Going...going...

The cake part deux? The cinnamon candies I received only Wednesday ?

The blooms, Spring, the kids' youths...

my youth...

my morning coffee

the book I just finished...

another week,
another day...

My point, hehe...

Fit it in, fit it all in, even when it seems it might drive you mad. Every blink, every bird call, every bite, every book, every thought, every word we write, every piece of creativity we pour from our minds through our tools, marks a magical moment from our one treasured life.

If I can remember that everything counts, everything, then nothing is wasted.

Nothing.

Much love to you today and everyday

xoxo

ps. Adding to Bella's 52 Photo's Project {Stripes}

pss. Thanks for all the support in finding cake #2, it was delicious, made by here

The indispensable in-between

The space between actions,

and space between thoughts,

seemingly useless, 

infinitely not.

***

A flow of

active flashes fills

my nights of 

sleeping.

Patchworks of memory

tied by rapid 

bursts of feeling. 

Timelessness,

a hollow,

rules the 

gentle drifts

of dreaming.

I am the rider,

the glider, 

the promising pathfinder,

the surfer swiftly turning

in between the 

crushing walls of wake,

before the last swallow,

until the final take.

Scattered scraps I follow,
an invisible line that leads,
whispers of buried secrets
consume the in-between.
"Go huntress" she speaks,
"seek and Godspeed.
There are no bindings or
boundaries here,
no limits to heed.
Just you, the clouds,
and your indispensable
dreams."

"Yet it is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top."
 ~Virginia Woolf

And what do your dreams say to you, awake or not?

xoxoxo

The Winners of the Meet the Marks giveaway:

#6 Kim

and

#23 mb

Congratulations and please email me your addy! And thanks everyone for entering and commenting :).

xoxo

ps. Joining Bella for 52 Photos Project {distance}

Harmony

I looked for lots of pretty pictures to describe harmony. Beautiful colors that melt into each other, lines that draw the eyes and depths of fields that make us sigh. A Steller's Jay is a gorgeous bird isn't it? The way its black head and neck just fades into a cobalt blue. 

But my mind keeps going back to another picture I took this past weekend. One of a dead and decaying tree. Bare boned, a shriveled skeleton. It must have been grand on it's finest day. Even now, as it lay lifeless and exposed, it's presence can't be denied. Still large, still looming, still...just still...



The merry-go-round, the yin and the yang, life, death, together, even in these pictures, every single one...

Harmony is here.

Joining Bella for 52 Photos Project...

Wishing you a weekend of seeing and believing...

xoxo

Black and white

I will admit, I am not a big fan of black and white, figuratively or photographically.

I think figuratively I have worked so hard at finding the gray that I've learned to shy away from the extremes.  Photographically, I am just head over heels in love with color. Color is a language all its own, helping me sense and express the words and emotions that sometimes are so difficult to find. In my darkest days, all the colors in my closet were gray, black and brown. These days, I am finding pink, purple, red, blues, and patterns in my closet!! Yes I am wearing patterns now Mom!!!! To be clear though, I love my earth tones, but I am not bound by them anymore...

I do appreciate black and white though. They are, after all, just another way of looking at things, and being flexible enough to consider other perspectives is something I don't ever want to take for granted. I'd be foolish to think that black and white doesn't evoke emotion at all, oh quite the contrary....

Joining Bella for 52 Photos Project...

Happy Wednesday

xoxo

The extra in the ordinary

The decorations will be coming down today, and what I once considered adorned before the holidays will now appear desolate and naked. I do have an addictive personality, an inherited trait that leaves me charmed by escapism, celebration, and any detour from day to day reality (especially on an extended vacation such as the last 2 weeks). But having recovered from addiction, I also know that adjusting the hardwired tendencies of my brain means making a conscious effort to practice (and practice and practice) looking beneath the surface of things, and seek the extraordinary in the ordinary. And soon emptiness is replaced by the effervescent details around me.

Reflecting back, I realize I wrote that post over a year ago about my 12 year addiction to food, and my recovery from an eating disorder. I also wrote in that post about making a promise and concerted effort to change my attitudes about cooking. I wanted to see food as my friend and infuse the practice with love, not with an avoidance constructed by fear and denial. And this was not just for my benefit, but more importantly, for my family's.

What I have not done since that post is share my progress in this space, and yes, there has been amazing progress. I have made peace with cooking, seeing it as an opportunity to reflect joy without needing to avoid pain. How much easier it has become for me to not only plan a meal, but to prepare the cupboards with staples for those days without planning. It's a f---ing miracle actually ;). Though you probably won't ever see me talk incessantly about cooking, or posting recipes of my own invention, I have found the connection between food, fun, and love, without the prickly strings of addiction, fear or perfection. Cooking is still a work in progress, just as I am, but once again, with practice, the extra in the ordinary replaces what was once empty...

Happy weekend to all and may you find the ordinary simply amazing...

xoxo

Joining Bella in 52 Photos Project {Softly Fade Away}

All is calm

I haven't woken to a white Christmas in probably 30 years. It was magical for all of us and we spent half the morning making fresh tracks in newly fallen snow with sleds and snowshoes. I will say it was strange not being with the entire family on this day. It was even stranger not to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a lovely Christmas meal for the family. I missed that part, very much. With that said, hearing the boy say "Best Christmas ever!!" was a wonderful way to start the day.

I hope your holidays have been just as beautiful if not more...

Joining Bella and 52 Photos Project for this week's gallery "All is Calm"....

xoxo

15 minutes

It's truly a gift what 15 minutes can bring...a much needed break, time for the expansion of a creative thought, or time to give something else precious moments of our present mind...

Amazement emerges when an ugly crack in the pavement becomes beautiful or when I can hear a broken leaf murmuring the approach of fall.... But it's the knowing words from friends that draws my attention and the circles of warmth around my heart and mind. So with gratitude, these last 15 minutes I have are spent thinking of and thanking you...

much love to you and may your weekend bring you light...

xoxo

52 Photos Project

{Polaroid sx-70 land camera}

A moment of life

My hands look older than they did yesterday. These hands, how they have lived and loved through so much already. How can I not gaze upon them fondly? All it takes is a cup of tea, all that it brings, and I remember.

Like cracks and crevices, there are some things that we wish we could just erase and remove, start over, and start fresh. Yet, the path to wisdom is one full of mistakes, cracks and crevices, pitfalls and even regret. Such a paradox, we expand as we shrivel, we grow as we shrink. Well, at least, that is what I hope for.

xoxo

52 Photos Project

Weekending

The weekend began with rain,
wet and gray,
much needed no matter
how cold it felt
or dismal it looked.

A bbq not thwarted,
inviting newness,
the promising possibility
of good friendships,
and most definitely
scrumptious food.

Sunday, Mother's day,
brought hugs and
kisses and love
from my dear ones,
but also cleaning,
getting a reel mower
for our itty bitty lawn,
and a tad more work
than play.

A last minute decision
to go see a movie
by myself,
ended in disappointment
as it was already
sold out by the time
I arrived to the ticket window.

Instead, dinner at home
with my family
proved to be my
favorite part of Mother's day.
Our evening meals together--
always together,
are consistently filled with
laughter, teasing, and reflection
on the best part of our days.
And for me,
I reflect,
that it is at this table
when the best part of my days
unfold...

With Amanda for Weekending
and Bella for 52 Photos Project

Up close and random

I have been reminded again why I blog. Yes, for self expression and because I enjoy writing. But there's more––because I am pushed creatively...and because I am inspired by other bloggers to do more, learn more, say more, feel more, offer more, and be more. I blog because if I am feeling like crap you get it. And if I'm feeling joyful, you get that too. So what began as a form of self expression gradually evolved into creative inspiration and soulful connections, available to me whenever I need it. For this, I thank you, and for all the kind words you share.

Random: For the past few nights, we've been playing outside and going riding, when it's dark, with only a few street lights, with no one else outside. Yep, me, the hubs, the kids, we grab our bike, scooter, ripstick, skateboard, whatever and we take a spin around the neighborhood and on the bike trail. Something happens to all of us when we play at night, it's the strangest thing... a wild side emerges, your senses sharpen, exhilaration grows, like a secret between you, the moon and the stars. The kids LOVE it. The night brings mystery and eeriness, but when your parents are with you, it turns into excitement and thrill. I do recommend trying it, of course in a place where you feel safe, and of course if your children are up for it.

Random: And because we have over 2400 miles of road ahead of us in March, I've been hunting for new (to me) music for the roadtrip. Here's a couple I've found:




And this:

and if you liked that one, check out "Little Cup" and the rest of Thao and Mirah's album.

Random: I'm linking with Bella today at 52 Photos Project for {Get in really close}. You know I love macro. Join us will you?

Wishing you a weekend of marvel with a pinch of risk, a dash of mystery and an armful of boldness
xoxo

Buttons and baking

We do it every year. Since I was a young girl, a couple weeks before Christmas, we would gather together at my grandmother's house, roll up our sleeves, don our aprons, and spend the day baking dozens of cookies. This year, under the tiny roof of my grandmother's cozy home, the sweet cookie aroma spread like a balmy breeze made of memories and family tradition.

Peanut butter blossoms, chocolate crinkles, chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, raspberry thumbprint cookies, chocolate and peanut butter buckeyes (if you ever lived in Ohio, you know what those are), and of course, Christmas sugar cookies are among the players in memory making.

And then there were buttons. Lots and lots of buttons. I love buttons. And thanks to Soule Mama's post on her favorite elving gifts, we were quite busy with buttons. Can't say too much more, there are spoilers here for friends and family :).

Speaking of buttons, guess what a lovely friend of mine did for me? She made me buttons of my own, blog buttons to be exact. I have always wanted one but didn't have a clue on how to make them. And through her generous spirit, voila!! Thank you Monica, I love them :).





<center><a title="WanderWonderDiscover"href="http://wanderwonderdiscover.com"target="_blank"><img border="0"src="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/mommijune/buttonwwd2aboots.jpg"/></a></center>

<center><a title="WanderWonderDiscover"href="http://wanderwonderdiscover.com"target="_blank"><img border="0"src="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/mommijune/button3acanoe.jpg"/></a></center>

<center><a title="WanderWonderDiscover"href="http://wanderwonderdiscover.com"target="_blank"><img border="0"src="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/mommijune/button1aclouds.jpg"/></a></center>


These will permanently go on the Buttons page up top. After Mon made these, I discovered Photobucket and even made one on my own. If you want to make one, they make it super easy. Or, you'll just have to be lucky enough to have a good friend that can :).

Joining Amanda for weekending, and don't forget her baby shower happening today over at Tracey's place!!

And also linking with Bella at 52 Photos Project

much love
xoxo

Joy Pockets and Twinkling

a glimpse of my desktop

Joy Pockets with Monica :).
Hope you join in, they are a wonderful way to celebrate the end of a week...

A good week, a busy week. Too many words on my brain though and not enough uninterrupted time to punch them out on the keys. I am looking forward to the weekend actually, looking forward to finding time to let insight pour out of my heart and head and onto the screen to breathe. I hope to share them with you next week :). Meanwhile, the joy...

I do,  I love your soul (by Jillian)

Monica's insights here, and especially here

awareness

winning a gift certificate from Cypress Sun Jewelry!!

(and you can too by joining the mailing list here)

girl pirates

top 10 quirky science tricks you can do at home

cooler days and nights

the sound of bangles

twinkling lights and Bella's 52 photos project

Hope your weekend is a beautiful one...

xoxo

Up close

Are you getting tired of my close up/macro shots yet? I can't help it. The details were things that I ignored for so long, I am having an ongoing love affair for the up close and personal. They actually jump right in front of me now, like little children saying "look at me! look at me!"

The prompt at Bella's 52 photos project this week is sharing our preparations for Thanksgiving, or our gathering, or something we are thankful for. Yesterday my sweet boy offered to help me set the Thanksgiving table. He even polished the not-so "silver" ware and wine glasses to get the spots off. I am such a lucky mama.

Speaking of lucky, we have a winner for the mug giveaway.

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 29
Result:
2
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congrats Monica!

Wishing everyone wonderful days of gratitude with friends and family

xoxo

Look up

I loved this prompt "Look Up" from Bella and 52 photos projects this week. Just the awareness makes us look at things differently, like a light pole in the Joann's craft store parking lot, and the horizon over  lighted tennis courts :).

xoxo

ps. thanks to those that participated in my little experiment yesterday--polaroids won by a landslide :)

Hailing Autumn

It was quite windy yesterday, so windy that it blew our spider webs off the bushes and the pumpkins off the porch. With the wind and on a broomstick, Autumn has finally arrived. We have our own way of summoning the fall season down here. Using the Halloween spirit, we color our landscape with flashy orange pumpkins, ghastly hanging ghosts, and smooth talking skeletons. Some people may decorate crazy around here, or at the very least hang pumpkins on their mailboxes to let us know they've been Booed.  And then we wait, we wait for the crispness that comes with the wind, that electric jolt to the skin letting us know that the temperatures have dropped, and that maybe it's time to welcome Autumn, at last...

This historic house every year decorates its entire property for Halloween, Christmas
and Easter. Gaudy yes, but absolutely spirited!! On Halloween, they open their home for
one night only to all their neighbors and the public, for a haunted house walkthrough
and a Halloween BBQ in their backyard :). 

Joining Bella for 52 Photos Projects for the theme {Autumn Color}

xoxo

Gathering of toes

I started a polaroid journal this week. The land camera is a challenge to learn due to its specific demands with lighting. But when the images come out right, they provoke and prod the meandering words in my brain. It feels good, real good, just to let them fly onto the page. It can't be about spewing profundities or the words would be unyielding. It's creating just to create, that's all I really need :).

Bella's prompt this week is "Handwriting"...

xoxo

Full circle...and a surprise from Maddie...

I love finding signs. Signs are there whether I want to see them or not. I know they are subjective and I know they are a matter of perspective, but I also believe that loving them is another way of inviting them in :).

Bella's 52 photo projects theme this week is "circle", and when I took this photo last week, I remember being drawn to this image of my every day jewelry on the nightstand. I remember thinking how simple they looked lying there. Little things that seem insignificant, but play ritualistic roles in my every day life. My wedding band, my favorite bracelet and my favorite earrings are things that lie close to my skin and have become part of me. It so happens that every single piece has a circle in it. How perfect I thought, that I didn't have to go find circles to shoot, that they had always been there, with me. Then, earlier today I looked at the date. I knew it was close but I wasn't sure, so I double checked in my archives. It is my blog's first anniversary.

Wander Wonder Discover has come full circle and I couldn't be happier that I made it this far. I re-read my very first post this afternoon and I had to grin. It's a little green I must say, but the theme of growth, change, and discovery has remained solid.

And how is this for serendipity?!! To my delight, I received a wonderful email from Maddie. You know, one of the amazing photographers I showcased in the last post? The one who I am taking the Persisting Stars e-course with? She has generously offered me to *GIVE AWAY* a spot in her Persisting Souls photography e-course!!! What a beautiful way to help me celebrate coming full circle :).  Maddie, thank you so much!!

The course she is offering is not the same one I am taking. Not only will there be photography, there will be journaling, and soulwork. There will also be guest creatives (for a list click course link) offering their own experiences throughout the course. In Maddie's words:

"this five week course will help you discover the interesting places and answers that your life gifts you on your journey, by exploring a series of thoughtful and transformative questions designed to nudge you along the path of a little soul digging. Sharing your ruminations through the art of photography, you can shed light on your inner life and ultimately your connection to the world in the most reverent, imaginative way possible."

TO ENTER:

Just leave a comment on this post!! If you would like one extra chance, you can blog about the giveaway or share it on facebook. Just remember to let me know if you have :). I will announce the winner next Wednesday, October 12th!!

**For those that haven't yet, I still have the souvenir giveaway you can enter until Friday!! **

much love to all of you and thanks for
an unforgettable first year

xoxo

P.S. I promise more words on our impending move in my next post!!

Sacred Space

Truthfully, I don't have one, or at least not one specific space where I would describe as a place of my very own--one place where I can escape to, to read, write, meditate, relax, or rejuvenate. They eventually find me you see. And those of you with children around 24/7 understand. I know this shouldn't be an excuse, but for me a sacred space would be somewhere I could completely shut myself off into absolute silence and from any interruption... and well, I just can't do that, not physically anyway.

So when this week's 52 photo projects prompt came up, I admit my mind went into dreamy thinking. How I wish I could claim that it looked like this:

via

or this:

source

Love Joseph Campbell's quote:

"Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again."

So for now, my sacred space floats from room to room, and especially outside, following the moments of silence and peace where I am not mama or wife, just me. Yesterday it was here....



I would love to read about-- or even see your sacred spaces!!

xx oo