Vacation

That's right I am on vacation.............hooray!! My friend V arrived this morning after being stranded in the Sea-Tac airport for 12 hours - poor guy!

What are we going to do?? Well, cook some great food (tapas is one thing on our menu), drink some good wine and perhaps a margarita, go to a museum, see some fireworks, sit on the patio in the new chairs (that's them in the photo) and just have a good time. I need this time off so much. The past few months have been extremely stressful and worthwhile. I am tired and ready for this quiet, relaxing break.

I hope you have a terrific holiday weekend - I will try to post more during my vacation.

Birthday News

This has been an incredible birthday and because I am having a birthday weekend - it is not over yet.

My life contracted after Tom's death. I was surrounded by my angel-friends - thank God. However, the entire fabric of my life was bound so tightly around me, it was dark and suffocating and lonely. Solitude is imperative; isolation is different. The isolation (and it was there even when I was in the company of others) was profound - it was to a greater degree that I was even aware.

This birthday was a living embodiment of how my life, my TRANSFORMED life, has expanded.

I worked at my interim executive director job all day on the actual birthdate and was overwhelmed at the amazing outpouring of good wishes and love. I got so many emails, voice mails, text messages, facebook postings and phone calls with Happy Birthday wishes. I got cards, notes, a cake from the staff at work, flowers from the board of directors. It was so lovely. At some point during that day I realized how expansive, how loving and how different my life is today than a few years ago. Transformed!!

I am so grateful - I am so blessed - I am humbled, honored and filled with joy. I saw Shellie, the soul reader, yesterday. It was incredible. I will blog more later - now I must go and enjoy some more of this birthday weekend. Namaste.

PS The photo was taken on my sixth birthday.

Garden

I took these photos just after dawn this morning as I wandered around the yard with my coffee and my IPhone. I will take better photos this weekend with my real camera. We are expecting a beautiful and much cooler day today. Enjoy yours!!

Still on the Planet

Such a busy time. I am preparing to take a break - V is arriving from Seattle the evening of July 1 and I will be off work for a week. I am so looking forward to time to myself and time with him. I got an email from QuitNet this morning reminding me about one of the best things I have done for myself in a long time. So here my friends are my quit stats for June 23, 2009:

Your Quit Date is: Sunday, April 23, 2006 at 9:35:00 PM
Test Time Smoke-Free: 1156 days, 6 hours, 41 minutes and 55 seconds
Cigarettes NOT smoked: 17344
Lifetime Saved: 4 months, 12 days, 11 hours

The garden is looking wonderful - I will have photos to post soon. My plan is to take Friday off for a long weekend - time for reflection on my birthday. It is really HOT here in Minnesota - heat index 105 degrees - if you are in the heat take care of yourself and stay cool. Blessings

Garden

It has been a weekend - I did not feel well Saturday and Sunday but am back to normal today. The client work continues to be incredibly stressful. Here is the progress on the garden so far this year. The pots lined up against the wooden wall are all vegetables and edible flowers. It is fun to watch them grow - cucumbers, zucchini, beans, hot peppers, eggplant, edible lavender, and parsley. The space in front of the house has four types of tomatoes, basil, chamomile, chives and lots of edible flowers.

We are in drought here in the Twin Cities - I am thankful for the hose - all my containers are mulched. I watered the lawn and trees in back very deeply during the spring and they are doing well in spite of so little rain. Soon I will post photos of the back gardens - very beautiful. I will keep the photos coming as things grow strong.

Integrity

Paul Wellstone was a man of values and honor. He had a huge vision of a world of equality and peace. He would not compromise his values and beliefs.

Grassroots leadership - a world based on mutual respect and one where children feel and know they are valued and loved. What a tragedy to lose this man - I am honored that I had opportunities to meet him and spend just a bit of time with him. He always remembered people - not just "hiya, hiya, hiya" but remembered you. He truly cared about this world. He will never be forgotten.

You CAN Do It!

I just got this from my friend William - such a good life lesson and fun to watch. Thanks Will. Namaste

@ Yahoo! Video

Summer Room

I am so happy with the new look of my room. I recently purchased these new things and it feels so good to slip into bed and draw up the soft cotton champagne-colored quilts. It is just perfect.

Now I have the burgundy/gold/purple/green of my heavy winter quilts and shams and these beautiful ivory and gold summer bed linens. It makes me feel like a princess. Very summery.

As you can tell, it remains a very, very busy time for me. I am still in the shelter doing the leadership transition. The project is going well - transitions are always stressful - this one is no different. Most important, we are making progress - they will walk in the sunshine one of these days, they will sing the song of their dreams. It is worth it.

As I went to do this post tonight I noticed that this is my 480th post since I began my blog - June 20 will be four years - oh my, four years. What a joy it is - what a joy each of you are - my friends, my dearest blog buddies - my companions on this journey of transformation. Thank you.

Summer is on the Way

I spent most of the weekend outdoors - planting, digging, raking, mulching,refurbishing pots, just having a really good time. This year I planted very few flowering annuals - almost 100% of all plantings are edibles. You can see my three large barrels are planted with a huge number of herbs - I am hoping to dry most of my herbs for the winter. The other large pot on the stairs is filled with Brussels sprouts. I have loads of johnny jump ups, pansies, chamomile for tea. In the front (where I have not yet taken photos) there are pots filled with tomatoes, eggplant, Italian parsley, chili peppers, yellow pear tomatoes, bush cucumbers and bush beans. I am very excited.

I still have all my tomato sets that I am growing and will plant them next weekend. I also will be planting pots of lettuce to grow in the shade under the big tree in the backyard. Salad right out the backdoor.

This was a relaxing weekend. I will post more photos soon. I hope you had a lovely weekend - summer has begun.

At Last - Such a Blessing

After a year of attending services, volunteering my time, making new friends, taking the orientation classes and searching for a spiritual home - yesterday I made the commitment and signed the membership book at Unity Unitarian Church in St. Paul. I am so happy. I am now officially a part of the community of those who are living their values through commitment to social justice and living a spirit-filled life.

This spiritual home is filled with music, with devotion to families and with laughter and community-building. I am blessed today as I begin my life as a full member of this very special community.

It is a beautiful, sunny day here. I have music playing and am preparing to go out to "dig in the dirt" and get those veggies planted. My heart to yours - much more to come.

Dreams

I have been dreaming every night and remembering big pieces of these dreams. They are vivid and colorful. Some are about my current client and some are about my future. And still others are about things of which I have no knowledge.

A week ago, I was dreaming that Tom was having surgery and that I was here in bed. "Oh no, I have to wake up and go to the hospital," I thought. Then directly on the heels of that thought was - "Oh no, Tom is not in the hospital, he is at work." As I "went back to sleep" = I was suddenly thrust into consciousness with the thought, "Oh my god, Tom is DEAD!' It was the strangest feeling. I awoke weeping and suddenly it was like it was all new news. I felt devastated and very disoriented.

Dreams - who knows.

I took this rainbow photo last Thursday night from my deck with my IPhone. I wonder what is at the end of that rainbow. Love and hugs to each of you.

The backyard is awake and ready for

ready for fun, for flowers, herbs, vegetables, BBQ's, picnics and just plain hanging out and enjoying the sun and summer.

I spent most of the weekend cleaning the garage, raking the yard, cleaning the flower pots in preparation for planting my tomatoes, eggplants, squash, peppers and tons of herbs. This year I am going to plant even more veggies in containers than in previous years. Because of the huge 100+ year old cottonwood tree that stands sentinel in my yard - it is difficult to grow those things that love and require the sun. I grow those veggies in pots in the front of my townhouse.

My backyard is filled with my roses, daylilies, hydrangeas, and lots of other perennials. I have lived in my home for nearly 14 years and have lovingly tended the backyard. It is a joy to prepare the yard for another season of growth. Digging in the dirt - feeling the sunshine on my back - listening to the chatter of the birds. Heaven - right here at home. There are more photos to come. Talk to you soon.

Solid Potato Salad - The Ross Sisters (1944)

More Spring.....

Here are my tomato seedlings sitting in the garden window being overseen by the Viking, which is a gift from Tor my dear blogger brother from Norway. The other photos are my stove turned into a summer plant stand :) and the backyard starting to get green. The lilacs will soon be blooming. Spring, spring, spring. Hope you are enjoying the new season too.

Happy Birthday

To my darling angel - today is one of those special days to remember how much you gave and how much you added to our lives. I will miss you forever. Thank you for the gift of unconditional love. Always with me, I feel your loving spirit every day.