Solstice sigh

Popping in to wish everyone a Winter Solstice full of light and wonder.  In the midst of the chaotic energy of the season, moments like the above have been restorative and nourishing.

Peace and joy.

Autumn into advent

Autumn is my favorite season.  One of the things I love this time of year, in this part of the world, is what is uncovered when the leaves fall from the trees (or vines, as the second photo shows).  It feels like Mother Earth presenting opened gifts to me, to us, over and over again.

I was surprised this morning to see that there was a nest in the wisteria out back.  And then, as swiftly, I wasn't surprised as I recalled the bursts of bird song and ruckus, very frequent, amongst the vines and purple blooms during the spring.  Puzzle piece falls into place.  This neighbor cat was drawn by what I imagine were faint yet irresistible scents still wafting from the old nest.

My holiday weekend came to a lovely close with an unexpectedly, luxuriously, long tea with a friend.  Somehow, I unearthed a treasure of a menu item at my favorite café in town.  How did I not know this existed?  It was called "Cream Tea" and included a medium pot of black tea with a scone, butter and jam.  Incredibly complete and comforting.

I hope your days or evenings, as we enter this darkest time of year here in the northern hemisphere, are bringing to light some moments of discovery and delight.

Peace and love.

Keen

 

I worship sunlight during Fall.

  

I attune to Mother Earth as she avails herself of her veils profoundly, beautifully.

I feel the flight of light acutely and my heart breaks. 

I crane my soul to locate the embers and stoke the fire back to life.

Peace and love.

Themes

rhythm.

Every November, for a number of Novembers now, I feel a spark and a twinge when I am reminded of NaNoWriMo.  I think, how cool would that be, to write a novel?  Or a solid first draft of one?  And then I quickly dismiss the idea because how dare I disrespect the art form by even dreaming I could do something like that?  I am hardly a writer.

Today, a blogger I follow posted saying she will post daily for the month of November (unrelated to NaNoWriMo).  And I whispered-thought, hey, that, I can do.

Going to the farmer's market with Kelly on Saturday mornings has become a lovely routine.  The company of a good friend, being a step closer to the rhythm of the season, the genial contact with local farmers, fish mongers and culinary artisans...it all fills me with anticipation and gratitude.

This morning I picked up cider from a local orchard (where we get our weekly fruit share from) and eggs and ground sirloin from Anthony.

moments.

The berries were red and because of the cloudy light, had a wonderful matte quality to them.  I couldn't angle my shot properly to catch the color, but liked the silhouette well enough to appreciate the image for itself.

flow.

Something clicked for Gem this afternoon and he worked on some comics with an unusual fervor.  We talked about how cool it is to feel and be one with that flow.

arts.

I read Marbles today.  It was an incisive and funny memoir chronicling a journey from diagnosis to successful treatment (after four+ years!) of bipolar disorder.  It had a lot of heart and I am glad I read it.  It was featured in this piece highlighting graphic novels by women that Sherman Alexie turned me onto via his blog.

I have been enjoying American Horror Story: Coven in its many aspects, and, as a whole.  I am a sucker for wonderfully utilized music and have been riveted by their application of Fleetwood Mac, and Stevie Nicks, in particular, for Misty's storyline.

Peace and love.

Catching up: the natural world

These four shots are from around the house.  I appreciate all the seasons, but Autumn is my favorite.  I find the drowsing of the Earth quite beautiful.  The way the colors fade, how what is underneath, the bones of our matter, are exposed...  How simultaneously new underneaths are created and precious parts are given shelter.  How surges of life can give us delirious hope amidst the chaos of entropy.

These three shots are from a walk the kids and I took in a local park.  It was early morning but the light felt like late afternoon.  The slant of the world discombobulates.

These two were taken around the library.  Glancing fascinators.

Peace and love.

Looking up, down and all around

Today's theme: things that caught my eye (and oftentimes my heart/soul).

The moon as we crossed the Bay Bridge from San Francisco to Oakland on our first night.

First morning.  Early morning jet lag did not persist.  The 3 o'clock dip did for awhile.

Gem and I took a neighborhood stroll our first morning.  He was antsy to get out of the house.  I took this shot because I loved the way the garbage cans dotted the street (garbage day).  But then Gem, who was walking uncharacteristically quite far ahead of me, crossed the street alone to get back to the house.  I hold him, his style, his pace, his path, fiercely close to my heart.

Seen on our walk.

A house near the Rose Garden.  For want of a better way to put it, they do a lot of cool stuff with rocks.

The rock people also like their newspapers.

Sag sat at this fountain in the Rose Garden for quite a bit.  He really wanted to go in it.  I think he was trying to figure out a way he could go in (without consequence) as much as he was enjoying the serenity of it all.

These numbers indicated years that donors made large contributions to the Rose Garden.  I liked the way they looked and the fabulous Bay Area light is always good for brilliant shadow-making.  Gem is an "aughts" baby.

Everyone loved this reclining chair.  I was a bit worried the kids were going to break it.  So inviting, though, could you blame them for enjoying it as kinesthetically as they could?

This was a sheer curtain in front of the stage curtain at Berkeley Rep, made for the play we saw.  It was hauntingly beautiful.

Leo in alert mode in the backyard.

Blue wagon in Mary and Nate's front yard in Berkeley.

Two pensive kids.

Three turquoise trucks seen from the walking path on the Oakland Estuary.

Three versions of Barbra.

Audrey and Leo starring in a post-apocalyptic universe.

Mystery (I take all blame, I did not note the artist or name of work) public art in Oakland.

Gem shooting footage for his vacation vlog.  Outside the Exploratorium in San Francisco.  The light, the light.  So fantastic and breathtaking.

This kid.  He spends so much of his time super comfortable...or super uncomfortable.  This is a good example of the former.  A sunny reverie by the bay while we waited for our friends.

Gem was reminded of reclining (ancient) Egyptian royalty when he spotted this chaise lounge outside the restrooms in the Exploratorium.  He lay right down for a reenactment.

Malachi may have been pondering fish here.  He loves them.

American River.

Dusk in Sacramento, evening breeze cooling the land down.

Night play.

A sweet little owl that reminded me of my grandmother who loved them.

Laundry day.  Sacramento has ideal line drying weather.  Jealous.

Reading the funnies.

This was a display at the train museum in Sacramento.  The telephone operator's lunch remains!  I adored the pewter salt shaker and eggshell pieces.

From an exhibit of produce crate labels at the train museum.

Stained glass train window at the train museum.

Light fixtures in the Tower movie theater, Sacramento.

Erika and Charlie.  A huge and palpable sigh of relief as Charlie turned a corner and started healing the day before we left.

My favorite of Malachi's displayed paintings.

Cap and Sag under the eucalyptus trees, Berkeley.

Leo snuggling.

Sag in contemplation.  The super comfy being in the super comfy chair.

Mary's birthday pot de crème with whole wheat hazelnut shortbread at Zut! in Berkeley.

This is a cool underpass mural in Oakland that says "eRACISM".

Noticed his body filling the space differently.  I may have a shot of him on their steps when he was wee.

Alameda view before stepping into the restaurant for dinner.

Peace and love.