Focus on the Stars

 

“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche (Thanks Corey)

Welcome Fall Equinox

Here we are on the first day of fall where night and day are equal in length for a very short time. We are headed into the dark nights with less light in our day. It is even more imperative that we notice the small glimmers of light. Hold on to the glimmers, celebrate them, and never let the darkness get you down.

Last evening I attended a fund raiser for a local organization called Growing Gardens. It was a celebration of growth and helping others. My "live in gardener" and I sat at a table of all Hispanics. It was fun to hear their involvement in the organization and their joy of gardening and honoring each other. Even though we didn't understand their conversation, they were kind to include us from time to time in conversation.

The watermelon bouquet was all edible, from the garden.

The cucumber/honeydew melon, kombucha was made of things from the garden.

Earlier in the day I attended a tea tasting.

That also was a joy, a sparkle in my day.

The green leaves were much of the tea we tasted.

It also came from someone's tea garden.

My friend, Ana, pouring the tea as we sat around the table in a friend's greenhouse.

And there were small flames and sparkles on Saturday night, where my church had a gathering on a farm to just celebrate being together as we enter fall.

As the sun goes down over the orchard in the country, I noticed the colors of the sky and they sparkled.

And the light of the fire made my heart happy.

Simply, I just keep noticing and sharing with you. May our spirits stay happy, sending love to each other in the dark night and chaos. We can be those "dancing stars" in the dark night.

Notice what you Notice!

Sending love,

Marilyn

Focus on the Stars

Sometimes I just need to focus on those things I love.

Teatime and flowers are often in my circle of loves.

This week there were opportunities for both and a little bit more.

I even visited the grand opening of a favorite chocolate shop. They have opened a shop and education room to celebrate chocolate at their factory. Their chocolate all comes from one estate in Ecuador. 

Then on another day I celebrated the start of the day with fruit, scones and tea.

My tea bush on the patio is beginning to bloom.

And then I visited the Lan Su Chinese Gardens where my friend, Eric, was doing a tea tasting. It was fun to sit for an hour and sip tea with Eric and others at the table.

Pomegranates growing in the garden.

And lotus too.

And just for fun, I had to toss in a teddy bear from the antique mall.

And a visit to the dahlia farm.

A bouquet brought home from the farm has delighted my week.

Sometimes we just have to take a break and enjoy those things that bring us JOY and light to our hearts because life can get heavy.

Hoping you have had a little JOY and light in your week.

On to a new week and searching out JOY and light.

Sending love,

Marilyn

 

Focus on the Stars

 

As you prepare your breakfast, think of others

   (do not forget the pigeon’s food).

As you conduct your wars, think of others

   (do not forget those who seek peace).

As you pay your water bill, think of others

   (those who are nursed by clouds).

As you return home, to your home, think of others

   (do not forget the people of the camps).

As you sleep and count the stars, think of others

   (those who have nowhere to sleep).

As you liberate yourself in metaphor, think of others

   (those who have lost the right to speak).

As you think of others far away, think of yourself

   (say: “If only I were a candle in the dark”).

Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008) was an award-winning Palestinian author and poet. His literature, particularly his poetry, created a sense of Palestinian identity and was used to resist the occupation of his homeland.

In ‘Think of Others,’ the poet’s message is self-evident. Darwish repeats the same phrases, and urging us to not only be grateful for what we have, but also to help those who are less fortunate. The poem acts as a powerful plea from Darwish to ‘be the candle in the dark’ and to help those who are in need; both near and far. Analysis by Lydia Marouf

“Think of Others” by Mahmoud Darwish, from Almond Blossoms and Beyond. Translated from the original Arabic by Mohammed Shaheen. © Interlink Books, 2010.

I saved the above early in the conflict in Israel and Palestine, but today realized I hadn't posted it. My heart breaks for the people of both Israel and Palestine, in their loses, destruction, death, and struggles. It is imperative that we hold that "candle in the dark" and help where we can. It might only be a prayer sent up each day or something more. 

In the picture above I noticed this rose bush outside my church yesterday. I felt like that one rose is there for hope when all around it is dead and dying. We must focus on that light, the shining pink rose of hope.

Sending love,

Marilyn

My Apple Pie Story

 Pie baking brings me joy and others seem to like it too.

When I started baking pies I would put a butterfly cut in the crust. It is still my signature on each pie I bake.

The only time I bake a pie is for a special event, a potluck, or guests coming over; so when I realized I had apples in the refrigerator that desperately needed baked, I baked a pie for my "live-in gardener" and me. In all my years I don't think I have ever made a pie just for us.

My pie baking story starts a very long time ago, actually when I was a little girl. Because my grandfather and uncles all had apple orchards, my mother and aunts baked apple pies. Each one of them thought they made the best apple pie. It became a small competition. If they were alive today they would still say "I make the best apple pie". 

Well several of my cousins and I took up the mantle of apple pie baking. We each think our apple pie is the best one now. One of my cousins, that I am close to, thinks she makes the best apple pie. Her brother lives about 2 hours from me; so when I go to visit him I take pie. His comment is, "don't tell my sister, but you make the best apple pie". Ha! That is the prize, right there.

So for breakfast with my tea this morning, I had apple pie. It was the best apple pie I have ever had. It was made extra special because the apples came from my sister's apple trees. They are Gravenstein apples. It is a heirloom apple that not many people know about. They are amazing in pies and applesauce too. Now I feel like these apples came straight from my grandfather because my sister lives on a couple acres of the property that once was my grandpa's apple orchard. So family history is baked into my apple pie.

Teatime this morning was a piece of apple pie.

My pie recipes all come from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, the 1960's era book. It's the book that taught me to cook and bake, a wedding gift from long ago.

The secret for me of making a good crust is a gentle hand, ice water, and a slightly warmed Crisco. It works every time.

Apple pie to celebrate the beginning of Autumn/Fall is a delight worth celebrating.

Do you have a family story wrapped up in something you bake or cook?

Sending love,

Marilyn

Focus on the Stars

 “I Go Down To The Shore

I go down to the shore in the morning

and depending on the hour the waves

are rolling in or moving out,

and I say, oh, I am miserable,

what shall—

what should I do? And the sea says

in its lovely voice:

Excuse me, I have work to do.”

-Mary Oliver

The work needing done, what could that be. For me it is just focusing on the small glimmers of light and joy each day.

If you recall, last week I needed to put my toes in the sand. So off to the sea I went for a very short visit; never the less, it was good to touch the sea. People told us there were whales frolicking between those rocks, but other than some splashes I didn't see any whales.

Wishing I had some marshmallows and a fire.

I am a water girl at heart; so just yesterday I went down to the Columbia River. What a delight to sit on this deck and watch the boats come and go. One last celebration of summer before school starts tomorrow. 

Fall will soon be here. 

Early this morning, while it was still dark, I noticed a runner go by with a string of colored light draped around him. He was shining the lights in the dark morning hour. It reminded me as we begin to notice the shorter days to bring out the candles and to focus on the light in the dark night.

And still I am finding flowers to shine on my days.

I absolutely love dahlia season. This is my favorite Cafe au Lait, which was planted in my daughters garden. Isn't it a beauty?

And one final light from my past week was celebrating my "god son's" 25th birthday. How quickly they grow up.

What lights of delight are you noticing this week?

Sending love,

Marilyn