.lately.

It's been a long time since I've put anything here. 

I've been searching inside of myself - trying to find the grounding of what I want/need. 

I've been distracting myself with the busy life of Boston - chasing opportunities. 

I've been trying to be more present in the moment - meeting new people, staying up too late dancing to Brazilian music and making things with new mediums.

I took a trip to the Smokey Mountains and feel in love the lush mountains (again), the pitch dark nights and the quiet mornings. 

I need nature - I need space - I need the calmness to process it all. 

I took a trip to the ocean and feel in love with the mysterious life of tide pools, the way the horizon loses it's depth when you look long enough and the way the crashing waves somehow give me answers. 

I need to explore - I need to be silent (sometimes) - I need to s l o w down.

I'm reading a new book about energy and healing, "Light, Emerging" and I read the words this morning, 

"What is it that I have longed for and not yet succeeded in creating in my life?"

What are you longing for? What do you desire? What are you holding back? I hope you say YES this week. I hope you slow down. I hope you find love and beauty in it all.

.great smoky mtns.

I went to visit family in the great smoky mountains after 26 years. I found the smoky mountains to be even more beautiful that I remembered/imagined.

As we were driving into the national park engulfed by the thick electric green foliage I saw a monarch butterfly outside of the window and then another and then another. I think I counted 8 butterflies welcoming - guiding us to the mountains. My Nana always loved monarch butterflies. I wondered if the butterflies always greeted her to the mountains like this, maybe this is how she fell in love with them. Maybe this was the way I knew I was there - in the land where Nana was raised and always held so tight in her heart even after 60 some years in Washington. She always was a Tennessee mountain girl.

Such a beautiful moment.