An Impressionistic Etude

Of shadows of the same tree on walls throughout the day.

Getting Out the Door

Why is it so hard for me? Yet sooo necessary.

Gratitude abounds for a bikeride that found its way to my favorite spot in town!* The Capitol Rose Garden in full splendor. The sun hinted at its Sacramento summer intensity to come. As we sat on a bench in the center for a snack-break, intense perfume floated on the breeze from all directions.

Good medicine for mind, body, and spirit.

A ridiculous array of roses in all directions!

Meditation on beauty and breath.

Gossamer-winged friend.

Giggling at myself yet again, realizing how perfectly this fits in with my recent flower-sex theme. ;-) I swear, I just love flowers; sex didn't even cross my mind as I basked in this radiance!

Growing...

Few things come to mind as hope-full as a seedling.

Easter

I have been laughing at myself quite a bit lately.

Here's the juxtaposition of what was going on around me for Easter even as I fantasized about flower sex.* ;-) Attempting to fashion another sincere family seasonal celebration out of the ashes of religious holy-days that no longer resonate with my heart. With my very-much-still-Believing mom there ~ not wanting to hurt her feelings, but not wanting to compromise my own values, either. Touchy.

And then there's all the consumeristic, materialistic, sugar-cracked-out layers that our modern-day culture has piled on top of all the holidays (ancient, as well as Hallmark-created)! What's a mindful, Earth- and real-food-loving, home-making mama to do?!

The always answer: her best at the moment.

We dyed eggs using vinegar in water with turmeric, purple cabbage, and a mixture of beet powder and hibiscus tea.

I couldn't help trying to dye some fabric, too (inspired by SouleMama); I love dying fabric! The one that took best: the turmeric, by far.

Who knew that hibiscus and beet powder don't dye pink, or red, or purple, but grey! I dug the results.

I made sourdough Hot Cross Buns substituting freshly-milled, sifted spelt flour, a little bit of dehydrated cane juice, and lots of butter and eggs!

These did not last long.

And I made candy sweetened with a touch of honey ~ lavender-colored candies made from coconut butter and freeze-dried raspberries and strawberries (colored with hibiscus tea, and loosely using this recipe as a guide), and chocolates with almonds ~ with mostly carob and a bit of cacao (using roughly the same ingredients as I used here). And HOLY SHIT was using the actual cocoa a lesson-learned! I really feel for parents who allow their children to have sugar regularly; Anjali was an altogether different [and obnoxious] child after eating that chocolate!. I didn't get a photo of the candies; I shaped them like eggs and wrapped them in aluminum foil, which I thought made them look more like little pieces of foil headed for the trash (or recycling ~ right?). Oh well. They were peeled in seconds once discovered by my little Easter "bummy" anyway. ;-)

Geez do I look tired ~ PMS while parents visit for a week? Bring it on!

The smile must be from taste-testing that crack-chocolate!

The third costume change of the day, but always with the sparkly shoes from Aunt Cathy!

At best, I hope some traditions get formed along the way that we can feel good about. Or, at least: some good memories.

*I'm still fantasizing about doing a playful photo shoot in the woods in which we're dressed only with flowers. teehee!

**Still love-hating the technical aspects of Blogger that I have yet to master! grrr!

Eostre

I'm feeling sacredly irreverent and righteously mischievous ~ in the style of Tom Robbins, Rob Brezsny, and bunnies and flowers everywhere. It's Easter time. And while I haven't observed the stilted and solemn version of this holiday in years, I'm feeling like Celebrating the ancient, Earth-centered day that marks Spring.

Eostre: Estrus. The time of heightened fertility.

The Christ story is one of many myths whose symbolism observes this time of year when Summer's Sun emerges from the womb of Winter. Quite sadly, our misogynistic and repressed tradition ignores the divine orgy. We may be prim and powdered in our Easter suits and Derby hats, but Nature hasn't forgotten the original "reason for the season." Stepping outside, Eostre is flinging herself at me. Everywhere I look, sex is being conceived abundantly and joyfully in the open air with completely clean conscience. The bugs on our back deck. The trees along the streets that are littering the world with their seed for blocks around, in an ecstatic arbor porn. Flowers scandalously numerous - displaying themselves voluptuous and clad in shockingly flamboyant colors, sharing their fragrance with anyone who'll thrust their face into bursting petals and drink deep.

All kinds, jumbled and climbing one another!

Jasmine spreading her scent so potently, it's scandalous!

So many! Flashing such color for all to see!

Not even contained in a proper garden plot ~ just out in the middle of the lawn. Unabashed!

Open and primed.

THIS is the stuff of Eostre! Wholly holy, mysterious, and urgently relevant. Wash your soul in this gushing nectar and you will be free indeed.

I don't mean to offend, but to extend Nature's invitation to celebrate Life in its abundance! Messy, stinky, juicy! Fragrant and flagrant.

Her gifts overfloweth.

Come Home today.

Some Days Just Call for a Mocha

With real whipped cream.

Growing: Planting Seeds in [this] City

The week before we left for Baja, which was the last week of February, Papi Sealion and Anjali got out all the extra plant pots, cleaned them, and filled them with potting soil. He had a grand fantasy of planting a garden for our back deck (in an otherwise tiny, lifeless rental backyard) that would sprout to life in the Spring rain while we were gone. Totally focused on Baja, and quite disillusioned with this house here in Sacramento, I couldn't see his vision.

As I get back in the swing of living here in the city as Spring springs upon us, I must get my fingers in the dirt. And Anjali must have growing things close by to nibble at and tend. Even if it's not even close to the lush, well-loved garden we had in Berkeley, a pot of lettuce is a pot of lettuce. So yesterday we got out the coffee tins stuffed with seed packets past, seed packets duplicate (from those ambitious Springtime planting frenzies), and seeds saved, and we made a beginning on our city deck.

Even if it's only one planting season we spend here, growing some food and creating some beauty is always worth it.

This Moment

Today I'm playing along with Soulemama's Friday theme, "This Moment."

In her words:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Crafty: Corduroy Kitten Skirt with Shorties

Eeee!! How easy and fun is it to sew a skirt for a little girl! No womanly curves to adjust for and attempt to flatter, and all the fun color and cuteness you can get away with.

Anjali brainstormed with me about fabrics and decoration on this one ( I think I'll save her frog patch idea for another time...). It's just a square with a stretchy knit drawstring. The polka dot corduroy is soft and lightweight. I've had it in my fabric pile for such a long time, it's bordering on vintage. ;)

We got a few shots with this top-notch outfit Papi put together.

And then I added the shorties! From the same thrifted t-shirt as the kitten patch, I used the sleeves for the legs (like I did for these wool pants) and serged them together, then attached them to the skirt. A manic two-afternoon whiz of a project, I love the results. I hope she does! I'd like to make more like this. A carefree summertime play costume.

Getting Out the Door

Naturalized arugula in my favorite guerilla garden here in Sac.

Getting Out the Door

An early morning girl-date to Magpie for breakfast.