morning

from the road: powerlines, birds and foggy mornings

morning thoughts

Today is one of those days where I have to try hard to see the beauty and blessings and good things that really are all around me. I wish I didn't have these days. I wish I was better at seeing the good and being content.

But since wishing doesn't generally help much with creating actual change I am going to try my best to come up with things to do that may actually help.

~Like getting out my camera and trying to capture the fantastic morning light on my way to work.

~I am going to start writing morning pages. Every day. At least 20 minutes. This will help me feel better and more productive about writing (which I haven't been doing much of at all, and which I have been feeling guilty about not doing) and hopefully get my days off to a better start.

~I am going to recognize and make more use of my awesome friends and family. Reach out to them more. Spend more time with them. And I am starting by getting sushi tonight with my friend Becky.

~When something is wrong I am going to try to self sooth first instead of immediately reaching out and trying to get someone to fix it for me.

~And I am going to make chocolate chip scones.

PS. I am SO looking forward to this long weekend, even though I am not yet sure what I will end up doing with it. Hopefully yours will be full of fun and sunshine and other good things.

This weekend though I was in some beautiful places I managed to only have my camera when driving in the car.

Besides driving, the weekend also included: clamming, eating said clams, finding baby crabs in said clams, watching the ocean, naps, a new (to me) marble coffee table for the living room (it looks great and is a fantastic book making workspace), finding a mirror which I will spray paint yellow, old episodes of Weeds, car repairs, and chocolate pudding.

All in all I'd say it was a good weekend.

my commute

I do also go through some suburbia with lots of stop lights, but at least for some of it I get to look at something pretty.

xo

early morning

getting outta town and a shipping notice

Well friends, a few days ago I decided that it was time to get outta town.

***

So this afternoon, after packing the car and rockin' a job interview, I will head out to stay one night with a friend in eastern Washington and then the next morning make my way down to Salt Lake City to spend some time with my sister.

***

I have one whole bag full

of rocks (gathered from the Oregon coast)

and paint and paper and glue

and leather and tools.

And I am bringing lots of books

(the first in the Outlander series, a Tom Robbins I haven't read yet,

Letters to a Young Poet, Bird by Bird and 3 books of poetry),

and of course my journal and camera.

I think we are going to have

a marvelous time.

***

ALSO:

**SHIPPING NOTICE**

both shops will remain open while I am away

but any items purchased after 5pm today

will not be shipped until I return.

(the 16th at the latest. I may be back

a few days before that).

Today I hope you all

get to feel a bit of sunshine.

a day for a drive

Today is a day to get out of town.

So that is what I'm going to do.

***

The last few days I have realized I have been allowing myself to only skim the surface of things. I haven't been looking deeper. At reasons. Motivations. Meanings. It may be easier in the sort run, but very quickly it gets old and empty and I miss the depth of things. So I am diving back in.

***

I have been thinking about giving

and being a friend to those who need one.

About letting the act of giving be

reward enough. And I have been

oddly content.

I have been enjoying the process

of creating, whether it be making a meal

or a painting.

Now its time for

a drive through the Gorge.

I will talk to you birds

tomorrow :)

a drive to the coast in photos

I love trees

A good day.

A drive.

Sunglasses.

Things accomplished.

Plans for dinner.

Photos.

Potential.

a random tuesday

Sometimes I really like

slightly blurry photos.

frolicking

bookmaking

sky

well.

last night was slightly traumatic

for reasons that I wont go into.

But, after a good cry

and some much needed sleep

I woke up this morning feeling...

well, to be quite frank I felt done.

Done doing things that aren't good for me and done putting too much stock into the opinions of those who don't want whats best for me and who aren't there when they are needed.

Done with taking other people's s*&%

and ready to turn around and walk away from anything or anyone that gives me trouble.

Ready to run over anything that gets in my way.

I woke up feeling sassy

and independent

and capable.

I then went to breakfast with a great group from work and proceeded to have a wonderful day.

the joys of winter