For Grace

 I said at Jude's the other day, something about things you can hold in your hand, Maybe the comment went through. Then this small leaf with its feathered edges, fell tucked into my car window.

So I held it and let it go.

Isn't that what we do? Hold and let go.

I am sending out love to all today.

Change is in the air in many ways.

~~~~~~

May you remember to hold

May you let go with ease

May you share love all of your days

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2022

Winter Solstice 2020

Happy Solstice

Happy Season

May we all move into our longer days and be able bask in that light, rather than curse a sense of never-ending (as in longer). I'm probably not in the best frame of mind to be here, but I really wanted to wish you all well in and tell you I may not be posting quite as often. There's things that need to get done, that I want to get done and which very well may not get done.

I'm just worn down, worn out and may take a break. Maybe not, of course. I'm 'playing it by ear' as my daddy used to say. At any rate, that all I've got folks.

PS The first photo below is supposed to be a mouth and is not finished yet, but came out looking more like a heart. This could be a new symbol to remind us to use loving words to others, to ourselves.

Love to all

xo

 Photographs by NAE ©2020

 

Love and Hope Through Song

       

The Avett Brothers - Ain’t No Man (Official Video)

J. heard the song above and hooked me on it too!

I heard this Hamilton Leithauser "Here They Come"

and played it for him.

It has been all about music lately.

It seems to be the new go to, leaving me wondering 

how much of a maker I even am anymore.  

I've been playing a wide variety of music for the toddlers

and they LOVE it!

We have some real music lovers in this group.
These are just some of the recent tunes:
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (two versions)
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (and other big band songs)
The Beatles (Happy Birthday and She Loves You)
Hula Ukulele music (they wore bandanas as hula skirts)
African drumming
...and more!
We have a drummer and a horns lover in the group!
I'm open to any suggestions ☺

This feeds me.

←     →

View from my lunch car, do you see them?

Seed pods!

 ↑↓

Yesterday was a take care of business day.

Taxes, Voting, Brakes checked...

stuff like that.

Our new voting system was pretty seamless.

This whole deep need of a positive outcome

leaves me stressed.

Sigh

Thursday when leaving work, we were put on lockdown,

so I stayed put for an extra 10 minutes.

It turned out there was someone running in and out of traffic and

onto the site of a big company.

It was a big deal.

Security and Cops involved.

Then, when I went to the workshop on a community college campus,

we had a planned active shooter drill.

15 minutes in the dark and silence.

Due to the unknown elements and young men yelling in the halls

as the drill began, while we sat in the dark,  

it was more stressful than it should have been...for me anyway.

I learned some things about me.

Yuc.

←     →

Anyway, while waiting for my tax turn,
while in public...I observe.
I wrote my observations on scraps of paper in my purse...
wrote a whole post in my head.
But, I'll just leave it there.
I won't bore you.
I'm boring myself.

 ↑↓

Later today is laundry and weaving (I hope)
and maybe some packing to mail a few items.
We'll see.
I'm pretty sure there will be more music!

I hope your Sunday is relaxing or
productive, whichever you want and need.
xo

Photographs by NAE ©2020

December 2019

Gifts

for the making

for the giving

for the getting

for the noticing

Stocking

The stocking you saw me starting, is now done.

It has gone off to to the family who graciously shared their

mantle full of stockings here.

I wonder how any more will fit?

Season

Beautiful trees in a parking lot.

Pears

Pears, a re-gifted gift...and most of them, gifted to others as well.

One for him, one for me

New reads, I've yet to start mine.
All in good time.

So, my wish for you this time around is 'time'.
Time to be with loved ones
Time to learn and grow 
Time for the outdoors and for noticing 
xo

Photographs by NAE ©2019

A Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Post

It has been a day of remembering.

Candle glowing, marking the 7th anniversary of my mama's passing.

Yahrzeit

So, although today is the day we light a candle.

My mom is with me always.  We talk about her a lot, J. and I.

We miss her.
I don't need to put pics of her or the candle here, I've already done that these past years.

 XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Today, the feelings are more circular.
There's a lifespan thinking going on.

Today I remembered how 7 years ago my sister and I sat all morning, making the important phone calls of canceling her many credit cards.  Cards she'd had...some since the 1960's!

There was something significant in that.

The undoing of a life.

New friend at the Pow Wow

Take your place on The Great Mandala...
(Peter Yarrow)

I think of this as I've traveled around this week reading at Grace's, where The Old Cowboy has just had his last goodbye and over to Julie's where not too long ago she moved to a new phase in her life, saying goodbye to her children's childhoods (in a way) - through their displayed photographs, and to Dee's and Saskia's - both of whom share college bound boys...and dear Cindy, who has two growing up and away boys herself.  I think of this life shift as I spend time at Jude's ever-evolving space as she reinvents, talks about what to keep, what to part with or layers cloths into less-ness (in a way).

Today is also the birthday of my 5th kid.  Not my child by birth, nor a blood-family member or classroom child...but instead the child of one of my oldest, closest, dearest friends.  A child who grew up with my own.  You know the kind.  A family friend.  A bonus child.
Today she is a beautiful, funny, intelligent young woman beginning to make her way in the world, make her mark on the world.  She is filled with passion and justice and enthusiasm.
She is the kind of gal that gives you hope for the next generation.
Her grandma's Yahrzeit passed in summer and her birthday in September.  
She would have been 90.

Fry Bread

Will the circle be unbroken...
 Ada R. Habershon  
Tomorrow is the birthday of my newest daughter, my son's new wife.
I don't really like the term 'daughter-in-law'...it sounds like you are forced to accept this person by the actions of your loved one.  I am honored to welcome her into my life, so no 'in-law' for me!  She too is a gorgeous, passionate, spirited and fun-loving young woman. Traits I admire.  Traits I wish I'd held a bit more myself when I was young.

I think of them, mid-twenties, just thirty...moving thirty.
My mama, living 80 long years.  My friend's mama, close to 90.
And Old Cowboy...

I celebrate the days of birth of these loved ones.
I watch my work babies grow before my eyes, three turning two with six weeks.
Families in the throws of daily, busy family life.

And I celebrate my friends in the throws of letting go, of stuff...of particular obligations or old habits...of ways that no longer work.

There are so many ways to do this thing called life.

Basket with beads

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game...
(Joni Mitchell)

I, in my own place of grown children, stuff lightening, birthdays & anniversaries, 
sharing, considering...
and circling, have spent many months thoughtfully pairing down material belongings, both personal and professional.  I've shared things with friends, who also teach.  I've sold or donated things.  I've recycled and thrown out some things too.

My most recent sharing involved me going out on a limb...
stepping out of my comfort zone a bit...taking a risk. 
After communicating with the Director/Teacher of Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School on Face Book, I decided to share a few items with her and the children, staff and families of the the school.  Not knowing her at all, except for a few FB comments, I bravely sent her a care package.  I was deeply touched by the reception I and the goodies received.  
I was especially pleased to be able to pass on what may be just 'stuff'...but what to me is the torch, traditions and my passion for teaching, cloth, feathers, children's books...and connections!  You can read about it here.

I had to stop reading a couple of times to wipe my eyes.
There is something magical about this time in ones life.


*Afternote: All of this deep thinking, pondering, reflecting and such happens wrapped in daily life (for me anyway).  That life includes our yearly...highly anticipated by me, local Pow Wow.  I usually start announcing in June that it is "almost Pow Wow time".  Being that it happens the third week of September, you can see how I look forward to it!  J. pretty much thinks I'm nuts.  For lack of any photos to pair with the powerful feelings I've been having, I paired my words with Pow Wow instead!  Such is life :)

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2015

Spring Bird

It is Springtime in the trees at work!

A co-worker showed me where this nest was.

So I had to catch a photograph or two.

The mama is not too thrilled with the amount of activity that surrounds her on a daily basis.

She must thrill in the quiet of the weekends!

Look at this beautiful still life.

Life in the waiting.

It looks so big, but it is not.

Enjoy this mama, resting quietly.

Really pretty amazing to see, for a humming bird.

Can you see her in there?

Have a calm, peaceful rest of your weekend,

Nancy

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2015

Keeping Open

Silhouetted Opened Spaces

Today, this is what 'open' looks like.

What it feels like.

Today spaces represent open.

If there is no open, there is no space for that seed.

No seed, no growth.

So, open.

Light Filling Open Spaces

I've received news.

And partly because I've been considering open,

I am in a good place to receive this news.

“And the day came when the risk to remain
tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
-Anaïs Nin

As I go about considering this, I remind myself to remain open, to look for the spaces.

I remind myself to rest there, in the spaces, and breathe.

Spaces and Beyond

Open Spaces.
Keeping open.
 Leaving space.
Being open.

“The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size.”
~Albert Einstein

I have a sense of change about me.

A sense of growth taking place,

even when I'm not even fully aware.

And when I am totally present and focused too.

I have a sense.

Really Open

 Because open also comes from the seed itself.

It can be juicy and wonderful.
It can be a deep kind of open.

It can be sweet.

It can be fruitful.

Open Can Be Deep

As a friend said to me today,

"Life is good".

~Nancy

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2015

Giving and Receiving

The front

 This is the front of the stocking you met in my last post.

This little baby got a snowman just like his parents.

And there are snippets of at least one fabric from both mom & dad's stockings.

He'll have to discover those when he's older!

Weaving

Cloth

 These two became a gift for my co-worker, for one of those Secret Santa things.

I chose to work with her 'favorite colors' & her love of Tinkerbell, while keeping in mind that she is always cold and hikes the local mountains with her family.  

A warm scarf and a medicine bag.

Shell on one side of the medicine bag

The other side of the medicine bag

 Like last year, I went with my sister to the Winter Solstice Meditation.
We were offered raw rose quartz, a candle was lit.

The word coming to me for 2015 was 'open'.
Some of you may remember last year's word was 'flow'.  It served me well throughout the year.  Now I will consider 'open'.

I left my word tag on the tree among many others 
and I will carry my word with me throughout 2015.

Here we go...

I'll leave you with a gift I was given.
Last Sunday, after returning home from a farewell open house for two 
long-time, dear friends on the eve of their move North...
The sunset sang a most glorious goodbye!

Airplane

Airplane headin' home

I hope this last week of the year is filled with creating and connecting 
and ending and beginning anew.

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2014

Sunday Hike on Saturday

This week the Sunday hike was on Saturday.

This week it was not super close to home.

A day trip away.

This weekend I was on the coast.

I went to visit a very dear old friend.

These visits always last for hours and hours.

They include a walks, meals, gifts, visits with other friends and former students.

They include laughter and sometimes a few tears.

We share news of the day, memories of our shared past, inspiring ideas and life worries.

We share stories.

We share ourselves.

I treasure these days.

I am extremely grateful for these visits and for this friend.

This is where we go to walk...

 The beautiful Pacific Ocean...can you smell the salt air?

Open Spaces...love that big blue, cloud holding sky!

 Can you see all of those Butterflies?

Click on photos to enlarge.

Even though it was mid-day, most of the butterflies were clustered together for warmth.

The population is very low this year, only about 1500, instead of thousands.

The only thing they eat is milkweed.  These are West Coast Monarchs.  They can travel up to 2000 miles in a season.  They will stay at this location until about February.  They come for the location, not the Eucalyptus trees.  I never knew this!  I also learned this year that the females will mate with many different males and can do so for up to 14 hours at a time!  Wow!

 Click to enlarge photos to learn more

 There was a great Volunteer Docent there teaching all of us so much.  She shared facts and both eggs and a caterpillar perched on the milkweed.  She made the learning fun and accessible.

I loved seeing this group of tween girls completely engaged.  They asked and tried to answer questions.  They listened attentively, as did their parents.  Two even wanted to hold the stripey caterpillar!

This is learning at its best!

 In the gentle hands of a child

 Looking up at the grove from a lower elevation.

 Bridge across a currently dry creek bed

The trail as we head back out

 Dirt trails crisscross the bluffs

 Light dances on the surrounding mountains

A charming neighborhood gate.

 Heading home, I try to capture the amazing moon.

This is what I get!

Thank you for coming along (again).  

You all may never truly know how very grateful I am for my online community.

You'll just have to take my word for it!

Whether or not you celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I hope you'll pause for a moment during the following week to feel the gratitude I feel & share with all of you...

and maybe share some of your own.

~Nancy

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2013

You can also see this grove of Monarchs here (includes informational links).