tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51988539518473151002024-03-14T03:53:42.112-04:00The Whimsical CottageDannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.comBlogger589125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-91084442086594106972019-07-14T11:03:00.000-04:002019-07-14T11:03:31.835-04:00Trail Cleanup<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48268846157_54c8eb2bbf_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="66494530_10216420649442058_276189890603909120_n"><br />
</p><br />
Acorn will be 5 this Wednesday and we've been in full birthday mode over here. We celebrated with a big party with his friends and their families yesterday morning and will be going to the ocean for a few days including his actual birthday this week. <br />
<br />
But Friday we took a break from getting things ready for his big birthday celebrations to join some friends for a morning of service by cleaning up a popular park and trail about 25 minutes away. <br />
<br />
Adorably oversized safety vests were provided, as were trash grabbers and gloves. Acorn and several other young kids and their parents worked hard for nearly 2 hours collecting all kinds of trash. We ended up with less volume than we expected, which is great, but we picked up hundreds of little things like bottle caps and cigarette butts, which is fucking gross. <br />
<br />
On the drive over Acorn and I talked about how important it is to put nature and others first, even when it feels like the world is revolving around us a bit. Most especially when we feel that way, honestly. And on the way home he chattered about how proud he felt for helping clean up the woods and how we saw cool mushrooms and a giant beetle and how happy those things must be now that there's less trash in their homes. <br />
<br />
Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-40906803525395490392019-07-05T11:09:00.001-04:002019-07-05T11:09:52.731-04:00Backyard BirdsWe've had quite the plethora of bird visitors in our backyard recently, which has made my bird loving heart so happy. Acorn and I have a good time identifying them and watching their antics. I managed to snap photos of quite a few of them; some while out in the yard and some with extreme stealth through the window on the backdoor. <br />
<br />
Not picture are the dozen or so chimney swifts that are using our chimney as their home for the 9th Summer in a row. I <i>love</i> when I hear their strange loud chatter pick up at dusk for the first time each year. Also not captured by my camera is the great horned owl that has visited my yard a few times as I've watched the fireflies in the evening. <br />
<br />
That bird is cheeky as hell! The one night it landed at the top of one of our pine trees and Joe ran to get the cameras. He came back, handed mine over, and it the 2 seconds I had turned towards him and away from the tree, the owl disappeared! It must not be a fan of the paparazzi. :) <br />
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<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48175572762_b57ed1c4dd_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_9283"><br />
Grackle.<br />
<br />
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48175503146_94c65c982b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_9299"><br />
<br />
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48175571682_3f933d5d43_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Bluejay"><br />
Bluejays.<br />
<br />
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48175576192_27eb93215f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Red Tailed Hawk"><br />
Red Tailed Hawk.<br />
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<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48175508211_8a6f151dcc_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_9331"><br />
Not sure what this cutie is.<br />
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<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48205078176_5c694c992e_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Eastern Bluebird"><br />
Eastern Bluebird. My favorite songbird. <3
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/7802/40386654573_0f169e62fa_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Carolina Wren"><br />
Carolina Wren. <br />
</p>Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-85147213019068771322019-06-25T18:44:00.000-04:002019-06-25T18:44:52.818-04:00YB Falls<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48123811746_4606cffb11_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="20190623_161847"><br />
</p><br />
Drove 2 hours, into torrential rain, to meet our friends for an adventure this past weekend. When we arrived, it was thunderstorming but we decided that since we'd packed up all the kids and made the trek we'd wait and see if they'd bugger off. <br />
<br />
Luckily, they did! And we made a muggy late afternoon trek to this gorgeous waterfall. The kids stripped down and we all made our way carefully over the big rocks and into the shallow pools at the very base of the falls. Once up there, the kids splashed and the grownups climbed around a bit. <br />
<br />
We've been trying to make more of an effort to document the grown ups while we're out, since 90% of our collective photos are of the kids. Good thing too, or this glory may not have been captured! Hehe. <br />
<br />
<p align="center"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/danniquee/48128746222/in/datetaken/" title="received_1198905070312241"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48128746222_39dc761418_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="received_1198905070312241"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<i>That's me in the middle. I shaved off half of my hair since the hike I posted about the other day. ;)</i><br />
</p>Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-85064292628775756202019-06-23T03:00:00.000-04:002019-06-23T03:00:07.170-04:00An Unplanned Solo Hike<p align="center"></p>On one of the last days of May, my girlfriends and I drove 1.5 hours North to a totally new to us trail. Kid free, because we all need our space, plus the trail was rated as "hardcore". We weren't sure what exactly they meant by hardcore, but we were up for a challenge. <br />
<br />
10 minutes into the hike, it was crystal clear to me *why* people called in hardcore. Maybe it was the humid heat. Maybe it was my period showing up on the drive up. Maybe it was the fact that it was unrelentingly straight up. But I needed to keep stopping to catch my breath and it was stressing me the fuck out to keep holding the other gals up. So, I told them to go ahead without me. It took 5 or 6 times of telling them to do so, before they'd listen. But here's the thing. I actually enjoy being alone. Plus, whatever pleasure I may derive out of tackling a super hard hike is greatly diminished if I'm stressing about my ability level rather than working with it. <br />
<br />
Also, we had carpooled. So it's not like I was gonna ghost them. ;) <br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47832451692_214ece1805_c.jpg" width="259" height="800" alt="20190518_131726"><br />
</p><br />
No longer worried that I was holding anyone up, I was able to pick my way up the mountain to the first viewpoint; a waterspill down a sheer rock wall. This was 1 mile into the hike. And I honestly looked at the uneven stone steps climbing steeply beside it and considered just staying there until my friends came back down, but my fomo kicked in and I wanted to see what was at the top. I took a 15 minute break to snack and stretch and started slowly up the side of the mountain. <br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47095079394_6a1b44aeba_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="20190518_111118"><br />
<br />
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40917974013_ec3a4e47a9_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="20190518_112313"><br />
<i>Fuck. More of these shits?!</i><br />
</p>It was a beautiful trail, with lots of moss, some views, mountain laurels beginning to bloom. There were some technical spots where I needed to watch my footing carefully. As I hiked, messages occasionally came in from the women ahead to check in. <br />
<br />
When I reached the fork in the trail I scrambled up some boulders to the top of the rocks and caught this view. I had to make the decision here to either stop for lunch or climb back down and try to hustle up the trail to the mountain meadow where my friends were and eat along the way. <br />
<br />
I opted to relax on top of the rock and skip the meadow. Seeing photos after, I had a tinge of regret, but my pride in making it up this fucking mean ass mountain trumped it entirely. It was a hard earned view, and I'm ultimately glad I chose to spend 40 minutes up there with the laurels, a lizard, and the occasional crow. <br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46968307465_b3690a2fc7_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="20190518_120612"><br />
</p>While I was out on that trail struggling, I went through so many, many emotions. I was embarrassed, and angry, and overwhelmed. A few times when I stopped, my heart pounding out of my chest, I realized my cheeks were wet with more than sweat. But as I kept stopping as I needed, and surrendered to this being the way it was going to have to be and accepted I'd make it as far as I could, all of those hot emotions evaporated and were replaced by cool determination to go as far as I could. And appreciation for a body and mind that's been through some shit, and keeps on going. Allowing me to be out in the wild and doing one of my favorite things. <br />
<br />
And then, on the way back down, as I slowly and steadily navigated an ungodly number of rocks and rocks masquerading as stairs, I noticed about a dozen of these beauties. Gentle reminders from Momma Nature that slow isn't bad. <br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47832442572_c8b1578791_c.jpg"><br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47095037424_861b6055e0_c.jpg" width="533" height="800" alt="60796477_10216043769700300_275526408350990336_n"><br />
<i>Me at the end of the trail, having met back up with my friends.</i><br />
</p>Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-91419688553791737762019-06-21T15:20:00.001-04:002019-06-21T15:20:25.631-04:00Merry Solstice!<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48104605167_725e3ba4ba_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="2019-06-21 02.50.20 1"><br />
</p><br />
The fancy altars of a few years back are dusty and unkempt; places where rocks, sticks, feathers, and lint from pockets stuffed during adventures are emptied. And honestly, I'm ok with it. <br />
<br />
I wasn't for a long time, but now. Fuck it. Being a witch isn't about being fancy, despite the instagram hype.<br />
<br />
Today's celebrations included a stroll through a mountain forest and admiring the resiliency and speed of its growth after a forest fire a few years ago. We splashed in the cold water at the foot of a waterfall. I plucked some tobacco horn worms off of the tomatoes in my garden that seem bound and determined to put me through the ringer this year; first with high humidity making them attempt to root 2 feet in the air, then with the black spots of early blight, now caterpillars. <br />
<br />
I haven't pulled anything out for dinner yet, but I'm thinking some grilled chicken along with zucchini from the garden will suffice. We'll stay up late to enjoy the fullest of sunshiney days, leave some wine and shiny things out for the fae. I may or may not find my way into my sketchbook; more likely I'll find my way into my bed with a book. <br />
<br />
However you choose to celebrate today, or not, Summer Blessings to you and yours. <3Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-64996460206474968582019-06-20T15:49:00.001-04:002019-06-20T15:56:56.931-04:00Fireflies<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47932663351_8320776137_c.jpg"><br />
</p><br />
I've had all these things I've wanted to write about lately, but of course as I sit down *poof* my mind's like, "ideas? What ideas?"<br />
<br />
Guess I should start a page in my bullet journal where I can scribble them down and not forget in the future. <br />
<br />
Anywho, it's been a busy bit of life, but in the best possible ways. We've been having lots of adventures big and small as a family and with our friends. Acorn keeps getting bigger and bigger... he'll be 5 next month. 5! I don't know how the fuck that got here so quickly; I feel like I blinked and here we are. <br />
<br />
As I've done every Summer since I was pregnant with the aforementioned Acorn 5 years ago, I've been out watching the fireflies put on their nightly magic. This year my watching has been joined by the enthusiastic giggles of my bug loving son as he runs through our yard scooping bits of light into his still chubby fingers. <br />
<br />
We took a trip a few weeks ago to see the blue ghost fireflies that live in North Carolina. They were not as vibrant or plentiful as the photos we'd seen, but there was a definite serene sort of magic to them. <br />
<br />
Our friends and us had gathered at a lake inside a state park to watch the sun go down and wait for the bugs to come out. The dads were skipping rocks, the kids were running back and forth through fields and onto the docks, and us mommas hiked around the trails a bit to see where we'd walk when it got dark. Bullfrogs were calling and crickets were chirping. I caught a toad that immediately peed all over me, It was the most perfect early Summer evening, really. <br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47932666573_1ba48f1225_c.jpg"><br />
</p>As darkness crept in, we saw the occasional flashes of yellow in the grasses but nothing blue. We waited a bit longer and then walked the deeper wooded trail with our headlamps turned to red (per what we read online about watching the fireflies) but still no blue. Once we were back on the wide gravel trail again we turned our headlamps off and knowing the state park was going to be closing in about 40 minutes, decided to start heading out to the cars. <br />
<br />
Once we'd resigned ourselves to not seeing anything, one of our friends saw a faint blue light tucked deep in the shadows on the side of the trail. It looked like a very dim blue LED, and you couldn't see it from all angles. As we all took turns looking at the lone light, more popped up on the forest floor around us, until there were probably 100 dim blue lights scurrying around. <br />
<br />
Very few were in the air, but a single cheeky blue fairy flew up and around our group as if saying hello to each one of us individually. Acorn was up on his dad's shoulders and the wee light flew up and encircled his head a few times before descending back in to the forest. <br />
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If I hadn't already been a firm believer in magic, and in fairies, I would have been after that. Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-46424638519172333162018-09-07T14:21:00.001-04:002018-09-07T14:23:39.141-04:00<p align="center"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1860/42688002740_f1a87405cb_c.jpg"><br />
<i>May your dreams be larger than mountains and may you have the courage to scale their summits. <br />
Harley King</i><br />
</p><br />
<br />
P.S. Acorn's dad is *way* more comfortable on mountain ledges than me. Maybe *too* comfortable. :-|<br />
Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-74879335237621087682018-08-31T15:28:00.000-04:002018-08-31T15:28:21.458-04:00Returning to the Woods<p align="center"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/danniquee/26480209159/in/album-72157689015085434/" title="20171106_142010"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4518/26480209159_0a002cca31.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="20171106_142010"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<i>Ravens playing over Stony Man Mountain, Shenandoah National Park</i><br />
</p><br />
Just over two years ago (Yes, it's really been <i>that</i> long), I made the decision to stop lurking on our local <a href="http://www.hikeitbaby.com">Hike it Baby</a> group and actually go to an event. It was super hard for me, because I am: <br />
<br />
1. Awkward as fuck. Those awkward penguin memes that are so popular? I am that penguin. <br />
2. Ludicrously shy. Which makes point #1 even more obvious.<br />
3. A bit armored when it comes to friendships. I've been burned badly and it has been difficult for me to get out of my own way and let people into my life. <br />
<br />
But, the local group combined something I had (babies) and something I really missed doing (hiking) but felt too nervous to do with a baby on my own, so I decided to just toss Acorn and my baby carrier in the car and show up for a hike. <br />
<br />
It was hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made. <br />
<br />
Not only have Acorn and I logged hundreds of miles of adventure time, but it reignited my passion for something I'd missed since leaving the North and my close proximity to the AT. Even during trying times on the trail due to tantrums (the little guy was only about 18 months when we started hiking together), injuries, heat, whatever, I have never regretted getting out into Nature together. <br />
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<p align="center"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1843/29437953077_97e6a9072f.jpg"><br />
<i>Acorn and I to the right, hiking off the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina</i><br />
</p><br />
Returning to the woods has healed me in so many ways. It rekindled my connection to Momma Earth, I am sharing something I love with my son, I met one of my oldest internet friends for a hike up a cliff where we bonded while ravens swooped and played nearby, it literally got me out of my head several times during the long last few months of health trials and answers. The two months that I was too sleep deprived and sick to venture too far from my house felt like forever - I longed to be back out on the trail. To feel the crunch of dirt and rocks under my shoes, to see my son jumping off of every rock and excitedly pointing to bugs, birds, and plants he spotted. <br />
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Hitting the trails healed me in another way, too. <br />
<br />
It caused me to drop some of my armor and actively welcome some of the women I've met and their families in to my heart. I expected to make some "mom" friends, some "trail" friends when I joined this group, but what I found are some true, close friends who have made my life fuller and helped me get through these trials - the toughest of my life. I never felt like I was "out of sight out of mind" during my time off the trails; there were messages of love, offers to help in all manner of ways, food dropped off, childcare for appointments. <br />
<br />
I returned to the woods to find myself again, to share the wonder of this beautiful Earth with my child, and in so doing I found so much more than I had hoped for. <br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1875/44325493542_879d1543f6.jpg"><br />
</p>Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-29518028255859795362018-08-30T22:55:00.000-04:002018-08-30T22:57:19.491-04:00Begin Again<p align="center"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1874/42567943680_d9a3e0445f.jpg"><br />
<i> Artwork by Flora Bowley</i><br />
</p><br />
The urge to get back to blogging has been nipping at me periodically for some time. The desire to write and get back to this space of mine, to explore and share my spirituality and life through words. This popped up in my social media feed earlier and felt like an artful swift kick in the ass to stop finding excuses not to blog (or paint) or worry about how... and just begin again. <br />
<br />
I'm not going to lie friends. This past year has kicked my ass something fierce. Here's the super condensed nutshell version. <br />
<br />
I turned 35 in February. 4 days into March I was in the hospital for what presented as a possible heart attack. After a week of waking up with vertigo, shakes, nausea, and complete panic that would last all morning and in to the afternoon, I realized it was anxiety. Called my therapist as soon as the revelation hit. Started waking up within 3 hours of falling asleep shaking and in panic mode, could not go back to sleep. For an entire week. <br />
<br />
Somehow, I didn't completely lose my mind. Acorn got to watch a loooot of Super Why. (I've switched to using a nickname rather than my son's real name. And now hate Super Why.) My Doctor gave me Lunesta. Which got me about 4 - 5 hours of sleep. Still shaking in the mornings. We tried Lexapro, but it made me so sick after two doses that I ended up hospitalized for the 2nd time in a month, this time due to dehydration. <br />
<br />
My doctors basically told me, I'm a woman of a certain age now, so it's likely just hormones and nerves. I said, the FUCK it is. <br />
<br />
I got myself in with a psychiatrist who has been wonderful. We found a very mild med that works well for the anxiety. But, while we did so, I continued to see my therapist. And ALSO, got myself in to see my gastroenterologist to check for ulcers or other digestive issues that can flare and cause anxiety (especially while sleeping), had a full hormone panel run (everything is perfect. So FUCK that hormones theory), and went to see a sleep doctor. <br />
<br />
Who immediately told me it's sleep apnea. But they couldn't get me in for a sleep study until the end of June. This was early April. I called a different sleep doctor. <br />
<br />
He also told me it's sleep apnea, but elaborated on believing so not only because I snore and was waking up panicked, but because not a single sleep medicine would keep me out, and most wouldn't put me to sleep because I'd snore myself awake just as I was dosing off and that was it. I was up. He set me up with a home sleep study 2 weeks later and it was confirmed. I have sleep apnea. <br />
<br />
I'm still on my Buspar for the anxiety to help my nervous system calm the hell down from this ordeal, and I've been on CPAP for 2 months. Let me tell you, the difference in how I'm feeling is pretty tremendous. I could climb a mountain! And have, a few times since. <br />
<br />
Not terribly big ones, mind, because I've got a 4 year old in tow, but still. Mountains. ;)<br />
<br />
P.S. In addition to not using my kiddo's real name anymore, if you scroll back through older entries all of my photos are probably telling you they're private. I won't be showing his face here much, either. That's just how I'm choosing to roll from here on out and it was easier to make my photos private en masse. At some point, I'll go in an change the privacy settings on the ones I'm cool with sharing. But tonight is not that night. Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-47662563021647210292016-07-24T19:58:00.000-04:002018-08-30T21:59:45.769-04:00Gratitude*Sunday<div align="center">
<img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8238/28494247136_a597d12f1f_z.jpg" /><br />
<b>This Week I am Grateful For:</b><br />
</div>
<br />
* Thunderstorms and the rainbows that follow them. <br />
* Listening to my husband read our son bed time stories and sing him to sleep. <br />
* A fresh haircut. <br />
* Exercise. <br />
* Taking care of myself again. Because that means this fucking fog is finally lifting again and maybe I'll be laughing more easily again soon. <br />
* Music and Harry Potter re-reads.<br />
* Huge hug tackles after Acorn yells "hug!" and charges me down to jump up and wrap his arms around my neck. <br />
* Lone long walks in the heat. This just ties back in to "taking care of myself".<br />
* Being OK with what I do and don't get done. Knowing it's enough. <br />
* Hard stable ground and strong winds whipping around. <br />
<br />Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-58469609259247918712016-06-28T12:54:00.001-04:002018-08-30T21:32:42.917-04:00On the FarmDuring our renovations, we took time to stop for play and rest. One of the things we did was take Acorn to visit a local farm. <br />
<br />
Growing up in farm country, farms were old hat to me. Half of my friends grew up on farms! But living in the suburbs, Acorn's missing out on really seeing the animals he sees in his books. Luckily, there's a small farm about 3 minutes from my best friend's house that had an open house and tour last weekend. <br />
<br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7573/27287196514_56233cc981_z.jpg"><br />
<img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7564/27864573996_77c5a15548_z.jpg"><br />
</p><br />
So we loaded our little dude in to the car and drove across town to get our fill of farm fresh cheese and yogurt (from sheep and goats! No cows here.), touch all the wool blankets and skeins and roving that I wanted to throw all of our money at, and of course, visit with the animals. <br />
<br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7388/27287233884_dd7c759b09_z.jpg"><br />
<img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7711/27962034715_928afe4703_z.jpg"><br />
</p><br />
There were some little lambs that we were able to get up close with and Acorn was maybe a bit too excited about them; especially their tails! So I had to hold him back to keep him from hug/tackling them or trying to drag one home by its tail. Poor things!<br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7252/27621189590_f3890195a4_z.jpg"><br />
<img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7240/27287126154_eaa8f5eaaa_z.jpg"><br />
<img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7663/27860341932_2459f5d820_z.jpg"><br />
</p>We *do* have horses next door to us, so while he was incredibly interested, and even a little freaked out by, the sheep and goats he was completely comfortable around the horses. I laughed at how he gave this friendly old guy the brush off - "quit sniffing my hair, horse!"<br />
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We'll definitely go back when they have their next open weekend! Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-31005500107222128292016-06-17T19:29:00.001-04:002018-08-30T21:33:37.182-04:00Veggies, Renovations, and Summer Scenes<p align="center"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7312/27712312275_856c48dd4f_z.jpg"><br />
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There's been quite a lot going on here lately, and due to the relentless heat, I'm grateful that a lot of it has been inside or in the shade! <br />
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Acorn's been super in to helping Joe and I out with every thing we do lately; when I'm in the kitchen he pulls out the folding step stool and drags it over for me to unfold so he can "help" with cooking dinner. Since he still tries to touch the stove or grab knives, he helps by standing at the edge of the counter holding the spice jars. And, if something is cool, putting ingredients in the bowl/pot and adding those spices. <br />
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Over the weekend, he helped me make two jars of fridge pickles. Then helped Joe mow the lawn while I started my very first batch of sauerkraut. <br />
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We've been prepping the house this past week for our first major renovation in the 5 years since we moved in. We're tearing up the carpet in the living room and 2 hallways and replacing them with high quality laminate, and changing the wall colors. Since we'll be replacing the floors, we need to move all of the furniture out, which means we needed to take all of the stuff off of it. We also had to take all of the pictures and paintings off the walls, which makes our home feel awfully naked. <br />
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Our poor cat, Molly, has been freaking out as things disappear, while Luna and Acorn are unphased. Molly's moved enough times to know that usually when stuff gets packed away, it means he's going to get stuck in a crate in the car at some point. Poor thing. <br />
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When it's been cooler in the evenings, we've been pushing Acorn on his swing and hanging in our hammocks watching the fireflies and bats and taking a reprieve from all of the work that's been or is waiting to be done.<br />
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I'm learning how to hold on to the to-do list a little less tightly and to chillax every now and then. Even in the midst of a major project. Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-45033623988574765072016-06-13T12:37:00.001-04:002018-08-30T21:33:59.601-04:00Gratitude*Sunday A Day LateEach Sunday I stop and count my blessings. <br />
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Taking time to honor the things I've been grateful for throughout the week. A quiet, weekly practice of appreciation and positivity. A time to breath and reflect. A small step towards a more simplistic and appreciative outlook. Feel free to join in. <3
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<b>This Week I am Grateful For:</b></p><br />
* A patient, loving, unwavering husband who is my rock through the even the stormiest periods of my anxiety and depression. <br />
* Getting some time with a beautiful friend who I don't see as often as I'd like, who is in a huge transitional period. The fact that she takes the time to talk and care about other people's shit during her own upheaval is wondrous. <br />
* Sipping sangria poolside. Seeing Acorn actually enjoy the pool for a little bit. <br />
* Our neighbors treating us to a delicious lunch. <br />
* Speaking what I want aloud, even though it sounds so cheesy. Letting go of judgement of that cheese. <br />
* New hammock straps that make it a cinch to put up - hammock hangs after bedtime with my love. Watching fireflies dance around us, bats fluttering overhead, and a huge owl swooping out of our pine trees. I guess I know why I haven't seen as many hawks around the yard this year.<br />
* Going through and paring down my jewelry & fabric collections. Letting go of things is far more freeing than I'd anticipated. <br />
* Acorn picking a flower for his friend, then dumping dirt in her hair 5 minutes later, then a few minutes after that ripping out an entire plant to give to her which Joe quickly replanted. It's the thought that counts, right? :)<br />
* Having a very light, happy, uplifting weekend. Seriously, I'd call it perfect. <br />
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</p>Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-76888005477195779882016-06-05T09:54:00.001-04:002018-08-30T22:01:13.905-04:00Gratitude*SundayEach Sunday I stop and count my blessings. <br />
<br />
Taking time to honor the things I've been grateful for throughout the week. A quiet, weekly practice of appreciation and positivity. A time to breath and reflect. A small step towards a more simplistic and appreciative outlook. Feel free to join in. <3 align="center" p=""><br />
<img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7417/27347461822_4cd434cea6_z.jpg" /><br />
<b>This Week I am Grateful For:</b><br />
</3><br />
* Starting and making good progress on my very first Waldorf doll!<br />
* Rainy days - playing in the wet yard as the rain comes down. <br />
* Watching Acorn's fascination and interaction with bees. He squats down by bees and goes "zzzzzz" at them and offers them clover flowers. <br />
* Good books. <br />
* Remembering to recognize all of my creative endeavors as worthy, not just the painting. Sometimes I get so hung up on the fine art, meanings, seeking, uncovering, and feelings aspects of Art (with a capital A) that I feel like despite creating things, I haven't been "creative". Thank you, Cynthia, for the timely reminders. <br />
* Date night with Joe! We went to a 90's themed adults only party at the Children's museum and had so much fun! We danced to our old jams, dressed more or less like we still do (shh... once a child of the 90's, always a child of the 90's), made some crafty souvenirs, and played! Best date ever. <br />
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Joe playing music on an organ made of plastic pipes.<br />
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Me climbing in the giant, rainbow colored climber! My claustrophobia acted up at the very top where it narrowed, but my fear of heights did not. Booyah!<br />
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Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-62802752110907435722016-06-01T19:24:00.001-04:002018-08-30T22:02:14.911-04:00Dolls, Desires, and a River<div align="center">
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Hey! Remember this? <br />
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I've been slowly working through projects and reading books, but haven't felt much like blogging so haven't shared. While I've been away, I completed a baby quilt that is a few months late but my friends will definitely not mind, repaired the seat in our bike trailer for Acorn, finished 2 new paintings, and have been steadily working through all of the categories of stuff in my house Konmari style to pare down to the things that truly bring me joy!<br />
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I've also finished a few books, which you can keep up with if you're on goodreads. You can find me <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/artfuldanni">here</a>. I'd *highly* recommend Glennon Doyle Melton's first novel <i>Carry on Warrior</i> if you're wanting some woman, mother, wife comradery and musings on life that will hit you right in the feels. My copy is dog eared, underlined, circled and tear stained and I only read it once. <br />
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That all cleared up, what am I working on this week?<br />
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I'm working on a waldorf doll for Acorn using <a href="http://faithandstring.com/making-a-waldorf-doll-part-1-head">this amazing tutorial</a> from Faith and String. I've never made any sort of doll before and this has been a super easy tutorial so far. I'm really enjoying the process and the only thing I had to buy was the knit for the skin. So I'm $6 in to this. Not bad!<br />
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I'm currently reading two books at once. Danielle LaPorte's Desire Map as recommended to me by several friends (and my therapist two days after I had bought it!) and Cathrine Ryan Hyde's ( of Pay it Forward fame) new novel for a review with TLC Book Tours. <br />
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What are you all up to?Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-83649581145411429802016-05-29T11:13:00.001-04:002018-08-30T22:02:41.987-04:00Gratitude*SundayEach Sunday I stop and count my blessings. <br />
<br />
Taking time to honor the things I've been grateful for throughout the week. A quiet, weekly practice of appreciation and positivity. A time to breath and reflect. A small step towards a more simplistic and appreciative outlook. Feel free to join in. <3 align="center" p=""><br />
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<b>This Week I am Grateful For:</b><br />
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* Good chats with friends and the husband. <br />
* Empathy.<br />
* Sunny days and Summer showers. <br />
* Getting the last of the flooring bought for our big living room renovation. Now we just have to wait for Joe to get his time off sorted out!<br />
* New flowers in the garden.<br />
* Creative time with friends. Chatting about Desire. <br />
* A patient, steadfast, loving husband. My rock in the storm. <br />
* Acorn's attempts to stall bedtime by giving me tons of kisses. So sweet. <br />
* Making the decision to accept help in all of its forms. I have a referral out, waiting to make the appointment.<br />
* Books that make me nod in agreement, laugh in commiseration, and sob in understanding. <br />
* All the iced coffee. <br />
* Accidental altars. <br />
* The fireflies being back. Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-32564525242016050172016-05-25T12:52:00.000-04:002018-08-30T22:05:58.341-04:00On FlailingThings will be feeling great, and then one day you wake up and they stop feeling that way. That's depression in a nutshell. <br />
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Ah, my black wolf. He's been hanging around me for a few weeks now, making me weepy and apathetic. And at first, I fought and thrashed and said "This is some unfair bullshit, go away." and then felt guilt and shame for feeling this way again with Acorn being so young still, and for being snappy and crabby and apathetic with everyone. <br />
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But, over the past few days I've had some long, deep, in the shit rambling talks with my husband and a few very close friends. They're the best for these sorts of talks because, they <i>listen</i>. They don't interrupt, they don't offer pity or advice. They simply listen. <br />
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It's a skill I'm a bit bad at myself, if I'm being completely honest. <br />
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And in these ramblings, I uncovered some truths I had been avoiding while in the fog. All on my own, with no one pointing it out. <br />
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Have I mentioned how much I love good listeners?<br />
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I need to find the mother inside of me. Not the one I DON'T want to be, or even the one that I DO want to be. Just the one that I ALREADY am. And embrace her in all of her messy, human glory. It's time to unfollow the parenting advice sites and blogs, unfriend the sanctimommies, forgive the examples I'm running from and just BE in this role and in this life. I can still commiserate, because we all need to commiserate sometimes. <br />
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In fighting so hard to hold on and not "lose myself" after becoming a mother (my biggest fear), I actually stifled a new iteration of myself from coming through. I'm so terrified of change and the what if's of what comes after that I've shackled my ankle to an old, ill fitting version of myself where I don't have room to breath, much less grow. <br />
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And it feels like I'm fighting myself, constantly. The old snarky version of me who wasn't going to let motherhood change her AT ALL, the consummate rebel who scoffed at "women's work", the misunderstood loner artist and the new one who wants to soften and surrender to this season, who isn't embarrassed by the pride and joy she finds in homey things, and admits that perhaps this wasn't the best time to try to try to become a "serious artist", but rather keep on doing what I do for the sake of doing it. The one the old me thinks is super fucking lame. <br />
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Because she's afraid. <br />
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She's afraid of dying, and she's afraid of what comes after. She thrives on feelings of not enough. And so she clings on desperately and whispers vitriol that makes me question the simple joys I find, and makes me fear that if I change to much, everything will crumble around me and I'll be left where I started. <br />
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Alone and flailing. <br />
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She whispers to me that accepting a pill to help is cheating, that it's synthetic happiness, that it's less than real. That it will make me a phony despite my urging and celebration of others for doing what is best for them. Even takings the pills. <br />
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That part of me is what's phony. And hypocritical. <br />
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And amidst all this, I'm flailing with my faith. I never really understood what a crisis of faith really felt like, though I've been sympathetic with others. It turns out, it's not just limited to followers of organized religions. Even a raising herself on dirt and whispering to nature kinda gal can thrash about, crying for answers with the best of them. <br />
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And so I'm searching as I'm clinging. Which doesn't really work out so well. <br />
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My hips and lower back have been aching for weeks. I can't get comfortable when I lie down. Walking, standing and squatting are painful. I feel creaky, crooked, and like my legs are going to pop out of their sockets. <br />
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I feel like I did the week before I had Acorn, when I was in pre-labor. <br />
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And while I'm thrashing about with my spirituality, there's one thing I'm still set on: my body is a mirror for what's going on in my heart and mind. It's time to birth someone new. Flailing and confused but comforted instantly by love. <br />
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It's time to be brave, get clear on how I want to feel rather than who I want to be, and do what I need to do to get there. Because this thrashing about in the cold gray sea thing is better left to the birds. <br />
<br />Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-25921616854945543322016-03-30T14:40:00.003-04:002018-08-30T22:04:56.365-04:00Cleaning and The Broken Fellowship<div align="center">
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This week I don't really have much in progress that is worth showing off. <br />
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I'm collecting pieces to re-vamp my Tank Girl costume from a few years ago to wear to the local Comic Con this weekend, plotting a costume for Joe and Acorn that I hope to be able to pull off in time (my husband will tell you, I am the Queen of Last Minute Costumes.), and have started coloring in a coloring book I bought a few weeks ago. <br />
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I've been suffering from a pretty bad case of the "I don't wannas", the blahs, lack of motivation... whatever you prefer to call it. I'm in a little bit of a low spot emotionally, and for once I'm just floating along on the current and letting it be instead of fighting it. It actually made the whole thing a lot easier to deal with and I feel a lot less drained. <br />
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Go figure. <br />
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Today though, I had a pretty big burst of energy this afternoon, so I started deep cleaning the kitchen. It doesn't look like much from the photo, but I scrubbed out the dishwasher and have it running an empty cycle with vinegar and baking soda to further clear it out, did the sink full of dishes by hand, swept and mopped the floor, cleaned out the fridge and wiped the counters. All during nap time!<br />
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Later on, I want to finish up the dishes, wash the windows, clean out the freezers and *maybe* the junk drawer. But right now, it's a beautiful day and I'm off to play with my son. Housework can wait, like it's been doing. :)<br />
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I'm still plugging along on my all-in-one copy of <u>The Lord of the Rings</u>. I finished the Fellowship of the Ring last night and think I'll hold off on beginning The Two Towers so I can watch the first movie in between. When I first watched the movies, it had been years since I read the books, so it'll be interesting to me to see how I feel about them when the book is still very fresh in my mind. <br />
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Maybe it'll be like Harry Potter and I'll love them both. We'll see. Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-49107458176954315532016-03-27T20:03:00.001-04:002018-08-30T21:34:31.863-04:00Gratitude*SundayEach Sunday I stop and count my blessings. <br />
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Taking time to honor the things I've been grateful for throughout the week. A quiet, weekly practice of appreciation and positivity. A time to breath and reflect. A small step towards a more simplistic and appreciative outlook. Feel free to join in. <3
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<b>This Week I am Grateful For:</b><br />
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* Not having guilt for all the take out and money spent, which helped save my sanity and patience while I was severely sleep deprived this week. <br />
* Finding a deeper well of patience than I knew that I had. <br />
* A very amazing and kind friend offering to come over and help me with Acorn for a few hours one evening so that I could get a few solid hours of uninterrupted sleep. Illness + Developmental Leap + Dad being gone = one sleepless toddler. <br />
* Warm weather and a kiddo who was content to hang in the hammock with me for a bit. <br />
* Re-reading Lord of the Rings and remembering SO MANY things that I had completely forgotten!<br />
* All the new sounds that Acorn is making and words and signs that he's trying out. <br />
* His first animal sound! He pointed at a crow in the sky the other day and said "caw! caw!" When I asked him, "what does a crow say?" He got this HUGE grin on his face and delightedly said "caw! caw!" again. A corvid lover after my own heart! I'm such a proud mommy! :)<br />
* Reuniting with our favorite guy after a week apart! <br />
* Kiddo's first real Easter festivities. We didn't do anything last year because he was too little to really participate in much. We did an egg hunt yesterday morning. I was a little nervous that he'd get knocked down, be overwhelmed, or not really get it, but he ran all over and delighted in throwing the eggs he found in to his basket. Later on, we went to see the Easter Bunny. And while he wasn't totally sure what to make of him, he willingly sat on dad's lap next to the bunny and petted his hand - so we took a family photo with him. :) <br />
* The look of wonder, delight, and surprise when he spotted his "basket" on the kitchen table this morning! In lieu of a basket full of sugary candies, the bunny brought him a little plastic wagon with some garden tools, bubble stuff, sidewalk chalk, play doh and some sand molds to use with the play doh or his water table. He spent a lot of the day pulling the wagon around, and even put eggs in it when we did an indoor (due to rain) egg hunt after his nap. :)<br />
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</p>Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-47468402980216543392016-03-24T14:06:00.001-04:002016-03-24T14:06:13.007-04:00One Ring and A Very Pink Gift<p align="center"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1653/25538158730_1e20e60f71_m.jpg"><br />
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It's been a hell of a week around here, so I'm sharing my work in progess Wednesday a day late. Rules are more like guidelines anyways, right? :)<br />
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This week I've begun a re-reading of <u>The Lord of the Rings</u> by hobbit friend and lore-master J.R.R. Tolkien. It's been over a decade since I last lost myself in the pages of this incredible work and I've forgotten SO MUCH! I always enjoy rediscovering a beloved story. <br />
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As for my work in progress, I bought the materials for my niece Khloe's 5th birthday gift. 5 years! How did that happen already?!? She's very in to super heroes and her favorite color is pink, so this amazing shiny fabric and extra glittery elastic will become a cape, mask, and gauntlets befitting of such a big birthday occasion. <br />
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What are you all up to this week?Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-16440388138293664832016-03-16T13:41:00.002-04:002016-03-16T13:41:53.644-04:00Art Journal & Happiness<p align="center"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1653/25538158730_1e20e60f71_m.jpg" width="200" height="200"><br />
</p>Work In Progress Wednesday - I'm resurrecting it! <br />
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There's nothing quite like knowing you'll be checking in with yourself (and others) at a set time to keep you motivated and get some projects done. :) <br />
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So here's the deal. On Wednesday, let's all share what we're working on *and* what we're reading currently. That way we can gather inspiration, stay motivated, and add more books to our reading lists on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7526748-danni">Goodreads</a> or in our journals. (or both. I'm not judging!) Feel free to snag the button in the post and on my sidebar and link your posts in the comments if you're joining in so we can see each other's stuff! <br />
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This week, I've been working in the massive art journal I created from old artwork last week. I've got a spread started that I'm just starting to really dig. I love all the texture of modeling paste and old book pages as well as these deeper colors. As per usual, I don't have an agenda with this, just seeing where it takes me!<br />
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I *just* finished <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8257435-hector-and-the-search-for-happiness"><u>Hector and the Search for Happiness</u></a>. I really enjoyed the whimsical, quirky way in which the story was told - it felt a bit like a children's book written for adults which made me happy. There were a few things in it that had me sighing and saying "Oh, Hector", but overall I was moved by the stories of his travels and the things he discovered about what causes happiness. <br />
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It was a very quick read and just over 150 pages and if it weren't a library copy, it would have most certainly had a bunch of highlights, notes in the margins, and maybe even some glitter thrown in to it. Definitely something I'd read again. Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-87701762650397386912016-03-13T12:20:00.003-04:002018-08-30T21:35:14.513-04:00Gratitude*SundayEach Sunday I stop and count my blessings. <br />
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Taking time to honor the things I've been grateful for throughout the week. A quiet, weekly practice of appreciation and positivity. A time to breath and reflect. A small step towards a more simplistic and appreciative outlook. Feel free to join in. <3
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<b>This Week I am Grateful For:</b><br />
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* Catching up with our friends who we haven't seen in a little bit, and a trip to the zoo with the three amigos. Who all let us know when it was time to go. ;)<br />
* Friends who come over and spend their entire Saturday helping us out in return for food and conversation. This time it was fixing Joe's truck. <br />
* My good friend Jenn taking me to my favorite local brewery to do a glass etching class as a late birthday gift. <br />
* Spending time with creative friends at Cynthia of <a href="http://spirituncaged.com">Spirit Uncaged's</a> house. I so need and refill at these creative women's circles she started. It's a beautiful energy and time to experiment and work on projects. It's been the best medicine for me. <br />
<p align="center"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1630/25131346093_42f5bd892b_z.jpg" width="427" height="640"><br />
<i>Image by Tina Huba <a href="http://www.halseymae.com/">HalseyMae.com</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/T.Huba.HalseyMae/">Facebook</a></i><br />
</p>* Time with my best friend, Michael. We suck at best friending lately, but we're working on it. <br />
* Repurposing old artwork from high school and my time in BIG with <a href="http://www.dirtyfootprints-studio.com/">Dirty Footprints Studio</a> in to a gigantic art journal by tearing it up and sewing it together. Hat tip to <a href="http://www.halikarla.com/">Hali Karla</a> for the inspiration to take the plunge and breath new life in to old work. <br />
* Spending most of our waking time outside this week. It's been too beautiful to be indoors!<br />
* Meeting another Stay at Home mom and Harry Potter fan at the park and skipping small talk and talking about our sons, husbands, hobbies, and lives. I hope to see her again! Awkward penguin here didn't ask for her number or anything. Whoops.<br />
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Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-54278120602061454662016-03-07T20:10:00.000-05:002018-08-30T22:05:20.696-04:00Cleaning Out the Chicken Run<div align="center">
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It was beautiful this past weekend, so we decided to start to tackle a few of the things that we were...err... a little overdue on around the yard. <br />
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At the top of the list were prune the fruit trees and clear out the brush and fallen leaves/pine needles between the tree line and the fence that divides our yard from the farm next door. The pine straw/leaves are so thick we sink up past our ankles in spots and we've found all sorts of, uh, fun stuff from the previous owners buried in it the few times we've started the project in the past. <br />
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Used cat litter. A rusted old bicycle. A shovel whose handle had been devoured by bugs. Sharp rusted pieces of metal. Several deflated balls and other toys. Plastic bags full of leaves. Buried in the leaves. (what?)<br />
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Well, we didn't get to the meat of that task this weekend because we decided to try to do most of that while Acorn is sleeping due to the assorted weird and at times unsafe things we've found. Instead, Joe decided to start clearing out what we assume was the chicken run that goes along with the coop we've been using as a garden shed for the past 5 years. <br />
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It was a lot of work getting it cleared out. Joe had to cut down a few small trees that had grown over the past few years. We pulled up a lot of kudzu roots and raked out and bagged up the leaf litter. In paper bags. That we'll most likely toss in to our massive fire pit one night. Luckily, we had a third set of hands up to the task of helping us out. <br />
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Acorn didn't let his small hands get the better of him, he was raking (sort of), throwing the big sticks on the outside of the fence, and bagging leaves right along with us. <br />
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<i>Foreman Luna keeping a close eye on the situation.</i><br />
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There's still a bit of work to be done back there - the fence needs fixing in places and 2 new doors need to be built. Then we have to turn the shed back in to a coop with nesting boxes and such. Then, I suppose, we'll finally get those chickens we've been talking about forever. :)<br />
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P.S. If I didn't say anything, you'd have no idea that I live in a subdivision with access to all of the major highways and shopping areas 15 or so minutes away, would you? Our yard feels like a magical little secret to me, and I love coming home to it after traveling through the insane traffic and hustle that's just past the end of the road. <br />
<br />Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-17220045831981144032016-03-06T19:47:00.001-05:002018-08-30T21:35:47.250-04:00Gratitude*SundayI'm counting my blessings. <br />
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Taking time to honor the things I've been grateful for throughout the week. A quiet, weekly practice of appreciation and positivity. A time to breath and reflect. A small step towards a more simplistic and appreciative outlook. Feel free to join in. <3
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<b>This Week I Am Grateful For:</b><br />
</p>* Joe taking such good care of me when I was the sickest I've been in over a decade last weekend. The 72 hour flu was awful, but he made it less miserable. <br />
* Redoing my kitchen chalkboard.<br />
* Scheming some renovations for the house and a new garden. <br />
* A much needed date night with my hubby. A good friend came over and knit and hung out after Acorn had gone to sleep so Joe and I could abscond to the local brewery for drinks, chatting each other up, and live music. We went out for burgers afterwards, where we made faces at the little boy in the booth next to us. He thought it was hilarious!<br />
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</p>* Getting over the stomach bug that mopped the floor with Acorn and I last week. Somehow, despite being thrown up on by our son, Joe missed out on the bug train. Lucky man. <br />
* Making time to art journal. <br />
* Getting out of the house. Acorn and I went to toddler gymnastics class, a boat load of stores, and played outside as much as possible after being cooped up in the house sick. <br />
* Some "aha" moments while finishing up SouLodge with Wolf. The beginnings of a serious contemplation about holding a women's circle, feeling out intentions and guiding values.<br />
* All the cardinals, robins, and crows flittering about the backyard. <br />
* My dudes eating a dinner that did NOT turn out as expected. That's the last time I trust a recipe that I have questions about.<br />
* Getting some much needed yard work done. <br />
* My sister sending me "a few" (a medium flat rate box full) of my great aunt's jewelry. She's one of my very favorite family members, but the saucy old pistol moved out of her home in to an assisted living facility, and when she did so she told my family to take what they wanted because she wasn't going to move it again. Looking through it made me smile, cry, and ask out loud "what the fuck was she thinking?" :)<br />
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</p>* A little red wagon.<br />
* Acorn's desire to help with all the things. If I open the laundry room doors, he runs over and says "dryer?" because putting the wet clothes in there is his favorite chore after feeding the dog. He has a mini set of garden tools, a mini broom, and his very own spray bottle of water to clean with. That last one is his favorite. <br />
* Love, love, love. <br />
* Sunshine in a hammock.<br />
* Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198853951847315100.post-11706196443939771592016-02-25T13:43:00.000-05:002018-08-30T22:07:32.045-04:00The Traveling Art Journal Project - 2016<div align="center">
<img height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1592/25232513246_50ce29b726.jpg" width="281" /><br /><span style="text-align: start;">Acorn </span><i>painting the cover of my traveling journal.</i><br />
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For the past year, I had toyed with the idea of starting an art swapping circle of some sort. I love making art, but I'm running out of places to store it all, and I love other people's art, but lack the funds to buy it. And don't have a lot of space to store it. ;)<br />
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So, I opted to try out a traveling journal circle. I invited my friends who work in any form of 2d art - writing, painting, collage, recipes, doodling, you get the idea - to join up and invite a friend. In the end, I gathered 18 participants including myself, which feels like the perfect number to have this work out in a year's time. <br />
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We've had a few snags here and there with communication, but for the most part, so far so good. All the journals are still accounted for after their 3rd mailing and that was my biggest fear. I can communicate with poor communicators, I can spot money to have journals sent on if I need to... I cannot replace it if it's lost in the mail. So, fingers crossed we've ironed things out in the talky talky department and that the postal gods see all of our journals safely to all 18 of their destinations over this next year! <br />
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If all goes well, maybe I'll organize a 2nd round in 2017. I'm not a born organizer or space holder, so this is a new, sometimes trying, growing experience for me. I'm a little bit of a control freak, so this is a good exercise in letting go to a certain extent, as well.<br />
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I'm currently working on my 4th journal (including my own). My journal has the theme "Exploring the Feminine", another journal had the theme "intentions and wishes for 2016", and the last two were artist's choice. <br />
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If you're in the project and don't want to see spoilers, avert your eyes! ;)<br />
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<i>The cover of my journal after </i><span style="text-align: start;">Acorn</span><i> finger painted it.</i><br />
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<i>The page I did in my journal before sending it on.</i><br />
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<i>Page from the first visiting journal, which was artist's choice. This was the same week David Bowie died and I couldn't get space or the Starman out of my head.</i><br />
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<i>Detail of one of the pages I did in the 2nd visiting journal, with the theme "2016 Intentions and Wishes." This was an extra page I did in the book, I neglected to take a photo of my main spread. I had written down my wishes and intentions, then painted and oil pasteled over them.</i> <br />
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<i>This is the 3rd visiting journal, which showed up yesterday and is another artist's choice. This is the 1st layer of paint and some pencil doodles. It's still fresh, so we'll see where it takes me.</i><br />
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This has been an excellent way for me to keep the intuitive painting juices flowing without the time or energy needed to complete large pieces. I haven't felt much like hanging out in my studio, I started an 18 x 24" canvas the week that Bowie and Alan Rickman passed as a way to work through the grief of losing two of my favorite artists. But it's been in a state of somewhat completion for a bit and aside from that, I've been happier working on smaller stuff these days. <br />
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While a part of me is pouting over this, for the most part, I'm just accepting that this is how I need to create right now and embracing it. Dannihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07686692876719223611noreply@blogger.com1