Ensoul Arts

February Beach

ensouled new home

Our life hurdled over the mountains toward the ocean in three parts. It's been about five months since we arrived just ahead of our life-in-transport. Churling through the air, we were leaving behind everything familiar. It was an enormous transition, and though we were nervous, we were ready for it. I knew in my heart and soul we all needed to land right here to start new chapters. Doubts and worries did creep in, but a steady faith washed over those, and what I really wanted to do was just sink myself into the other side of the leap. I closed my eyes and visualized warm nesting and resting on a winters evening in our new place of home. 

We deplaned at SeaTac on a cloudy September day, exhausted, with a few suitcases and one freaked out cat. Within just a few days, both boys were experiencing brand new schools, which was quite a switch from quiet homeschooling in our ultra comfort zone of South Minneapolis near lakes, parks, friends, family, favorite food co-ops, happy cafe haunts, and so. much. more...  Sweet Seattle friends ferried out to meet us with air mattresses, bedding, and a few pots and pans for the indoor camping. Our car was cruising its way through Montana, packed tight with precious kitchen goods and all of our musical instruments. Lastly, and at last, came the gargantuan portable storage unit that hauled the rest of our belongings. Hello new chapter of life. 

Though all three of us have felt settled in for quite some time, today felt especially groovy. It was so good to walk through our cozy cottage door after being outdoors at a festival most of the day. I turned on the fireplace and twinkles, put away some delicious groceries, pressed some coffee, and cuddled up on the new chaise. Placements keep evolving in every room here. With the clear goal of achieving ensouled simplicity in this sweet cottage, I'm gradually tweaking each room to find just the right fit, function, and flow. Here is a peek at the evolution of a cozy living/dining/kitchen area. There are a few placements I know I will change up again soon to accommodate more visitors, but right now we're enjoying the near perfection of everything just as it is.

Here we are. It is indeed a restful warm evening in a newly nested nook of our world, and we've unfurled a lovely chapter so far. It's good to be home.

Merry Everything!

little city :: bigger city ::  holidaying all around

 

brave green growth

Yesterday, the boys and I walked through a local wildflower sanctuary. It was surprisingly chilly out there with a daring breath of sleet in the air, yet we found many more buds pushing through dirt, green, and bark than just snow trillium and green tips. I was reminded of the perseverance and beauty of life, however fragile, even through bitter wind and unwelcome changes. We enjoyed a light hike and then warmed up with botanical drawing next to a blazing fire in the lodge.

Today, we woke up to a layer of slush snow on the ground... Yes, snow in April! I thought about complaining about this Minnesota life, but chose to take it in as an invitation instead. I rsvp'd by getting dressed in light layers of my favorite wool. Hey, I was feeling a bit naked thinking about packing up my tried and true winter wardrobe cozies. So, wool it is. For now. Oh well...

 

Espresso cheers to a lazy Saturday in a cozy smartwool camisole under an ibex hoodie with dreams of full on blooming and reaching to the Sun...

the magic inside

A warm and relaxing indoor vacation day was just what we needed this week. A reminder that the greening of the outdoors isn't really so far away. 

New Beginnings

While sifting through my photos for the best moments of 2010, I was reminded of the day this photo was taken. Happily walking the lake in the sunshine with tunes, while the boys wheeled around on rollerblades, I discovered something extraordinary. A local mom had the idea of creating this community art piece. Many brightly colored papers were tied to the outreaching branches of a "wishing tree" and couldn't be missed! Anyone passing by could leave a wish and be on their way. I was very moved as I read the many sweet and humorous wishes twirling in the breeze. As I picked up the pen myself, a local news photographer snuck up to take this photo of me. Hm. Smiling and wishing upon community art and trees? So very me. Of all the things one can be in the news for, I gladly accepted my little moment of fame. 

No new resolutions surfaced for me at the turn of this new decade. Plans for our future have been unfolding all throughout 2010, and the year simply ended in clarity. I know, as much as one can know, where my family and I are headed. Last year was a time to revisit ghosts of the past for a sort of "grand finale". The final chapter closed on a decade long series, and I am so very relieved. Grateful for what was learned and lived, too. Oh, yes. A few good seeds were planted in the good earth during 2010. What happens now? I cherish every moment with my dear ones, and wait to see what comes up in the spring.

Between now and then, I'm a mom with an iphone camera, with the hope of changing and growing this blog space in the new direction it wants to go. It's been very good company at times though I've only shared this "secret" with a small handful of closer friends and colleagues. I do hope to be a lot less shy about this space in 2011! Many thanks to those few of you who have been visiting me here to see what's new. A very special thank you to Erin for helping me get this thing started!

Bring it, 2011!

Oh, and speaking of wishing... Tuesday, January 4, at 4:04 am EST, is the January New Moon combining a solar eclipse. Sounds like a potent window of opportunity for wishing if you ask me, but I am that kind of girl. So, I say go for it again tomorrow. Wish, wish, wish!

Happy New Year!

 

field trip awe and wonder

autumn lake love

Our times here at this special lake now play in my memory like a little flipbook. It begins with round rosy cheeks and big brown eyes peeking out from strollers. The pages flash on to growing limbs stretching on tricycles, scooters, bikes, and now...rollerblades! This cherished lake and its surrounding grounds have been like an extended back yard for us. Play dates, beach days, lantern walks, bike-a-thons, birthday celebrations, waterfall wishing, tree hugging, sledding, and so many good times have unfolded here before the petals and branches of "our" urban oasis. It continues to be a slow-it-down spot for us, wheels or no wheels. We feel lucky to have lived so near this small but significant connection to nature. A place to know. A place to be. 

 

 

Dreamy Harvest

Mm. An unusually warm and bright October continues to send us invitations to crunch and stroll. I hereby declare that there are times to leave the laundry in piles and this is one of them. Aren't we always tempted to hope these colors stay and play awhile? Alas, we cannot be fooled, especially us native Minnesotans. We know what's coming. With that in mind, the boys and I decided to take a little trip to a 1000 plus -acre horticultural garden and arboretum the other day. Though the main areas were a bit too groomed and crowded for our liking, we appreciated the variety of colors and experiences there and took it all in. I did find myself visualizing a secret door I might step through. You know, out past the sign posts and into a couple of my earth lovin' dreams. Oh, bravery... Yes! A girl can dream. I dream...of being deeply out in a remote area collaborating with nature. Indeed. Learning from him. I'd assist with just about any project required to learn from this extraordinary artist if he'd let me tag along (gasp!), but a project working with gradations of color would be like dark chocolate kundalini cake for me. Oh yes! One dreamy secret at a time though. I am sure another will spill out eventually. For now, I am here, smiling into a kitchen full of late garden harvest, grateful for the opportunity to share it all with the two great people I get to call my family.

 

Spicy cider cheers to enjoying everything beautiful while it lasts!

...and to dreaming!

 

Merrily Summer '10

There they go, deeper into the world, with new feelings of independence. Summer 2010 will be remembered as a time to come of age, to re-acquaint, and to re-examine. Together we learned how to flow, to embrace change, and to celebrate beginning anew. Here I am suddenly in the trenches of parenting a nine year old and a maturing adolescent. I do know where the time went, and I finally see that there may be life beyond my "thirty-something" phase. The kids are alright. Some dreams came true. Some dreams are gone or are dying to allow new dreams to be born. New times and ways of life are folding in and rising as old perspectives sift to the floor. I'm curious and I'm grateful. 

...Life is but a dream.

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. 

Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe