This is a wonderful day.
I have never seen this one before.
~ Maya Angelou
A Wonderful Day
Reply
Hearts and Sons
My son is the classic dictionary definition of an absent minded professor (which he is). His beautiful brain has multiple trains of thought all speeding along at the same time, so sometimes, day-to-day mundane tasks fall by the wayside.
It was early morning and he had returned from a dawn patrol surf sesh. We were having a lively “discussion” about where to put his surfboard…”Mom, Mom, I’m going to leave it right here, don’t worry. I’m going to surf later, too.”
Whenever he says “don’t worry”, there’s an eighty to one hundred percent chance that it’s something I SHOULD worry about. I learned that after forty-three years of being his mom.
I told him I’d prefer it if he took the extra few minutes to put it away in the garage where it belongs.
This discussion took place as we’re standing in the driveway. It could have been today or a couple decades ago; some things never change!
We were at an impasse. Hands on my hips, I stubbornly stuck to my position that the surfboard needed to go back where it belongs or I would end up trying to lift up a longboard that’s twice my size. Something would break; either the board or me.
Finally, I said, “Look how much time you’re wasting. If you had simply put it up instead of trying to convince me to allow you to leave the surfboard in the way, you’d already be in the house eating your breakfast burrito!”
Well, that’s the kind of logic that works with him. He finally put his board away. Like I told him his entire life, he should take his arguing and debating skills and become a lawyer like his grandfather.
As we wrapped up a twenty minute negotiation, I looked down and found this perfectly formed heart leaf. I took a picture, picked it up, brought it in the house, and I’m looking for a suitable frame while my (annoying) child inhales his breakfast.
It’s all about love. It always has been, and always will be. That child IS my heart, whether he’s being annoying or not.
Weekend Vibes
Just picked a cluster of gorgeous grapes; might pour myself a glass of some chilled and fermented ones a bit later. (Of course I’m talking about chardonnay.)
Happy Friday!
Who Knows Where The Time Goes
Do you feel this way, too?
The days seem to be slipping through my fingers, dripping one by one like a faucet that can’t be turned off.
I can’t fix it, can’t stop it, can’t slow it down. MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday, it’s all the same, it’s going nowhere, it’s going everywhere. I turn and turn the handle but there’s nothing I can do to slow the incessant leak.
(Maybe this was the real message about all those plumbing problems I had a couple months ago.)
First it was January; then I blinked and it’s almost the end of August.
Where has the time gone?
I can’t put all the hours back on the clock, I can’t halt the inexorable passage of time, I can’t stop the sand in the hourglass from running through my fingers.
I don’t know what happened to time. It’s out of my control.
Everyone has heard the version that of Who Knows Where The Time Goes by Judy Collins, but I just learned the original artist and songwriter was Britain’s Sandy Denny. She had the voice of an angel.
Of course Judy Collins is magnificent:
Full Blue Moon Treasures
My day began with French roast coffee and a walk around the garden to check on newly sprouted lettuce seedlings.
I’m glad I did, otherwise I’m not sure I would have seen mommy dove stuck in a pile of fruit tree netting that had fallen to the ground. Oh no! She was really struggling to free herself while her baby was close by, silently watching, but unable to help.
After I untangled her and made sure she was ok, I told her I was very sorry she became trapped in the netting. Both of them stayed close so I sat down on the ground to hang out with them for a few minutes.
After that brief rescue, I thought I’d go for an early walk while it was still a bit overcast and the sun wasn’t yet blazing all of its damaging cancer rays directly at me.
Before I crossed the street that leads to the lagoon, I looked down on the sidewalk and spied this adorable sort of a heart-shaped rock. About a foot away, I noticed a dime and a penny, so I absolutely had to grab it all.
I mean, how could I not, right?
10+1 = 11, so I had a significant “11” message from the universe, along with a little heart love.
The number 11 is supposed to be a good sign, as it can represent a new beginning, spiritual growth, and guidance. In numerology, the number 11 is considered a master number with a high-frequency creative energy.
It all sounds incredibly encouraging as we are about to feel August’s full moon energies.
Since it’s also a dynamically charged blue moon, remember to take a moment to look up and connect with the power she transmits. It’s a rare and magical time to dream big, set intentions, and manifest joy.
As above, so below.
An Empty Nest
I learned something new today. I read that freshly hatched doves are silent; unlike most birds that chirp or coo incessantly for food, baby doves make virtually no sound.
I didn’t hear anything for a couple of days, so I climbed up on a stepladder to see inside the nest and there was this gorgeous little one gazing at me with his gentle round eyes. I thought there were two eggs, but there’s only one, and he seems quite content.
Baby mourning doves are ready to fly and leave the nest when they’re about two weeks old, but they stay close to their parents and continue to be fed by them for another week or two.
The nest is now empty but they’re still here in the garden, and even came to visit me on the deck. I feel lucky to be chosen as a safe haven for these placid, peaceful creatures.
Everything Breaks
Why am I breaking things?
In the last few days, I broke three coffee mugs. Tragically, one of them was my all time favorite wolf mug that I’ve had since the 1970s..and that really upset me. It was a perfectly shaped mug, not too heavy, with a comfortable handle and the ideal curved sipping edge, not too thick or thin. It had survived several moves and was one I used practically every day.
It’s not like I don’t break things from time to time, (including bones), but three in a row got my spidey senses tingling. Does it mean anything special? Is it a message from the universe? Have I been careless?
I had to investigate…but exactly how do we interpret our broken things? I could see an easy connection with a broken mirror, but three coffee mugs? It’s not clear to me, but I know there’s meaning in there somewhere.
- Frequently dropping and breaking fragile items can be a sign that the universe is reaching out to you with an important message that you need to hear.
- Breaking glass is considered a symbol of transformation and change.
- The shattering of a dish, cup, or other fragile item is a moment we can’t control. We are powerless as soon as it leaves our hands; how it falls, the type of material it’s made of, and what it fell on — there is nothing we can do to change the outcome.
- Frequent dropping of things can be an indication that we need to learn how to let go of control.
- Sometimes, things break as signs or symbols sent by the universe or our spiritual guides. These broken objects can represent the need for change or transformation in our lives. It could be an indication that something in our current path is no longer serving us and needs to be released or replaced.
- Release it, set it free, so now there’s room for something else.
I’m not sure if that’s accurate OR is the answer that I’ve simply been especially careless and absentminded.
- The next time something breaks, or if you’re holding onto broken things around your home right now, ask: what message do you have for me? Trust your knowing and what comes up.
- Thank the broken item for all its support and express gratitude for the joy it brought.
Sometimes I repair broken things to recycle as a planter, but these are too damaged. A little glue won’t be able to fix what’s wrong, and that makes me sad, because I have always felt that most things can be mended if you try.
Here’s a pic of two of the three mugs broken in succession. The third one was completely shattered so I immediately tossed it because there were sharp little shards everywhere and none of the pieces fit back together.
Eleven Ways to Speak Kindly to Children | Positive Parenting
I think we all need a gentle reminder to speak kindly to our beautiful little ones. These positive and nurturing messages should be repeated over and over again.
A great idea is to print this graphic and post it on the refrigerator. Turn it into a conversation where other encouraging messages can be added to the list to foster self-compassion and self-love.
Perspective
Text over art by Enchanted Seashells
My Wish For You
I hope everybody survived the powerful energies of the 8/8/8 Lion’s Gate Portal! It was intense, wasn’t it? And still is…
I always return to the simple things to realign myself on life’s journey; a little course correction of some vitamin sea at the beach with sand and seashells.
Art by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite
Quote by Nicollete Sowder
Text over art by Enchanted Seashells
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 