five (really) good things . on this day

1. a waffle + french fries for lunch.

2. spending the afternoon painting with kelly rae. i. love. painting. thank you my friend for reminding me of how much i do love to play in this medium.

3. because the mountain is playing their music library a-z i was able to sing my heart out to jack and diane today. that made this indiana girl all kinds of happy. (not to mention that today is the first day in weeks that my singing voice has been more song and less warble.)

4. watching the shades of blue sky change while driving home this evening. the horizon dotted with thousands of stretching upward evergreens as light blue changed to indigo changed to midnight and all the shades in between. i love living here.

5. feeling the rhythm of millie's breathing as she sleeps against me here on the couch. she is such a dear companion.

*****

and you...

what are your five really good things?
name them.
i dare you.

senses. unearth.

i hear...

your beautiful, full, i love life laughter
the waves crash in the background as we sit in the quiet and breathe
you say, "i am?" when someone tells you that yes, you are brave
you whisper your truth
you teach what you know to be true with gentle firmness

i smell...

the sea
the tea lights as they hold the space for each of us
squash soup, autumn, cider
the moment when the rain stopped
rose petals as they dance together

i feel...

the space around my heart with each breath
the sand, firm beneath my feet
your hand upon my head just to check
paint beneath my fingers as the giggle winds its way around my throat
the paper beneath my hand as i write pieces of my truth

i taste...

mug after mug of tea
the salt winding its way from the sea
oreos + milk
oranges, freshly sliced

i see...

your beautiful face smiling through tears
you hold one another
you, yes you, paint (yes. you. did.)
you listen as truth and light is shared between you
you heal (and let go a little bit more)

i know...

you are open
you are brave
you showed up even though you were afraid
you are finding your way
you are beauty, truth, love

 

i am home.

i am blessed.

i am honoring.

i am dancing inside joy.

i am rooted in truth.

i am so very thankful.

i am sitting in quiet.

i am trusting.

i am resting inside love.

(thank you)

more very soon...

postcard from manzanita

(front)

(back)

you can live your dream into being.

this i know to be true.

(wish you were here.)

hello

hug point, oregon . september 2009

goodness, i cannot believe it has been so long since i have been to this spot to share some things. life is full. and i think i am in the mood for a list:

1. unearth, a be present retreat, begins in just three days!

2. i currently cannot get enough hot water + fresh lemon juice.

3. i quilted twelve new selma patchwork scarves today.

4. this darling girl arrives tomorrow.

5. i have been sick since coming home from squam (see #2 above).

6. i am learning to let go instead of needing to explain when people make assumptions.

7. my parents really are quite wonderful.

8. this dear friend (and assistant extraordinaire) arrives tuesday.

9. can't forget to buy tea lights.

10. rooting myself in ritual and a sense of daily routine is the way to more nurturing right now.

11. when millie sleeps against me, i just sleep better.

12. i wish our house had an extra 300 square feet. even 100 would be a dream.

13. seeing contributor artwork, poetry, photography for the book...well, this is making me so happy.

14. i am blessed to have the most incredible circle of friends. (i do know this.)

15. being seen, well, that is what it is all about i think.

16. being heard is pretty good too. (thank you)

17. this song is filling up my heart.

18. it is 7:30ish and i am already in bed, on my way to sleep soon (see #5).

19. because of #4 and #8 above all the final touches for #1 will be ready.

20. i cannot wait to breathe in the ocean on tuesday (partly because it is there that i most feel her beside me).

21. love, even (especially) in the moments of stress, is a gift i am deeply understanding.

22. i am so behind on email and that is just how it has to be right now.

23. apollo 13 is one of my favorite movies. (watched it yesterday.)

24. a sneak peek of the march be present retreat is up here!

25. going to (re)read a little of this before drifting off to sleep.

what's going on in your world?

i would really love to know.

droplets.

manzanita morning . september 27, 2009 . photo by jonny

right before squam, gem asked me to be part of her inHERview series. this is such a delightful interview series that she hosts on her blog. love these questions. and then while at squam, i was blessed to spend some time with gem. she is a beautiful spirit who greets you with such a genuine joy. yes. so glad i was able to connect with her. 

my interview with gem is up today, and i hope you will please head over to droplets of devotion to read my answers (and enjoy gem's blog and the other inHERviews).

hope things are full of light in your corner of the world...

blessings,

liz

nine {with Tracie Lyn Huskamp}

Today's interview is with the delightful spirit who is Tracie Lyn Huskamp. I met Tracie when I attended ArtFest for the first time in 2006, and we instantly knew we were kindred spirits. She is a gifted teacher, and she simply has a heart of gold. Her first book, Nature Inspired, is now out, and it looks beautiful and full of incredible techniques that invite readers to notice the world around them and create something that honors the world in which they live. (You can even order an autographed copy that includes a print; visit Tracie's blog for more information.) 

Enjoy this peek into Tracie's world...

*****  

Question 1: Who are you?

Question 2: What do you love about where you live?

Question 3: What might your perfect afternoon look like?

Question 4: If you had an hour alone in your studio/creative space, what would you do?

Question 5: Right now, what are some of your favorite things?

Question 6: What foods nourish your soul?

Question 7: When you need to simply take a breath and reground yourself, what do you do?

Question 8: How do you nurture your creative dreams?

Question 9: Does your heart have a secret wish you want to share?

Tracie Lyn Huskamp is an Artist, Author, Dreamer, and Poet. She lives amidst the Plains of the Midwest. It is here, among the landscapes of Kansas, that she has discovered her muse. The magnificent beauty of Nature inspires and captivates her imagination. This deep love and adoration paired with her passion for mixed-media fuels the fires of her creative spirit and continues to lead her on a wondrous journey of artistic and self-discovery.

(all photos are copyright Tracie Lyn Huskamp)

 *****

Nine is an interview series with creative folks that began in the Spring of 2009; the interviewees are asked to respond to the interview questions in photographs (or video). You can scroll through all the interviews here.

because i need to remember this one again...

manzanita sand . september 26, 2009

We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.
— Anaïs Nin