inspiration...

The sun is gently rising here at the tree top garden.  It's a lovely morning, the air is soft and cool.  I decided it was the perfect morning to sit out in the garden, enjoy my coffee and write.  

I love watching the garden come to life.  The tiny sprouts as they break through the rich dark ground, the beautiful buds as they start bursting to life.  From where I am sitting I can see the bright purple flowers that will one day yield the black pod yellow wax beans.  The vibrant color against the green surrounding everything is so inspiring to me. 

It's peaceful out here.  The baby birds are starting to hatch, there has definitely been an increase in my small downy looking friends, they haven't quite learned to be afraid of humans, so they will fly up to the light wires or plant supports and look at me for a few minutes.  Watching them fly is amazing and funny. They are wobbly and unsteady, they haven't yet mastered the skills that will one day have them buzzing past, gracefully sailing from tree to tree.  

These past few weeks have been incredible.  I have so enjoyed the silence and beauty of my tree top garden.  Seeing it throughout the day is something I haven't been able to experience.  If the temperature would stay just like it is now, low 60's I would never leave my sweet little garden.  Unfortunately, this is the Midwest and as soon as the sun breaks firmly over the horizon it will soon be low 80's and I will be miserable.  I will retreat inside once that happens. 

I barely remember a time that I wasn't an early riser.  Seems like it was way back in my early twenties when I started having to be up early to go to work.  I have such a passion for watching the world come to life.  For the sun to break, the birds to start singing, to feel the energy as the world wakes from her slumber.  The critters I listen to in the early morning hours are very different than the night time friends.  

It's a bit more quiet here in the tree top garden than it is down the hill at my girl's house at night.  We share the same woods, our homes are separated by them. Probably less than a football field in length if you don't mind the craggy, slightly steep hill and small forest that is between. Yet at night when the sun goes down, up here it gets quiet, peaceful, still. The canopy life slowly tucks themselves into their snug little nests.  You can hear the steps of the forest animals, the raccoons, deer, opossum, sometimes the small red foxes. Up here, we rarely see them.  Sitting in her yard at night, comes really close to feeling like you are in a horror movie some evenings. It gets dark up here, but not understory of the forest dark. 

I envy her the large flat yard, the spaces that she can fill with all sorts of vegetables and fruits.  I might covet my child's gardening space.  I wouldn't trade her though. My world is filled with bird songs, her's is filled with a wildness that I find a bit disturbing.  I get an occasional skink or turtle visit and we have seen one snake up here since moving in, bless her heart she always has snakes (OK, I understand they are good for keeping pests at a low level - but geeze), lizards, turtles - did I mention snakes? And at least once a year there are several coyote that wander through, her yard is their resting spot sometimes. 

Nope, the tree top garden is more my style, especially as I get older and have a few more struggles with these darn knees. 

Sitting here watching the sun sneak higher into the sky I discovered that I also have a beautiful pea blossom. All of this beauty is making me want to climb the stairs and look for a quilting book I bought many, many years ago.  I can't remember the name right now, but I can picture the quilts so vividly.  If I remember right it is a mother and daughter team one is a photographer the other created quilts based off the photo's of nature. I couldn't help myself... I climbed the stairs... Jean and Valori Wells... and as I have three of their books, you can tell I love them!

Ugghhh... I have a few projects that I need to finish, I need a clean plate. I need to be able to focus on what is important to move forward without being distracted by the left unfinished piles. I simply need no more guilt in my life around unfinished stuff. 

My class yesterday was incredible.  I was sorry Hubs couldn't be there, poor guy ended up with a stomach virus, based on the silence from the man cave, I think he might finally be sleeping. I learned so much.  I am definitely on the right path.  Tons of questions were answered, so many idea seeds were planted that my head actually hurts.  I know the machine I have is not the machine I need and I am working on the plan needed to get the equipment that will make a difference.  

The tricks and tips were "worth the price of admission" as the instructor kept saying and honestly I think I met my spirit animal in her.  She was fun to be around, but her irreverence for the quilt police made my heart soar.  The quilt police alone are one of the main reasons that I refuse to join a guild.  I've had that experience far too many times. 

I am never going to be a quilter that follows the rules.  Art should be personal. Quilts are art. Being told what thread to use, how much and when?  No thank you.  Being told that I have to color inside the lines and if I don't mine isn't good enough.  Nope, that isn't how I roll.  My first grandmother's flower garden is 100% hand pieced and quilted.  It is made from fabrics that I never would have put into a quilt, it didn't matter.  I didn't have a clue how to make it, didn't know it was a very difficult pattern, I simply did it.  It was my great-grandmothers.  It is full of polyester (strange) and a mix of cottons (even some feedsacks) that probably do not belong together.  It is full of love and a rich family history.  I treasure it.  Any quilt guild around would have lost their minds. 

So much is spinning in my head and heart right now, so much research is needed, so much to dig through.  I am setting the intention that I will have the new longarm machine by my birthday month.  I cannot wait for that part of this new journey. 

I think it's time to savor my coffee, enjoy the view and relax for a few minutes.  Hubs is sleeping, the world is silent except for the critters and the random hum of vehicles and air conditioners. 

What kind of joy are you finding in life? Are you taking the moment to soak up the beauty and inspiration around you? How are you going to break the rules and live free and inspired?

life...

Raindrops are just tapering off.  The air has that crisp earthy smell that follows a sudden downpour.  I was just out back sitting on the deck.  I wanted to play my singing bowl and not disrupt Hubs resting in his chair watching his old movies. The sky was starting to clear, the last drops of the mid-afternoon squall were falling and it sounded like all of the birds in the woods decided to call out to each other at the same time. I love the wildness of the woods.  It's calming to my soul and listening to them harmonize with my singing bowl gave me chills. 

While I was sitting there, lost in thought and staring off into space, the final notes of my bowl ringing in my head I was all the sudden overwhelmed with the mission impossible theme song playing loudly in my head.  So much for a zen moment.  The little nuthatches that have taken up residence in Hubs' Harley Davidson birdhouse crack me up!  I've watched them for a couple of days, but today, well today took the cake.  It was like watching a bad spy movie, the kind where they have their coat collars turned up looking all around to see if they are being followed. 

Here are these two little birds no bigger than a fist with all the feathers on top of their head standing on end, beak full of nest making supplies,  looking all around to make sure they aren't being followed.  Bouncing from light string, to plant stand to planter and then back out into the trees, their little heads on swivel.  They definitely keep me smiling. 

I also caught a squirrel mastering the "squirrel proof" bird feeder this morning.  Smart little buggers when they are hungry.  Showing Hubs the picture cracked me up even more, I'm not sure he realized he described the little fellow as having his "right hand on the frame and his left on the bar".  I could have shoo'd him off, but he'd worked so hard for that snack, I didn't have the heart.  He was leaning a good 16 feet or so over the edge of the deck with nothing but the hard ground to stop his fall if it didn't turn out the way he was planning.  I just couldn't ignore that bravery in his quest for food. 

Hubs and I went to the movies this morning.  If you get the chance to see Here Today - with Billy Crystal, do it.  It is an incredible story that will leave you laughing, crying and searching every emotion and memory that you have.  

It definitely wiggled into my heart and has had me thinking.  Time with family and loved ones is very precious.  None of us know when our journey here will end, and none of us know the angels that we will meet along our path nor who they might be disguised as.  Nor do we know what blessings their time in our lives might bring. My favorite line from the movie? "I'm here today".  Aren't we all?

Cherish those blessings, look for them.  Ironically one of the guys that used to work for me a long bit ago reached out to me today.  Wanted to let me know how his life is going and to show me a picture of his newest kitty (he and his lady rescue kitties).  It was out of nowhere.  I last heard from him in December, he has had a rough path, yet his heart remains pure. 

I am a very blessed woman.  I have had so many angels in my life.  Some of them have flitted through and I almost missed them, others are now permanent pieces of my journey and I could not be more thankful.  I want to cherish and celebrate all the pieces that make me whole. I want to continue to find time to sit quietly and enjoy the rain.  I want to be present when with my loved ones and friends. I want to enjoy this journey, because truthfully it will be gone in the blink of an eye.  

I believe that I am ready to start my research, to start putting together the bits for the next phase of where I am supposed to go. Life is beautiful.  Go out and walk in the rain, play music with song birds, immerse yourself in the energy of this beautiful planet.  

sit a spell...

Do you know what the perfect ending to a beautiful spring day is?  Sitting on the cold ground, coloring in chalk and listening to the wisdom of a four year old. When my old bones felt the ground was too cold that sweet, precious baby went and got me a pad to sit on.  All she wanted was my undivided attention.

We explored rocks, talked about the drawing she was making, believe it or not - we talked about meditation.  One of the family cats was sitting just outside the fire pit line staring into the forest, he hadn't moved for probably five minutes and we were joking that he was meditating.  My sweet little grand daughter immediately demonstrated the yoga pose she uses.  Legs crossed, fingers pinched in a circle and arms at her sides, with her eyes closed.  

She's four, yet her soul must be thousands of years old.  It is so easy to get drawn into a deep conversation with her.  She reminds me of her uncle, he was the same way when he was little.  He was a serious conversationalist when he was young, now... not unless you are sitting together face to face.  He loathes the phone and conversations online only last so long. 

Hubs and I went over so he could put the girl's windshield wiper blades on her truck.  Evidently it was something that has been needed for a bit, but she didn't want to ask.  Kids.  After that little task was done we spent time chatting, laughing, digging through rocks - I love that my kid and grandkid's take after me and can get totally lost in the act of looking for rocks.  I'd mentioned to my girl that I was hoping to find a hag-stone, which resulted in her showing me several of hers. She is a very lucky person to have found so many. We also looked at the collection of fossils and gems that she found in the woods and talked about going to Haunted Ridge Rocks to search for some durzy quartz.  

The only thing keeping me from going crystal hunting is my immense fear of snakes and they seem to be out in mass lately.  I keep trying to tell myself that most of the snakes in Missouri are non-venomous and more afraid of me than I am of them.  And bam just like that I remember I am terrified of snakes.  Although, I really do think I will head to Haunted Ridge Rocks soon, it intrigues me. Maybe I can get the girls to come with Hubs and I when we go. 

Hubs and I sat on the deck for hours yesterday, physically unproductive.  Emotionally, it was so healing.  We worked together to paint the hummingbird feeder, it was clear with a nondescript looking base and top, the red flowers had faded from being in the sun.  We'd seen a few hummingbirds at our daughters house, but none here at the top of the hill.  Her yard is awash in red, ours isn't.  As I had the paint out I finally touched up the colors on a beautiful plant trellis that sweet Hubs bought me many years ago when we first got married.  I cherish it and forever I've been meaning to get around to painting it again.  Yesterday seemed like the perfect time. 

It is so very therapeutic to sit for hours and watch the birds. A little conversation, a little quilting and lots of bird watching.  The hummingbird found the feeder almost as soon as it was reassembled, there are cowbirds, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, finches, tufted titmouse, chickadee and both pine and rose breasted grosbeaks. Yesterday an indigo bunting joined the party. The woodpecker shows up quite frequently, but only when none of the others are around. Our beautiful little tree top garden is a perfect spot for bird watching.

Sitting out there among our feathered visitors is so relaxing.  Watching them fearlessly perch on tiny branches, they have no reason to fear, they trust their own wings.  A lesson we humans could stand to learn.

As you can tell yesterday involved a lot of time enjoying the fresh air and relaxing.  

For sweet Hubs this vacation has been all about relaxing.  We'd like to catch at least one or two motorcycle rides, it's been so long.  Mother Nature has been a bit intent on holding the temperature just below where we like to ride.  It's not as much fun when you are shivering. Tomorrow and Saturday are looking semi-promising.  I might just have to let my sweet Hubs drive my bug and go wander around.  It's wind therapy with a heater. 

Maybe I will get that little quilt finished today.  I'm anxious to start on another one, although I'm trying to work linear for a bit and complete one project before beginning another.  It's going to depend on how my finger feels.  Trying to teach myself to use a thimble again, my poor finger is horribly punctured and painful.  It's really slow going. Or maybe we will pack a picnic lunch and go explore somewhere.  We may even clean out a few more areas. 

Who knows what this beautiful day might bring, another opportunity to enjoy our lives together, is all I am asking for.