Simply having a wonderful Christmas time…

David and I were blessed with a Christmas time filled with beautiful sights,

cold and wintery, but oh so cozy nights.

Tickles and giggles,

and smiles and good loving…

The time went so quickly but was very full of all the good stuff that gathering together with loved ones brings.

We have spent a couple of days at home now, cleaning up from the big snow, and we are off on our next adventure soon.

Coldplay at Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort in Uncasville, CT !

Merry Christmas & Happy 12th Anniversary to US !!!

We will be home just in time to ring in the New Year.

Have you been thinking about a Word of the Year for 2013 ?

I like this ritual very much.

My 2012 word was “Live”. It was a good word to refer to and to help me come back to the present moment.

My 2013 Word of the Year is percolating under the surface right now.

I will grab hold of it when it is clear and of course, make myself a Rock my World rock with it to keep as a talisman for the year.

If you are interested in having a Word of the the Year Rock in a Box with your own word, I have these sweet little gifties available in the etsy shop again this year, with a new design for 2013.

There are also a few of the stitched wool felt cuffs that I have so loved making available now as well.

I hope that you are finding this in between/winter wonderland/full moon timesweet, Beautiful Ones, and full of moments that make your Soul hum….

Big, big love to you !

From my heart to yours…

Merry Christmas and much love, Beautiful Ones !

Haiku My Heart–Solstice 2012

Solstice, darkest day.

Celebrate the light inside.

Let your Soul light shine.

 

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The winter solstice comes in with lots of wind and heavy rains here in New Hampshire.

I will get my white Christmas up north in La Conception, Quebec, where they have a snow day today and are expecting about a foot of of the white stuff. So far, our travel time to head up there is looking clear, so that is a relief.

I have been describing the whole vibe around this holiday time as tender. Hearts feel tender, and the balance of light and dark feels tender and tenuous. Tender isn’t bad. It just means staying as present as possible and paying attention to actions and words, I think. I am working on it !

Today is for gift wrapping – making it simple with lots of reusable gift bags.

Between packages, I am baking cookies to give as gifts to the in-laws. Again, a simple recipe that is festive and works for everyone except my sister-in-law, Sue, who has celiac disease, and who will receive a special batch of gluten free chocolate chocolate brownies just for her !

All in all, I feel satisfied with my Christmas preparation this year. I have limited the stress and the expectations really well, I think. And a few of my gifts have that special Kim-touch that means so much to me. (Like that little embroidered wool pouch pictured above that will hold eco-dyed silk “Sweet Dream” herb and dried flower sachets that I have made for some special ladies !) That has worked to keep my heart light and my joy front and center.

So, I and my tender heart, wish you and yours a beautiful and bright solstice ! Keep those Soul lights burning !

Big love !

 

For more haiku and more solstice celebrating, join me at recuerda mi corazon.

Share the Joy Thursday–Cozy At Home Joy

From this week’s Joy List :

Little porcelain boxes that I have decorated and filled with a tiny “shh…” rock and left as anonymous gifts as I went about my errands around town.

Twinkle lights that shine above Little Happy in the studio.

Naps.

An early prezzie from Santa ! Momma got new red Ariat Cowgirl Boots !!! (50 % Off !!!)

Stitching little gifties for loved ones.

New hair do that frames my face and the sweet time I had with my hairdresser, Deb as we made me pretty.

Christmas shopping done. And one gift in particular that I am thrilled with giving to a certain 21 year old niece of mine.

A day for stitching and card writing today.

A day for baking tomorrow.

The anticipation of some sweet family holiday time and Christmas morning with some of my favorite kiddos.

Life definitely has its fair share of joy, even in the face of many sorrows. It is our work here to focus on it and celebrate it !

Enjoy your day, Beautiful Ones !

For more joyous celebrating, visit Meri at Meri’s Musings !

Love is still the answer...

I am heart broken.
My heart is broken into pieces by the horrors of last Friday, and the faces of those sweet children, victims of something so evil and horrible...

And yet, in spite of this shattering, I still have faith in the one thing I know.
Love is the answer to every question.

Love may not help us to understand the unthinkable. There is really no understanding this. But is the way for us to come through the heart break. It is the only way, I think.

So I look for ways to apply Love. In small, tender ways, because that is what I have the power to do. And I give gratitude for all that is good and right in my world, however small.
This is how you mend,
slowly...
a broken heart.

Today I love and am grateful for :
- the fact that David had turned on the lights on our Christmas branches first thing this morning so they were aglow when I got up.

- how funny Little Happy looks in his holiday garb !

- having sent several messages of deep love to some other wonderful hearts in my world today, connecting and reaching out in love.

-orders of Rock My World rocks that are heading out in the mail today, spreading love one little rock at a time into our tender world.

- my own faith in Love that unwavering in spite of it all.

Sending big love to you, Beautiful Ones. I am grateful to know you by heart.

Haiku My Heart–Tender Spirit

Our hearts in our hands

Ready to give or receive

The sweet gift of Love.

 

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I am starting to feel it just a little.

That Christmas spirit.

It is very different this year.

It is a tender, soft, maybe even fragile thing.

At least until I choose to infuse it with the spirit of LOVE.

Working on that here as I put up a few simple but special decorations for David and I to enjoy,

and as I go out early in the day to purchase the few store-bought gifts that I am buying this year (mostly for the kiddos).

It is feeling good, like I am ready.

Keeping the LOVE in focus is making my spirit bright !

Sending out the gifts of love and light to you and yours, Beautiful Ones.

 

More love, light and haiku at recuerda mi corazon.

Now there are two...

When I was here last, a few small flocks of Canadian Geese were fishing and swimming in the blue green bay. This morning, two lone birds were making a V pattern in the water. Are they the ones left behind, too weak to make the flight to warmer climes?
This is the coldest morning I have been on the perch, as this is my first December day here.
The beauty I see and the peace I feel as I take deep breaths of cold winter air amaze me. The tiniest detail, the frost on the stripy rocks, fills me with awe. I am blessed.
Thank you for this day.
Much love, Beautiful Ones!

Haiku My Heart–This Small Universe

This small universe

Mine to live in and love

My one big purpose

 

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I am on a creative roll for the last few days.

I have been up and down (mostly down) emotionally, riding on the flow of life’s stressful stuff and dealing with the darkening time.

But I am so thrilled that in spite of the dips in my mood, the creative juices are still around.

I can lose myself and my monkey brain for a while, in the creating of something new, and that is such a comfort and joy.

The flow will be a bit interrupted as I head to Montreal for a fast but necessary trip tomorrow through the beginning of next week.

Oh, yeah, and then there’s Christmas to do !

Well, that’s okay as I have decided that Christmas will be a celebration of the light and love I have in my life and a lot less about what gifts are exchanged ! That is some more of that comfort and joy stuff !

Happy December weekend, Beautiful Ones, and Big Love !

 

BTW – I have listed a few new things in the Etsy shop including the Rock Being featured in the pic up above. Stop by and take a peek if that speaks to you at all.

 

More haiku my heart can be enjoyed at recuerda mi corazon

 

Comfort Rocking

Perhaps it is the effects that came into play with last week’s full moon…

Or perhaps it is the darkening time…

Whatever the cause, I have entered a pretty great period…

I have a million things I want to create and do but very limited energy right now.

Trying to surrender to that in the midst of this busy bustling time of year is not easy

but that is how it is for today.

One source of creative comfort is in my rocks. I began drawing on these white rocks from the shores of Lake Champlain at Elizabeth’s house last week when I was house and dog sitting.

I am blown away by the creatures and designs that came out of the rocks. They told me what they wanted to be.

I love them !

I played with a few more yesterday…

I have some beautiful plans for these sweet treats

but they will have to wait until the flow grabs me again.

For now I will just soak in the quiet joy of creating them.

Light and love to you, Beautiful Ones.

Good Morning, Lake.

Good morning, Lake. I see your grey beauty. I hear the geese chattering and flapping on your surface. I smell the wood burning from the lake house above. I taste the warm coffee and cream from my favorite cup. I feel the cold on my cheeks and nose but also the warming peace in my Soul. Thank you for this feast, Lake. Thank you for this day.

Haiku My Heart–She loved them all

Orange lanterns, blue

Hydrangea, sweet, small birds,

Bittersweet. Loves all.

 

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Love and light to the tender hearts of my friend Elizabeth and her family, who saw her mom, Christine, through the end of her journey on Earth last night.

Gentle flight home, Beautiful Christine.

 

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Haiku my Heart at recuerda mi corazon

Inspired Flow…

No doubt about it.

I am inspired.

Creative juices are flowing.

I am loving it !

This is just some of the work I have produced in the past week.

The stitching took place at e.b.’s and started me off of a great flow…

And yesterday, I got the paint brush back in my hand and did these two pieces.

“The Edge” – 8X8'” canvas, acrylic paint

(I made use of a great new 6X5 stencil, “river rocks”, that I got from Stencil Girl Products, Mary Beth Shaw’s great company !)

“Their Depths” – 8X8” canvas, acrylic paint

I think it is pretty awesome how all of the pieces work together !

Both “The Edge” and “Their Depths” are now listed in the Etsy Shop, just in case you are as inspired by them as me !

I am hoping to add a few stitched cuffs there by next week as well.

Time to go back to work !

Isn’t awesome when work is play ?

Big love to you, Beautiful Ones !

 

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“Today, I remember to be grateful.” 

- Chopra Center 21 Day Meditation Challenge Centering Thought for the Day – Day 16