Starting to feel like summer!

Evening at the Creamie in Northfield.

Birthday Girl

Lily turns 11!  She wanted a coconut cream pie.  Here she blows out the candle. May your wishes come true, Lily!

Poppy

Love the bright paper petals!
Suddenly summer is here!

Guardians at the gate

I had a wonderful insight during the marvelous Bee Priestess class.  The teacher, Jennifer Posada http://www.jenniferposada.com/ mentioned Joseph Campbell's insight into Guardians at the Gate.  He describes the Hero's journey in his classic work and he states that the hero, once she steps into her journey (after resisting at first) encounters guardians at the gate, like gargoyles protecting the inner sanctum of the church.

These guardians are testing you.
They are making sure you have what it takes for the next phase of the journey.
They are making sure you are ready to enter that next space.

So, when things go wrong or things get in my way (like a child home sick, a thwarted plan, a task taking 20 times longer than I thought it would) it doesn't mean that I should stop and give up.

It is an opportunity to really look and ask myself.
"Do I really want to take the next step?"
or
"Am I doing this just because I think I should."

This gives me chance to take a breath, make a choice and start again; feeling renewed.

As opposed to what I used to do, which was wonder
"Why is this so difficult?  Is this not meant to be?"

Now I think, "Oh this is just a guardian at the gate.  Keep going."

Home Office

I'm working on getting my business website up and going, so today we had a photo shoot in my home office.  My friend Robin volunteered to be my client for the photos and she was very patient as Rob and Lily gave us very different directions to create the perfect shot.

Some of my oils, spring water and brandy for making potions.  I love my funnels, too.

My suitcase with crystals gleaming in the sun. 

I can't get enough of the crystals in the light, all jumbled together.

Painted turtle

Rob, Georgia and I went to Perry pond on this hot hot day.

I sat in the warm fragrant pine needles and tried to draw while they called me to come see the fish, turtles, newts and frogs they caught.

They found the sweetest baby painted turtle.
The birds were singing in the cool woods.

More Spring Rain

Brings frogs galore!

 

Including a great big bullfrog. 

And drippy apple blossoms, that are light pink until they open into white flowers.