Distractions

They come and go.

That is their nature.

To carry us along with them to and fro.

Covered in lint or filled with a glow.

Our attention is caught like fuzz on a screen or wings in a web.

Tearing loose then, flying free like a dandelion seed.

We flit around, drifting, until the next distraction unfolds its sticky threads or sucks like a wind tunnel to draw us in and trap us momentarily.

Open our eyes!

Be aware before the mesh envelops our time and space!

Remain present and wide open, peripheral working, eyes in the back of the head like a mother with her wayward child.

I'm Home!

Yes, I'm home once more. And will be staying home for a while! What with having been gone so much for Kripalu School of Ayurveda, and then with some flower essence workshops, and most recently visiting my Mom in Missouri, I do believe that I'm done traveling for a while.

However, the recent trip to Missouri was wonderful all the way around! I was in the mood for a Road Trip, so decided to take the Prius and drive to/from Mom's house. These long solo journeys are incredibly fulfilling; I listen to some music but mostly to lectures, and completely let go of everything except being in the moment. Two years ago, I mostly listened to Eckhart Tolle, last year I was absorbing Ian Watson, and this year's passage was enhanced by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Because I hadn't been through these states for a while, I dropped down to go through northern West Virginia and Kentucky -- glorious countryside. Coming home, I took the upper route of Ohio and New York; again, great weather and beautiful scenery. The actual driving time - minimum - is 25 hours so it did take me three full, long days each direction, but the solitude and views were well worth the extra time.

I'd become quite taken with staying in bed-and-breakfasts while traveling, and this trip was the same. Two of these b&b's were particularly memorable! On the trip out, I stayed with Maggie and Larry at the Serene View Farm B&B in Pennsylvania. I could have stayed for days at Serene View; tucked away in the countryside, the peace and quiet was delightful, the grounds fabulous, and the hospitality warm, welcoming and family-like. Coming home, I stayed for a second time with Chris and Leon at the Bellinger Rose B&B in New York. Chris and Leon are awesome hosts, the rooms are breathtakingly beautiful and comfortable, plus, and this is a huge bonus for me and one of the reasons that I chose to stop again this year at the Bellinger Rose, Chris gives amazing massages -- just imagine the bliss of receiving a luxurious evening massage after a day of driving, right before bed so that you literally walk from the massage table upstairs to your room and are sound asleep within minutes! Ahhhh, heavenly. Both provided excellent, full meal breakfasts that tasted totally yummy -- and both even have dogs on the premises! I can highly recommend these two spectacular b&bs!

And the visit with Mom was wonderful, of course. Lots of love, and hugs, and the kind of easy conversation that only comes with family relationships built upon happy childhood memories. One day we spent with my nieces, brother and his wife in St. Louis after having picked up my youngest niece McKayla to visit one of the many caves of Missouri - Onondaga. Spectacular! We also drove further south to spend a night with long-time friends; their kids and us grew up together, even taking several vacations together to Colorado and the East Coast. They're really more like family than friends! On the way back from visiting those friends, I wanted to swing by and see my childhood home -- where I recall my first memories. Oddly, the place was for sale so we were able to walk around the vacated property; extensive renovations were done in 2003, so the place looked great and that was so rewarding to see. I still can't believe how drawn I was to this former home; its energy remained with me during my journey back here. Powerful.

So, a fantastic trip and visit! I'm very grateful for the way everything fell into place so that I could make this happen -- Ron took care of the kitsnk9s in my absence, as he always does when I travel, and did his usual fabulous job. So many blessings in this life.

somewhere over the rainbow

While running errands around town, I was listening to Jason Castro's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow (the version made famous by the Hawaiian Israel K.) along with the other songs from his album (including one of my favorites Let's Just Fall In Love Again). I just love this guy's voice and his music; so many of the songs on his album are so perky and upbeat, and perfect for the mood I was in. Anyway, just thought I'd share the beauty of this song and its message. I believe we can experience "somewhere over the rainbow" right here on Mother Earth; peace, and dreams coming true, are right here, right now, if only we have the hearts and souls to live in love. Have a beautiful day!

webs of life

Caught. Breaking away. Letting go. Settling within. Releasing so much, letting go of Ego and expectations (mine and those of others for me), not pushing myself in a direction that doesn't feel quite 'right'... How to put into words what are essentially little gray-ghosty tendrils in my mind, wispy, vague, and I thought that I created them but perhaps they were impressions that came in and I attached to them, clinging, falling into the web on purpose. Why would I do that? Because the web was glowing, glistening with droplets that made it seem appealing and substantive and nourishing; did I feel it might quench my thirst? Beckoning, calling. I can feel the threads across my face, but can't find them to pull them away; they cling to my eyes and nose and mouth. But it was still a web, a construct designed to attract me so that I became caught up in its threads, all leading me somewhere that wasn't of my choosing. Not bad. Just perhaps a different path. Maybe a lot of worthwhile sights along the way, but then I needed to break out and continue on my own way. Interesting all the analogies of webs and spiders in Native American, Greek and other cultures, and Mom's nickname for me was/is Missy Muffet. There/here I am, eating my curds & whey (love those dairy products, so sweet and smooth and grounding), when along came a spider, sat down beside her, and frightened Miss Muffet away. Certainly I have usually shied away from the webs of the 'norm', the webs of what others want me to be/do, often running in the other direction. The times I haven't - the times I've been caught in a web - were times of tremendous inner growth that I didn't often recognize as such while in the moment, i.e. caught in the web, but once I was free or struggling to be free, I could see and feel the sticky threads of someone else's ego or pain-body clinging, not wanting to release. And sometimes I had to destroy the entire web in order to escape, while at other times I could break a few strands and simply pull free. So what about the webs that I create for myself or others? Sure, that happens. Although, being a loner, seldom do others draw near enough to get caught in my web -- but I can definitely become entangled myself in a web of my own design! And then the pattern becomes a mess. Sometimes evolving, growing, building itself into a maze because I didn't see, or want to see, what was happening, and was fearful of destroying my own flimsy web so it became stronger and tougher. Webs of life. Fascinating.