Feeling like a puff of wind could do
me in as I photographed his huge (4-5") puffball growing in the middle of the gravel driveway with wind howling and dust blowing around. Intact and silky, it stopped me on the way to the garage.
wildfires
obliterating mountains here as they rage around Ruidoso and other parts much further south. The Floresta has declared Extreme Fire Danger throughout the state. No campfires and no smoking in the woods.
Chokecherries
The anthology manuscript has been sent to the printer and I feel a sense of brief relief as it's now out of my hands until the final proof comes in a couple of days from now. I'm excited about this year's edition. The cover is a whimsical dreamy pastel by Barbara Sayre Harmon (not a good photo here).
In her late 80's now, she has lived in Taos since 1949. She and artist husband Cliff call their home Teahouse of the Taos Moon and in the past were known for regularly throwing dances and parties for other artists and characters (her word). She also writes children's books and there is an interview with her in
Chokecherries. I got to know her on the phone as we discussed her painting and the poem she rendered in calligraphy for the back cover. She is a delight. But there's more to the book than the covers. An incredible roster of writers and poets is represented in this edition, including poet/musician Joy Harjo. Stay tuned, I'll list others soon.
feng shui-ing my life
So what did I do today? With that sense of relief? Freer than I've been in weeks? I turned the house upside down (so to speak) and have been cleaning and moving furniture around all day! not at all like me. I tell myself the house is a mess because Ron and I are interesting people with creative passions that outweigh domestic duties, but really, we just like to do our thing, are kind of lax, and basically ignore the house until it is no longer ignorable! Besides, we're having a guest or two in August, I'm leaving for my month-long retreat in two weeks, and I wanted to put my workroom back to guest room. We moved my worktable into the living room and I think I love it there! It's all so pristine and uncluttered. Even Spike took to it right away.
The 21st century macbook with it's snazzy new green
shell sits beside an old 1940's Remington portable. On a rickety ladder, I retrieved it from the top of the tallest bookcase where it's been since the bookcase was built about six years ago. It's
so cool! It was thick with dust and still needs a swish with a damp cloth, but I couldn't wait to put it on the table. I think there's even a new ribbon around here somewhere.
I'm taking the rest of the day off (it's nearly 5) even though I haven't finished cleaning yet and moved a lot of stuff-still-to-be-sorted into the downstairs bathroom where it's cluttering up the room. Tomorrow is another day and tonight I'll pour a glass of wine, put the pasta water on...if I can get out of this chair with my aching body that's definitely not used to cleaning, dusting, and furniture moving. But in the realm of Feng Shui, I think we just moved my worktable into the prosperity
bagua (corner) of our house. Nice. I may have to set new goals to fit the promise. And Ron, who is doing something outside (not much) has been warned:
don't block your ch'i by blocking any part of your entire front door. The problem is that we're never quite sure which of two doors is the front.
...the universe does not make mistakes.
It may look like chaos for a while....
but keep the faith...the energy you have
put out toward your new goals
will make good things happen.
Karen Rauch Carter (Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life)
