thursday night thoughts

this piece of today's post is inspired by e.soule.

what i like (brings tears to my eyes):


what i've been doing: being quiet. re*grounding at home, in my city, after time(s) away in recent weeks.

where i've been/going: (where i've been...) north for an autumn adventure with beauty*full beings, soul*sisters, members of my tribe, family. (where i'm going...) to see The Secret Life of Bees.

what i've been thinking: in death there is life and birth: boldly blossoming. in death there is hope: wild and true. love reigns.

and, this piece of today's post is inspired by this JOY + RIDE.

on the nightstand (thank you, s.!)...


am loving...the "Pamela's Chocolate Chip Cookies" recipe on the package of All Natural Pamela's Products Wheat-Free & Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake Mix. i made this recipe for the first time last night. scrumptious!

what inspires me about this fall? journeys north and south to be with beloveds. cups of tea; exta*especially enjoyed in the presence of beloveds. honoring/celebrating autumn with these creative bloggie wonders: 3191; A Beautiful Mess; Be...Dream...Play...; port2port press; my topography; Nectar & Light; the habit of being; abby try again...

what are three constants in my day?
1. a morning yoga/prayer practice
2. walking (to work, home for lunch, to the store, to the post office, to the train, to yoga class, up and down the stairs in my apartment building...)
3. bella's presence

tuesday treasures

*this evening a man selling t-shirts at the corner of a major intersection in my city gave me a shout out as i put on my sunglasses: "you look like a million bucks!" i wasn't feelin' like a million bucks pre-shout out and then i was. i smiled and i was feelin' like a million bucks +.

*shortly after my "million bucks" encounter, i saw this sign, "God [who i understand to be God/Spirit/Energy/Source/Wisdom/Goddess/and more] is my pilot." amen. alleluia.

*"Where Are You Going" by Dave Matthews Band. have a listen here.

*this celebration: Day of the Dead. and, thinking about celebrating it in this way:read more here and here.

what are your tuesday treasures (or grat*nours)?

heavenly days

Boho Girl introduced me to the song "Heavenly Day" by Patty Griffin via this post. i needed to share this song with you. enjoy this:



i am blessed to be a part of creating & participating in an abundance of heavenly days in this love*full life. my days this weekend with my beloved friends, s & a, were heavenly days...

tonight as i sat down to eat a big yellow mug full of leftover (from the weekend at the lake) lentil soup i said this prayer of thanks, one of today's grat*nours:

Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing be full of bliss.
-The Buddha

may you be full of bliss...heavenly days & dreamy nights.

sit with me: Sacred Life Sunday

sitting & sitting with / being & being with were the rich threads woven throughout this weekend as i spent time at the lake, away from my city, with two beloveds from another city.

tonight i am filled up with these gratitudes & nourishments & more: fresh air (after eating sunday breakfast at the picnic table in the sunshine & saturday's walk around the lake & apple orchard); soul*nourishing food & drink (e.g., two bowls of homemade lentil soup, a stack of whole grain pancakes, hot cups of tea & glasses of red wine); John Denver's Greatest Hits (one of my all time favorites!); hope (after sharing my thoughts on business*building, home*buying, partner*ship & mother*hood); deep rest (after a nearly 10 hour sleep in our cabin by the lake on saturday night); and, love (for my two beloveds who listen, who see me & offer their wisdom & humor).

what are you filled up with tonight?

my /my worship today included: washing dishes with care & taking a six mile morning walk with one of my beloveds, this generous one who i've known for 19 years.

tonight i offer you these treats:
*this recipe for "hippie cookies" discovered here.
*a little bit o' John Denver:


*this wish: a night full of warmth and light...

part Friday Fill-In, part gem's friday fill-in

numbers 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 are from ; 2 and 4 are my creations.

1. October is a time for opening.
2. fridays feel festive!
3. Leaves are falling all around, it's a sweet and magical time.
4. it's the 3rd of october and here are three gratitudes & nourishments. one, the space for a 15 minute phone conversation with my darling friend, d., late thursday afternoon. feeling deeply connected to a soul*sister. so grateful. two, my weekly tea date with t. on thursday. on my plate: a tasty (melted in my mouth) lemon poppyseed scone. in my cup: hot creme caramel tea. in my heart: t.'s words to me. she said that recently she's been noticing a "blossoming (in me)...something transforming in my space..." even as i deal with what i'm dealing with. she said she hears it in my voice and she sees it in my face and eyes. her words to and for me resonate completely. three, having these hours just for me before i make the journey to be with beloveds this weekend.
5. playing girl's tennis in high school (during the late summer/fall season) = good memories.
6. It was a dark and stormy night after a string of dark and stormy nights and i was home, nestled safely in my bed, dreaming of the birth of a blue*sky, sun*bright morning.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to journeying to the lake, tomorrow my plans include resting, reconnecting with two soul*sisters, sharing nourishing meals and breathing in the fresh, crisp air and Sunday, I want to give thanks for the abundance, for the harvest.

7 discoveries & 7 more

7 recent bloggie*world discoveries:

1. i heart this post at {the penny has dropped}. the title is near and dear to me: "{soul sister}". you must read it here. i thought of my dear friend, d., when i read this. she and i have become sweetly close in recent months/the past year. indeed, a grat*nour.

2. i referred to this site in a recent post and i am in*spired to say a bit more about 3191 a year of evenings. this site contains an evening image from one beauty in portland, maine and another evening image from a beauty in portland, oregon. read more here about the release of their book A Year of Mornings / 3191 Miles Apart. i heart this idea.

3. i am lovin' this site: A Beautiful Mess. i am wantin' this Autumn Loves Craft Kit.

4. ilka's attic. gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. her study in red post is enchanting.

5. Be...Dream...Play... continues to speak to me.

6. i am touched by this post by Stacy...in particular, the words about beginning imperfectly.

7. the grand finale: i love, love, loved this post entitled Seven Sensational Things To Do When You're Not Feeling So Super by jen lemen over here.

that 7th bloggie*world discovery inspired me to write my own list o' 7.

here is a list o' 7 things/options that support me when i need supportin' (i.e., when i'm in a yucky*mucky head/mind space):

1. pause. stay paused. for as long as it takes. sometimes this looks like coming to a screeching halt and re*grouping/re*grounding and then takin' that next step.

2. lie down, if necessary. and, do nothing else but lie down. do not turn on the television or grab a book or magazine. just lie down.

3. find my breath. breathe. deeply. find my center. feel my center.

4. dance it out. Kris Carr taught me this.

5. be mind*full of when how i'm "feeling" is running the show. in particular, when i'm in a dis*empowering, life*defeating "i don't feel like it" space. allow for it and make room for other options.

6. move. literally change my landscape. go outside. go into the office. go to the coffeeshop. notice shift happening.

7. practice, practice, practice presence. i find this practice sometimes more appropriately named: the practice of delaying instant gratification. rather than going for the easy thing/distraction (e.g., food, television) i do the hardEST thing ever and taste and tune into what is right here, right now.

do you have any 7's to share?

bursting open

happy october!

today i wrote in my journal:
"open october intentions: to seek openings; to live in open*ness."

what are your october intentions?

today i worked from 9 a.m. - 12 noon in my office and i cleared the rest of the day to come home, re*ground, re*center and create. a gift to me. five delicious hours before i need to catch a train for a meeting this evening. on my list for to*day: blog; clean/clear my home space (a little autumn cleaning!); prepare and package up some love*mail; eat a nourishing meal before i catch my 5:53 pm train; and, rest, relax and breathe (deeply).

what's on your list for to*day?

yesterday evening i received an e-mail entitled, "You're the winner!", from the divine Christine Mason Miller. i've been admiring Christine's book (without actually holding this treasure in my hands) , Ordinary Sparkling Moments, and i won a free, signed copy of this soul*full creation. lucky, lucky, lucky me! Christine announced the delicious*ness here, as well. i look forward to receiving the soul*fuel that this book will offer as i continue to create and share my work/art/being in the world, day by day.

a grat*nour for sure: this being called a "winner" (as we all are!) and receiving something from a generous beam of light nearly 2,500 miles away.

Friday Fill-Ins

a fun friday thing i found today on ***sparkletopia*** (a link listed under "Ongoing Creative Projects" on the left side of the page...):



here are my friday fill-ins:

1. a visit to the lake with s & a; a trip to portland, maine; going to t's concert; wearing cozy layers o' clothing; autumn evening walks (taking notice of candles in windows and the scent of burning firewood in the air); eating slices of pumpkin pie; and, drinking cups of hot and delicious beverages (tea, chai and hot cocoa with whipped cream) are some of the things I'm most looking forward to in October.

2. Sometimes I forget to be tender and spacious with me.

3. [nothing is showing up for me here in the way of a response so i will pass on this one...] and that's why there is a saying, "never say never"!

4. When I'm down, I remember that it all shifts/changes; I remind myself to ride this wave as I am; and, I ask, "What am I learning here, in this down?"

5. in a space of gratitude is where you'll find me most often.

6. A rainy day is good for time "in" and "off"...resting in my nest, snuggled under a soft blanket, maybe reading a yummy book or watching a sweet movie.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a quiet, nourishing and creative night at home/in my little nest; tomorrow my plans include a bit o' work in the a.m. and a tea date at a new spot with t; and, Sunday I want to go to an early a.m. kundalini yoga class (unless my body says, "dear gem, you must rest rather than rise this early a.m...") and enjoy a shopping date with my momma!

and, today's grat*nours:
*a quote found here. "The details make life holy. If you want a little happiness in life don’t forget to look at the little things. It is a poet’s work to see the incidental, pluck it, place an appropriate silence around both sides and see the profound in what passes for a passing moment. It is an artist’s job to as much discover art as create it. Prayer is a way of making the common profound by pausing, tying knots around a moment, turning our life into a string of pearls." -Noah Ben Shea
*a soul*connecting, listening*full, deep & intimate two hour phone conversation with my dearest friend, d, this evening.
*the gift of my co-workers. two of them celebrated birth*days this week. i honor their play*fullness, kind*ness, commitment and wisdom.
*chookooloonks and 3191 a year of evenings. check 'em out!

happy weekend to all and to all a sweet night...

aUtuMn inTentIoNs

these are my autumn intentions:
*live in aligned partnership with autumn and her energies. allow for her winds, her crisp*ness (invigorating and sparkly), her releasing (of leaves), her transformation, her harvest, her astonishing beauty...
*be at home & create home (in my mind, heart, body, nest and work)
*be & create cozy
*be gentle & gentler still with me
*make art
*bake
*light candles
*build my spiritual direction/spiritual guidance practice
*build creative community
*drink cups of tea
*eat slices of pumpkin pie
*practice yoga
*pray
*worship
*nourish my body (monthly massage appointments), mind (delicious & inspiring reading; art viewing; dvd watching...) and spirit (listening for god's whispers and for the feel of her hand in my hand or on my back, gently guiding)
*take walks
*rest, ground, heal
*bake
*VOTE!
*celebrate the extraordinary ordinary: the simplicity of a falling leaf; the unexpectedly good happening; the washing of dishes
*make & have dates with friends: tea dates; lunch dates; dinner dates; creative dates; phone dates
*travel to the lake and to portland, maine

what are your autumn intentions?

today's grat*nour: a poem, discovered here.

Instructions

Give up the world; give up self; finally, give up God.
Find god in rhododendrons and rocks,
passers-by, your cat.
Pare your beliefs, your absolutes.
Make it simple; make it clean.
No carry-on luggage allowed.
Examine all you have
with a loving and critical eye, then
throw away some more.
Repeat. Repeat.
Keep this and only this:
what your heart beats loudly for
what feels heavy and full in your gut.
There will only be one or two
things you will keep,
and they will fit lightly
in your pocket.

-Sheri Hostetler, A Cappella: Mennonite Voices in Poetry

gratitudes & nourishments

gratitude (noun): a feeling of thank*fullness and appreciation

nourishment (noun): something that strengthens, builds up, sustains

i've been thinking a lot about these two words: gratitude and nourishment. i am asking: for what am i grateful? in this moment, right now, this now, what is there to be grateful for?

as i (continue to) heal and create and discover life*affirming and soul*satisfying ways to provide nourishment and receive nourishment, i ask: what am i truly, deeply hungry for? what nourishes me wholly? what is the most nourishing choice i can make in this moment?

during this season of autumn i will be posting gratitudes & nourishments when i post. recently, i came up with another name, a nickname of sorts, for gratitudes & nourishments: grat*nours. sometimes i may refer to gratitudes & nourishments as grat*nours. you know, for fun, like nicknames!

for today, here are my gratitudes & nourishments, my grat*nours:
*remembering: embracing and being embraced by a friend, a seminary classmate, on friday afternoon. we hadn't seen each other since graduation, three months ago. after releasing our embrace to refocus our attention on the tasks at hand (both of us were involved in a project in nyc on friday), he turned and walked away. then, he turned and walked back towards me. his intention was crystal clear. he looked directly at me, embraced me again and said, "i love you." then he pulled back to look at me again and said, "you know this, right? i love you. i have told you this, haven't i? i love you."
*remembering: early friday morning while walking to the train station to catch my first of two trains to nyc, i smelled autumn. on friday afternoon, while taking a break in central park, i sat on a bench and i felt autumn on my skin. delicious.
*this post. this is what it's all about. lighting the path for each other by simply being who we are divinely created to be.
*and, this post. practical, help*full and juicy tips for "bottling the magic"! that is, the magic that is known, touched and tasted after a fly*ing high/mountain*top experience (e.g., after an inspiring workshop, a sweet reunion with one(s) you love or a soul*full retreat). bonus: kelly rae speaks of this, too. you can link to kelly rae's post by going over to my "word" list on the left. click on "life after life changing experiences."
*these words...
"The night
walked down the sky
with
the moon
in her hand."
-Frederic Lawrence Knowles
...discovered here.
*considering all of the feathers that i've noticed recently as "evidence of angels" thanks to judy wise. see this post.
*bits/words and pieces/images of fall found here at Be...Dream...Play...