Vanilla Frosted Morning!

What an amazing morning! It snowed most of the night and my world is frosted when I wake up...gobs and gobs of vanilla frosting. Oh, but you don't have to shovel frosting do you?

The views from all directions were amazing as the sun came up and broke through low clouds...everything sparkled! Then of course, after shoveling my way to the barn we played. The dogs raced and burrowed and just had a blast! The snow was light and fluffy so they ended up covered. Cute.

It was such a fantastic day I had to keep pinching myself to believe it was real. Sweet Mary brought the best, the absolutely very best, creamy turkey soup and some stuffing to the libary. She also brought *what she called a sliver* gorgeous piece of pumpkin cheese cake. The were all homemade, and more to the point, made by Sweet Mary! I had lunch, dinner and will have lunch tomorrow on these equisite, gourmet, foods. I am as full as a tick tonight! She is such a dear friend and so very talented...and has a heart as big as the world.

'Tis the Season!

Santa Baby! I found this guy that I made last year when I began my rummaging for Christmas decorations. I like him! It is easy to be in a festive mood today as it is Sunday...I have the day off...have been for great walks with my dogs and those I am caring for...it is snowing! Has been since early morning. FESTIVE!

Fire in the fireplace, puttering around with some crafts, some art...and looking over a storage box of dolls in various stages of completion. Trying to find the box of vintage photographs for a collage...no luck yet. Still have created a couple of collages that I really like...Wise/Emerging Woman is the theme. I have been working on this for over a year and it is finally taking shape. Fun to do the art and not just think about it or be fearful that it won't be "perfect". Oh, that fear thing. Gotta get rid of that. Beautiful, snowy, creative day! More on Emerging Woman later.

Thanksgiving

It is a beautiful, cold Thanksgiving Day. I am feeling quite content and most grateful. That theme has beeen growing over the past months. Spent a lovely morning caring for critters; mine and those of L and K...they are away. It was most rewarding and peaceful. The birds are feasting out in their aviary and the Ubu and Max are watching. The birds are happy munching the the cat and dog are happy to watch!

I sent Blue Mountain cards to friends and family and the quote in one of them was: "The things that matter most in our lives are not the things we acquire along the way but within a treasure chest of memories and experiences with the people we love." How very true. I have such lovely memories both of Thanksgivings past, and life in general. I am and have been truly blessed.

As I nest around the house this morning I arrange the flowers that Petra gave me yesterday. It was part of a lovely birthday celebration. Again, I am so blessed not only to have three of the most fantastic chiropractors in the world...but to have them as friends. I set the flowers, bright and cheery on my table.

I read a prayer from one of the books written by Don Miguel Ruiz this morning - it is one I often read and try to hold with me for the entire day. "Let us be aware of our power to create a dream of heaven where everything is possible. Help us to use our imagination to guide the dream of our life, the magic of our creation, so we can live without fear, without anger without jealousy, without envy. Give us a light to follow, and let today be the day that our search for loe and happiness is over. Today let something extraordinary happen that will change our life forever; Let everything we do and say be an expression of the beauty in our hearts, always based on love."

Words to live by and act upon today...and every day!

This gem was a birthday gift from Meslissa, my wonderful daughter in law. She knows me so well and I treasure this faux stone with a quote by Cicero...

I have a full heart and deep gratitude for my many gifts, family, critters, friends, my garden and library!

Happy Thanksgiving, peace, love and joy to all today and every day.

Inspiration

I was just going back over some notes I took after reading Phil Borges Book, Women Empowered Inspiring Change in the Emerging World. A dear friend gave it to me as a birthday gift a few years ago. We have since ordered it for our local library as well. It is an important work; an amazing book. It astounded me with not only breathtaking photos, but facts.

"Women produce half of the world's food but own just one percent of its farmland. Of the 867 million illiterate adults in the world, two thirds of those are women. On average women represent a mere ten percent of all elected legislators worldwide. Eighty percent of the world's refugees and displaced people are women and girls. An increase of one year in the average education of a nation's women corresponds to a five to ten percent decrease in that country's child mortality rates. Worldwide, at least one in three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some way, most often by someone she knows. Between 100 and 140 MILLION girls and women have been subject to female genital mutilation - and yes, that still goes on. About one in seven girls in the developing world gets married before her fifteen th birthday."

Now that gives shock and awe a whole new meaning to me. Phil Borges is not only a talented artist but he is insightful and very inspiring.

Winter is here, Thanksgiving approaches

What a beautiful, clear, cold and very crisp morning. The wind stung my cheeks as I did chores yet the sun warmed my back. Such a wonderous day! This time of year is alwasy one of introspection for me, and it is a great favorite of mine. This morning I see the mountains anew and marvel at their wonder. I notice leaves, skittering in the wind and see them with new and appriciative eyes. The snow snags the reamins of plant live and paints a fascinating landscape. There is so much beauty in my world and I am so very grateful! Thanksgiving is every day, yet this special week, with a day singled out for thanks...makes me realize just how much I am thankful for! The love and deep caring of family; the devotion of dear friends; the companionship and joy the critters give me...and my home, my sanctuary, my yard, my JOY! The full of the moon and the fullness of my life nurture me and in it all there is great gratitude and joy.

"Sacred"

I have been thinking a lot about this word since the talk with Christina a couple of weeks ago. The dictionary says sacred is - "Made holy, consecrated, entitled to extreme reverence, hallowed." Maslow says - "The great lesson is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it si to be found in ones daily life, ones neighbors, friends and family, in ones backyard."

Ah, yes. In the simple and the ordinary; in family, friends...and in the dark of the silent night when the moon enlivens and enlightens and in my backyard and barnyard.

A gift from the Goddess!

I just went outside with the dogs, and this little posey greeted me. It has been on the table, outside the back door for a while now and I was sure it was gone. Temperatures have been in the single digits some nights. Here she is in all her splendor!

I can not help but feel an extra special connection to my mother today, and pansies were her loves. I get them each year in memory of her - and here it is, the day of my birth, November 14th and this little pansie patch is thriving. I just gave it a drink and said a profound thank you and a thank you to Mom. The maternal child bond feels very strong today.

The Sixty Four Club!

I am now officially a member of the Sixty Four Club. Today is my birthday. Thinking a lot about family, my parents and just feeling rich, grateful and mellow. Many, many loving wishes sent to me today and lovely gifts. Sweet William, my youngest son, has sent a birthday cake! ....as well as many other goodies and a gift card. He called first thing this morning. What a wonderful way to begin my day, talking with him. I am so very blessed and deeply appreciative today...and hopefully appreciative every day. I remember my parents with whom I often had an adversarial relationship, yet, there are fond memories and those are the ones I choose today. I still miss my mother on occasion although we were so very different...she was always loving in her own way. A good day to say thank you for all the love and blessings.

My best friend from high school, dear Barbara, sent a surprise package that made me cry. She is back east and we both hold fantastic memories of that area, Plymouth. (We recently reminisced about riding our bicycles to the beach when we were teens. A long and hot ride to a beach that ended up being less than optimal. We both got sunburned and were exhausted at days end. I also remembered her father passing us in his truck several times - making sure we were ok. Sweet Eddy!) She sent a treasure package of all sorts of things "Plymouth" . The mug and tea are but a couple of the goodies. What a rich and wonderful day. While I miss family being close, my heart is full.

Brrrr, Winter has arrived!

Thermometer reading in the teens this morning and about an inch of snow on the ground and ice on the roads making travel early a little challenging. While I prefer more moderate weather, I am reveling in the beauty of the snow.

Last weekend in town, there was a Living Tarot evening. It was really great fun the the card I picked was STRENGTH. Thinking about that a bit and find it encouraging.

STRENGTH VIII: (The Major Arcana) Radiance. True strength comes through gentleness and an understanding of the nature of things. Courage and wisdom presents itself. Strength, courage, conviction, energy, determination, action, heroism, virility.

Last evening I attended a talk by Christina Neilson about sacred space. It was rather thought provoking and in discussion she mentioned that smiling actually has a physiological effect on the body. I found that quite interesting and did some reading about a French doctor(Duchene), over a hundred years ago, who wrote about the physical benefits of smiling. Recent studies have snown that smiling does have a measurable influence on emotion as endorphins are released. According to one source I read (Dr.Mark Stibich) smiling stimulates the immune system, increases positive affect, lowers stress and blood pressure. Artlicle are plentiful both arguing for smiles and refuting those claims...yet, it seems to me I sure feel better when I smile! They say it also makes you look younger and makes us more attractive.

Here's looking at you kid!

Now back to the sacred space idea. Mine is my home, my yard and being with my critters.

No where is as sacred to me as the barnyard...but then I feel the sacred wherever I am in Nature.

Satisfied Heart

These past few days have been filled with joy and wonder. I feel a deep gratitude and delight at being alive! Driving home from one of my places of employment last evening, later than usual, after a demanding (but wonderful!) day, I found myself smiling. I felt very tired, but extremely joyful. I asked myself why as I drove the thirty miles home. Conclusion reached was that my heart and soul were happy. My work at this particular chiropractic clinic (deemed "sacred space" by many) is rich, rewarding and satisfying. It is an atmosphere of joy, love and healing. People, dogs, cats and horses are adjusted by two beautiful (sometimes three) souls who truly are healers but humble, caring and tireless. These individuals walk their talk. So seldom in my life have I found a situation like this one.

The Cafe of Life is a practice that believes in the innate potential of the body to heal. The practitioners assist us in this process as they remove any interference to the body focusing on spinal cord and brain. Brain and spinal cord act as the center for communication and coordination that harnesses universal energy in the body and acts as the channel for life force, prana, chi, life giving energy that flows from above, through the brain down the spinal cord and over the nerves to every cell in our body. At the Cafe belief is based on the philosophy that there is a greater whole of the individual and their life wanting to be expressed. They address the entire person not just parts. True health comes from the inside out. It is in accessing this inner energy and taping its potential that allows us to obtain true health, physical, mental and spiritually. This focus sets the Cafe apart from other practitioners and modalities. All chiropractic practices are not created equally. This one is truly different.

I remember the feeling I had when entering this space when I was just a client. Now, I am so very fortunate to be a part of this family and work there. I use the word "work" only in the coloquial sense because it is not work...it is joy. All of my life I have wished for an environment like this in which to find employment. The only place that as come close is the garden or barnyard...this is a dream come true. When ethical and loving beings offer their talents in a selfless way, truly caring about the health of individuals, it feels odd and alien. They are not driven by money or ego, they are driven by love and caring. It constantly amazes me and delights me. I watched one of them yesterday adjust a very small puppy (about five weeks) and felt tears burn in my eyes at the beauty of the process. Whether people, dogs, horses or cats they work with love and compassion in service to all who come to them. It is truly wonderful. This is a very special place.

Waning Crescent Moon

The sky at daybreak this morning was alarmingly beautiful. It took my breath away! If I have my moons right, it is a waning crescent moon. Simply delightful at any rate. Awakened deep feeling of gratitude once again for all the gifts and blessings that have been bestowed upon me. Sarah is one of my favorites and I use her Simple Abundance often. This quote spoke to me this morning especially.

" You simple will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks for the abundance that exists in your life." Sarah BanBreathnach

...and another from Thornton Wilder..."We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."

Full, conscious heart, rich life. I am awed and deeply grateful for my life, family, friends, critters, home, soft bed and feather pillows, garden, fresh water, lovely running automobile, meaningful work in sacred space, and other work. My life is beautiful and I am filled with joy and gratitude.

Random acts of kindness...today I went to Namaste for a wellness shot. B-12 and other homeopathic elements. Short drawn up fresh (amazing, like when I was a kid!) and Sid told me that a guardian angel had paid for the shot...an early birthday present. I felt so amazingly rich and loved. Continue my gratitude and bless you my dear angel.

It was a beautiful day!

Aging Gracefully?

Thinking one is dying and then she lives, creates an entirely new environment in which she lives, at least for a while! Feeling a little better today yet still caught in some wierd maisma. Is it the aging, the very terminalness of that? Perhaps that is part of it.

I have been voraciously reading journal material (that which was not destroyed because it was such drivel), collected poems and notes on books read. Clutching my pearls!

Allegra Taylor wrote a spelendid book Older Than Time. Way back when I first read it, I took copious notes. Of course, I was young then. Yet, they still speak to me.

"We imagine that somehow another person will COMPLETE us and we search for a mirror to see our own loveableness reflected back. It's a hopelessly addictive drug and, by its very nature eternally unfulfilling..."

"A large part of my wisdim quest and the chellenge of ageing, I think, is to learn to be at peace with aloneness 0 to find inner contentment when I am on my own and not need to fill up the space with people or constantly justify my existence in terms of some kind of relationship. I love my partner, my friends, adore my children and grandchildren. What they have given me is there, whether I'm with them or not. Nothing can ever take it away. But who am I? Who lives in this aging body sitting in the sun on a mountain top? "

"One day you're an attractive alluring woman and the next day you become one of the faceless group of old ladies who sit alone in cafes and on park benches. One of the wrinklies, shrinklies, crumblies, old bags, old bats - bewildered at the speed of the decent - dismissed as irrelevant, dying of lonleliness. With no recognized rites of passage, we grope uneasily in the frightening tunnel or transition, unsure of what lies ahead, afraind to relinquish what has gone before."

Interesting. Relinquishing what has gone before...is that where I am? Reappraising and reinventing myself? Enjoying time...whatever there is left of this life...celebrating? Thoughts, ideas, feelings...aging...content to be a member of my "age group" whatever that is...plodding along...am I striving to age gracefully - or perhaps just enjoy the hell out of it!

All Souls and All Saints

My Catholic background is obvious. Today is all Saints day and tomorrow all souls day. All souls day we traditionally pray for those in purgatory.


Today I have felt as if I was caught in a purgatory of sorts and needed prayer! The sayin of and receiving of. Not feeling well...wanted to write...nothing came through my fingers. Fall...my favorite season - sometimes. I have so many fantastic memories. Raking and burning leaves, with children and once with my Dad in Woodstock Ct. Pots of stew simmering, bread in the oven; beans and fragrant biscuits baking for our sup; while we made the yard ready for winter. Cookies cooling on the counter as we took a long, chilly walk to watch the sun set; long, leisurely afternoons spent pond side witness to grand color. The crisp evenings spent by the fire. In my lack of word flow, I found a poem that someone else wrote. Virginia Eaton actually. I love it.

Leaf Burning

I swept the fallen leaves up yesterday

and touched them with slow fire;

and as I saw smoke rise and drift away

I knew a keen desire.

To sweep my mind of old things lying there,

dreams long since dead...

hopes that have clun like leaves on boughts now bare,

and thears that I have shed...

I long to gather every little grief

left scattered round,

small doubts and fears and lay them in a sheaf

on fire, smoke crowned

Then stir the embers so a wind might find

and life the ashes of old prasie or blame

and bear them far away, leaving my mind

clean as if swept with flame.