What song is singing to you right now?

A song I wrote back in the summer, entitled, "The Colours of My Dreams." Writing it was rather an extraordinary experience. The music came first, the words only revealed themselves gradually. It was as if they were already there, fully-formed; I simply had to peel away the layers one at a time to discover them. So first one phrase would come to me; then another. It wasn’t really a conscious process. And I had about two-thirds of the words in place before I realised what the song was about. Most odd. Anyway, it turned out to be about a girl who is finally stepping out of the shadows and into her own glorious light. So I guess it‘s autobiographical. I always knew deep-down that I would be a late developer in terms of finding myself and my role in life. I’m so grateful that my time appears to have come.

What words are speaking to you right now?

Barbara Sher’s book, "Refuse to Choose!" I’m a scanner all right (if you haven’t come across the concept, it’s someone who has so many interests/abilities that they never know which to choose….and they either flit from one thing to another or never actually do anything because they’re frozen with indecision or fear of making the wrong choice). The problem is, I’m so much of a scanner that I read the first couple of chapters with exultant joy and relief…then got side-tracked by something else of interest and the book got put on one side. Must get back to it!

If you were to "tell the world just one thing" (as Jewel sings) what would that "one thing" be?

That life is extraordinary beyond our wildest imaginings; that the possibilities are endless; and that we can create whatever life we choose for ourselves. And if you don’t feel or see all that, then ask yourself why not…and keep asking question after question for as long as it takes until you finally arrive at the place where you do feel it. And when you get there, write your own story.

the goods: list 23

2009-10-15T14:40:00.001-04:00

this courageous life ~ Kate Swoboda's personal website. she's a rock*star. in recent years i have followed her blog every now & then. it's inspiring to return to her words & work this week (thanks to this post by Vivienne) as her present journey is all about leaping & adventuring ~ as is my life.
this post by Jen Lee. it's a post about dreaming & knowing & being bRAVe & creating a new life. i heart the reference to You've Got Mail ~ one of those movies that touches me in deep ways.
i totally dug the Maine Roller Derby! i attended an intra-league bout on saturday night in portland, maine. it was engaging, colorful & energizing. watch a short documentary profiling the Boston Derby Dames here. along these lines ~ i am looking forward to seeing Whip It on friday night.
speaking of powerFULL women (& films!) ~ i am anticipating the upcoming release of a movie entitled, Amelia, about Amelia Earhart.
an upcoming inHERview with a "fire*side beauty"! [on the left side of this page you will find a list of some of my "fire*side beauties" ~ a collection of women i connected with at Squam Art Workshops, women i continue to commune with via phone, e-mail & in person.]
this past sunday evening, as part of an annual heart*fest weekend in portland, maine, 12 people gathered around a table for a harvest meal after a day spent sailing, beach walking & downtown portland, maine exploring. i have known these 12 people for 34, 20, 3.5 & 2.5 years. the source of this heart*fest/harvest weekend is our bella. for the main course: a prayer of thanks; a cranberry walnut salad; roasted brussel sprouts, squash, beets, yams & onions; and, salmon. for dessert: a home*made pumpkin pie & two pies (mixed berry & apple) from the yummy Two Fat Cats.
exploring the spirituality/spiritual practice of play. if you're interested, read more here.

the goods: list 22

2009-10-08T17:14:00.000-04:00

an image taken tuesday afternoon when meeting a kindred ~ trish

this is the goods list 22 & 22 is one of my fav numbers ~ it's my birthday day.
winning a "Loved In All Things" necklace made by Jan. i won this treasure here. my 3 word "comment"/response to this question ~ what do i love the most about where i live? ~ was: how i feel. what do you love most about where you live?
Susannah's video. find it here. if you want to catch a glimpse, a moment, of me ~ i am at 5:19.
a friday night cuddled up on a friend's couch, me at one end & her at the other, stretched out, tucked under the same blanket, spilling wide open & receiving each other's words.
an inHERview with Liz.
time spent sitting around the kitchen table with my roomie dears. on saturday night it looked like this: freshly baked, star*shaped pumpkin bread treats to eat; cups of tea to sip; and, Holly Hobbie, school supplies, lunch boxes with mini canteens & favorite Halloween costumes to reminisce about.
affected by this word: flourish. excavating what flourish means to me now as we have encountered one another along the path. i embrace her: flourish. such a lovely name. "To flourish is to bloom, to grow, to do the opposite of languish. And lately I've been struck by the link between flourishing and wishing. For isn't this the primal wish of every living being: to flourish? And in order to truly understand another living being - whether a little girl, an old man, a dolphin, or a lemon tree - isn't it necessary to know precisely what makes them flourish, as a genus, a species, an individual? Which is to say, isn't it necessary to know what they wish for?" from The Wishing Year by Noelle Oxenhandler. i wonder: what do you wish for? leave an "offering"/a comment.
new books to read: & .
hosting the first art*making night: an opportunity for friends & neighbors to gather in the presence of creative community & make art. a night filled with knitting needles, an iron, velcro, cups of tea, warm embraces, getting-to-know-you chatter & giggles.
e-mail exchanges, a monday night phone date (next time: a Skype date!) & a sunday mornin' cafe date with my fire*side beauties. {find links to many of these wonders on the left side of this page.} they are keepin' me warm during this new season in my landscape & heartscape.
packin' my li'l suitcase (the one bella named "pierre") for a heart*fest weekend in maine. such fun we will have! let's just say Roller Derby, gathering around a dinner table with 12 beloveds on sunday night & a light hike and/or beach walk.

inHERview: Liz Lamoreux

2009-09-30T13:32:00.000-04:00

this month's inHERview is with the graceful, generous & open-hearted adventure-ess Liz Lamoreux.

i had the privilege of embracing Liz and sharing space with her at Squam Art Workshops earlier this month. she is truly a connecting, re*connecting force in the world. i am delighted that she has offered herself to us here in this inHERview.

Who are you?

Where can we find you?

I feel very blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest, a place that deeply feels like home although I have lived here for only five years. You can often find me nestled in my little house curled up in my favorite chair, millie (our golden retriever) by my feet, the indigo girls playing in the background...usually a laptop is attached to me in some way or another as I work, play, and connect using this magical piece of technology. My online home is www.lizlamoreux.com.

What makes home "home" for you? Where do you feel most at home?

I am at home when I am grounded, my feet strongly beneath me, and I stand inside the knowledge that people love me just for me. This feeling of love and safety, providing it and accepting it, make home, home for me. I suppose when I find my feet resting in sand while I look out at the ocean is a moment when I feel at home.

How do you spend your days, nights & weekends?

Working from home means I spend a lot of time alone, which is often a blessing as I do feel quite at home in solitude. However, with that quietness can come some feelings of lonely, so I feel very blessed to live with my dear friend and husband who gets me and all my idiosyncrasies. Some weekends, you can find me singing my heart out as I drive to Portland to spend time with some dear friends who live there. I am in the midst of seeking the balance of solitude and connection.

What does September mean to you?

September brings a feeling of internal rebirth as the world around me begins to quiet; I find myself open and ready to dive in to possibility. Lately, I have realized that I often say that "fall is my spring."

What makes your heart sing? What nourishes you?

My heart sings when I hear the laughter of those I love. There is nothing like a moment that includes a group of people enjoying time together and laughing. Yes. That makes me very happy. I also love walking in Point Defiance Park in my town and soaking up the trees and the blooms and the water. I feel very nourished as I take it all in, sometimes through my camera lens. Taking the time to breathe deeply and just notice the beauty of where I live is a gift I treasure.

What dream are you dreaming?

I dream of a little cottage by the sea.

What adventure are you participating in right now?

In this moment, I am in the midst of many adventures. Goodness. It takes my breath away a bit when I honestly think about them all. I guess I could say that I am in the midst of the adventure of manifestation. (I highly recommend it.)

What are you reveling in right now?

I am reveling in the beauty of love and all that love can create.

What are you anticipating?

The October Be Present Retreat (Unearth), which happens in about two weeks. I cannot wait to gather on the Oregon coast with this amazing group of women. Sigh. Yes, I cannot wait.

What are you committed to?

I am deeply committed to the practice of facilitating opportunities for people to share their stories so they can remember and know they are not alone.

What song is singing to you right now?

"Something Good This Way Comes" by Jakob Dylan.

What words are speaking to you right now?

I am currently reading two books by Anne Lamott ("Operating Instructions" and "Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith"). This woman deeply gets it, and if you haven't read her, you should run (not walk, run!) to the bookstore to discover her words.

If you were to “tell the world just one thing” (as Jewel sings) what would that “one thing” be?

Give yourself permission to sit in the quiet and listen.

SAW reflections

2009-09-30T02:45:00.000-04:00

i heard about Squam Art Workshops (SAW) for the first time leading up to the inaugural gathering in september 2008. i sensed SAW would be something that i would want to be a part of in the future - the near, touchable, tastable future.

after hearing about attendees' experiences at that first SAW happening i knew for sure i wanted to be there in september 2009. i felt my heart leaning, stretching, leaping towards this. and, this reaching for me, wanting me, inviting me. yes, yes, yes.

attending art camp. in the woods. surrounded by familiar beauties - some known, some soon to be known (and, once seen - oh so familiar they were/are). all of us, turning towards the shimmering light, the brave rising and the sweetest soaring.

september SAW was on my list for 2009. it was to be. no question. it simply would be. it was the future i was living into. a passage, a healing, a baptism, a renewal and a leap.

from the time of that first knowing, through registering and to arrival: i experienced the deepest darkness before the dawn (connected to the physical death of my sister/babe, bella, and my great grief journey); i honored the new ground i was standing on (claiming my new way of being in the world and in relationship with bella - our awake and alive relationship) through baptism - getting my nose pierced; and, i listened to my heart, followed spirit's guidance and chose an adventure - leaping north, to new england, creating new life and new work.

september SAW 2009 intersected with grounding in my new geography and contained all of the elements of my journey to arriving there: passage, healing, baptism, renewal and leaping.

passage: making the journey further north and back with this radiant being and my creative neighbor, Katrina (also one of my "fire*side beauties" - more on them later...); witnessing when i was feeling overwhelmed, self-conscious, afraid, stuck and on the edge of shutting down and giving myself the space to have my whole experience - being even bigger than i've ever known myself to be; and, bravely and boldly speaking my truths.

healing: embracing a large circle of women who, by simply being, have been an important part of my healing and living journey these years. jen gray, Christine Mason Miller, Susannah, Denise, Schmoopy, dar, Kirsten, Liz, Thea, Jeanine and Elizabeth - i bow to you, you have kept me warm and inspired. along the dirt path, at the table and around many fires, i welcomed a creative community of women with whom i am continuing to journey. these are my "fire*side beauties" (many of them are listed/linked on the left side of this page): danielle marie - a rock star; ab - a blossom; Lauren - a sassy sister; Jen Lee - a pioneer; jenna - a guide; Helen - a love; Vivienne - a warrior goddess; Heather - a treasure chest; and, Katrina - a lighthouse.

baptism: claiming and naming the ritual, healing and creative arts practice i am building and the creative community i have longed for and found.

renewal: time by the bonfire, beside the lake, under the stars, in the rocking chair and underneath layers and layers and layers of blankets. a kick*ass art-in-nature class led by Christopher Frost - all day, outdoors (my true, true home). refreshing my writing practice in a class led by the delicious Jen Lee. and, "Breathing Space."

leaping: a vow to cultivate play, vitality and being big and a request for my creative community's support in this.

i am - soaring on...

the goods: list 21

2009-09-28T18:53:00.001-04:00

walking the path in my neighborhood at dusk & encountering a man on a bike singing sweetly, "la di di, la di dah", with two wee ones in tow.
rereading an e-mail this afternoon & realizing a dear friend will be in town this week. calling her right away. tomorrow we have a play date at 3 p.m.-ish.
connecting with local Mondo Beyondo class participants. a handmade (made with marker on construction paper) sign to greet me; a glass or two of wine; poster paper, magazines + glue stick; conversation & laughter; plans to get together again on october 28; and, a ride home with a new friend.
my first monthly meeting with treasured beings with whom i attended interfaith seminary, who live in the area i now call home. opening prayer, checking in, open discussion, checking out & closing prayer. holding space for another & having space held for me by others = divine.
collecting leaves, twigs & acorns for the autumnal equinox ceremony. gathering with a small group of women on friday night in my candlelit living room to honor what we've harvested this past season, give thanks for the abundance & name/claim our vows/intentions for this autumn season. my vow: to cultivate play, vitality & being big.
magic: reading The Wishing Year by Noelle Oxenhandler. "...I want to say that a wish is a desire with something added. For while a desire can remain quite passive, latent, held within the realm of possibility. A wish, as I intend to use the word, takes aim. It tries to cross the threshold between the possible and the actual." ~Noelle Oxenhandler
connecting nearly daily via e-mail with my "fire*side beauties", lovelies with whom i sat around many fires while attending Squam Art Workshops. see the list of many of 'em on the left side of my blog.
spending most of this past sunbright saturday walking with my dear roomie, l. to the farmer's market & then the grocery. through our neighborhood & along the path.
sunday night dinner with roomies, l. & s. sharing news, herstories, scrumptious slices of homemade bread, bowls of homemade butternut squash soup, warm chocolate chip cookies & cups of tea. i am one lucky, lucky girl.
three phone calls with three women of three different generations with whom i used to work: nourishing, playful & celebratory.
talking about my dear bella, telling her story, my story, our story - a love story that lives on & on & on... honoring her by connecting with this organization.
tonight, tomorrow night & wednesday night: a string of phone dates with beloved sisters with whom i haven't spoken in weeks or months.

going to art camp!

2009-09-15T18:47:00.000-04:00

by this time tomorrow i will have arrived at SAW/Squam Art Workshops.

a journey a year + in the making...

i know this experience will be a heart-opening, wing-widening, soul-lifting & home-coming good time.

i will return here when i return.

may your days & nights be filled with color, ease, magic & love, love, love.

xo,

gem

off... from goose42 on Vimeo.

"the opportunity to add to [the Universe's] glow"

2009-09-10T08:06:00.002-04:00

"The Universe is immense and gorgeous and magnificent. I salute it. Every speck, every little fly on the window salutes the Universe. Every leaf has meaning. I think the Universe is expanding - it is experiencing and accomplishing. And we have the opportunity to add to its glow. Everybody can love, in the place where they are. In the physical body in which [we] are. In the life in which [we] are involved. We can all add our share of love..."

- Helen Nearing

the goods: list 20

2009-09-09T16:48:00.001-04:00

an excerpt from a prayer entitled, "Earth Prayer", by Mark Nepo: "Let us live deeply enough / till there is only one direction... / and slow enough till there is only / the beginning of time... / and loud enough in our hearts / till there is no need to speak..."
i am now in my new home after days & days of moving, lifting, traveling, unpacking & letting go of even more of what i no longer need. i live in a sweet three bedroom shared with two lovely 30-something women. it is a light-full, spacious, cozy & inspiring space. i am hugely blessed & wildly grate-full. did i mention i live just blocks - blocks! - from 2 homes filled with some of my beloveds?!
a scrumptious & sunshine-y saturday morning at the farmer's market. in my bag from a local organic farm: kale, arugula, red onions, broccoli & green beans. yum!
early morning walks through my new home*town & along the bike/walk/running path.
making sunday morning blueberry pancakes to share with my roomie, l. receiving nourishment from the shared food, tea & unfolding conversation.
the time & space to watch a movie in the afternoon & another at night on sunday night (snuggled under a blanket on the couch, candles lit & tea mug in hand with a roomie nearby).
preparing for Squam Art Workshops.
preparing for my next inHERview. so excited to post this at the end of the month!
creating an autumnal equinox ritual.
a new library card, three books - including this one - & one cd checked out.

the goods: list 19

2009-08-28T17:25:00.001-04:00

time spent this week with beloveds in this new landscape: at the beach on my birthday, making wishes & sending them out to the ocean; at the farm snapping photos & resting under an oak tree; on the sunporch sharing silence & sighs; around tables enjoying nourishment - food, wine, toasts & laughter - together; in the car singing tunes on our way to & from day adventures...
enormous gratitude for this one month temporary home. my first landing spot in my leap north. a space inhabited by two generous beings. thank you, thank you, thank you, m + d.

week 1 of Mondo Beyondo. what a colorFULL community! brilliant tasks, exercises & conversations are unfolding here - including: creating a list of my Mondo Beyondo dreams (dreams that enliven me!); listening to an interview with SARK (she spoke of her commitment to "what brings me the most joy" & inspired me to name what i'm committed to - alive & awake choices); being sent on a secret mission (spreading kindness); and, connecting with local peeps who are participating in the course (i want to co-create a local gathering of Mondo Beyondo-ers!).
spending time yesterday with bella's favorite creature:

an appointment in a square by the river to meet up with one of my lovely new roomies, sign the lease & ceremoniously receive the key to my new home. i move in on wednesday. so excited!
tomorrow's train ride to be with my parents & bro for a few days.
a friend went to the beach on wednesday & at one point during her day she set the intention to "find heart-shaped stones/rocks for gem." she found 5! 5 - all within reach of the chair she was sitting on! magic...
honoring my sleep*less & sometimes turbulent nights, my anxious heart & my chattering mind. honoring my need for space & quiet; knowing it's okay that i haven't returned all those phone calls & e-mails. trusting that this - the whole of this - is an invitation. it is a part of this adventure & the greater adventure - being who i am precisely created/intended to be. all is well. i am well.
Eugenia Last's "Astrological Forecast" on my birth*day: "...look to the future with optimism. Now is the time to make crucial changes that will set you up for the future. Positive action will bring results financially, personally and emotionally. Reevaluate and release what you don't need."

even without effort

2009-08-26T20:09:00.002-04:00

rose quartz (heart shaped) - a birth*day gift from a beloved

i am holding & marinating in the truth of this wisdom card (from The Wisdom of Elves and Fairies - Messengers of the Miraculous by Gayan Sylvie Winter) - letting it in, letting it in:

"All you need in life will

come to you even without effort."

34

2009-08-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

today i am celebrating my 34th birth*day. this week i've been working on a list: 34 for 34. here are my 34 for 34:

feel safe, comfortable, delighted, connected & inspired in my new home.
attend Squam Art Workshops in september. i arrive in 3 1/2 weeks!
(continue) being bRAVe in this.
build my practice.
write, write, write.
publish one or two or + of my writings.
follow my heart.
listen for spirit's guidance.
celebrate, enjoy & laugh with beLOVEds.
make podcasts.
post a vlog or two or three...
be with my family at thanksgiving & christmas.
travel to wyoming to officiate a commitment ceremony.
create & lead 4 seasonal rituals.
co-create a local creative expression group. meet monthly.
co-create a local spirit group. meet monthly.
participate fully in the Mondo Beyondo inaugural on-line course.
create a course.
collaborate with another bloggie beauty on an on-line project.
say "yes!" when & only when i am a heart*full "yes!"
nourish, heal & strengthen the temple of my body.
honor my daily morning practice.
plan a trip abroad.
travel to portland, maine to visit with beauties a few times throughout the year.
travel to the berkshires to visit with friends.
create, be & share in loving partnership.
take daily photos.
continue to practice the great lesson of 2009: flow. keep the energy flowin'.
go to a halloween party.
go apple and/or berry picking.
continue the work that is unfolding in partnership with Women for Women International in honor of bella.
cultivate a powerful & aligned relationship with time.
cultivate a powerful & aligned relationship with technology.
honor my voice & my intuition.

looking deeply & encountering life

2009-08-20T10:15:00.001-04:00

"...it is exactly the way we practice mindfulness. We try to be in touch with life and look deeply as we drink our tea, walk, sit down, or arrange flowers. The secret of the success is that you are really yourself, and when you are really yourself, you can encounter life in the present moment."

~ from Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh

today -

may we be really ourselves.

may we look deeply.

may we touch life.

my art & the language of my life

2009-08-19T19:59:00.000-04:00

a piece of the path i walked yesterday

these recent days i am holding several questions - questions that inspire & delight. here are two:

1. what is my art?

2. what is the language of my life?

on monday i explored these questions in one of my journals, starting with the question, "what is my art?" as my words moved through me (& my fingers) & to the screen i started to see that my response to "what is the language of my life?" mirrors my response to "what is my art?" my art is the language of my life & the language of my life is my art. when i ask "what is my art?" & when i ask "what is the language of my life?" i am asking the same question. i also see that my art is & the language of my life is: my gift, my skill & my contribution.

my art & the language of my life is:

being
breathing
showing up
seeing, naming, honoring & celebrating what is, the wholly holy & the extraordinary ordinary
presence, peace & practice
gratitude & appreciation
creation
light-full & light-ness
joy
gentle-ness, kind-ness & generosity
healing
illuminating
delight
savoring
sweet-ness
enough & perfection
partnership with Spirit, ancestors, Nature, partner, children, family, friends, colleagues & acquaintances
loving
mindful-ness
listening
fluid, flowing, impermanent
simplicity

what is your art? what is the language of your life?

"our art will flower"

2009-08-17T09:24:00.000-04:00

"Everything we do is an act of poetry or a painting if we do it with mindfulness...If we just act with awareness and integrity, our art will flower...the being is essential. So we must go back to ourselves, and when we have joy and peace in ourselves, our creations of art will be quite natural, and they will serve the world in a positive way."

~ from Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh

heartsoaring & soulsinging

2009-08-16T15:53:00.000-04:00

inspired by this post by Jamie Ridler i made a list of things i value, things that are important to me, things of the heart soaring & soul singing variety.

Aligning with & living in partnership with the rhythms of the earth, nature, seasons & my being.
Being. Being with.
Process.
Magic.
Honoring & celebrating the daily, the ordinary extraordinary.
Creation. Creativity.
Beauty.
Tenderness, Kindness, Generosity.
Love.
Light.
Home.

mermaid dreams & morning light & other things

2009-08-16T12:19:00.000-04:00

yesterday: commuter rail, subway, car, shuttle bus. traveling on the interstate and through inviting small towns to the beach. sunshine. clear water. diving in. dinner with friends and friends of friends. water and iced tea. rice. salmon. salad. a warm cookie for dessert. sitting at the table for hours. conversation. laughter. silence. appreciation. the day sung me into a sweet, long sleep and mermaid dreams.

today (so far): the start of my birth*day week. waking without an alarm. staying in bed. my morning practice. dressing. apple chunks sprinkled with cinnamon. plans for time outdoors, getting work done, making phone calls and seeing Julie & Julia. and, this morning light on my bed:

the goods: list 18

2009-08-14T15:35:00.000-04:00

on monday night, while conversing with a soul*sister, these lines from this song worked their way to me & whispered through me: "Peace in the struggle / To find peace / Comfort on the way / To comfort..." these words rose as my prayer for her. this week i have a long string of souls for whom i wish & sing this prayer. in particular, three college students - one who nearly lost his life, one who nearly took a life & one who was a witness. for them, their families & friends & for all of us, i sing & pray peace & comfort.
the trailer to a movie entitled, Lemonade. watch here.
Kindness Swap. i heart this idea!
on wednesday night i found my new home space in this new geography. this find was pure magic. i move into my new home on or around september 1. there are so many gifts in this. including, being a 10 minute walk to two homes of beloved friends. lucky, lucky me.
a 24 hour visit with family friends & my momma. my momma & i had a slumber party. such fun!
this message from an excerpt entitled, "Aimlessness", in Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh: "There is a word in Buddhism that means 'wishlessness' or 'aimlessness.' The idea is that you do not put something in front of you and run after it, because everything is already here, in yourself...we do not try to arrive anywhere...If we keep thinking of the future, of what we want to realize, we will lose our steps...Each moment brings us back to life...By taking good care of the present moment, we take good care of the future." let us honor our steps. let us be brought back to life in this moment & this moment & ...
sitting here at my desk, by the window, receiving the warm breeze & softening in the sunlight.
thinking about the fall. fall in this new geography. cherishing summer.

the goods: list 17

2009-08-09T22:01:00.002-04:00

Megg's blog: More to Me.
an excerpt of a commencement address given by Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor. listen here. Ann's words speak to me: "The novelist John Gardner suggested that the true search in life is for one's 'necessary fire.' I believe he was referring to the genuine, inborn desire in one's heart - the one that feels required, as if it is part of your purpose for being here. Your necessary fire is an endeavor that holds the possibility to bring you alive, but also one with which you have a deep compatibility, a true affinity." what is your necessary fire? Sue & Ann's new book, Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story, will be published in the fall.
as part of my daily morning practice, i read an excerpt (one a day, a vitamin of sorts) from Thich Nhat Hanh's work, Peace Is Every Step. this morning i underlined these words in the passage entitled, "Walking Meditation", "Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet." and, these words, "Every step makes a flower bloom under your feet."
i am reading, often in the moments before sleep, Everyday Spiritual Practice. this work is a collection of essays on spiritual practice written by various writers & edited by Scott M. Alexander. always words & phrases like these resonate & delight: "connected"; "sense of oneness"; "to know our place and our value"; "essence"; "continuous play of creation"; "appreciation"; "using all of our senses"; "feeling the ground"; "dedicate"; "flow"; "cradle"; "whispering"; "observe"; "miracle"; "practice"; "impeccable"; and, "deep currents."
feeling at home in the north. grateful for my proximity to dear, dear friends - friends with whom i feel at home. in particular, three women, two men & two wee boys. i feel lucky. so lucky. and, cared for. and, hopeFULL.
with most of these dear, dear friends (see above) i spent the weekend exploring this new geography. by the ocean. in the sunshine one day & underneath a heavy blanket o' clouds the next day. walking. driving. laughing. tearing. making alive & awake choices. speaking. listening. hugging. holding.
these are my prayers & intentions for the week: listen for the heartFULL "yes!" live conscious. schedule my days. be powerFULL. speak the truth. create.

the day after i arrived

2009-08-02T18:35:00.001-04:00

rising after 10 hours of rest.

the migraine dissipating in the night hours.

waking in my new bed in this new and temporary home space (until i find a more permanent home).

walking across the hall and through a room to say good morning to my friend, l., who traveled north with me to this new home. grateful for her presence in the transition.

yoga.

a warm shower. a baptism of sorts.

greeting the generous people (the mother and father of a dear friend) who have opened their home to me for a month or two while i create new work and home.

a cup of ginger peach tea and the sunday morning paper.

friendly chatter.

phoning a beloved sister, d., who lives nearby and creating a plan to spend sunday afternoon hours together. the first of many hours we will spend together now that i'm here.

a sweet sunday breakfast. l. treated.

sitting in the backyard with l. looking at maps of this new geography, my new home. i heart maps.

embracing l. before she departed.

driving to the organic farm with d. i thought of her and how much she would love this farm; i imagined the photos she would take. d. and i sat at the picnic table by the perfect climbing tree for minutes leading into an hour +.

a solo walk around the neighborhood. quiet. green. an answered prayer. perfection.

looking forward to taking pictures and posting some of them here.

coming here to share with you.

terrain

2009-07-31T16:30:00.001-04:00

snippets:

releasing things to goodwill.
boxes, packaging tape & labels.
two piles: things for temporary storage & things to travel north with me.
filling up the u-haul & the u-haul not starting (all that was required was a jump - thankFULLy!).
two + weeks of training my replacement at work (as of july 29 that "work" became "my old job").
selling my gym membership.
changing my address (to my temporary "northern" address, while i look for more permanent housing).
attending a surprise dinner (coordinated by my parents) at a favorite italian restaurant with oodles of my beloveds in attendance - lucky, lucky me.
before leaping north guests from out of town, lunches, dinners & tea dates.
a farewell party for me & my co-worker, who was also leaving the organization we've been working at for years - me, 5.5 years; he, 3 years.
feeling sad, so very sad about leaving my "work" family. i heart these peeps. they are the best kind o' peeps. funny. intelligent. committed. generous. spirited. lovely. sigh... i miss 'em.
receiving flowers & the warmest handwritten & e-mail notes.
making a gazillion decisions each day - day after day...
exhaustion.
deep breaths.
a new laptop. LOVE her!
3 visits to the dentist & 4 phone calls to the dentist in 8 days for 1 broken tooth.
went to see (500) Days of Summer.
witnessing & celebrating - how i've grown & how i've learned! the whole of this was relatively easeFULL & i kept relatively calm & carried on...

the journey continues.

tomorrow i travel north to create new work & home.

i will connect with you from there.

how i wonder how you are?

the goods: list 16

2009-07-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

this post by Jamie Ridler. i am imagining that anything is possible.
this post by Jen Lee. her words, "I am going as myself."
this on-line course by Jen Lemen & Andrea Scher! i signed up for the inaugural class - a happy birth*day present to me. i've been waiting for this course & it's happening at the perfect time.
by the time this post is posted the big move (putting things in temporary storage) & all those details & the string o' choices & questions related to physically/literally moving things will be complete.
i am totally in awe & grateFULL for what i've been learning & practicing these hours, days, weeks & months of this year: allowing the energy to flow & move forward. i am bearing witness to what allows for flow & what alleviates & eliminates stuckness: powerFULL. the whole of this - choosing to leap north, creating new home & work; living; learning; and, loving - connects to the words i chose for 2009: bRAVe in this.
my inHERview with danielle marie.
rice pudding. 'been lovin' this lately...
breakfast. having breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

pieces of these six years

2009-07-25T07:00:00.002-04:00

bella's graduation from high school.
the death of my maternal grandmother. intimately bearing witness to the process of dying.
journeys to california, montana, idaho, virginia, dc, new york, connecticut, maryland, maine, new jersey, ohio, massachusetts & africa.
attending, participating in & creating wedding/commitment ceremonies.
celebrating the births of friends' children.
taking bella to college.
moving my parents' home two times.
moving my own home three times. living in a little blue house & a soul nest.
being brave, finding & reaching out to c. someone who was an important part of my life & family when i was a wee one. someone i have not seen since i was 9 years old.
reconnecting with a dear friend from college.
healing, recreating & celebrating relationships with family.
two foot injuries & the healing of these injuries.
learning much & clarifying much about relationship/partnership in the process of dating three men (not at the same time - hee-hee!).
bella's physical death.
receiving healing from a.b. & b.k.
creating heart to heart connections with philly peeps: l.l., m.s., m.w., n.b., p.e. & t.h.
supporting the development of a non-profit - serving as volunteer coordinator, then director of volunteer programs & finally director of program development.
being supported by the funny & often hysterical, smart & wise, generous & lovely people with whom i worked all these years.
creating droplets of devotion.
becoming a reiki master level practitioner.
becoming an ordained interfaith.
becoming a mercy associate.
experiencing renewal & baptism (into this life - my life - as it is now).
leading seasonal ceremonies - winter solstice, spring equinox & summer solstice.
listening to my heart...

dear city

2009-07-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

dear city - city of LOVE,

i chose you nearly six years ago. much to my surprise.

it was the right choice. i found a home here. for this i am most grateful.

i remember all those days these last six years whispering to you, "i love it here."

this, too, is right - leaving you now & leaping north to a new adventure, new home, new work, unknowns, learnings, old & new beloveds.

i am ready. i am so very ready.

you have taken such good care of me.

providing shelter in that little blue house with my little blue house roomie (who will always be my "roomie" - wherever i go) & in a nest of my own.

offering sweet & nourishing spots.

indoors - a chocolate cafe; favorite indian, sushi, middle eastern, japanese & vegan restaurants; the pizza joint with my favorite pizza; the library; movie theaters; cafes & coffee/tea shops, where i wrote, read & shared tea dates; candlelit spaces to listen to live music; places to study spirituality & energy work; yoga studios; the gym; and, places to worship.

outdoors - green squares; spots by your rivers; restaurants with outdoor seating; your city streets - i walked & walked & walked...

thank you for my work. mostly, for the collection of beings with whom i worked - they have been family.

thank you for the proximity to family to journey & heal with.

thank you for offering an endless string of life*saving beings who listened, taught, helped, healed, inspired & loved me.

thank you for the whole of these six years. choosing you six years ago makes perfect sense now as i see the whole of my time here...

xo,
gem

north

2009-07-23T18:21:00.000-04:00

i am leaving, leaping, learning.
i am feeling exhausted, brave, adventurous, hopeful.
i am trusting, telling, twirling.

on august 1 i will be landing in new england...

inHERview: danielle marie

2009-07-15T19:11:00.000-04:00

this month's inHERview is with the playFULL, insightFULL & soulFULL danielle marie. this is an extra-special month because it is danielle's birthday month. hip hip hooray!

i have the privilege of being danielle's roomie at SAW in september! after i posted a message on the SAW message board danielle recognized my name & sent me an e-mail. we've been connecting via e-mail for nearly 5 months.

we both feel we've been "divinely paired" in receiving each other as SAW roomies in september. i am one lucky girl. read on & you'll feel lucky to know more about this gorgeous beam of light.

IN THE RAIN GARDEN

Who are you?

I’m just a regular, everyday gal— a friend, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom— you might feel like you’ve already met me when you meet me! I’m also an artist, a dreamer, and a doll maker. I like to write. I am evolving, open, absorbing all I can in this wonderful life. . .

Where can we find you?

You can usually find me around my town or at home with my family. I’m a homebody, a do-it-yourselfer, a list-maker, a volunteer, a rainy-day snuggler. I’m a graphic designer who stepped out of the corporate world for a moment to be home with my children and there is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for that ability and the wonderful, supportive help of my husband! Now that moment has turned into years in the blink of an eye, and as I look ahead to releasing my youngest to the partial school day schedule, I am flaking the rust off the treasure box— discovering clues about what’s next for me!

Online, you can find a snippet of me at my blog, myhiddenmuse.blogspot.com. I use that space as an exercise to keep me accountable to my artistic self— I don’t know much about blogging or even if I will keep it up, but for now it’s like one of my little notebooks. Instead of keeping it on a shelf, I keep it online. It’s one of my many projects.

Some of my other projects— you can see some of my mixed media art published in the May/June 2009 Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine, or on the cover of the first ever 2010 Cloth, Paper, Scissors Calendar! I also volunteer my talents locally to design and publish the monthly newsletter for my church in our town. Oh, and I have a little shop on etsy at bydaniellemarie.etsy.com that I should be adding more treasures to soon.

If you’re going to the Squam Art Workshops this fall, I'd love to meet you there! I can’t wait. Signing up for SAW is what ultimately has led me here— to being inHERviewed by gem! She is my divinely paired roomie, and I am so happy that we have reached out and virtually connected already. Squam couldn’t be happening at a better time for me, and I look forward to sponging up the inspiration— the people, the setting, the challenge of new artistic techniques! Anticipation!

What is your motto for living? Or, what’s on the bumper sticker of your life?

Hmmm. I’d have to say it all boils down to The Golden Rule for me. Do unto others as you would like to have done unto you. How do I want to treat people and be treated? How does this apply to how I raise my kids, be with friends, meet strangers, react in tough situations? I’m a thinker. Always considering. . .

How do you spend your summer days?

Summer is my busy home season. I spend my summer days chauffeuring and accompanying my mini-peeps to swimming lessons, story hours, band practice, soccer camp, playdates, park adventures, grandma visits, and surprise afternoon picnics. The cracks in that schedule are stuffed with good books in rocking chairs on the sunporch, afternoons of art supply immersion, popsicle breaks and quarts of fresh picked berries. It’s a barefoot summer around here. No shoes in the house! And most importantly, the mini-peeps can sleep late while I try to get up early.

How do you spend your summer nights?

After cleaning up the straggling evidence of a full day, I like to relax with my other half on the lantern-lit sunporch or snuggle for a Netflix movie. I like to sneak in a few quiet studio moments, too, but that doesn’t always fit. All in time.

How do you spend your summer weekends?

Summer weekends are even better because we have even more options with the daddy on board. Double the help, double the fun! Kayak jaunts, fireworks, cookouts, drives to the mountains or the ocean . . . it’s all fair game. Sometimes, the best days end up being the ones I don’t expect— puttering around the yard as the swingset squeaks and the long-left project gets finished with cooperation; or we’ll discover a treasure all because of a wrong way turn.

How do you define your tribe?

I think my tribe reaches wide and far. Its boundaries are flexible, if there are any. It’s all encompassing.

Who is a part of your tribe?

You. Her. Him. Them. All of us. We’re like those raindrops on the car window— the ones we probably all watched as backseat passengers on rainy roadtrips— single, trailing, grouping, skipping, joining, racing, slowing, bumping, separating, meeting again. The fluid movement, the morphing shapes, all sparkling— I think that’s us. So, it’s like that. See? Beyond my nurturing family nucleus, I am one who welcomes everyone sharing the window, even for a moment, on our roadtrip through this life. Is that a tribe? I don’t really know. . .

What makes your heart sing?

Oh so many things. On the tip of my mind now: getting lost in the creative process— when the inspiration flows freely and time drops away— the surface builds or the fiber transforms to doll, and suddenly something lovely has been created where there was once just nothing. It’s happy, it’s magical, it’s heart-singing! As if that joyful feeling could be topped, sending those creations out into the world— putting them out there, sharing them, allowing them to be seen and having them be received by people who want to receive them— is a wonderful feeling, a heart-singing high. Lovely.

What do you care about?

Too much! It has been known to keep me up at night. My family, my children, their futures, their health, the trees, that car in the snowbank, the friend in trouble, the homeless at the shelter, the necessity to reduce, reuse and recycle, the economy . . . I am very caring and when I can, I do my best to act on it. If I can help you— I will.

What nourishes you?

Lately, it’s literally been fresh local produce! We joined a Community Supported Agriculture program and it’s a season of yumminess complete with a new cookbook to help us out along the way. I am also nurtured by adventurous wanders, sticky-fingered hugs, the wind, my elephant memory and the snippets it feeds me at odd moments, little lost-my-tooth grins, good music, quiet early mornings, and thunderstorms at night.

Where and/or when do you feel most at home?

In the big, blue chair by the picture window. A cup of coffee in my hand. The sky is just brightening, the birds are in the tree. The house is quiet, everyone is safe and still sleeping. I am awake and at home and there is no rush, there is nowhere to go, there is time, time, time— quiet, breathing, tucked-in time to just simply appreciate . . . being.

JUGGLING * paper collage

What is one question (in your life/journey) you are currently answering?

I went to a yoga retreat for the first time last fall and came away from one workshop with this question: How do you want to arrive? It bumps around in my mind lately as I struggle with the daily routines, choices and changes that happen as I try to achieve a balance between my family life and my artistic life. There are so many ways we are all jugglers . . . How do I want to arrive? as a parent? as an artist? a friend? a wife? all that I am? With bright joy and contagious confidence! I hope I am getting close to that intended answer!

What dream are you dreaming right now?

I dream now about how my artistic life will evolve as I gradually gain more time to pursue it. I dream now about what is around the corner, because I don’t really know. I’m picking up the clues, tuning in to the least static-y channel . . . bzzz, shhhhh, bzzzz . . . and hopefully soon I'll be singing along.

What adventure are you participating in right now?

Well, raising three active little-to-medium kids constitutes more than one adventure, that’s for sure. Everyday is an adventure. So, I think that’s just it! Passing along that joie de vivre— that everyday belief in possibilities— to the three bright little spirits that are in my charge right now, filling them up to the fullest and wisest before I need to set them free into the big, wide world . . . that is my current, active adventure.

What are you reveling in right now?

The fullness of my laughing house in summer and the anticipation of my escape to SQUAM in September! whoo hoo, yee haw, and all that! tee hee.

How do you define joy?

Happiness so completely filling that it makes me want to burst wide, fly, run, spread my arms wide and hug the world! It’s so nice to know that joy is lurking everywhere . . .

I AM: DOLL MAKER, ARTIST, OATMEAL EATER

Tell us 3 playFULL things about you...

1) I am a noticer. My eye catches things that many people miss. The kids love this because they know there’s always the possibility for a whacky find when I’m around. Recently, we obtained a perfectly good discarded wooden chair simply by turning the wrong way out of the usual gas station. Another time, it was spotting adjustable hospital tables left to rust among boulders by the seashore. Score! Reduce, re-use, recycle! Just for noticing.

2) I’m pretty spontaneous. Unpredictable. You thought we were just going to the grocery store? Well, I hope you brought sturdy shoes and a jacket, in case we take an unplanned adventure to find that one tall tree that sticks up above the rest on the opposite mountain or that white farmhouse on the hill. If the light is just right, and we have the time, it’s unpredictable!

3) Let me see if we can fix that . . . Yes, just give me a small tool box, a junk drawer with tape, rubberbands, miscellaneous saved parts, and I can probably mend that racetrack/doll house/necklace/etc . . . And if we don’t have the parts here, we should check the closet in my studio. Because I’ve got pieces of the whole world in there! I’m a this & that packrat with MacGyver tendencies. Look out!

What does summer mean to you?

Firefly winks in the backyard. Smores, family time. SPF. Iced tea, lemonade and hummingbirds. Sand on the kitchen floor. Good reads, lazy mornings, new sunglasses. Birthdays and new beginnings. Summer is relaxation, a necessary preparation for busy Septembers!

If you were to “tell the world just one thing” (as Jewel sings) what would that “one thing” be?

Oh, this is a toughy. Wear sunscreen! Seriously? Okay. It would have to just be: Find your true beat and go with it. Rock on, people! Oh, and smile.

the goods: list 15

2009-07-06T20:40:00.001-04:00

a notecard from a beloved sister received last monday evening. her words, "lighting the way." and, Roderick MacIver's words on the front of this notecard, "So much of the satisfaction in life is in taking a risk for the thing you love."
What would you ask for? post at my topography. today i am asking for: help and support as i prepare to move; a healed, strong and well body; loving partnership; calm and ease; a lightFULL, comfortable and inspiring home space; and, work that delights me and calls for me.
inspired by this post by Andrea Scher, i am asking this question: what am i paying attention to (and, what will thrive with the attention given)? being in my body; spirit's guidance; listening to my heart; inspiration; movement; rest; love; and, ease.
Marianne's Stepping Out (and in to what she knows she needs to do).
stumbling upon these words in a seemingly unlikely place (an ad in a newspaper on a table next to the photocopier in the office supply area at my work): "trust is everything."
reading about this Norwegian custom here: lighting a candle when someone comes to visit your home. how sweet this is.
walking by a bridal shop on 13th street on thursday afternoon and seeing a woman trying on her wedding dress.
summer sunSHINE! after so. much. rain.
this song.