Treat~

happy harvest time. we took a trip to sauvie island and gathered some root vegetables, a pumpkin and a few photos. there is a pumpkin pie in the oven with some spices this dear lady sent to me in the mail. oh, they smell incredible. so, i wanted to tell you about a few things that i love that you may love too! things to look at, peruse... here's a list. some treats for you on halloween~

1. clothing made by my friend (hand dyed, all natural fibers)--i happen to be her model...not sure how i feel about it yet, but i love her clothes.

2. liz's "be present be here" retreat for february.

3. this ladies blog! a local beauty who takes amazing photos and always knows where the best things are happening.

4. a place i visit often that houses some of my favorite art ever~

ok. so just a few little places listed. i thought of more the other day and cannot recall now. i am not surprised judging by the mishaps that have already occurred tonight. remember that pumpkin pie i mentioned earlier? well, i went to add a pan of pumpkin seeds to the oven and forgot what was baking on the top shelf. oh, yes, pumpkin pie! imagine, an oven full of pie filling, not to mention it went onto the pan of seeds! do not fear! i had extra filling and the seeds are now washed and cooked. good thing. i was about to melt into a small sunken pile. i remember my friend steph (mentioned above) telling me about how she once dropped this amazing mushroom frittata she was making all over her kitchen floor. her whole family helped save it with spatulas. it was oh so sweet. i felt better thinking of this story....ayal came to my rescue.....oven is clean, pie is baking..ahh.

i am going to go and carve a pumpkin now. thinking about all of you out there, wondering what you are all up to this eve~

may all the beings in all the world be happy~

this is my wish for you....may you find happy moments throughout your day, even in the face of struggle.

after a 3 day retreat, i feel as though it is all still washing over me. an intense practice. we began at 5:30 am and ended at 8:00 pm. the days were full, my meditation cushion worn in a bit more, my butt sore. yes, this is a good sign. my deepest wish is to do good in this world, to love more . i wish you the same....

thanks for your kind words on the last post~

a long time~

it has been awhile, yes.

sometimes i think about not returning here as it seems i have so few readers and am mostly just writing to myself.....but i love the creative outlet.

these last few weeks have been such a huge growing experience. i got buried under a pile of work and felt completely overwhelmed. how could i possibly make those hundreds of pieces of jewelry? last week it seemed near impossible. today, it seems all ok. like somehow, it will get done. i do not know how, but i trust the process.

everything i do to nurture myself involves slowing down..

i am reminded of that today as i finish orders and watch out the window as life happens. sometimes it is just so scary to run your own business, to trust that it will all turn out. i am creating mental lists to help this process of slowing down.

things to help :

1. tea

2. journal writing

3. a walk

4. photographing

what helps you slow down?

crimson~

                                                                  if you should see me today.

                                                                  the color crimson stains my

                                                                  fingers. i try to do too much.

                                                                  the world flowers.

                                                                  their voices rise and fall as

                                                                  i soak in the bath, craving 

                                                                  farm land and tree roots.  

stay

a long time ago i wrote a post about "how to make love stay". it was the predominant theme in a tom robbins book i once read. the characters were wondering, how, just how, does one make love stay? so, i wanted to share with you here....my little ideas about ways to do it.

go on adventures. no really. seriously. you have time. it can be right in your own city. you can go to an art opening. square dancing. hoola hoop in the park. a long walk. 

second. share some good meals. ones where conversation is created without as many words. maybe they are even created through the lens of a camera. photograph each other. touch hands.

third. notice little things together. like green bugs in the sand. broken sand dollars. light. texture. seed pods. get curious and child like. 

one of my favorite things about ayal, my partner is that he is so childlike. he delights in bringing me things he found out in the garden. (especially if they are fuzzy and cute)

there was a period where i forgot to be light and curious. we all go through these....but i am reminding myself constantly just how important it is to stay open and curious. welcoming and joyful. it is not all about the big things. simple and what is right in front of us. that is what can make room for love to stay.

           

enveloped~

home from a night spent amongst river and

trees. the morning leading to hot springs 

and breakfast at a cafe we both once knew.

*ayal, my love and i, lived in the same

town once at the same time many years 

before we would ever meet and fall in love.

so, today this is the cafe we sat at, the

one that happened to be in that particular

town where we never actually met. 

we camped last night near a lovely river.

ayal wanted to lead me to it's bank in the

dark. i gave small protests until he gently

took my hand and lead me through the woods.

he was a careful guide, warning me when there

were holes in the path and tree stumps in the

way. safely we reached the waters edge and listened

to the night sounds the river made. someday you

should listen, it is very different than in the

day, softer, deeper.

before i say goodnight i want to invite you to

another new blog home. it is a collaboration

with my close friend liz. an intimate peek

into the lives of two friends in the form of

letters. a adventure i am really loving.

come see. sweetest of dreams~

Ritual, Blueberries and Figuring it out.

the day began with:

soft leather journal, favorite pen, candle, indian 

chanting music and tea. 3 pages later, i meditate.

i choose to begin my day like this because...

i work from home and when i wake, the first thing

i do is think of how many jewelry orders i must fill. and then

do you know what happens? my belly begins to knot and twist

and slowly, my day is consumed. so, i have decided to do it

differently. i need my time. lately i struggle for

balance in this. instead of

fighting this current of what is flowing into my life, i am

trying to climb into it's turbulent mystery and firmly

root myself. discover. what is strength?

tonight we made jam from the blueberries we picked.

wonderful deep purple swirled in the pan and bubbled. oh and

the smell. this process, with it's  slow and careful steps reminds me of a ritual as well.

 in the end the ritual provides abundance, delicious

abundance to share. so you see, i am beginning to suspect

that if we let ourselves carefully carve out time, just for us,

abundance comes to our hearts,

to our bellies,

to what we have to give,

and to the ones we deeply love.