Anna's World

a new day....

2010-07-30T13:25:00.002Z

... and i've started a new blog...

do drop by and say hello :)

http://decide-what-you-want.blogspot.com/

it's lovely to be back!!

Thursday Thoughts... UPDATE

2009-03-26T11:51:00.002Z

over the past month i've been umming and ahhing about what to do with my blog... basically, i'm feeling blogged out...

so i've decided to take a break - don't know for how long...

i'll stop by your blogs occasionally to say 'hello', but for now, no new posts from me...

it's all part of the new moon/ new season/ spring cleaning/ life questions/ clearing out the clutter vibe this time of the year instills...

take care and deep, deep blessings xxx

Wellness Wednesday: Forget the Oscars...

2009-02-25T10:13:00.005Z

... while i've been busy trying to keep my head above water - first the snow, then half-term - and clinging to my sanity - a house full of pre-teens and teenagers doesn't allow for much silence and solitude!! - i've been awarded these two wonderful awards, by two wonderful people :o)

i will endeavour not to make a long, gushing acceptance speech...

the first one is from dear kate, who i've never 'met', but she is a soul sister, nonetheless :o) her creative output is mind-blowing!!

Meaning of Award from the originator:

What this Friendship Award means:

This blog invests and believes in Proximity - nearness in space, time and relationships.

how lovely is that?

and the second is from sue, the purple pixie, who i did meet back in thirsk in march 2007, along with several other glitter sisters: kai, who was over from the states, denise and dear daisy lupin, whose gentle spirit lives on... sue produces the most beautiful calligraphy despite suffering from poor eyesight!

so thank you both so very much :o)

since the kids returned to school on monday, i've been able to recharge my batteries - 6 hours a day of silence seems to do it! - and i'm already feeling the benefits... yesterday, i managed to extricate my walker from the chaos that is our hallway, and manoeuver it outside. i then walked the 50 metres or so to the end of our street, sat on the walker for a few minutes' rest, then walked back home. it took me an hour, and i ached from head to toe afterwards, but it was so worth it!! the air was warm-ish (i only needed a jacket rather than my heavy coat), and the neighbours' gardens i passed were awash with colour - green, green grass; crocusses of purple, yellow, white; brilliant yellow celandines; and everybody's daffodils have grown several inches and the buds are beginning to show...

i hope to walk on a regular basis - weather and energy levels permitting! - and eventually achieve my goal of walking to the village shop and back!!! it looks like a 26-mile marathon at the moment but, if i get in lots of training, it is possible... :o)

Wellness Wednesday: 'Much better, thank you!'

2009-02-11T12:54:00.003Z

(esther's snowman built 1 feb)

i know i'm cruel, but i have to say, i'm very pleased to wish mr snowman 'goodbye'! finally, the snow's melting, and i was able to get out the house for the first time in 10 days!! and yes, i was getting a bit stir-crazy :o{

it's still jolly cold, and i didn't stay out long, but oh, how good it felt - fresh air - no medicine like it!! my little scooter coped fine with the patchy ice and melting snow - just one little wobble when the back end swerved a bit... :o)

also, my skin abscess has finally healed up - hooray!! the nurse came and removed the last dressing today, which is a great relief!

also today, i posted this week's TABI tarot exercises - 5 days early - so i'm feeling especially proud of myself!! the first two weeks, i was struggling to get my answers posted in time, but not this week :o)

and thank you for all your comments and emails - i'm feeling much better than i was two weeks ago...

Sacred Life Sunday: A fool's journey

2009-02-08T17:16:00.003Z

(cards from the beautiful ma'at tarot by julie cuccia-watts)

i've been struggling to complete this week's TABI course exercises - partly because the house has been full of people as the kids and nick were home on various days because of the snow, and partly because the exercises were demanding.

we were asked to consider the 22 major arcana cards as the fool's journey to personal enlightenment and maturity - a theory i was very familiar with having read sallie nichol's jung and tarot: an archetypal journey last summer. the hardest part was considering my own life as such a journey. it demanded a lot of solitude and thought, not to mention personal bravery.

i'm very grateful for the opportunity to consider such deep, soul issues, and i know i'll be revisiting and assimilating what i've uncovered this week for some time to come. it has been something of a pilgrimage, a very sacred process...

Sacred Life Sunday: Family time

2009-02-01T16:58:00.003Z

first we had a lazy morning - sam on the computer, esther and i watching old friends episodes on the telly, nick reading the paper; then we had a lovely roast gammon lunch - thank you, nick!

as esther and i left to see bride wars at the local cinema, sam left for a bike ride with friends, and nick enjoyed a couple of hours of p&q...

we enjoyed the girlie movie - it wasn't a mamma mia moment, but it was fun and a lovely way to spend a sunday afternoon :o) it showed the strength of the bonds between girlfriends - and sadly the power of our innate bitchiness - ouch!

and this is what greeted us as we left the cinema - SNOW!!!

just what you'd expect in england on the eve of imbolc!

sam's had a great afternoon with his friends - a good cycle ride and a great snowball fight - and has come home glowing and soaking wet :o)

esther's gone to a friend's birthday party, i'm listening to radio commentary of liverpool v chelsea and nick's back reading the paper...

what a lovely family sunday!!

Wellness Wednesday: Feeling not so well

2009-01-28T12:02:00.006Z

sorry - i'm feeling rather under the weather and not particularly bright or well...

i have a skin abscess on my right arm, which is slowly healing, but the strong antibiotics i'm taking are making me feel yuck :o( i am thankful it's on my right arm, though - at least i can change the dressing...

still, i have managed to post and i'm starting a beginners' tarot course run by TABI, so things are not that bad :o}

so even if it's grey and blah outside, i'm warm and cosy and trying to lift my mood...

Wellness Wednesday: Yes, we did!

2009-01-21T09:20:00.002Z

(image from The Daily Telegraph)

what a day!!

i watched most of the BBC news coverage yesterday evening - and yes, the kids let me! they found it interesting! which it was - truly historic! with two million people of every creed and colour standing in the mall, which was a slave market, apparently, witnessing an african-american man swear the oath of the presidency, with his wife beside him, herself descended from slaves, and their two girls.
what a beautiful first family, what an inspirational image, what a president!

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met...

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin the work of remaking America...

Sacred Life Sunday: Mama love

2009-01-18T09:56:00.004Z

here's my latest artwork purchase - isn't he adorable?! :o)

he's perched pride of place on my mantel - surrounded by images of women...

the artist is sarah kiser and here's her etsy shop and her blog. she's the sweetest person and i think that shows through in her work :o)

he's a little reminder of when my boy was small and wore stripy tees and shorts all year round - he's now 13, 5'8" and will only wear designer jeans!!

as i write, i'm surrounded by testosterone - my girl's away at a sleepover, so sam had two friends sleep over last night - after pizza and a movie, of couse! now they're playing video games and whooping and hollering, and laughing and killing baddies (onscreen!!)

ahhh! where do the years go??

but my boy's healthy and strong, he's thoughtful and kind (most of the time!) and he's growing into a fine young man :o)

and yes, sometimes i indulge in memories - like taking the bus together for the first time, his first tooth, enjoying a tiffin break and the waitresses making a fuss over him - but most of the time, i'm looking forward to all the things he has yet to do and see as his horizons widen, and yes, i'm still the ever-proud mama...

Destructive Creativity

2009-01-15T21:04:00.003Z

the kids and i have been having THE most fun time with this book!

i love keri smith and i've got all her books, but this is the whackiest!!

first, we had to break the spine - yes, it says just that! - and esther duly stamped on it!! then we spilled juice and tea on it... sprayed perfume on it... tore out a page, crumpled it and stick it back in...

we made a paper aeroplane - the page is marked up for you - we ripped up a page, we wrote as many four letter words we could think of, we picked the journal up without using our hands (yes, those are teeth marks on the front cover!!), we stood on a chair and dropped it, we threw it across the room...

as a devoted bibliophile, when i first read keri's suggestions, i wailed in horror... when the kids started throwing the book around, i though, 'what the heck!!'

we still have to trail it along behind us outside, wear it (!!??), draw in it while in motion, stick fruit stickers, stamps, pocket lint, only white objects in it, make a funnel with a page, doodle while on the phone on a page printed to look like the back of an envelope, seal it, address it and mail it back to us and, quelle horreur - TAKE IT IN THE SHOWER!!!!!!!!!!!

the wild abandon of keri's ideas are such an inspiration, and when you start, you just can't stop...

i've no idea how long the journal will hold up, but the kids and i have had a ball, and we're not halfway through yet!!

it's definitely the best tenner i've spent for a good, long while :o)

Tuesday Thoughts: More art in the park

2009-01-13T08:51:00.003Z

more images from rufford park...

the first pic is of the piece at the entrance to the sculpture park - i love its sinuous shape, and the stark sycamore behind it - gorgeous!!

as you follow the path in front, adam beckons you... he's a pleasant enough chap, but don't accept any proffered apple!!

the celtic arch leads you into a new play area for littlies - a celtic village for them to run around - assuming they're not too terrified by the fearsome dragons guarding the entrance!!

then the last two pics are of an ancient hawthorn tree - don't you just love how the trunk twists and turns? in the last pic, you can see a glimpse of a concrete sheep on a bench... usually it's joined by the farmer - you can just make out the lighter coloured wood where he was sitting! but he's being repaired -sitting out for 25 years in all weathers have taken their toll - poor chap...

and there you have it - a quick look at a wonderful parkland, where some inspired people are thoughtfully enhancing nature's beauty.

Monday Musings: Art overload

2009-01-12T10:07:00.003Z

i've a ton of pictures from my trip out yesterday, but blogger will only let me download five at a time, so i'll post more tomorrow...

yesterday, a dear friend took me to rufford park to see this print exhibition by these artists. it was a great exhibition, and in my mind i spent £1000s, but i managed to resist really buying :o)

after a cuppa, we braved the cold to wander around the sculpture garden. as you can tell, i adored this tree!!! the base is metal, stained, or rusted, to look like wood, the rest is a silver vision... i love seeing human-made art placed in a natural setting - it leads to a deeper appreciation of the beauty of both, i think! i especially like the penultimate picture - the way the metal branches seem to absorb the leaden clouds...

rufford is a wonderful place - a cistercian monastery, dissolved by henry VIII - the county council has done a fabulous job of renovating and utilizing the buildings and grounds. it was a favourite destination when the kids were little - entry is free, just paid parking at weekends - all that space to run around in!! we have many happy memories of sunny picnics and brisk autumn walks - and having seen these pics, both kids were even keen to visit again - when it gets warmer :o)

till tomorrow...

Warm cocoa + wonderful words = Wellness Wednesday

2009-01-07T14:08:00.006Z

what else can you do when it's icy outside and you're just starting to get a bit stir-crazy? - i haven't dared venture outside since saturday, the last thing i want to do is topple over !*&%!

why, you make hot chocolate in your favourite cup and saucer and read something fun - three issues of my new favourite zine and a wonderful collection of poems

************** BLISS **************

Tuesday Thoughts...

2009-01-06T09:37:00.003Z

silence... solitude...

the kids are back to school today, nick's at work, and the house is still.

it was -5C last night, and it's bitterly cold outside, the perfect conditions for cranking up the gas fire, curling under a blanket, and reading :o)

i've been itching to read this - julia briggs was one of the english tutors at oxford when i was there, and once i sat in on a friend's seminar with julia - a treasured highlight of my time there, and a glimpse of what my studies might have been if i hadn't chosen theology over english...

sadly julia died last august, and for once, every word of the guardian's glowing obituary was justified.

so i shall sit here, on this coldest of days, warming my soul and igniting my mind with the words of one brilliant woman about another.

Sacred Life Sunday: Gratitude

2009-01-04T19:21:00.005Z

i discovered a most lovely website recently, for the sophia center. they sell some beautiful things *sigh* i just love their hearthstones and would love a set for my hallway, but sadly they only ship to the US :o(

however, you can choose a hearthstone virtually... and today i 'chose' gratitude - this is what it said:

When you choose the Hearthstone: gratitude you are invited to see everything as a gift for you. A gift that Someone has carefully wrapped and left at your front door. It is your response to all the ways that you realize you are the One you have been waiting for and that you are worthy of all the abundant outpouring the Universe has been offering you each moment you enter. Even the seemingly difficult challenges are beautifully wrapped packages for you to open today. Let your only response be a happy heart that you are the one who gets all the surpises today, and a wonder at what will this mysterious gift really turn out to be...

i do indeed endeavour to cultivate gratitude in my heart - i have kept a gratitude journal for several years now, where i record at least 5 things i'm grateful for at the end of each day. the second pic shows my 2009 journal. i purchased it from meg at bindingbee, originally for a friend's birthday present! but i thought it was the perfect size and shape for a gratitude journal, so i kept it :o)

i've had no trouble listing 5 things a day so far - 2009's started brilliantly, as you can see from the posts here! yesterday we travelled to cambridge to spend a wonderful day with an old schoolfriend and her family - her two girls are roughly the same age as my two - the hours just flew by!! at one point, as we watched the four kids playing rapidough, i turned to jo marvelling at how these beautiful teen and pre-teen kids can be ours!! i mean, we're still only 25!!! and, of course, we look as we've always looked!! at such moments my heart is full and my body is lithe and supple, and my life's an adventure just beginning to unfold...

sadly, the reality today is a little harsher - i've slept most of the day, and everything aches :o(

however, my heart is still full of gratitude for everything i am experiencing!! of course, i'll never be 25 again, but i do have precious family and friends with whom i can remember the past, enjoy the present, and make plans for the future, what more could i need???

Friday Fun!!

2009-01-02T19:39:00.007Z

Aren't these gorgeous??

i bought them last week from Deepa at the Lazy Giraffe, and i was wearing them yesterday...

they will be my official writer's earrings :o)

well, even solitary writers have to have pretty ear-jewels!!

New Year's Day 2009

2009-01-01T16:44:00.004Z

well, i'm starting as i mean to go on this year - making the most of nick being home to keep an eye on the kids, i've been holed up in our bedroom for most of this afternoon, reading and writing...

i'm working through this book at the moment - it's a writer's course that comes with a couple of CDs, so i actually feel i'm on a writer's retreat :o)

while reading, i was suddenly inspired to pen this poem! it's only a first draft, so please critique it kindly :o)

New Year’s Day
The alder is grey-white
Against the white-grey sky.
All is still, silent, windless, cold.
Not even a solitary bird
Ruffles the window scene.

Inside is warmth and colour:
Blue ink across a yellow page,
Steam rising over a crimson cup.
Words tumble, images form,
But still the silence remains.

The writer reaches for the cup,
Casting a smiling eye on the alder.
It’s good to be alive, she thinks,
On the first day of a new year,
As the gypsies enflame the room
With their timeless dance.

1.1.09
In response to the chapter ‘The Gypsy Dances’
in Emily Hanlon, The Art of Fiction Writing

Post 200 - HOORAY!!!!

2008-12-30T19:17:00.003Z

guess who had a birthday yesterday???

she had a great time - lots of gifts, and food, and attention :o)

she had a couple of friends for a sleepover, so everybody needs an early night tonight!!

i made it to 200 posts before the year's end - HOORAY TO ME!!

i intend to post more regularly next year - i want to practise my writing much more - i've got a lot of hopes for 2009, so watch this space :o)

May 2009 deeply enrich your, and your loved ones', soul,

abundant blessings,

claire xxx

Tuesday Thoughts...

2008-12-23T10:00:00.003Z

I've been so caught up in the maelstrom of xmas preparations and day-to-day 'stuff', i haven't posted since Thankgiving - i can't figure out where the days go... plus i so want to hit the 200 posts mark before the end of the year, so i'm determined to post more this next week!!!

on sunday we went to see the movie Inkheart. it's one of those incredible family movies where everybody, regardless of age, is drawn into it... it hasn't received most exposure in the UK, which is such a shame, because it is BRILLIANT!!!! i've ordered the book from amazon, and i can see us all of us wanting to read it (inkheart is the first of a trilogy written by the german author cornelia funke, followed by inkspell and inkdeath).

it's a wonderful premis: the dad - played by Brendan Fraser in the movie - has the ability, whenever he reads aloud, to bring the characters in a book to life (he discovers he's a 'silvertongue'). trouble is, he doesn't control who, or what, comes out, so the good, the bad and the ugly, can enter our world - such is the power of the written word!! then they discover that whenever a book character leaves the book, somebody else has to take their place...

i won't say any more, 'cos i don't want to spoil the movie :o) but if you and/or your family, are at a loose end this holiday season, go see it - and i promise you, you will not be disappointed!!!

Wellness Wednesday: Giving thanks

2008-11-26T10:03:00.006Z

this is the morning sun reflecting on my favourite painting (click on the pic to see more detail - sorry it's a bit blurry!)
it hangs in our hallway and reminds us all, as we go about our day, to give thanks to god Dei gratia.
it was painted by local artist caroline jordan for my 40th birthday, back in 2004 - my dad asked what i wanted, and i told him :o)
it's covered with favourite quotes - there's T.S. Eliot, Mary Oliver, John Keats (and lots of Latin!) - and pulls together images important to me - a black madonna and a white child, a Bloomsbury jug, the vibrant colours of Africa - caroline and i spent a day together talking and talking, reading favourite poems, and left it all up to her Muse...
i will always treasure the painting and all it represents, but i'll also always treasure the morning sun and what it means - another day gifted for love and laughter, colour and poetry, the love of family and friends...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING for tomorrow to all my US friends and relatives

Sacred Life Sunday: Much stronger

2008-11-23T12:18:00.003Z

my painting from yesterday's art class :o)

the big news this week is i got my foot splint on monday - and it fits perfectly! i wear it for about an hour a day, but it's already feeling quite comfortable. it's improved my walking such a lot, mainly because my ankle feels so supported i can confidently put all my weight on it - london 2012 here i come!!!
physio was on friday and i had a mega session - my physio had a student with her, so he worked on my foot and she worked on my arm! they rounded off the hour with me walking across the gym ON MY OWN - no stick, no nothing!! the only way i could manage with all that frightening space around me was to focus on the tiles directly in front of me... but i did it! that's what the foot splint's given me - confidence - hooray!!!
friday evening, nick and i went to see quantum of solace (thanks to dad staying for the weekend!). i managed to walk from the car - holding nick's arm - to the cinema, then up 10 steps to the auditorium!! sadly the film wasn't all that great - a poor sequel to casino royale - but it was a nice evening out, and no wheelchair!!!
yesterday was art class - no problem with the stairs now!!
i learnt several more techniques - this time i used a water-soluble pen for the drawing. i didn't look at the paper for most of it, but i did place the pen for each leaf. then i applied water to just catch the edges of the lines to apply a thin wash to the background (you can see more detail by clicking on the image to enlarge it). to colour the leaves, i used carte d'arche marvellous water-soluble wax crayons (teesha's favourites!), and water-soluble pencils. christine showed me how to use a light-blue pencil under the green wax crayon, then apply water to blend them. this creates highlights - something i've never been confident with...
i'm pleased with the results - and it's rather a seasonal drawing - especially as much of britain is feeling winds, and some snow, from the arctic this weekend!! BRRRR!!!

Sacred Life Sunday: Still Life

2008-11-16T11:02:00.007Z

they're not the best photos, but these are my paintings from art class yesterday...

(i've just discovered that if you click on the photos, you can see them close up - much better!! you can really see the meandering lines...)

first i drew the flowers with pen without looking at the paper - this is such a freeing technique! - you simply move the pen in accordance with what your eye is focussing on at any given moment... it's purely a right-brain activity looking at shapes and their relationship to each other without trying to draw 'a flower in a vase'.

then i painted with watercolours - trying to match the colours i was seeing, but again, focussing on a much freer style, painting a suggestion of what i was seeing rather than a exact replica...

i'm really enjoying these techniques! i don't get so hung up on trying to be exact - my downfall re. anything artistic - but it is a very good trait for a proofreader!! by not looking at the paper while i'm drawing, i draw much more freely. then when i come to paint this free drawing, my painting is much freer too!

i'm simply amazed at what my left hand is accomplishing!! obviously, i really miss the use of my right hand, but there is such freedom in using your non-dominant hand - why not try it sometime?

THANK YOU!!!

2008-11-05T08:26:00.004Z

You did it! He did it!

The world thanks you :o)

God bless America indeed!!

and yes, i did stay up all night :o) it was so interesting, exciting and energizing and the BBC coverage was superb!!

picture from the guardian, one of my favourite newspapers following the election, and michael tomasky has been one of my favouritest commentators

US Election Day: Candle of Hope

2008-11-04T10:49:00.006Z

for all my american friends and relations on this most historic day!
hoping you all get out and vote - we're counting on you!!

Candle of Hope

Four candles slowly burned
The ambience was so soft one could almost hear them talking.
The first candle said,
"I am Peace"
"The world is so full of anger and fighting that nobody can keep me alight."
Then the candle of peace went out completely.
Then the second candle said,
"I am Faith"
"I am no longer indispensable
It does not make any sense that I stay awake one moment longer."
Then a breeze softly blew out Faith's flame.
Sadly the third candle began to speak,
"I am Love"
"People don't understand my importance,
So they put me aside.
They even forget to love nearest to them.
I don't have the strength to stay alight."
And waiting no longer the candle of Love went out.
A child entered the room where the candles were
And saw that three of the candles were unlit.
"Why are you not burning?" said the child,
"You are supposed to stay alight until the very end."
And the child was frightened and began to cry.
Then the fourth candle said,
"Don't be afraid. I am Hope,
And while I am burning we can light the other candles."
With shining eyes the child took the candle of Hope
And lit the other candles.
The flame of Hope should never go out from your life,
And with Hope each of us can have a life
With Peace, Faith and Love.

(poem from Poetic Expressions, even more poignant since obama's beloved grandma died of cancer yesterday)

Sacred Life Sunday: Samhain

2008-11-02T11:40:00.007Z

here's esther's pumpkin she carved on friday :o)

she went 'trick or treating' with a friend, which she enjoyed, but we didn't have too many visitors here...

i'm not particularly keen on the modern spin on halloween, so yesterday i tried to explain to the kids about samhain - the original festival to mark the 'summer's end', the time when the veil between our world and the spirit world is especially thin, the time when we remember our dead loved ones and tell stories to keep their memory alive, the time marking the beginning of the darkest part of the year...

a dear friend sent me a lovely gift for samhain which gave me the perfect lead in :o) and i'll try and answer the questions she left on my last post when i come back from lunch...

* Where did you grow up? Tell me a happy childhood memory.

i was born in singapore, and came to england when i was 3. sadly i have no memories of my time there, but my parents have albums full of great pics!

most of my happiest memories involve my grandad - my dad's dad - shelling peas for sunday lunch, playing cricket or badminton in his back garden, placing penny bets as we watched the saturday afternoon horse racing, learning to play chess and gin rummy on rainy days...

* What is your day job?

getting better and stronger - and doing my daily physio exercises

* What is your favourite form of artistic expression?

to watch or do? if both - every kind! - dance, theatre, films, music, sculpture, painting, drawing, writing, poetry, storytelling...

* What is a goal that you hope to achieve in the next year?

to keep getting physically stronger and walk on my own to the local corner shop - and back!!!

* Who do you think should win Strictly Come Dancing & why?

of the likely finalists, i hope tom wins and austin doesn't - i just can't warm to him at all! at the moment jodie's my favourite - she improved soooo much, and ian's always been my favourite professional dancer, but i can't really see her going all the way...

there you go, poppy! i hope you enjoy my answers :o)

Sacred Life Sunday: Pure Joy

2008-10-12T16:36:00.004Z

sometimes a song comes along that just lifts your spirits up and away, even on the gloomiest day....

this is the official video for the single - takes a minute or so to get going, but it's so worth it :o)

the band, elbow, just won the mercury prize for their latest album seldom seen boy - it's brilliant!!!!

Monday Musing: Autumnal abundance

2008-10-06T13:53:00.002Z

branches fairly heaving with haws and apples (sadly, i couldn't get any closer to the apples tree in the second picture, but hopefully you can see just how many apples there are on it!!)

i'm not feeling terribly abundant myself today - other than the maelstrom of hormones that plague me each month... but i'm hoping that posting these pics and making myself write something will inspire me to just step outside myself and into the beauty of the season around and about me...

in fact, i've more than enough to be grateful for - two beautiful, healthy kids; a happy hubbie, who's very busy at work and loving it; regular physio; a new hand splint to encourage my hand to open up; an appointment next week for a foot splint to aid my walking; winning a copy of SARK's new book for posting about it the other week; also winning dear sue's competition and receiving some of her gorgeous calligraphy in the mail; liverpool winning an awesome game yesterday against man. city (2--0 down at half-term and winning 2--3!!!); my favourite show back on saturday nights; obama making inroads into so-called red states - i'm willing all those who have registered to actually vote next month!!; a warm, dry home; clean, running water; cupboards full of food; candles flickering in the fireplace...

and you know, i do feel a lot better - even my tummy cramps have eased a bit :o)

Thursday Thoughts: It's official...

2008-09-25T07:41:00.004Z

... i'm the mother of a teenager!!!!

i know it's mean to post a pic of the gorgeous man-boy himself opening cards at 7am, but i'm hoping if i keep telling myself my baby boy's 13, i just might begin to believe it....

but right now, i simply can't :o)

where, o where did 13 years go....

Thursday Thoughts...

2008-09-18T15:15:00.005Z

moleskines are indeed the most wonderful notebooks - the perfect design, the perfect size, the perfect paper...

i've been scribbling in them for years, and i don't know why, but today i pulled one out to read...
and here's what i found:

wed 9 may 2007

i'm struggling this morning as i've a horrible feeling i've had a sort of TIA. the right side of my body feels very heavy, and i'm having to really concentrate to hold my pen... in the early hours of this morning i 'felt', 'dreamed' i'd had a stroke and my right side was a dead-weight... it's probably just as well i didn't go for a walk this morning...

this was my last entry on the morning the stroke hit, the last time i wrote with my right hand, just before i dropped the pen and realized things were not quite right, just before i woke sam to discover i could not speak...

i'd forgotten i'd even written this! what a bizarre reminder that anything can happen, at any time... talk about food for thought...

Monday Madness!!

2008-09-15T15:09:00.003Z

i can only blame today's full moon...
i've felt for the past few months i wanted to revamp my blog - it was beginning to look and feel a bit tired and samey...
so i decided 'today's the day!', and despite the pop-up box telling me any changes to the template would mean i'd lose any customizations, i hit the button anyway...
so all my links and awards and favourites blogs have duly vanished!!
please bear with me while i work to retrieve them...
but i do like the new look :o)

Wellness Wednesday: Out with the old, in with the new

2008-09-10T12:53:00.004Z

we decided not to go on holiday this year - my lack of mobility just makes it too complicated - plus the weather's been awful in england this summer!

so, while the kids were at grandpa's for the last week of the hols, nick and i decided to surprise them :o)

our old TV died over a year ago, and a friend kindly lent one of his (top pic) - we're one of these strange families who only have one TV - imagine that!! - which worked just fine... but the kids kept saying it was too small and the digibox kept cutting in and out, so we decided it was time to enter the 21st century in TV technology!

the new telly is 32" - still not that big - it is high definition and digital - so no external digibox needed - and it's gorgeous to watch!! football matches look awesome - even when england are playing! playing a movie on the new DVD player looks like a mini cinema! the regular TV programmes aren't cut at the top and the bottom - since it's widescreen, they fill the whole screen...

so we have two happy kids - most of the time! - and all is well in the sauer household :o)

Sacred Life Sunday: Playing with colour

2008-09-07T08:33:00.004Z

well, it kind of looks like a pear...

yesterday my art class started up again after the summer break.
we were greeted by a long line of fruit and veg in the middle of the table.
'oh no, still life - how boring!' i thought to myself...
then we were given two colours - a blue and a green - and shown how to mix them... the tiniest speck of ultramarine in pale yellow... and then the magick happens - i'm an alchemist!!!

the second pic is a composite of two watercolour experiments i did last term - i wet the paper, and then applied the paint and just let it all run where it willed. i cut them out myself - not easy with one hand!! thank goodness for masking tape!

i think it kind of looks like mount kilimanjaro, in a red desert, in a storm... if you squint... maybe...

Sacred Life Sunday: Blooming slowly...

2008-08-31T12:30:00.005Z

three and a half weeks ago, my dear hubbie brought this plant home. it was a mass of rich green leaves and little white buds. slowly, oh so slowly, the bright pink flowers with the sunshine centres have emerged...

you can see there are still plenty of buds awaiting the right time to bloom, but i'm worried the rest of the plant won't be alive to support them - the flowers are dying as quickly as the new ones appear...

this is such a clear image of where i'm at in my journey of recovery...

most days i feel quite energetic - much more than this time last year when i was sleeping most of the time!! my mind is very busy - i'm reading a lot, thinking a lot, planning a lot... but this is also the most frustrating time!! my physical limitations are even more apparent, with no major improvement in my walking or my right hand... it's just too easy to focus on all that things i still cannot do!!

and too often in my thoughts, i'm afraid to admit, is the deep melancholy of 'just how much time on this earth do i have???' i want to be doing, writing, studying, making the most of my days NOW, while i have the time, but i'm so physically limited... i'm afraid i'll never be able to achieve even half of the things my mind wants to!

i know part of this attitude is the onset of midlife anxiety, but it just feels much more acute when i feel so let down by my own body!! i'm so worried it simply won't support me enough to really bloom, to be the person i want to be...

but this is where i need to heed my own counsel...

i'm trying to raise my kids to keep hold of the mindset they were born with, and are already starting to lose (aged almost 13 and 10) - the only important time is right now!! i want them to remember that feeling when they were two years old, jumping in puddles, without a care in the world, where every little thing was sooooo interesting, where a walk to the end of the street was a great expedition, and it took two hours to look at and smell and touch and taste everything (until mummy quickly took it out of your mouth!!)

this is what the plant's doing. it's not worrying about all the buds yet to bloom, it's just living... it doesn't worry about all it can't do, it just is... and this is where i need to be - letting my whole person just be... not trying to plan, to achieve, to make some mark... just living, and being, and oh, so slowly, blooming, moment by moment...

Wellness Wednesday: Questions...????

2008-08-20T09:24:00.005Z

I feel as if i've been on retreat this week... my lovely dad took the kids home with him at the weekend - their first sleep-over at grandpa's since they were little (he recently bought two single beds so they could stay - what a hero!!!)
so while nick's been at work, i've had total solitude for almost 10 hours a day... and this wonderful book has been keeping me company :o) here's a sample:

what question is at the heart of your pilgrimage and your life? what question were you put here to understand? we’re after questions that do not arise solely from the intellect but from a crying need to know, an existential thirst... what is my purpose? to whom do I belong? what can I believe in? who are my teachers? what is the name of the dragon in my life? what changes must I make? how can I use my talents? how can I serve the world? where am I going and how can I get there?... (p. 151)

these types of questions have been in my mind my whole life, i realized. i've always been a seeker, a pilgrim, a wondering wanderer...

occasionally i've found short-term answers - reading thomas hardy's jude the obscure (oh, the irony in this book title!!) aged 14 and knowing i wanted to go to oxford, and enjoying every minute of my 3 years there... childhood dreams of africa coming to fruition aged 22 when i raised the money to live and teach in kenya for a year... dreams of marriage and more foreign travel when i met Nick, an american, there... dreams of motherhood which took 7 years of loss and heartbreak to become two beautiful, amazing children...

but now, aged 44, recovering from the stroke, i'm brimful of questions... from my journal just yesterday:

all I’ve accomplished this morning – sorting more books to list on amazon, doing one speech test on the tablet pc, and making a cup of coffee – has left me exhausted!!! will I ever get back to ‘normal’ health? will I ever stop feeling so exhausted all the time? will I ever be able to write, work, contribute to my family and justify my existence?? how can you plan anything when you have no energy to carry it out?

and as i've been realizing deep in my soul for the last few years, i already know the answers...

I would like to beg you dear Sir, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer

(Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet 1903 )

Wellness Wednesday: Looking for inspiration?

2008-08-13T09:32:00.005Z

one of my absolute favourite authors has got a new book out this week!!

i 'discovered' SARK about four years ago, and just devoured everything she'd written! her handwritten, colour-bursting books were just what my delicate, creative soul needed! she gave me permission to just write and draw and colour and just be a little girl again with my trusty wax crayons :o)

it still took a couple of years of hidden scribbles before i felt brave enough to show the world little glimpses of my soul... and as i writen here i'm still trying to be brave enough to show what my left hand can now do...

i can't wait to read her new book - i'm sure it will give me a much needed creative boost :o)

hang on to your hat!!!

Sacred Life Saturday: Just buzzing!!

2008-07-26T08:44:00.004Z

i've seen adverts for this dvd magazine in regular-paper mixed media mags, and decided to give it a go... i ordered it from karen's landey's etsy shop, but you can visit the indie art website as well! i just think it's a wonderful concept - to see interviews with artists rather than reading them!

i chose this issue for the interview with nick bantock - i LOVE this man's work!! i read the griffin and sabine saga (all 6 volumes) a couple of years ago, and was instantly transported to a magical world - not of children's fairytales - but of grown-up mystery and love... and it's just too wonderfully voyeuristic to read their 'actual' letters and cards, all tucked in envelopes inside the books...

watching this interview and 'meeting' the funny, articulate, gifted artist himself, i had to pull his artful dodger off my bookshelf and reread it :o)

there is also an interview with judy wise - another favourite of mine!! the sheer range of her artistic skill with so many media is mind-blowing! she is a living testimony to the human endeavour to learn as much as possible in this lifetime!!

i'm always so inspired to see/hear/read artists discussing their work - it just gets the juices flowing... if only i had a private studio with all my materials laid out ready *sigh*

the muse tends to slip away as i struggle to get stuff laid out on the dining table... ho, hum!!

A Belated Wellness Wednesday: Wonderful Worlds

2008-07-24T09:03:00.008Z

i'm discovering the wonderful world of tarot!!

i've just joined TABI - the Tarot Association of the British Isles - and i'm proudly displaying their badge on my sidebar (you can click on the hyperlink underneath the logo - i've yet to find a widget to link the logo directly to the site!). they're a wonderful online group and i'm hoping to take their beginners' course next month - i'm on the waiting list!!

this is a celtic cross spread i did for myself a couple of weeks ago. the cards are an awesome deck i bought from etsy - some of my favourite collage artists made cards for the deck, and in the accompanying book you can read of what inspired each artist as well as a very perceptive meaning for each card.

i'm not planning to pitch up at the seaside wearing hoop earrings and a headscarf anytime soon, but i am finding the tarot to be a wonderful self-discovery tool. the link between carl jung's collective consciousness and the archetypal images of the main tarot cards is something i'm learning about.
i read this book cover to cover the other week and i've got several more lined up :o)

i'm convinced the soul 'sees' in images, and i'm finding a way to combine my love of art and my deep interest in people :o) friends, and even strangers, are responding to a favourite image and telling me of what it 'reminds' them... already, i've had some incredible conversations prompted by the cards...

i feel this is the next step on my inner journey... who knows - and even cares - where it will lead!! it's a fool's journey full of adventure and deep learning, and i'm sooo excited to be on it :o)

PS you may notice the newly sparkling glitter sisters badge on my sidebar! it will now link to the blog of beloved violette - the creator of GPS - the Glitter Power Sisters :o)

update

2008-07-23T11:37:00.002Z

my boy's safely home, tucked up in bed :o)
so thank you for all the comments and good thoughts keeping him safe on his adventure!
i haven't heard any news about it yet - he's still asleep - awwww!

Sacred Life Sunday: Being a brave mama

2008-07-20T10:06:00.004Z

my gorgeous boy left on friday evening for a school trip to germany - he'll be gone five days...
it's his first trip aboard without us, so i'm trying to be a brave mama...
i had a horrible dream on friday night and woke at 3am - one of those dreams where your worst fears play out in front of you - i was afraid to go back to sleep - so i didn't!!
i'm sure he's having an awesome time - and that's what i so want for him - but it's soooo hard to let go... it's his first day at nursery all over again...
as he grows up, it should be easier, but it isn't - the fears just get bigger in proportion...
this is the sacred life of motherhood - feeling the fear, but letting your kids experience life anyway!! now i know how my mum felt when i announced i was going to live in kenya for a year, knowing no one and no written confirmation of my teaching post... it was a great adventure for me aged 22 - it must have been the worst nightmare ever for her!!!
so i say a prayer for brave mamas everywhere and promise your kids will eventually, maybe years later, understand all you went through...

Those who are willing to be vulnerable move among mysteries.

Theodore Roethke

Proud to receive...

2008-07-19T05:19:00.005Z

... this award!

olivia nominated me the other day. here's what i have to do to accept it:

Here are the rules of accepting the award (Please note: you can copy and paste these rules from my blog to yours). Also,if you don't want to accept the award (no time, no energy), just know that I thought of you and that you have a Brilliante Weblog!!

1) Put the logo on your blog.

2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4) Add links to those blogs on yours.

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

i knew i'd have a hard time nominating 7 people who haven't already received this award - they all have such brilliant blogs!! so i'm selecting the seven blogs i read the most regularly :o)

carla - for her inspiration and raw honesty

christine - for her beautiful, thought-filled posts - the words, the pics... (she's on a blog break right now)

fran - for her amazing artistic versality

hedgewitch - for her beautiful, informative blog

misty - i just love this lady's art!! and the poetry of her soul...

violette - for forming the glitter sisters and for being such an inspiration

zorana - for her inspiration (i'm so glad she's back from her blog break!!) and her beautiful artwork - some of which adorns my home

thank you all for making blogland such a beautiful, inspiring place :o)

Sacred Life Sunday: Thank you for the music!

2008-07-14T09:03:00.004Z

The sound of ABBA is the soundtrack of my youth, rediscovered in mid-life as the sound guaranteed to get friends on the dance floor at parties brandishing hairbrushes and wooden spoons! so when i saw a movie was coming out, i assumed me and 'the girls' would see it en masse as we did with the SATC (Sex and the City) movie a few weeks ago....

what i didn't expect was my 10-year-old daughter wanting to see it - thankfully it's a PG! - with her ageing mama!! so that's what we did yesterday afternoon - me and my poppet standing in line with all the other ladies of a certain age....

what made this such a sacred experience were all the emotions i felt throughout the 1.5 hours... nostalgia, fun, laughter, respect for all the actors, not known for their singing and dancing (esp. meryl streep - did you know this awesome woman has just turned 59!!!!), the whole gamut of emotions watching a mother and daughter prepare for the girl's 'big day' as i sat beside my own beautiful, beautiful daughter.... sadness at my lack of mobility - will i ever dance exuberantly again?, disbelief at where the years have gone - the way the opening bars of every song can collapse the passage of time and suddenly i'm a teenager again with all the time in the world to live my life, just to glance to my right and see my own pre-teen daughter with all her hopes and dreams...

isn't it amazing what we can experience sitting in a chair watching a big screen...????

PS
this was today's FBL quote in my emailbox which i checked having written this post:

When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched,

you begin to discover that it's bottomless,

that it doesn't have any resolution,

that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless.

You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there,

as well as how much space.

Pema Chodron (b. 1936); Buddhist nun

you can add a widget in your sidebar if you want - just scroll down to find it near my previous post :o)

Sacred Life Sunday: Art in the attic

2008-06-08T13:34:00.003Z

the other week we had our loft insulated, so everything came out of the attic! it was the perfect time to sort through 'stuff' so fewer boxes returned up the ladder...
i found a box full of my school stuff spanning the decade-plus-three from 5 to 18... the pics are from a sketch book when i was 14 - can you tell who was my hero is 1979?? sadly the last pic spookily resembles my right hand today post-stroke - too, too weird...
on a more positive note - this sketch book reminded me how much i've always enjoyed art and how much more confident i was in my artistic ability in my teens. this inspired me to try and get into my little art shop (it's in a centuries-old building down two precarious, worn stone steps) and tackle the wooden stairs to the upper room where they hold classes...
and i did it!!
so next saturday i'll attend my first art class for over a year - and i'm very excited!!!
the shop owner, christine, is a wonderful teacher and the loveliest woman. she already has lots of ideas to get my left hand painting and experimenting :o)
i'll let you know how i get on...

Wellness Wednesday: Prophetic words

2008-05-14T14:40:00.002Z

yesterday i received an email from Artella magazine asking if they could use a poem i wrote in july 2005 and submitted to their poetry garden competition that year...
here's the poem

i remember i wrote it one summer's evening sat on my bed, as the shadows of the lilac tree outside the window danced on the page... that year - aged 41 - i was rediscovering my creative spirit, letting her loose to play with paints and clay and collage and words and journals and... i was truly a little girl again!

when i wrote the last line 'positioning is everything', i envisioned placing my self in the shimmering light where inspiration could fall. now as i draw near the end of my three weeks' intensive physiotherapy, i have a much more prosaic understanding! no lofty thoughts of positioning my self where the muse may find me... right now i just want to sit and stand unaided!!!

last friday, may 9, i 'celebrated' the first anniversary of the stroke... what a journey!!! while i'm working very hard to position my body correctly so i can more 'normally' stand, walk, sit, etc. i am beginning to sense the muse calling again... inspiring me to try my left hand at painting, drawing, journalling... and i'm excited to say when the muse calls, there's no correct, proper or normal positioning required!!!!

Wellness Wednesday: Don't we look well?

2008-04-30T10:49:00.002Z

our family lunch on sunday

l to r: jon my baby bro, sam my gorgeous boy, esther my poppet, brian my daddy, and me (nick, my hubbie took the pic)

today i started the actual intensive physio - yesterday was 1.5 hours of assessment, today 1.5 hours working my left hip (the 'good' hip). the theory is the 'good' side has been compensating for a year, so everything's out of alignment... so by reprogramming the good side to move correctly, the weakened side will join in...

at the moment i feel fine - hence the post! if i don't feel so great tomorrow, i can at least look at this jolly photo and know some days me and my loved ones feel very well indeed :o)

Sacred Life Sunday: Building walls??

2008-04-27T06:54:00.003Z

i can't believe it's been so long since i posted, but then i feel i've been away such a long time on an inner journey...
it's been a tough few weeks and i'm afraid i didn't feel able to talk about it while i was in it...
this quote by may sarton, which i found on misty's blog, sums up my feelings

I am here alone for the first time in weeks, to take up my "real" life again at last. That is what is strange - that friends, even passionate love, are not my real life unless there is time alone in which to explore and to discover what is happening or has happened...

i have felt the need to protect myself, to build walls to hide behind, to get acquainted with this awesome inner landscape... it's taken all my energy to interact with my family on a day-to-day basis, so there was nothing left for blogland. hopefully now i'm feeling ready to peer over the wall...

tomorrow is my 44th birthday (what a year, huh??), so we're having sunday lunch today with my dad and brother at the kids' favourite restaurant, and on tuesday i'm beginning three weeks of intensive physiotherapy - 1.5 hours a day, five days a week - it will be painful and exhausting, but we're all hopeful we'll see amazing results! i will try and post once a week, but you'll know why if i don't manage it...

Wellness Wednesday: Remembering...

2008-03-19T11:32:00.006Z

one year ago today, five intrepid explorers braved the snow storms to meet for lunch in thirsk, yorkshire. these five gorgeous girls had never met in person before, but they were cyber-sisters having joined the ranks of violette's glitter sisters the previous year.

the picture is courtesy of kai, who was visiting from the US, and shows from left to right: daisy lupin, kai, denise aka mrs nesbitt, sue and me :o) we had the most wonderful time together laughing, exchanging handmade gifts, enjoying the scrummy lunch, trying not to drink too much wine...

one precious moment in time...

one year later, dear daisy is no longer with us having passed away suddenly last june, i am no longer the able-bodied, independent person i was - what a difference a year makes...

remembering isn't always easy... sometimes we're reminded too sharply just how fragile our life is... we just want to relive that moment again and again as we were - alive and happy, full of laughter... remembering just reminds us of what we've lost and makes our souls ache...

Celebrating the New Moon

2008-03-07T13:35:00.003Z

the subtle energies of the new moon create the perfect time to begin a project...

so i decided to try adapting the lovely new celtic divination kit i received in the mail today from bobbie with the celtic oracles book i got last week...

the oracle is cast by tossing two coins three times. the combination of heads and tails are given a numeric value - heads/heads = 1; tails/ tails = 2; heads/tails = 3; tails/heads = 4 - and the three tosses give you a total of 64 possible combinations - the 64 oracles of the book.

by using bobbie's light/dark coins as the heads/tails of the two coins, i drew the combination of 4-2-1, which is assigned to oracle 53...

turning to oracle 53 why O why was i surprised to find the new moon oracle?? when O when will i learn to trust my intuition??

if you are drawn to this oracle, you are learning to see with the eye of the heart... it will be as though a veil has been lifted before you. you will see more deeply into the nature of things... your actions will be more in accord with natural patterns around you... in time, these softer wisdoms of the heart will bring you greater wisdom and nobility of character.

WOW!!!!

Wellness Wednesday: Discovery and rediscovery...

2008-03-05T11:44:00.007Z

i've been discovering and rediscovering A LOT these past few months, such as:

this gorgeous little garden gate leading to a beautiful cottage down a leafy lane...
this wonderful singer - i just love her nigerian lilt and the power of her songs...
all the wealth of creative talent and artisanship of this site and this...
my childhood love of trees and plants and just being outside with no particular place to go...
my fascination with all thing celtic, such as this book and these cards...
the sheer hard work involved in relearning how to walk and talk and write and... and...
the importance of patience and the precious beauty of slowing down...
the importance of prayer...
the importance of unconditional love...
the wonder of poetry each day in your mailbox - here's today's...

i know so many of you are on this voyage too! this lovely lady has discovered innate talent, and this beautiful person has been rediscovering herself, and this wonderful writer is discovering the wonder of motherhood...

let me know what you're discovering :o)

i forgot to add - my reiki attunement has been rescheduled to next monday 10 march.

Sacred Life Sunday: Sacred places

2008-03-02T09:00:00.005Z

the first pic shows the lane that leads to the open fields you saw in the last post. please don't be deceived by outer appearances, it is a very special place...

first, there is an underground spring - hence its name 'spring end' - and the lane floods every time there is heavy rain. according to the 'old ways', the site of naturally flowing water is always a sacred place.

on the left side this old, wise willow stands guard (incidently my birthday falls in the willow month), next to a corkscrew hazel tree and opposite a couple of rowan trees... as i'm learning, this combination of trees' energies makes for a heady, sacred mix!

my spirit connected with this place ages ago, before i 'knew' anything of tree lore. i come here as often as i can, to 'top up' my energy reserves...

speaking of which, tomorrow is my reiki attunement - i'll let you know how it goes :o)

and today is a special day - mothers' day in england - so i've had a gorgeous cooked breakfast and been given handmade cards and chocolates... what a glorious way to start the wonderful month of march!!

Sacred Life Sunday: Beauty all around

2008-02-24T10:35:00.004Z

last sunday my poppet and i went for a walk... and i felt brave enough to try my scooter off-road (we both had mobiles and my hubbie was at home if i beached it going over the fields!). our village is at the top of an escarpment, so we can see for miles facing north (first pic) and west (second pic)...
this was one of my favourite walks before the stroke, so it was so special to experience something of it again - and to share it with my precious daughter!

thank you for those who have commented and emailed asking how i'm doing - really doing...
i realize i haven't been posting as often. one reason is it's really tiring typing one-handed, and i get frustrated. another is, i find it boring to just give folks health updates - mainly because recovery is soooo slow, and so little can be seen day-to-day. i am making tiny improvements... i receive physio twice a week - one session focusing on my leg and walking better, the other focusing on my arm and hand. both are getting stronger, and i can now push through my wrist and hand - as in i can lean on the table transferring my weight from left to right. my physio now thinks i'm ready to tackle stairs. as we live in a bungalow, we'll be practising on fake stairs at the hospital physio department...

one thing i am really excited about is i'm taking a celtic reiki course. last year i took usui reiki I and was due to take reiki II the week after the stroke happened. a friend told me about celtic reiki which i realize is much more in tune with my deep, inner spirit. i'm doing the first attunement remotely, as the teacher lives the other end of the country. i'll let you know how it goes...

Sacred Saturday: Playing with cockroaches

2008-02-16T09:24:00.004Z

esther's got this great book that shows you how to draw really realistically by breaking up the subject into simple shapes and building up the image.
this is my first attempt at drawing with my left hand... not that i particularly wanted to draw a cockroach - it was the least complicated!!! i'm really happy how my hand managed to draw quite bold lines. my handwriting is still quite shaky, but drawing seems to be easier :o)
i find it interesting that the cockroach is crawling over the left-hand side of the page... i know with my right hand i'd have drawn it more centrally - i think it's a better composition this way :o)

Sacred Life Sunday: Colour bursting forth

2008-02-11T20:21:00.000Z

how many colours of yellow are there???? new leaf yellow, celandine yellow, forsythia yellow, crocus yellow...
and blue, blue sky!!
spring has indeed sprung :o)

Wellness Wednesday: Imbolc (February 2nd)

2008-01-30T10:04:00.000Z

Spring is here! we've survived another winter! the days are already getting longer, and my soul celebrates!
i'm learning as much as i can about the old celtic ways, and on friday i'll tune in for an imbolc ceremony by telephone as part of my earth rhythms class.
i'm loving all the connections i'm finding - the Church was very good at adopting sacred days and places and giving them a christian spin. imbolc - the feast of brigid - became candlemas - the purification of the virgin mary. but i love the oldest reasons to celebrate - the ewes are getting ready for lambing: 'im-bolc' means 'in the belly' and the fact the spring flowers - like snowdrops and daffodils - are heralding the new season!!
whose spirits cannot be lifted at the sight of these gorgeous flowers?
i'm so blessed to live in the beautiful, english countryside, and i get out in the sunshine every day if i can. it's still pretty cold, but the sun has real warmth in it. no wonder my soul and body respond to all this new life! no wonder i feel really well - deep in my belly!!

Sacred Life Sunday: Dream the dream

2008-01-27T12:25:00.000Z

(sorry it isn't the best video - liverpool are in red, havant in yellow for the non-football-lovers out there!)

yesterday was one of those dream FA Cup ties - a tiny club, havant & waterlooville, took on liverpool at anfield... havant, who usually see 400 supporters on a saturday, played on the hollowed turf to 42,000+ - 36,000 liverpool faithful and 6,000 who travelled 250 miles to cheer their team on.
the part-time footballers - a courier, a teacher, a builder, a taxi-driver, a binman... - took on some of the highest paid professional footballers, and what a first half!! they surpassed their wildest dreams and scored first - at the famous kop end! liverpool equalized, but too many of the premier team were making mistakes, and havant scored again!! just before half-time, liverpool redeemed themselves and equallized again...
these part-time players totally deserved to be level-pegging as they went at half-time. they played with 110% commitment and serious skill - yes, liverpool weren't playing well, but havant were playing great!!
of course, as a liverpool supporter, i really didn't want my team to go out of the competition and thankfully as havant tired, liverpool stepped up a gear and won 5-2. but the dream continued for the little team - the whole ground gave them a standing ovation, and they lapped it up!! thirteen men - 11 first team players and 2 substitutes - will have memories of this day to share with their children and grandchildren - they took on the mighty liverpool and played their hearts out!!
and thanks to their performance, this little club will have revenue to last them several years - they get half the day's match ticket takings!
tomorrow they go back to their regular jobs, but nobody can take away their achievements on a glorious january day!

Wellness Wednesday: Bat medicine

2008-01-23T13:36:00.000Z

this morning i listened to susan gregg's power animal meditation as part of the earth rhythms online class i'm taking this year - and all i can say is WOW!

i was able to instantly relax into it and my imagination took flight... at first, i experienced the sense i was upside down in the dark - 'oh, i'm in a chrysalis,' i confidently said to myself. 'i must be turning into a moth or butterfly...'

then i had the strongest sense i was flying - in the dark - and i could 'see' clearly - 'maybe i'm an owl,' i said... then i heard a high shrill sound, but it wasn't an owl screech...

i ended the meditation still not sure who i was, so i took my jamie sams' medicine cards and book from the shelf... i let the book fall open, and surprise, surprise, it was BAT calling to me!

bat medicine symbolizes death and rebirth and initiation and discovering how to navigate the fearful, disorienting dark times...

since my stroke last may, i have had to relearn the basics of speech, walking and my right arm is still paralyzed - talk about disorienting! all the things we take for granted - like washing and dressing - are major tasks for me...

but i AM relearning, and although day-to-day progress feels pitifully slow, what i have accomplished in 8 months is awesome!!

my physio is doing wonders with my body - as the aches i woke up with testify after her mega-session yesterday - but it's experiences like this morning's power animal meditation that just confirm why i HAD to take this class. clearly, i'm on the most amazing spiritual journey of my life...

again, all i can say is WOW!!

Sacred Life Sunday: Prayer

2008-01-13T13:41:00.000Z

The Summer Day

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean

--the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth

instead of up and down

--who is gazing around with her

enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms

and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention,

how to fall down into the grass,

how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

Mary Oliver

Wellness Wednesday: Deep energy

2008-01-09T14:05:00.000Z

(the relevance of the video will become apparent - i promise!)

on new year's eve, one of the things i asked to come into my life was 'energy'. by that, i envisioned physical energy to aid my recovery, creative energy to put pen and paint to paper, and personal energy to connect with like-minded souls around the globe... and i've got to tell you, i have felt soooo energized from the first day of 2008! i know i shouldn't be amazed - but i am!!

i've accomplished so many little tasks each day without taking a nap, and i've had the energy to interact with nick and the kids in the evening. this while having no physio since 21 december - my next appointment is friday - and my hormones are raging with ongoing PMS...

i've been journalling each day - my left-handed writing is getter better and faster - and i've got so many ideas of how i want to spent my time each week day, i'm fairly popping inside!!

i've made so many new connections with people since i discovered etsy and bought all my xmas pressies from there, and i've deepened some connections i've known for a while. one of those is with virginia at sacred ruminations, who's got three quizzes to try from blogthings - i was 83% creative and my intrapersonal intelligence was 94%, so my reports are the same as virginia's.

while i was on blogthings, i took the 'how indie are you?' test and here's my results:

You Are 79% Indie

You're a very indie person, and admit it, you look down a little on people who strive to be normal.
You'll indulge in a little mainstream pop culture every now and then. But for you, anything not indie is a guilty pleasure!

How Indie Are You?

i wouldn't have described myself as three-quarters 'indie' - to me i'm too old and 'settled' - and i certainly don't look down on anybody!! but i DO love (and maybe 'look up to'?) those i would call 'indie' like damien rice and all those wonderful artisans at etsy!!

maybe i'm an indie girl trapped in a 40+, somewhat overweight body... maybe on new year's eve i invoked my own deep indie-girl energy to surface... and maybe she will be my guide as i navigate the days of this new year - how fun!!!

Sacred Life Sunday: My altar/mantel

2008-01-06T10:36:00.000Z

as i spend most of my day in my big, blue chair, the gas fire and the mantel is almost always in my view... so i've made it as beautiful as possible :o)
i couldn't get the whole mantel in the close up shot, but you can see some of my favourite art pieces. on the far left is the card i received yesterday from dear zorana. the next painting is by her too - as is the tiny bird sculpture in front of it :o)
in between zorana's two paintings is this beautiful mini sculpture by cyrus the potter - she's just too exquisite and contemplative!
you've met serena before - she just has to take centre-stage, and to her right is serene by gintare bruzas, such a talented painter!
out of shot and completing the display is this little angel by tascha - she always looks out for me with her gorgeous green eyes...
then you can see my altar at its best - all lit up! i'm always the first to wake up in a morning, and at this time of year it's dark and cold. so before i settle down to start my day, i light the fire and the candles... and i pray and meditate with my 'friends' looking knowingly across at me - and smiling...

Wellness Wednesday: Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T08:49:00.000Z

I hope you all had a pleasant New Year's Eve. i spent the evening with my best mate, Tina, watching Under the Tuscan Sun, sharing a shamanic ritual where we burnt sticks bearing three things we wanted to let go of, and made arrows of the three things we wanted to let into our lives, and counting down the minutes with Jools Holland!!

This is my new planner for 2008 made by Emily at Keepsake Couture.I love it!! it's big - A4 size - with space to write everything! I just love the handmade design on the front - and those colours! I'm using it to plan my life for the next year - not just appointments, etc., but intentions for each week and on what area i want to focus my energy each week. i'm using Jennifer Louden's Life Organizer to prompt the questions to ask my heart what she wants each day... i don't know where my heart will lead this year, but i figure it's about time i gave her a chance to lead my choices for the first time in my life!!

Sacred Life Sunday: Celebrations!!

2007-12-30T08:01:00.000Z

Ten years ago i was giving birth to this amazing blessing - a little girl. she only weighted 6 pounds, but she was alive and well and beautiful!! that christmas, i was HUGE and we had a few false alarms racing to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham in the middle of the night... but my poppet knew when she was good and ready to make her entrance, and she wasn't to be rushed!!!

yesterday we had a housefull of giggling girls - sam invited a friend to keep himself sane. the girls played blind man's buff, hide and seek, and drew hopscotch on the drive; the boys watched a movie...

Esther has never really liked her name (it is my husband's mother's, grandmother's and great-grandmother's name), because it's never printed on any mugs, or rulers, or pencil cases you can buy in stores. so i had this banner made for her bedroom by Kirsty at PaperFish - she LOVED it :o)

And of course there was candlelit chocolate cake for dessert. what a day!!!

Wellness Wednesday: Hope

2007-12-19T06:37:00.000Z

I know i'm a couple of days early - the winter solstice is on friday - but i love this jethro tull song - from 30 years ago! - and i've just worked out how to embed a video from youtube!!
there are two more days of deep darkness - it's already 6.45a.m. and it's as black as midnight - but i hope and trust the light will slowly reappear and lengthen our days. i wish we still rang out the bells to celebrate this natural phenomenon...
starting on friday, i will be starting a yearlong online course to study the earth's rhythms with susan gregg. i don't know what to expect, but i looking forward to reconnecting my soul to the earth's and learning how to celebrate the natural (as distinct from human-made) times of the year.

enjoy the video as i send buckets of solstice and yuletide blessings to you all xxx

Sacred Life Sunday: Inner Peace

2007-12-16T07:45:00.000Z

i'd been a bit under the weather the past few days - hence the silence... also the lack of daylight is getting to me. thank goodness after next friday the days will ever so slowly lengthen...

i promised myself i would tackle this meme from carla's blog, so hear goes...

Do you own a gun? No

What do you think of hot dogs? i never buy from vendors, but i love homemade - nick makes the most scrummy onions - sooooo sweet and crispy... we actually had them last night :o)

What do you prefer to drink in the morning? herb tea - my favourite at the moment is yogi tea's women's tea...

Can you do push-ups? i wish!!

What’s your favourite piece of jewelry? My inner peace

ring - see pic - i wear it every day.

What is your secret weapon to lure the opposite sex? i don't think i've ever had a 'weapon' - i'm a peace-loving soul...

Middle name? elizabeth

Name three thoughts at this exact moment:

i'm getting hungry
i really must wrap more pressies today
finally the light is growing outside

What time did you wake up today? 6.15 a.m.

Current hate? War, the long dark nights

Name three drinks you regularly drink:
filtered water
herb tea
my one daily cup of fresh-brewed coffee

Do you own slippers? Yes, I'm wearing them right now - pink ballerina style :o)

What shirt are you wearing? pyjama top :)

Do you burn or tan? Burn - i tend to keep out of the sun

Favourite colour(s)? it totally depends on my mood - but i don't like wearing black - i own one obligatory l.b.d. and one pair of faded 'black' cords

Would you be a pirate? no - it involves my least-favourite things - riding on water and violence

What is your favourite holiday? definitely Thanksgiving - the food, the family togetherness, the lack of expectations - i really miss it now we're not in the states

What songs do you sing in the shower? i've never sung in the shower - it's a more quiet, contemplative experience for me

What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child? whatever monsters were on doctor who that week

What’s in your pockets right now? I don't carry things in my pockets - that's what handbags are for :o)

Last thing that made you laugh? something my almost -10-year-old daughter said :o)

Best bed sheets as a child? fresh clean cotton - then as now!!

Worst injury you’ve ever had? where do i start!! my poor little body has never been robust

Are your parents still together? my mum died in 1999 aged 55. she and dad had been together since she was 14....

Do you wish on shooting stars? the one time i've seen them!

What is your favourite book(s)? i could devote a whole blog to this!! but these books are deeply embedded in my soul:

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

True Colors by Kathryn Bold

What is your favourite candy? dark organic chocolate from Montezuma's - a small UK business

How is the weather outside right now? Cold and grey *sigh*

What was your first thought this morning when you woke up? when will the sun come up?

Wellness Wednesday: Soul reading

2007-12-05T10:57:00.000Z

I honestly can't remember where i first saw this book - i'm sure it was on someone's blog... but as soon as i saw the title, i knew i had to read it - especially given my reiki card 'the cave'...
i started it yesterday and read 50 pages - no mean feat for my recovering brain :o)
all i can say is my dear soul so needs to read this... having decided to leave the Anglican Church last year - after 25 years faithful service - i have been somewhat lost... i left because too much of christianity is misogynist and my heart was finding it just too hard to reconcile parts of the bible with what i felt about god, love, the world, judgement, women's gifts...
demetra george in these first 50+ pages gives an overview of the interconnectedness of the moon's cycle (waxing new moon, full moon, waning dark moon) and the cycle of plants (seed sprouts, flowers bloom, harvest and decomposition), the four seasons, the three ages of woman, the celtic wheel of the year...
the dark phase of the moon - the four days it disappears from view - is the place when death occurs in the life cycle - the seed pod in the dark earth, the 6 weeks from hallowmas to the winter solstice - the shortest days in the year - and it is the place of formlessness and transformation in the cycle of life from birth to form to death to rebirth...
i've always 'known' time is cyclical not linear, i've always 'believed' i am made of the same stuff as plants and creatures, and i never reconciled this with the church's teachings of death and resurrection... demetra george has verbalized my soul's knowledge that this cycle is what connects me to this world, and whether or not i sign up for eternal life according to the church's beliefs, death and transformation will happen and i will change and experience a new life...
and i will encounter who knows how many 'mini deaths' along the way as i grow and change and grow some more... the important part is to embrace the dark phases of my life and the time of formlessness, so i can transform to a new form and live again...

Sacred Life Sunday: 7 random things...

2007-12-03T08:19:00.000Z

Deborah tagged me with this....

1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you. 2. Post these rules on your blog. 3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself 4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. 5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog...

1. I adore calenders, datebooks, notebooks - I dream of being locked up in Paperchase overnight... nothing beats that first new page...

2. I really don't like Elvis Presley - the man or his music!

3. I could live in my pjs... I would love to shower in the morning and just get into a clean pair... they are the perfect clothes!!

4. I don't like tomato ketchup!

5. I read Jude the Obscure when I was 14 and decided there and then I wanted to go to Oxford.

6. My favourite children's TV programme was Daktari - I knew I would travel to Africa one day... and yes, my family nickname was Clarence - I had a 'lazy eye'!

7. I soooo want to do a parachute jump - and yes, I'm afraid of heights :o) But what a buzz!!!!!!!!

And I'm sorry, I can't find seven friends who haven't already been tagged...

Wellness Wednesday: Soul food

2007-11-28T07:10:00.000Z

i've had a music-buying fest on Amazon this past couple of weeks...
the first CD is the debut album from Lee Mead who won the lead role in Joseph beating 10,000 other guys!! i would LOVE to see him live :o)
the second i just ordered blind having seen how many blog friends are listening to Feist... she does have the most hynoptic voice...
and i 'discovered' A Fine Frenzy on my dear friend Zorana's blog - she had a link to this video... i'd never heard of Alison Sudol, but she is soooo talented with the most beautiful voice - and that hair!! she looks like my alter ego's younger sister :o)

Music is an important part of my life - i won't confess to how many CDs i have... if i'm down, i play music to reflect my mood; if i'm happy, i play pop or dance music; if i'm working, i play classical or jazz... i can find music to mirror every facet of my soul, and i'm sooo grateful for this most precious of talents - i may not possess it myself, but i sure know how to appreciate it!!!!

Thank you for all your lovely comments on last Wellness Wednesday. i'm amazed how quickly my body has healed - the graze on my temple has almost gone and my sprained ankle is almost fully mobile :o)

Sacred Life Sunday: Archetypal Reiki

2007-11-25T08:10:00.000Z

i bought these cards last Christmas after my Reiki I attunement and i used them for a while... then on friday, thanks to Annie's inspiration, i pulled them off the shelf again.

they are lovely little cards that fit in your palm - i've never liked big cards, and with only one working hand, these are the perfect fit!! the author, Dorothy May is a Jungian psychologist and reiki master - a perfect combination in my mind!!

i sat with my journal and spread out the cards... i just asked the cards to tell me where i should begin... and i chose one 'random' card... it was THE CAVE....

go within yourself, into your deep unconscious. willingly enter the dark places within yourself and be utterly honest. bring these parts of yourself into the light where you can see them clearly.
in ancient cultures the cave was a sacred place of initiation... there is ancient wisdom stored in the cave of the unconscious... the cave in archetypal reiki work symbolizes a place of entry, a place deep in the womb of the earth... when you draw this card it is a signal for you to go within yourself, into your deep unconscious...

ever since i bought myself a set of story beads from deborah, i have known that this winter i have to hibernate, to draw into myself and listen to bear wisdom, and let my body heal... as the nights lengthen and the darkness closes in, i will embrace my own shadows and not be afraid...

Wellness Wednesday: Everything's aching

2007-11-21T10:14:00.000Z

Sorry, it's not an uplifting picture - i fell over last night, and everything's aching, especially my right ankle, knee and hip, not to mention my left temple...
it's my first fall, and it scared me... i usually really focus when i'm walking - especially outside - because i know i could fall...
i was getting ready for bed, pulling out a drawer to get clean pj's, and i must have lost my balance...
thankfully my dear hubbie was here to help me up and get into bed; and i managed to sleep pretty well...

i decided to post about it, because something like this does focus your mind... especially on all we take for granted... our brains are constantly working and processing our every move - the feel of the surface you're walking on, the weather if you're walking outside - i've found a gust of wind can really throw me off-balance - not to mention all the data our eyes and ears are picking up...

since the stroke, my poor brain has had to relearn sooo much, and i'm so grateful - and impressed - at what it's achieved!!! today, i will sit quietly and let my body heal itself...

if you have a moment, just ponder everything your body does for you, movement by movement, minute by minute every single day... and give thanks for every bone, muscle, joint, organ that just does its job without you being aware of it...

Sacred Life Sunday: Sacred reading

2007-11-18T10:27:00.000Z

I've recently finished this wonderful little book!! Like The Seven Whispers I read in the summer, this tiny book holds a wealth of wisdom...
The first chapter talks about the 'domestication of the soul' we all experience - we grow into the belief patterns our parents, grandparents, school teachers, church leaders impart to us. There's nothing wrong with this, it's what our elders do. What's worrying is if we never listen to our own soul's innate wisdom; to never learn what our own soul wants to teach us...
This sooo spoke to me - I'm only just starting to listen and trust my own soul - aged 43!!! I've spent so many years absorbing my parents' beliefs - not to mention my church leaders' - which I've finally admitted my soul honestly doesn't believe!! I'm slowly learning to express what i do believe, and it's soooo liberating!!!!

The actual four agreements are so practical and basic commonsense, yet we rarely actually do them...

1 Be impeccable with your word - basically mean what you say and say what you mean!
2 Don't take anything personally - people live with their own selves centre-stage, basically it's never about you!
3 Don't make assumptions - this is my killer agreement. I get so caught up in assuming my nearest and dearest understand me and my needs, I fail too express myself clearly and assume way too much!!
4 Always do your best - don't beat yourself up when you slip into old patterns of behaviour, just do your best moment by moment...

I now want to work through the exercises in the companion volume - slowly and deeply listening to what my soul wants to say... I'll let you know what I hear :o)

Wellness Wednesday: Week 1

2007-11-14T07:20:00.000Z

Yesterday I did this test to assess how my chakras are doing...

These are my results:Root: open (50%)
Sacral: open (50%)
Navel: under-active (13%)
Heart: open (31%)
Throat: open (56%)
Third Eye: open (31%)
Crown: over-active (88%)

First of all, I was pleasantly surprised to see how many were open :o) It's good to know my meditation and breathing exercises are 'working' - I can feel the difference in myself, but it's always good to get a third-party assessment.

My under-active navel chakra means: When the navel chakra is under-active, you tend to be passive and indecisive. You're probably timid and don't get what you want. Friends who have known me for years will laugh at me being 'timid'!! But I have to say, since the stroke, my confidence has been knocked, and it's very hard being so dependent...

The over-active crown chakra was very interesting: If this chakra is over-active, you are probably intellectualizing too much. You may be addicted to spirituality and are probably ignoring your bodily needs. I do indeed live in my head, but how can you be addicted to spirituality??? But I take onboard the need to focus on my body - that's why I started practising yoga two years ago, and why I'm having 1-2-1 sessions as part of my stroke rehab, and why I'm being aware of exactly what I'm eating and drinking...

So this week, I will be especially mindful of my navel chakra, and really breathing deep into my belly... I will try and express what I want, rather than deciding it's too hard and shrugging, 'I don't mind'... And I'll try and be a little less in my head, and more bodily present...

Sacred Life Sunday: Breathing art

2007-11-11T07:04:00.000Z

A couple of weeks ago, while Tina and I were driving up to Leeds for a night at the theatre, we talked about our hopes and dreams... at one point I remember saying, 'I wish I were a millionaire, then I could support dozens of struggling artists, I could be their patron...'

Well, as we all know, thoughts become things - and no, sadly, I haven't won the lottery - last week I stumbled across this website while looking at this artist's beautiful work on Etsy, and lo and behold, I've become a Patron - and it's FREE!!!!!! I receive daily emails about featured artists and their creations, I can send e-cards of my favourite pieces - and I'm fulfilling my dream...

I really believe those of us who are passionate about art can support others creating art, no matter what we earn. The internet has opened up so many wonderful opportunities to share our thoughts and dreams, and expose each other to websites we may not have come across on our own.

So you will notice several new buttons along the sidebar... check out my favourites on Etsy - I add to them daily, both things and artists :o) There is so much talent and beauty in this world, let's share some...

PS Thank you so much for all the supportive comments last week - I sooo appreciate it!! Esther returned safely on Wednesday and had a great time - she wanted to stay longer! She tried rock climbing, caving, abseiling, quadbiking... and has returned sooo grown up and even more confident - what more could a mama want????

Sacred Life Sunday: Being a brave mama

2007-11-04T12:16:00.000Z

i had a private cry in the shower this morning, so i could put on a brave face as we waved goodbye to my poppet as she ventures forth on a school trip. she will not be home until wednesday...
her bags have been packed for two days, and the excitement has built each week for six months!!!
the first pic shows esther (right) and her best friend deana (left) - look at those smiles!!
the next pic as she boards the bus, her pink packpack full of treats to share with her friends on the 3 hour bus trip.
the third, some of the brave parents in the school courtyard - the school was started in 1872...
i know i will cope till wednesday - i survived sam doing the trip two years ago. but esther is my poppet, my ally in a house full of men - my husband, my son, my father, my brother - and she understands me - i don't have to spell everything out!!!!!!!!
i haven't let go of my prayer beads since she left... i pray she will be safe and happy and thrive on the adventure of it all, and that i'll survive a house full of testosterone!!

Sacred Life Sunday: A day of rest

2007-10-28T14:48:00.000Z

i'm spending the day resting having been out most of friday...

tina and i drove up to leeds to meet friends for dinner and the theatre. we had an early dinner at raymond blanc's new leeds brasserie - his la petite maison in oxford used to be favourite restaurant :o) then off to the grand to see the history boys by alan bennett - it was brilliant!! it was a full house - i can't remember the last time i experienced a full theatre (grantham is something of a cultural wilderness, i'm afraid...) the acting and the script were superb - such humour, such pathos, bennett is the master at both!!

i realized how much i love live entertainment - the immediacy of it, the direct connection to the emotions of the actors and the audience!! i must make the effort to see more of it, and expose the children to it...

maybe a panto at christmas....

Cool quiz

2007-10-20T09:16:00.000Z

i found this quiz on christine's blog...
i'm not surprised by the card - he's always followed me around...
last birthday my best pal, tina, bought me the da vinci enigma tarot - it's too beautiful for words - but as i looked through the deck, i instantly knew someone was missing - the hierophant!!!
thankfully i contacted the publisher who sent him return of post...
i have to admit i would prefer to be a high priestess like christine - i don't like the male traditionalist aspect of the hierophant - but i think he showed up because i chose saturn for my favourite planet rather than the moon - my 2nd favourite!! saturn is a very 'male' planet, and i've always been fascinated by it...
i actually saw saturn one evening in kenya - just using a child's telescope - it was mesmerizing!!! exactly like the pictures in my childhood Times Atlas...
and i know i have very 'male' aspects to my personality, and it's important for me to acknowledge them...

let me know what tarot card you are :o)

You are The Hierophant

Divine Wisdom. Manifestation. Explanation. Teaching.

All things relating to education, patience, help from superiors.The Hierophant is often considered to be a Guardian Angel.

The Hierophant's purpose is to bring the spiritual down to Earth. Where the High Priestess between her two pillars deals with realms beyond this Earth, the Hierophant (or High Priest) deals with worldly problems. He is well suited to do this because he strives to create harmony and peace in the midst of a crisis. The Hierophant's only problem is that he can be stubborn and hidebound. At his best, he is wise and soothing, at his worst, he is an unbending traditionalist.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Sacred Life Sunday: Living it up

2007-10-16T14:32:00.000Z

it's taken me till tuesday to recover from my night out on sunday, but it was soooo worth it!!!
seth lakeman was playing the engine shed at lincoln uni - he was FANTASTIC!!!
sue, one of my occupational therapists, took me - she got it free as my carer. it was an all-standing venue, but i had my wheelchair. i mostly sat during the warm up acts, but when seth took the stage, i stood up - for 1.5 hours!!!!!!!!
he is sooo talented - playing the banjo, acoustic guitar, ukelele and the fiddle - sadly my flash didn't work too well, but you get the idea...
all the members of his band were awesome musicians - esp. the double bass player!! everyone got so into it clapping and stomping - i bashed my stick on the floor :o)
there was a wide age range in the audience - proving you're never too young, or old, to appreciate talent!
i can't wait till he comes back to lincoln in the spring - i'll be at the front of the queue!!

Season of mists...

2007-10-06T13:05:00.001Z

... and family colds!
i'm afraid all of us have been suffering with colds in the sauer household - including my poor dad - so i've been feeling rather under the weather this past week or so...
thankfully i'm not quite shrivelled like most of the leaves in this pic, i still have some colour...
hopefully i'll be back posting and commenting in full flow next week. till then i'll leave you with my favourite poem to the season...

SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease;
For Summer has o'erbrimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twinèd flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barrèd clouds bloom the soft-dying day
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river-sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Ode to Autumn by John Keats

Thank You!!!

2007-09-24T16:07:00.000Z

... my dear friends for all your encouraging, inspiring messages!! i really feel i'm among friends here :o)

who knows what the future will hold, but i'm ready for it...

the OT (Occupational Therapist) who came to do my physio exercises this afternoon was new to me, but she recognized me from my hospital stay - Nick and the kids used to push me around the hospital in an evening to stop me going stir-crazy in my little room. she was amazed at how far i've progressed in four and a half months, which was encouraging!!!

i'd hard when each day pretty much feels like the one before, but her ooohs and ahhhs at all i could do for myself really encouraged me! i just have to focus on what i have learnt since the stroke - talking, walking, washing, dressing, reading, operating the computer, writing with my left hand, making my lunch - and not on all the multi-tasking i used to do each waking moment before it...

so with your lovely support in blogland, and the daily exercises, i feel i can make it. it's so much easier to travel a hard and difficult road when you're in such good company - thank you!!!!!!!!!

My Passionate Life

2007-09-23T05:57:00.001Z

This is 'officially' my last day of this wonderful project - but hopefully not the last day of my sacred life... :o)

I have been so enriched by the blogs of the inspiring, interesting, creative people i've 'met' over the past month - long may it continue!!!

Talking of inspiring, creative people - i've been indulging in some serious TV time... i simply adore The House of Eliott, the BBC series from the 1990s - the clothes, the beautiful people, the story-lines, the social history...

And i've realized it's about time i admitted how important interesting, creative people are to me; how important art, literature, the whole arty-farty (my dad's word for it!) shebang are to my soul - i've denied it all for far too long...

I've been given the next year or more to recover from this stroke - the time we all wish life would give us to do what we really want to do without having to worry about work, paying the bills, etc. - i honestly don't know what/how/where it will take me, but i'm determined to give my tender soul the sacred nourishment it needs!

to be honest i'm rather frightened of wearing my heart on my sleeve, baring my soul. so my friends and family can really see it - and being brave enough to take the ridicule i fear will come from some quarters - but i know i have to do it!!

i have to do what i keep writing in my journal:

I WANT TO LIVE MY PASSION

and i happen to believe that when i actually admit what i'm passionate about, the whys and wherefores of my life will fall into place...

Hand of Grace

2007-09-19T15:09:00.001Z

i have been touched by grace today - literally!!

i received this beautiful necklace in the mail from Gina... she offered it on her blog a few weeks ago - and i won it!! i'm so blessed!!

i will wear it every day to remind me everything that touches my soul is an expression of divine love...

I dream of turtle

2007-09-17T10:08:00.000Z

i usually don't remember my dreams.... but this happened to me last week as i dozed...

i was swimming in a gorgeous lake, enjoying the lush surroundings, the cool water and the sun on my body. suddenly a large turtle swam up to me and said (of course turtles talk in dreams!):

'why don't you swim to the bottom of the lake? it's beautiful down there!'
'i can't hold my breathe that long,' i replied.
'take this shell, put it to your mouth and you'll be able to breathe for as long as you like.'

so i did! he swam alongside me, and pointed out the wonders of the lake bed - the fish, the coral, the silence...

suddenly, he pointed out a large clam shell, 'take it,' he instructed.
'i can't take something from the lake bed!' i exclaimed, 'it's theft!'
'no, it's for you - take it!'

i scooped up the shell, and as suddenly as he appeared turtle swam away and i was aware i was being drawn up to the surface...

when i emerged, i realized i was much closer to the shore, so i swam and pulled myself up the bank. as the sun dried me, i found a stone and prized open the clam...

inside was not a single pearl, but a whole necklace!!! i immediately put it on, and laid back to feel the sun's warmth and try and fathom what i had just experienced...

when i woke up in my chair, i was convinced i had a necklace on... and knew i had to get a turtle!!! i found this little fella on ebay straightaway, and he arrived next day...

i just love his face, i know he's asking me so many questions: to look deeper in my soul, to learn to breathe underwater without fear, to expect and find real, beautiful treasures, to share these pearls of wisdom...

i also found a lot of info on turtle medicine... and i know i'll be seeking and finding turtle's wisdom for me throughout the days and weeks to come...

wow!! what a blessed dream!!!

No surprises here!

2007-09-13T06:30:00.000Z

I took this fun little test i found on Mary's blog. she was shocked to find herself 'midnight' :o)

no such surprises for me - it's pretty much spot on!!!

YOU ARE SUNRISE

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life.

You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary.

You are a person of reflection and meditation.

You start and end every day by looking inward.

Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy.

You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts.

All in all, you know how to love life for what it is -

not for how it should be.

You can take the test here. let me know what time of day you are :o)

Special Friendships

2007-09-10T09:42:00.000Z

two years ago, my dear friend Jane left Boston (in Lincs, not the US!!) for the isle of Mull (in Scotland), to marry John and run a B&B. it's the most beautiful place - i've seen photos - and from their house, on a clear day!!, they can see the holy island of Iona...

on saturday i received a parcel from her - in it were shells from the beach marked the north side of the map of Iona called Traigh Ban nam Manach (The White Strand of the Monks) and pebbles from the west coast of the island called Camus Cul an t-Saimh (The Bay at the Back of the Ocean).

Jane knows i soooo want to visit Iona (and her and John, of course!) and experience the 'thin places' for myself - where the veil between our world and Spirit is so thin we can touch Spirit - and so she wanted me to feel closer to them in my own home...

i made this little centre piece for the table - i wish i had space to create a special altar for it, but the focus in our house is the kitchen table, and the focus of this My Sacred Life project is to find Spirit in the everyday!

i will replace the candle every day and burn it to celebrate the beautiful friends i have, the love we share and the chance to connect with Spirit and discover the 'thin places' in my own home...

What a precious gift!! Bless you, dear Jane!!

Spoiling Myself

2007-09-07T09:08:00.000Z

i know... i know... here i go again spending money i don't have... but when i was in hospital, i promised my soul i would treat her to one of misty mawn's paintings... i have been enchanted by her artwork for over a year now...

the girl in the painting is soooooo beautiful, so wistful, i just love everything about her... the words (you can just see them in the second photo on the bottom left) - early in the morning, many years ago - reminded me of my morning walks - i miss them so much...

there were so many surprises in the package - not only was the painting beautifully tied with ribbon, including some paper-thin leaves tucked in, misty had written two lovely cards, included two yummy Tazo teabags - zen and dajeeling AND sent me a print of another picture (bottom photo). what a beautiful, generous soul she is!!

so here i sit surrounded by exquisite soul-filling art, my first day of absolute solitude since i came home 6 weeks ago... i know my precious boy and girl are safe at school - they both had such a good first day back yesterday!!! nick, my dear hubbie, is at work and my dad - who's been helping out over the summer - is back at home having a well-earned rest!!

so i am alone, my heart is full, and i am at peace...

Proud mama

2007-09-06T09:06:00.000Z

my gorgeous boy ready for the next stage in his life...

can you believe he's only 11???!!! he's so tall and broad in his smart new blazer. and don't you just love the first attempt at tying a proper tie??

he started the local grammar school today. of course, we got there far too early... of course, he didn't want us to wait with him... of course, i didn't cry in front of him...

oh to be a mama!! every stage of the journey is about separation - from the moment they are born...

surely this is the most sacred part of our lives as mothers - to feel the depth of love, and pride and hurt in equal measure all the days of our lives...

Deep Love

2007-09-04T16:21:00.000Z

precious pictures of our three children ...

our first baby, connie, was still-born at 29 weeks in 1993 - she would be 14 now ...

our gorgeous boy is almost 12 (on the 25th) - he goes to secondary school in two days' time (gulp!!) ...

our poppet is 9 and three-quarters(!) - she adores mangoes ...

we have been soooooo blessed. every day i give thanks ... my soul has widened and deepened each day i've been a mother ... and my heart is a cavern of love ...

Memories

2007-09-03T05:45:00.000Z

twenty years ago this week i landed in a strange land...

me, who had never been on a plane, never needed a passport, arrived in kenya for a year's teaching at a bible college in machakos - a small town an hour's drive south of nairobi.

aged 23 i was fearless... of course the stranger i'd met the year before at a international prayer conference in london was who he said he was - the vice-principal of a bible college; of course there was a teaching post waiting for me; of course i wasn't going to get sick - i'd had all my injections...

indeed this was to be one of the best years of my life - i had my own little house on the temperate, shady college compound - with a 'proper' bathroom - the water came on twice a day for an hour; i learnt i could make up a curriculum from scratch in a week; i travelled the country on buses and in the back of a friend's pick up - lake victoria, mount kenya, the tea plantations of limuru; mombasa - three times!!; mount kilimanjaro; and numerous small villages i never knew the name of, but i knew the humbling hospitality of students' families who always put on a feast - and sent me home with armfuls of gifts...

and to top it all off, i met nick - all the way from california working with a water charity... all very Out of Africa... could it really be twenty years ago????

i bought this oil painting from a street vendor in nairobi the last week of my stay. i nearly didn't buy it - the cost would keep my kenyan friends in food for a month... but i knew i needed a reminder of all those market days in the town - all the colours, smells, noises... and yes, the money would keep the artist's family in food for the next month!

it hangs in our front room - as it has hung in all our front rooms both in california and in england - a daily reminder of the adventures we both had that year, all the beautiful sights we saw, all the precious friends we met...

and a reminder that everyone knows whose been to africa - whether you contract malaria or not (thankfully we didn't!!!) - africa gets in your bloodstream, and it is with you for the rest of your life...

Prayer...

2007-09-02T11:22:00.000Z

... is personal, and the beads are a device for building meaningful ritual into our lives...

dear deborah included this quote from a string and a prayer along with my custom-made story beads. i knew as soon as i saw carla's writing beads, i needed to get a set...

and the universe knew i needed them pronto - they arrived on friday, a matter of days after deb posted them halfway around the world!! they arrived in time for the 1st of september, the first month of autumn...

if you can see in the photo, the beads are divided into seasons (lilac for spring, blue for summer, red for autumn, brown for winter, and a pearl for the 13th lunar month). each bead is separated with a spacer - too remind me to breathe...

in between each set of three is a charm - a celtic heart to remind me love is the most important thing; a spiral to remind me that love is infinite; a goddess charm to focus my mind on all the body work and healing i need to do; an owl to remind me of owl medicine - change, death, grieving, wisdom and seeing into the dark places of my soul...; a bear to remind me of bear medicine - to be still, to go into my cave and rest and be ready for the spring...

on one end are seven green beads to remind me to take one day at a time, and healing hand charms to embrace the oak leaf of strength and the desire to create - an important part of my healing process...

on the other end is a charm that deb didn't know why it wanted to be included, it just did... i think she is the roman goddess maia after which the month of may is named. she is the spring goddess bringing new life and renewal - and of course she wanted to be placed at the end where the lilac beads of spring begin...

WOW!!! i think you can see why i needed to get them!!!

these beautiful beads will now be with me every day, and every day of my sacred life, i will pray...

and bless you, dear deborah, for imbuing these beauitful beads with so much of your own soul...

Serenity

2007-08-29T05:31:00.000Z

she's not a great piece of art, but i love her...
she reminds me to just sit still a while, to watch the sunlight move across the mantelpiece, to just b r e a t h e ...

yesterday i finished The Seven Whispers by Christina Baldwin - a small book BIG on profound thoughts - thank you Deb for bringing this wonderful author to my attention!!!

the seven whispers are:

Maintain peace of mind.
Move at the pace of guidance.
Practise certainty of purpose.
Surrender to surprise.
Ask for what you want and offer what you can.
Love the folks in front of you.
Return to the world.

the chapter on 'surrender to surprise' certainly got my attention - not all surprises are fun...

To live consciously, we need to prepare for wonderful and horrible things to happen to us that we don't expect... Surrendering to surprise allows us to practise the resilience we need to respond to whatever life offers...

so i'm surrendering... i'm embracing each new day... i'm trying to live in the moment - to forget the pain of the intense physio session yesterday, to not focus on how slow my recovery seems to be, to not dwell on what i can't do for myself...

in this moment i sit and watch my serene statue in the morning sun, and i breathe... i say thank you for this new day... and i am at peace...

Tranquillity

2007-08-28T06:23:00.001Z

more photos from my saturday evening scooter-walk...
the village church (just look at that blue sky???), my 'own' secret garden (i've no idea who owns the house and garden, but i feel my breathing deepen as soon as i walk past), and a resplendent laurel bush...
thank you for sharing my walk - i just love all your comments - they lift my soul :o)

Have wheels, will travel...

2007-08-27T06:35:00.000Z

One of the things i miss most, since my stroke, are my early morning walks...
But my dear hubbie bought me a scooter off ebay, and my spirits soar each day i can get my 'nature fix'...
Saturday evening i took my camera to capture some favourite things - the trees are at the end of our street; the lavender is in a neighbour's garden...
just getting out on my own, feeling the breeze on my face, stopping to pause - are what makes the day sacred.
tomorrow i'll share some more pics...

In the time of darkness...

2007-08-26T07:37:00.000Z

... we have never been closer to the light ~ Meister Eckhart

The world is a hazelnut...

2007-08-25T08:35:00.000Z

... in the palm of God.

I love this image of Julian of Norwich - it encapsulates what I know of God...

And each time I look at this little orb, I see the galaxies... and remember who I am...

The spot of light in it is the morning sun - our sun at 6.30 this morning - streaming through my window, captured in a tiny world on my mantelpiece...

My Sacred Life

2007-08-24T07:14:00.000Z

i'm participating in a beautiful thing this month - Carla at zena musings has invited us to show things which connect us to spirit... if we just pause and look...

yesterday i shared the wonderful lift my spirit receives when a friend geographical miles away is suddenly in the room sharing the moment filled with coffee and books - and love!

these blooms are on my kitchen window sill - the awesome orchid has been blooming almost constantly for over 3 years ever since dear Jane gave it to me on my 40th birthday; and the busy lizzy my neighbour gave me when i came home from hospital. i just love how the flowers tend towards the light...

aswell as books, my life must have flowers. their personality, colour and zest remind me i have all those things - no matter how crummy things can be... i am made of the same stuff, the same physical matter, with the same divine spark...

My favourite things...

2007-08-23T10:54:00.000Z

Yesterday i received a glorious package in the mail - Brenda, my dear friend in Santa Barbara, sent me a beautiful edition of Under the Tuscan Sun (my new favourite movie!!), plus a large print edition of A Year in the World - Frances Mayes' new book (it's so much easier to read than regular print) AND Artful Blogging, where so many blogfriends are featured!!!!!!!!!!

I made a cup of my favourite coffee, chocolate raspberry - i only have one cup a day, so it always fresh brewed!! - in my favourite mug, from Borders in SB, cut a piece of Nick's latest creation - apple, strawberry and blackberry pie - and dove in...

Sometimes life just gets so close to heaven :o)

PURE BLISS!!!!!!!!!!!

i am soooo honoured!!!!!!!!!

2007-08-19T20:08:00.000Z

i can't believe it - two lovely 'fristers'* on different continents have nominated for awards this week - and i haven't a speech prepared....

dear penny from alaska put me up for the nice matters award and mrs nesbitt thinks i'm inspiring - WOW!!!!!!!!!! both dear ladies deserve such awards themselves :o)

as i said on my 100th post, my life has become so much richer this past year - i LOVE living in blogland!!!!!!! what a great time to be living the artistic life!! i can never complain 'they just do understand me!!!', because so many of you do!!!

i want to nominate all the kindred spirits on my list for all the inpiration they give - the world is all the richer for their existence!!

thank you, thank you, thank you

(* i can't remember where i first saw this beautiful word - friends i'd love to be sisters with - but i love it!! having no sisters of my own, my dear friends are my family)

A bowlful of love

2007-08-16T07:23:00.000Z

Every morning my darling hubbie gets me breakfast - sometimes it branflakes and fresh raspberries, this morning it was strawberries...
Don't you just love the heart-shaped slices??????????

Yesterday we saw a haematologist. we learned a lot... i have indeed a genetic blood disorder... the kids will be screened in their late teens, my dad and brother will need screening now...

i will be on warfarin for the rest of my life - a small price to pay for no more blood clots!! she's referring me to the top haematologist in the county - i'm such an interesting case!!!????!!!! but you all knew that!!!!

i'm just so glad i live in a western country in the 21st century...
... and so blessed to have such a loving husband - who feeds me strawberries!!!!

here comes the sun...

2007-08-11T10:00:00.000Z

... this perfect bloom is from a bouquet my dad brought me last week. can you see the nectar droplets in the centre?
it reminds me every day is a new day full of sweetness...

this is my 100th post - i'm in awe of all the amazing people i've 'met' in the past year. my life is soooo much richer since last september when i started this blog!!!!!!!!!!

i've been rereading all the beautiful comments you have sent me, and i can feel the life-giving ambrosia filling up my soul... even dear daisy lupin is blessing me from her new soul-home (i thank the universe for giving me a chance to meet this beautiful lady as some glitter sisters met together in march this year...)

certainly my life has changed so much these past 3 month since my stroke on 9 may, but as this sunflower reminds me, each day i'm learning a bit more about what my dear body can do...

today i actually showered, dried and dressed myself completely. i'm sooo proud of myself, but oooooohhh so exhausted!!! starting on wednesday the daily visits from my carers will focus on my physio exercises, so no more help getting washed and dressed... i admit i'm nervous about this, but for this day, i'm basking in my personal achievement this morning!!!

and tomorrow's sweetness has yet to reveal itself...

I got pictures...

2007-08-06T10:07:00.001Z

I finally worked out how to upload pictures on my laptop!!!!!!!!!!!
The first pic is of my gorgeous pedicure - can you see the little jewels on my big toes???? Soooo funky!!! Sadly my right foot drags as I walk, so the big toe is now rather scuffed :o( I'm certainly going to book another session with the lovely Melanie - can you believe she pampers me in my own home??? Maybe I'll book a full massage next time aswell as a pedicure!!
The beautiful bouquet is from family friends from Cambridge - just look at those lilies!!!!!! Soooo exuberant!!!! Nothing lifts the spirit like a surprise delivery of beautiful flowers - except maybe a relaxing pedicure!!!

Frida

2007-07-23T09:33:00.001Z

Yesterday i watched salma hayek's movie of frida kahlo. it was so amazing!!! she was certainly born to play this part! needless to say, frida's resilience was inspiring - not to mention her art!!!!!!!!!
the perfect movie to watch on a rainy sunday afternoon....

I'M HOME!!!!!

2007-07-18T14:21:00.000Z

No picture, I'm afraid, but I am truly home!!
I've slept so well in my own bed - not to mention with my hubbie to keep me warm!!
I'm getting some help to wash and dress each morning, and today one of the school mums, who's a hairdresser, came to cut my hair!! And her sister is a beautician and she's coming next week to shape my eye brows (it's impossible to pluck them with my left hand!!!) and give me a pedicure!!
I'm feeling almost human again!!!
Thanks for all the blessings and good wishes - they mean so much to me!!!!!!!!!!

Just call me Mary...

2007-05-08T09:28:00.000Z

I bought this beautiful handmade journal last year from Rhonda Miller in Nova Scotia, and I have finally begun to work in it...
Mary Oliver is one of my favourite US poets - she's a true Romantic in the tradition of Wordsworth and Coleridge. She captures the depth of Nature's beauty in a single perfect phrase. So it seemed only right I start this record of my morning walks with her poem 'Why I Wake Early'. I painted the sunrise in the background just using a sponge and Tim Holtz's distressed inkpads.
The feather is a gift from a poor pigeon who met its end on the main road through the village - cars and lorries drive far too fast through here. I only hope it was an immediate death...
And I'm learning my new scanner simply does not like any form of 3D - it's a true flatbed!! Hence any third dimension causes bizarre shadows... The feather looks to be floating in space - the pigeon's spirit lives on...

Anna's World

a new day....

Thursday Thoughts... UPDATE

Wellness Wednesday: Forget the Oscars...

Wellness Wednesday: 'Much better, thank you!'

Sacred Life Sunday: A fool's journey

Sacred Life Sunday: Family time

Wellness Wednesday: Feeling not so well

Wellness Wednesday: Yes, we did!

Sacred Life Sunday: Mama love

Destructive Creativity

Tuesday Thoughts: More art in the park

Monday Musings: Art overload

Warm cocoa + wonderful words = Wellness Wednesday

Tuesday Thoughts...

Sacred Life Sunday: Gratitude

Friday Fun!!

New Year's Day 2009

Post 200 - HOORAY!!!!

Tuesday Thoughts...

Wellness Wednesday: Giving thanks

Sacred Life Sunday: Much stronger

Sacred Life Sunday: Still Life

THANK YOU!!!

US Election Day: Candle of Hope

Sacred Life Sunday: Samhain

Sacred Life Sunday: Pure Joy

Monday Musing: Autumnal abundance

Thursday Thoughts: It's official...

Thursday Thoughts...

Monday Madness!!

Wellness Wednesday: Out with the old, in with the new

Sacred Life Sunday: Playing with colour

Sacred Life Sunday: Blooming slowly...

Wellness Wednesday: Questions...????

Wellness Wednesday: Looking for inspiration?

Sacred Life Saturday: Just buzzing!!

A Belated Wellness Wednesday: Wonderful Worlds

** update **

Sacred Life Sunday: Being a brave mama

Proud to receive...

Sacred Life Sunday: Thank you for the music!

Sacred Life Sunday: Art in the attic

Wellness Wednesday: Prophetic words

Wellness Wednesday: Don't we look well?

Sacred Life Sunday: Building walls??

Wellness Wednesday: Remembering...

Celebrating the New Moon

Wellness Wednesday: Discovery and rediscovery...

Sacred Life Sunday: Sacred places

Sacred Life Sunday: Beauty all around

Sacred Saturday: Playing with cockroaches

Sacred Life Sunday: Colour bursting forth

Wellness Wednesday: Imbolc (February 2nd)

Sacred Life Sunday: Dream the dream

Wellness Wednesday: Bat medicine

Sacred Life Sunday: Prayer

Wellness Wednesday: Deep energy

Sacred Life Sunday: My altar/mantel

Wellness Wednesday: Happy New Year!

Sacred Life Sunday: Celebrations!!

Wellness Wednesday: Hope

Sacred Life Sunday: Inner Peace

Wellness Wednesday: Soul reading

Sacred Life Sunday: 7 random things...

Wellness Wednesday: Soul food

Sacred Life Sunday: Archetypal Reiki

Wellness Wednesday: Everything's aching

Sacred Life Sunday: Sacred reading

Wellness Wednesday: Week 1

Sacred Life Sunday: Breathing art

Sacred Life Sunday: Being a brave mama

Sacred Life Sunday: A day of rest

Cool quiz

You are The Hierophant

Sacred Life Sunday: Living it up

Season of mists...

Thank You!!!

My Passionate Life

Hand of Grace

update