Laundry Line Divine

Mary’s line of poetry is the title of my manifesto. That is as far as I have gotten.

If you asked me today, what I am all about, I’d have to pause, take a deep breath and ask you to listen to a few stories about where I am from and who I have become in my 53 years on the planet. Reading this linked post at Lake Superior Spirit will tell you a lot about where I am from.http://upwoods.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/a-person-who-is-heading-north-is-not-making-any-mistake-in-my-opinion-stuart-little/

What I am about on this chilly day in the Berkshires where winter has slammed in early and taken down trees and shrubs and how about all the birds, is I am an artist, blogger, author and full time Mom. Heavy on the Mom part today as Ben is home sick with something he is sharing with a few friends, who are also home sick. So, I am a woman, often interrupted, digging deeper with my paddle to stay on course on this my full work day in my studio while my husband covers the kids and driving and dinner and phone calls.

I am sitting here with the space heater going and fingerless gloves on writing.
Thinking.
Knitting.
Getting ready to make my collaborator a post card.

Maybe you could say I am a juggler?
No, I know a juggler, my Roger the Jester. He juggles. I do something else.

Maybe you could say I am a connector?
Like the train lines that connect one route to another- hey, like the S train that runs from Grand Central to Times Square in NYC.

I am like that, country mouse and city mouse.
I live in both worlds, occupying one more than the other at present, with this rural small town life filling my days with people I love and the busy lives of my teenagers.

My whole life I have thrilled by connecting with others.
I have written about this here before, but to this very moment, I delight in getting to know what others do and how or who I might connect with them to expand our togetherness. Professionally this means that when someone recommends me meeting someone, I sit right down to make that happen. Tomorrow I get to have lunch with a writer who is new to the Berkshires. A mutual friend connected Alison Larkin and me. Both of us are mothers and writers, we have much to share.

This summer, in June at the International Women’s Writing Guild conference, I met and fell in awe and delight with Jan Phillips. The honor of knowing her as a colleague is such a thrill to me. Jan said this:

“Recall your soul’s mission and do that better and better every day. When you experience joy, you know you are there.”

Connecting brings me great joy.
It requires listening.
It requires knowing who I am in order to stand in my value as a potential collaborator with the Divine, every single day.
This mission brings me unending joy and the best, long to-do list.

On this day, as I honor the birthday of my friend Jill Rogers of The Seven Sacred Steps, I celebrate being a connector.
If you’d like to connect more, in your daily life, take a moment and notice what you yearn for, then say yes the next person who offers it to you. If no one is offering what you want, go find someone to give that very thing to. Okay, an example? I yearn to do yoga with a group of seasoned yoga people for whom the practice can be quiet and deep. I have not found that group yet, but I have begun sharing a short practice with the women I do a cardio workout with twice a week.

Here is a photo of me connecting. The 2 women pictured with me had just met that day. The woman in the center is my dear Betty Burkes, one of my longest time friends and my sister from another mother. Next to her is our new friend, Marj Hahne, who I met at the IWWG conference in June. The 3 of us were on Cape Cod at the same time. Our conversation flowed. I knew we are each women who enjoy knowing each other and what we are about. We scurried over the obstacle of newness briskly.

I hope this post finds you wondering about making one connection for yourself today.
What do you yearn for?
Would you dare ask it of someone?

Like Mary Oliver and her ‘acts of adoration’, I honor this day and all that brought me to this moment with you.
Thank you for your time,
Love,
S

This post is dedicated to my treasured readers, Mary McGinn, Kathy Drue and Tammy McLeod. Otherwise known as Kitty Cavalier, Lake Superior Spirit and AgriGirl, busy blogging women with busy bodacious lives.
Your comments and support make me very very happy.

There are so many of you who sometimes comment or not at all, I know you have your reasons, and these I respect.
You must know that I am honored that you stop here at all to rest your thoughts and sup inspiration.
At least, that is what I hope you do.

From the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, where I am arting about with my German family and my own brood, looking forward to tossing a skillet at the Orleans County Fair this week. I will keep you posted on what happens, just after the harness racing in the infield.
I am hoping to come home with another blue ribbon.

Tons of rainy love with magnificent sunsets,
S

Somedays, before I even clear my email and get to my to-do list, something lands in my lap to fill me up and make my heart pound.

Today, it began with the breeze and laughing out loud with my friends Lydia and Ari while we worked out.

Then, the vision of my husband in his nice white linen shirt doing the dishes. I love a man who does dishes. This is how I fell in love with JNB.

Then, weeding, watering and watching a woodchuck enjoy the shade bed all mulched and damp.

Then, reading aloud to my son a draft of a post about North, that will appear on Lake Superior Spirit later this week.

And now, this music. I found it by reading my friend Joanne Tombrakos’ wonderful post today.

Somedays, I feel the hand of the Divine guiding me all the way along.
She is present in the people I encounter every single moment.
Even in you.
Thank you for stopping by this shady spot today where sepia and vinyl resonate.

Love, S

When you invite the Divine, your life becomes an altar.

Moments this week:

1. Dragonfly dipping in to the river for a drink right in front of me, yesterday.
2. Skirts of dragonflies all over our trip to Florida.
3. Stepping in to the river with Catherine, both of us sinking in to the clear clean cold river water.
4. Standing in the hallway and being enveloped by my son and his long strong arms, two hearts together.
5. Looking at my husband and knowing in our 20 years, the more we surrender and party with the Present, the more Love, Joy and Ease washes in to our life.
6. My girl’s shoulders going down after a decision was made by stating her truth and letting go of the results.
7. Swimming with Lydi and Jill in the deep blue sea.
8. Hearing from my BHK just when my dreams were brimming with her presence.
9. Calls from BJB to my husband, the 4 of us calling to her with our hearts.
10. Jazz on the radio under the hand of Larry, the rain has ceased, the birds celebrate and all things are just as they are- simple, quiet and rhythm filled.

The fun of these Playdates is the variety of wonderments you send me.
First in the mailbox were Marilyn’s photos of altars around her home and garden. They are such a sweet reflection of her laughter and joy in living.

Another moment to pause and smile in Marilyn's home.

Next I heard from my friend Mary McGinn, also known as Kitty Cavalier. Here is her altar.

Mrs. Mary celebrates her creation!

Do you notice how we each choose to celebrate and honor the elements we want to attract in to our life- a conversation with the Sacred, healing for all- including our plants, fulfilling our desires and making room for inspiration from the Infinite. Some of my Facebook friends spoke about standing under trees or out in nature. Melanie wrote about the ‘grotto’ she and her partner have created as a place to reflect and pray.

All these altars are invitations.

Bonnie’s came next with an altar in her home, at the foot of her magnificent collage kitchen and the other, a view from her family home up North where they go to just be.
Isn’t that what an altar calls you to?

Just Be Here?

In Bonnie's kitchen studio,many things are made including art and dinner. The garden comes in to visit!

Lastly, came Kathy Drue, my wonderful blogging Sister in L’Anse, Michigan. She is posting about simplicity this month. This is where she starts:

Here are Kathy’s words:

It is actually an empty table. It sits in our half-finished basement (a walk-out basement complete with couches and chairs and a bedroom and food room and laundry room and storage room). I like to keep the table empty these days to remind me to honor the emptiness, the silence, as well as the fullness. It used to hold one wooden burled bowl for years, which also seemed to hold the energy of openness holding emptiness.

I can’t quite describe how this empty table makes me feel joyful and alive.

I also put “things” on the table from time to time. Laundry baskets. Empty mason jars headed to the food room. Bits and bobs of life. So whenever I empty off the table–and it’s empty again–there is an inner smile. The emptiness isn’t static. It isn’t really even empty. It’s full.

so that is my altar.

This morning’s Daily Rumi caps it all for me:

Value

Which is worth more, a crowd of thousands,
or your own genuine solitude?
Freedom, or power over an entire nation?

A little while alone in your room
will prove more valuable than anything else
that could be given you.

Tell me about your Altars.
All my love, S

This altar is surrounded in grapevines and olive branches.