notes for the journey (august 18, 2009)

cake for two . chocolate cafe, south bend, indiana . july 2009

if you were here today and we were meeting up for tea and chocolate cake for two, these are a few of the things i would tell you about as we talked the afternoon away...

jenna's post about envy. wow. this is a must read. a must. (i keep thinking about it and so want to discuss.)

dar's "on the go" project and description of said project is simply fantastic. (oh and her new hippy urban girl space makes me smile...)

maddie's ecourse, "Bones of a Poet ~ photography and the wonder of seeing" sounds so wonderful. this phrase from the class description, the course "will teach you how to encounter the world with all of your being," speaks right to the guts of me. yes. hope you will think about joining in on this beautiful experience. (and be sure to check out maddie's new internet home.)

jennifer's poetry in motion fills my heart with joy.

jonatha. saw her live again friday night. swoon. the triple door is a perfect venue. we had the best meal and then the best time listening (read singing along) to jonatha sing those songs we love. and it was such sweetness to be able to connect with her afterward. the works continues to play pretty constantly around these parts. yep. simply put: her music is part of my life soundtrack.

this movie. even if the nuances and poetry of the book were not completely captured, i can't stop thinking about this beautiful story. seeing it on the big screen yesterday was a gift in the midst of lots of doing (even if some of the doing involves procrastinating). am planning to reread the book very soon (want to join me?).

home. a beautiful new flickr group.

anything that you would share if we met for tea + cake?
do tell...

notes for the journey {5.27.09}

on the shores of lake max . culver, indiana . may 2009

day three of being back home in washington, and i am mending. still exhausted with a voice that isn't quite 100% and a cough that wants to hang around and a body insisting on east coast time, but i am mending.

i am leaning back toward me.

getting sick sometimes pushes moments of reflection in as the quiet of hours resting will do. my brain isn't racing as usual, so i am not being forced to keep up with myself i guess. and, as this slowing down forces more breathing (to, at times, literally relax enough to find my breath) and less doing/brainstorming/plotting/dreaming/creating, i have had several whispered reminders of what is important...whispered reminders of what i want to surround myself with in this life...of where i want to be when i look up from my path...here are a few:

be gentle: maya stein's "instructions upon waking" deeply spoke to me earlier this month. i read it again today for a much-needed breath of truth.

dare to wish: jen gray's whirlwish video has filled up my soul since yesterday evening when jonny and i sat together and watched it several times. so much goodness here.

create the happy: this peek into elsie's studio makes me grin.

surround yourself with lovely: this "floral lineup" photo on oh joy! made me inhale deeply. love the simple, intriguing white vases with the gorgeous summery blooms. (oh joy! is full of eye-candy inspiration daily...loving this blog).

do what you love: geek girl's clementines in the sun photo series (i want to reach through the screen and eat one); this girl is making it happen with her camera.

be present: karen's mindful day post. i didn't keep up with many blogs while i was dozing on a couch in indiana last week, but i read karen's daily. she simply gets it.

bring in the joy: dancing mermaid's make your life beautiful video has me thinking about simple acts of joy that can make a life more fully lived.

find the gratitude: ali's so very thankful post makes me think of possibility and love. such beauty here.

this morning, visiting all these sites again, i wish i could invite these women for tea today. we could all wear pajamas and eat strawberries and talk about what we know to be real and true. yes. i wish i could invite you, yes you, to come over for tea today. we could remind one another that we already know what we want to surround ourselves with in this life. we could remind each other that we just need to look up now and then and breathe it all in. we could remind each other that we already know; we just need to sometimes sit in the quiet to hear the answers that whisper within...

i wish you could come over for tea today...i wish for you that you will remember...

blessings,
liz

notes for the journey . february twenty-sixth

where i am . gearhart, oregon . 2.21.09

i have been collecting links to several photographers lately...
here are a few that have me gasping out loud:

the photography of elle moss. some of my favorites in her shop include this and this and this one. (and today, i just discovered that she has a blog...love that.)

kristybee photography. these two have me calling on spring to quicken her steps.

the photography of cig harvey. this portfolio collection has me swooning. literally. (via the delightful gypsy girl alex whose shop houses another current fav of mine.)

this (wow!) photograph by john and fish (via creature comforts). i could spend hours looking at these photographs.

every day this month, when i turn on my computer, i have felt the love while looking at this photo on my desktop (via the photo at the end of this post - thank you susannah for this daily reminder). and whenever i look at this photo in susannah's shop, i just want to step inside my computer screen.

and finally...do you know about habit? (you should. this blog will remind you to bring awareness into each moment.)

*****

thank you so much for your support about my dream that is becoming that is the be present retreats. i have deeply appreciated the comments and emails sent my way.

registration for the june retreat, self-portrait excavation, began this week and i am so delighted that we have some people who have already decided to join judy, jen, and me on this adventure.

hope you are breathing deeply and taking care of you wherever you are in the world...wherever you are in this moment.

blessings,
liz

notes for the journey . february 4

a moment on the coast . bandon, oregon . january 2009

this post by heather ross. beautifully written and connecting the dots about so many things that resonate deeply with me. one of my favorite blog posts ever. seriously.

a field journal. a newly discovered blog. gorgeous.

a painting. the one at the top of that blog post. takes my breath away.

hearts. the story that birthed these creations makes me so darn happy. love creations that have a story.

podcasts. specifically the podcasts of this incredible woman.

steeping inside possibility. yes. this is what i feel in this moment.

***updated***

the heather ross link is now correct (thanks maria!)

notes for the journey . january 24

i have been thinking about a series of posts with a theme like: i think you should know about this (just in case you don't). but that is a bit cumbersome i think. i imagine these posts being a gathering of people catching my eye, new things i have learned, ideas, bits i have discovered...like a collection of notes jotted down that i can't wait to share.

i am going to call these posts: notes for the journey.

today's notes:

the jewelry of paper wings (aka my delightful friend jen goff). her jewelry is elegant, inspired by nature, and full of light...just like she is. i just adore her. and jen recently started a blog (check it out and welcome her to blog world).

the perfect little dessert (judy introduced me to this): medjool dates + cream cheese.

the four. such inspiration here. can't wait to see what these four girls do next.

the farm chicks blog. these girls bring such happiness into the world. and i am enjoying the bursts of goodness they share through recipes and other fun things on their blog (i want to make these soon). and i am really looking forward to their book coming out this spring!

the photography (and blog) of abby try again. i just purchased a print and postcards from her shop. incredible. gorgeous. i am so taken with the way she sees the world through her lens.

photos at ground level. for the last year or so, i have been having fun putting my camera right onto the ground and pressing the shutter. the photo above is the beach in bandon, oregon, looking out toward the ocean. try it some time (and let me know all about it).

hope your weekend is full of much beauty and joy.
(thank you for your positive feedback and encouragement about my video post...i look forward to making another one soon.)
blessings,
liz