The Colors of Joy!

Rich terracotta orange. Rustic turquoise blue. Bright sunshine yellow. I'm finding myself gravitating towards this color palate everywhere I turn...
:: a new "vintage" apron from Anthropologie

:: a favorite current read (the Bread Salad with Cherries, Arugula and Goat Cheese is divine)

:: lovely paper napkins just gifted to me

:: my current favorite mug (full of Zingiber Ginger Coconut Rooibos Tea)

I think this color obsession may have been born alongside the prayer flags of the Taurus New Moon. It's hard to say... but for me right now, these colors are pure joy!

Honoring the Divine Feminine

"The Way of the Sacred Feminine is one of love, caring, understanding, compassion, peace and joy." - Lisa Dale Miller


The moon entered Cancer on Monday, welcoming in the energy of the Sacred Feminine. I gathered with my moon sisters around a Summer Solstice altar adorned in candles and fresh cuttings from the garden, including the heady-scented blooms of the ylang-ylang tree, as well as delicate roses and bright zinnias.

Along with our usual smudging and candle lighting rituals, this month we also anointed ourselves with Heart Song essential oil - a blend of lavender, geranium, rose and rosewood oils - and added a deep breathing ritual in honor of the Scared Feminine. My intentions for the new lunar cycle included honoring the divine feminine within me, and I've been thinking about what this means to me all week.

My primary image of the Sacred Feminine is the Chinese Goddess of Compassion, Quan Yin. She appeared to me on a trip to California 10 years ago and has remained my closest spirit guide ever since. I have this great statue of her, which served as the center of my birth altar with Sage. As my first step in honoring the Sacred Feminine, I'm fixing up my little altar for Quan Yin...and for myself. I promise to show it to you when the time is right.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to share my ideas for honoring the Divine Feminine, as well as my own feminine spirit, throughout this lunar cycle. Of course, I'd love to hear your ideas too.

2 Cities :: 6 Little Ladies (Part 2)

We're back from our dual-city adventure. Our first stop was D.C. to visit my longtime friend and her 5 and 1 year old girls. She took us on a driving tour of all the monuments and the White House, and on a private tour inside the Capitol (she is family to a prominent member of the House).

We also visited the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. And Selby had a blast playing with her new "best friend" and some neighboring princesses (plus 3 baby princesses-in-training not pictured)!

Next we took the Amtrak to Philadelphia, which was really fun. The girls loved the train ride!

In Philly, we stayed with Daddy Bird's longtime friend (and 3-year-old girl), along with another high school friend of ours and his little lady (9 months.) A trip to the two-story Please Touch Museum was a hit! We especially loved the Alice In Wonderland play area.

We spent our final evening enjoying a Father's Day backyard barbecue in the company of friends.

The trip was a balancing act in many ways, merging the needs of multiple families (think naps, feeding, bedtime, meltdowns, etc. for lots of little ones). And facing challenges including a canceled flight, food poisoning and an ear infection. But from it all we learned and we grew; and our return home was ever so sweet!

2 Cities :: 6 Little Ladies (Part 1)

I'm heading out today for a family vacation! We're off to visit long-time friends in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. There will be a plane trip, a train ride, some sightseeing and lots of little ladies (we have 6 girls under 6 among our 4 families)!

A trip to two big cities with two little kids is an adventure in the preparation alone - I had two full page lists (so Virgo, I know). Packing started with my new summer tote - isn't it cute?
Perfect for travel it has lots of pockets, little feet on the bottom to help it stand and is made of water- and wear-proof vinyl (I found it at a Cracker Barrel on sale). Here's what's in it to get us through the planes & trains:

- Diapers & Wipes
- Tissues
- Hand sanitizer
- Plastic bags
- Snacks (crackers, granola bars, dried fruit)
- First Aid kit
- Wipe-off bib
- Water bottles (empty)
- Change of clothes for each girl
- Camera
- Kid's activities: mini books, ColorForms, wipe-off activity book, art pack with paper, tape, crayons & stickers

Next was the girls' clothing (Selby is insisting on carrying her vintage Barbie suitcase we scored at the Goodwill); and then my own. The hardest part? Knowing how much teasing will come my way from Daddy Bird for packing 4 pairs of shoes, plus the pair I plan to wear, for a 6-day trip. But I might need them...

So I'll see you back here next week with my tale of 2 cities. Have a great week & weekend!

I Am Writing :: Almost There

It's been weeks since I've posted an 'I Am Writing' entry. Namely because I am not writing. Summer schedules and family demands seem to have taken priority over here. So is life, and I don't feel bad about it. Instead, I feel like it's been a long period of incubation...and something great is about ready to emerge. I have ideas, you see. My mind is still writing, at every turn. And soon, my hands will follow. I'm almost there.

Speaking of almost there, I do have a little writing news. Remember that article I was writing on Mother's Circles, with the intent to sell to Mothering magazine? Well... they have retained it for publication! No guarantees until it is in print, but I have a good feeling about it. It too is almost there!

As the Garden Grows

On Mother's Day, we planted a family garden in my mother's backyard. One month later, we're starting to see the fruits of our labor.

The zucchini vine has staked it's claim and is beginning to bud.

Our vegetable garden, which includes eggplant, green beans, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and a variety of herbs, is beginning to produce.

And big, beautiful bunches of collard greens reach toward the sky!
We've already harvested one crop of collards - enough to feed two households well - with another close on its heels. I prepare them like my sister's beau, Tim, who hails from North Carolina. They are the best I've ever had!

Tim's Collards
- cover the bottom of a big pot with bacon & fry it up
- break the bacon into pieces and cook the collards right on top, in the bacon grease, for 10-15 seconds
- add about 1/4-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (I prefer white wine vinegar for a slightly milder taste)
- add water to cover greens
- add 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- add approx. 1/4 cup sugar
- cook about 2 hours
- add additional vinegar & sugar to taste

As the garden grows, so do my meal plans. Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup. Grilled Vegetable Paninis. Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Chips & Walnuts...

What are your favorite summertime, garden-fresh meals? I'd love to hear!

A Perfect 5

Selby turned 5 today - and what a perfect day it was. A pancake breakfast. An afternoon at Shell Beach with our village of friends (15 kids and 8 mamas today!).

And a family celebration complete with ice cream cake and plenty of presents.


A "perfect 5" I hope she will always remember. I know I will.

An Art Show & Play!

I grew up the daughter of an artist. Our home always had an art studio; we spent countless weekends traveling to art festivals; and in high school my mother opened her first gallery. Now, she teaches art, blogs about art and recently opened her Etsy shop. So setting up Selby's 1st Annual Art Show today came naturally for me. Her "Original Paintings" filled a whole wall.

My favorite is "Flower Tea."

A "Mixed Media" wall featured works incorporating paint, glitter, Popsicle sticks, paper, yarn and more!

More artistic creations were displayed throughout our living area, including on the mantel, the sliding glass doors and the window shades. We also reserved a wall for "Friend's Art." We had encouraged others to bring pieces from home to display; and this showing grew throughout the day!

Inside, kids (and mamas & Nana, too) created on a paper-covered table stocked with squeezable glitter paints, crayons, markers, stamps, stickers, pipe cleaners...you name it.
Outside, some serious painting went down.

At the end of the day, everyone went home messy and happy, with arms full of art!

Little Miss Sunshine

I hope she always remembers to honor this beautiful little girl inside her. The one that shined so bright at her first recital on Saturday. The one who turns 5 this week. My little miss sunshine, who reminds me every day to honor the little girl inside me.

I keep this photo of me at 3 near my desk to remind me of the little girl that's still inside (check out the doll's crazy hair and my wacky slippers!). Are you honoring your inner child?

Creative Enlightenment

You know that time after dinner when the kids are both amped up from food and winding down from the day? Walking the line between helping them burn off extra energy and not creating an overtired child can be tricky. Tonight's activity was spontaneous and perfect.

One garden statue.

Plus sidewalk chalk.

Equals creative enlightenment!

My girls went crazy for this activity, which put a smile on everyone's face. Namaste.