sacred day two hundred ninety-two.

afternoon walk.  flowers open.

10.16.2011

walking with my boy each afternoon after school is a sacred task.  we love these steps together. 

sacred day two hundred eighty.

a gorgeous bloom.

10.7.2011
love this bloom.  spotted on a morning walk with my boy to school.  gorgeous hibiscus.

sacred day two hundred seventy-three

a market meal.

9.30.2011

setting aside time to create in the kitchen, i gather the work of their hands!  all of this comes from the love and sweat of the various farmer's market farms.  i am thankful for each of their hands.  i know them each by name and i give thanks.  i honor their work by taking time to be inspired by the ingredients, to create a shared meal with love, and to savor each bite mindfully.  

sacred day two hundred sixty-four

mom, come and see! 

9.22.2011

my son's excitement over nature is overwhelming at times.  running into the house he was so excited to find a quiet cricket along our front walk.  perhaps this cricket was approaching the end of life. i'm not sure.  he delighted in its company. i delighted in witnessing his joy.

sacred day two hundred sixty

fishing.

9.17.2011

spending an evening fishing with friends is a good thing.  we love this spot that's a gift for us a couple times a year.  a church member offers his space for fishing & camping.  we love, love, love to go and share this good time worshipping the spaces of the outdoors!  creation is sacred.  settling into our breathing, stopping to watch the fire dance, and listening to all that is alive in the world that surrounds us: such goodness! 

sacred day two hundred fifty-one

garden observation.

9.8.2011

perched on the rosemary was this moth.  it's such an interesting creature with amazing textures & colors. i love exploring the garden to see what's new, what's changed, and what's creeping and crawling within it.  what a glorious find! 

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 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-five

park play.

8.23.2011

enjoying the cool day, the fresh wind, the goodness of nature and laughter and friendship.  enjoying the moments stepping together, being present to others, being open to receiving. stepping into this moment with full awareness. watching the wonder & the life of it all.

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.  

sacred day two hundred seventeen

saying goodbye.
6.5.2011

there are spaces for good beginnings and good endings.  there are also spaces for the farwells and soon to see you agains.  in this moment, we are departing a sacred space for our trio.  a delightful home away from home that provides rest & restoration.  we love the green of this space.  we love the welcome we receive while there.  we love that our country hearts have a place to be.  we find peace.

sacred day two hundred fifteen

inside the earth.

8.3.2011

walking in a cave deep within the earth, entering the silence and stillness.  it's a realm of knowing and stillness that goes into your body.  you feel the coolness.  you see the wonders that surround you with stalactites and stalagmites.  you see the beauty in what surrounds you and you know you're safe in this space.  

sacred day two hundred fourteen

cutting into.

8.2.2011

receiving gifts of food is one of the delights of summer.  we received not one but two beautiful watermelons from family and cut into their red, juicy goodness.  what a gift to receive! what a gift to taste and share together.  what a gift to share images of and recipes for creative salads inspired by friends who've moved to be closer to family.  what delight!  oh, my.

sacred day two hundred twelve

afternoon light.

7.31.2011

trees are such a part of my spirituality as is light + dark.  i love the captured image from a moment delighting in play with my family.  a sacred moment.  sacred light under a spirited tree.  

sacred day two hundred eight

harvest.
7.27.2011

spending good time on my birthday gathering and preserving these tomatoes & freezing okra for the gumbo that's to come.  i love creating spaces of light and life. i love creating spaces where good food grows in our garden & yard.  i love creating spaces for others to see what potential they hold within their hands, their voices, their life story.  it's an amazing life, filled with mystery and awe.  i appreciate the generosity of these tomato plants, of the creative spirit, of the divine within each.  i am so thankful, so thankful.

sacred day one hundred ninety-seven

trees.

7.16.2011

awakening under a canopy of trees along the blue ridge was a gift on this morning.  here you see a simple tree along a field.  the time we take to camp, to retreat to nature, is a gift.  we know that the luxury of the time & means of taking an evening away, putting up the tent, cooking over a fire is a gift that not all enjoy.  i certainly hope that those who are able can look up to the sky and see the beauty that it holds. that each can see trees in their spiritual state.  that we can look around and see the wonder and amaement of creation.  such a glorious, mysterious world!

sacred day one hundred ninety-four

garden bounty.

7.13.2011

what comes from the earth.  feeds our bellies.  eating these colors of the rainbow.  delighting in the tastes flavored by the sun.  such goodness! such joy! 

sacred day one hundred eighty-three

sacred soil.

7.2.2011

thankfully it's not every day that we bury a family member.  this soil tops the grave of my paternal granfather, which we were placing upon his grave in this moment.  this moment, a meaningful moment shoveling the red dirt of Mississippi upon his resting place with shovels used in the garden, a place he loved.  he shared his veggie bounty with others. there was always a ripe tomato to be had.  it's a sacred moment, a moment that gives body to the goodbyes with sacred soil. 

sacred day one hundred seventy-four

hello, bloom.

6.22.2011

i can't help but be reminded of the sacred feminine when glancing upon these flowers.  i kept calling them the vulva bloom... and i may only think such from now on.  a gentle reminder of the beauty of the sacred feminine in so much of nature.  thank you, mother earth.  

sacred day one hundred seventy-one

worshipping outdoors.

6.19.2011

of all the spaces to worship, outdoors is my favorite.  sitting among others on bricks facing the church's  portico, we worshiped.  we listened to the sounds of nature (and passing travelers), felt the sun's rays on our skin, and embraced the gentle breeze.  it's a sacred space, this sanctuary.