I Know These Things Are True....

i know these things are true.....

that love is all there is

that things don’t matter

that most of what i fret about will never happen

that this moment is incredibly rich and beautiful

just as it is

that I am incredibly rich and beautiful

just as i am

that i am not my body

that the marvels of life are just below the surface

that there is silence under the chaos

that every difficulty can be an opening to growth

that it’s best to do one thing at a time and give my full attention to it

that i already have everything i need

that loving myself is a prerequisite to loving others….

that love is all there is

then why do i keep forgetting?

i guess we all need reminders now and then...

sending bushels of LOVE your way!!!

What's Goin On...

I did manage a little moonset photoshoot this week!

i feel like i need to come up for air…. life has been kinda crazy lately and i have been out of touch.  2 things have pretty much taken over my time and attention (not to mention my bank account!)  the first is that a few weeks ago, during some minor maintenance on our deck, even though on the surface things looked fine….. extensive termite damage was discovered and we ended up having to have the entire thing dismantled and rebuilt.  

 it turned into a pretty huge project.  we live on a steep hill and it’s not an easy job.  and given the fact that the deck is the first thing you see when you drive up the hill and we spend so much time out there…. well, it had to be nice and had to have a shade ramada because it faces south.  we are on the homeward stretch now, but if you have lived through building projects, you know that it can be quite disruptive to your life!

 the other thing i have been totally obsessing on is vacation plans.  that just sounds like fun, right?  well, the fact is that we really want to get another dog.  we have already started looking and maybe that wasn’t wise.  because now we feel pressured.  for the last 25 years or so, we have only taken dog-friendly vacations.  we promised ourselves that before we got the next one, we would take a “big” trip.

i have spent waaaay too much time on this, but after much consideration of all the factors, and even though we did finally apply for renewed passports, we have decided on the big island of hawaii.  we will be leaving at the end of the month and since it’s kind of late notice and we will be staying in several different places it’s very tricky to find everything we want (vrbo’s of course) and line up all the details.  i feel like this has become my new full-time job and, yes, it is kind of fun, but i will be so happy when it’s all squared away!

i miss doing my regular creative projects and connecting with everyone, so i’m looking forward to getting back to it.  i did manage to add some updates (in italics) to my inside-out project.  hope to be back in touch with all of you very soon!!

Almost done! (that blue coating will be removed)

Photo-Heart Connection

i know it's the last day.... but i really wanted to join in on kat's photo-heart connection because it is right up my alley and i think it's such a great idea.  we pick the one photo from the previous month that has the strongest photo-heart connection for us and share it.  (i apologize to some of my regular readers who may have heard/seen this already.... )

it was a hard choice.  this is a windchime that was hanging on the deck of the sweet little ranch we rented over new years in southern arizona.  it was a bittersweet trip because we were still sad after losing our little muffin in december.  we almost didn't take the trip.  but we were so glad we did.  it was helpful and healing.  i spent a lot of time on that deck basking in the beauty of the arizona sky and landscape. 

somehow that windchime, with its hanging heart, became a symbol for me.  a symbol of health and heart and healing.  i photographed it a lot of different ways at different times, but this was one of my favorites.  truly a photo-heart connection!

Grateful...

i’m so grateful

 to have started down this creative path

with all its twists and turns

bumps and ruts

forks and dark shadowy turn-arounds

it’s a journey that moves forward on faith

that no one can anticipate beforehand

some steps are liquid, flowing,

others wander or meander on tiptoe

still others cross seemingly treacherous territory

my paralyzed boots anchored in mire

there should be a well-placed sign

at the beginning of this journey:

“do not attempt alone”,

for while some portions

are easily navigated

the swamps require hand-holding

and boosting up

to safely emerge

on the other side

so to you, my hand-holders

and boosters-up

thank you for being there!!!

no, i couldn't do it without you!

(grateful!!)

 (slowly, but surely i am moving forward on all my projects..... updates soon!!)

 all photos taken 2/1/12 at san onofre state beach