The North Star

I was talking with a very close friend this week.  She has been part of my journey to create a lot of good things in my life.  Our conversation this week was around a creative project I've been struggling with for years.  (Struggle might too strong a word, but sometime feels like a struggle)  I've battled resistance in almost every possible form it can come in.  And I've been searching for the answer to why I'm even wanting to work on this particular creative project to begin with.  I finally hit upon my ultimate purpose for this projects creation.  It connected to a life purpose.  It almost blew my off my chair.  An amazing moment of insight.   Which I know if I don't do something with, is like hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock.

My friend suggested I put it in a star, so that only I can reach this purpose.  And that I won't allow anyone, even resistance, to take it away from me.  This is a brilliant idea.  I told her that I will hang a star in the room I'm creating this project in.  The room happens to be a room that faces north.  The north star is the star that sailors use to guide them even in the darkest of nights.  Wow!

I love the idea of putting something that is dear to us in a star.  Stars can guide us.  We make wishes on stars.  Stars are abundant.  Most folks don't try to mess with stars.

Is there something dear and special to you that you would like to put in a star?  Let it shine on you and guide you.

Until next week...create to feel great!

37 projects complete! 15 to go! wow!
                                                                        
This week's project...my star!

Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop

This week, my dear sweet Mickey Grrrl's kidney values rose a bit.  She's lost some weight and is looking old.  She's still bright and alert, but her time is growing near.  It's a very tough time for me.  I'm finding myself grieving and going through the stages of grief.  I read some articles on anticipatory grief.  Studies show that is it more powerful than grief at the time of a loss.  Almost all the articles suggest that one of the best ways to deal with this process is get creative.  They suggest a person engage in creative activities.  That's a good suggestion for any thing we are going through.  I often hear the comment that I do so much all the time.  I do. Why?  It is how I engage in life.  I'm most present when I'm creating, which most think of as me doing stuff.  I've been told I exhaust them will all I do.  I don't feel I do all that much all the time.  I have spurts.  I do have my bouts of sitting and being.  Just being.  The mix, most times is good.  With what I'm dealing with concerning MickeyGrrrl, I will confess the level of doing is a bit more intense.  The times I'm sitting, I'm sitting with her or Gus or Sam or Broadside.  Sometimes I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. When I get over whelmed with that feeling, I get to creating.  It helps me.  It helps those I love who are in my life, watching me going through this challenging time.  I just can't sit and wait for the other shoe to drop.  I want to create something with whatever time we have left.  I know MickeyGrrrl is happy when she knows I'm creating something.  That's fine by me.

Until next week...create to feel great!

36 projects complete!  16 to go!

This week's project is my version of my Grandma's bread.  She use to call it Gluten Bread (folks these days would run for the hills at the term).  She would bake a least three loafs of this a week every week until she could no longer make bread.  I've never had much success with bread, but this is so simple and wonderful.  Now I can make sandwiches for Broadside's lunch with bread that I know what's in it.  (flour, salt, yeast, water, and some herbs- really that's it) and less than an hour of my time.  This photo is of the French bread version.  I also made a sandwich version (Broadside ate most of it before I could get a photo).  Now I can add bread maker to my list of homestead activities.

Earn The Relationship

Two months ago, I adopted a fun loving, yet serious little boy cat named Sam.  The first couple of months in Sam's  life, we don't know about.  He was rescued and taken to a small country shelter in the back of pet store in Washington State.  He stayed there for eight months.  Over looked and growing.  The owner of the shelter provided food, place to sleep, love and toys.  What more could a little guy need?
When we brought him home, after two days, he attached himself to big old loving Gus.  No issues, just love and fun.  I have to admit I was a little jealous that he didn't attach himself to me that quickly.  I tell friends that Sam makes a person earn the relationship with him.  If that's true, how did Gus get a free pass?  Well, Gus operates from a place of love.  It makes him safe.  It makes him attractive.  Heck, I love being around Gus.  So, Sam wants anyone in his life to only approach him from a place of love.  Flat out.  He returns the love with no problem, once you pass his background check.  It's a good reminder for me.  Approach everyone and everything from a place of love.  I like the fact that I've earned my relationship with Sam and the many wonderful people I have in my life.  The things we earn, we value.  The best way to keep a relationship's value is to keep approaching it from a place of love.  Pretty simple.  Thank you Sam.

Until next week...create to feel great!

35 projects complete! 17 to go!

This week's project is red work owls!  It is for a Swap-bot quilt square swap.  I'm creating a mixture of quilt squares from swappers from around the world and I'll put them in a huge quilt.  This square is going to my partner.