rasberries and roses

These pictures were taken on my last ramble through the woods before leaving home, two weeks ago. Woodland brambles tipped with red are one of Maryland's earliest signs of spring awakening. It makes me happy to think these buds will become raspberries and roses by the time I return.

sunlight in february

It's a balmy fifty-five degrees outside my family's home in Maryland. The thick blanket of snow, that has covered the ground since Christmas, is lifting into the air and sinking into the soil. I woke up to mist so thick the whole world became a white haze. I decided to take a walk with the old beagle dog. Putting on rubber boots, coat and shawl, we tramped off through the woods together.

Our feet splashed through frozen slush, and from time to time, patches of earth at the base of a tree, would reveal a hint of green moss or ivy which outlasted the snow's icy shroud. When we reached the bay the sun was shining bright. The mist cleared. I took a seat on top of an old wooden pick nick table, warmed in the afternoon sun. I was so flushed from the briskness of our walk that I felt compelled to take off my coat and wool sweater. Then through some strange impulse, I took off my boots and socks too.

No one was in sight except for the good old dog. I could see for miles down the shoreline. So, with the Chesapeake bay before me and the snowy white world behind, I did a series of sun salutations, right on the pick nick table. There is nothing more delightful than to move and breathe in the open air. I kept my eyes wide open through the postures breathing in the sights of the world. The steel gray water and wispy clouds, snowy earth and gray tree trunks turned upside down as I stretched in the sunshine. And before I knew it I was turning pirouettes on the wooden table top. At last, it was time to come back down to earth. I put on my coat and shoes, whistled for the beagle and trudged my way back to realty, but with a light heart and a fully nourished spirit.

Thank you!

It's just over one week away from our departure to Paris and I am overwhelmed with excitement, not to mention the necessary preparations! I literally spent half the day going through and looking up each one of the AMAZING suggestions proposed by the darling readers of An Apple a Day.

I spent so much time on the computer that I was forced to take a break and go for a walk in the woods, to save my sanity and clear my head from all the dizzying options! As usual, I can not go for a walk without bringing half of the woods back with me, so here is a little something I picked up along the way. Some little woodland arrangements to thank you for your incredible generosity!

Transplants

Carefully removed from the hillside behind my house and potted, wild california maidenhair fern and bracken.

crystal clear

While unpacking, I discovered a box, forgotten,unopened since my last move. It contained quarts crystals, dug from the earth with my own bare hands, near Mount Ida, Arkansas. (the most fruitful afternoon of climbing bulldozed mounds of earth I've ever spent)

Admittedly, hippy-dippy crystal lore, espoused by tye-dye clad gurus makes me cringe. But all the crystal energy healing mumbo-jumbo misses the point.... Crystals don't need to be mythologised to be magical. Through the varied, inexplicable dynamics of the universe, far beyond man's sphere of influence, erupted something of clarity and order. That's mind blowing enough.

Crystals are a natural manifestation of near-perfect geometry. A prism is created when the molecular structure of a liquid solidifies into ordered patterns that repeat in three spatial dimensions, under a precise balance of heat, pressure, and elemental chemistry. (You can still see the red Arkansas dirt on these little glimpses of essential truth.)

When formed under imperfect conditions, (i.e. changing conditions) the most interesting variations occur in the rock's shape, and color. It's the same with us, with all life... there is an underlying order, a repetition, but conditions rarely stay consistent long enough for something "perfect" to form. Luckily it's the variations, the constant adaption to change, which gives people and crystals unique character.

As the analogy stands... I would still rather be a clear, luminous, yet slightly quirky crystal, than a dull jumbled hunk of rock. We need some consistency if we expect to be clear, but accept what evolves in the changing conditions of the moment, it makes us who we are.

Wild Sage

Being a hunter-gatherer by nature (well ok, maybe just a gatherer, if I can find me a good hunter than I'd be in business) I stumbled upon a stand of wild white sage. I picked a few stems and brought them home to dry. Wild Sage is edible, and makes a nice incense. The plant can be identified by it's distinctive smell and silvery white leaves. Just don't pick more than you will use. I recommend picking just one stem per plant, as the wild population has been depleted by greedy smudge stick makers, no joke.

sead of change

Kristen and I have done our best to keep our new years resolution, taking time on the weekends to hop down to orange county to volunteer for The Ecology Center, brain child of Kristen's sweetheart Evan Marks. In there own words..."The Ecology Center mission is to inspire and involve people in the stewardship of Southern California's environment, providing education in sustainable agriculture, ecological design and the heritage of San Juan Capistrano"

The education center is situated in a historical farm house with surrounding gardens and shares the space with South Coast Farms a working organic farm featuring community supported agriculture (CSA) and a mind blowingly beautiful (and cheep) farm stand.

Krissy and Evan

We planted ground cover to protect and fertilize the soil. We also planted over 3000 seeds to be sold at the upcoming earth-day celebration, and plans are laid to use our sewing skills to whip up some organic cotton aprons to keep those farmers clean. Come check out the Earth-day festivities on april 25th.

Temescal Canyon Panorama

Hiking the Temescal Canyon ridge trail my friend and photographer Mat McCarthy took this magical picture.

To find this woodland wonderland just drive up Temescal Canyon rd, of the PCH, go to the very end and explore to your hearts content.

In my dreams..

I live here...



or here

or this one would do..


This is definitely my future stare case

and let's work in some whimsical organic shapes





Ok, universe work with me here, I'm so glad the amazing crafts people, who are going to help me build this house, are out there honing there skills right now, just as I'm doing with mine, so we can makes dreams come true.