My Messenger

Messenger

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird —
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.

~ Mary Oliver ~

It was one of those rare weather afternoons … pouring rain and the sun was shining through. I was on the porch, staying dry, having fun with my camera …I didn’t get many photos. My 13-year-old dog (who still thinks he is 2) found one of his toys and jogged over. Who could resist that face. He can hardly get up some mornings, his arthritis is awful, yet when he is outside with his toys he forgets all of that.

I put down my camera and got soaking wet playing fetch in the rain with my dog, it was so worth it. Sunrise has been a constant messenger for me to play, to drop everything I think I need to do, to let go and have some real FUN!

Who (or what) is your Messenger?

Thank You!

Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. ~ Howard Thurman

Wow! Thanks to all who jumped in and wrote such wonderful poems. (I added mine to the comment section ). I’m thrilled when anyone visits my blog and I really want to thank you for doing so. Thank you for being part of a community that deeply inspires me. For those who don’t comment, know that I appreciate you and feel your presence, it sounds corny but I do.

I have loads more typical fall photos, it’s been such a long & lovely red , yellow and orange feast for the eyes, but I’m actually tired of the pallette  and thought I’d share some blue & yellow shots I’ve been collecting, they make me feel alive & awake…

What makes you come alive?

Finding Inspiration

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.” ~ Jim Jarmusch

My friend Lisa visited for two days last week and we talked non-stop, hiked in the dreary weather but had fun anyway, and she was kind enough to help me with some design projects. It is so fun to have girlfriends who energize and inspire me to do the things I tend to put off until someday ~ jeez it’s hard to prioritize everything I think I want to do and it’s great to have some help.

She has been my biggest cheerleader to get back to work on creating my new website ( my old one crashed and I have to learn a new platform) I think I’ll be happy with a WordPress site but would love to hear from any of you who are happy with other options.

After she left on Friday, I’ve spent most of my time with my eyes glued to the computer screen searching and surfing for things that ‘fuel my imagination’, ideas I will incorporate in my own way with the help of a web designer. BTW, if you know any good web/graphic designers send them my way. I’m trying to find someone locally but could work long distance if I find the right fit.

Lovely Lisa & A Forest Fawn

White Weeds

Two Turtles

Flying Fawn

Summer Fall

Having done hours of cyber surfing, I’m so inspired and found some random fun things to share. I never share recipes because cooking drives me crazy and I’m not much of a foodie, but I still want this fancy toast press (designed by Minale Maeda Studio) to make gourmet grilled cheese, but I may have to settle for this toaster since I can’t find a proper link for the Table Manners toast press.  The patch on the jeans is a custom fabric print by Amy Butler. Her pallet makes me so happy. (I have more inspiring photos from others I want to share but being an anal virgo designer, these were the only two photos that went with this weeks pallet 🙂 )

Table Manners Toast Press & Amy Butler Fabrics

The last random link I hope you will check out is a movie we watched on Netflix over the weekend. I’m wishing somebody in my cyber circles would  have a blog about great Netflix finds, there are so many cool movies in the instant queue but it takes some digging around. Do you have some favorite Netflix finds? I’m rambling, back to the movie recommendation. I loved Queen to Play. It’s a foreign film about chess. Kevin Kline is wonderful and the filmmakers made playing chess surprisingly sexy and inspiring. After watching the film, I’m so inspired to pursue the things I love more fully.

Have a Beauty ✻ Filled Week

Linking with

The Creative Exchange

Before & After Inspiration

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transformation

I love waking up happy and it seems to be occurring more often. I am not a morning person and it often takes me a couple of hours to feel joy and energy flowing, but I think I’m shifting! One of the key factors that is helping me feel energized is deciding to take a good hard look at my never-ending ‘to do’ list and decide what I actually want to do.

My list was huge and overwhelming, but after committing a few mornings to getting it organized, I feel that a weight has been lifted. As I dive in and tackle some tasks, I’m creating support systems that are keeping me on track. Warning, I’m feeling a bit preachy here ~ but it helps me stay on track to actually write this stuff down! The steps I’m taking are simple, but I have to keep reminding myself to…

• Set an intention. When I set an intention I seem to be able to stay on track with the big picture, rather than getting lost in the details. I’m a recovering perfectionist, I can often wander and take on new tedious tasks rather than finishing what I started.
• Decide what I want. It’s interesting how deciding what I don’t want is easier than deciding what I really want. How do you figure out what your heart wants?
•  Set and stick to deadlines. I make a lot of deadlines in my head which I often change or forget about. So I’ve been making deadlines on paper and sharing with others what I am committed to doing and when I intend to finish.

Reaching out has been the biggest motivator. When I involve others in my process, I am much more likely to follow through. I’ve been taking before & after photos of my projects and sending them to girlfriends who are also sending me their b&a rooms or projects that have been cleaned, painted, or changed in some way.

I’ve also been participating in Jillsygirls party themes as a motivator to sort and share my photos, thank Jill! And, I’ve been staying connected to blogger friends sharing and listening to hopes and fears and taking in any feedback. Just sharing what’s on my mind allows me to reflect and refocus. I continue to be impressed with the cyber communities ability to share and support. Thank you. I appreciate every single on of you.

Here are a few before & after projects I finally finished…

 

I would love to know what helps you create, what ever it is you want to create?

Since sometimes all it takes is to write it down or tell someone what you are committed to, if you’re in the mood, write a comment that finishes one or all of these sentences…

This week

I will finish…

I will create…

I will fix…

This week I will finish painting the bathroom. I’m actually going to give myself the next two weeks to get this done. I have lots of half-finished projects from last weeks list, so I’ll add this to the mix. I’m not good at concentrating on just one thing, I get bored or frustrated with being locked in. I’ve found that if I have a few choices, I can let my moods dictate which project to jump into. I know I’m contradicting what I said earlier about setting an intention, but that’s how I roll. I change my mind a lot. And its okay 🙂

Wings of Change

Purple Sarah

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away. ~ George Elliot

I’ve been saving some of my favorite flower shots and when I noticed that most were purple, it reminded me of my friend Sarah. I seem to hold on tight to things that really matter, like my favorite photos and precious girlfriends.

Inviting

Circling

Floating

Dangling

Gathering

Sarah is the kind of friend who

~ calls to check in on me… How are you feeling? How was your weekend? Do you want to meet for a hike?

~ calls to check in on her… Did I say too much? Do you think those other girls are mad at me? What do you think about…

It’s so good to have girlfriends who share so openly, who I can be all of me with, without worrying about what or how I say something. Sometimes I’ll bitch or brag or offend, that’s part of who I am, but my girlfriends are okay with that and we work through the mess or even better; we get to have fun talking about how great we think we are in a moment of pure selfish joy. I’m so grateful I have girlfriends who trust me enough to bitch & brag, especially when I encourage 🙂 It’s fun to hear everything sometimes!

Thank you Sarah and Amy and Lisa and Shea and Susan and Cheryl and Beth and Joan and Sharon and Jenny and Ellza and Bonnie and Connie and Liz and Gretchen and Jill and Gail and Julie and Barb the list goes on and keeps growing, and I think it might grow even more as I learn how to set things free. I think things will bloom brighter and flourish in new ways.

I am so lucky to have each of you in my life.

Thank you & I love you,

~ christine

P.S. The first time I met Sarah for lunch we started chatting about stumbling into blog land and began exchanging some of our favorites. She declared that I should have a blog… and I’d been secretly thinking about it, she gave me the needed push to go for it!

posted:

sooc sunday

macro monday

Searching for Beauty

I’ve been in search of beauty on my hikes and I’m surprised to say that it has been difficult lately. I thought by now there would be flowers blooming & butterflies swirling about, yet most days continue to be wet, gray, and gloomy with little to find. Yesterday I finally found something that brightened my week, the sun peaked out and my eyes were drawn to these trees with fragile paperwhite leaves lingering… I think they look like angel wings drying on a clothes line.

That reminds me…. a few weeks ago I found these big trees with dried blooms… who knew a dried up bloom could be so beautiful?

Since things have been dreary outside, I’ve been spending more time inside searching for beauty. It’s been fun to surf the blogosphere… I found some beauty here at giggling in the rain her blog is filled with heartfelt words, I love this post.

Perhaps the coolest thing that happened this week is that people found me! Two blogs that I enjoy visiting linked back to me. This is a first for me. It’s so exciting to have new visitors… and to have, not one, but two friends link to me in one week WOW! I know this may sound silly and self-serving but I’m just beside myself… I feel seen 🙂 Thank you Jill & ELK. Jill’s blog Jillsygirl studio has beautiful photography and she creates wonderful blog hop challenges. ELKs blog red or gray always calms me down and I breathe a little deeper each time I visit.

P.S. One other thing I found this week was another duck species … a Hooded Merganser, I can’t believe this funny looking duck was hanging out in the pond outback!

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood

I wish you could come wander around my new neighborhood with me. We recently moved to an acre of land with all kinds of trees and shrub surrounding the edges. The backside of the yard has a few trails that only me, my dog and the deer seem to use. It leads to a small pond with overgrown brush that I sometimes crawl through to get a better view of the geese & ducks.

When I go outback I’m finding different birds than the ones that visit my feeders. The little hairy woodpeckers often come to the suet feeder. The red bellied woodpeckers are a little bigger with the red heads, so far, they seem to be happy finding food by the ponds.

There are so many dead trees with all these holes they create, it’s fun to find them working on a hole.

Last week I spotted some ducks I’ve never seen before! It was tough to get a good shot of these guys, they spook easy and stayed at the far end of the water with no trail access. Do any of you know the name of these beautiful black & white ones? I think they might be buffelheads?

I love seeing new species. (I’m new to Michigan and I have a feeling most locals have seen these ducks, but this is a first for me.) There is something primal that is evoked when I come upon something I’ve only seen an image of, or heard of. Seeing something in person for the first time always sends a chill up my spine. I’m lost in that universal state of awe and so happy to be reminded of how magical and diverse this wonderful world is.

P.S.  I can’t get the Mr Rogers song out of my head…

“It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?… It’s a neighborly day in this beauty wood, a neighborly day for a beauty. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?…

I’ve always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.

I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

So, let’s make the most of this beautiful day. Since we’re together we might as well say: Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor? Won’t you please, Won’t you please? Please won’t you be my neighbor? Won’t You Be My Neighbor.”

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone you connected with on line lived right in your neighborhood!?

Searching for Words

I love this quote that my friend Cheryl posted on Facebook last week. My moods have been swinging around like this lately… one moment I’m an angel, the next moment I’m a bitchy brat.

I can’t seem to find the right words to match my moods, never mind matching up with the many photos I’ve taken over the past few weeks. So I put off posting because some part of me thinks, if I just work hard enough, it could be perfect – aarrrggghh!

This morning after wandering around taking more photos of the weeds and hoarfrost, I was back on Facebook enjoying the swirl of connection with my social media circles and I read an amazing poem by my friend Tim and his words seemed to say or not say something similar to what I’ve been experiencing –

Blahh…

by Timothy Fullerton

For reasons known only to the gnomes living
under the boxwood in our yard,
I simply do not want to write today.
My words are ready,
like extras in a film, waiting for the call
to the set.
Lately, I feel that they’ve
lost their punch,
become boring,
recondite.
I won’t write just to do it,
throwing words into battle like
literary cannon fodder,
just to say I’ve done something.
So, I just don’t want to write today.
“Fukkit” says the brain.
I concur.
Fukkit.
I’ll read.
Put my feet up.
Look out the window.
Pick my nose.
Scratch.
Today,
I just don’t want to write.
I send the cast home,
buy them pizza and rent a movie
for them.
They wanted ‘Busty Beach Bangers 3’
They got “Sound of Music”.
They’ll live.
I’m going to meditate in
the yard and watch the birds.
We are both trying not to freeze
our asses off in this chilly
March wind.

© TF27MAR2011

My friend Beth’s beautiful post on her blog gave me the courage to begin this post… willing to share anything that is ready to pour out rather than trying too hard to find the ‘right’ words to wrap my photos in. I think I landed somewhere in the middle??

I ache to create beauty and there is no formula that guarantees I will create something beautiful, but I have to keep reminding myself to begin. I’m grateful for my cyber space circle of friends who continue to show up in weird wonderful ways and encourage me to begin.

My photos are not perfect and my words seem strange but it feels good to share anyways.

P.S.  I’d love it if you clicked on the Facebook button below to share this post with your friends… I’m having fun expanding my cyber circle 🙂