Inner-light?

"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen

Ebb and Flow - with Sperlygirl

Finally had some time to work on this *in progress* piece. Sperlygirl penned me some prose and I pieced them into the work, just like I had to piece together this photograph. (sorry it's not a better view.)

Her words read:
"the ebb and flow
the push and pull -
always constant.
the journey is finding the
serenity within the constant.
amidst the motion -
seek the stillness of hope."

Still don't think we're done yet though, so Suz...input please.

A Different Light...

While the rest of the South has been hit with terrible weather lately, we have been receiving the most amazing "taste of summer" conditions. Flowers are starting to bloom prematurely, the birds are singing their beautiful early morning songs and I have been able to see myself in a different light. Warm weather and the glorious beaming sun that comes with it is...so healing...so reaffirming.

I sat here for several minutes this morning, just soaking it all in and seeing all the possiblities of tomorrow...

(Enjoy it with me @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK4PjqxqMNE)

A Lotta Frittata...

Frittatas are my new favorite thing to throw together 'round dinner time -- they are easy to make with whatever you have on hand and each one tastes so diverse. This one with leeks, shitake mushrooms, asparagus and fontina cheese -- is by far my best creation. So good, it pleasantly surprised me about myself and my culinary "talents". And I thought I would share that moment...that meal...that creation, because it isn't every day that one can still surprise themselves at this stage in the game, ya know?

So I say be bold, go forth and create a new dish with your kind of ingredients and surprise yourself too!

[Ohh yeah, those baked sweet potatoe "fries" served with are not glistening with oil, rather honey...just in case you were wondering.]

37 Things...

Turned 37 this week, so I thought I would cap off my birthday celebration with a short list of my favorite things:

1. My two AMAZING kids!!!
2. My hairy hubby...
3. "Snuggling and buggling" with #'s 1 and 2!
4. Fire roaring on a cold morning
5. Sipping Decaf Earl Gray tea while listening to Ray Lamontagne (http://www.raylamontagne.com/ ) so I can wake up on those cold mornings...
6. Being able to stay @ home with my kids!
7. Family
8. Friends...my chosen Family!
9. Hugs
10. Smiles
11. Smirks (especially those of Lala's and Chuck's)
12. Asparagus with parmesean cheese
13. LAUGHING
14. The internet...to keep me in touch with my friends and family...and the world!
15. Digital Cameras
16. Photoshop
17. Baking cookies with my kids
18. The smell of said cookies baking...
19. Creating -- anything!
20. Working with children & showing them how to express themselves with art.
21. Stationery
22. Snail mail...giving and receiving.
23. Thank you notes...giving and receiving.
24. Saying, "I love you"
25. Living in the here and now...
26. Holding hands
27. Kisses
28. Trying out new recipes every month when I get my Bon Appetite mag.
29. Suzanne's Blog (http://www.sperlygirl.typepad.com/) and her BEAUTIFUL images and words.
30. Mary Janes...the shoes
31.(and well the other kind of mary jane ain't too bad either)
32. People who are passionate
33. Fall
34. Spring
35. Exercising while listening to my music on my iShuffle -- I just clip it on a go!
36. Banana puddin'
37. Words...

A New Year...A New Me!?

Well, maybe not completely new...but almost.

Even though I like who I am, I worked on myself a lot in 2007, so that my head and heart was one with my body and actions. It turned out to be a great thing, so even though I am not one for resolutions, here are a few new goals I've set for myself in 2008:

Laugh more...

Keep up my exercise routine...adding more running and more yoga!

Finish the ideas I started in 2007...so I can make room for all the new ones I already have...

Keep my distance from negative people...especially around holidays.

Share my passion for arts enrichment with more people even if it means volunteering away more of my 'free' time!

Show my love and gratitude in every way imaginable...

Soak up every moment of wonder...big and small.

Live abundantly.

Here's to a fruitful 2008 -- Cheers!

Delicious Autumn!

"Delicious Autumn!
My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird,
I would fly by about the earth seeking the successive autumns."
-George Eliot