one of those days

When it is too difficult to

keep swimming, float.

Melody Beattie

It's one of those kind of days. The doors keep slamming shut and I'm desperately looking for another open door - or even a window. Sometimes it's so hard to know when it's time to act and when it's time to just keep the faith. I feel like I'm swimming upstream - with my business, with my health, with my life. It's time to float awhile...

going to the dogs

The Saturday before Mother's Day (is it really almost June? time flies!) was our little town's annual Parade and Picnic Day. Parade down main street ( we call it the Midway) followed by food and games at the local park. We always have fun although the parade isn't much anymore. Only one horse entrant this year. Boo! My favorite part was the dogs people brought with them to view the parade...

wonder

There is a sixth sense,

the natural religious sense,

the sense of wonder.

D. H. Lawrence

wed wednesday

My favorite photo of the week from my tumblr, veilsandtales...

photographer: jo bartholomew

via polka dot bride

epic

Miss J and I are already in the summer frame of mind even though she still has to finish this week of school. Instead of reading or going to her skating lesson, we cut out and went to the movies this afternoon. We saw Epic in 3d - cute story, absolutely beautiful animation, the bad guys were a little dark for both of us. The animation was breathtaking. The piece with the Queen's transport carried by dragonflies was awesome. I searched everywhere online to try to find a still of it, but couldn't. The animation alone is worth seeing the movie. The Queen - voiced by Beyonce Knowles - reminded me of Barbie. Maybe that's why I was so taken with her!

Queen Tara

en memorium

Today is Memorial Day - a day set aside to celebrate the lives and remember the deaths of those who gave their lives in service to this country...thank you...

come into the mountains, dear friend

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers,

the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters,

and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock

Went to the mountains yesterday with Miss J, her Dad, and grandmother. A bit chilly but so beautiful. The mountains are so grand and wise, you only have to listen to the quiet and it is all there for you...

sunday sermon

Honor your own complexity.

Mark Gerzon

Coming Into Our Own

cat saturday

Baby...the bird cat...who can jump from the ground and catch a bird mid-flight. (Don't worry. Whenever any of her people are around, they interfere with her success!)

turtle bay

More from Turtle Bay in Redding where we went on Tuesday for a field trip with Miss J's school class. Hope to go back sometime when the light is better and we have more time. It's a magical place.

My favorite...the fish...

The legos exhibit...

Miss J working on the monkey puzzle in the math room...

The purple hydrant in the magnificent and extensive native garden...

yesterday

Spent the day yesterday in Redding California with Miss J's school class for a field trip to Turtle Bay Exploration Park. Crazy windy there. Very tiring. And very fun - especially for the kids. Didn't get many photos - had my hands full with the kids - and those I did get were in the middle of the day. Bad light! Took one of the incredible and beautiful Sundial Bridge and did a photoshop action on it called The Seventies. I like the look. Reminds me of some of my Dad's old instamatic photos. What do you think?

wed wednesday

My favorite photo of the week from my tumblr, veilsandtales...

photographer: michelle march

via postcards & pretties

kitty ups and downs

It's been a rough day for my extended cat family today. Precious Mitzi - one of Miss J's Dad's cats - died last night. She was 21 and ready to go. Still, it won't be the same going to their house and not hearing her loud scratchy meow begging for a caress.

My Graycee has been sick for about a week. He's not eating and has discomfort in the intestinal area. He's fiv+ so any illness is dangerous for him. Took him to the vet today. Four hundred dollars later, we'll find out tomorrow what's going on inside him.

 Graycee

Mitzi

Thank you for your life and death, dear one. Bless you on your way.

sunday sermon

The principal thing in the world

is to keep the soul aloft.

Gustave Flaubert

cat saturday

ballerina and cat

who am i

More Facebook Frustration or Who Am I

The other day, frustrated over my lack of friends on facebook, I added many many new friends who I didn't know - friends of friends I admire, respect, and like. Spiritual-minded friends. My news feed is now filled with enlightening and inspiring art, photographs, and messages. I have to wonder if these incredible people will regret friending me when they find out who I am. I am just a simple woman. I try to lead a spiritual life but know I have far to go and with little money and a young daughter, I tend to be focused on worldly things like sustenance and survival. I sometimes eat meat and refined sugars. I love the frozen food aisle at the grocery store and my home is a mess. I worry more about the state of my wallet than the state of my soul. And I still play with Barbies.

The worst part is now I feel like I have to censor myself on facebook. That somehow my messages must be inspirational and hopeful - whether I feel that way or not. Do I be brave and bare myself to these hundreds of deep thinking, deep feeling people and risk being rejected. Or...I don't know the "or" in this situation. The truth is I only know how to be myself. Barbies and all...

Anatomy

5 senses

This afternoon:

sound - Graycee's (the cat) purr as he lies curled in my lap with the background whistle of blue jays in the trees.
smell - the scent of newly mowed grass.
taste - the sweetness of dried cranberries and almonds from the snack I ate.
touch - the feel of the light breeze against my exposed skin.
sight - everything in the back yard. The waist high grass has finally been cut.

Graycee on the path

wed wednesday

My favorite photo of the week from my tumblr, veilsandtales...

photographer: whitney neal

via 100 layer cake

may 15

Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookies Day in the US. Eat some cookies...

mommy claws

My mommy claws are out. Miss J was going to be in the school talent show with another little girl in her class. They've been talking about it for weeks. The parents had the form for a week. Yesterday was the deadline to turn in the form. No form turned in by the other parents. Now Miss J can’t be in the show.

What’s really got me is Miss J was going to have her first sleepover. She was soooo excited. It was set for this coming Friday. She’s been cancelled. The other little girl got invited to a birthday party for a girl in their class (which J wasn't invited to - another thing to get my claws out over) and cancelled J’s sleepover so she can go to the party. Not even a phone call from the Mom to me explaining the situation. This has all been relayed through the little girls.

I know part of growing up is learning how to face disappointment. And Miss J is soooo disappointed over the situations. It is so hard to stand by and watch the child you love more than the world feel hurt and rejected and sad. How do you help and protect your child while not getting in the way of their growth...

snapshot of Miss J

taken a couple of days ago

new

New listings in brownrose shop on etsy...

Teacups

Tea Set

Brown Bears

Two Bears

song on my mind

Bows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

Oh but now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all

I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all

Both Sides Now

Joni Mitchell

taken with iPhone

sunday sermon

All that I am, or hope to be,

I owe to my angel mother.

Abraham Lincoln

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers - physical or spiritual.

cat saturday

Graycee just showed up one day - and stayed. He's a neutered male, but he fights fiercely with every cat and sprays. He's totally loving with people. Soon after he arrived, we found out he is FIV+, so he lives in the big backyard surrounded by cat fencing to protect him and other cats. He's a great cat - full of love and personality. He's a joy to have around - unless you happen to be a cat!

Graycee saying hello.

couldn't have said it better myself

While surfing the great white wave of the internet, I came across this piece about depression. Filled with genuineness and humor and sadness - because you can't talk about depression without the sadness - the post is a wonderful, heartfelt look at the progression of going down and coming back up. Please, read it. It will make you laugh; it might make you cry. If you've never been in the grasp of depression, it might help you understand what experiencing depression feels like. If you have been in depression's grasp - or are now - it might make you feel not so quite alone. Please, read it. Here.

new moon

There is a New Moon today in the sign of Taurus occurring at 5:29 pm pacific time. The new moon is a moment when the old passes away and the new is not yet here. It is a perfect time to set intentions for things you’d like to create or cultivate. The time is magical. Make your wishes within the first eight hours of the new moon and give it up to Spirit to make your dreams come true.

There are a few rules. You must write your wishes down on paper – no computers. Write more than one wish but no more than ten. More than ten scatters the energy. They can be wishes about different subjects or rewording around one subject. You cannot make wishes for other people. You can make wishes to adjust your thinking or your approach toward others. Wording is important. Trust your intuition. You may have to repeat a wish at each new moon if you have deep resistance to that wish. Date and keep your wish list. Wait for the magic to happen.

The sign of Taurus rules money, sensual pleasure, contentment, perseverance, patience, self-worth, and releasing stubbornness. You can write wishes about any subject, but wishing about Taurian issues is especially potent during this new moon.

Happy wishing!

Bull's Eye

For more information about New Moon power periods and wishing magic, see Jan Spiller’s book New Moon Astrology. Available here.

wed wednesday 2

My other favorite photo of the week from my tumblr, veilsandtales...

I love Frida Kahlo...

photographer: amber vickery

via ruffled

wed wednesday

My favorite photo of the week from my tumblr, veilsandtales...

photographer: a brit and a blonde

via style me pretty canada

speaking of cake...

My favorite cake painter is Paul Ferney. A few years ago, he and his wife of Oh Happy Day reknown collaborated. She baked the cakes and he painted 5x7 oils of each cake. All of the originals have sold, but prints are available here. Among my most prized possessions are two of the original paintings.

The first I bought was the upside down cake. I thought it was appropriate for me...

A few months later, I bought the second for Miss J's fifth birthday. Her first piece of original art...

I wish I had been fast enough to purchase this one. It's my favorite...

This is how they look on the shelf in my little house...

let them eat cake

A party without cake

is just a meeting.

Julia Child

 here

here

 here

here

here

sunday sermon

Ultimately, we have just one moral duty: 

 to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, 

and to reflect it towards others. And the more peace there is in us, 

the more peace there will also be in our troubled world.

Etty Hillesum

An Interrupted Life

cat saturday

Giovanni is one of my cats. He's the sole boy in the house. He looks after his ladies - Rosie, White Fluffy Love, and me. He plays hard and loves his kibble. He also sleeps hard - often in unique positions...

Giovanni

feather brained

Played with feathers yesterday...

Magpie, blue jay, duck, and chicken feathers from top to bottom.