Wednesday, June 25, 2008

~A Summer's Tale~

(My 'throne' :)

Sandcastles stretching toward the sky...
Snapdragons hidden in a blanket lair...
Shining nights...gypsies' caravan...
Our secret wishes float up to the stars...
Firelight whispers...tales of times gone by.

Pretty thrones for dreaming...
Nestled under an ancient tree...
Conjured with love by my magic man.



In the shadow of an enchanted cottage...
Cloaked in red and green...
Princesses turn cartwheels...
And burst forth in joyous song...
While searching for fairies.
Are they hidden in those leaves?

(click to enlarge)



Little toddling princes marvel...
At butterflies and bumblebees,
Hitching rides on dragonflies...
Wondering where the treasures are to be found.

Somewhere...not to far away...comes a minstrel's lilting tune...
The sunflowers smile and sway...

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Monday, June 23, 2008

Yoga and meditation have become such vital aspects of my life...My pulse quickens when I flip my mat out on my bedroom floor and light my candles. It is this feeling I hope to bring to the people in my classes next spring...

When I was filling out my application for the instructor's program I was a little surprised by the deeply personal questions on it. One in particular caught me off guard...What has been your greatest life challenge, and how have you overcome it? It was the fact that I'd never even asked myself that question...and felt that I should have that struck a nerve.

I sat with this, and searched for an answer for about a week. I mean, we all face so many things both internally, and externally throughout our lives. In the end, I poured out onto that page what I felt was my most thoughtful, and soul-searched response...and sent it off to some complete stranger's hands...

Then last night I did something else that I've never done before. I attempted Bakasana(or Cranes Pose)for the first time. I've always looked at those arm balances as way to difficult...unachievable. I mean, were they serious? A normal, average person is going to be able to balance her body up in the air...on her arms? For sure I'd end up on my face...or worse with a broken wrist.

Yet, something last night told me to just go for it. And so, carefully...slowly...I followed each step...and as I gingerly tipped my torso forward, my feet left the ground...my arms straightened...and I was there! I was relaxed...and overjoyed at the same time. There was absolutely no fear...just love for this body, mind, and spirit coming together to achieve yet one more thing that those gremlins had been saying couldn't be done.

There are so many of us that seem more comfortable with living with our fears and doubts. In these past few years I have really learned that the cost of that fear is just too high. Are you putting off following a dream? Are you unhappy with your job? Are you in a relationship that doesn't work...but aren't sure how to leave? The truth is everywhere you turn... Shedding what is holding you back, and causing you unhappiness can only bring you joy, and health in the end. Think of how you feel when you are doing something you are passionate about. It's fantastic, isn't it?

Now in my mind, I have a little list of unconquered fears...and I was going to mention a few of them here...but I'm not. Somehow, I think that gives them more power...so I will wait until I've moved past the next one...when it becomes just a shadowy little ghost hanging around my psyche...

All of our tiny steps are taking us to our own uniquely beautiful places. :)

xo

Thursday, June 12, 2008

~G is for Grace~

(My gramma's charm bracelet.)


Grace Elizabeth Fairhurst. She was my mom's mom...and one of the most powerful positive influences in my life. When I was a little girl growing up in Victoria, I spent many weekends at my grandparents home, which was a stone throw from the beach.

It was a wonderous...magical place...filled with love and creativity. I can remember sitting at their kitchen table with my sisters. We had those pink foam curlers in our hair, and we sat for hours sipping tea, eating Peak Frean cookies, and cutting out paper dolls. My gramma helped us sew clothes for our Barbies...taught us to knit...and of course took us to the beach with grampa. I loved collecting seaglass...shells...digging for clams, and getting squirted...dipping our toes into the freezing surf...running from the waves, laughing, as they rolled in trying to catch us.

These memories are stamped on my brain...and they are the reason I get a little heartsick feeling everytime I have to leave the ocean. I am not much for material things, but the bracelet pictured above, is a truly treasured thing. I had always loved my gramma's silver charm bracelet...and after she passed it was handed down to me. What I especially love about it is how each of the charms represent events in she, and my grampa's lives...

This latest children's painting that I just finished was inspired by so much that is and was wonderful in my life...magic...colour...patchwork quilts...and love...always love...

(Click to enlarge)Grace and Her Magic Horse


I dreamt of something magical,
In a faraway turquoise sea...
A little cowgirl mermaid...
Upon her peaceful steed.

She rode upon his back of brilliant
Patchworked scales...
Gliding of to secret places...
With of flick of his genteel tail.



xo

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

~A Little Love From the Kitchen~

(the clean part of my kitchen this morning.)

Now I'm no Martha Stewart...(insert 'Thank God' here.)but in an effort to put off all the things I should be doing this morning, I thought I'd come here and share a few little goodies that I've really been loving lately...

*My morning smoothie. Since I've quit drinking coffee,and started drinking this, my energy level has skyrocketed...and it's pretty simple to make...

1 cup of soy milk
1/2 cup of organic frozen blueberries
1 cup of organic baby spinach leaves
1/2 a banana
1 tbsp. of organic flaxseed powder
1 tbsp. of Greens+
1 scoop of Proteins+

Pop this all in a blender...and you're good to go. I find it keeps me full until lunch...and a couple of cups of green tea give me enough of a caffeine buzz to get by.:)

*Homemade Veggie Spray
I find it really hard to get all the produce I need organically...unless I want to drive an hour each way twice a week to get it.(Which is just not practical.) This is Sophie Uliano's recipe for Veggie Spray. It is supposed to remove a lot of pesticide residues from your produce...and of course clean it. It's super simple.
In a spray bottle mix:

1 cup of filtered water
1 cup of white vinegar
1 tablespoon of baking soda
20 drops of grapefruit seed extract
(This mixture will fizz like crazy to begin with, so I'd mix it in the sink.)

Then all you do is spray your food. Let it sit for a few minutes, and rinse.

The last thing I wanted to share was Homemade Lavender Water.I found this recipe on the internet somewhere. You can just lightly spritz your fabrics with it, or use it in your iron...(although I try to avoid mine like the plague.)

In a glass jar or spray bottle mix:

1 cup of filtered water
1 tablespoon of vodka
15-20 drops of Lavender essential oil

I'd love to here any of your new recipes or ideas that are making your life a little more lovely too...

ox

Friday, June 6, 2008

~Feeling The Love....


My camera has been obsessing over our garden lately...She's been poking around in all the nooks and crannies...loving all she sees...appreciating the fact, that all this beauty is oh-so-fleeting...



What is more romantic than the Bleeding Heart?



Who smiles more than the Cosmos?




What is more nostalgic than the lilac?



Our garden is home to many...bees...butterflies...birds...frogs,and Lily-Loo...the Queen of Our Jungle...



And then my camera captures an ever-elusive creature...



(Should he not know by now there is no escape! :)

Love and Light to you....
xo

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

~In The Midst....


Now, I am fully aware that what I am about to say will make me sound a wee bit kookie...but as I made my morning trip to the composter with my lovely bucket of banana peels, teabags, and watermelon rinds, I found myself ever-so-slightly jealous of my garden...




You see,all around me things are blooming...reaching...growing...Each bud, seedling, blossom...they are all in the midst of doing what they are meant to do, and they know it. They know little by little, day by day things are going as planned centuries ago...

I, however, am having one of those days where I'm just not sure. I'm usually a pretty 'live in the moment' person...but it's nice to have a little inkling of where your headed, right? And it's not like I don't have any ideas...if anything the problem is my brain gets all disconbobulated (now, I know that's not a real word, but I like it.:) with them.

I think maybe it's just the apprehension. I know in the next few years...as my children grow, I'm going to want, and need to make some major changes. Jon, and I often sit and chat about what we want our future to look like. As strange as this sounds, it kind of scares me that our dream is fully within our grasp.

Seriously, what could be more terrifying than sitting in an Adirondack chair, in the middle of a meadow petting a sweet little goat, and looking at all the pictures in the clouds above you.(Now that's a very small part of my future, but a part none-the-less.)

I don't know...this is just some crazy, rambling post from a girl that definately got up too early this morning...and obviously needs another cup of tea.

I think I'll go do a little daydreaming...

Sending you at least one happy little daydream today too...

xo