This I love

  When the dark wood fell before me
  And all the paths were overgrown
  When the priests of pride say
   there is no other way
   I tilled the sorrows of stone

   I did not believe because I could not see
   Though you came to me in the night
   When the dawn seemed forever lost
   You showed me your love in
   the light of the stars

   Cast your eyes on the ocean
   Cast your soul to the sea
   When the dark night seems endless
   Please remember me


  Then the mountain rose before me
  By the deep well of desire
  From the fountain of forgiveness
  Beyond the ice and fire

Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
 To touch the face of the stars

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

  Dante's Prayer

Merry Merry

How are you? Really how are you? Are you surviving the holidays?Are you happy? I feel rushed, pushed to go faster. I long for the days were things where simpler, when a snowy morning was magical and not an extra 20 minute drive to work. Lately I've been day~dreaming about moving to a farm.Chopping down my own tree and staying in for all of December. Reading, baking, taking pictures of heavy snow falls, writing and spending time with family and friends........What do you daydream about this holiday?

I never tire of her

Out with the NEW in with the OLD

While working on a project for a friend I pulled
out an old 35mm camera and went about town
taking pics of stuff. Going back to that slowing
down thing I've been talking about, it was  good
anticipation waiting to get my film back. Forgetting
what I had shot and being delighted at the sharp
and crisp images that were produced. I like it.
I'm dropping the digital for a while. Christmas
will be old school and black and white this year!

You are my sunshine

I can't tell you how happy I am about adopting this little pup. Never ever ever, in a million years did I think I would feel the way I do. Lulu is my plus one, she comes with me to the shop everyday and has developed great popularity around town. I walk into the deli and Mike, behind the counter says "hi louise!", the girls at the salon drop their shears,brushes and combs when we walk in, "louise! at the park and  at the shops, post office and all about town she has made friends left and right. Peter my client made a shirt during elections that read "louise for mayor". I'm so proud of her!
I found my Lulu through Petfinder at Cache Creek rescue in Shorewood IL. They work very closely with neighboring southern states. Louise is a Beagle Dachshund mix from Kentucky. It has been an amazing experience.
This holiday season every piece of fudge, fruitcake,cookie and sweet that walked into the shop came along with a toy/treat for my little southern bell. Thank you everyone! For loving my little sunshine as much as I do and making this such a positive experience for me.

DOLCE NIENTE a day for daydreaming

Fifty mile an hour winds, icy and damp = that quiet time I've been longing for. Louise and I started our day by calling my favorite cousin in Argentina and reminiscing about our childhood. We did go out once to look at the
frozen lake, after a bit my ears were numb, I picked up my ice cube shaped beaglewiener and ran back home. Made a fire, brewed a cup a tea and enjoyed my sweet nothing day. I read an entire book, concocted a new soup, talked to Louise in my kindergarten voice ~ she probably thinks I need help, enjoyed a bit of yoga and looked through pictures of old travels. I have a good feeling, I don't know what it is but I like it and I can't wait for what's to come.

LOUISE

This little peanut has turned my life inside out and I'm loving every minute of it, more to come on my southern bell.
Be well~

39 things....

There are 6 months left till forty ~ a list of 39 things I want to feel and experience before 40.

1.experience loving a pet
2.more reading
3.go back to Europe
4.purge the closet
5.more writing 
6.buy a new car, a waste of an otherwise perfect day
7.pick up the paint and brushes again
8.learn a new craft
9.start volunteering weekly again
10.reconnect with an old friend
11.cut the umbilical cord to the shop
12.more leisure walks
13.cooking 
14.more quiet time, no tv or computer
5.craft projects~ a ton of those
16.slowing down
17.drinking more earl gray and a little less java
18.move a few eggs to different baskets
19.I will wear more color
20.photography,photography,photography
21.give love another try
22.switching to MAC
23.go see the house on the rock :) I know... I wanna go with my nephew
24.try a new recipe a week
25.I will say NO at least once a month
26.recycle.... I know...I'm a bad person
27.mend the one broken fence...its time
28.yoga
29.dance lessons, I need me new moves
00.this is hard
30.switch out my purse more
31.switch the ring tone on my phone
32.bring in one new color to my home, unbelievable right? my entire home is Restoration Hardware Glacier blue.
33. work on the wall of art at the shop
34.embrace accounting...kicking and screaming...
35.habitat for humanity
36.visit a new state
37.embrace and celebrate 40 in a big way
38.I'll be kinder to myself
39.make less lists :)

Good~Bye 2010

I've made some decisions which basically revolve around me taking more time for me,  pursuing  creative endeavors and  experiencing different feelings.

I need  more time for me, to do new things,I have so many ideas and thoughts that get put in a back shelf in my brain....way back ....but not so buried that I forget about them. I'm constantly making mind and paper lists.
Reminders of projects I want to do, recipes I want to try, places I want to visit, books I want to read and things I want to experience. It has been busy lately, sometimes I feel I forget who I use to be. Responsibilities
push me to go faster and I fight that every step of the way. I hate my cell phone~ at least what it's become, a replacement for real contact.

At times I can't believe I'm 39, the number does not go along with how I feel or how I see myself, this is a good thing, I guess. There are 6 months left till forty and I like to make a list of 39 things I want to feel and experience before 40.
I'll dust of some of those back shelves and get back to you on that list.
Till next year November~