lake mama

midsummer mulberries

2011-06-23T01:16:00.003-04:00

Amulet and I got a good soaking picking mulberries after a rainstorm ...

The ripe ones just fall off the tree on their own ... especially when the branches are heavy & wet. This is all I could scavenge from the kids.

This is all that made it into the actual bowl ...

Magnus wants to like them - but he just can't get there.

I love how wild she is ...

One last thing ...

flowering trees are good for the heart ...

2011-05-07T10:28:00.000-04:00

my Magnolia trees are so beautiful this spring ...

Most of the blooms are now all the way open.

This is the view from my window ... the farmer's side of the lake and one Magnolia tree not yet fully opened.

Was smacked in the face with wet pink petals flying off the trees this morning.

crazy lovely old chair

2011-03-06T20:01:00.000-05:00

Rescued this nutty old chair from certain doom last night in the snow. It has real personality - and I think a lot of good energy left in it. I can't wait to try it out with my favorite book ...

Kalamazoo on a cold beautiful night.

2011-02-20T12:54:00.002-05:00

I love this street in downtown Kalamazoo ...

This is romantic.

This street was a little magical.

Working on learning how to take pictures with my Canon at night.

I don't know how this turned out so clear at night.

... I love these blue lights in this building ...

and then we put me in front of them and they went away! haha!

Just about got run over doing this one.

This place has such a good feel to it.

Weiners ... I love saying that word.

You don't know it but my daughter's yelling at me to get out of oncoming traffic in this one.

I think these lights are gorgeous.

More lovely lights.

Beautiful.

I also love red lights.

It's windy and beautiful on this street!

I want to go somewhere I need to wear a dress like this.

little lame sacred things

2010-11-14T19:38:00.001-05:00

I have a tree in town that is something special to me. I've been taking a cutting from this tree for the last eight years, every November, with snow stinging my face and eyes.

I fancied it might be some kind of magical apple tree - the fruit is red but as it hangs and dries in my warm kitchen it becomes a beautiful vivid orange...then as years pass, to wrinkled dark browns with dried up brittle leaves. I love it at every stage of drying, and every time my eye falls on these lovely branches against the dark purple of my kitchen walls, I am reminded of all the nights I have been out cutting and honoring the sacred things in my life.

So today was my day to go, and I decided to get some pictures of it. I had to laugh when I came back - because although it is still so amazing to me...I find it is an ordinary crabapple of some kind, and seen through the perfection of the camera lens, it is perfectly, beautifully lame. It seems it was always my ritual, my act of cutting it, my feelings of going and doing this thing that manifests as sacred for me. I really love that.

And as crazy as it sounds, sometimes it is this little lame thing that warms my heart and gets me through the night. Can you see the loveliness of this thing?

cemetary at Lily Lake

2010-10-28T08:48:00.000-04:00

Visiting the beautiful cemetary at Lily Lake

These sacred places are so lovely

Grave rubbings, nursing, and good debates.

Tate chose not to do any...he said, "it just doesn't seem right", that it violates something important.

I love the dynamics of a big family - they have the chance to really discuss it all, argue, and understand the world from each other's perspectives..

And in the end each chooses to do what they want. :)

my girl rockin' the ear piercing

2010-09-19T10:59:00.000-04:00

She's only ten but with her menarche comes her decision to get her ears pierced. She seems so young...this tall girl of mine, but it is her rite of passage, and my heart swells. Here she is before...excited, curious..

Choosing her earrings.

Getting all set up...chatting...lots of older ladies standing in the background with smiles on their faces, watching, remembering...

Holy crap that stings!!!!!

Glad that's over...though the realization that she has two ears sets in...

Getting ready..almost done.

Ahh man...yeah, it still hurts.

The world is re-made and new again. All the ladies looking on clutch their shopping carts and beam at Jewel. Lots of questions from them and sweet comments. This whole little girl woman thing makes me laugh and cry all at once.

Funky van in the parking lot...we would have loved to meet these people...

Magnus Zeke

2010-08-25T20:52:00.001-04:00

Magnus Zeke!
His name is official, and I love it.

We had a great experience at the courthouse. Although I waited six months to obtain his birth certificate, the ladies in the vital statistics office were welcoming and professional. In fact, when I walked into the office one woman said, "oh, a homebirth?" before I even spoke. It seemed like they completely accepted and understood that some women choose to birth at home.

Just posting these pictures of Magnus is tugging at my heart here...man, I love this guy.

something I liked today...

2010-06-23T19:20:00.000-04:00

excerpt from the writing of Kahil Gibran...On Children

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

springtime in Michigan

2010-04-11T18:02:00.000-04:00

My beautiful boy in springtime is a joy I am so grateful for...

And dandelion greens this time of year - so nutritive & fresh right now.

I don't know what these tiny flowers are.

This girl is getting so big...

Coyote just turned six last week!

Jewel

Springtime & pink little girl shoes.

I found them!

Our old barn.

A Tate sighting.

These flowers are pure joy!

First trip in the car...

2010-03-01T14:09:00.002-05:00

His first trip in the car - and he is in shock!

He had this expression on his face the entire time.

And by the way, I love Britax car seats for little babies! They are just the best & easiest to install.

Britax car seats!

and for big kids I liike Sunshine Kids booster seats..

Jewel's art

2010-02-16T14:10:00.002-05:00

Sweet daughter Jewel drew this for me...

Jewel's creepy friend

Mario!

My beautiful boy

2010-01-28T12:22:00.004-05:00

Fierce, powerful child. He burns with a fire!

boys & their lettuce

2010-01-08T11:22:00.005-05:00

Maverick & Tate grew fresh lettuce in their bedrooms this winter! Their window sills were lovely green jungles...

good rooms gone bad

2009-12-09T12:34:00.005-05:00

This poor room was really down on it's luck - (**The Heave-Ho room) formerly Tate's room & before that, Sky's room...gets a new look! It's now the Sewing Room & a pretty green apple green. :)

**Definition of Heave-Ho room: any room utilized in such a way as to store/house goods from other portions of the house which one has no idea where to put.

a last trip to the lake

2009-10-27T16:36:00.005-04:00

It seems like a very long time ago now, but here are a few pictures from our last trip to Lake Michigan. Since I have lived here, this place has become a part of me...and I feel such a connection to this great lake. This was just a few weeks ago.

a sweet, new little guy

2009-08-14T10:08:00.002-04:00

Greek festival!

2009-06-11T22:33:00.009-04:00

The Kalamazoo middle eastern school of dance performers were amazing! So beautiful!

I want to say that the kids had a great time at the Kalamazoo Greek Fest but that might be an exaggeration. :) They did have some interesting experiences, some fabulously different food, rain soaked clothes, and some very loud music. And what is it with festivals and smokers?...I think the people in our family were the only people there not smoking. :) Pet peeve of mine.

Spinach pie, Greek salad, wrapped grape leaves, & Hummus!

Kataifi ~ layers of fine pastry hair with an inside of almond goo.

A wet Coyote.

something in Silk

2009-05-28T15:33:00.004-04:00

Silk is very soft to wear...it feels lovely against the throat. This one is in some special wedding colors of robins egg blue & chocolate brown; designed to dangle very long and seductively....drawing the eye to the wearer of the stones. :)

Blue Apatite, Pietersite, Arizona Turquoise, Shell based pearl, South Sea saltwater pearl, Fire Agate, Larimar, Red Tiger Eye, Peach Moonstone, Shattuckite (rare), Copper, Balinese sterling silver, & Smoky Quartz!

some wild purple beauties

2009-05-20T22:24:00.008-04:00

Lilacs & Grape Hyacinth ~ beautiful, heady, delicious scents floating on the air in the front yard.

Today I sat in the yard with the kids, my feet in the grass...and every time the wind would pick up my every sense was full of lilac.

Still getting lots of morels! Roll them in flower, fry, & die!

a little bracelet

2009-04-30T17:06:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I was in my studio with Amulet playing about at my feet - and she sat down at the little cabinet in which I keep small animal & fruit beads for her to play with.

She came to me with a tiny handful of papaya beads and in her tiny way asked for me to make her a bracelet. I stooped down and made her one straight away - and she was so delighted! She went to the window & examined it (stern task-mistress that she is) and found it to be acceptable. :)

May I never forget the little things that mean so much to a child.

water bottles in the Windy City

2009-04-23T22:38:00.002-04:00

Am I the last parent to know about these things? Fabulous, earth friendly, non contaminating water bottles! I had been looking for something like this for the kids, and was so glad to find these. Kleen Kanteen are made with surgical grade stainless steel, so no worries about aluminum contamination or lead. :) Our bottles like to vacation in the big city....

Awakeness

2009-03-28T16:35:00.001-04:00

The earth laid me out…raw and unfettered in her dark soil skirts…mounds of sweaty land & patterned sun filtered through her trees. Mossy hair sprawled around me I sleep the innocence of confusion....lashes twitching of winged messengers. Insomniac bliss.

With wet fleshy leaves & dry hawk eyes she takes me back….unraveling twisted cords of thoughts in my mind…things than no longer served me…untruths & I spiraling towards a center of unfathomable depths.

Lifeblood seeps into the little stones scattered…I love the way it meanders here and there…so red…my awakened stillness is such gratitude.

What could I not hold in such a state? Who could I not call lover?

the little things

2009-02-27T16:57:00.004-05:00

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed...Amulet's little action...placing her sweet Hello Kitty toothbrush right next to mine. There is something about this - that she wanted to put hers so close to mine that brought a tear to my eye. There is nothing more beautiful than such a small choice, made in the loving mind of a child. May I always notice this and be grateful.

Barbie in the snow

2009-02-17T17:35:00.001-05:00

It's a cold day for Barbie. I just couldn't resist this sweet picture of a child's playground.... :)

spring is just but moments away...

2009-02-14T16:58:00.003-05:00

gorgeous green juicy gems as ripe as the buds pushing up under the dead...

Maw Sit Sit (rare -Burma), Crendalite, Yellow Serpentine, Malachite, Gaspeite, Peridot, Amber, Tourmaline (green & gold), Fossilized Coral, Red Coral, White Heart beads (green), old African Trade Beads (Ghana 1700's), Ethiopian Nickel Silver Alloy, hand made Balinese sterling silver, little light brown seeds. Hand carved ancient walrus ivory Goddess pendant & little sterling Goddess at clasp!

little winter house

2009-02-10T13:55:00.002-05:00

A few last winter images from my forest...where the deer run. (pictures taken by Sky)

a fabulous sale

2009-01-26T12:23:00.002-05:00

10 stalks of celery for $10! Who doesn't need ten stalks of celery?? Celery lovers unite...I'm stocking up!

a good unschooling education

2009-01-13T11:07:00.003-05:00

....begins with a really good curriculum.

beautiful & deadly fruit sculpture

2009-01-12T12:43:00.012-05:00

My oldest daughter gave me the most beautiful gift for Yule this year - look at my fruit sculpture!! I couldn't stop looking at her amazing creativity!

She hand made this most delicious and lethal fruit sculpture by making salt dough underneath fresh kale and impaling skewers with chocolate dipped fruit! It looked like a magical forest of sweet things. It really was so incredible to eat...and I love the dangerous quality of it too. I did impale myself a bit retrieving sweet morsels, but I ask you; what wouldn't I do for chocolate?

sleeping

2008-12-17T12:31:00.006-05:00

As the days wind down towards the darkest night, so our need for sleep arises. It is the winter solstice that shows us the path to sleep...our desire only to close our eyes softly amidst our treasured blankets and warmth. I dream with flashes of my children both in this world and the other....conversations lost on the wind...and moments in time that were so brief my memory of them is lost.

For healing sleep, I place the beautiful stones of Celestite and Blue Lace Agate by my bedside, and gaze at their soft blue colors radiating up. My favorite vessel for these stones is my concrete morning glory leaf made by Concrete Garden.

Blue lace agate (SiO2) is a microcrystalline quartz, and part of the chalcedony family. What I have found most with this soft stone is that it brings peace, tranquility, and acceptance in matters of the heart and mind. This seems to bring a perceptiveness to situations that come up in life, and help us communicate what we are thinking and feeling very effectively. Blue lace teaches stress relief, relaxation and peacefulness, and is believed to strengthen gracefulness, creativity, and inspiration. All of these qualities help bring about a relaxation for deep sleep.

Celestite (SrSO4) is a beautiful mineral comprised of Strontium, Sulfur, and Oxygen. It's hue is the most amazing sparkly blue...much like the sky just after sunset when there are the beginnings of a few stars in the sky. This stone is soothing, calming, aids in adjusting to change, raises consciousness, brings great joy and brings inner peace, Emotionally, celestite is excellent for emotional protection and to end worry, fear, and anxiety. It aids insomnia and promotes sleep. Celestite is a great tool for meditation, as it help focus on that other than of this world and block out distracting "noise". It purifies the aura, and perfects the chakras. It is a stone that brings balance, especially to thought processes and communication. In the physical realm, celestite is used for healing eye problems, mental disorders, cellular order, eliminating toxins, digestive problems. Celestite is associated primarily with the throat and crown chakras.

For myself, I have a tendency for insomnia, and I love sleeping with these healing stones. The first night I paired these two stones my sweet little Amulet slept until 10AM the next morning! We both awakened refreshed and invigorated which is a blessing in the cold months of winter. Somehow, these two stones work together to teach us that all is well, and all is as it should be.

a few autumn pictures from today

2008-11-06T16:05:00.003-05:00

This November day was so warm. I walked outside and the wind & warmth felt surreal. What is autumn waiting for?

edit ~ no more swirls! :)

Autumn Dreaming ~ renewed energy locket

2008-10-01T11:41:00.004-04:00

As I walk down the gravel road by my home I am surrounded by old country beauty - the reds, browns, and bright yellows of the dying fields are balm for my eyes.

These stones remind me of this process of Earth and Death. I love the wild energy of this sacred time. This locket is a keepsake of autumn bliss. My hope is it will carry someone through the darkness of winter and keep Love alive.

Amber, Malachite, Rocky Butte Jasper, Green Tourmaline, Garnet, Cinnamon Agate, Freshwater Pearl, Ethiopian NickelSilver Alloy, hand made Balinese sterling silver, & copper!

...for beautiful Samantha in Paris

the unveiling of the ears

2008-09-16T15:54:00.005-04:00

One night, as my oldest son was having his hair cut (buzzed in fact), my little guy Coyote made the decision he wanted his done too. I wasn't quite ready for this..he is only four years old, but being an Aries man, he knows his will. Just look at these sweet curls!

I questioned him...do you really want this? Do you know it means you won't have your long hair anymore? Are you certain? Yes, to it all - he was ready and cried at the notion of waiting...SO...

I cried for three days over this. Not in front of him (other than the initial crying) :) But when I was alone, I cried for the loss of his baby curls, for his budding independence, for his strength and stamina to insist that he knew what was best for him, and for my own feelings on the sacredness of hair. There is something to it: his namesake, his Native American blood flows in his veins and there is the notion that a person will grow his hair until it is time to cut it to symbolize something important.

Who knows what that was for Coyote. It wasn't for me to decide. I am sure this is one of many things he will require of me, his abassador to the world.

one woman's trash

2008-08-22T16:09:00.002-04:00

Look what you can make when you've got a lot of garbage lying around in your yard! And I wanted that stuff cleaned up....

I believe this was constructed utilizing walnuts, dirty feathers, and a rotten racoon chewed hank of sponge. Email me for Jewel's tutorial...

Silver Leaf

2008-08-08T18:20:00.004-04:00

Silver Leaf! My family and I vended at the Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire again this year and the picture above is of my favorite patron. A beautifully voluptuous woman in a bridal gown with a sign that read; "Taking Applications for Husband, Must have Own Kingdom". I love her!!!!

We had a wonderful time. It was beautiful, sweaty, difficult, interesting, exciting, and stressful. And all of it was in our minds. What a trip! I so highly recommend involving children in the affairs of the world. The kids had a fascinating experience where they learned once again, about the exchange of money and the myriad of stories that play out from that.

I sold beautiful silk skirts this year, and I so loved seeing them blow in the breeze. I had envisioned these colorful skirts waving their silky threads in a warm summer breeze while women snatched them up...and that is indeed what manifested. I will be selling these soon on my new retail site at The Untamed Mare. I'm so excited!

Thank you to everyone who graced me with their presence this year. I love you all and am so grateful to have you in my life. Megan, thank you especially, for your support and love and help! You were invaluable to me and my children and I love you so much! I hope the jewels I create for you will be magical and blessed!

See some pictures here!

things not found in an elementary school

2008-07-12T16:54:00.003-04:00

The children decided they would like to practice writing yesterday, so I used a nifty little site that lets you create words and sentences for tracing and printing. Far be it from me to actually write these things out myself. I love this little program and asked the children what sentences they would like to input into the worksheet maker. This is what they practiced:

*Maverick has stinky farts.
*Stop hurting me Tate.
*My butt hole is pretty. (a particularly challenging one as I wasn't sure if butt hole was one word or two)
*Amulet is the dolly mustard. (referring to her newborn poops that looked like mustard)
*Tate has squirrel hair.
*I do not like chores.
*I am a princess.

I'm in agreement with the kids in that these are extremely important things to know how to write. :)

succulent & sweet black raspberries

2008-07-03T10:55:00.007-04:00

Gorgeous black raspberries are thick in the forest. Their thorny sweet bushes tangle themselves in the thick heat of July, lying in wait for the children's hands to pluck them from their stems. They are plentiful this year.

I love seeing the kids performing the ancient ritual of berry gathering. I hope they always remember this!

I drink grass

2008-06-28T17:23:00.006-04:00

And I'm not ashamed to admit it. I have been researching the health benefits of wheatgrass for about six months now, and it's amazing what it contains. This nutrient-rich grass contains 17 amino acids and retains 92 of the 102 minerals found in the soil. These minerals include calcium, phosphorus, iron magnesium and potassium. It is a rich natural source of vitamins A and C. Wheatgrass has more vitamin C than oranges and twice the vitamin A as carrots. It is exceptionally rich in vitamins E, K, and B-complex. It is also a natural source of laetrile (B-17).

This is cucumber juice - a gorgeous bright green. I love juicing cucumbers because they have a light, summery flavor. They are very thirst quenching. This morning our juice was; cucumber, wheatgrass, apple, peach, carrot & spinach.

Amulet likes her juice in a diet coke bottle. If you look closely you can even see an actual wheatgrass mustache. Who gave her access to a diet coke bottle? It couldn't be me. :) As a gemini I guess I truly am a study in opposites. I love my diet coke too.

oh the magic of it...

2008-06-25T15:35:00.003-04:00

I was gifted with this beautiful arc of colors. Not one, but two...two incredible rainbows in the middle of a storm.

Regardless of how old I am, I am always struck by the amazing beauty of this shameless display of colors. It is as though the Universe is revealing something normally hidden to humans - something special beyond words. A glimpse into the power and magnitude of all that is.

slip away with me....

2008-05-25T16:12:00.008-04:00

This is one of my favorite places. When I have had all that I can take and more, I slip out to this spot in the forest...right by the water. I may only have a few minutes, but the stillness is exquisite.

This is my spot - the tree that holds my back uncomplaining, so that I may rest. Little ringlets of moss, cool and dark green, brush against my bare legs.

I look up and gaze at this water. I am amazed at the quiet. Little fish draw rings of circles for me. Winged creatures of all sorts glide by silently, in my presence. Every bit of it, all for me.

Life giving green nourishes me. I nourish me, because I'm all that's left.

a soft & sensual May beltane

2008-05-01T17:31:00.009-04:00

Beautiful trees are in bloom where I am. I am filled with love and desire by these luscious pink flowers! The wind was so soft today, so fresh and it was blowing the velvety petals all around me.

The ritual of hanging sweet smelling wet diapers on the line is one of my most treasured acts. I love the sight of them flying in the spring breeze. I feel this amazing sense of contentment and joy as I line them up, one by one. I can't help it - I love the heady scent of the wet laundry!

This sensual tree is blushing with the frivolity of May! :) Who would have thought such fufillment can come from diapers and spring trees?!

one thing

2008-04-19T16:21:00.010-04:00

My children decided they wanted to improve and fill our old sandbox. It's a very large sandbox, but had fallen into disrepair. It was filled with junk toys, broken things, and new grass growing. We cleaned it out, raked out the grass, and prepared it for it's new sand.

The children and I bought sand, and all by themselves loaded almost two thousand pounds of sand into our van. I was so impressed with how strong they were!

They worked hard opening and spreading the sand.

Even at the ages of 4 and 6, Maverick and Coyote had a hand in all of it. Coyote though, provided mostly emotional support. :)

The finished sandbox. It feels so good on the toes!

I remember when I was in school, we were given (given, not chose) plenty of projects to do and a lot of them required team work. Team work being the important factor here. We were to learn how to work together on something, regardless of whether we thought it was a good idea or whether we actually desired to do it. What I remember from that is that we worked hard, took orders, finished the job only to never return to the place again to enjoy it. Or if we did, we had to wait our turn to the point that most of us lost interest. I find my mind wandering back to my own school experiences when I think about my kids. It's interesting - because for me school WAS my life as a child. There was very little to think about outside of school as it was so overwhelmingly important in my life. For my children, they are not in school, and it is just life that is important.

I love that these kids are creating projects for themselves! Meaningful projects they can choose to work on together and see through to the end. They can spend all day on it or very little time, but the choice is theirs...and so are the benefits.

it's all about daffodils

2008-04-18T15:28:00.008-04:00

that's right. Unschooling = daffodils and goofing off. Learning happens....there's nothing we can do to stop it.

It's warm now and we're all so out of our element still. The breeze is so fresh and beautiful. I love this time of year before it gets hot. (and that my friends, would be anything over 70 degrees :)

Trying to identify some tiny bones found right by the daffodils. Probably racoon.

A storm coming in. The clouds are beautiful and the energy is so powerful.

Child of the Sun

2008-04-08T10:32:00.004-04:00

I felt so inspired by the sun this weekend that I created this sunlit piece. I am normally not a sun woman...I am so pale and the summer sun is very hard on me. The early soft Spring sun however, is beautiful and light. I wanted to create that light through my stones and honor the awakening energies of Spring. This piece is a combination of some amazing yellow stones and glittering Swarovski. (and some Sapphires because, well, who doesn't want Sapphires? :)

Child of the Sun
a golden sun child piece for fertility, birth, celebrations of motherhood, and for uplifting joy and radiant light...

Honey Jasper, Citrine, Sapphire, Amber, Yellow Serpentine, Golden Tourmaline, Lime Jade, Lemon Quartz, Swarovski Crystals, hand made Balinese sterling silver, Ethiopian Nickel Silver Alloy, & sterling silver Russell Wray sun child pendant! Sterling 'miracles' talisman at clasp. Adjustable length. $285.00

little things on a saturday

2008-03-29T14:03:00.007-04:00

Tiny little purple flowers slipped through the mud and cold last night. Amidst the snow and leaves these flowers brought me a first glimpse of spring. Their tenacity reminds me of how small a thing it takes to bring a change. Sometimes the slightest of thoughts can bring about a shift of clarity in my heart.

There's nothing like a little naked keyboarding to add interest to the day. I know it always works for me!

Grocery shoppping is my least favorite of things to do, but the kids make it fun and we end up laughing a lot. Cell phone cameras are the best! Next time I want to get a picture of the little boy/man who greets at the front door. He looks exactly like the villian in the movie Children of the Corn. I actually think he has one of those sickles.

This store has a subway inside it which is always a good thing! We love sandwiches!

strawberry lemonade squares

2008-03-20T15:34:00.012-04:00

In honor of Spring, and for my sweet Amulet, I'm making a Stawberry Lemonade quilt. I have no real sewing talent, but I can sew and I can make simple quilts that look old fashioned. Amulet will turn 2 in July and I haven't made her anything so far in her little life. And besides, there's nothing like a hot quilt in the middle of July in Michigan. I have made each child a blanket or quilt, and it's time for me to do this for my little sweetling. Like any good stay at home mama, I bought the squares precut. Too bad they don't sell this thing pre sewn.

Let the destruction begin. I hope I can get this kind of 'help' during the actual sewing process. What a trip that would be!

Pretty pieces but hey, back off my quilt buddy.

Sweet little darling.

Notice the photographic background accents - cheerios, toothbrushes, flashlights, old diapers. These items have been placed here for a reason. Meticulously placed. One never knows when these items will be necessary....and as always, these photos are clothing optional.

his first stitches

2008-03-06T18:49:00.008-05:00

My sweet little guy Coytote had his first stitches last night, compliments of his brother Maverick. Hey, what's a brother for if not to shove one's head into the sharp corner of a wood burning stove I tell you?

Here he is lying pathetically on the stretcher in the ER. Ahh I have been so blessed not to have to do this sort of thing much, particularly since I have six children!

Tate took this picture - not bad for a cell phone!

We had a good experience at the ER, though through no fault of the doctor's. Her bed side manner left a bit to be desired! She brashly barged into our room, and without a word to us began to gather her 'restraints' she was going to use to tie Coyote down for the stitching. I said, "hold on!...that won't be necessary", to which she openly laughed over. She said that he would not be able to lie still and that she needed to physically restrain him. I told her that I wasn't about to let that happen to him, and I would just talk to him through the procedure. Still giggling, she allowed me to do it.

I spoke calmly and soothingly to Coyote throughout it all. We talked of animals, webkinz, our goats and llamas, and I even had him laughing! He did beautifully and I was so proud of my big guy. I resisted the urge to give the doctor a nice lecture, and was satisfied simply by meeting her eyes with mine. She then asked me, "are you Amish or something?". There's a new one! I am if Amish women wear bright pink Indian skirts & long dangly earrings. I replied, "or something". :)

Why is it that so many people find it difficult to treat children with respect? To believe that they are intelligent, intuitive, amazing little people who are often capable of understanding so much more than we realize? If we can only see that their feelings mirror our own - that their feelings are exactly the same as ours. What I mean to say is that when they cry, they are feeling the same emotions that we feel when we cry. There is no difference. I believe that children deserve the same care and love that we would give our best friend if we saw her crying or upset, and that is what I strive for, always, with my kids.

nursing girl & frog

2008-02-16T21:23:00.002-05:00

I am still in somewhat of a shock that my first born daughter is on her own. The space she left feels vacant, and I think of her all the time. Her life...it is her own now, yet it always was. Now it is just that I have to call her to learn about it. It is such a change, though one I can see is the way of it. (she'll probably want to trade in her cell for a more traditional line!)

I sat today and felt the overwhelming love I always feel when I nurse my youngest daughter. Amulet is 19 months, and she fell asleep at the breast with a darling little frog. Feeling her suckle, feeling the milk well up inside of me and let down for her, knowing that she feels safe and content, I will hang on to these moments and store them away for when I am 90. I won't waste a second of it. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

my girl, my firstborn child...

2008-02-12T11:04:00.000-05:00

My blessed first born child has left the nest. She is almost 20, but I don't know where the time went. It wasn't enough. I know that.

As a chid she was precocious and opinionated..and hard. We had our years of difficulties and conflicts, but we grew out of that and moved to a place of female companionship and beautiful friendship. I nursed this child for four years...I remember all those nursing sessions like they were yesterday. Her soft baby hair, her eyes looking up at me from that special angle only a nursing mother sees, her silky skin, the smell of her neck.

Sky rented her first apartment last week, with her best friend. A small place, with little empty roooms and new carpet and the smell of smoke from a previous tenant. I went to see her in her place on Sunday, in the middle of a Michigan blizzard. I brought groceries.

The children loved seeing her apartment. They rolled around on her carpet and Tate said it was better than home. :)

I am so proud of her, but this is very hard. There is an empty space here where she was, and it feels very lonely. I find that I vacillate minute by minute between joy for her and sadness for this loss I perceive. I walk around my house and find little remnants of her. An empty wrapper, a small pile of laundry, her hair in my comb. She was the thing that set my life on course, the person that made me what I am, she was and is the best thing that ever happened to me.

I long for someone to share these feelings with. Someone who would understand me and share this with me. I do not have that and that too, is painful. I think I have some work to do! :)

the gift of time

2008-02-06T18:26:00.000-05:00

When I think about all of the gifts that unschooling brings, one blessing stands out in my mind. My children have the freedom to spend vast amounts of time together. And they have that time. It is time I did not have as a child.

I remember my life as a child being hurried and rushed. And not through any fault of my parents! Rushing was a matter of fact for a schooled child. Getting up in the morning, getting through breakfast, riding the bus, making sure to rush in before the bell. All occuring before school. Most of the day was spent rushing from one thing to the next. On the slim chance that I actually felt interested in something going on at school, well, there could never be time to really explore that interest. There was too much else to be done, too many kids to get through it, and a complete lack of caring about whether or not any of us intrinsically felt a curiosity or desire to learn what was going on.

I never even knew my siblings. Oh, I knew that my brothers stunk and that there was no way in hell they were going to get the best cereal each morning. I also knew that we would watch Gilligan's Island together and I was going to get to be Mary Ann. (we would call out who got to "be" any given character). But I didn't know my siblings. I didn't spend any real time with them. I wouldn't have even wanted to if I had the opportunity.

My own children are so different. Their lives, through unschooling, are incredible. They know each other - intimately. Through that knowledge they know themselves. And they play and fight and love intensely every single day. They are in it together, large amounts of time where they are free - in the thick of it, and I am positive that their closeness with transcend childhood.

sensual red ribbon jewels

2008-01-25T21:30:00.000-05:00

Better together, We

Faceted Rubies for love & passion, sterling silver heart with the words, "better together we". Intricate copper & luscious deep red/burgundy organza ribbon. Adjustable length. Pendant length 2 1/4 inches...copper circle 1 1/4 inches wide.

home made noodles

2008-01-16T19:59:00.001-05:00

Bust a gut on these, baby. Hand rolled, shaped, and cooked in broth. Just tape 'em to my ass.

These are so good!

just a wednesday morning of unschooling

2008-01-09T11:51:00.001-05:00

Pizza ~ screw traditional breakfast items for this guy.

Spongebob ~ just about as educational as it gets right now. Better check me Captain's quarters.

Vacuuming Tate's way.

Sleep ~ my 19 Sky year old works overnight and sleeps the day away. :) Can you see the glowing eyes of Minuet?

Jewel at the computer on WebKinz. She has a Persian cat that is cuter than cute! (Tate loves the gorilla and Maverick has a tree frog).

Amulet, doing what she does best. At almost 18 months it's bits of all of the above. Either someone's made deviled eggs or I've got a diaper to change.

a most beautiful child

2007-12-29T17:59:00.001-05:00

I took these pictures one late and lonely night. The house was dark, the children sleeping. Amulet and I were at the computer listening to music and she was the stars in the sky. Her innocence and beauty are why I am alive. She guides me and shows me the way of it.

oranges & the return of the sun

2007-12-15T14:09:00.000-05:00

The kids made Yule suns to honor the return of the sun this Solstice. They are so sparkling & sweet!

Slicing the oranges....

Stringing popcorn for the squirrels...

I can't figure out who she is like. I guess we'll never know.

The oranges are ready for drying! They'll bake in the oven at 200 degrees for two hours. (spray non-stick spray on the pan first)

Maverick's first try at a needle and thread. He was so proud of himself! :)

my new 8 year old

2007-11-30T09:44:00.000-05:00

Time flies as the clouds rush by and now my second daughter is already 8.

I bought her a darling hand made Waldorf doll, simple, pure, and sweet. She is weighted doll, which means she is filled with millet and has a settling, reassuring quality to her. Jewel loved her.

She had a wonderful birthday, and although her cake looked as though a squirrel made it, it was delicious and chocolaty! (or is that with an ey?)

a boy and his chickens

2007-11-24T14:18:00.000-05:00

What's a guy to do when he needs a captive audience for his thoughts? Chickens of course. These lovely ladies are most assuredly enjoying his musings on a cold November afternoon. And, could someone please send my son some pants? *laughs* I've obviously been somewhat neglectful.

dark waters

2007-10-20T12:52:00.000-04:00

Anxiety - that stagnant pool of filth the mind creates. Leeching cursed water to swim through. Swimming in and out, gulping at times, with trepidation.

The unknown. Frustration, fear, disappointment, betrayal, anger, sadness; give me all of it. I will swim through that.

when has the heart had enough?

2007-10-15T11:06:00.000-04:00

Why does it seem to have an undeniable capacity to hold beyond what we think it can? A time in my life where I long for a mechanism which could shut mine down. Some kind of protective device which would take over when things (thoughts) seemed too much to bear. A wise tree engulfing me inside it's brittle arms, a cave of stone with barriers deep enough to shield, a large winged bird with talons like knives on ice. I would willingly give my heart to such a creature and let it encompass me. Or let it eat me, sobbing mercilessly in blessed relief.
Pain dreams me to sleep. We are symbiotic, though it does not know me. It is Kali's gift. Life and death, beauty and ugliness, motherliness and destruction. They fall as drops of water and the glittering is too sharp.
My heart holds it all, choosing this, without my will.

the sensual drape of heavy berries - Phytolacca Americana

2007-10-13T12:51:00.000-04:00

My poke berries are hanging blood red and ripe. For reasons I don't fully understand yet, I am drawn to this plant. So many sprouted up this summer, and when I neglected my clothesline, large poke plants grew there too. They branched out wide and opened their arms to me.

When I was younger, I believed poke to be a dangerous plant to be avoided, and now I see her as the powerful presence that she is. Used sacredly, she is strengthening.
The herbwife has some wonderful writings about poke. She is wise. Corinna Wood writes another good article on this amazing plant.

eggs saved from the Sasquatch

2007-10-09T18:49:00.000-04:00

The kids tell a good story. I love how they get into this big group and make up stories that feed off of each other's wild tales. This one begins with Sasquatch (or Bigfoot), which they first learned about on the Discovery channel.
Apparently, he's been sighted in our forest, on particularly dark evenings while gathering eggs. One night I asked the kids to go gather some eggs a little later than usual, and Maverick picked up a wooden back scratcher to take with him. I said, "I don't think that's going to do you a lot of good against Sasquatch", to which he replied, "I'm going to use this to scratch his back and then he'll say...ahhhhhh, and let us go". LOL
They returned with plenty of eggs and plenty of giggling. :)

swan gourds

2007-10-04T09:10:00.001-04:00

Tate's gourds have turned out so beautifully. Graceful, long necks and elegant bodies. Swans.

I love seeing him harvest his gourds. He tended these and did it all on his own.

He's very proud of his crop! :)

a mermaid's nursling

2007-09-30T17:43:00.000-04:00

In keeping with my recent visit to the lake, & my gorgeous little breastfeeding daughter, I made this piece in hues of the waters. This nursing mermaid really touches my heart. She so gently holds her darling mermaid baby who nurses voraciously. I love her!
For calming, loving, nurturing, & celebrating the boundless bond between mama & babe
Aquamarine, rare Owyhee Opal (Oregon), Crandalite, Apatite, Honey Jasper, Pink Tourmaline, Amber, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Blue Chalcedony, Opalite, Peridot, Rhodonite, Hemimorphite, Peruvian Blue Opal, Swarovski Crystals, Lampworked glass beads, & hand made Balinese sterling silver! Exquiste hand made artisan lampworked glass nursing mermaid by Elaine La Flex Green. Blue Morpho butterfly wing pendant at clasp. (ethically collected). 19 1/2 inches long. $575.00

the orange of a sunset

2007-09-29T11:52:00.000-04:00

Lake Michigan at sunset is a thing of beauty. People arrive at the lake moments before the sun begins it's descent, cameras in hand, to capture those dramatic moments.

My children played on the shores of this lake all afternoon, until all too soon we realized that the sun had fulfilled it's promise. I lined them up like little soldiers and we captured the sunset with giddy good will.

Sand! And on a weekday! :)

I made vegetarian chili in my big roaster & it tasted incredibly good after swimming in the cool water.

Bodiewatu really loved this whole day, and so did I. (Boddiewatu is his nickname:)

tea with a friend

2007-09-25T18:15:00.001-04:00

Diane, you send the best tea! Look at these pretty one serving diffusers with the cute little leaves on top. I am right now, enjoying this most delicious hibiscus, cinnamon, & licorice root tea! thank you.... :)

the awakened one

2007-09-24T21:13:00.001-04:00

This vibrant piece was such a joy to create. The stones draw warmth from each other and radiate light & heat. Buddha is serene as always and introspective. This is a good piece to wear as the days grow chilly and the excitement of fall is upon us.

The Awakened One...for cultivating a positive state, for peace, for warmth, health, & for passion! Turquoise (Mozambique), Cinnamon Agate, Rainbow Casilica, Shattuckite, Malachite, Fire Agate, Jet, Peridot, Honey Jasper, Carnelan, Pristine, Serpentine, Red Coral, Mali beads (1800's), hand made Balinese sterling silver, copper beads, sterling silver beads, & hand carved wooden fans! Hand carved boxwood Buddha pendant with Shattuckite, Carnelian, Golden Tourmaline, Malachite, Red Coral, Turquoise, Serpentine, & Cinnamon Agate. Adjustable length. $575

I utilized the five symbolic colors plus black:
Buddhist color symbolism:

Blue ~ tranquility, healing, ascension - ears, air

Red ~ life force, sacred things - tongue, fire

Green ~ balance, yourth, vigor, harmony - head

Yellow ~ humility, stability, grounded nature - nose, earth

White ~ purity, knowledge, longevity, - eyes, water

Black ~ primordial darkness

blessed gifts from a sacred friend

2007-09-21T19:42:00.000-04:00

Today in the mail I received a gorgeous box from a dear friend. She is a woman who has been in my life a long time, and whose friendship I value like my own life. She is precious to me, and so are her goodies. She is generous, kind hearted, spirited, and has a love of life I aspire to.
This month's pleasures include her delicious Chocolate Rose cream, Elder Blossom oil, & Wild Oregano Tincture.
See more of her goodies at her shop, Amrita Apothecary.

Some lovely hand made soaps I cherish. Her soaps are to die for! She has a very informative & lovely blog at Plant Journeys.

My beautiful friend. :)

nuts & seeds

2007-09-20T17:39:00.000-04:00

It was so quiet outside this afternoon despite the kids being outside. I went around back to the pasture and found them cracking hickory nuts. A lovely first harvest!

I love it when hungry kids figure out a way to snack!

We don't spray our nut trees with chemicals so this little cutie is a natural occurence in some of the nuts.

The life giving hickory nut trees. It's a small grove of about 15-20 trees.

Beautiful holly hock seeds from my very dear friend. :) Thank you for these! I can't wait to see them grow. I love holly hocks!

amethysts in autumn ~ a time of letting go of what holds you back

2007-09-16T19:22:00.000-04:00

Fall is a perfect time for letting go of attachments. Many of my own attachments are sacred to me; my children, my home, my friends. I do have some old attachments that I want to release, and I begin planning a ceremony for this around this time. Amethyst is a good ally for this ~ Amethyst helps you attain wisdom. It can help you let go of all that is old and all that holds you back - on every level and in every aspect of life - so that you may fully embrace your spiritual destiny. It stirs the intuition. Amethyst can also help you understand and let go of anything that keeps you attached to a condition. This gorgeous stone affects all your inner aspects, helping the wearer to let go of attachments. Helps in healing addictions, alcoholism, withdrawal symptoms, and aids in curtailing compulsive behaviors.

Another beautiful fall goodie I've been working with; Betel Nut. I just made a healing piece utilizing this natural material; Warming Brew.

Corn Coral ~ which looks good enough to eat!

Fire Agate, which is a good warming stone for fall!

Lava! Real lava in bead form. Just imagine chipping away at hunks of lava to acquire these beads. Great energy and strength in this stone.

This gorgeous Sponge Coral is nothing short of apples in a basket! The mottled reds & oranges are so pretty.

And finally, beautiful, healing Turquoise. This ancient stone comes to me from Mozambique. So very far away. A wonderful, calming, healing stone to wear in the fall. Turquoise provides cleansing, protection, & is considered the "master healer". It is a wonderful healing and cleansing stone and provides protection. It is also a grounding stone and provides strength and protection during meditation. It brings peace of mind. Turquoise brings clarity, balances male and female energies, induces wisdom and understanding and increases your psychic powers. A good absorber of negativity.

their first college football game

2007-09-13T20:17:00.000-04:00

Maverick's excited!! So fun to be in the city!

Mmmmm, junk food of the highest caliber.

Men, I love. Men in tight pants I love even more. This is the Western Michigan Broncos team.

Sky & her friend Petey...
taking advantage of the tailgating splendor that was ours.

The marching band! The kids loved seeing them! Too bad mom didn't notice the impending clouds moving in! We soon were pelted with torrents of rain and lightening! We had a wonderful time anyway, and the kids are still talking about the game and the naked buns!

What?

2007-09-10T12:38:00.000-04:00

Amulet's opinion on the new jewelry. Ahhh, you made THAT? Let's rethink it.

New Life

2007-09-07T21:35:00.000-04:00

~for nurturing, gestating, grounding, loving, & for all phases of fertility in colors of new earth & plants~
African Chrysoprase, Oregon Opal, Chrysotite, Vessonite, African Trade beads (1800's Nigeria), Fire Agate, Tourmaline (green), Gaspeitite, Butter Jade, Moonstone (gray), Peridot, Chrysoprase, Poppy Jasper, Pristine, Ruby in Zoisite, Septaria (Utah), South Sea Saltwater pearls (white), hand made Balinese sterling silver, & sterling 'create' talisman, & exquisite Russell Wray babe in the womb pendant!

This pendant speaks so much to all that I am. Seeing a babe so secure in the womb is so warm and settling, and it represents much of what my life has been about.

$575 *for more information about this piece click here*

snapshots of life today

2007-09-05T20:58:00.000-04:00

Unschooling is about trust. Trust isn't easy for many of us, though children know it. Trusting our children is one of the most peaceful and easy things to do. That is, if we forget about our old notions about learning. Joyce Fetteroll has an amazing site that is full of fantastic wisdom about unschooling.
Just waking up & ready for breakfast. I love looking at this sweet face every morning.
First thing this morning. Since Maverick had a scooter upgrade they are at it full force!
Maverick's new scooter. The thrill of it! He's ridden it all day, every day since his birthday.
Sweet Amulet fell asleep nursing with her dishtowel bunny. I can hardly take the cuteness.
After baths & showers. Does anyone know if these are chef hats or simply accessories to the wands?

girl of my dreams

2007-08-29T18:08:00.000-04:00

I dreamt of you. When I was just a little girl myself.
I sat bored, in math class, watching the light change as it fell through the window.
Scribbling your name in my notebook. What would it be? Drawing spirals & triangles & curlie cues around each letter I formed.
Fantasizing and dreaming about the babe I would have for my own.
It was you.
One with sweet honey hair and long eye lashes.
With skin the color of new milk and rolls presenting themselves for kisses.
I was born to love you, to be your mother. Thank you for that.

My darlng Amulet. Exclusively breastfed, adorable, feminine, tender hearted love machine.

before our time

2007-08-25T15:16:00.000-04:00

A simple crystalline vessel of unripe acorns, thrust from the safe arms of their sheltering trees by a summer storm. My ten year old son gathered these forest gems when the winds died down and the calm settled. These emergent seeds are green, undeveloped, unready. Or are they actually perfectly formed just as they are, willingly embracing their destiny and symbolic of the pure acceptance of our own truths?

Byron Katie, a woman gifting the world with her presence, and helping people see their own truths would probably say the latter. Her book, Loving What Is, has inspired me to be gentle with myself, and has helped me immensely in understanding that I really would rather know the truth - that when I meet my thoughts with understanding, I am at peace.

This powerful storm, the power outtage, all that has occurred throughout my most recent days has been a gift for me. An opportunity for me to do the work...and I am brought closer to myself for it all. And, like these bright acorns, I know that there is nothing that could happen to me before it's time - that everything happens for me. It is all perfect timing for me, and I am exactly where I need to be in this world.

wild racing & electric scooters

2007-08-18T15:07:00.000-04:00

About two years ago I bought the kids their first electric Razor scooter. I wondered where they would ride it, after all, we're in a forest and there are (thankfully) no sidewalks to be found. Still, it looked like fun and I trusted they would find a way. They did of course. In the back pasture they created a giant, kid-made dirt track...wrought by countless circlings around the grass. Over the years it has become quite the sight! Since that first scooter years ago, I have added to their collection, and they can all ride at once...with llamas peering at them on the outskirts of the pasture.

Night riding is the best!

Coyote, this year on his third birthday with his first scooter.

I love what they've done with this. Bicycles are welcome. :)

Dreaming Mermaid

2007-08-13T20:27:00.000-04:00

A dreaming mermaid in the colors of a green sea...Tibetan Agate, Apatite, Rhyolite, Chrysoprase, Labradorite, Peridot, Prehnite, Garnet, Tourmaline (green & pink), Amazonite, hand made Balinese sterling silver, Ethiopian Nickel Silver Alloy, & Pendant of hand carved ancient Siberian mammoth ivory (10,000 - 20,000 years old).

She was such a joy to make. I love these stones...I could dive right into that Tibetan Agate and swim all night.

mystery berry/seed

2007-08-11T19:15:00.000-04:00

We found these all over the ground yesterday, under a patch of maple and oak trees. We are all so stumped as to what these could be! There were no plants near this part of the woods...only chickens scratching here on dry dirt and maple & oak trees above. I've exhausted my googling so I would love to have opinions! They are beautiful. Someone tell me these aren't little treasures derived from my chickens' arses.

sensual, beautiful bowls

2007-08-07T19:27:00.000-04:00

I commissioned two bowls to be made from a wonderful wood worker, Robb Rogers. One for my friend, & one for me. They are so beautiful! Here are the sister bowls pictured together on a fallen tree in my forest.

This is my beautiful
"rum dipper"...I love the curves and lines of it - so sensual! It's large and amazing.

A pretty business card holder he made for me as a gift....

And a lovely shell bowl

Here is the bowlmaker & artist pictured with his wife at the Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire!
Thank you kind sir ~ your work is wonderful!
Robb & Stacy Rogers
Useless Skills Studios
Battle Creek, MI

traveling strawberries!

2007-08-01T19:24:00.000-04:00

My wonderful friend, Salvia, has graciously sent me some strawberry plants. A gift from a woman's garden is one of the most precious, and so, the children & I are treating these plants as great friends...welcomed and loved.

Here they are just out of the sack. A little dry, but looking hearty.

Giving them a little water & a chance to rest.

Cute little boys fascinated with everything....

In you go.....

Planted, watered, and blessed. Thank you D.

wise, wise creatures

2007-07-26T22:03:00.000-04:00

Really...so wise, and yet......so not. You know, if you can't get the feedbag off of your head, well, just wear it all day. No worries.

*insane giggling*

We really do feed them. I promise.

third weekend at Silverleaf!

2007-07-23T20:13:00.000-04:00

The kids are having so much fun ~ what a beautiful, magical place to be!

Barbarians are people too.

Aren't they sweet?

The horned one.

Lunch on Sunday!

today's walk with maverick & amulet

2007-07-19T18:55:00.000-04:00

Under my apple tree...the apples are green and bitter but the tree is beautiful and provides lovely shade in the summer heat. I love looking up through the canopy of green!

Maverick and I (with Amulet in the mei tai) took a walk today in the forest. I'm sure the frog you see here was delighted to accompany us. Maverick says so anyway.

My fuchsia's are so beautiful!

Our free range hens enjoying the fallen tree.

Amulet in the mei tai..she's the cat's meow!

sweet, sweet darling thing turned 1!

2007-07-16T19:55:00.000-04:00

July 13th it happened, and I cried as my beautiful soul daughter Amulet turned one year. I hardly knew the time passed...she was born unhindered and unassisted in a warm pool of water on a sunny morning in July. We could all hear one little goat maa-ing in the pasture outside the window. My hands eagerly sought out her sweet body under the water, and I found her. That first touch...I will never forget how deliciously soft and tender she was. I pulled her up, unwrapped the tight cord from her neck, and held her beloved body to my neck...forever changed.

podophyllum peltatum ~ the may apple

2007-07-12T18:06:00.000-04:00

This pretty fruit comes from the American Mandrake plant, which is prolific in my forest. These lime green little fruits we love to refer to as, "foot busters", as they so cover the forest floor. Their true nicknames however, are much prettier: May Apple, Wild Lemon, Racoonberry, Indian Apple, Duck's Foot and the lovely Hog's Apple. If you prefer, Satan's Apple. *wild giggling going on at my keyboard*

In her book, Indian Herbalogy of North America, by Alma R. Hutchens, she writes that this fruit is edible only when ripe (yellow), and that pictured here (green), they are poisonous. I have read that the ripe fruit can be used in jam making or in pies, though I am not convinced of the merits of this. Perhaps!

Magically speaking, Scott Cunningham writes that the "may apple is generally used as a substitute for the European (true) mandrake". It's not clear if he is referring to the berry or the root. He writes that the true mandrake can be placed on the mantle in the home, bringing protection, fertility, and prosperity. That coins placed beside a mandrake root are said to double. Interesting!

I cannot find anything in Matthew Wood's Herbal Wisdom book.

I picture these beautiful fruits dried, & hung from my beam at the front door, offering protection to those inside.

the first weekend at Silverleaf!

2007-07-08T23:24:00.000-04:00

My tent this year! Lots of goodies inside to lust after...

Little fairie stones for the bonny bairnes...

The seahorse ride!!!

Jewel standing by one of the beautiful stages at Silverleaf

And this, because it's the most beautiful baby neck I've ever kissed in my life.

setting up for the faire

2007-07-05T00:22:00.000-04:00

Here she is ~ Sky having the time of her life helping me to set up for Silverleaf. It's hot, we're hungry, what else could a girl want? She did a fantastic job of putting the tent together!

Two friends, Beckalyn & Heather who are getting a little too much enjoyment out of their golf cart privileges. These great women are responsible for organizing the vendors!

Coyote
"helping". When you're 3 you're very very helpful.

Getting a little out of hand with the camera. This is where we ate. As vegetarians, we gorged ourselves on Wendy's baked potatoes and then some more baked potatoes. I gave birth to a baked potato baby that night.

a sweet monkey

2007-07-03T19:37:00.000-04:00

A sweet little monkey named Amulet, wrapped to my back. I love wearing her...in this picture we had just come inside from hanging out laundry.

sparkling!

2007-07-01T17:23:00.000-04:00

A sparkling, sun-catching, shamelessly glittering display of crystals! I love wearing these warm, colorful pieces in the summertime. The sunlight hits the exquisitely cut angles on the crystals and beams of light radiate everywhere. A necklace I just can't stop staring at.

SOLD to a nice mama :)

tiny bird eggs in my fuchsias

2007-06-30T14:07:00.000-04:00

The kids found 4 small wild bird eggs in the most beautiful blue imaginable! They were nestled inside one of my hanging Fuchsia baskets! I had seen a small brown bird visitng the flowers frequently, and now we know she's been building a nest! So cute ~ and I can't wait to see her babies when it's time.

learning CSS ~ cascading style sheets

2007-06-29T09:13:00.000-04:00

I think it's official. I'm entering into geekdom & reading CSS: The Missing Manual.

A very nice stranger, M.S., helped to motivate me to utilize Cascading style sheets for my website instead of just HTML. I'm learning & it's actually really exciting! The author of this book, David McFarland, is a great teacher! What is CSS? ---> CSS, short for Cascading Style Sheets, a new feature being added to HTML that gives both Web site developers and users more control over how pages are displayed. With CSS, designers and users can create style sheets that define how different elements, such as headers and links, appear. These Style Sheets can then be applied to any Web page.

So, if you found that exciting, you have my sympathy. :)

queen anne's lace

2007-06-27T13:18:00.001-04:00

Some beautiful Queen Anne's Lace from my yard. This roadside flower is so pretty. Plants that grow like crazy like this always fascinate me. Their tenacity is interesting & it's like they just refuse to be silenced. Some interesting information from Sister Zeus:

Quoted from http://www.sisterzeus.com/qaluse.htm:

Using Queen Anne's Lace seeds as contraception

Queen Anne's Lace / Wild Carrot
(Daucus carota)
Women have used the seeds from Daucus carota commonly known as wild carrot or queen anne's lace, for centuries as a contraceptive, the earliest written reference dates back to the late 5th or 4th century B.C. appearing in a work written by Hippocrates. John Riddle writes in Eve's Herbs, that queen anne's lace (QAL) seeds are one of the more potent antifertility agents available, and a common plant in many regions of the world. "The seeds, harvested in the fall, are a strong contraceptive if taken orally immediately after coitus."1 (penis/vagina sex)

Research on small animals has shown that extracts of the seeds disrupt the implantation process, or if a fertilized egg has implanted for only a short period, will cause it to be released. There has been some research done on wild carrot seeds mostly in other countries, the results of those experiments have been encouraging. The Chinese view QAL as a promising post-coital agent, "recent evidence suggests that terpenoids in the seed block crucial progesterone synthesis in pregnant animals." 1 When asked about the contraceptive effects of wild carrot, some herbalists have described it as having the effect of making the uterus "slippery" so the egg is unable to implant.

Note: post-coital means - after sexual intercourse where the penis has entered the vagina.

Progesterone is essential for pregnancy to occur, progesterone's function is to prepare the uterine endometrium to receive an egg, if the endometrium isn't ready, the egg will find implantation very difficult. If the egg can't implant then the opportunity is missed, and the egg begins to breakdown and is no longer viable. Menstruation arrives as usual. Scientific confirmation is helping to further validate our ancestral knowledge.

I am also interested in how this plant works with the bladder. Anyone experienced with this?

sweet weeds

2007-06-25T18:33:00.000-04:00

I was out walking this afternoon with Amulet in her mei tai, and I found the sweetest little wildflower bouquet hidden away near the forest. I could tell immediately that it was Jewel (my 3rd child) who had gathered it...it had her scent all over it. Pretty little red clovers and wild daisies of some kind. In an old jar she must have found in the barn. She's a darling little girl! Here's a picture of her showing me some mint she was eating....

crystal clear

2007-06-24T22:34:00.000-04:00

As all things work out in the end, and after many hours spent conversing in fruitless dialogue with gentlemen named "Bob" in India, Greenlee's Forest is rescued from the throes of modern technological failures and has resumed and flourished...as magical as this vessel of sparkling crystal quartz gems. Thanks be to those who listened to my woes and loved me anyway.

the disappearing website

2007-06-23T23:27:00.000-04:00

A note to my wonderful patrons ~ my website has experienced some techinical difficulties...however it should be back up and running within 24-48 hours. The llamas had their fun at the keyboard, and now it's time to pay the piper.

grape hideaway

2007-06-22T18:51:00.000-04:00

A treasured summer hideout ~ the grapes are getting heavy and thick now. The fruit is still green and won't be ready for a long time, but the kids love to play inside my grape gazebo!

corn lilies

2007-06-20T20:58:00.000-04:00

Sweet corn lilies ~ unless my dear friend Diane tells me otherwise. Growing wild by the side of my house & turning their summery faces towards the sun. Perhaps they will bless me with a bouquet for the summer solstice.

catalpas ~ mown hay ~ faire silks

2007-06-19T18:31:00.000-04:00

My sweet catalpa tree...her leaves are so large! They are like opening hands, beckoning all to come hither and sit with her, and make lovely plates for dining on summer fruits.

June's first hay cutting is resting on the Earth. The smell is so sweet and as the hot breeze bakes the drying plants my heart and lungs fill with it's delicious aroma. My clothes hanging on the lines are filled with this sweet song, and I can't wait to wear them!

Some darling silk goodies awaiting the Silver Leaf Rennaisance Faire! Colorful silks adorned with unusual glittery gems & silver. Medusa, fairies in pomegranates, mermaids, & dragons! I can't wait for the faire & the excitement!

chocolate leaves

2007-06-17T16:20:00.000-04:00

Simple little leaves adorned in rich chocolate silk....with Pietersite & sterling silver! A sweet thing to tie around you.