There's this boy. He's 52 today. I met him in 1976. We were both art majors in college. We shared classes together. We shared a friend. We shared an occasional nod and passing smile. Eventually we shared a meal. We shared after-meal time over cups of coffee. We shared fire and music and humor. In time we shared more time together, just the two of us and we became friends. Good friends. And lovers.

And we still are. We still share life lessons. We still share smiles and nods, meals and cups of coffee. We still share fire and music and laughter. We still discover fresh things to talk about and new things to learn about each other. We are still friends. Good friends. And lovers.


He knows more facets and crevasses of me than anyone. And he loves me anyway. He has witnessed me at my best and at my worst and he loves me anyway. He has experienced my brightest light and my deepest dark and he loves me anyway. And he loves me anyway. Because of these things and despite them he loves me.

And I love him too.


Happy Birthday Booboo.

There's this little patch of paradise where the trees whisper secrets of love, and peace ripples in the stream. A place of friendship, sharing and community. A place of tribe. A place where sunshine and rainfall are honored with equal reverence. A place where fires blaze in the hearts of all who gather. A place where laughter and tears dance together with grace and beauty. A place where coyotes howl and offer blessings to the land and to all who cross the threshold. A place where the sacred pipe is passed in wisdom and with the love of our ancestors. A place where light and shadow are distinct *and* one. A place of everything and nothing. A place we all carry, hold and are.

The morning rain keeps me out of my gardens.

But I have bottles to wash *and* mead to bottle.

I have an dispensatory that needs my attention.

I have teas to blend, herbs to package, tinctures to start, shelves to clean and reorganize.

I have needy paint brushes and art pens.

Yet . . . while I'm busy with all of this you can still play Win a Whimsy Wednesday at What I Made Today.

And I hope you will!

This is the kind of July day that radiates the essence of the season. I am drawn outdoors again and again, into the summer breeze where it leads me deeper and deeper into its loving embrace.

My wish for you is that you too experience the embrace of this glorious day.

 

I rewarded myself with a sweet, sweet, ever-so-sweet harvest from my gardens today. I'm nibbling now . . . and you can see the sweetness at What I Made Today. :)


And remember, tomorrow is Win a Whimsey Wednesday at What I Made Today, so be sure to check it out *and* leave a comment!

On this day in 1999 I embarked on the path of The Fool, a path of Mystery, a path of Trust.

On this day in 1999 I embraced a first day of freedom from the corporate world. I also embraced a first day of unpredictable income—in a very major way.



I pause in this space that we call the present moment and I gaze into this pool of the past and am delighted with the courage, conviction, will, and Trust that I see in the eyes and soul of that remarkable woman, nine years my junior.

I pray that I live up to her honorable values, behaviors and choices.


~~~~~



And, if you're up for another click, check out What I Made Today.

Learning to trust is a life-long endeavor. I am pleased to witness in myself that I am getting quite comfortable with it.


Last night, when the boy got home I announced that I was going to the grocer. "Whatcha gettin'?" he innocently queried. I heard my voice say, "Kim's coming for lunch tomorrow and I don't . . . have . . . anything …"

In that moment I heard a familiar voice, a strong voice, a scolding voice. "You WHAT?"


So I said, "Nope. Never mind. No need to go. I have everything I need."

I went to bed without any clear idea of what lunch would be. I just KNEW that it would be. This morning, this glorious morning of cool breeze, brilliant sunshine and frisky chickadees, I wandered my gardens, I poked through my pantries and even as I write I'm still not certain what will become of the things that I have gathered on my kitchen counter. But, we shall see. We shall trust. We shall have everything we need.



~~~

And check out What I Made Today, especially if you'd like to win a free gift from me!

On this day in 1921 a little man was born into this realm. A little man that would come to be known by me, and by me alone, as Daddy.


There really isn't anything to say beyond that.


Except maybe . . . I miss you Daddy . . . thank you . . . I love you so.

This morning I am called to pull out my notes for an energetic fragrance spray that I had made myself some time ago. It is a blend of essential oils enhanced with a bit of flower essence that I ended up labeling "In the Day" for its scent and verve brought me to a place in the 1970s that was nurturing, challenging, playfully creative and just down-right groovy, man. In a far-out way, even.

For a time I used that spray as a tool to assist me in connecting with that artistic, playful, creative and rather rebellious self that I was in those days. Today I am called to recreate it yet again for myself and to share.

So the conversion of small batch to one a bit larger begins. I blend each essential oil into the base and swirl it and inhale and pause in reflection before adding the next. Then come the final drops and I pause again, wondering if adjustments to this formula are needed before the final dilution and closing blessing. Through my open window, from a neighboring yard I hear a radio, a sound itself somehow reminiscent of "the day" but it's the voice singing that tells me to stop, to dilute and allow the blessing time. It is the voice of Tom Jones.

Go freakin' figure.









And don't forget that Wednesday is Win a Whimsy at What I Made Today, so check that out tomorrow!