Outside/ Inside

This is what I woke up to the other morning. Beautiful, fluffy snow. Lovely.

You know what's more lovely?

The promise of spring.

 So, I got me some tulips. 'cause tulips are better than no-lips.

 

 

 I love my 'fity' lens.

How's your winter so far?

Meet my new beau!

We met at IKEA. I'd been eying him for a while...

I mean, how could I NOT fall for his streamlined physique? Must be the Swede/Dane in me. Can't say no to a hunk of good design.

I stuffed him into the car, (with help) and he came home with me. This guy has limited baggage and even when I put the screws to him, he remained sturdy.

He doesn't say much, but he's solid. He even lights up when I turn him on.

I've named him Scyld. (Yes, your medieval literature knowledge is serving you well. THAT Scyld... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scyld)

He's pretty hot, huh?

Things

 

I love playing pool. 

 I have yet to figure out what to do with that canvas.

 I'm mad at February for acting like early March oustide...It'll be spring soon. Right?

New theory: Seed catalogs were the first 'hate mail'. Cruel to tease me into believing those giant piles of purple and yellow blossoms can be mine today! It's only FEBRUARY! Won't see those until AUGUST!

 Homemade sugar scrub...good stuff.

 Dominoes and Bach.

Why I love to hate V-day; An open letter to my future spouse

Dear Future Spouse


Lemme help you out. You're off the hook for Valentine's day. No, really!

It's not that I don't like cute baby cherubs flying around in pink diapers with loaded weapons.  Babies are always cute, even when they're ancient gods.

The notion that on THIS day especially we should shower the people we love with love? Sweet! Okay. Fine. I'm all for showing affection 365 days a year. One day to champion love? Sure, I can pencil it into my calendar.

Here's my problem...Love doesn't look like this:

 

Yeah, just go...away.

Listen up, tasty F.S. o' mine: I don't want red roses. REALLY. This isn't one of those stupid girl-game twisty things...I'm not saying 'no' when I mean 'yes'. I'm saying please don't come home with red roses.

Flowers are wonderful. I'll buy myself flowers sometimes. I love flowers! Better yet, I'll grow some in our garden.


You really want to get me flowers? I understand that you may want to make that gesture. They are lovely. AND They'll totally make my eyes sparkle. I'm not going to shoot you down...but trust me...go for living things

"*Gasp!*Bulbs? For me!??!" = I'm putty in your hands

Tip for you: Don't even think of getting anything from KAY jewelers. Not only can I not STAND their commercials, but those lil' rocks are not this girl's best friend.

I don't even LIKE diamonds. If you're buying me a ring, it better be out of the .25 cent dispensers at the grocery store.

Diamond rings: No, thank you. I don't want to worry about losing it while I'm turning compost, gashing our future children (or other people's children!) with it, or having it catch on things.  

A piece of string works for me! Simple. Low profile. It's not that I don't want to shout from the rooftops that I'M WITH HIM!!!! WOOHOOOOOO! ---'cuz shoot, I'll make my own bullhorn. Tah-RUST me.

Also, we could do something AMAZING with that money. --Donate to a charity? Heifer International? A trip somewhere lovely? DONE! Pay off debt?! *sigh* You're so hot.


Joules I love to see?

Oh, baby. You shouldn't have!

So...quick pop quiz:

Which one of these will make me scream?!

Okay...both of them.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. 

Which one of these will make me scream your name out in ecstasy?

(Psst? You get me a teddy bear, it better REALLY be for our unborn fetus....oh man...just looking at that picture makes me want to gag. ) 

 

What's that you say? Your love language is GIFTS? Okay. Got it. Validation on the way.

I'm not saying you HAVE to get these things---but here's a general direction you should head.

 "GASP!"

"OMG! You got me something off my amazon wish list?" 

"I LOVE that album! How did you know?!"

"You went to the market!?! Mmmm...This looks almost as delicious as you!"

And so, dear F. S... I promise to shower you with praise, words of affirmation, spend quality time with you, caress you, find those special gifts that mean something to you, serve, support, admire, and cheer you on, all-year-long. 

On V-day, we can do anything. No pressure. No worries.  Because that's what love looks like.

Back from the coast...

Do you think God ever says...

Grammy was drawing out some genealogy this morning, at my request. There are a lot of Great Aunts and Uncles that I never knew, and lots of funny 'going by your middle name' which has thrown of my paradigms of what I considered to be the branches of this giant tree.

She pointed out that the Thurman's and the Coleman's had very different looks. Thurman's being dark, gypsy, perhaps even a little black Irish. The Coleman's had Swede blonds and blue eyed girls, but some darker ones too.

I noted that in our family it seems like there are matches throughout the cousin spectrum where the Davis/Thurman/Coleman genes pull through and there are doubles, cousin-sisters, and "mini-me's". Most though, at least 5 years apart.

Genes are cool.

It's cool to see facial characteristics play out on humanity, and match yourself to your roots.




It made me wonder...

Do you think God ever says, "You all look just like your Mother Goddess."?

Merry Christmas from Maine!

Some blessings this year

 PART 1: This is just the tip of the iceberg, but one of my many blessings this year has been the ability to travel!
Hawaii...

 Arizona

 Southern Utah

 A bit of the Appalachian Trail!

 Quebec

 Home

THREE WEDDINGS! I've truly been privileged to capture moments for these wonderful couples.

 TEACHING!
These kids make me laugh, every blasted day!

Bring on the longest nights of the year, I've got light and love enough to get me through.  Life is so, so good.

Moondance

I found this in a journal that I wrote back in 2005

So last night I had a moon bath. I came home around 9 o'clock ---drove up the very dark driveway and up the hill. I parked the car right in front of the dahlias.

I climbed out of my metal contraption; away from the comfortable control-temp air and cushioned seats, and into the magical spotlight. The house was dark, but the moon was bright.

Very, very.

I couldn't even see the milky-way, bright.

I walked as quietly as I could--around the field--surrounded by inky black trees and a navy blue backdrop of a sky. 

The grass, illuminated by the celestial lamp, was soft and swishy. 

My feet took a turn around the tomato plot, past the chickens and up to the goose pen--by the fence, where my ears heard them rustle and stir in the darkness.

My white house was a pale periwinkle with all that light shining down, looking quiet and despondent.

My hands found the pockets of my coat. They nestled down in the cozy cloth for a moment, but the moon was too powerful...they had to be out in the night.

I discarded my coat.

And my shoes.

And my socks.

I climbed up on the back of my car and moon-bathed-- my hair falling around me---drinking the sweet darkness and the moist air.

I lay there, sprawled out for no one to see.

Just me and the moon.

I didn't want to go in. It was 9:45 and I had promises to keep.

I slid off the green metal, my feet landing on soft moss. I collected my clothes, and my keys.

Reluctantly---slowly--I turned toward the house, the moon at my back.

Then, with a final magical surge I danced, one moonlit dance in my driveway. My arms wide open to the sky--my feet strong---my body spinning, I danced--and danced, and...stood.

I stood bathed in moonlight.

Then walked onto the deck with pitter-patter feet...

with the door open, a wave of warm kitchen air and broccoli soup wafted about me.

Different air space than my moon-stage outside. But...I shut the door.

and had a quiet bowl of soup.

I wish it were warm enough for a moon-bath-dance tonight.

Light on the mountain

Wow, Kaje, obsessed with light lately? Yes, I know. November has been weird, and rough on me. A little homesick and a lot of home + sick. I might just be having a hard time with this daylight savings business, but I find that I crave every last shred of light in the evenings.

With this lousy sickness that I can't seem to shake completely, movement just hurts. Actually, staying still hurts too. The house is quiet and the light is just harsh-- bright during the day. It isn't until dusk that I can bear to look out. I crave the sun, but can't endure the glare for long. "Give me photosynthesis!" scream my cells, like so many withering, frigid plants. "Just not for too long!"

So, wait until the gloaming.

It's in these moments, distracted by too much beauty my body is pulled out of the bedridden staleness. Like a junkie, the camera is hastily found, and held tight in my shaky hands. The flu leaves me for a short time. Must.....capture....the....shot!

Maybe light is healing. Light = happiness? Contentment? Health? Maybe when creative juices flow, it temporarily alleviates the weariness.

These pics I snapped in relatively quick succession; about 2-3 minutes between shots.
They aren't the greatest shots. Technically, I should have set up my tri-pod and actually gone outside, instead of staying behind the very dirty library windows...but it was 16 degrees out.  Give a sick lady a break!

May the Light of Love (Thanksgiving Song)

As we come around to take our places at the table
A moment to remember, and reflect upon our wealth
Here's to loving friends and family
Here's to being able to gather here together in good company and health

May we be released from all those feelings that would harm us
May we have the will to give them up and get them gone
For heavy are the satchels full of anger and false promise
May we have the strength to put them down.


And may the light of love be shining deep within your spirit
May the torch of mercy clear the path and show the way
May the horn of plenty sound so everyone can hear it
May the light of love be with you every day

May we wish the best for everyone that we encounter
May we swallow pride and may we do away with fear
For it's only what we do not know that we have grown afraid of
And only what we do not choose to hear

And may the light of love be shining deep within your spirit
May the torch of mercy clear the path and show the way
May the horn of plenty sound so everyone can hear it
May the light of love be with you every day

And as we bless our daily bread and drink our day's libation
May we be reminded of the lost and wayward soul
The hungry and the homeless that we have in every nation
May we fill each empty cup and bowl

May nothing ever come between or threaten to divide us
May we never take for granted of the gifts that we recieve
Being ever mindful of the unseen hands that guide us
And the miracles that cause us to believe


And may the light of love be shining deep within your spirit
May the torch of mercy clear the path and show the way
May the horn of plenty sound so everyone can hear it
May the light of love be with you every day

-David Roth

"Chapter 1: Loomings"

"Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul..."

{Soggy street in Quebec City}

 "Whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet..."

 {Undertaker door, Quebec City}

"...and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off..."

 {Tree lined drive, Alpine, Ut.}

"...THEN, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can."

 {Top of the Welch House, Boothbay Harbor, ME}

"This is my substitute for pistol and ball."

 {Detritus on the rocks, and Soren making me smile}

Whodathunk Herman Melville would ever speak directly to my soul? Twenty-one days and counting...

It's not easy being teen

Yeah that's right kiddo, you better shrink back down.  I never thought I'd be one of those people who would say, "I remember when you were this big!" He's going to pass me up here, pretty soon. And then most likely, I will faint. Who said time could speed up?

 Jefferson has a great laugh.