the dreaming Press.

Seaglass, picnics & whales: Three reasons to take a road trip to Boston

stoke the fires of your *atlas* heart

A couple, {heck a few!} urgent things. I'll get to them most hurriedly, so you don't waste a single precious moment that you could be using to sign on for grand explorations and juicy adventures {that you so deserve}.

First, my friend Debbie wants to extend an invitation for you to go to INDIA.

Second,my beautiful blogging friend Lisa has a deadline to meet, so that she can go to MEXICO.

Third, my friend Tara is hostessing the best life-changing trip {trust me, I've done it}, to JORDAN.

Last,but certainly not least, I am taking a group of women through the Women's Travel Network to MOROCCO.

So, now with all of these updates your way...it's all up to you. Maybe it's time to pay it forward and give a little to see another realize the work of her dreams...or maybe it's that time to pack a suitcase with your camera, your journal and a couple of pairs of undies, sunscreen...and hit the road to realize your own sweeping and vast dreams.

I've prioritized the list according to time deadlines. Lisa will need your help within the next ten days. Debbie has room for you up until tomorrow only.

The other two are very important, but can be discussed in another upcoming post real soon. If I were you I'd head over to see the INDIA and MEXICO links first. Thanks friends, fellow adventurers and loving hearts. You are all cherished, deeply, each of you. xo

p.s. photo of the lovely blue doorway taken from a bumbling yet speeding van in the Middle East while driving along sharing cups of hot nuts and listening to this or something like it...in March 2010

lake bones, skip stones

 
The lake yields her bones to the dry earth.  Alas, the driftwood is too large for me to cart home.

   

So we skip stones and give earth offerings of feathers and pebbles in gratitude for things like;

buttercrunch ice cream with marshmallow sauce~

polaroid cameras & film to go with~

health, movement, thought~

freedoms both physical and spiritual, pineapple, root beer floats, coffee scented with mountain blueberry~

fireworks, freezies,

squirrels.

Gratitude works, it really has it's use.  It cultivates more and then some of the abundance you have in your life already.

If you enjoyed the pasta salad recipe of last post, you'll lose your marbles over this next one.

Pineapple Mint White Tea

8 bags white tea

4.5 cups water, boiled

large handFULL of mint

pitcher with a cup and a half of fresh pineapple chunks

Make the tea in a pot on the stove with the mint. When steeped for four minutes strain into the pitcher with the pineapple.  Chill for a day.  ENJOY!!!

Sweeten this one or not, I don't like it sweetened.  Nature has flavour all her own that shouldn't be messed with.  But if you like a lump or two, then go right ahead! Whatever floats your boat. ;)

xoxo

Almost forgot, a song the lake would love for a summer day.

And tonight, yoga after I run. 
Big smile.

These days

A song in the car played tonight on my way home from work and it brought a huge smile to my face. Notorious B.I.G. sang, "...birtdayz wuz da worst dayz, now we sips champagne when we thirstays."
To you Biggie Smalls! For recognizing the love where it lingered.
xo

Lesson One: Keep your thumb out of the way of the lens.

 

Afternoon portrait sessions with the six year old princess. 

There are advantages to being home with them more often now-a choice I'll never regret. {So the dishes are piling up, I'll do them when the kids are grown.} I made a vision board or a dream board recently, and right at the top it read "happy children".  Good things are happening folks...good things.  {I gently suggest making one for yourself.}

Random nifty moment in time: I texted my sister-in-law today to request she bring champagne & orange juice to our Good Friday feast at my place this uh, Friday. Ahem.  She texted back immediately: OMG! Those meditation classes are working, you read my mind...I was going to call you and tell you I'm bringing champagne & orange juice!

xoxo

p.s. Besides my clairvoyance sharpening and gaining focus...so are my other senses.  The knots that hide in my shoulders are softening.  I'm more present in my body.  Feels wondrous.  :)

Of passages and small packets; a new map to guide us.

 

Each door opens to opportunity.  Without fail.  The same as each morning dawns on greater possibilities.  I am steadfast in my belief of choice.  In choosing we not only architect the journey (yes, I've used architect as a verb! imagine!) but construct the outcome of our longing. Intent is of utmost importance and does factor in.  When we set our directional "intention-compass", we attract in our chosen destination.  It is that easy. {And fun.} Truly.

 

I am embracing a challenge of which I've never ever attempted before.  I'm writing a book.  NaNoWriMo starts next Monday and I will set sail on the seas of novel writing for 30 days.  I will write 2000 words per day to meet this challenge.  I will not seek perfection, I will not edit my way through this thereby losing precious time to the ideology of perfectionism-I will simply (and hopefully) write a beautiful novel in 30 days.

 

Oh I have other projects.  {Children that need rearing.  A business to run.  A life to live.}  But really, what gives me the greatest pleasure as I breathe in the air of the here and now-is writing.  Words are my balm.  I love what the stringing together of them does for my psyche, my heart.  I love that we all have something to contribute to this life-through our various arts. I hope to contribute through my words and pictures.  Simply put.

 

Which leads me to this seemingly unconnected (yet it is entirely so) thought...I met a woman yesterday who read me like a book.  "You are waiting for something big," she says.  "You can't relax until you deliver this BIG THING to the world.  You want your name in big lights, you want to be remembered."  Smiling, I was caught.  Not for reasons you may expect either. (Like fame, fortune.  No.)  She knew my truth.   She saw my truth beyond what this world may project upon me. She could tell I wanted nothing more than to better this place.  To make it greater.  To leave my mark.  To create something beyond comprehension in terms of sheer wonderfulness. To make a difference in the lives of others. (I wanted to embark upon mightiness! In the humblest manner, see?)

 

Shrugging, I concurred.  I had to give serious consideration to the why of this.  Why? Why is this of utmost and urgent proportion? I still cannot tell you the why.  I wish I knew! {Ahem...Isn't that part of the journey though...figuring all this out? The not knowing?}

 

This much I do know; I came into this world carrying a packet of silent sadness, something I keep tucked into my pocket like a respected old handkerchief...embroidered, vintage, loved.  Occasionally, since I wear my heart on my sleeve this packet is as visible to others as a looming storm cloud charged with thunderheads.  Then on most regular days it isn't as palpable, it morphs quietly into a subdued longing I can't quite put my finger on.  I meet others who have their own little unique and sorrowful packets tucked into their pockets.  We lock eyes a little longer.  We connect through our inadequacies, or perceived shortcomings.  We pretend to be less than we are in each other’s company to keep up the pretence of normalcy.  Yet.  We are different and we know it.

 

We must make the others understand us but how? How??? If we do, we risk all.  We'll be exposed, you see.

 

Outed.

 

Fingers will point to us and the others will group together and remark, "See.  Told you.  They are different."

 

So this BIG THING.  Hmmm.  Is it the book? I do not know.  No, I'm not entirely sure.  The book will serve to purge.  To vent.  To enlighten me, and lighten my load.  I hope it helps anyone reading it to come forth and reach deep into their own pockets to pull out their own little packets and say, 'I have one too.  Came here to Earth with it.  Same as you. Still trying to figure out what to do with it.'

 

To quote the wise woman (who was quoting an old Zen proverb) who had me figured out yesterday, "Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water." She feels there may not be a big thing. She was gracious enough to offer that my contributions are in the every moment.  That everyone I encounter feels the benefit of having known me.  (Try telling this to the inner lost little girl with a small packet in her hand.)

 

However. We each come to our own conclusions in our own time.  I am eagerly awaiting something, but what? I must simply continue to chop wood and carry water...that my gifts to humanity exist in every thing I do.  That by simply being in my moment and contributing my all that my impact will be felt.  {You and yours too.  Your being and your contributing.  Will. Be. Felt.}

 

I left this wise woman’s company confident that I had been given a new map; the old one pulled out of the frame and a new one set in its place (albeit giggling with giddiness and anticipation!).  It is a time of new beginnings; to set sail on uncharted waters, to seek out that which I already know, knowing the world is indeed beyond round and for sure beyond three dimensional.  Yes that is a pretty BIG THING.  And that does not scare me one bit. After all, my intention is to enjoy the sail, all the while doing lots of little big things.

xoxo

 

In search of lost time-insha'Allah.

 
Redintegration. Go ahead and look it up if  you need to.  I had to. 

 
"I had recognized the taste of the crumb of madeleine soaked in her concoction of lime-flowers which my aunt used to give to me. Immediately the old grey house upon the street, where her room was, rose up like the scenery of a theatre to attach itself to the little pavilion, opening on to the garden, which had been built out behind it for my parents."~Proust.  {Remembrances of Things Past.}

Retrieval.

It is said, that long term memories are stored in dream format.  What do you think?

I am inspired to paint again.  I am going to organize my materials and spill them out of my skull and onto the canvas.  Ideas have been bursting at the seams since my return from Jordan but alas life needs tending to.  Even my photography has taken a back seat to my career and other things.  I will pick up my camera today also-insha' Allah.

I need to be reading Proust I think.  I liked that snippet which I found today. This morning saw my daughter skipping off to fetch the mail- yes on a Sunday.  We leave it in the CMB all week and then gather it up all at once.  A happy yellow package was handed over to me. Thank you Christine, you put a big smile on my face while I sipped my Earl Grey and listened to the birds chirping.  You Are A Light. xoxo

Tea? Why, yes please....

If I invited you in for tea, would you accept?

Would you offer my child a sweet?  Ask him his name?

Would it matter to you that my second floor was absent? Waiting patiently for the second generation to build and move their family in, according to tradition....?

  
Will your children understand the level of patience and calm that our children afford them- in the face of no video games or television to distract them....?

When you stop to breathe in our landscape, will you allow us our space? That in which we have not built up in the name of commerce or gain?  We have precious things to offer the world that don't involve competing with larger cities or countries....!  We hold our own, thank you.

Would you join us for herbal tea?  Perchance in places where famous people were taking steps in their own journeys?  Tea with mint never tasted so nice!  Oh and beautiful Israel is just 15 feet away.  However, do not veer off the provided path, for land mines are located any which way, and cameras are trained on your every step-so going off the path could mean any number of troubles for you!  We are in a military zone, you see. (It is for your own protection, dear friends.)

My goodness the river is cold.  COLD.  See page 157 of the April 2010 National Geographic to see just exactly where a certain group of travellers stood, not three weeks ago.

If you feel enough at home then please accept our hospitality.  We'll be insulted if you do not. 

So-one lump or two? It would seem that in Jordan, sugar in your tea is the norm.  It is expected.  So if this sounds like your kind of place, do visit and stay for tea.  You won't regret a single moment of it.  xo

As usual click to enlarge the photos.  However, the shot of the little girl at Petra was out of focus, but she was so cute I couldn't stand not posting her, so forgive the photographers blunder. :)

dream sharing & evolutions of the soul

An e-mail conversation today shed some light on the evolution of my soul.  For that I am entirely grateful. You know how when something happens to you in life that you feel is unfair, then later on after the lesson is learned you are clear about the reasons why? Then you can't doubt that it was for the best? I had a moment like that today.  I was explaining a situation to someone and a lightbulb clicked.  I whispered a tiny prayer and shushed it out to the great wide Open.  {I almost burst with glee.} I am healing a deep wound.  It feels great.  We are all in charge of these things.  Repeated mistakes are by grand design-instead of playing victim, turn it around to your advantage.  {Have I told you I'm a warrior? I fight the good fight.}

My daughter had her own soul evolution today.  We worked through it, but she is hurting.  Only time will help her.  After our chat we watched the Olympic women's hockey.  (I explained to her that the USA team were crying because they wanted the gold medal, not the silver.  She thinks they will come to love the silver in time, and she is right.  She states: "Getting to the Olympics period is an achievement! They should be proud!" What a kid.)

Ah Petra.  I'm on my way. I relish seeing my good friend Tara again.  That globe trotting, head-squarely-on-her-shoulders good friend of mine.  I am fortunate & count my blessings to be able to see her in such a culture rich & beautiful setting.  I'll check my CMB¹ tomorrow for Susanna's *winged messengers*.  I only check my mail once every week or so, it is the height of laziness I assure you.  Tomorrow being the last mail day before I go, I'm hoping they will fly right out of the CMB to greet me with open wings! Pictured above are the wings Susanna sent me before.  I just love how they photograph.  If you follow me on FB², then you will have to check in and see any photos I post for you.  Wishing you well on your own soul journeys, both spiritual & physical.  Navigating this stuff can be challenging.  I know we can do it. {With each others help of course.  For how else can great things be achieved?}

xoxo

¹ community mail box

² Facebook

Is suffering really necessary? Yes and no.

If you had not suffered as you have, there would be no depth to you as a human being, no humility, no compassion. You would not be reading this now. Suffering cracks open the shell of ego, and then comes a point where it has served his purpose.

Suffering is necessary until you realize it is unnecessary.
*Eckhart Tolle*

olivia & the sky

Olivia & the sun; SX-70, 600 film with vintage filter; cropped and edited :)

{you can give me film yet I still mess with it}

Olivia out in the sun blowing bubbles yesterday while we spent time washing & vacuuming the car. The day turned out fine after our initial bumps in the road. 

If you ever wondered how busy moms cope while carrying on a blogging habit, visit Bird Tweets for some insightful questions she asked busy blogging mothers.   

Sunday is sunny again, good for the soul sunny.  This day calls for homemade banana bread with chocolate chips & spring cleaning while listening to classical cranked up high.  I'm watching this totally sweet movie I picked up tonight, it looks endearing and funny.  (Have a most endearing and funny day yourselves.) xo