TODAY, GETTING THE HECK OUT OF DODGE TOOK FORTITUDE.
I WANTED TO STAY ON MY BLANKET ON THE LAWN BY THE ROSE GARDEN
AND KEEP MY EYES SHUT, GLEANING WHAT SLEEP I COULD IN THE AFTERNOON MOMENTS, THE BATTLE OF INSOMNIA YOU KNOW…
GETTING OUT OF TOWN REQUIRES A SIMPLE 15 MINUTE DRIVE UP THE MOUNTAIN.
I STROLL AROUND THE FORESTS BAREFOOT. BLENDING IN. LEANING INTO THE GREEN. FINDING MY VOICE AGAIN. PRAYING AGAINST THE APPEARANCE OF MOUNTAIN LIONS. SNIFFING THE SNIFFS. CONVERSING WITH THE WILDFLOWERS. WATCHING THE SUN DIP DOWN IN THE DISTANCE. THINKING. I SPEND A LOT OF MINUTES THINKING. THANKING. LISTENING.
THERE IS A BALANCE I SEEK.
A NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
A PERFECT BALANCE WHEREIN THE WIND IN MY HAIR DOESN’T KNOCK ME OVER.
MY WORK IS ONE YEAR OLDER.
ONE YEAR STRONGER.
ONE YEAR FURTHER.
ONE YEAR MORE OF EVERYTHING AND EVERYWAY.
METAL, FIRE, STONE, SOUL, LOVE.
THE WORK OF MY HANDS.
MY IMPRINT IN THIS SPACE AND TIME.
THE INFLECTION OF DESIGN & MOTIFS. ALWAYS THE CHORUS BETWEEN THE VERSES.
PINCHES OF THE DIVINE PASSING THROUGH MY FINGERTIPS.
CONNECTING WITH THE CREATOR.
FORGING AND BEING FORGED BY THE HANDS OF THE GREATEST GRACE.
I’M HUMBLED BY THE MOUNTAINS. BY THE WILD SPACE.
BUT MORE SO, I’M HUMBLED BY MY DESTINY — A PLAN FOR MY LIFE SO PERFECTLY FORMED. I WANT TO SHAPE THINGS IN A SIMILAR MANNER…BUT I’M SO CLUMSY. I’M SO HUMAN.
IT MIGHT NOT BE SO HUMAN [OR MAYBE IT IS…] TO WANT TO BE MADE BETTER.
BUT THAT IS WHAT I WANT.
TO BE REFINED BY THE HANDS OF THE MAKER.
I HARDLY CARRY ANYTHING.
CERTAINLY NOT THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD. THOUGH SOMETIMES, IN MY FRAIL MIND, IT MIGHT SEEM AS SUCH.
HERE IN THE BIG GREEN, IT ALL FADES AWAY.
I’M SIMPLY EVE, WEARING NO MASK, DRAPED IN FIG LEAVES.
HOLDING ON BY A SLENDER TWIG.
BATTED ABOUT BY THE WINDS.
CALMED BY THE ZEPHYRS.
AND THAT MIGHTY ROLLING GREEN.
I SEE THE STARS.
I HEAR THE ROLLING THUNDER.
AND THE WATER COMES TO CARRY IT ALL AWAY. WASH MY ROOTS CLEAN. REMIND ME OF TOMORROW AND THE DAYS TO COME AND THE YEARS TO COME.
SO HERE’S TO THE YEARS.
HERE’S TO YEAR TWO.
IT IS JULY 19
AND A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THE NOISY PLUME.
PS RW AND I ARE AN AUNT AND UNCLE TO A BRAND NEW SET OF TWINS.
CADEN AND BRYCE ARE A MIRACLE.
WOW!
Jillian, happy Anniversary indeed. I am a recent-comer to your world-of-wonder here, but I am already quite deeply enchanted… I had already caught a general sense of what a feeling of blessing your soulful work creates upon its arrival, but nothing beats seeing the expectation of the necklace you sold to my sister's husband Joe, just this Saturday for my sister Amanda make her face light up with love and joy. Wow. You are part of a goodness J.
Here are som words from Ann Ulanov for you:
We need a bigger way to live and as we come into it
words are no good
breathing gets deeper
tempo slows
little tendrils of aliveness come up and we wonder at the sense of God's numinosity
Thank you.
Your words are holding me together.
Your work and my birth share an anniversary. I am happy to be tied to you
for
eternity.
Well gosh darn…that would make my first Plume purchase a year old! How exciting!
All of us cherish your handiwork, and you know that, but we also cherish your creativity, your loves, your spirit, and we read this blog because we like hearing what you have to say. So thank you for constantly sharing these things with us. It takes a lot of courage.
You're a strong, lovely lady, and you build yourself up with the beauty around you. I think that's a good lesson for all of us to remember. To take shelter in the good things that surround us. Wishing you all the best on this special day for you!
<3
Oh Dear Plume, Happy Anniversary!!! Your beautiful words, work and spirit have made an impression in my Life. Thank you for sharing all that you do and continuing to amaze us with your creations!
Congrats on the Auntie and
Uncle-hood; next best thing to a Grandma; get to spoil them like crazy!!!
L.
xxxxx
Happy Anniversary! Only 2 years on Etsy and you have made such an impression! Congrats about the twins, babies are the sweetest beings.
Happy Anniversary, happy anniverary, happy anniversary…………………..
Haaaapppyyy anniversarrrryyyy!!!
That's me singing in my frog voice this mornin'! wweeee…….
I am proud owner of a few pieces, and am thrilled to see the new creations that are born of your hands and heart!
Well done, friend, well done!
Congratulations on everything…
it is your HUMAN IMPRINT IN SPACE & TIME that makes your work SPEAK! i adore the wildness of your work, its impromptu style that you render with such attention to detail and loving attempt at perfecting; i love your process which i feel in every piece, and that accompanies me along my creative process. thank you JSL and happy VERSE — as you turn and re-turn to your roots in the Lord as He works in Nature and in your soul.
Love,
i
I would like to wish you congratulations and continued success.
P.S. Welcome to the world babies-wishing the little ones good health and happiness.
there aren't words to convey all i want to say…you and i have exchanged so many written words in this life so far, but all the while i knew we really didn't need them. i celebrate with you, i struggle with you, i look up with you, i hope with you. it only gets better. that's a promise.
she.
Happy Anniversary Jillian! 🙂 I am very recent fan of your work but it always feels like "home" when browsing your etsy page or reading your blog. I feel as though I'm reading the words of an old dear friend. Thank you for putting yourself out there in so many ways. It's an inspiration to all of us I'm sure, but to me especially. I'm eagerly awaiting my first package from you, but even without it I know I'll be back for much more. Have a beautiful day.
Happy Anniversary Indeed… : )
…on this day…
bless the prairie in your soul…the stones that speak your name…the fire in your heart…the metal pulsing thru your veins…
bless the wind that caresses you…the fans that hear you…the WILD within you…
and all the plume goodies in my E~cart…
each and every day…
…& kiss those boo~boo's upon your fingers…
………………….SMOOCH………………..
Congrats Auntie as well as a happy 2nd anniversary to The Noisy Plume. I am thrilled to be sharing the journey with you. 🙂
Em
Another year of silvery goodness – thanks Jillian!!
I'm ready and waiting with my paypal trigger finger – hehehe!!!
Congratulations Jillian! What a beautiful blog about your anniversary…
Thanks so much for reading and commenting dear ladies. Love to you all. Boatloads of it.
I have just found your blog and am already head over heels with your work and your spirit. Glad I found you.
Rachel
Jillian, seriously, those typewriter photos are wonderful.
I'm glad to see what a lovely Plumesday you made for yourself…and us, through your words and photos.
I believe our destinies are like silver–already composed and alloyed, but malleable, so we can reshape and burnish as we go along. Our hearts and wits and creativity and experience are our tools.
Thank you for sharing your creative process, in your work, in your life. My, are you growing well!
Dorothy
Absolutely love this. What great prose~poetry. Have you read Pilgram at Tinker Creek? I recommend it with excitement, if you haven't already. I love your gracious gratitude, also.
Love these:
"IT MIGHT NOT BE SO HUMAN [OR MAYBE IT IS…] TO WANT TO BE MADE BETTER.BUT THAT IS WHAT I WANT.TO BE REFINED BY THE HANDS OF THE MAKER."
"AND THE WATER COMES TO CARRY IT ALL AWAY. WASH MY ROOTS CLEAN."
"…it is the live water and light that bears from undisclosed sources the freshest news, renewed and renewing, world without end." Pilgram, pp. 106 chpt. 6–The Present. (An absolute gem of a book).
Thank you for sharing your blessings with us. 🙂