craving the west...and dare i say it...autumn

i'm not going to lie. i'm uncomfortable--in a fidgety sort of check-off-the-have-to's of this summer
so i can return home to the west (though the north east is really truly lovely) sort of way.
this entire weekend i've been dreaming of mountains and deserts out west, where i'm
comfortable in my skin, and in the contrasts of such beautiful landscapes. i've been dreaming
of autumn, of sweaters, warm tea, boots, and crisp cool air. i'm really homesick for autumn.

but most of all, i'm homesick for ceej. you know how it goes: i'm home whenever he's with me.
i should be researching a paper at this very moment, but instead i'm taking a break to
go through photos of our life out west: our day-to-day time in the mountains as well as our
weekend roadtrips and camping adventures. my paper will get finished on time one way or
another so i'm not too anxious about my little break.

good news: ceej will be here in five days for a long weekend getaway...and boy do i need to get
away from this diurnal cycle of reading, writing, researching, discussing, repeat.

more good news: fall is only two months away.

and last of the good news: i think i might be going canoeing this afternoon!

| nostalgia | : from the archives

i've been dreaming of the sea, of cool breezes, of salty air.

i've been dreaming of the non-existence of to-do lists.

i've been dreaming of just one night under the wild stars.

i took these polaroids almost four years ago while we were living in california.

every weekend we had a mini adventure out to the sea or up to the mountains.

we haven't had a mini adventure for over a month now...it seems so strange.

i love this busy and exciting time, but i know soon i will have to take a break

and exchange this productive life for an idle life--at least for a weekend.

hope your week has started off with a good mix of motivation and day-dreaming.

manifesto monday : magic

"of course there must be lots of Magic in the world," he said wisely one day,
"but people don't know what it is or how to make it."
-the secret garden

we went on many fall walks over the weekend. walking with a camera is best for me...it helps me to slow down and notice everything. i've been thinking how a slow pace reveals the magic of the earth...how amazing it is that leaves change color every year...that they blow away and become part of something else...how birds fly from branch to branch...how my breath continues to work in and out. i like philosophers who link happiness to simplicity and a patient pace. this is when the magic happens...when i'm paying close attention to everything else, rather than fretting over a check-list. all is coming. this i believe.

{photo by cj}

do you remember going to the pool when you were growing up, and loving the feeling of lying on the hot cement while dripping wet and sipping soda?

my younger brother and i used to walk to the neighborhood pool

almost every day of summer while we were growing up.

we'd spend hours there...at least it seemed like hours to us.

we'd giggle at each other as we jumped off the diving board,

pretended to be goofy super-heroes wearing goggles,

jumped straight out of the pool with sopping wet bodies to lie down on the hot cement,

and sipped welch's grape soda.

we'd often wander off into the neighboring park which had a mini forest

where we would play hide 'n' seek

{hiding once in a wasps nest, making all of us run screaming for our lives, and receiving a few battle wounds}.

ceej and i have very tame and relaxing days by the pool.

we bring books,

and dip ourselves into the pool when we get sleepy or too warm.

the pool isn't heated,

which makes it a bit too cold in the early summer,

but perfect when the incredible heat of midsummer encroaches.

cj braved the chill, and dove straight in.

i very slowly and cautiously lowered myself in.

can't wait for our next pool day.

have a wonderful weekend!

what are your plans this weekend?

ceej and i plan on being bookworms and pool loungers.

i have already started my "paul simon" weekend.

even did my yoga practice to pure paul.

love.

some of my fave paul simon lyrics:

.all along, along, there were incidents and accidents, there were hints and allegations.

.you don't need to be coy, roy, just get yourself free.

.empty as a pocket, empty as a pocket with nothing to lose.

.losing love is like a window in your heart, everybody sees you're blown apart, everybody sees the wind blow.

.hey senorita that's astute, why don't we get together and call ourselves an institute.

.mama looked down and spit on the ground every time my name gets mentioned.

.big and fat, pig supposed to look like that.

.this is the story of how we begin to remember. this is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein.

it's poetry, isn't it?! {and it's great for dancing and singing and lifting a heart}

happy weekend!!

life is so sweet on the sunny side of the street...at least that what billie holiday sang to me this morning

ceej and i have been spending lots of time by the pool.

life is indeed sweet.

we read, and read, and read.

every now and then we get in the water.

but it is frrrrrreezing.

maybe when the summer 100's come

we'll be overjoyed for chilly water.

have i mentioned i love water?

well, i do.

perhaps it is because it can be

both soothing, life-giving

AND

destructive and terrible.

looking forward to more days at the pool

with Ceej and books.

happy summer!

all photos by me except for the one with me and my pink hat, which was taken by ceej. may 2009. california home.

ode to idle days...

all photos by me. may 11 2009.

yesterday was mostly spent on the lawn

reading.

i set up my blanket and made sure i had protection from the sun

it was oh so hot

so i was grateful i brought along my hat

and sunglasses

so i could read for hours

i first read through finding beauty in a broken world

by terry tempest williams

then

i read through with a measure of grace

given to me as a graduation present from

two of my favorite people: liv + cody

THANK YOU!

both of these books have inspired me,
and lifted my heart while
lighting a fire beneath me.
there is much to do
and much to love.

here's to being idle!