Curious Observer

Here in the southern part of the Northeast, because apparently Virginia is part of the South, we've had numerous March snowstorms. It's enough to make someone crazy. I'm already crazy so...I felt quite at home. 

 

I wrote this one mild morning. The birds were loud, the breeze was nice, and mother nature was sending us 8" of snow later that night. It was crazy-making. Trust me.

Writing outside this morning.

The dog searches for new smells.

Smells brought from the darkness of night,

newly emerged from a thawing Earth.

Geese in the distance,

communicating with the truest GPS.

Cardinals,

chickadees,

and blue jays

sing across the yards.

The train moans in the background.

The air is mild - a glimpse between seasons.

A snapshot of balance.

We c-r-e-e-p into the warmth of Spring.

We tip...toe towards a closer sun.

With snow in the forecast I default to my trust.

My trust that Mother Nature knows best.

This is her plan;

her divine creation;

her artistic attitude unfolding.

She withholds the full display of Spring.

I hold her wisdom paramount.

I am a curious observer.

Interested in her dance -

the long stillness of Winter,

with the faint strokes of Spring color.

Solitude - Fellowship.

Barren - Fertile.
Death - Life.
Winter - Spring.

We are all simply curious observers.

Claiming It

in a recent discussion about Creativity and Art, a close friend encouraged me to claim my craft. i tend to think i'm not the most creative person, and the title 'Artist', when used in the same sentence with 'i am', makes me feel like an imposter. 

but - this friend is very smart. so i listened to her. and below is me, claiming it.


i'm a Historian,
and a Biographer.
i write to Remember.
i write to Forget.
i write to Honor, to Heal,
to Believe,
to Connect,
to Rejoice,
and Encourage.

i am a Live'r
i want to craft a Life 
with Whimsy,
with Love,
with Passion,
with Depth,
and Connection.

i am a Writer
of lists,
of love notes,
of letters,
of thoughts,
of desires,
of plans,
and my soul.

i am a Photographer
documenting,
frame-by-frame,
my Life,
my Muse,
my Children,
my Faith,
my Soul.

i Write and Photograph for the Delight of my Soul.

EarthSide

I've been gifted another opportunity to support and encourage a friend. Being invited into these moments, a most intense, intimate, and special experience, I am deeply moved and humbled. 

With most inspiring experiences in my life, I write:

I am waiting for you.

I am preparing for you.

Along with your mama,

I am awaiting you.

I'm moving my body in a slow sway.

I walk, and flow in a rhythm.

Gently inviting my instinct to guide me,

And respectfully asking my mind to quiet.

I am waiting for you.

Whispers of conversations between your mama and me,

Some not even audible.

A quiet connection.

A primal energy.

I am waiting for you.

Slowing my thoughts.

Nourishing my body and soul.

Listening carefully to my needs,

So when called,

I can meet the needs of three others, with love and gratitude.

I am waiting for you.

I can feel the shift.

The energy is changing - 

From nerves to trust.

My heart is open.

My mind is quiet. 

I am waiting for you.

I am waiting to walk with your mama. 

I am waiting to nurture your mama.

I am waiting to hold your mama.

I am waiting to encourage your mama.

I am waiting for you.

And I am waiting to protect your space,

Your time,

Your energy,

Your rhythm,

Your trust,

As you make your way

EarthSide.

My energy tools, aka - baby mojo.

sketch of a mom

After reading a great post today from one of my favorite blogs - dear-mom-this-is-real-mom-sketch    - I took two minutes and walked around the house taking snapshots of what it REALLY looks like around here. It's Monday, today, but these pics could be any given hour, any given day.

 

 this is my 'real-mom-sketch'

a moment in time, 

showing my house for what it is, right now.

dirty dishes.

askewed science.

bathroom ruckus.

nightstand mayhem.

OR

i could desscribe it this way...

a humming home, with

time enough for cleaning, and

happy children, with

joyful energy, living

imperfection at it's finest, and

vulnerability to the core.

i am trying, so desperately, to make time stand still -

not so they won't grow, and live, and learn, and leave, and be -

but so that i can just breath-in these moments, 

and live, and learn, and (eventually) leave...because i was able to

BE.

 

#fridayfaves 3.2.13

friday is about being grateful

  being present in the little things

remembering to breathe

seeing joy

A little birdy told me it isn't Friday anymore

a day late, a dollar shorter...

a day longer, a life fuller.

as i write this tonight, i am in such a place of peace and gratitude. 

my children are happy, warm, fed, and comfortable.

my belly is full, as is my spirit.

what's wonderful is this...i'm pretty sure there were some hairy moments this week.

i'm confident that someone went to bed without their hair brushed.

i'm positive i yelled at the wrong time. i'm also positive that karma returned that behavior with dozen eggs broken on the ground.

but tonight...i really don't remember much of anything.

i remember today. 

and if today is my last day to remember, it was a good day.

for today is all that really matters. 

but if tomorrow comes, my focus will turn to it - like my face turning to the sunrise.

a day longer, a life fuller.

many come to a place of gratitude through hardship,

while others find their way to gratitude through the wealth of life.

the hardships in my life have been few. 

i do believe my life is rich.

don't ask me for any money; i have little.

ask me for joy; it's in abundance over here.   

this is an amazing video - please take a moment to watch. 

Gratitude HD - Moving Art™ 

 A Moving Art original short. 

Spend THIS day well. 

  

 

            

#FridayFaves

Friday is about being grateful

seeing the little things

remembering to breathe

finding joy

it's been far too many weeks since my last post. we've passed through Thanksgiving, winter solstice, Christmas, New Years, a birthday. this year we created a 'doing wall' - a wall of wishes wills...all the things we WILL do this year, given we wake each day with breath in our bodies.

 i will write.

i will see the little things.

i will remember to breath. 

i will continue to find the joy.

dear us

never in my life would i have imagined our life as it is today.

never again will i imagine anything different. 

we were so young when we said YES to a life together.

i hope to be very old when we say our goodbyes.

we created this life.

forever.    

dear holidays

our best yet.

we had three trees this year, including a white & pink one. 

i will always be in love with the glow of tree lights.

i wonder if they'd pull at my heart if we had them up all the time.

maybe one year we'll see. 

dear oliver

my youngest, if only by a minute.

half of the Odd Couple, an old man by nature...

always putting away your dirty clothes and wanting to wear a jacket.

your features haven't changed since you were growing in my belly.

you're my most predictable...thank you for this.

dear weekends, especially with the girls

we had a weekend recently with just the girls at home. 

we took lots of bubble baths.

we played dolls. 

we baked.

we made sweet little, delicate crafts, 

like these precious snowflakes.

dear sun

i love you.

i can't wait until you are closer to my part of the earth.

until then, i will wake early to see you rise,

and stop the chaos in the house when you're about to say goodnight,

as you paint the sky in such magical colors.

breathtaking.

dear child, with iPad

i love going through my pictures after a day with you.

there is usually some surprise.

winter nights find me drinking tea at the end of a loud day.

i have to be careful not to spit it out across the room...

when i come across pictures like this.

dear life
 please continue.
i'm only just getting the hang of things. 
sorta.