Tell Me
So go ahead, tell me. Because I want to know. Really, I do. Be brave. Be bold. Inspire the rest of us and share in the comments below.
xoxo
RIP Lana
She’s gone.
Sweet pony was called home today.
I found sweet Lana lying by the gate today. She was dead. From the looks of things, she just keeled over. Ka-boom. Just. Like. That.
She wasn’t sick. Wasn’t in pain. And ever the sweet pony that she was, she didn’t put me in the heart wrenching position of having to make THAT decision.
She actually did me a favor dying like that. An old horse, a very old horse, moving on to wherever it is old horses go. Leaving the body she no longer needed right there by the gate. By the gate…so we could get her out of there easy peasy. If you ever even contemplated moving a dead horse you’d know how considerate that is.
Oh God, I’m going to miss her so.
Lana
1980-2013
Going to miss that deep throaty nicker every time she caught sight of me. Her boundless enthusiasm as she cantered up to the fence for dinner. Or just to say hi, as recently as yesterday. Her kick-ass I’m the boss mare attitude towards the others in the herd. Her catch me if you can shennigans when the the mood was upon her.
Lovin’ on Lana
I’m going to miss her, oh how I’ll miss her. But she didn’t go before she taught me the lesson I needed to learn, that it’s okay to open your heart, okay to risk it all by loving someone. Even when you know that someone isn’t going to be around forever. Even though that love will someday break your heart.
I wrote all about that here. And because of that lesson, I also know it’s okay to feel what I’m feeling now. Which is shitty.
Really, it’s okay.
Because shitty will pass. And when it does, the lesson learned will be stronger than ever. It’s okay to love. To feel deeply. To be vulnerable. And it’s okay to feel good again.
Thank you Lana, for teaching me that. Happy trails. Namaste. And while you’re galloping around up in pony heaven, say hi to Roy and Dale and Jesus for me.
Chill
This is where I am tonight. Warm cuppa tea, feet up, dog by my side. Sometimes, I say sometimes, a girl just gots to reflect on what’s important. Like North Korea. Syria. Monsanto. Or, in my current state…what’s on HGTV tonight.
Sometimes a girl just gots to be chill.
Because I’m not going to save the world with anger, no matter how righteous. My signature on your petition doesn’t mean squat. I cannot rescue every dog, save every child or say anything that would change a politician’s vote.
But I can make the world a little better.
Really, I can….
By letting go… Just. Letting. Go… of that over which I have no control.
Poof… just like that.
Which frees me to paint.
And love.
And see things with an artist’s eyes.
Including that which is good.
Namaste, sweetums. Namaste.
Stepping Back
Life has been all hustle bustle in Arty Life land lately. Been bordering on a sense of OVERWHELM with all that’s on my plate. Clearing out Mama’s cottage. Finding space for everything in the studio. Writing. Arting. Learning. Being.
AAAARUGH!
Until this morning. I woke up to filtered gray light and the sound of a steady rain. And then came the delicious realization that it was my day off. And with that came the proverbial fork in the road… I had a choice. OMG!!! I. HAD. A. CHOICE. I could get up and continue the pace that’s driving me into the ground or—
I could spend the morning jumping on the bed, if I wanted. Practice those handspring and cartwheels.
Or better yet, grab the iphone from the side table and start taking pictures.
Because the geometry that is my bedroom, has been my bedroom for nearly twenty years, was suddenly very interesting.
And the drizzly light coming through the curtains was soft and lovely
And there were puppies under the covers. Puppies who wanted me to roll over and grab a few more ZZZZZZZZs.
So. I. Did. Which was a big deal. HUGE. Because I tend to be a burning-the-candle-at-both-ends kinda girl.
Holy crap! I slept in!!!
And when I got up, this is what greeted me. Everything fresh and wet and smelling clean. Life-affirming, life-giving joyful spring rain.
Water everywhere. In the concrete bowl I wrote about here.
On the St. John’s Wort growing wild between the house and the barn.
In puddles along the way.
The ponies wanted room-service this morning. Wanted me to slog through the mud to them.
Not that they hadn’t been out and about before I got there. But why walk over to the fence when Mom will wait on you. Really. Why?
Back at the house there was one more thing I had to do.
Thank the rain for knocking the pollen off the trees. And tell the stuff that was already on the porch I would hose it off soon. But not today.
Because even tho there are things I should do, things I have to do—everything will get done in it’s own good time. Right now I hear a studio calling my name.
You’ve Got Mail
Evening, not quite dusk. A walk to the mailbox, camera in hand. Here’s some of what I saw.
Lilacs entwined with blackberry brambles. Smelling like heaven.
Wisteria growing through blackberries. Growing up trees. Once upon a time DearDaughter called them purple pinecones.
Looking down the lane from the foot of our driveway. The treetops in the meadow lit up by the setting sun.
The neighbor’s lab. Yes, he’s every bit as active as the photo implies.
The lane beyond the bend.
The organic farm. Much better gardeners than I. Or should I say me?
Wildflowers in the meadow. Something yellow. I’m sure they have a name.
Mr. Mailbox and friends hangin’ out on the corner like they always do.
Now I’m heading back home.
The only bird who sat still long enough for a photo before flying off in a blur. There were a lot of them and they were noisy…in a good way.
Heading up the driveway. I’m home. And so lovin’ these longer days.
Arty Life Eats Greens
Hello hellooooooo my best beloveds and favorite people everywhere. I have a TREAT for you, my sweetums. Indeed I do! But first, a word from our sponsor…
Today’s blog post is brought to you by the letter G and the color G-R-E-E-N.
TA-DA!!! Now take it away Kermit–
Kermit may be my favorite singing frog friend of all time but folks, he’s got it ALL WRONG.
Because being green is easy-peasy.
Look at that. This is what went into my breakfast this morning. Spinach. Parsley. Cucumber. Celery. Banana. Almond butter. Flax seed. A splash o’juice and a chunk o’ginger root.
Oh, and ice. Mustn’t forget the ice. And sometimes water instead of the juice. Most times, actually.
Toss it all in the blender. And it doesn’t have to be a fancy expensive blender. I have one of those, it lives under the counter. I use this one more often than not, something I picked up at the cheapo store. Works just fine. So don’t let that be your excuse.
If you’re new to green smoothies, start with more fruit. Maybe a 60/40 ratio. And the milder greens like spinach. After awhile, at the point where you begin to CRAVE these suckers, you’ll find you don’t need the added sweetness. I’m at the point where a single piece of fruit—a banana, pear or an apple– is sweet enough. But in the beginning start with more.
You can even add cocoa powder. OMG, yes! The first GS I ever made was bananas, spinach and cocoa powder. It was the color and flavor of a rich dark brownie and I remember Mama trying to lick the inside of her glass, a little old lady sitting there struggling to get every last drop.
I gave her a spoon.
The color in this one isn’t the gorgeous emerald green they usually are because of the cherry juice. Berries will do that too.
One of these in the morning will last me the better part of the day. I make a quart or so and if I have the time, linger over it. If I go to work I take it with me.
Experiment! Try different combinations of greens. Chard. Collards. Mustard. Bok Choy. Mix ’em up. Play around.
Adding the flax seeds will give you your Omega 3s. You can toss in other seeds or nuts. I like a heaping tablespoon of almond or peanut butter, gives a rich and creamy feel to the smoothie. And I’ve read that you need to include fat with your greens for the best absorption of the minerals.
You can read more about green smoothies here. And find all sorts of recipe ideas here. There are testimonials all over the interwebs, too many for me to list but it’s a great way to kill an afternoon on the net and get all inspired.
Better yet, just throw some spinach and a banana into the blender and give it a go.
And if you have a favorite recipe, I’d love for you to share it with the rest of us in the comments below.
xo