Thursday, December 31, 2009

courage and compost



"Well, we're living in the time of the compost pile. Almost everything is rotten, but the compost is where the good things grow." 
James Hubbell




James Hubbell is a poet, architect, a man with a vision of beauty- necessity.  I googled his name as I had recently read an article or rather an interview, I found his thoughts abundant and quite profound.  The quote above was seized immediately by me, copied and transferred here.  To my surprise, he is not quoted enough on the net.  One has to wade through "the between the lines" ocean of information to glean a view of this man's spirit.  Seems these days, as Mr. Hubbell so aptly
puts it, the compost pile is heaped with a rotten core- but as the pile heats up, I hope in the coming year, many will find the remnants to be worthy of mighty growth.
With that said...here goes my attempt to put it in a wonder-full perspective.


2009 Compost 


Keep the faith, all else goes on the compost pile.


Add heat by remembering the joy of days gone by, of moments alive still in my veins and muscles, in my heart and very soul; those visions that made my eyes widen with wonder.


Add moisture by crying many tears, I tend to get mean when the waterworks aren't allowed to open up and cleanse the roughness of any given situation- I vow to cry more and curse less...


Add garbage, lots of garbage to the pile! For instance, past battles- fought and lost.  Past arguments- the ones where I knew I was right but would wrong another too deeply to have even mattered a pinch.  Past failures- super woman only exists in comic books,  simple woman does the best she can do with the tools she's acquired and even gets her cape a bit dirty in the end.  Past hurts- some I never saw coming and some I welcomed with open arms and then wondered, "why me?!"  Past mistakes- failure is like an iceburg to a tiny rowboat, one tip of the paddle in the wrong direction and your down in a titantic way...better to navigate in open seas, keeping one eye peeled for gigantic ice towers, and by all means- wearing a life vest that says SOS-Seek Only Solutions. 


Add grub...good food scraps, organically or sustainabley grown and most certainly local fare.  


Add yard waste and wood scraps- prune the matter that doesn't matter and pick up all the twigs, what doesn't root must be thrown on the pile so that other things might grow.


2010  Amendments


Take the good soil leftover from the compost heap and add seeds of-


Kindness
Passion
Courage
Forgiveness
Wonder


I do believe with proper growing conditons, all that might add up to the most amazing garden.  One that I am very much looking forward to...


Again, I am compelled to ask you to remember... tattoo it if you must!!!-


Fear Accomplishes Nothing


(Just look back over the last year, when you accomplished a feat- perhaps losing 10 pounds. Was it fear that got you walking every day, or was it hope?  How about when you had to confront a significant other with a problem?  Was it fear that made you take the bull by the horns and stand your ground or was it the courage that it took to stand up, knees shaky as ever- to confront the problem, thereby clearing the air so understanding could float on down clear as day to all eyes concerned?  When I speak of fear in this way, I do not mean herculean feats, I mean every-day-all-your-life, getting-on-that-two-wheeler-after-the-training-wheels-were-removed-bicycle and hoping with everything you had- that you might actually gain balance and ride.  Was it fear that turned the pedals?  Or was it faith?)


Thank you for giving a darn, listening and remembering together- as a child we remember the darkness of a closet as a fearful thing, as adults- fear all too often is let out of the closet to inhabit the whole house.  I hope to become like the fearless child I once was, many years ago- she will be the compost queen once again, riding, peddling like the courageous being she always intended to be.  Happy New Year to the courageous compost building children that we were...and can be again.


Take care.

Thursday, December 24, 2009





Nature is beautiful, always beautiful! Every little flake of snow is a perfect crystal, and they fall together as gracefully as if fairies of the air caught water-drops and made them into artificial flowers to garland the wings of the wind!

Lydia M. Child





...be of good cheer, it is the most wonderful time of year!
Love 
Joy
Peels of laughter
and wonder to you and yours...




Merry Christmas

Monday, December 21, 2009

same light

Winter Solstice 2009 occurs at 9:47 am PST, 5:04 pm GMT on December 21, 2009 (22 Dec. in Thailand and points east.) This is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and from now on the Solar force will get longer and stronger, a welcome relief for those of us who need lots of sunshine to keep our dispositions equally sunny.
by Robert Wilkinson of Aquarius Papers





Good morning.


Today is the shortest lit, darkest day of the year.  It is a time for  many- to let go of old influences, differences- to say or write of the things you wish to relinquish- to see leave your life.  This is where, in times past- the yule log came in.  The ritual began many years back to ignite a log and to burn in it's flame- messages on parchment, bark or some kind of medium that one might write on or draw pictures to symbolize the intention.  And then, the same exercise would begin again with drawing or writing of what you wished to see come into your life.  Again, the intentions would go into the flame, one at a time or all in a list or perhaps upon a pine bow, one might  say, "Joy please come back into my life, I wish for happiness to fill the spaces left open by all the things I do so intend to let go."  


History tells us of pagans (who were really just poor peasants, many of them country people- not heretics or heathens as the church back in the day would have all believe because of their odd tendencies to worship nature- the sun, moon and stars,)  just plain and simple folks who cherished the divine in every living thing... and in each other.   The herbs the good earth gave them thereby curing many of their ailments were gifts treasured and often spoke of in ceremonies.   And to this day, we still use the old ways to cure many common ills.


 These days when people speak of pagan or being a pagan- to me that just means they choose to believe as their freedom dictates.  Nothing scary, or evil....isn't it funny how we often give the unknown, the misunderstood a cloak and dagger of sorts, declaring them unchristlike or even worse, devil worshipper?!  That always tickles me in a way, and sometimes when an actual pagan declares to me that they are pagan, I say- Good for you, I'm Terry!  Almost always I am then met with a very quizzical look, then  kindness- that agreeing to disagree thing, willing to uphold the divine in each and every one of us- regardless of the little tag dangling from our character!  Usually brings about an understanding, an acceptance- clarity then rears it's bright and shiny face and in that same light- we all dance.


To believe in one's personal God or Goddess or Baby or King or Candles or ???? To each his own- Every one of those beliefs have the one thing in common that this day  lacks- Light.  In the following days...in longer lit, lesser dark times- may we all begin again to truly live in the Light that is the Divine in the all and everything.


Joy to all-



Sunday, December 13, 2009

it's all a blur....


My Maine adventure thus far...picture-less posts no more!

Downeast photo taking is like walking into a candy store and being allowed to consume whatever your little heart desires.
 Everything is beautiful.  Real.  Splendid.  Scrumptious.  Inspiring.  Dizzying.  Stimulating to an intoxicating degree.

 Enjoy...








Big as a bedsheet welcoming sign...









Sea and shoes meet finally in the surf at Roqe Bluffs State Park, Machias Maine.
And here are pics I took from my window at Cohill's Inn (& Spirits...), the following morning found me entranced by the snow and scallop draggers.  These photos literally taken from my bed, camera pointed towards the Bay of Fundy...and the food and folks who run the place- ever lasting friends.   And Irish.   Landing in one of my favorite points on this here earth- Lubec Maine.  No one knows for certain how they find it or why they stay...there's something deep and mysterious about it.  Definately a mystical place...I absolutely love it.



My first snow.  In Maine.  And the lighthouse posed perfectly, don't you think?!  I literally could barely breathe at the sight of new snow...tears of joy came all to often that morning.  Emotional woman....


Even indoors, the reflection of the outside is enough to keep a gal humbled for life...

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

TRUE CALLING~214



I almost didn't catch it...today is my anniversary. Number 214, this post is...started the blog thing back in 2007 with Chainsaw Reaction. Couldn't help but traipse backwards through all the "writing" and the pictures. Heck- I even realized a bit of wisdom in all those volatile thoughts- some quite original. Bam!!! That's why I started writing a blog. Some folks say it like it's a dirty word- Bl#!*%g. I say it proud-BLOG! Blogging permitted me to open up, to see inside, to reflect, to inspire, to be inspired- and each and everyone of you- responsible.

That's a good thing.

I am in unfamiliar territory now. Everywhere I look, I see beauty yes...but all is so foreign to these eyes, I don't quite yet- speak the language. Fearfully I wonder if I ever will...but fear and wonder should never go hand in hand, wonder is an opening- not a closed fortress such as fear. So- these words I write from here on out need to be strong and brave and full of wonder...God help me. Amen.


Go ahead, make my day...


Now, should a single soul here on the net comment on how they make the best out of the really scary stuff, even through blurred vision- I, being a truewonder and all, will gladly give to the charity of their choice-
a TWO HUNDRED and FOURTEEN DOLLAR DONATION
in honor of the anniversary of True Calling
Because it would sure do me good to do you good- Let Me Help.

Let's count our blessings together, you and I.

Let's add up all the wonders, extract all the sorrows, stack them all up together against another soul's journey who can't quite make ends meet and send them 214 blessings.

(And your reflection as to why this group or individual speaks to your soul, calling for our attention.)
Please include a link or email to the group or individual so that I may pay it forward. (Or simply email me when called upon to do so through the comment thingy...)

How will I choose a winner?! My heart will tell me so...if yours speaks straight to it.


Take care-

***And should the equation get out of hand...perhaps others will take it upon themselves to fund a true calling- a plea for a bit of mercy and will pay it forward too.