sacred day two hundred seventy-eight

morning loaf.

10.5.2011

sitting on the cutting board is a freshly baked loaf from the afternoon before.  my love has cut into it and enjoyed his breakfast.  i am making my sweet boy's lunch and preparing for the day.  the loaf is there reminding me of sacred vessles. our bodies are a sacred vessle. our lives. the bread itself.  we are fed in the spaces of our days.  may we each find exactly what we need and in good measure as we live and move and have our being in this moment. 

sacred day two hundred seventy-five

a pot of goodness.

10.2.2011

returning home. chopping vegetables. solving problems. loving well.  living well. leaning into truth.  naming what isn't right.  honoring one's self.  seeking rest.  creating rest.  honoring the body.  creating sabbath.  delighting in each taste.  being present to this moment.  knowing yourself.  all add flavor to a pot of goodness.

sacred day two hundred seventy-two

baby hands.

9.29.2011

holding this sweet boy is a delight and a gift.  his mama is working beside us getting her art+craft pacakged for a big weekend show.  she's a dear, kind spirit who delights in his company.  she shares the gift of this sweet one with me as i hold him.  he snuggles close and snoozes most of the day.  sacred. sacred. sacred.

sacred day two hundred seventy

sacred circles. 

9.27.2011

letters. shapes. symbols.  each of these represent something special to the one who created this sacred circle.  this act of meditation, creativity, naming, listening, and learning is a sacred act.  i am honored to witness the sacred flow of this creative statement. 

sacred day two hundred sixty-eight

'

bread of life. 

9.25.2011

baking bread during sabbath.  watching the dough rise. slicing open a fresh, warm loaf.  adding butter. adding plum jam.  realizing i only took an instagram photo of the occasion & needed to have taken one more.  knowing that i was living in the day and not through the lens.  marking moments with photos.  appreciating our daily bread.

sacred day two hundred sixty-two

open house.
9.20.2011

open house means getting to sit in the chair where my boy's been sitting during school.  open house means seeing some images of what he's been doing while in school.  open house means getting glimpses of the life he's leading in the spaces of his day. moments i can only glimpse and can only witness in this way.  soon i'll be in the classroom volunteering. yet there's a sacred process of knowing when to let go, when to release.  there's a sacred process in witnessing and holding on as well.

sacred day two hundred sixty-one

holding hands.

9.19.2011

still creating routines on these walks to and from school, i love that my boy holds hands with me.  he takes my hand first.  it's a sign of love, comfort, safety, and trust.  we are for each other in these steps.  we walk together.  i am given the opportunity to witness his goodness and independence in these days.  i stand back and watch.  sometimes i hold on, but not too tight.  

sacred day two hundred fifty-seven

well preserved.

9.14.2011

chopping and canning these pears was a sacred act.  my boy was in bed, getting rest.  i was in the kitchen listening to the rhythm of the knife as each pear was chopped into small, coarse pieces for the dutch oven.  again and again, my ancestors show up and are present.  they were with me in this kitchen.

sacred day two hundred fifty-four

a feast.

9.11.2011

even a pear can be a feast.  today marks a day that is filled with memories, sadness, laughter, stories, feelings, hopes, and dreams.  today is filled with food, rest, and love.  today is a day that i stand in my kitchen and look out my window.  i listen to NPR. i mark this moment.  i stand in awe of the beauty of a pear.  i stand in sabbath rest. 

sacred day two hundred fifty

stepping together.

9.7.2011

we're starting new rhythms, new patterns.  walking beside one another, holding hands.  i'll take this every day.  i love the walking. i love the hand holding. i love the morning stillness & movement.  i love the shared stories as we walk and talk together.  i love being mother to this child.

sacred day two hundred forty-nine

show me what today was like.

9.6.2011

my boy's first day of kindergarden.  how sweet.  he was a little uncertain.  he was a little scared.  he was excited, too.  all of those mixed emotions. at the end of the day, in that moment of picking up, hugging, and lovin' i asked him to show me what today was like.  this. this exuberance. this joy.  this delight.  it spoke of the day and the day's end.  

sacred day two hundred forty-six

familiar sights.

9.3.2011

meeting printmakers from nashville was tremendous.  witnessing their creative hands, watching them add ink to the press as they were printing.  oh, my.  i met kindred spirits who shared their work, shared stories, and shared excitement.  what a joy to meet so many creative souls.

sacred day two hundred forty-two

sacred soup.

8.30.2011

making meals for the family is an act of love and gratitude.  i am so grateful for those who create these foods through the work of their hands.  i am so thankful for our home and life together.  creating a soup can be a sacred act. in the sight, smell, and tastes, i see the sacred. 

sacred day two hundred forty-one

savoring.

8.29.2011

savoring a tasty drink among good women at the tail end of a gathering. recognizing the lightness in the air.  naming the moment as a good one, in which my voice is shared and i listen well to stories told.  we dream a little togeher, sharing stories of writing and laughter.  breathing together in a shared space.  thankful and whole.  looking into this sacred circle and sipping.  sipping life a little at a time.

sacred day two hundred forty

hearts.

8.28.2011

cutting little felt hearts on the sabbath.  reflecting on what is good.  listening to wisdom.  learning from the moments of rest and stillness and creative rest.  present to what is before me.  listening to my heart.  a sacred moment on a day of sabbath. 

sacred day two hundred thirty-nine

well preserved.

8.27.2011

the winds blew & the rain streaked the windows.  the world outside was a movin' while the world in my kitchen was warm and busy.  the sacred space of my small kitchen fills me with peace, mindful practice, and appreciation for the bounty from the earth.  canning the figs picked the day before into whole figs & preserves brought delight to my morning.  canning these figs restored my spirit and brought me joy. 

sacred day two hundred thirty-seven

honoring wisdom.

8.25.2011

wisdom is all around us.  wisdom is within us.  i find wisdom bubbling up from the well that's deep within.  often i sense wisdom through gut instincts, through that inner knowing, through the voices of others.  wisdom is present.   through this doll, in this moment, during this day: i am honoring wisdom and her sacred presence.

sacred day two hundred thirty-four

sacred circles.

8.22.2011

my hands are moving into the moments of creating sacred circles one circle at a time.  these become a sacred act as i reflect on life, center on the moment, and move into spaces of listening to wisdom.  i want to be present to the wisdom within and the wisdom that surrounds me.  i become lost in the circles as the color stories develop and bring life and light to the moment.  i am surrounded by the sacred, opening my eyes to glimpses in each day.  glimpses in each moment.

sacred day two hundred thirty-three

sacred stitches.

8.21.2011

stitching is truly rest for my soul.  stitching is creative rest for me.  i love the space within myself that is fed as i use my hands to stitch.  i love black & white, using them so often in my own creations.  i love the contrast that is presented before me as i stitch along.  creating this feather brought me to stillness & rest during my time of sabbath rest.  each stitch brought creative rest. creative calm.  

((this magic feather is one that i found along a blog that you might enjoy.  i didn't watch her tutorial until after i created mine. you may find a few parts helpful if you are a learning stitcher. i'll be sending this one along to jude this week.))

sacred day two hundred thirty-two

saying goodbye.

8.20.2011

perhaps i did not take the most care in my words as i offered to a friend to add our goldfish to her backyard coy pond.  perhaps i should have not said aloud that this fish would survive nuclear disaster.  perhpas i should not have coveted its home thinking about a terrarium.  perhaps.  in any event, we buried the goldfish that lived over 4 years.  the smallest that survived until it did not.  we found it under it's large river rock in the tank & decided to let our boy choose how to honor it.  so we did.  now the river rock is atop this fish in the yard as it's tomb stone.  he gets it. he sees life and death. he's touched it, and used my grandfather's july funeral in setting up this one.