1. Morning walks. Only one left before I head to Oregon. I suspect I may end up missing prime fall, its peak color, by leaving just now. But maybe, like my peonies did over the summer, the last bit of color might still be here when I get back.
2. Practice. We tried our first short class at Red Sage, just a half an hour during the lunch break, and even though time management isn’t my best skill and I always plan way more than I’ll ever be able to get through, more people (and one dog) were able to come, and it was a fun midday break.
3. Knowing that while I can help, I don’t have to fix it. Not that I don’t struggle with my desire to fix it, just that I don’t beat myself up about it when I can’t, that I’m more realistic about what I’m able to give, to do, to be for other people, and about when I need to take a break. I’ve spent the last two weeks vetting assisted living/memory care facilities, have narrowed it down to a few we can tour, scheduled those visits, and shared the necessary information with those involved. It was a lot that sometimes didn’t feel like enough, but I know that I’m going there to help. I don’t have to fix it.
4. Tony time. As much as I love my friends, I love their dogs too. This past week, I got to hang out with Carrie and her dog Tony (the Tiger). Carrie and I went out for brunch and then back to her house to see Tony, spent some time in the yard picking tomatoes and chewing sticks. It was good for the soul.
5. My tiny family, small house, little life. I wish I didn’t have to be away from them, and can’t wait until I’m able to come back, to come home to them. With all the hard things, it’s such a gift to be able to have a soft place to land.
He told me, “come look at the sky!”The sky we looked at
Bonus joy: the picture Chloe’ sent me of me and tiny baby H. (he was so little!), breakfast burritos, peaches, green tea, Mary’s Mountain Cookies chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, cuddling on the couch with Eric, naps, listening to podcasts, watching TV, eBooks from the library, texting with Chloe’ and Chris, baby zoo animals, rain, clean sheets, a warm shower, an extra massage, cooler temperatures during the day, the smell of rabbitbrush, feeding other people, friends who share their harvest, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.
4. ‘Rez Ball’ is a story for everyone. “The Netflix film directed by Sydney Freeland and co-written by Sterlin Harjo is a story centered on a Native American basketball team fighting to be recognized as the champions they are.”
10. An Apology, 3 Years Later. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow for our children when they realize how imperfect we are. I believe, one of the greatest gifts we can give our children after they learn this truth is found in the embracing of our imperfections, giving them permission to do the same. Acknowledging our own shortcomings gives them space to make their own mistakes and live authentically while also offering them an example of how to seek and acceptance forgiveness even (and especially) when it’s hard.”
20. Baby Walrus Rescued in Alaska. (video) “ABC’s Danny New TV spoke with the animal care specialist helping raise an adorable walrus calf found abandoned in a remote corner of Alaska.”
27. I Totally Missed Summer this Year from Stacy Morrison. “Not complaining, just observing. Because observing is the only way to actually slow down and live time, turns out.”
29. Don’t ask my daughter if she’s going to be a writer. “One of the most healing acts we can offer ourself and our parents, whether they are alive or not, is to reclaim our own story, while honoring their story and the gifts they gave us.”
31. The Mother Treefrom Jamie Attenberg. “Write for yourself. Write the story you want to tell. Write because it will bring you joy or at the very least a fulfilled feeling. I am telling you that if you keep digging in the dirt you’re going to find something that feels like a solution, even if it’s a temporary one. Anyway all of this is temporary. This is the ongoing struggle to make our art and satisfy our creative and intellectual and emotional needs. But still we keep digging.”
34. Invest in the Children, “Our annual effort to support students navigating economic hardship.” An annual project through Frederick Joseph’s non-profit, We Have Stories, in which “we provide 100 children with backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, stress balls, books, and gift cards to support their parents.”
35. Amends to the Crows, a poem from Julie Barton on Out With Lanterns, a daily poetry practice.
42. Mushroom Color Atlas, “a resource and reference for everyone curious about mushrooms and the beautiful and subtle colors derived from dyeing with mushrooms.”
43. And finally, these random saves from this past week.
P.S. I almost forgot! It’s my 13th Blogiversary! To date, I’ve published 2,567 posts. No wonder I’m so tired all the time. 🙂
Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray) 