Just a Handful of Reasons

For family who treks the long and winding roads to celebrate our togetherness, family who pours heart and joy into the creation of a meal, family who laughs and hugs and hopes and prays for each other.  For family who consistently loves, deeply and ever unconditionally.  For my tiny family: my BC (always, always), my kitty boys who give the best mojo, for Sancho-pup who is already joy-therapy.



For the bounty of this life and the hindsight to see that this place I reside is exactly where I am meant to be.  For knowing that I have purpose, and knowing that I'm forging my own path through the jungle of life that has never been walked in exactly the same way before.

For health and positivity, for my ten fingers (honest - this is a thanks I give consistently), for only one more round of chemotherapy, for being encouraged to use the lessons laid before me to dig deeper into soul-territory, to find new kindness, to find new hope.

For you, for this place where we have met, for the incredibly real and rich and rewarding relationships I have found through this blog.  For the way you have heard my words, supported my hands and helped me thrive in a season that could have gone in so many different directions.

And these are just a few of the reasons I give thanks.


- Umber

Breakfasting Sounds

Cheerio me fair-feathered finch!

I've been rising with the sun, or to be more direct, rising with a little puppy-face whose bladder marks dawn like clockwork.  It's incredibly good for my head to be out of bed before the dew has dried; I am a morning person at heart who happened to marry a night owl and then spent a great many years woking till the wee hours every night.
THIS is what I've been seeing and hearing and delighting in each morning (and yes, more seed is on the errand list for the day).
I just had to share the cacophony with you too.

Traveling 2400 Miles in Five Days

We started here,

With stout cups of coffee and a sack of clementines.

South through the redwoods, their shaggy trunks leaning in close to hear Raising Sand (Alison Krauss played by yours truly and Robert Plant sung by BC) pouring through our windows.

South through the farm lands, blanketed in cashmere and guarded by the red-tailed hawks, stopping only to demonstrate absurd yoga poses at random small town gas stations.

South through the rolling hills marked by wind turbines and soaked with the valley heat, peeling off layers and giving in to spontaneous car-dance parties.

Then North, north higher than the flight patterns of migrating cranes, noses in books, two cranberry juices hold the peanuts please.

To these feet.

Which belong to some of my very favorite people on God's golden-crimson-chartreuse-ean earth.

And here it is: I DO miss Seattle, but more over I miss my Mme.  Life feels a little fuller now that I've walked the layout of her home, now that I know where to find the microplaner in the kitchen, now that I've stolen her face wash while showering (heehee), now that we've purchased yet another set of matching accessories (thigh-high leg warmers make the world go 'round).

I basked in her Candaceness (totally a word) so much that believe it or not, these are the ONLY photos I took the whole weekend.  I had to just be.  Really BE.  Present.  To take those images and engrave them on my secret heart, take the moments of utter communion and moments of hysterical laughter and clutch them tightly so they last longer.  To be a little greedy.  I'm not sorry.  Not in the least.

But the weekend passed and we struck out to the softly frosted mountains of California to pick up this little beastie.

Sancho is HOME!

He's puddin' pie and a little tank already, nine weeks old and eating like a horse.  A ten pound carnivorous horse with floppy jowls, a wiggle worm of a tail, massive paws and a face like rumplestein.

I love him

So big.

And for the record, the kitty boys are handling the situation as well as we could have hoped: Thai is the pure embodiment of Calm-Assertive (a la Cesar Milan - audio books equal 9 hours of hearing the phrase "calm-assertive") with his unflappable presence and air that says "I'm not moving but if you step one foot closer and I will bitch-slap you" while Sing is more of the Wild Card (a la It's Always Sunny) and Sancho has already decided that's far scarier.  Oh this family of mine!

All this to say, I'm so ready to be home.  I'll be heading in tomorrow morning (Friday November 19th) for Chemo Infusion Round 7 of 8 - can you believe it's almost over?  Just one more after this, and while on one hand I feel like I've been in chemo for a lifetime, on the other I remember when it felt like I had an impossible journey ahead of myself.  Thank God for friends along the way, eh? 

And on that note, I think it's time for a puppy potty break.

Like the Dickens

I thought I was terribly clever and on top of my business when I stacked up all your perfect packages and trotted right out to the post today... and then realized that my dear postal workers (Tom, Linda, I appreciate you and your funny little quips) would be off for Veteran's Day (and veterans, I really appreciate you because I love the life I lead).  So... tomorrow!

That said,
I also appreciate you.  Like the dickens.  More than chickens.
Your support yesterday, and honestly, every day, sets my heart on fire and I count my blessings to know this:
1.  I am following the path I was destine to walk.
2.  The ladies and gents I send my work to really and truly do understand it.  They hear the song I sing and weave it into their own hearts, bringing it into their own homes, their own lives, the lives of their children.  This is the greatest blessing I can hope to receive as an artist.

NOW:
I must go pack enough clothes to make it through three weeks for the 72 hours I'm spending in Seattle starting tomorrow.  You NEVER know what might come up therefore I must have rain boots, vintage furs and striped tights just to cover all the bases.  In fact, that all sounds pretty good together.  Maybe I just decided on my airplane outfit.  Because that's really what airlines need more of these days: Panache
I'll be back next week (and back with a puppy!) so hold down the fort while I'm gone!

Salut!

P.S.

This is the Barn Owl.

(hoot hoot)

... off to go get listy!