morpheus stone

morpheus stone...

continuing on our path...

i sit in this moment, 

moments so clear,

thoughts are drifting, 

waiting for you to come near. 

we plan and plan, our lives away,

we're told it's so easy, 

be careful, they say.

our lives are etched in a morpheus stone.  

the days, they are planned, 

but to us, it's unknown. 

the path on which we traverse, 

it's bumpy, 

it's rough. 

full of surprises,

full of "tough stuff". 

it's what makes us stronger, 

through weak moments we see, 

that our lives cannot be predicted,

we cannot foresee.

the plans,
 they are laid. 

before our arrival, 

lessons,
 we learn, 

it's part of our survival. 

holding on. 

over here.

trusting life's path.

living with hope. 

following the path. 

that's full steam ahead, 

sails up, sails down.

paddling slow, into the ground.

 a few steps back,

a few turn arounds,

after our crashes, 

we get back up from being down.

the days, 
they move forward.

sun rises and sets. 

our moments are lived, 

until the next.

~femme eclectique 

(poem inspired by liz lamoreux

-thank you for helping me create space)

 perspective

community 

restful summer days

well, it's been a toasty summer here. some may say that's a bit of an understatement. others relish in the heat, soaking it all in. while i've certainly enjoyed the summers heat, i have to say, being a shore girl at heart, i do miss the salt air and the usual breeze to which it gently (and sometimes not so gently) delivers. but alas, we must accept what mother earth has placed upon us. soon, the days will become shorter, the air cooler and for me, work will call my name. so, i accept the sleepless nights and overheated gardens. it's forcing me to sleep more and embrace the rest with which i've desperately needed over the past several weeks.  

i've been working hard lately on reframing my thoughts around the difference between resting and being lazy. i've been programmed to believe that when i am not "doing", then i am being lazy. this is something that i believe has been handed down (from both sides of my family) for generations. an old way of thinking perhaps and one that has embedded itself in the very depths of my mind and belief systems (to which i am realizing, there are many). i've been extremely mindful this summer and have noticed just how much i say "oh, i'm having a lazy day". yet, in that lazy day, i've managed to clean up some of the garage, throw in a load of laundry or two, water the garden, read, do the dishes, cuddle the cats (they need love too!), respond to emails, check on the finances, rearrange some cupboards, and catch up with my sister in africa. usually things such as this are done throughout a day with intermittent "rests" on the couch, perhaps watching one of our six channels (we barely watch tv), maybe catching up ramdomly on "days of our lives"....which even though i haven't watched it in years, i can still follow it. you know how those shows are. admit it. you succomb to them too, now and then....a little mindless tv has never hurt anyone. and so i've realized, that this is the first summer of many (i can't recall when, perhaps when i was 7?) that i have had time to be "lazy". i am not moving a home or a classroom, i have not sat in a classroom for 6 hours a day monday to friday learning and unlearning, i'm not planning a wedding (but oh, how that was so much fun!). i've simply been enjoying summer and have been thankful for all the time i've had to myself, to spend with family, friends and other loved ones.   

do you need to claim your words? reframe your thoughts? reflect on these questions for a moment and see where they take you..... 

as summer winds down, i find my mind slowly (and i mean, slowly) slipping back into what i like to call "routine" mode. soon, my sleep-in days, late breakfasts on the deck, followed by some light reading and asking myself what i might do with my day will come to an end and be replaced with alarm clocks, 6am wake-ups, buzzers and bells. like most years though, i'm ready for it. i look forward to changing with the seasons and slipping into pumpkin season, corn maze delusions, fuzzy sweaters, the sweet smell of fallen leaves and the comforting, crunching sounds they make underfoot on a brisk morning walk.  for now though, i have a book to finish! 

x femme

om

being oneness. 

being truth.

being creation. 

this is essentially what i've been up to lately, hence the hiatus from my blog.

to fully be true in all my states of being, i believe my thoughts during these times should not be focused on what my next blog post is going to say, do or be.

and so, this leaves me with the reason why i've been away from writing here.

this is not to say that during my reflection time i am not dreaming up marvelous blog posts for your reading pleasure....i am...and they will come....when it's their time.

as usual, sometimes i snap photos of my adventures and goings on-simply because i just love pictures. so, i have a snapshot into some of the pieces that have allowed me to seek the necessary quiet inside my mind over the last few weeks.

it's been great.

summer is delicious.

it seems the weather is quite symbolic of the goings on inside my mind, too.

funny how that happens.  

cultivating.

lots of weeds!

finished product!

reclaiming my art room after much "on the go" upheaval!

ahhh. there's a wonderful, creative space....

ready to write.

and ready to type...

 

creativity awaits.....

x

unexpected inspiration...

it's amazing when inspiration can hit you. big or small, there's a need for it all.  as i felt this evenings warm breeze drift along, whilst pulling the endless weeds from our marvelous veggie garden, my gaze sauntered over to the four beautiful "new" doors my parents ever so kindly delivered to me this week. now, some people might think these doors would look more lovely next to the road for spring clean up. i, am quite thankful for those people who think in such a way, because i'm the scavenger who is excited to find such exciting roadside finds! and so, i believe the doors are real beauties. i just love the colors. and the oh-so naturally old, crackled paint. mmmm. just delicious.

this wasn't one of those moments where i was thinking about doing something to share for a blog post. that's not really how i work. instead, it was a moment when, at the end of my creating, i thought- darn it! i should have taken before and after pictures to show the transformation. but, when an artist is inspired and sets off to work; when you are truly in the moment of creating, there is no time for pictures. not for this artist, anyway. it wasn't something i was "thinking through" and quite frankly, i think that's when some of the greatest creations are birthed. and so it was, on this glorious evening that i transformed the plain old back of the garage (soon-to-be turned studio-more to come on that!) into something more than just a plain old back of the garage!  with a little help from my husband, the doors were taken from their slumped position, lying next to our deck, to a lovely little green space they would now call home. while i was manuvering them around, trying to center them "just so" and deciding if i wanted one door, two doors or three and which color sequence to put them in, i discovered a creeping vine (i'm not sure what kind it is exactly?). suddenly i felt like i was in the "secret garden". now, i know, my little green space does not compare to the images that still remain in my mind from the long ago days when i read that book. but that's what it made me think of. so, being the determined soul i am, i tugged and pulled at the precious vines. and there are many! they are deeply rooted, some of which have tried to take growth through the floor of our garage! without disturbing too much of the other growth that surrounded all the vines, i mananged to gently bring them to the light, from under the tall grass entanglement. they are just so lovely! i do hope they like their new location. and hope they don't mind me training them to grow upward to create a picturesque collage of leaves. 

so, in your mind, imagine the before pictures. three old doors all slumped (as much as doors can slump) against a deck, waiting to be given a proper home. now, imagine a back of a garage surrounded in front by weeds, tall grass and vines. there, you now have the before pictures! the other bits of decor i scrounged up from my collection of vintage finds, of which i also have many.

training the vines.

i just love the colors

create

hoping a bird finds a home in our bird cage
that once housed our wedding cards

weeds which led to my impromptu creating...
gardening truly cultivates the mind, body and soul..not just the soil ;)


we're hoping one day, there will be real garden doors coming out the back of the garage (which, by then, will be my studio!).  

what have you been inspired to do lately? take some time outside, with nature to allow your mind to simply drift off....maybe you weed a garden, or sit and sip a favorite beverage while listening to the beauty of the world that surrounds you, in whatever part of the world you might find yourself!
you'll be surprised where it might take you.... 

with gratitude,
femme
x

sunday solitude...

as the blazing sun woke us from our gentle slumber, we could hardly believe we were waking up at the same time! a sunday together. something that's been unheard of since the opening of the luscious greens. i just love those mornings when you have nowhere to be and so, you can simply be at home. the covers warmth wrap around you like the hot sun on a summers day. the birds chirp, our "pet" pheasant-so typically nammed "fez" greets the morning with his usual bursts of enthusiasm, followed by two excited cats pouncing over our heads to the window to get a good look at their "friend". oh, we can't forget the trees swaying in the loving breeze. ahhhhh. yes. this was our  recent sunday-love. a delicious visit from mama sue and ally-dog where great conversation & moments were shared as we overlooked our gorgeous view of delightful green fields and  the magnificent towering trees. this is home to us now. 

as the day went on, we agreed we would not work on our seemingly long list of "around the house to-do's". you know what i'm talking about. that never ending list of things we want to get done. but when days together are precious and few and far between, the quiet your mind, together time takes prescendent. i love those days when you just get in the car and drive, without a plan. as a planner, this is sometimes hard. i'll even admit, while we were on our way i thought, "oh shucks... we didn't bring a blanket and we don't have a picnic packed, what ever will we do?!". i gently discarded these thoughts from my mind. because, it didn't matter that we didn't have all the "necessites" for this adventure. we had each other (so cliche, i know). that's all we needed. surely, some ice cream from "the look off" could curb our appetite for a few hours. and besides, we had had a deilghtful deck breakfast. so off we went, on our valley excursion..... 

"The Look Off"-beauty of a day!

clay-if i had had a bottle....my at home spa would be complete!
i'll be back...

yet another love rock....

looks graceful, right?....

                                                        

define grace, then we'll talk.

                                                    

fun!

this felt sooooooo good!

insert your own interpretation here...

water warm?

                                                 

discovered scots bay's hidden gem!

love the sign!

more reasons why we love where we live...

leaving a note to let them know how wonderful this is!

over the moon excited about my greens!
(pun intended)

what a day was had. words can't explain how excited i was when we discovered this quaint vegtetable stand! i've been longing to have my own little veggie stand. moon tide, you are my inspiration!  namaste!

 if you haven't visited the shores of scot's bay, or the look off you really need to add it to your bucket list and check it off this summer. oh, and of course-while you're over there, swing by moon tide farm...believe me, you'll be happy you did!  

oh, and ps....the water was not at all that cold!

where will your next adventure take you?

just get in the car and go....

x femme x

evanescent presence...

it's been a long, yet seeminlgy fast few months. my no plan, plan for writing blog posts has been going as planned. while i've been aching to seek the quiet inside my mind, as a means to share my thoughts, projects, adventures and all the inbetweens with you, it seems my busy-ness of work-life, the tackling of yet another masters course and more work-life, inhibited me from sharing with you. now, i know, some of you may be thinking, "it's all about making the time to do the things we love". while i fully believe this statement to be true, the honest truth of the matter is, i had to choose what time i made for the things i love, inbetween completing the tasks that needed doing- have to pay those bills! and so,  my self-care time has been comprised of yoga, biking, reading, some running, lots of gardening, market visits, time with family, friends,meditation, quiet tea time and unsuccessful attempts at sleeping in. 

oh, and let's not forget the camera. although i have been a busy bee, i have almost always managed to capture some images through my lens, so that stories can be told, shared, revisted, loved and reloved ... 

as i drove

to the shore

for one last visit

i approached the door 

tears were perched 

upon my eyes

i held them back

i thought 

i would not cry

for happy times were had in there

christmas dinners, piano tunes,

smells of brown rolls swiveled through the air 

armed with my camera

in i went

feeling their evanescent presence 

the walls were bare

the rooms nearly free

of all that held the memories  

in the porch i used to play

where cans of food i once did lay 

it was my shop,

i sold for free 

sitting there took me back to that memory

where imagination and music was birthed into my soul

where a love for the shore and old homes soon did grow  

i captured  the details in every room

the stairs,

the doorknobs,

the wallpaper,

the latches,

the lights

i just wanted to hold on so tight

but days,

they come 

and then 

they go

and sometimes we have to

just

let

go

and so, i did

that day 

at home 

but i did not lose

for love remains 

in my heart

love of the memories

will never depart

from the depths of the minds

of all who lived and loved there

from the souls of 

of those lost

but quietly remaining

right here

x

where i used to play

etched in our minds

i can hear it now...

the phone i dialed too fast

where trinkets and treasure were found and found again

 





many-a-coiled ropes

many seeds he sowed

hang your hat, not your cap!

of moments here.

 it is comforting to know that the home we all loved and will forever love, is being warmed by two kind souls and a pup, with whom i long to meet...

thank you for being here with me on this journey. stay tuned for upcoming posts. my barrel is overflowing with inspiration and ideas. the tickle trunk is bottomless over here! 

femme x

sunshine

just a quick check-in. all is well over here on this monday. life is journeying on with it's ups and downs, as i near the end of another busy work year. my heart is aching for summer vacation and my mind is boiling over with blog post desires. lots of mindful chatter and longing to have some "quiet my mind" time so i can share moments with you. but for now, work calls. knowing i will soon be gifted with time to seek the quiet inside my mind, this is what strengthens me. well, that and the brilliance of the sun, the organic smells of earth (i've been spending lots of theraputic time in the gardens...more to come on that!) and the gorgeous sunrises in the morning, as i'm stirred from my precious slumber by two hungry cats.

sprouting leaves
warmth of sun
gracious 
skies
shine
sun 

while it's not visbily "sunny" outside in my part of the world today, i'm thankful for all the sunshine that is in my life. 

when you think beyond what's visible to you, it's amazing what sunshine we can find within and around ourselves.

where is the sun in your world today?

femme

 

wholesomeness

wholesome living

wholesome love

wholesome life

sometimes you just have to go for a drive....these cows were happy i did.
 i loved their energy.

well, in this moment of honesty, i'll admit, i'm struggling a bit with this post. it's like my brain is on overdrive and i feel like each of these pictures could be a post in and of themselves. and who knows, maybe they will be. i have so many thoughts i want to share and so little time to do as much as my brain wants to do! and then, i remember my yoga mantras.....breathe....and my most frequently used, as of late.....let. it. go. 
and so, i will.

my main purpose with this post is to share my wholesome saturday. i had a fantastic solo saturday. because sometimes. we just need a day of aloneness. i'm thankful to have had this time. i'm thankful i was brave enough to capture it through my camera lens.

wholesome saturday.  

filled

with colorful textures

delicious greens

calming soaps

and

all the inbetweens

delicious noodles

fragrant cider

wholesome chocolate milk

over burning beeswax candles of desire

cheese infused with weeds of dill

sparkling toes

like candy frosted frills 

quiet cows grazing in the pasture

little lambies full of  life, love and laughter

mama sheep watching close by

protecting their loved ones

as i watch on & cry

tearful tears filled with happiness and joy

a saturday captured

a saturday full of pureness

wholesome

saturday  

such a gorgeous, creative space

color puts spring in your step
i'm just happy in this shop. it's ambience. its energy. it calls me.

there's so much this world has to offer. we can't be afraid. fear will hold us back from far to much for far too long. but you know, while we say all this, there is reason and meaning into the timing of fear. there are times when fear is necessary. even though it might hold us back, i like to think that in the "holding back" time, it's our time for something else, so that we can get to where we are going. i've been reading lots of books lately which talk about fear and the effects, often negative, it can have on our lives. but i think we also need to look at the positives it can have. remembering that it's all about balance. we require a certain amount of fear in order to move through life. it's when fear seeps into every facet of our lives that it becomes excruciatingly toxic. that's when we have to take a step back and find that balance. recoginize when the fear is too much. when it's truly interfering with our everyday lives. it interferes in our decisions, more often than we think...in small ways, which can have big impacts over long periods of time.

i decided not to let fear stand in my way over the weekend. i've been reading here, there and everywhere about how we should do something that scares us, every day. while many of the things i did this weekend weren't something that scared me, i did do things i normally would be tempted not to do. small things, which all in one day- can amount to a lot.

have you stepped outside your "comfort zone" today?

pink toes is me stepping outside my comfort zone....

have you ever wanted to just snap pictures like no one was watching? i have a secret (or not so secret) love of taking photos and always have. i just love the art of photography. so, on saturday, i armed myself with my camera all day and decided to record my wholesome saturday. 

my first stop was the farmers market. my saturday ritual. i captured images of many of my favorite vendors. they were happy to have me capture their products. my photographs led to wonderful conversations. the market. my saturday morning social. 

.my favorite beeswax candles. 
beeswax candles burn, they clean the air like a great, natural, air purifier, and they are a link to a deep spiritual belief system
read more

absolutely delicious jams.....
your taste buds will thank you 
just like grandmas

bumbleberry... a household favorite! but there are so many fabulouso tastes for your buds!

where i buy our seeds for the garden
local yocal



delicious soaps used daily
bohemian bubbles



lots of wine in the valley

"The Noodle Guy" in action
seriously, these noodles are amaaaazing!

my all time favorite jewerly maker in the valley! 
(only available at the farmers market!)

i may or may not have a few pairs of earings...

okay, so i can't eat these....but they just needed to be documented.

 

this picture just makes me take a breath. 

 so innocent. 

so real. 

do you wish to live a more wholesome life?

you can. one step at a time.

perhaps you can make a wholesome goal for today, the week, this month. or maybe one for each!

do whatever you are called to do....in this moment. right now.

let go of fear and let it bring you here. wherever here is for you.

find your way home.

shanti

namaste