Parlez Vous Francais?

This picture makes me giggle...inside and out. It looks like how I feel. It looks like a crazy bundle of swirling excitement about to take flight. Do you see its wings hovering above?

I am about to take flight. To France. On Wednesday. This has been a dream of mine throughout my whole adult life, and in three days its going to be a reality. Yep. I feel just like a twisting, curling, twirling spiral of energy.

What kinds of experiences am I going to have? What new and wondrous things will my eyes open up to? How many memory cards should I bring with my camera? I better go get an extra one...just in case.

I am so sorry I haven't had a chance to visit you. I miss reading your blogs. July has been a frenzy of activity and I have found it challenging just getting the odd post up on my own blog! I miss you all so much and will try to make a quick visit before I leave.

I will be gone a month, and I hope to collect all kinds of interesting photos, some of which will no doubt end up here in this space when I return. I can't wait to see what kinds of things I will post! It is such a big unknown. All I know is that I will surely find myself captivated by a hundred million things....and I will surely run out of room on my memory cards. For sure.

Tell Me a Story

This flower is called Love in the Mist. Isn't that beautiful?
Well, the scientific name is Nigella, but I prefer the other name. It tells such an enchanting story...those delicate fern-like tendrils look like they could vaporize into a misty blanket, cradling the soft purple in its protective loving arms.

I passed a man on the mountain yesterday who I see quite often wandering the hilly cliff sides, his lab by his side. It had rained the day before and everything was moist and deeply fragrant...nourished after a long dry spell. He mentioned to me how his dog loves to be out on days like this, exploring everything with his curious black nose. He said, "A dewy morning tells many more stories than a dry summer afternoon."
Hmmm.

Although, the story the mountain was telling me yesterday was an upsetting one. As I continued on my way, I discovered to my horror that a large part of the grassy cliff had recently suffered a brushfire. To my nose, it felt as though I was walking across a giant ashtray. I always worry during the summer that the mountain and surrounding forest will burn, especially when it is so dry. If something happened here, I don't know if I would ever get over it.
As troubling as it was to see half the mountainside charred and black, I was so grateful that it didn't reach the trees. It was a reminder to appreciate every moment I have in this sacred space. The whole forest could be quickly wiped out with one careless flick of a cigarette.

I may not have the nose of an inquiring golden lab, but I too am attentive to the stories of the natural world. Life is fragile and precious and we need to lovingly protect it, like the gentle arms of a Nigella.

Baby Love

I have fallen off the blog map. Life has been a bit crazy these last few weeks, but I did manage to escape last weekend and visit with my new favourite little person...my beautiful little niece Sarai. It's amazing how much love one can feel for a baby. It was instant. As soon as I looked at her, as soon as I held her in my arms and looked into those sweet baby blues, it was pure love. I miss her already.

And I miss you too! Next week is when summer mode sets in for me. I hope to be here much more regularly, and I can't wait to come visit all of you and see what beauty is to be found on your corner of the blog map. I long to feel connected again. I am feeling a wee bit homesick for this wonderful community.

I will see you very soon!
Love to you all.
xo

Room to Grow

And the day came when the risk to remain
tight in a bud became more painful
than the risk it took to blossom.

~Anais Nin

Fuzz to Flight

This little guy might not know it yet, but he is about to taste a freedom he has never experienced before.

I think butterflies may be one of the happiest creatures on earth. They don't come into this life knowing how to fly. They are small and vulnerable as caterpillars. The world must seem so large and treacherous. As they teeter on the edges of leaves, the slightest wind threatens their stability. They must be wary of hiking boots and bird beaks, raindrops and spiderwebs. Crossing a patch of grass must be slow and exhausting. And one must not be afraid of heights if he wishes to survive as a caterpillar.

But if he does make it through this uncertain phase of life, the rewards are astounding. He will grow beautiful colourful wings and lift above all those previous struggles.

I think birds take their ability to fly for granted. They are born feathered and have not known any other way. But a butterfly knows how limiting a life without wings can be.

No wonder they flit and flutter around so deliriously... seemingly drunk on air, madly catching breezes and currents like flying tulips.

So I say to this little caterpillar perched upon this leaf...hang in there fuzzy one...life is about to get a whole lot more interesting.