Storyteller overlooks Paperwhites.
Fabric postcard from heathersmeding.
Snow is predicted for tomorrow. I'm not complaining. We haven't had any snow whatsoever this winter yet...snow will be pretty to shuffle through. I got a little lost here today...thanks to Holly on Decor8. It's been a year since I took her BloggingYourWay e- course. If you want fresh ideas for your blog I highly recommend it.
So...I woke up yesterday and came downstairs to a scene of crepe paper steamers, a table set with gifts and hanging up were letters that spelled out my name. It was too dark and rainy to get any decent photos. I got to be myself for a bit before everyone was up. It was so sweet to think of my daughter doing all these wonderful things for me. Over the years I was the one that created the magic in this home. Now, she creates all sorts of magical things for me. It was that powerful realization about being a parent...and how children learn what they live. This is natural for her because it was what she has grown up with...of course you create magic...even if it is in small ways...for your family. This heart connection that I have with her fills my heart up.
The next thing I did was open this in my birthday garland pocket...
What!! Okay so I was walking around the house for the past few weeks saying things like..."i wish I could take that indie business course" , "maybe they'll offer that indie business course again", "when you take the course maybe you could share some stuff with me about it." So...what did emma give me...she signed me up for the Indie Business Course! I cannot begin to explain how excited I was! This kid of mine is magic. She wanted me to be able to take the class with her and get to fully experience all of the projects and classes. Thank-you so much emma...
So, the next thing we did was begin driving up to Massachsetts. On our way we stopped off in this little place in a small sleepy town called Stafford Springs. We were driving through town when we looked over and saw a sign...
A real french bakery...owned by folks from France in Connecticut. Crazy. We went in and talked with thebaker and talked about cakes and baking and bread. I told her it was my birthday...so she gifted this to me...
Mocha! A tiny little cake tucked into a little box.
And...we continued on our journey. It was pouring rain all day. I loved the tucked in feeling of the rain pouring down in a steady rhythm. The windshield wipers thumping, the raindrops pounding out their beat and Martin Sexton on the ipod belting out those songs that only he can do.
We pulled off the highway at exit 24 off of I-91 and decided to take the scenic route. We wound around farms and fields. We dodged huge flooding in the roads and we peered over at the Connecticut River rising and crashing against the banks. Just on the right all of a sudden we arrived at our destination...
The Montague Book Mill sat just on the edge of the Connecticut River. The water was crashing and rushing and swiring like it was going to swallow the Mill up. We spent a long while looking at books...one of our favorite dates.
biography, literature, history, politics, gender studies, anarchism, latino studies, travel, art, education, film
Down the stairs...
Into an entirely new section...the first floor. I didn't get photos of this as I became too engrossed in books right off. There were cards, poetry chap books, cookbooks, self-help, women's studies, home design, screenplays, gardening, children's books, fiction....
When were were checking out..I was looking at this book and said I'd take that as well...the owner gifted that to me as a birthday gift!
Look here for some great photos of the bookmill...
On this same floor was the Lady Killigrew Cafe. We had a great meal...again no photos. They gave us a free beer because apparently they give free beer to the first person of the day that they serve beer to. We asked if it indeed encouraged folks to come in and drink early...apparently this is not an issue...and people still come in and have beer anyway, no matter the time.
We sat down next to a guy that was drawing incredible pictures. He was creating a graphic novel that has been in the works for several years now. Again, no photos...i felt funny intruding on his space as he was there to draw in quiet and to get out of his house. He was real friendly and Rand said I should ask him to take a picture. I was too shy. I am trying to bring my camera wherever I go now...mostly. I want to learn to take better photographs and doing this involves actually taking more photos...and being brave enough to take them in awkward situations, asking folks if I can take their picture...and mostly not feeling weird that I am intruding in the places that I go. This is hard for me and a challenge that I want to work on. The graphic novel was very cool...all black and white, pen and ink.
There is also a buiding that is separate from the Book Mill that carries old vinyl and used cd's. We were in there with this one other man...we got to talking...he put on Tuck and Patti...we looked at old vinyl and felt nostalgic. They even had a turntable there that you could try the records out on. The album cover artwork is something we all miss out on these tiny little cd'd and itunes downloads....nothing like it. I'm showing my age right?
So, we travelled on toward home...
wise old tree...
We stopped here...it looked festive. We talked to the ladies in the shop about disaster water stories each of had all been in...
Pretty colors...pashmina shawls
We went out to eat at The Main Street Cafe. After dinner some friends that were there came over to say hello and said...you have a surprise coming! So, after we ate the server brought over the dessert tray and offered up a piece of cake...score...another free gift!
Headed home for Cake...carrot cake with cream cheese icing.
A pile of books at the end of the day....
handmade card by emma
It was a wonderful day. We bumped into friends at the end of the day and went back to Main Street for a toast and conversation. They all clinked glasses with mine and paid for another beer for me.
What did I learn today...tell everyone you meet it's your birthday...they give you free presents, wish you well, sing to you and I got 4 different voicemail messages with folks singing me the full out version of Happy Birthday To You! I saved all the messages...I'm going to play them back whenever I need a reminder that I am loved and cared for.
I even got an email from a friend from 30 something years ago that kept my birthday in her address book all these years. We are sporadically in touch. The bond of friendship still sits with us. She invited me to a writing group that she is in! LIsa's poetry is beautiful and I am so honored that she would even consider inviting me to a writers group. What she doesn't realize is that this is something I am really longing to get better at, explore, critique and challenge myself in. We actually met in high school at a Creative Writing Class. I love those connections. I want to take more photos and explore writing. So...at the end of the night opening that email...well, it was perfect.
Thank-you to everyone that made my day special.
Home Hacks shows you a nice tutorial to make a Waldorf Gnome. We've had lots of these gnomes live at our home over the years. These gnomes are wonderful for open-ended imaginative play and storytelling and puppet shows.
This is the gift that showed up in Day 5 pocket in my birthday garland!
So, creativity and home...that's what I've been focusing on this month. I have read books, made some art, cleaned out clutter, sorted through some books and rearranged a little. Home...it's the canvas of our life. We can create every day in small ways. While you're washing up the dishes...put something pretty nearby to look at and it makes it easier to move outward to create beauty in the whole space. So, it becomes...not about just washing the dishes. It becomes creating beauty while you're washing the dishes. You're not just racing or mindlessly getting through the task at hand but, focusing on how the canvas before you...the dishes...allows you to think about and move outward with your creativity in the space. It's a perfect time to think about home. Wash dishes...paint beauty.
Earrings on Day 3...
Felted Garland Day 4...
I'm thinking I'd like a puppet show for my birthday.
These beautiful knitted dolls are from ithaca handwork. The Sunbridge College Handwork Program is something I'd love to participate in.
Our local social justice center is having a Grand Re-opening. To celebrate... the collective is hosting an anti-valentines day party. It's being called "Valentine's Day is a Drag!". The idea is that Valentines Day isn't always great for everyone, it's stereotypical for most of the world and looking at gender issues is one thing the center wants to celebrate and explore. A gender issue workshop will be held, there will be a dance party, a dj, food, art projects and costume wearing. Everyone is welcome! Here's a photo of a banner I made for the event. I used upcycled fabric and leftover buttons I had lying around. The photo doesn't do it justice as it is of heavy upholster-like fabric so it has a nice weight to it.
My creative daughter dressed up our windows with a valentine garland...she finger knitted the garland with wool and then cut out paper bag hearts and hung them along the garland. We hung festive lights and we now have a sweet window to look out at the birds.
I love February....candlemas, valentines day, loads of birthdays in our family and occasionally the chance to take a Big Leap on some years! Not everyone loves Valentines Day because the think it's contrived or a hallmark sort of holiday. It can be that if you look at it that way. It's also hard if you are alone without a sweetheart and it feels like everyone around you has a "valentine". I guess because I take the month as a sort of celebratory month of me...valentines day is more of a celebration for me...spreading the love around as well as to myself. So...take "heart" if you are not in a loving relationship with someone right now...you have yourself and that matters the most. A nice thing to do for Valentines Day is to make a soul collage or some sort or just a soul collage card. Make something that celebrates you...what you love, what your hopes are for....something or somebody you long or wish or desire after. Make an inspiration collage and hang it up for Valentines Day. Pick out beautiful images, ones that speak to you in some way. Maybe put a picture of yourself in the center. Take some time to think about where you are headed this year...what you want to celebrate or manifest for your life. Find some images that speak to you about this in some way. It will make you feel good when you look at it. You did something for yourself that holds deep meaning. May love manifest in you...
A recent soul collage card that I made...
Windows of color open
Layers of stained glass
Contemplating the spaces within
Deeper...deeper....
Revelation.
Books I'm reading to celebrate the month...
One of the things I'm thinking about is integration. How do I integrate all that I've gathered on this journey up 'til now and manifest it in the world? So much training, so many diverse interests...pulling it all together. How do you change things midlife? The world was one way a year ago and now financially the world is crashing around alot of folks...scrambling seems to be common. Long ago I took the Creativity Coaching Training with Eric Maisel...it was a really good experience and I worked through alot of ideas about creativity. One thing that was so important in that class was the awareness of constantly shifting...shifting ideas, priorities, expectations, hopes, disappointments, resolutions...you name it. If I can find a way to shift all the time...life can mutable. It's easy to look at something the same way...static.
Lightly the quiet bird settles
Winter heavy on the wing
New life, birth, beginning waits expectantly
A heart, heavy with the past
Flight is imagined
tiny friend cracks through the shell
Soul Collage Card...tiny bird soul
After hibernating all winter long, loading the woodstove methodically round the clock...it's time to think of cleaning out. I have begun this in small ways. I'm sorting through books to give away, cleaning out the paper clutter, trying to decide about what projects to work on in our home. There is alot to do...
Home that I would love to live in...
Spring Greens
