I live on an island

The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.     ~Isaak Dinesen

august break #2

saturday market
beet greens with shaved reggiano
summer food looks good in my blossom bowls.


My next "7 Keys to an Artful Life e-Course" begins October 10th!
Start your autumn season with 7 weeks of creativity, life-balance, self-care, and fun. Read about it here.

august break #1

after a twilight swim
wildfires on the mainland give the sea a smoky red tinge

read about august break here.

a creative challenge for august: ExPLore!!!

It's August! What a rich and intense month. Here on the island, August means blackberries, brushfires, wells running dry, heat, golden grass heads, warm ocean swims, traffic speeding up (tourists) and everything else slowing down. What does August at your place look like? For most of us, August does involve heat, slowing down, and if we're lucky, some time off. I've chosen a theme for this warm golden month, and it's EXPLORE. This theme came up for me, ironically, as a result of feeling limited. At the moment, my work is slow, my budget is tight, and my vehicle is away getting repairs. I was starting to feel a bit stir crazy today, longing for a new challenge or adventure, or at least a trip to town! I was yearning for exploration.. so the challenge I gave to myself, and give to you for this month, is to create a sense of exploration and discovery within the limitations of your current life. I did some brainstorming, and came up with some creative explore challenges for my life. Maybe some of them will work for you, too. My idea was to create new ways of looking at old things - it's amazing what remains unexplored in the apparently familiar territory of our selves, lives, and places. So I will try some of these:

• ride my bike instead of driving
• do things at different times of day: dawn walks, midnight swims, twilight rambles.
• sleep under the stars in my own meadow
• try some new recipes - maybe raw, since the produce is all so gorgeous now...
• explore some forest walks on the island that I haven't done before
• propose a tea date to someone I'd like to be friends with
• try a new mystery writer
• get some guidebooks out of the library and plan a grand trip
• drop in on a class at the yoga retreat that's happening now on the island
• renew an old friendship
• do some studio explores - collage, encaustic painting, ceramic sculpture, new glazes.
  

I am going to try to give myself one explore challenge for every day of August. My explore challenge for tomorrow is to take my usual forest walk... but at dawn. What can you do to explore your life in new ways? Share a challenge in the comments!

My next "7 Keys to an Artful Life e-Course" begins October 10th!
Start your autumn season with 7 weeks of creativity, life-balance, self-care, and fun. Read about it here.

island+summer+weekend

Fresh caught halibut+local organic greens and edible flowers, two morning ocean swims and an evening swim, three forest walks, lilies blooming, meeting friends at the bistro, a long nap.

What pleasures and treasures did your weekend hold?

My next "7 Keys to an Artful Life e-Course" begins October 10th!
Start your autumn season with 7 weeks of creativity, life-balance, self-care, and fun. Read about it here.

queen anne's lace and pearly everlasting

The wildflowers of midsummer contain entire worlds. The dusty sunshine smell of Queen Anne's Lace evokes the summers of my childhood, walking dry paths on the iron red bluffs above the mud flats of the Bay of Fundy, exploring old farmhouses abandoned since the 1930's, their shutters grey with lichen, their foundations thick with Queen Anne's Lace.

A couple of moments of beauty from yesterday. It's the strong light and dark that's drawing my eye and imagination lately. And of course, I love the day when my Casablanca lilies bloom...

plum blossom time

I love these delicate, modest blossoms, coming as they do at the cusp of spring, against grey skies, sometimes in the snow. They don't make a big fuss, the way cherry blossoms do; they bravely open their fragile centres to the bluster and cold of the March air. No wonder they are a symbol of hope and renewal. Here are some wise words I came across in this month's Yoga Journal:

I consider how unfailingly the sun offers its radiance and warmth, bestowing its rays equally on weeds and spring blossoms. Can I consistently offer what I have to give, even when my efforts don't turn everything to beauty? Bit by bit this idea is shifting my relationship with the circumstances of my life, creating rays of light that pierce through the dark clouds of unsatisfied desire and illuminate the beauty of what is. - Kaitlin Quistgaard

10 Reasons Why I Love Living on the Island

• going to sleep to frog song and waking up to bird song
• buying fresh organic free range eggs from our neighbor for $2 a dozen
• having friends of all ages from 4 to 90
• not locking my door, ever
• the ocean - being surrounded by it
• it's like an intentional community of misfits
• harvesting oysters, clams, berries, nettles, and other beautiful wild food
• yes you can eat nettles, you just steam them first
• tall, tall trees
• dogs are allowed to come to dances
• I know everyone's story and they know mine

Artful Reminder:

Soulful, artful island RETREATS for women - make art, journal, dance, do yoga, practice deep self care, learn to celebrate the sacred in daily life - all with a group of like minded women in our forest retreat at the heart of our Gulf Island... YUM!!!!!! Read more here.

celebrating 2009

I sat with my beautiful moon group last night in G's cozy office (imagine an office that is actually a little cottage in the woods, which you find by following the trail of white shells through the forest in the moonlight. Imagine an office scented with woodsmoke, sandalwood, and beeswax, with a roaring fire in the woodstove, warm throws on the cozy couches, bookshelves full of sacred women's wisdom, the sound of raven calls and soft rain falling outside...) Together we breathed a sigh of relief to be letting go of 2009. It was a year of big challenges and changes for all of us. It's been difficult for me to sit down to the important ritual of a year end review, because it was such a challenging year. It wasn't a year of showy accomplishments or big adventures. But after sitting down with my circle of women, and also spending some time with the "virtual circle" of creative women whose blogs I follow, I feel ready to gently look at the year that just passed, its sadnesses and subtle gifts, its questions and celebrations... and let it go. So here is my little celebration of 2009, through the lens of my 7 keys to an artful life:

move your body daily joyfully
I'm so grateful that 2009 found my love of dance flooding back after an absence of several years. I loved organizing co-teaching the second annual women's sacred dance retreat with Gillian over the Vernal Equinox, and leading a weekend mini-retreat in the North in May. Performing with Gillian at the Dances of Hope benefit was a highlight. Teaching a weekly private class to an amazing group of artful women kept me moving through the hot summer and into the fall. A fall class in Restorative Yoga opened my spirit to new possibilities for physical learning & healing, and brought lessons in surrender and trust.

nurture your precious spirit-self
I'm grateful for the many early mornings I was able to spend in meditation & study with my sweetie. Together we read and studied the writings of Shantideva, Pema Chodron, Chogyam Trungpa, and Thich Nat Han. I'm also glad to have begun working with my beautiful moon circles, both face-to-face and here on the blog. Setting intentions for each moon has become a really powerful and positive practice for me.

practice loving self-care
I lost 14 pounds in 2009, and I did it in a slow, steady, healthy way. I'm really proud of that. I had some help in doing some profound personal healing, and I'm really proud of that, too. I made lots of little changes which have allowed me to take better care of myself on many levels, ranging from a new hairstyle and make-up regime that makes me feel really cared for, to better self-discipline in the way I organize my days.


find your authentic livelihood
Livelihood has been one of the biggest challenges of 2009. Some things worked and lots just didn't. I'm proud of my continued hard work and dedication to my ceramics business. I enjoyed having an open studio through the summer and meeting so many clients and getting so much wonderful feedback. I studied so many business books and marketing blogs, I feel like I've learned a lot that I'm eager to put into practice in 2010! Little highlights have been: making over the Terra Home blog, designing a gorgeous custom fireplace for a client (most fun job of 2009), participating in the pottery studio tour in May, attending & participating in the dragon kiln firing in March, designing a new line of dishes in October.

create a tranquil home
I read a wonderful book in June about creating a sense of sanctuary in your home. I made some little changes this year that brought me closer to that ideal; a room makeover for my daughter, new floor and baseboards in my bedroom make it feel like the shiny sanctuary I've always wanted it to be, I made over two old pieces of furniture into faux chinese antiques - LOVE them! Whitewashed the livingroom floor, fenced off a big area for a veggie garden, took down a number of trees to bring in more winter sunshine (and winter firewood!), switched to all home made eco-friendly cleaning products, put in a new kitchen sink, taps, and countertop (happy shinyness!)...and... committed to keeping my desk clean!






tap into abundant creativity
Creative flow is one of the big gifts and blessings of my life, for which I am always grateful. For me, creativity is a constantly flowing, fresh stream - my real challenge is finding enough time and peace of mind to manifest all the wonderful ideas! Highlights for 2009 were the times I got to share my creativity, teaching art and dance and helping clients design beautiful spaces.

cultivate healthy relationships
I loved spending more fun time with my daughter, who'll be flying the nest soon - I treasured our time spent in the kitchen together, or watching trashy TV with popcorn and cocoa, or indulging in yoga/swim/steam at the local spa. I deepened and renewed family connections during my cousin's wedding week, and will always remember the spontaneous skinny dip with my aunt, cousin, and daughter, in the lake below the site of our old family cottage - pure magic!! Last but not least, another highlight was rescuing our little dog Chloe, who has brought so much laughter and fun into the house:










Artful Reminder:



I'm giving away one of these sweet leafy ceramic dishes to one reader on january 11. To be entered in the giveaway, just go to this post and leave a comment.

summer on the island

ripe berries
long twilights
barnacle scrapes on my toes
yard full of blousy dandelions
smell of warm cedar & salt water
purple starfish
wet dogs
freshest salads ever
swimming in the evening tide
afternoon naps with the smell of lilies

huevos rancheros

We've been indulging in lots of amazing, fresh, beautiful local food. Sunday breakfast was Huevos Rancheros. I used freshly made local organic corn tortillas, melted a little organic cheddar on them, topped with organic white beans, tomatoes from the farm down the road, eggs from next door, a sprinkle of fresh green onion and cilantro, then salsa verde and some sour cream. Soooo good.

10 things to do on a summer saturday

1. go for a walk in a meadow at dawn









2. take a yoga class at your favourite studio











3. have a really long bath













4. smell the roses










5. spend time in nature with a friend











6. attend the local farmer's market, chat with people, and buy something nice for dinner.










7. light a scented candle and do some reading & journaling.










8. have an adventure in or on the water.














9. tend your garden.










10. take a long walk on a country lane.

three watchers on the beach tonight, under a moody sky

There is a beautiful moody sky tonight, the leafy alder branches are dancing in the wind, silhouetted black against the blue-gray cloudy twilight sky. The peacocks are crying across the meadow, sounding a bit mournful. After many days of sun, it rained today; I woke to the soothing summer sound of rain on the leaves. I made brownies tonight, and red lentil soup, because I needed that feeling of making comforting rainy-day food, to combat the chill and melancholy. Today felt like the last day of that yummy new beginnings Solstice New Moon energy, so I wanted to do as many things as I could to "set" my intentions for the next bit (month, quarter...) Here are the symbolic actions I have taken since Solstice, along with the intentions I wish these actions to set in motion:

1. Met with wonderful women friends on the beach to share intentions. TO BE MORE IN TOUCH WITH CIRCLES OF WOMEN'S WISDOM.
2. Took time for reading and journaling about forgiveness. TO LET GO OF ANGER.
3. Spent lots of creative time in the studio. TO GROW MY BUSINESS JOYFULLY & INTUITIVELY.
4. Signed important financial papers. TO BE EMPOWERED IN MY FINANCIAL LIFE.
5. Got back in touch with a powerful healer to ask for assistance. TO CONTINUE MY HEALING JOURNEY AND ASK FOR HELP WHEN I NEED IT.
6. Attended my first yoga class with a new teacher. TO LOVINGLY CARE FOR MY BODY AND SPIRIT - DAILY!
7. Had honest conversations with my daughter and my sweetie. TO HONOUR AND NURTURE MY MOST INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS.

These are my intentions for the season. What are yours?

summer solstice

antique bourbon roses from my garden, in a blossomware tumbler

Here above the 49th parallel, the longest day is really long. Rosy dawn begins to warm the sky around 3:30 am, and the last of blue twilight doesn't fade until after 11pm. Solstice time brings extra high and low tides, and long evenings that are perfect for lingering on the beach around a driftwood fire. Summer Solstice is to the year what full moon is to the month. It's the apex of the annual cycle, the completion of what was set in motion on Winter Solstice. Energies of expansion and growth are at their peak. All over the world, summer solstice is celebrated with fires, parades, joyful carnaval like celebrations. I've always been drawn to more solitary, thoughtful celebrations at solstice time - I like to be out in nature, preferably somewhere high and dry to better appreciate the radiance of this day of the sun. I like to make sure I witness either the sunrise or the sunset, perhaps both. I like to take time to look at the goals and intentions I set at Winter Solstice, reassess, and set intentions for the next quarter as well as the remainder of the year. I like to celebrate, with gratitude, what has flowered so far during the year for me. I like to be with the people I love and revel in their company. How do you celebrate the longest day?