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I woke up to a dusting of snow covering the earth this morning!

FINALLY!

I have not really seen snow yet,

I was beginning to worry.

I truly believe there is nothing more beautiful

than a sunny morning where the ground is freshly covering in snow.

Everything looks more beautiful covered in snow.

***

It's interesting how thought patterns work.

How difficult it can be to actually change them and keep them that way.

My goal is to be able to trust.

Trust in myself.

To be able to throw caution to the wind (so to speak),

to let go

and just be.

Happy.

This is what I have been working towards and it is all fine and well in theory, but it is all subjective. I am noticing that there are all sorts of circumstances.

One day I might feel fine with it, totally balanced and in control, but the next day is a whole new day. The moon may be full, or I may have only slept for 3 hours, or someone might have done or said something that didn't sit right with me... I am still trying to find ways to harmonize these things.

I am not saying that I will always be seemingly happy,

but I feel it is realistic to be able to take life with a grain of salt

and not let it sway my inner core to the degree that it has in the past.

***

I am still in the process of moving,

good lord I have so much stuff!

The piles are dwindling down, however

and I have this overwhelming urge to just let go.

*Wishing you all a wonderful and warm Tuesday*

Only looking forward,

no looking back...

Nope.

Starting over.

Hoping in a boat and setting sail.

Battling fears head on,

making it beautiful.

observation

I find peace in nature,

calm and simplicity in just looking around me.

I need to be still.

I need to walk freely.

I need to observe,

to see the tiny things that I might have normally passed by.

These are the things that keep me going every day.

My inspiration,

my constant,

my routine.

This is my observation.

I think I woke up in a bit of a funk this morning.

So to remedy this I am playing some loud music,

bringing in firewood for the woodstove

and making some tea...

Then I will hopefully be motivated to work on a commission I have.

I had a weird dream last night about someone giving me a mini washer and dryer

(like the size of a mini fridge)

and I was so excited!

I know, I'm strange.

Hopefully my brain will start connecting with the rest of me soon.

Maybe it is the grey sky.

What do you do when you are in a funk?

The past few days have really forces me to think about things that are so seemingly simple at first glace, but it is the onion effect where there is layer upon layer once sliced into.

There are things that I think about as just an everyday part of life,

part of relating,

part of being.

Things that I think I have taken for granted.

Things that I think I deserve.

There is so much push and pull in life,

I guess that is how we are balanced.

There is not light without dark,

no happiness without sadness,

it's the very definition of harmony and balance.

But as we all know, and sometimes I seem to forget,

this is a hard thing to maintain and accept sometimes.

Everything worth anything in life seems to take time and patience (something that I am continually working on having more of).

There is a fine detail to everything in ethos.

The Universe unending shows in unexpected ways how we have strings connected to everything

and everyone.

And yet we are all still human.

I am still human.

Sometimes it is hard for me to remember this.

And sometimes I have to remind myself that I am blessed to have to work so hard at this balance that I am trying to maintain,

to work so hard to continually have the gift of laughter ever present in my life.

I like to be connected.

To have connections.

To have people that smile back at me in my life.

I feel like when I am out about about I am an anthropologist of sorts,

always observing and entertaining ideas about the lives and culture around me.

Observing how and why...

I am fascinated by people.

It helps me to connect.

I hope you all have a wonderful day and maybe take a little time to connect with someone new or someone you already know with open eyes.

***

There seems to be unavoidable shifts going on in my life,

the kinds that even if I wanted to protest or put a stop to it there is no option,

time keeps moving on,

and yet standing still.

I am endlessly happy, but also have some sadness in my heart.

These are things that I grow stronger and better from.

I am learning to let go of control and just trust myself in return...

I have been living by the new Feist album.

It seems to be covering all the emotions I am feeling

and evoking all of the strength that my spirit needs.

I can't even really put it into words.

Lately I have been thankful for my knowledge of using plants as medicine,

Elderberry (syrup) has been a real comfort for this obstinate cough that seems to persist

and for the numerous herbal tea concoctions that I combine for health and for pleasure...

Have I ever mentioned how grateful I am for tea?

In my mind it is a perfect and invaluable medicine,

both for the body and the soul.

When I do consultations or educate others about herbal medicine

making tea is always the first and foremost remedy that I teach.

It is a wonderful way to be present in the process of your own healing.

It requires more than just swallowing a pill or gulping down a tincture.

You have to have patience,

to wait for the time to pass and then slowly sip...

There is a need for purpose.

The plant world has helped me find purpose.

It is a lifestyle and a passion, not just an interest, hobby or job.

It is steep in passion which creates relationships with these green spirits.

A quick Elderberry syrup recipe:

1 cup fresh (or 1/2 cup dried) elderberries (always the blue ones!)

3 cups water

1 cup honey

In a saucepan bring elderberries to a boil in the water, then reduce and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

When done, smash the berries and strain the mixture through a fine cheesecloth.

Add the cup of honey (or honey to taste, which is what I do because I never really measure anything!)

Bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Should keep for a few months.

*Optional to add while simmering:

Ginger

Echinacea

Astragalus

Happy medicine making!

...

Things that I am grateful for today:

-Tea.

-That spark in my solar plexus that makes me want to create...

and have a dance party, even if I'm all by myself.

-Knowledge... Of any kind, this directly connects us to the universe, to spirit.

-Laughter and good friends to share it with.

-Music that speaks directly to my soul.

What are you thankful today?

morning string theory

This morning I am thinking a bit about string theory.

There is a fine balance to everything.

Where everything is related and happens for a reason.

I have been thinking about how our environments and interactions inspire us, help form us.

This is whether we are human or any type of "thing" really.

The landscape is born our of the struggle between conflicting elements.

Our personalities, while I truly believe already have a mind of their own from birth, are partially shaped due to our struggles, our interactions with other human beings, animals, plants, environments, smells, colors.... The list could go on.

But it is that struggle, or what I call struggle, that I am thinking about this morning.

When I talk about struggle, there is that obvious emotion that pops up just from reading or hearing the word, but it can be a positive thing.

Like the idea that good can come out of bad (and vice-versa I suppose), light can come out of dark.

I find that many times it is this struggle that makes me do my best work. The struggle to show a deep emotion, the struggle to pay bills, the struggle to come up with a new idea...

These things can be frustrating, but they can also move us into a beautiful place if we let it.

I once read that stress can be the death of a friend or family member,

or the passionate kiss of a lover.

Struggle is all an interpretation and we all struggle in different ways,

all in different, valid ways.

There are so many times that I have been beyond frustrated, beyond upset, in a negative situation or mood, but I have come to realize that so many times, these situations make me a better person, a better crafter, a better artist in the end.

I can't say that I always enjoy being in these phases at the moment, but what is light without dark to show you how to appreciate it, right?

We have to loosen the reins just a little bit.

I often have a hard time with words, although I can seemingly speak clearly, many times I feel like I just can't quite get the proper words out to describe how I really feel. I can't do justice to my emotions and thoughts.

Maybe this struggle is partially why I love the visual arts so much.

It all comes full circle.

There seems to be a reason for everything, and if not, we can create our own homeostasis in our lives. It is instinct.

This is one of that string tangents that I often wake up with.

And this morning I was cohesive enough to get it out fast enough, type it out in the moment.

Maybe a bit rambly, but anyway, that is how mind mine works... Never in a straight line (maybe that is why I have such a hard time drawing them, ha!)

So maybe this reflection might be something you can relate to.

For me, my first creation of the day is a reflection of the morning sun!

A perfectly sunny felted scarf has sprung forth and is breathing golden light as it dries in front of the wood stove and awaits a someone to love it and adorn their body and warm their soul.

And with that, a happy Friday morning to all you sweetpeas!!!