Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Kindness




Did I mention that last month Jillian over at The Noisy Plume shared some wonderful
photos and words about my work?
Gosh, thank you for the kindness, chica!
You can find the post here.

And I highly recommend browsing around here blog, flickr and shop.
She is one seriously talented lady with one heck of an amazing soul!

Hope you have all been blessed with a beautiful day.
Shine on!!!
xo

Monday, July 14, 2014

Summer Lovin'


Yarrow: good for so many things!

From above, standing atop glacial rocks lining the harbor.

Out for a stroll.

Pit-stop at the beach.

Time for some puppy play!

Ready for the ball to be thrown... Always ready!

How high can a Margaret dog jump?

Pretty darn high!!!

Ninja dog!!!

Look at these girls! Specifically, look at Margaret! Look at her JUMP!!!
What a Ninja!
Three legs be damned, that girl gets air!
(She also LOVES to swim and is very good at it!)

<<<<<>>>>>

All my life I have been a winter person.
I truly love snow, like, wholeheartedly and with real passion.
I love first snow, especially. I love playing in it walking in it and many activities associated with it... I also love the darkness and the coziness of winter. I love a good hibernation.

But lately, something has shifted in me.
Where I normally can't wait for Fall shifting into Winter and everything it brings and stands for, I am finding myself feeling passionate about summer.

I have always loved the ocean and feel very blessed to have grown up in a coastal town (and now lived back in a neighboring one for 10 years!). There is nothing like the soothing, cleansing sense of submerging your  body in briny water and feeling the reaction of salt drying on your skin, tightening every pore. It is like all the atoms and molecules that compose you are dancing, happy and free! (I am an extremely tactile person, followed by an abstracted mind- or maybe it is better put the other way 'round, I don't know...) I have always loved the vibrant greens, as well as rainbow of colors and all of the lush, blooming life that comes in the warmer months of New England. It is a part of me, through my studies (as an herbalist) and my art, my work, but somehow I think I have never fully been able to appreciate it. I have been missing the true passion for the season until now.

Life can be hard and cold (especially where there are 4 seasons), if you look at it that way. For me, in the past, my physical discomfort in the heat has clouded my perception to a degree and I always felt that the heat of summer was the most difficult to tolerate. Part of it is that I have a hard time slowing down and that is exactly what Summer does, slows down life. Because of the heat, because of the traffic (oh, the joys of living in summertime tourist town), because of the beauty...

The Universe seems to be screaming a shift of consciousness at me. I am ok with it.
Winter is slow too, in its own way. But Summer slow is different. And although it is a busy time of year for my work, the time in between and the moments spent with people I care about seem to linger longer. It makes me smile.

<<<<<>>>>>

...You belong among the wildflowers...













*****Many things are hanging on the horizon.
Some near, some... Well, not so much.
Some days I feel like I can't contain myself,
But every day I take small steps.

It is hard to really realize sometimes, the steps I am taking, but they are going ever onward. I often create endless lists for myself of things "to do". Many days I am somewhat satisfied (apparently never fully satisfied) with what I accomplish, how much I accomplish, how fully I accomplish. But then, just as often, I get very few of these "to do" things done.

There is so much pressure I put on myself (I wonder, am I alone feeling this?), I have these- standards, shall we say- of what I expect of myself, masked as my perception of what I think society and other people think and expect of me.
But the bottom line is that none of it matters (I know, I know, easier said than done).
There is always going to be an ongoing list that can be compiled of the do's, don'ts, should's, could's, would's... The "to do" list can be endless!
But really, it doesn't matter.
I work on accepting this every day.
I work on enjoying the moments as they arrive, not stressing-especially the small stuff- and whatever I get done in the day is what was meant to be. It is hard, but I am happier and fuller for taking these steps.

I am so painfully human sometimes, but I have to remember to look at and listen to the natural world around me, imagining myself wild and free like those "weeds" blooming from the cracks in the pavement, or in a ditch, or even a beautifully manicured garden...
We are all wildflowers, remember.

So as the week begins and a new day approaches, enjoy it. Go out, do those things you have been wanting to do, the "need to's" can wait one more day!

*****

Friday, July 11, 2014

Made

New Little Owl design/logo!

Busy, Busy, Busy! Printing like mad!!!

Always time for a homemade fried dough break with fresh, local berries.


Working on new things, placing HUGE orders (Eek! Yikes!!!) in order to get ready for a 3 day fair next month, printing, printing, printing.... And of course enjoying all the fresh, local berries I can stuff into my face (along with homemade fried dough!)!!!

<<<<<>>>>>