Is it Geese or Goose?

In Northeast Ohio there are tons of Canadian Goose. We have two families sharing our pond this year with us. I love watching them. I was going to photograph them but decided there are so many, and everyone sees them all the time so who wants to see another photo of a Canadian Geese?

I remember when they were a rare sight. All the artists were painting them. Now? Everybody just complains about their mess.

Okay, for sure they do poop a lot. What doesn't? For all we know, goose pooh could be a cure for a dreadful disease, or something to rid ourselves of wrinkles. It just made me think how we find something that is rare more beautiful than something that is plentiful, besides money. I was thrilled to find a goose feather earlier this spring, now there are scads. I stopped saving them. But they still make me smile when I see them along the banks of the pond signalling that nature is alive and well, busy as a bee.

Therefore, along with some pics of my garden and the new spot for my beloved Blessed Mother statue, here is a poem entitled "Wild Geese", by Mary Oliver:

You do not have to be good

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.

Here's what to do

I was thinking now is the time to start using more warm colors in my art work. Ya know, a pumpkin here, a pumpkin there. That's good. I even went so far as Christmas.

Last week it was hot outside and muggy.

Today I am back into my winter slippers and sweater. My hands are freezing as I type this but I'm determined not to turn on my furnace.

So, the positive side to this? my coffee tastes extra good today and I'm not paying anything to keep warm or cool.

I read an interesting quote the other day,

"we have been taught that negative equals realistic and positive equals unrealistic."

by Susan Jeffers, author of Feel the Fear and do it Anyway.

Everybody says this country is going down the tubes, blah, blah, blah. Folks are getting weary for lots of reasons.

And we believe that is realistic. We believe fear is truth.

I have no idea if one or the other candidate can bring our country together, and you know what? I'm not so sure it's apart. I mean all we know is what the media tells us.

I try not to be just one more person complaining about the gas, about the government and crime, high prices and pretend shortages.

If we have to make a choice, let's make a choice on the inside first, choose goodness.

Then, mind your own beeswax and make stuff!

Love to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and to all a good night♥

Sacred Strangers

The other day I worked at the gallery and met a gentleman who came in searching for something to make windchimes with. He said it was for his mother, so it had to be really good, he wanted it to look really nice. We don't sell parts and pieces for windchimes, so I couldn't help him there, but I answered questions about our art which prompted other conversations, which sort of turned to the price of gas. He was quite rattled and angry about gas prices. I commented many years ago gas was only 75 cents a gallon, but I didn't have money to buy both gas and food at that time, and now, gas is $4 and I can buy both gas and food.

We both agreed it was important to count our blessings and focus on the gifts we have now. I mentioned that one of his gifts obviously was his love for his mother and that I admired him for wanting to make her something she would treasure.

I enjoy sharing deep and sacred feelings with a stranger, even though it goes against what society has taught me. Most times, I hold back out of fear or mistrust. Maybe that is why so many people are isolated, they are fearful of sharing about their lives, especially about loss, or mistakes made.

It's not unusual to hear someone brag, but I'd so rather listen to a story about how they learned humility, or speak to me softly about a blessing they received.

It's like Anthony DeMello said, "We differ from others only in what we do and don't do, not in what we are."

Remembering Beauty is a Gift

Looks like summer is here. I've had my first mosquito bite, and so it begins.

Each season has it's own particular beauty to each individual. Some of my favorite things about the seasons are the memories they trigger. Yesterday my sister called me and said, "remember all the locust trees that bloomed around our house when we were kids and how we woke up to that smell each morning?"

Yes, I remember.

I remember how my mom smelled like roses after her evening bath and how we used to sit on the back porch and talk, her in her housecoat and slippers, me in cut off shorts and t-shirt.

I loved it when she was happy.

She worked hard to make things beautiful for us kids.

Now that I'm the age that she was at this memory, I understand things look really beautiful to children the most when their parents are happy and things are peaceful around the home. That's when the good comes to rest in a child's mind and sticks with them throughout their lives.

"The ability to see beauty is the beginning of our moral sensibility. Whatever we believe is beautiful we will not wantonly destroy."

_Rev. Sean Dennison

Babble or bubble? Can't remember!

It's been a couple weeks since I've been able to blog. Lots going on, things to do, places to go, ya know, stuff like that.

May was a busy month.

One day at the cabin I had time to wander off alone. I relaxed on a bridge my husband built a couple months ago. It spans over a babbling brook that ends in the Coal Run River nearby.

Lots of babbling.

Is it babbling brook or bubbling brook? hmm.

I kicked off my shoes and lied down, put my hands behind my head and looked up. The sky was so blue, the bridge still has that new wood fragrance, birds singing and bumble bees dive bombing....ah, sweet relaxation.

But enough of that, I had brought a pen and notebook to write in. That is what really brought relaxation to me; journaling. I function better when I can get some of the thoughts bouncing around in my brain down on paper and out of me. I am hoping it clears up some space, like a computer, I hope I run better.

Since being home though? I am having trouble concentrating on simple tasks at hand. I feel like I lost some short term memory ability. I've heard that is common during menopause, which frankly, pisses me off.

Sorry. It just does. How humiliating it is to age. That must be the homework necessary to pass...pass what? a test? sort of, however, I mean PASS: moving on, audios, bombs away, amen, outee.

Oy.

Oh well, with a little luck, and lots of reminders on sticky notes, I should be able to remember the two things I need to remember today:

#1. The sheep shearer man is coming this morning to shear Betty, so keep her in the barn.

#2. Dinner date with Godparents.

#3. Put shoes on before going to the dinner date with Godparents.

Nah, just kidding, I trust I will put on shoes before heading out to dinner. I do have dreams lots of times of showing up someplace, looking down and realizing I forgot to put on shoes.

I hate that:)!

The Sweetest Wedding

My sister was married this past friday. A monumental occassion of which our family siezed the opportunity to celebrate. We've been through trajedies that make other people shake their heads and wonder how our family survived such emotional pain. We survived and we thrive because we know the depth of loss as well as love. We are blessed. We know all of Heaven is with us each step of the way. I can't quite put into words how it feels to see someone you love with your entire heart, broken and then after a long time, come back to life healed, still scarred, but stronger and more beautiful than ever. There was a time I did not think she would make it, not after her loss....but she chose life and never gave up.

Also, if you are able to believe in Heaven, and I do from personal experience, you long for your loved ones in Heaven to be proud of you, to rejoice with you. I believe they celebrate our milestones.

The day before the wedding we decked out my house with flowers and the day of the wedding, the sun came out and stayed warm and sunny during the reception. We had tons of fun and if I could use one word to describe it all it would be "gratitude".

Love to you all.

God's mysterious ways!

I would like to dedicate this post to a sweet woman who lives in Montana and her name is Juliana. She owns a shop on Etsy; JulianasJammin.etsy.com. A few weeks ago I was struggling, and I mean STRUGGLING with fear issues of all sorts. Lots of junk going on in my brain and it was beginning to really get me down. While checking my Etsy site I discovered that Juliana had hearted my shop, so I went to her site and found that she, not only sold rosaries and jewelry but explained the background of the stones and metals she uses to create these awesome works. I wrote her a looooong convo and poured my heart out to her. You know God works in mysterious ways. She wrote back and was incredibally kind, helpful and honest. I ordered a pendant made of Carnelian, turquoise and copper. I was first attracted to it because it reminded me of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. See the above pic?

And, on top of that she sent me a pocket rosary made of carnelian stones and copper as a gift.

I believe in the power of stones, metals, rocks, trees, rivers, herbs, you name it, if God made it, it was for our good. I think there are tons of blessings all around us, tons of help and silent shouts of love and encourgement. Ya just gotta believe, take time to be quiet and trust, trust, trust.

I have a dear friend who has lost several family members and in such a short time span. She is grieving as you can imagine. I thought maybe a new rosary would help somehow. Juliana made this one special for me to give her (pic above). It has rose quartz and ametheyst. The rose quartz administers to emotional pain, the Amethyst encourages inner peace. There is much more info on stones and their capabilities/meanings on her Etsy site.

Oh, see the earrings? pic above to right? She sent me those as a gift.

I can't say enough about this good hearted woman, whom I've never met, but God put her in my life and I am grateful.

I just love synchronicity!