[soon the plums will come]
It’s a morning of pure, springtime glory here. I’m telling you, it’s simply exquisite outside. When I stepped out the back door of the house this morning, the sunshine came on like thunder, I reached a hand up and shielded my eyes from the light as I scanned the tree tops for the source of bird songs. Then, oh holy of holies, I took a deep breath in through my nose and smelled the perfumes of the fruit trees in the yard. Such sweetness. Such promise. And oh, the color of the peach blossoms! I wandered around the yard, yanked at random weeds, rearranged the clematis vines on the trellis of the front porch, and wished I could spend the entire afternoon engineering my succulent garden under the big kitchen window.
We’ve officially tipped off the edge of sanity and into the depths of chaos here, as we seem to do before we make our summer move. There’s so much to do. Appointments to make and keep, random errand running, a truck to send into the shop…I’m stalling. I’m hiding out in the studio most hours of the day. When I go running on the mountain or hiking with the dogs, I go further and higher than usual, because coming home means working towards something I’m not keen to work on: moving. Blah. I’m writing postcards to friends when I should be making lists of all the things that need doing, cleaning, buying, selling, collecting, cleaning, gleaning…lists schmists. Blah.
It’s overwhelming. I’m overwhelmed.
What do you do when you are overwhelmed? I shouldn’t be so avoidant about the packing and moving work. I should grab the bull by the horns and really give it all heck. Maybe I will. Later. Maybe. Maybe tomorrow.
Because I am not thankful about having to pour energy into packing and moving, I think it would be a good idea to make a list of all the things I am thankful for today.
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-this very fine morning, the quality and strength of springtime light
-the fresh garlic I am going to pick and roast this afternoon
-how hard Robert is working to make this as smooth a transition as possible, I’m thankful I don’t have to do it alone
-your incredible support over at the Etsy shop this week (amazing amazing amazing)
-the Airstream (which is sort of like a mythical beast, a true griffin in this life of ours) and the way it makes so much possible for us
-my job
-Robert’s job
-the always good company of the dogs
-the stability of my usually terribly wobbly thyroid
-the 400 black tulips I have blooming in the front yard
-this excellent cup of coffee
-the elk steak we have defrosting for dinner (food, in general)
-the robins on the front lawn
-the view of the mountains from my office window
-the neighbor’s flowering quince
-the blue egg my hen laid me this morning (each one is a perfect little miracle)
-the rabbit skull I found yesterday
-these polka dot socks
-the freedom I feel, every single day, to simply develop and grow and learn and worship and work and express and be and live (not everyone has all these kinds of freedoms)
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I feel better now. Less like a spoilt brat. More like myself. Brighter. Fuller. More grateful. More aware. More focused. Ready to work.
What are you thankful for today?
I love your ‘twerpy’ self. It’s all good, though, isn’t it…to have these moments. How else do we find grace in daily life, I wonder? I’m sorry you’re struggling with your upcoming move. In all the ways we can be grateful for opportunities, etc., sometimes it’s just bloody hard! (Hopefully it’ll be easier, once you’re breathing some Washington air!) My mister has been traveling out of town every day for weeks, so I’m cooking and baking up a storm today to get him through this last week. He’s so tired, I want to put him on my knee…so he’s definitely at the top of my list right now.
And this, I’m grateful I came across this (you might want tissues):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3iaoXdggis
xxx
I hope you come to a point of surrender in your upcoming move. Moving sucks, it does, but being without your beloved husband for five months sucks more. Hang in there!
I am grateful for:
The grace, strength and honesty of friends I’ve never met.
Food. I really love food.
The simplicity and beauty of letting the horses mow my lawn.
The hilarity of chickens.
Fresh milk, eggs, and meat from my own wee farm.
Having thousands of acres of natural land at the tips of my toes to explore.
The brown thrush and blue birds that sing up the sun every morning in the yard.
Your friendship.
My critters.
The love and companionship of my husband.
And more…
xox
I kept a blessings journal during a very difficult season of my life, when I was scared and lonely and didn’t see anything happening that I so wanted to happen.
It helped enormously, like shifting the rearview mirror from night to day. I saw everything differently, and clearly saw God’s daily blessings and provision.
Lately, I’ve been trying to do the same, though more in prayer format, rather than writing it down. Instead of constantly asking and complaining, I’m thanking and praising.
This spring has been just glorious here, too. I can’t remember a spring I have enjoyed more. It doesn’t hurt that all of my terrible/brutal/agonizingly-horrid seasonal allergies went POOF! and disappeared during pregnancy, and still haven’t reappeared!! It’s been 5 years, now! That alone is such a HUGE blessing! 🙂
So, I’m thankful for my family, my work, hobbies I adore, and good books to read, my delightful bed, my little wood stove, coffee and chocolate, the best hue of green – spring leaves!, lilacs, the farm at my parents’, my daughter’s red curls and spunkiness, my son’s sweet loving nature, no allergies!!, and you! 🙂
I love those blossoms…what do I do…I tend to grab the bull by the horn…what am I grateful for…the list is long dearest one, I do review my list before grabbing the bull : )
I am thankful for the furry friends and the not furry ones (like you;…hee hee); for flowers, air, freedom to walk out when I have to…so so many
How delightful it must be to move to a new location…I am not land bound and so I actually do like moves, a lot I mean. xxx
mhhhmm, it’s true, gratitude is the best deflation device when we get puffed up and twisted around in total ‘twerpiness’. I was just reflecting with my guy the other day how easy and indulgent it is in the moment to have big fat pity parties… and think life is full of overwhelming issues… but concluded that GRATITUDE is the surest antidote to snap out of such states of mind. Anywho, Im grateful for beauties like you, and beauties like these blooms, the fresh smell of rain out the window, a good meal in our bellies, adorable squealing kids snuggling in close with the smell of sun and sand in their hair.
God is good.
xx
mel
needle and nest
love to you my friend
you wise woman : )
I am grateful for children who keep it real
a husband who is a good good man
the earth in all her beauty…she never lets me down and is always there waiting to take me in
I am grateful for a space in my home that I can call my own and surround myself with all my “crazy”
I am grateful for the ability to express
I am grateful for the expedience of life…all of it…that which challenges me to grow beyond my human limitations along side that which cradles me in familiarity and comfort
I am grateful for a full fridge
a dog who loves unconditionally
and the bear that walks in the ravine behind my house
I am grateful for brave women who allow me the honour of guiding them back to themselves
and I am grateful for clean fresh water to drink…right out of my tap
and a land where I can use my freedoms to live as I choose to live
just a few things I am grateful for this sunny spring day : )
love and light
Moving is the worst. But soon you’ll be in your beloved Methow and it will be glorious! Will you be living in the Little Cabin again?
Also, if you’re procrastination happens to result in a size 8 Root ring… Gosh golly would I ever be overjoyed! xoxo
every evening i say my “thank you” to the heavenlies:
my life.
my higher power.
michael, my gift of love here on this earth.
my job.
my homestead and animal friends.
my handful of true-blue friends.
and then i make my supplications.
but, always, ALWAYS, first, my gratitude for what has been given me here on this side of being stardust.
oh. and i’m thankful for each and every glimpse into the world around me, via your blog and others’ sweet captures of nature….
and i’m thankful for blue eggs and your flowering plum tree and the fantastically enormous babe-on-the-rock ring on my right hand….
xx
You are such a beauty.
Your work and photos are stunning.
And I for one (and I know I’m not alone)
am looking forward to your further adventures in said airstream…
(also dying for a peak of R’s cabinetry work inside. 🙂
xx
A blue egg? A rabbit skull? I’d like to add those to my list but I am thankful that I found a nice sun bleached deer spine. I’m thankful to trade in my sorrels for Birkenstocks fa fa finally. This cat in my lap, the honey in my coffee (thank you bees!), my owls & woodpeckers.
I’m thankful for the love of a fine man, laughter, my job where I’m surrounded by books and I’m forever giving thanks for YOU, Foxy, Dove and th’ rest, for all that we share with each other through nature and art, through pictures and stories. OH, THE STORIES!!
Before you know it, you will be snug in Miss Maple, hugging pondis, smoking up the fireman’s kitchen, fly fishing and kayaking. Meanwhile, take ‘er slow…xxx
i am thankful for the freedom to spend my days living, growing and creating. i am thankful that my children can grow up as children, playing, making, laughing and learning from real life experiences. i am thankful for the inspiration i get every day from the people i meet and the places i visit.
Lists, lists, lists. Typed preferably. Multiple coloured highlighters. Large sticky labels for boxes. Duct tape. Strong coffee or tea. Photograph box contents and put pic on box or have system to identify (a la Martha). Best of luck. Spring is very distracting, as all beauty can be.
Oh beautiful… I know what you mean… but I also know, for me at least, that putting off the inevitable tasks just makes them that much longer – for first they have my energy in ignore/delaying them and then they have my energy to do them… often in a rushed and stressful manner. Not to say I still don’t delay, oh I do. I wish I wouldn’t, but I do. And then I always feel so much better once I get the dreaded done that I wonder why I delayed at all.
Today – oh today I am so thankful for my wonderful husband.
Jillian, I make Gratitude (with a capital “G”) my primary practice. So, this post touched me quite deeply. When I am feeling most thrown off balance is when I have to remember to be a little more focused in my practice of Gratitude. I, too, feel brighter and fuller and more aware when I make lists of all the wild wonders of my life. Thank you for sharing your beautiful words; as always!
p.s. Ah, freedom!
Kerry
I was once in a very bad place in my life – I was desperately searching for anything (anything!) to lesson the giant burden I was carrying every day on my shoulders, the depression bucked me at every bend. I heard of gratitude as a practice, as a life style and completely balked at it – “how ridiculous!” Well, with a lot of time and self work, it has changed my life in so many good ways. I try to practice it every day. Right now, I feel grateful for: sunny days by the ocean, sometimes hearing the ocean waves crash from my apartment, tomorrow being Friday, having a good week at work, having leftovers to eat in the fridge (chorizo!), the comfy yoga pants I am wearing right now, good friends and fun times. Be well, Kaylin
Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts here as well as your gratitude lists! Wonderful stuff! I’m so thankful you’re in my world. XX