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*****
::By Post:: is a collaborative series of virtual postcards posted between Jenna and me, conceived to celebrate the week we're spending on opposite coasts of the country (Jenna on Nantucket, me in Oregon). Visit Jenna's blog to read hers. See other posts in this series here.
(front)
the minutes after dusk navy blue sky atop the arched-against-the-shore never-ending water.
(back)
when i sleep, i hear your song
the tumbling chorus of
push
pull
letting go
holding on
i hear your song
and i open up
to find pieces of me
*****
::By Post:: is a collaborative series of virtual postcards posted between Jenna and me, conceived to celebrate the week we're spending on opposite coasts of the country (Jenna on Nantucket, me in Oregon). Visit Jenna's blog to read hers. See other posts in this series here.
jenna and me at fort worden earlier this year
a little over a year ago, jenna traveled to this corner of the world; she had an extra couple days at the end of her trip. and i was lucky because she decided to spend them with me. during our email exchange prior to her trip, i said something like "i am moved to say this: do you want to go spend a night on the oregon coast?" and even though we had just met briefly at squam, she was moved to say yes! and as we drove to the coast and stood by the sea together, we pretty much knew we had found a true kindred spirit sort of a friendship that would change our lives in the way those "oh your really see me" friendships always do. as our friendship has continued, we have looked for ways to collaborate (see Lanterns) and we have become quite the brainstorming partners. during a recent skype chat we had this aha moment:
this week will find me (and family) on the coast of Oregon.
this week will find my girl Jenna on the island of Nantucket.
realizing we would each be on opposite coasts from one another for the same amount of time, it seemed too serendipitous not to come up with a project. (if you spend any sort of time with me virtually or in person, you will learn i am all about the collaborative projects. lately, i can't stop myself.)
so, inspired by an exercise in my book, this week we plan to send (virtual) postcards of poetry to one another from coast to coast (by way of our blogs).
i hope you will come along and see what adventures unfold for each of us on our travels by the sea...
PS i now have a pretty "preorder" page for Inner Excavation complete with a special preorder package for your viewing pleasure. when i return from the coast, i plan to introduce you to the book's (amazing, fantastically wondrous) contributors.
A few weeks ago, I shared a bit about our "welcome to this world ellie jane" ceremony. Jon read her the book Blueberry Girl
When I read her this poem seven and a half weeks ago, it was like a wish I wanted to whisper to her and all that surrounds her now and in each moment to come.
But now, on this day, when I read this poem aloud, it became this parent's holding-on-by-her-fingertips truth, in the disguise of a poem by David Whyte.
May the universe hear me speak the words of this poem and hear them as my truth. And hold us in her gentle arms...
(To hear me read this poem, click on "a poem for a friday" below. Visit David Whyte's site to learn more about him and read more of his words.)
)imagine it a blue sky with a warm soft breeze in the air sort of day and you have just arrived at my little house in the pacific northwest. in this moment, we are sitting down to peach tea (probably of the iced variety as it is august) with a sprig or two of mint and happy pink cupcakes with chocolate frosting and a bowl of blueberries and a blue plate with white polka dots that holds a bit of cheese (because there must always be a bit of cheese). a jelly jar full of dahlias cut from the backyard and a short pile of books with a paper resting on top of them sit between us on the table; paolo conte sings while the warm yet refreshing breeze floats through the open windows. after we each take a sip of tea, i flip over the piece of paper and say, "this is it. this is the cover of my book." and then we toast with cupcakes before we dive into an afternoon of laughter and poetry readings and truth sharing.
yes. let's imagine this is just where you are in this moment.
because here it is...the cover of Inner Excavation
this dream really has come true.
*****
and i must confess that i did plan to share more here about the process and experience of writing Inner Excavation when i was in fact writing it. but because i was so ill the first few months of my pregnancy (when i was doing the bulk of the work on the book), i just didn't have the energy to share the details. but now that the little one is here and i am finally able to focus on the truth that this book really did happen (that i really did write it and i did take photos that are included in it and i did gather artwork and poetry and photographs from some amazing contributors that appear in it), from now until its publication later this fall, i am going to share pieces of what this book is all about and why i am so very excited to introduce you to this inward journey of exploring where we are on our paths through photography, poetry, and mixed media art.
(oh and the pile of books between us as we drink our tea includes a few i have been opening lately that i want to share with you:
Mostly True: Collected Stories & Drawings
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics)
Colors Passing Through Us
lately, the words from these books have been like a hand to hold on the journey.)
Edited to add:
PS I keep forgetting to tell you that I will be offering pre-orders of my book here through my site. The book will come with a signed note from me (to whomever you wish) and a free little surprise of goodness. Stay tuned as I will be posting more information about this very very soon.
breathing in all of it (for the august break)
a few bits:
thank you for words and emails lately. i truly feel so blessed to be cocooned in so much support. i am happy to report that ellie continues to be doing well. the medicine she takes is working, and she is beginning to smile and coo and reveal a bit more of her personality each day. i wish you could come over for tea to meet her. she really is the bees knees.
we are having more days that feel like summer here. love getting out and soaking up a bit of sun and remembering that there is life outside of our little house.
i am participating in susannah's august break over on flickr. i really love this idea and am looking forward to trying to capture a bit of summer each day. some days i will be sharing the photos here too, but i know i will also be posting some other things in this spot (like [finally!] the cover of my book and some thoughts about the experience writing it, a little video i am working on, a collaboration or two, and a few other things). luckily, susannah is all about no rules (you should join in on the fun too!).
while the little one sleeps or entrances her daddy with her smiles, i have been working on some more jewelry for the shop. i am really loving the longer locket necklaces and the new soul mantra designs and have made a few for myself. a bit like betty in the above photo, i have been inspired to layer them with other soul mantra necklaces and a few others i have (especially my favs from jen, kelly, and the black spot books). new items listed can be found over here. if you are interested in a custom locket, just contact me through an etsy conversation or email (the email page is in the sidebar of this blog).
and here are a few links to things catching my eye:
maya's on the road with ten-line tuesday kickstarter project
viv's tease about her upcoming project
jen lee's poem "held." (each time i read it, i read it aloud. each time i read it, i cry. next week, i am taking it with me to the oregon coast and will add it to my pocket of poems i am collecting for my early morning walks on the beach.) oh and jen's new merch page pretty much = awesome.
really enjoying notes from the edge (a new to me blog)
this delightful blog of mila's daydreams (this link fluttered around twitter last week and made me smile)
playing along at exquisite corpse was all kinds of fun last week (thanks kristen! this project simply rocks.)
teuxdeux.com (thank you jenna...this just might save my sanity)
and since i just ordered this (and this) as my "the book is really done!" gift to myself, i am more than a little excited about dar's photography ecourse.
