13...ten~

last week i came home to purple tulips waiting

​kindness from my sister

 a small gesture

that made all the difference

a certain type of love that was needed

13...ten

​purple waits

​rethinking the thoughts of fresh cut flowers

spring sprouting

soiled fingers

bits and pieces

fragments

scattered

cloudiness

longer than long stretch

horrendous battle with migraines

old books

​windows open

calming of storms

Indira Gandhi once said:

"You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose."​

inspiration avenue heart tag swap...

making & sending

♥♥♥​

was such a sweet treat

​heart tag sent forth from Susan

​heart tag sent forth from Katja

​heart tag sent forth from Bambi

Thank you so for the creatively beautiful tags you each made

 I

♥​

them

and ​

a glimpse of what i sent forth

​this was  a two fold surprise

13...nine~

sometimes i think i think to much

​i am filled with many thoughts these past few days

​13...nine

watching people in life and their struggles at hand

wanting to help

but...knowing they are the only ones that can help themselves

believing...it is their path

reminding myself...you can only enable for so long

boundries

choices

change

ignorance

lightness and dark

wild new moon energy flailing about

​emotions waxing and waning

​wondering...if i stand in my own sunlight

do you ever...

have a day that fills your spirit with utter sorrow

all the while being stirred with gaeity

​deeply saddened from hearing about the loss of two

yet the reuniting with ones from long ago

has brought forth a sense of solace

Paulo Coelho once said:​

"It's what you do in the present that will redeem the past and thereby change the future."​

when...

when you are looking for clarity

yet you don't know where to begin

when you are seeking and searching for what you feel you need

yet you can not find the answers

 it is in without trying

that somehow it comes to you

finds its way

and makes all the sense

it is in realizing the answer is no longer what you need

​when

delicate hints of spring...

without knowing

subtlety

​quince buds emerge

abiding

while still ​wrapped within a season of cold

Sidonie Gabrielle Colette once said:

"It's so curious: one can resist tears and 'behave' very well in the hardest hours of grief. But then someone makes you a friendly sign ​behind a window or one notices that a flower that was only in bud yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slips from a drawer...and every thing collapses."

sweet saturday...

because sometimes

sometimes

you wish it would last just a little bit longer

13...eight~

​march 1

could it really be

the days of winter

slowly coming to a close

13...eight

stranger than strange moments arising

wishing my fingers could move a bit quicker

crocheting away

wabi sabi words and thoughts

collectively gathering

the joy in giving 

​excitement in the air

despite the rain falling

hopes of a forecasted 60 degrees

this morning will be one trip to the airport

welcoming home a grandpa so dear

worries settling

​our minds at ease

Euriphedes once said:

​

"Our lives...are but a little while, so let them run as sweetly as you can, and give no thought to grief from day to day. For time is not concerned to keep our hopes, but hurries on its business, and its gone."​

catching the light of the moon...

when luna blooms

​so ripe and full

she draws me out 

whispering softly ​in the blackness of night

​to come and stand under her light

renewing my spirit and easing my mind

though it only lasts for a few passing moments

those moments are enough for me

Henry David Thoreau once said:​

"I never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude."

i never knew...

that you could age so quickly

​my wee littlest put me at

341

seems i went warp speed through 306 years

really though

number five seemed to be hiding

so they improvised as best as they could

one

lemon cake

with

lemon frosting

and

sprinkles

made one birthday mama

oh so happy

looking back through 34...

there will never be another year like so

it was

filled with adventure

an

 an abundance of new

so many "first" time things came to be

THERE WAS

snowboarding moments

see here...​it had been 16 years since i stepped on a board

due to my first time going down the mountain at the ripe age of 18...no one told me how to stop...they yelled up at me just fall back...so fall back i did...and ended up with a trip to the doc...end result...one cracked tailbone 

our oldest said one day as i was ending 33 ​

"why mama...why don't you try again"​

so try i did

and i do have to say

i am no longer afraid

​a gift from my love and littles

with him saying

"now you can live your dream"​

​six girls {so we thought} came home 

to add to our mix

our first time raising babies

here LIBRA just a mere 3 days old

​it only took a few short weeks to discover that "she" was really a "he"

LIBRA now 10 months old

not only raising chickens but alas a rooster too

 my first etsy sale

our bedroom went under construction

​i helped my love and littles {and learned how to} build a bigger closet in our room and white wash our floors

we celebrated my father turning 70

with the presence of

our family from so so far away

{it was a first for many of them coming out to washington}

​and per our fathers request

his ever loving 70th birthday wish

we

our father, my sisters, brother, nephew and i

went sky~diving

​my love and i

became parents of a teenager

our oldest little {who is not so little anymore} turned 13

i danced

in my first belly dancing recitals

​i

married

a very sweet couple

​my love and i

went on a morning date

while

our oldest babysat for the first time

my sister showed us

a blueberry wonderland

​we spent many of our summer days picking away

we stumbled upon a vw bus

and

took her on her

maiden voyage to orcas island

for a family trip

{it had been over 15 years since we all went up as a family and was also a first for many}​

my sister and i flew to chicago

{thank you to two very dear people who made it possible}​

and

we embarked on a traveling adventure

to visit her campus and i was blessed to be able to show my support

as she graduated

an

unexpected road trip

with loved ones

​and as a family we witnessed 

a miracle

here's to the gift of life

​i launched my website

my dream was

...just...one...

if i sold just one of my prints

well many made my dreams come true these past few months

34

may be hard to beat

there were so many wonderful life moments that came to be

my hope for

the days of

35

tomorrow is

that

i

can and will

continue to indulge

in the sweetness of life

13...seven~

there are just some things in life

that are destined to happen

a link that reminds me we are bound together

the moment i think i am in the clear

freed from such ​

it presents its self once more

{see i live this nasty life tied together with my love and his ball point pens...14 some years and i can not tell you how many times i have had this happen...as if one time was not enough...oh no...the moment i think ah, its fine...is the moment it all begins...once more i decided i did not need to check his last pair of work pants as they were heading into the washing machine...and yes...this is where i went wrong...taking a chance...from the wash to the dryer...and from the dryer to oh no...not again...one lingering blue ball point pen was carefully residing in the last of his pants...another ink explosion at hand}

to add to that one of my slippers sneakily snuck in...goodbye to two creamy speckled white slippers hello to one dingy blue

13

​​accepting the reality of what really is

realizing some connections are stronger than you may think

leaving the door open for someone else to clean

allowing myself to let go of control

watching two littles find a common ground

admiring their chosen type of play

soaking up a moment of not having to parent

being the one to admit fault ​

 forgiveness asked  ​

forgiveness received

​feeling the stir of spring

 experiencing still the bite of winter

​indulging in salted caramels to wind down my day

J. Johnson once said:

"Second chances are rare, Use your first chance wisely."​

one day i might just remember those words

with scraps...

inspired

gathered carefully

lined by the right

and ​

stitched together tight

​from nothing of sorts

with scraps that lay

a wee little book came forth

Someone once said:​

"Maybe it's not always about trying to fix something broke. Maybe it's about starting over and creating something better."

taking flight...

 because 

she was ready to fly

the destination

was not what mattered

the spreading of wings

the freedom

at hand

the choice to choose

to know she could

not for much reason

or journey planned

to fly

because she knew

if she didn't

she never would

Richard Bach once said:

"Don't believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you'll see the way to fly."

light of winter...

there are moments that leave you without words

13...six~

reflections from a window

pondering thoughts

as if

seeing a portal

one in which

could transport you

swirl you up

and take you to another world

fascinating don't you think

if only

it could really be

13...six

finding beauty in an old weathered car

a new found appreciation for life within an ancient junkyard

thinking about the little things

sipping piping hot raspberry leaf tea

delving into wuthering heights

mild bleak days

no adventures at hand

quietness remains

though there are hints of spring

light ever so slowly lingering into the night

experiencing newness

chocolate laced with champagne and lilac

wondering what life would be like as a chocolatier

James Joyce once said:

"Mistakes are the portals of discovery."

a nice new way to think

creating with pink and red...

it is not often

when raising boys

that the colors

pink

and

red

come out to play

i learned long ago

my days with our littles

would not be that

of

frilly

and

pink

 having accepted those terms 

i have also learned

when those few days of February make a turn

i come forth to the table willfully prepared

ready for the battle cries

 the grumbles and groans

that will be heard from lands far away

before we even begin

declarations are immediately proclaimed

one wee littlest:

but mama, i don't want pink and red

one wee older one says to his brother:

there's no point in trying, she won't give in

smart one is he

who learned long ago

he simply will not win

the battle against

pink

and

red

and without missing a beat

one wee littlest says: 

what about black and blue

and once more i say

today is for

pink

and

red

these.are.the.only.colors.you.shall.use

i know...i am evil right...hehehe

its just a few mere days, that i throw out the whole embrace your littles creative side, you know sometimes they need a little push to steer them in a different direction to open their minds and explore a new road

and before too long

the battle has passed

and hearts are quickly and happily made

and discoveries too

one wee littlest says:

look mama, even light can make love

 light can make love 

and so can you

then

one wee littlest says:

mama, i hope we're not done, i wanted to make some more

so in the end

pink

and

red

did not harm none

and this morning i woke

to the sweetest of sweet

not only had cards been made

but my breakfast too

i am thinking

they may have had a wee bit of inspiration

coming from the

♥

of my sis  

John Barrymore once said:

"Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open."

not just today

but each that comes forth

know that you are always

surrounded by love

crazy swap that came...

with each passing year

i do have to say

the crazy swap

has become my most favorite of all

there is no specifics to this theme

except for gathering and collecting miscellaneous bits

 digging and delving for treasures at hand

and knowing that

you will never predict what your partner will send

this time around

i had the pleasure of swapping

with 

the ever so kind and beautifully creative

Madeleine

a package

plum of of goodness

came to be

pieces that have my wheels turning and twisting

with the endless possibilities that shall manifest from thee

colorful bits to savor

and ones that shall be shared

but you see

the greatest thing

that comes from all this madness at hand

is not so much in the surprise package you receive

but

is in the gift

of

meeting someone

you would have otherwise not known

to you

Madeleine

i thank you greatly

for the wondrous package you sent

Walt Disney once said:

"Around here, we don't look backwards, we keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

...if you are interested in joining along...

stumble on over to

http://paper-swap.blogspot.com/

the next one is coming oh so very soon

the grand finale...

our hope was

one last run

before our truck got laid to rest

we have ran it hard for quite a few years...in a couple of days it will be going under the knife for a tremendous overhaul

we packed up our littles snowboards and toys

and set off on our final trip

it did not take long for our truck to say

i think i have had enough

had we been wise

we would have listened to its words

but you see

the sun was out

and we were wanting more from this trip

so onward and upward

we continued on

not adhering to the signs that befell

how could you

when the open road 

ever so pretty

lay waiting

for us to pass on through

and with that open road

was the light

sigh

the light was giving quite a show

flickering and casting spells

all throughout the trees

mesmerizing it became

so much so

that my love had to turn around

as he wanted me to capture the moment

before it passed

around we turned and came to a stop

and our truck proclaimed even louder

putting up more of a fuss

 as one worked

our littles and i

came to terms

that this was probably the extent

of our snow filled day

and i said to one

its ok

lets head on home

but oh no

one could not accept such defeat

and conquered on

while saying

no worries we'll get to some snow

 snow we did see

the father we drove

and the more snow that we saw

the more our trucks fury arose

yet  higher we climbed

in search of white

until one had to admit

this was probably the end

parked were we

while some water was in need

out i hopped to have a quick peek

as i walked

there i saw

one that lay waiting for me

it seems as of now

this here bridge would not be crossed

though i know it shall stay

and as for the woods

that were quietly whispering our name

entertained by the presence of another

they would have to be

the open road was calling once more

 telling us to head on home

one last look at the river side

and all in a blink of an eye

back on the main road we were

the only noise heard

was the humming of our truck

as reality set in

we were trying to accept

that it wouldn't be till spring

when we could visit these woods

for this truly was

OUR FINAL RUN

it took us far longer to get ourselves home

this poor old truck

could hardly take it anymore

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said:

"Each morning sees some task begun, Each evening sees it close; Something attempted, Something done"

 something was attempted

and

something was definitely done

sweet saturday...

i have yet to meet another

♥

in this world

who is

sweeter

or

kinder

than the mother of me

the love she shared and gave

to my sister and i

as children

growing up

never skipped a beat

and to this day

HER

♥

REMAINS

a

consistent 

constant

continual

flow

her

♥

i think

if you could believe

has quite possibly grown

even

sweeter

with time

i remember...there was never a holiday, "big" moment or bad day that our mother forgot...she would show up to school armed with flowers, balloons and a card or cakes and sweet treats...yet sometimes to our surprise...if it wasn't waiting there in the office..upon our arrival back home there she would be to brighten our day and just let us know how much she cared...now that we are older...she still continues to spread her love and has made room for more than just two...

yesterday's visit

with my parents

came with an extra sweet bonus

THANK YOU SO

for always giving such

♥

Sophia Loren once said:

"When you are a mother, you are never alone in your thoughts. A mother has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child"