Till next year

Embracing the color nature provides before the snow flies.

These pictures were taken early September

picking (mostly eating) huckleberries amongst the pearly everlasting, fire weed and aster.

 Its been one heck of a gorgeous summer- free from the wild fires that raged our forests last year

can't complain

Oh summer- my favorite time of year

you will be missed

Till next year.

Slow days

These are the days when summer has made its exit and fall enters

a slower pace

Fewer outdoor projects and plans are in a rush to be done

Removing window screen, washing windows
 fall curtains ironed ready to be hung insulating against the Montana cold.

Canadian geese overhead
Starlit mornings

Breakfast by candle light 

A dusting of snow on the mountain
 colder days are ahead
 we are all waiting
 flowers in the garden lean towards the sunlight
holding on to the smattering of warm days left

But for now we enjoy slow days sitting by the fire with hot tea reading

 the routine of it all sets in

time to relax into it and enjoy slower days

A new path

This spring I set out to explore

in much need of inspiration and creativity as I was feeling stagnate

 searching for a new path

I went  to university for a semester, studying psychology and fractal geometry (which was actually pretty tough)

Stepping outside my comfort zone really helped open my mind and heart

 but the shoe still didn't fit

 Early May I almost lost my horse Bella to colic- she had to go to the hospital for a week and lost over 200 lbs- which is pretty grave for a horse.

Nursing her back to health which included

medication and feeding her every 2 hours for the first 10 days,

talk about reliving mother hood all over again.

Bella is once again her happy horse self and gained all her weight back.

Panicked doesn't even describe what I went through.

Waves of gratitude washed over me that her life was saved.

 Amerced myself in a lovely summer here in Big Sky country- lots of swimming, sup boarding, floating on the rivers, fly-fishing and hiking with family and friends.

Summer is like an elixir

Hard when it abruptly comes to end.

Canadian geese fly over head reminding us the cooler weather is arriving 

and fall descend upon us once again in the mountains.

My oldest headed out to college in Missoula and our daughter started college locally

wasn't it just yesterday that they started first grade?

 During the summer we built a little studio in the back of our house.

No longer  allowed to dye yarn in the kitchen, my husband kicked me out! 

Wiping down splashed granite counter tops and mopping up color stained wood floors was probably not the best solution.

This will be my own little creative space

where I can be messy and dream up beautiful colorscapes for yarn again.

I'm back to photography and I'm back to blogging- oh how I have missed it!

Time is what I needed

 think thoughts through

clear my head

away from routine

open my mind and brighten my heart space.

the road leads me back again

all I needed was a few degrees of adjustment in order to find the right path

home again.

I hope you all are well  - wishing you peace and love.

 Until next time.

...a journey's end

 

 I am quite grateful for the cold of winter

 for the snow

 

as it softly falls

 something comforting about that

 

covering everything that was there before

 

this last year has been quite a journey

 

a fresh blanket of snow

something to crawl under and feel safe and dream

maybe hibernate for a while and ponder on what is to come

 

reflect on the past and then...

 leap forward into

 

 the newness

of  a new year filled with wonder and dreams

 

a new journey

 

Wishing you a very Happy and healthy 2014

... and that your dreams will come true this year

 

(Thank you all so much for your very kind words on the prior post)

 

 

“Don't let your dreams be dreams.”

-Jack Johnson

 

 

Catching Whispers

Life can throw you for a loop real quick

I know I am not in control

but simply hanging on for the ride

everything in my life as I knew it
 

changed

 

I am a fatherless daughter.

 



 

I lost my father this month

it's been a roller coaster for 5 long weeks

nothing prepares you
 

Our relationship was a tough one

we were two crosscurrents

at times it felt as rusty old barbwire
the kind that cuts real bad

but then after a while heals somehow

and leaves behind a scar

 

 a year ago I forgave him
for the past
the endless years of therapy
clean slate.
 

and met him where he was at...

 

He had Alzheimer's

 

however for me,
that sweetened the deal

he became softer and left a little space for me

and I no longer felt as if I had to hide behind a blade of grass

 

 

 we joked 

had interesting conversations

 some times several at one time

Alzheimer's does that

you just roll with it

he would sing

speak in German and Danish

sometimes just a mess

but it was our lovely mess

 

 

 now,
there are no more conversations
 no one to speak Norwegian with
 

 



 

Grieving him

has been an awakening

all the tears and the emptiness

reminds what is

 what is left

 

my soul feels raw

 

a deep breath in a deep breath out

 I stand alone

not so strong yet

but you know what they say about time.....

 



 

 an old greeting card that was sent to him from a Hawaiian friend was found

 the words has stuck in my head all week

 

" Pupukahi "

gather together

 family and friends

dearly around me
trying to protect me
against the pain I am feeling

 

 Pain throws your heart to the ground

love turns it all around
- John Mayer

  

difficult time of year to lose someone

 as we celebrate birth and joy to the world

 

 still a believer of miracles

 the last year was truly a year of closeness and love with my father
a gift
 

as I watched him pass away

lying my head next to his
draping my arm around his chest
so very fragile

 

catching his last whispers

 

Outside the leaves slightly fluttered in the frosty breeze of winter

knowing it was his time
....I let him go....

 

I love him with all my heart

 

wishing you all

Pupukahi

 this season

 

 enjoy what you have

 and who you are with

life is so precious

 

....and what I said about not being in control of your life

well, that's B.S

 you can control some things in your life and turn them around

just breathe and listen to your heart

 

wishing you all

peace and love

 

 

 

~ Blessings

 

 

Today is a grand day

 

1.  Last year I was victim of check fraud 5 people stole thousands of dollars from me and  from a few other folks in this area -from our mail boxes that are located on our roads....which is part of the rural charm here in the country. These guys hit the jack pot with me- they stole my whole check box newly ordered from the bank that I never received. For weeks they wrote out checks in my name, had fake drivers licenses made in my name ...all this locally.

I can't express how violated I felt- as if my identity was null and void.

 

Yesterday the case closed.

 

She/they pled guilty and have to pay restitution.

 

2. Visiting Norway this summer- I found out in a very "horrible" way my mamma had cancer. She was in hospital most of the time we were visiting. Needless to say we were all devastated.  She has healed completely and today I am picking her and her husband up at the airport to stay with us for 2 weeks.  If that isn't great enough- she is pondering upon moving to Montucky..so we will be looking at homes while she is here.

 

 

Good grief! Does it get any better???????

 

It's been a hard year - but today...well today, I am smiling from ear to ear. 

Hear blessings dropping their blossoms around you.
~Rumi

Montana Morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

feed horses

breakfast

kids to school

 Lily

wet

early a.m. ride

 

Okay Monday...let's do this!

I'm still learning....

 

 

 

after the rain comes beautiful mornings filled with promise

 

mid September is pretty neat to still wear flip flops

there is still time for a swim before the snow flies

 

that the local thrift store holds so many treasures
 like these linen napkins

and as if that wasn't enough...some nice person had dropped off a WHOLE BOX of

large fabric sample from France- that I bought for 5 bucks

 how nice it is that the flowers in my garden are still blooming

how pretty weeds can look with a little morning dew

the advantages of leaving holiday trees up all year

... don't have to put them up this season

how much I really love to sew- and that, " I can do this"

how much I missed Auggie being away at fall retreat for 2 days .... yes, it was only 2 days

and how happy I am when things turn out

 that I can bake delicious zucchini bread

(with a green vegetable the size of a baby python)
recipe

 

" I'm still learning "
Michelangelo, age 87

 

So how was your week?

Montana Morning

 

 

 

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me.

I vow to live fully in each moment.

-Thích Nhất Hạnh

 

 

 

morning light
path
harvest
blue sky
reading

 

Wishing you a peaceful morning