Busy? Circling?

 

There is nothing so wise as a circle

~Rainer Maria Rilke

It has been hot, still. There have been days of clouds, causing higher humidity than we are used to. We usually have a "dry" heat compared to other places in the country. Anyway, the weather (and air quality) has really gotten me off my walking game. I refuse to be too hard on myself for this. When we get into the car the thermometer reads hotter, just from sitting there. The we play the guessing game on where it will land after a mile or two of driving. Yesterday it read 108, got down to 103 - or something like that (I've sort of lost track). 

I watched two of the "Whispers in the Garden" videos (below). Every one is so beautiful...magical...and so much love and dedication on the part of the gardener. Amazing really. I then popped over to his channel and watched this one, his most recent and discovered that he has been unwell. I don't watch this channel on a regular basis, so I had no idea...which is such a good reminder about not really knowing what others may be going through. Anyway, his gardens and all that he films are so lovely and just the respite on hot summer days. I could post so many of them here, as each one is so fulfilling in some way.

She offered her most precious thing...and they said No

LINK 25:51 minutes

Around here, our gardener has been working so hard to tidy Everything up. The building owners were set for a visit/walk through last week and everything got new paint, raking or a trim. These grasses look like they got an at home haircut by an untrained parent! 

One woman, one tiny yard, and a vision no one saw coming

LINK 38:04 minutes

The wall next door has been turned into an ashtray. Gross. What a harsh difference between these lovers of the land in the videos and this glaring statement close to home. What kind of people would do this anyway?

In other notes, I've been slowly turning those colorful squares into...something. I've been busy writing notes and using colorful tape to seal them safely inside until they reach their destination. A feel good activity for me.

In reflecting on the lives of those who journal (in some way - however loosely that may be), I realized that over the past few (several?) years, I too have been writing more and more. Again, not in a typical diary fashion, but I was actually surprised at the different "books" I have.  Along with my New Solution datebook holder, I have two small everything arty books (which hold art ideas, quotes, addresses and lists)...the Black Lists Book (a goofy book of lists of anything and everything I can think of: pets we've had, body parts missing, place we love...etc. there is a list for each of us, for each subject) ** Go here for more on A BOOK OF LISTS...the gifted tan drawing journal, which you've seen pages of here...and medical and a PT tracking spaces. I've gotten a chuckle out of the fact that this has organically grown, with me having no idea it is a "thing" folks do (even if my particulars are very, very different). It is comical to me. I have other journal books just waiting for some sort of need or inspiration.

I'm also very slowly rereading two books. Blue Highways and The Tao of Pooh. Additionally, I finally bit the bullet and ordered a used copy of Sacred Circles - which comes with a historical story (of course). I had this book back in the late 1990's-early 2000's. It was a time of discovering new parts of myself and it caught my interest. I read much of it, but knew I did not have folks to start any idea of a Sacred Circle with, but read it as something intriguing to me alone. Anyway, in around 2007, I shared the book with a like minded co-worker, knowing how it would speak to her. I never got it back. I wanted it back. She even one time explained to me that her philosophy was that if she did not get a personally loaned book back, it only meant that the other person needed it more. Is that how she justified keeping my book? At the time I was nowhere close to practicing that philosophy (well before I started giving away so many personally important things) and I was mad. Years later, I left that job and so had no way to get my book returned. This is the same woman to whom I loaned my whole writing/collection of weaving with children ideas/related book titles notebook to - and who then passed it off as her own. Why did I ever think we were like-minded? The problem then began...I could not recall the exact title or the author's name.  As the years went by, it all became more and more fuzzy and I could only recall the most basic outline of the book. Anyway, in my many searches, I always paused at the one linked here...is this it? I would wonder. It sounded familiar and the 1998 copyright date fit...so is it? Like I said, I finally took the gamble and have just begun to flip through it. Is it the same book? I think so, but I am not 100% sure, yet. It does feel familiar. I actually bought it with the idea of satisfying my curiosity and then passing it on to someone in particular. However, I'd forgotten that it is filled with quotes and interior stories. I may need more time with it. 

When sisters gather

and the wind/breath/spirit blows

and seeds are scattered

and nurturing happens even when we are unaware

Margee'

How do you broaden your circle? How do you keep your circle safe?

 

May you circle around 

May you circle within

May you circle with trusted others

xo

#goodenough

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026