Meet the Marks, a giveaway

I don't talk about him much, mostly because he is extremely private. So when I started the blog over two years ago, it was on the condition that I don't discuss family or our private lives, show any faces, and especially, absolutely never ever ever, show his face.

Since I have broken every single rule, except the last, I figured I might as well go all in and not only show his face, but talk about this wonderful man I call Hubs.

Okay, okay, not fair. Sorry, but that's as close as he will let me show....sigh....

"To HONOR and OBEY!!!" he yells to me from upstairs...hehe...it's a good thing I can get away with almost everything else :).

Truth: If it weren't for this man I would know very little about creative passion. He was the very first person to ever tell me, and show me, that a creative life is only achieved by pushing ourselves past all the voices that want to hold us back. The voices that tell us that we aren't talented enough, imaginative enough, creative enough, ambitious enough, good enough---enough enough enough.... And the voices that tell us we need years of instruction, fancy equipment, loads of time, time without kids, more money, more studio space, more more more....The voices that tell us "well....maybe some day when..."

I think you know what I mean ;).

From day one, I have watched my husband's creative energy run and race as if a pack of wild dogs were chasing him. Sometimes he spun in circles, and other times the wind carried him far ahead of where he had ever hoped to be. His own dreams of living a creative life and earning a living based on that creative life have haunted and flaunted with him since we've known each other. And despite the heart aches, set backs, disappointments, he never quits. Never.

In 2007, in a fit of inspiration, he wrote a story for our children who were 5 and 2 at the time. He called it "Meet the Marks", about a family of punctuation marks who speak according to their designated marks. And then the story went away, stored among the masses of inspired yet forgotten files on his computer.  Well, it's back, and it's printed, and now it's on Amazon here.





To birth something like this, to expose something that you've made and just put it out there for anyone to see, to judge, to hate or to love....this takes faith, courage, years of practice, and this takes creative passion. I can't tell you how proud of him I am.

Today, I will be giving away two copies of his little children's book, appropriate for ages 3-8 years old. Just leave a comment and we will choose two winners randomly next Wednesday March 20th.

Thank you for letting me shine on about my husband.....

Happy Weekend to you

xoxox

Extend

I am stretching and extending, risking comfort to see where courage may lead me. Taking Pixie's class next week is one of those things that scares me. Something tells me that this kind of anticipation is a good thing, like a contraction before a new expansion. I am ready, and maybe you are too?

The Autumn Soul Lodge session is sold out, except for this one spot I am giving away... I hope to see you there...

xoxo

Full circle II and a giveaway

Things come full circle more often than I can notice. And yet when I do remember to look for them, the symbols that signify the completeness of our present life are everywhere. In a bright, swollen, full moon, in a lone blooming rose, an empty birdbath brimming with sunshine, and even a foamy cup of mocha...slight but ever present things that I can lose and find myself in. In these eloquent circles, I remember that life is good, oh so good.

My mother and brother flew in from FL this past weekend. To have the closest of my family see where we live and how satisfying our lives have been since we moved from FL, gave me a sense that another circle has come to a close. An easiness comes with the special people that have known us our entire lives. This is something I will always miss about not being near my own tiny family. Regardless of how much we change, the ones we grew up with remember us in ways that no one else ever will. We can look at each other knowingly and marvel at how we have grown. We can look at each other fondly and recount memories that seem to surface only in each other's presence. Thank you Mom and Brian, for your love and laughter, and for seeing me in ways I forget to see myself.

And there is one more reason to celebrate coming full circle. This week is Wander Wonder Discover's 2nd anniversary. My deepest gratitude goes to you this week, for seeing me, encouraging me, and gifting me with your presence in these pages and in yours. Because of you, I have sought and found the fearlessness needed to live a creative, passionate and abundant life. To write what I need to write, temper what I need to temper, and to reflect carefully and honestly, on my forever, sometimes wandering, search for meaning in "Self".  With heart, mind and soul, I thank you.

What I am giving away this week is a spot in Pixie Campbell's next Soul Lodge  e-course: Gold Mining the Shadows with Black Panther. Please click the link for details. The session will start next Monday and runs 5 weeks.

From Pixie's website, this session:

"The watery West and lunar Panther have aligned to help us:

• Infuse our spirits with the Moon's feminine energies 
• Honor our intuition and the subtler aspects of the heroic quest 
• Acknowledge the innate seer within
• Release confining, restrictive models and patterns born of repression
• Reclaim power lost during childhood wounding
• Connect with the Thunderbeings- the Spirits of the Storms, to embrace the necessary polarity of light and dark
• Transmute negative energy: re-membering the positive in all that lies underneath the light of consciousness
• Allow shadow to become a Fertile Well of Creativity

Special guests will be sharing tools for diving into the darker aspects with grace and support by your side."

I will be taking this course as well and would love for you to join me. If you are interested in entering, please leave me a comment telling me what has come full circle for you recently. I will randomly choose and announce a winner this Friday, October 5th.




Welcome beautiful October and much love to all of you my friends

 xoxo

p.s. I have been listening to the new Mumford and Sons' Babel, over and over again...If you haven't heard it yet, here is a sliver....

Gather then give (with a giveaway)

"True wisdom lies in gathering the precious things out of each day as it goes by." ~ E.S. Bouton

I've been gathering lately. I've never realized how much of a collector I truly am. But then again, I realize we all are. By the photos we keep, the collection of music we listen to, the books on our shelves, the stories we tell (or the bad jokes), the recipes in our boxes, the people we surround ourselves with, or have programmed into our phones, the art on our walls, the teas in our cupboard, the food we make, the trinkets we scavenge, the blogs on our blogroll... We are all gatherers---curators perhaps, of our own life's museum.

Roasted red,yellow and orange peppers, peeled and dressed with
garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt...

"Gathering is peculiar because you see nothing but what you're looking for." ~ Tove Jansson, The Summer Book

As I add new chapters to my own collection, I surprise myself. It's been 2 1/2 weeks since we've been back from France, and I find myself looking for her in different corners of my days. In the French plates I've brought home, in the meals I make and eat, at the grocery stores that I shop in, I seek to gather whatever pieces of France I can find. And in this vein, I had decided a few days after we returned, to host a French dinner party. I wanted so much to relive and give what I had experienced. I believe the imprints of what we've collected last longer this way.

On July 4th, we had gathered a few of our new friends and neighbors to share a little piece of France with us. I spent three days hunting recipes and foods that I had loved. I even met a French man (from Orléans no less) at Whole Foods working behind the charcuterie counter! Coincidence? Maybe, but I don't think so. Anyway, he helped me find the closest things to French jambon, pâté, and saucisson. And of course there was wine, cheeses, French bread, fig and olive tapenade on goat cheese, saumon fumé, rice salad niçoise, olives, roasted red peppers, roasted pork loin served cold with dijon moutarde.

The bird plate, a thrift find at the Orléans flea market, served saumon fumé.

And I had every intention of taking more pictures, but as the guests arrived, the camera was soon forgotten in the midst of the kitchen. But I will tell you it was all that I had imagined it to be. The last thing I served was this cake recipe called Strawberry Savarin. A light, flaky, and buttery cake, that was more like a larger bundt version of a croissant. I made the strawberry-rhubarb syrup and served it with strawberries and blueberries. Inhaling the fragrance of this cake was like walking into a patisserie, of which every moment I enjoyed.

And so yesterday, as I wrote and collected my thoughts, I sat down to the Montagne de Jade tea and one last piece of this cake (which disappeared in a day:), and thought of you...

A piece of France intended for you...

Marie Antoinette Thé from Ladureé in Paris, France. This giveaway is for black tea drinkers, taste collectors, collectors of anything French, or gatherers of any kind...

To enter just leave me a comment about something that you love to collect or gather, tangible or not... I will select a winner at random next Friday...

Cheers to all of you this weekend...

xoxo

In a word and a gift....

"Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny." ~ Unknown

I do love words, probably more than I should. It is that part of me that enjoys defining things, creating boundaries and edges to things I can't see but only feel. Last year I had this quote on my blog for nearly the entire year:

"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked pensively. "You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar." ~ Trina Paulus, Hope for the Flowers

Evolve was my word for 2011. With the blog still being fairly new, and with the discovery of other blogs giving me daily inspiration, I felt change already happening within. I felt that 2011 was going to be about redefining myself, and it was more than I could have ever hoped for. And as if the universe had one last push for me, the last quarter of 2011 brought about the selling of our house, opening the door to pursue our dream of moving to the mountains.

So, for 2012, Open is what I have chosen. With my eyes, heart, and mind wide open-- this is how I want to receive 2012. With release of expectations, surrender of control, and the squelching of fear, I want to accept whatever this year has to offer. And I want to enjoy the ride!! I want to breathe in the adventure that awaits, and I want to acknowledge that these moments are not just countless minutes passing by, but the infusion of life into long awaited dreams.

And now a gift for you to help kick off the new year. Last year, through Soule Mama, I discovered the Moon Phase Calendar. I ADORE this calendar and know you will too. The winner will receive the black and white 2012 calendar. To enter, just leave a comment below, maybe telling me what your word is for the year :). If you want one additional chance, you can blog or post on Facebook or Twitter. I will randomly choose a winner next Monday January 9.

Postings again may be sparse this week as I continue to nurse my girl (104 temp!), begin the arduous task of packing, and try to catch up on your spaces. Cheers to you!!!

xoxo

Joy pockets and one for you

Wow where did this week go?! I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week!! Admittedly my thoughts are more possessed by the big move that has now been pushed back to the beginning of March. I finally resigned myself to not bother packing until after the holidays, and to try to enjoy the last few months we have here with family and friends. These will be our last holidays in this house with our entire family so close together, and that is something that I really need to savor and be mindful of :)...

Joy Pockets with Monica today AND a little giveaway for you!!!

citrus, sage, and lavender tea

alone time with the boy with above said tea and Scrabble
 (notice how the tea is gone--delicious!)

nutella and french baguette

revisiting homemade soapmaking 

this beautiful song and video, and their link to free music!

And my favorite M. quote of the week:
 "Mah-ahm, I left my manners in the underworld."

And now the GIVEAWAY! With no other reason than just because and in gratitude for the lovely and talented group of bloggers that you are, the comments that you leave, the kindness and support that you so freely give, I thank you...

Since the likelihood of us really sitting with each other to have tea or coffee is rare, I thought I could at least share a mug with you :). I am giving away a handmade mug from one of my favorite shops on Etsy: desertNova.

If you love collecting mugs, then you will adore these!! I can attest to their quality and durability, as well as the gorgeous details and designs. The artist, Len Hughes, adds a southwest flavor to her mugs. In her designs you will find hearts and stars, feathers, dragonflies, and uplifting words to name a few. So for the giveaway, take your time browsing the pages and looking at the pictures. You have your choice of one any-sized mug in the shop. They come in 12, 16 and 20 oz. sizes so make sure you pick the design you want in the size you want.  Leave me a comment with the name of the mug, the size and the item number located at the top of the mug's page. I will draw a winner on Wednesday, November 23, the day before Thanksgiving. 

much love to you my friends and have a beautiful weekend

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!!

Sooooo cooool!! And something for you....

We got back to Florida Saturday night, full of good feeling and our minds bouncing around with possibilities! We did love Seattle, and we did love Portland, but did we decide to move to either place? More on that later :)...

Meeting up with Rain again at this adorable cafe, and then for the first time with Stacy and her little Mica at Gas Works Park were both treasured highlights I'll keep for a long while :). They are both soooo cooool!!! Blogging has blessed me in so many many ways...

Just so you know, it did rain the first day we arrived in Seattle, but then, it was clear skies for the rest of the week (sorry to my friends in the east who experienced quite the opposite :(...).

Mt. Rainier was clearly seen across Puget Sound...

We did a little "digging" for the troll under the Fremont bridge. I think he has seen better days as the bridge is getting some TLC...but what an amazing landmark for Seattle, truly...

And then there is Beecher's Handmade Cheese. Now, me and cheese don't always get along very well so I usually steer clear, but when my beautiful friend Naomi promised me that it was the best mac-n-cheese on the planet, how could I resist? She was sooooooo right.

Then there was this fantastic building where the Dutch Bicycle Company is housed, with a cute cafe in front, and two restaurants around back. One of the restaurants is an oyster bar called the Walrus and the Carpenter.  F. and I are seafood junkies and if you say "oyster", we'll say "WHERE!?" And that's how we landed at the Walrus. And if your curious about where the name came from like we were, take a look at this poem by Louis Carroll found on their website--soooo coooool!!!

And there's more I could show you, including the Seattle Art Museum, Carkeek Park, more hiking trails,  etc., but I think I have reached my limit on using the word "cool" in one post. I have so dated myself at this point, I know I know... So I'll stop here and leave the rest up to you. You MUST visit the PNW if you haven't. You must. Summer is best. You will not regret it and you will get your fill on cool-ness, I promise. Maybe I'll be there to greet you! Maybe...

And now the GIVEAWAYS!

I have 3 things to give away, some souvenirs I picked up for you:

sorry for the fuzzy pic!

1) A beautiful "Blue Wave" garden bell (about 1 1/2 inch tall) from the Portland Japanese Gardens. I've  had an owl bell for 5 years that dings above my Buddha when the wind blows, it's a lovely sound :)...

2) One book from Powell's City of Books!! Now, I know you can get these on Amazon or at the library, but these have lived and breathed on the shelves of Powells book store!! The best place for bibliophiles--EVER.  But I digress... First to giveaway is a wonderful poetry and essay book by Mary Oliver called Owls and Other Fantasies. "Wild Geese" is the first poem in this book, one of my favorites....

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.


3) And the second book to giveaway is Make Your Place: Affordable, Sustainable Nesting Skills by Raleigh Briggs and the Powells bookstore shopping bag. I also bought a copy for myself and I may be one of the last people on the planet that doesn't have it! It's a wonderful how-to book on making everything from your own salves and first aid, dish and laundry liquid, gardening, using essential oils, making shampoos, furniture and wall cleaners, pest control and more!! Anyone interested in sustainable living must have this book!! And if YOU are the last person on earth who doesn't have this book then enter, go go go!!

HOW TO ENTER: Closed

There will be three separate drawings for each item. Just post a comment on which one you would love to have. That's it. AND... if you don't care which one you want, tell me so and you will be entered in the drawing for each of the three...Sorry, you can only win once though :). You have from today to Thursday night to enter. I will draw the winners and announce them on Friday!!

I'm linking with Amanda's Weekending, it's been too too long since I have!!

So glad to be back, I missed ya...
much love
xoxo

A visit into magic and a surprise :)!!

If there is one thing that Orlando does well, it's bringing stories to life.  We don't have the history that Europe has with its beautiful castles and churches, but what we do have is a knack for imagination and some great engineering.  Meet Hogwarts castle at Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Oh yes we have been devouring the stories here in our home. I read the series years ago when they first appeared, and to share them now with my children has been an absolute delight.  But the magic, oh my. To be able to take them to a place where they can see something like this, well, let me just say all of our hearts were pounding with excitement!

Hagrid's Hut

Buckbeak

It was all there.  Hagrid's hut, Buckbeak, Hogsmeade, the Hogwarts train, even the moving "Wanted" signs of Sirius Black.  Though we didn't make it into Ollivander's due to the long line, we did make it in for a walkthrough of Hogwarts castle.  It houses the ride called The Forbidden Journey which has a height requirement preventing M. from going on.  But I admit, I am chomping at the bit to go back so that E. and I can!!

Of course, what's a theme park if it can't offer you everything that the story can: Butter Beer, Bertie Bott's Jellybeans, Chocolate Frogs, dress robes, owls (stuffed of course), and wands (a wizard like Harry's or Voldemort's, or a wand that chooses you).

The Owlrey

I did look for videos that could show you a bit of the inside of Hogwarts, and this one has some wonderful glimpses. But to truly see and feel the magic, you will have to come for a visit yourself :). And if you just happen to come this way, please let us know, we will join you!!!

Oh and one more thing.  A little giveaway souvenier for Harry Potter fans like us...

Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans!! And yes, they do taste what they say they taste like!! This box of candy is completely sealed and purchased directly from Honeydukes Candy Store. Just leave me a comment on today's post and I'll pick a winner Saturday morning!!!

Sweet cheers and much love

xx oo

P.S. I may be quiet for a few days as E. and I are visiting some wonderful friends in beautiful Seattle. I'll try to send postcards!!!