Wheeeee.....

Drove up to Downieville yesterday and could not believe how beautiful it is.  The curvy mountain roads are a lot of fun to drive fast, though the dogs aren't always having fun, sometimes they have to scramble around to keep their balance.  I should get them little doggy harnesses, right.

I need to go sometime when I can explore the turn-offs and maybe get down to the river for some pictures.  It's pretty fast and cold right now, better to wait until July when the run off has slowed.

All is well with me and my boys.  We have a companion we like a lot and lots of fun things to look forward to.  The growers market is loaded with strawberries and cherries so maybe this next weekend I'll make some strawberry jam.

Peace

Excuse me please!

I am not a salamander, I am a Sierra Newt.

Ok, I apologize.  I've been calling these little guys salamanders and they are not.  So, today on our four mile hike around the Independence Trail I counted 48 of them, which averages to 12 per mile.  The tough part is not to step on them.  I've been cautioned to look carefully so I don't disturb the more serious critters (rattlesnake).  It was cool and even sprinkled some rain so it was great weather for newts.

On the house search, back to looking again.  I saw the house of my dreams today, we'll see what happens.  It's a combination of urban loft and mountain aerie with galvanized metal siding, golden oak floors, light and space, love it.  I'm seriously crushing on this house.

The garage doors:

So keep your fingers crossed, it's a short sale, which means months of legal wrangling which can come to nothing.

Peace

Homeward

It's fine to leap above the rain and find sun to greet us above.  My heart is light and yearning for my Treehouse and for the joyful homecoming that awaits me there.

Peace

Facing the future...

I packed and taped up box number fifty and then waited for the truck.
Eventually it came up the driveway and two cheerful men loaded my treasures and drove away.  Sometime in the next month I hope to see it arrive in Grass Valley.
And then I wandered through those hallways one more time, felt the lush green grass tickle my toes, listened to the mad chorus of birdsong and gave the kitty one last pat, a long goodbye. It is done.
Now I turn my face to the future and I know my heart is firmly in the present. 
Twenty-six hours until take off, another six to home and loving arms and the joyful barking of the boys.  It will be a blissful reunion.
There are so many things to look forward to, my heart soars.
Where do I go from here?  What's the limit of my imagination? How big is my capacity for life? How well and how deeply can I love?
No answers are needed, no limits are allowed.

Peacefully, cheerfully, lovingly I smile at you.

65 hours and counting...

Until my plane leaves Minneapolis and I'm on my way home.


The work is progressing nicely, tomorrow the truck arrives, Friday I head to Minneapolis.  It's almost over, I can do it.


There is another reason to want to be back in my Treehouse, a hope.


For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
Judy Garland


Peace to you and yours.

Packing up

Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.
Oliver Wendell Holmes


It's not here in this beautiful place.

I can't wait to be done and back to my Treehouse.

Peace

River dining

Dinner at the Trempealeau Hotel tonight, a beautiful location on the Mississippi River.

Peace

Midwest bound

On my way, already missing my boys, my men and my Treehouse.  Once I get through the nasty, jittery, people filled airports and get on the way to Winona I will get jazzed about seeing my old friends. 
This week I will be able to pack the final pieces before the truck comes on Thursday to take it all to California.

It will be a poignant series of memories to wrap carefully.  They were as a rule beautiful.  My new memories will sustain me this week.

Peace - hard won, gratefully cherished.

Locked out

Sorry, can't update, have been locked out for a day or two.

Peace

Living

Mother's Day was both sweet and painful.  I cooked breakfast for family and friends and did a little wandering around town.  That was the good part.

The painful part is the Mom part.  In the last great transition we will be cleaning out their childhood home and even though they've left it there's still a lot of sadness involved.  The feelings are hard, especially when I'm seen as the reason for the loss.  I grieve too, this next week will be hard.

But, I made the decision not to live my life for the happiness of another. It's the only way I can be healthy in mind and body. It's not the easier path and sometimes it feels like my heart is breaking but I can only hope.

Don't wait around for other people to be happy for you. Any happiness you get you've got to make yourself.
Alice Walker

Peace

Flowers

I'm a sucker for flowers.  This was up at the Empire Mine this morning.

And this was a test of sorts.  I have finally figured out how to post here from my Droid.  Jeez, I LOVE technology.
Peace

Summertime

YouTube - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Summertime

Peace

Gifts of the Goddess - Thursday update

The piece is progressing well.  I may create another layer of chain to hold the goddess.

I'm having a great time with this piece.  Keep in mind it's just bare bones right now, lots to add.  It will be exuberant to say the least.

I try to remember to be thankful and to honor the gifts I have been given, to use them with integrity and love, to celebrate the skill of my hands and the creativity of my brain.  Sometimes life interrupts but that's ok too.  It's hard to explain but I don't think the blues come from sadness but from being really happy and wanting to share that feeling.

Isn't this great?

My new logo, created by Palaezcreative.com

Peace

Gifts of the Goddess

This piece has been brewing in my head for awhile.  The little goddess bead comes from Germany, born from fire and the skill of Teresa Laliberte's hands (Lavender Creek Glass).  She's been waiting for me to come up with a setting appropriate for her.

This will be called "Gifts of the Goddess", each word stamped in sterling silver reflects a personality trait, loving, tenacious, intelligent and so on.  Here's the fine silver chain I built, the goddess and some of the "gifts".

Tonight I finished the tags and have started to build the piece, adding interesting shapes in fine and sterling silver.  I love these squiggles, they are about three inches long.

Starting to put together the pieces, long way to go.  I plan to create a wild tangle of shapes and stones to complement her.

More tomorrow.  Tonight immersing myself in this helped combat a terrible case of the blues that came crashing down on me all at once.  Don't know why, sometimes it's hard to stay positive and upbeat.  I think it was the warm beautiful night that had me yearning for someone to share it with.  This spring season brings the promise of new in every breath, every smell, sight, sound, taste, feel, touch, in the heat of the sun, the caress of the wind.

 I got a call from a very intuitive friend, we cheered each other up.  It's all good.

Peace

Somewhere...

Go outside,
play,
laugh,
run,
walk,
feel the breeze,
the chilly water,
think of those you love,
those you've lost,
those who love you,
smell the flowers,
taste the joy,
watch a bird fly,
hear a child laugh,
BE who you are.

Car Show

It was a gorgeous day, sunny with a cool breeze and Grass Valley was packed with beautiful cars and people.

The combination of fine old cars lined up along streets filled with historic buildings was great.  I like the Corvette's, the Mustangs and the '56 era Ford and Chevy trucks.

This California Special Mustang was especially nice.

This one was my favorite - a Shelby Cobra, sexy little beast.

I ended up voting for a beautifully customized Mustang for People's Choice.  It was a great day!

May 1st - I'm looking forward to this month, lots to do, lots to see.
I have a couple of classes scheduled at Beads Galore (Beginning PMC).
I'll be traveling back to Minnesota to arrange to have some furniture shipped.
I'm going to enjoy every minute of this beautiful weather and hope, hope, hope that my house purchase plans come to fruition.

Right now, time for a walk around the Empire Mine, my companions are getting antsy.

Peace