bread baking: reflecting, breathing & living

Today I'm making bread. Not an unusual occurrence, but one that is significant today, the last day of 2009. Bread making always Over the years I've become so accustomed to the liturgical flow of the church seasons that the "new year" begins in Advent for my internal clock. While I'll soon be writing 2010 on dates, I celebrate the change that's occurring in the calendar. I don't share the ritual of resolutions, but I do believe in the rituals of food & remembrance.

We shared our table and lives this year with amazing people. Our son continues to bloom in his third year of life adding much to his imaginative life of robots, monsters, superheroes, scriptural characters (he loves that jonah), pirates, chefs, and knights. We have lived together well in the present. We have adapted to changing needs of family life and have had many laughs along the way. We are content & we are whole.

Here on this final day of 2009 I have much that I'm thankful, offering a small taste here. For the sacred centering, the time & sharing with kindred spirits, the rhythm of my work & play, for the time devoted to mind, body, and spirit. For each who has a piece of silver tree art. For the good space & sacred moments shared in bereavement care. For the many moments celebrated and the amazing souls met. All these connections have been imprinted in this past year. And for the incredible personal growth & recognition taking shape. Each experience shapes me into a new awareness. Just as the yeast moves within the warm water and then into the flour, these experiences have given me new shape. I am given the opportunity to BE. I am in each moment filled with awe and gratitude. When the shaping of the dough comes in deflating the risen bread, I'm also humbled by the grace and attitudes of others. Sometimes what pounds against me isn't all that pretty or lovely to behold, but I rise again. The inner critic is subdued. I am reminded that we are each unique and we each have gifts to offer. Trust happens in that reminding. Each story is important and each telling has a place. My voice is unique, as is yours. For this and more, I am thankful.

While I have no resolutions per say, I do have sparks that I'm grateful for in the coming year. My professional life and personal life are all inter-twine, thus this space. In this space I have my own reflections, deep breathing, and stillness as I write, putting my thoughts, attitudes, and remembrances to the universe. Thank you for being a part.

Much in the same way I have torn off the last of the grocery pad, it's time for a new one. A new calendar month, a new page in the journal. A new spirit of hope and movement. Some of my own inner workings come when I am trying to hold onto what shouldn't be held onto. I find that living a life with palms open, allowing life's breeze to touch is more apt to my spiritual needs. I dare not hold onto what I shouldn't, but use my hands in ways that bring uplifting, caring, sometimes kneading ways. My mothering hands are the hands that hold my almost 4 year old boy (we like to say three and three-quarters). My baking hands knead the dough in gentle but firm ways. My ministerial hands hold the hands of others, providing touch to the hurting. My partnering hands tell my husband that I'm present to him now and always. Oh, the work of our hands.

While there are times that I am able to look to my hopes and dreams for the future, I'm learning to focus on the moment at hand. I'm baking today's bread in today's way. Tomorrow's bread will be it's own loaf, with it's own conditions. Conditions I can hardly control.

Today I rest in the comfort of so much love surrounding me. I will walk through today as any other, baking bread, loving, and creating memories. In this vein, I'll carve the block print I've been working on and treasure 2009 with all of its days, all of its lessons.

May today bring blessing, good food, and rest to you and yours. May you bake bread in your own way: loving, tending, nurturing, and waiting. May the coming days surround you with love, health, and blessing. Peace to you and yours.

home sweet home

i'm oh so thankful for such a good time traveling to see family & friends. i'm at peace with the time we had in each space and am grateful for a wonderful worship at a beloved church. it's been a busy time, but we took time to breathe deeply and take note of those surrounding us. pictures will come as i have moments to organize them. i have much to do (my mind says) but my body responds: rest. breathe. exercise. eat. drink.

much is in store for this spring with my writing, art, and retreats that i'll be leading. so many ideas spring up from what is happening that i have to remind myself that what's given is enough for now. there's time and space (and lists and files) for those good ideas and expansions. today i'm reminding myself: work on what's in front of you. be where you are in the moment. be present to yourself and the two loves in your midst. breathe in deeply & exhale. and repeat.

we are home. there's a goodness in that. the also goodness today is knowing that i'm at home in myself, so that along the journey it's all good. it's sometimes grand. it's always appreciated.

welcome, home. welcome home. love and peace and good tastes to you and yours. may what you have fill you with warmth, all the way to your toes. and if your toes are as lucky as mine, you'll feel quite special.

life in our cozy home

six years of marital bliss are marked this sunday. of course i reflect on how much of our time has been with our sweet son jo. his presence gives us a great sense of wholeness and joy and life and fills us with love. my eyes well up with tears quickly these days as i know the days are fleeting. he's turning 4 in march. 3.75 is just too old! yet i love each moment with him and each developmental marking. we're treasuring those markings tonight and in the days to come as we assemble the annual jo jo book/calendar/album of sorts. each year it's different, and this year we celebrate so much.

as we look to the wintery weather mix this weekend, i'm reminded by what fills our home: the smells of baking, the sounds of play, and the laughter and conversation mingled together. we love being with one another. the next few weeks will be bliss as we are together in threes or in our larger family & friend groups. we gather together...and we celebrate the year that is coming to a close. but, not yet... not yet. each moment is a treasure that speaks. each breath is a gift.

as we make our nest this weekend we'll enjoy the food we have rather than rush out for any "supplies". we'll taste fresh fudge & caramels (first attempt!!!) and drink hot cocoa. we'll eat soup & bread and (hopefully) play uno (provided we have all the cards in one place). and we'll BE together. that's the best of this year: BEING together.

over the past months i've talked about centering & presence. meditation & practice. i've mentioned many moments of organization & learning that have taken place. the last month i've been more quiet as i listen to the sacred center. i've been reflecting on what i REALLY want in life and what i have to others. do these match? answers arrive when i'm not asking the questions, but waiting. i'll continue to wait for answers, but more importantly i'll be present to myself, my sweet family, and to the moments that come to us--both in our nesting space and in the breathing space we create as we move from one city to the next.

postcards will come from our sometimes annual holiday tour of the south. 2009 isn't over yet. words will come. i continue to articulate for a kindred spirit post. something about the desire for those gifts me with them, and for that i'm thankful: for both the words & the presence of kindred spirits.

tonight i move into our space and create calm amidst the chaos of good, creative play that lingers in the floor. i'll warm up the yummy soup in the fridge, and i'll prop up my feet. hopefully the knitting needles will somehow end up in my hands. i'll enjoy the beautiful christmas tree and the many handmade and given ornaments. i'll consider opening the bubbly we received today just because. we continue our together time, inviting the snow. we will BE together. we are together and we are whole.

food that connects

Giant Pumpkin Muffins with Molasses-Ginger Glaze

Who ever gets tired of ginger? Ginger must possess healing properties. Must investigate. Make and share with a soul-nurturing friend or love. Eat warm with a mug of java or tea and a book or listening to birdsong. Take time to nurture yourself as the hustle-and-bustle surrounds you. Make that time to connect to what's within: your breathing, your inner stillness, your inner song. Peace.

Makes 6 giant or 18 standard muffins.

nonstick veg oil spray (which I omit with my muffin pans)
2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
3 large eggs
1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin or yummy pumpkin puree
1/2 c. + 1 tsp. mild flavored molasses, divided
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. chopped crystalized ginger, divided

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 T. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin cups. Sift flour, ginger, baking soda, and slt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin, 1/2 c. molasses, buttermilk, and 1/4 c. ginger. Stir in flour mixture until just blended.

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for giant muffins or 30 minutes for standard. Transfer muffins to a rack & cool completely.

Whisk powdered sugar, 1 1/2 T. water, 1 T. molasses in medium bowl, adding more water as needed to form thick glaze. Dip muffin tops in glaze, transfer to rack, allowing glaze to drip down the sides. Sprinkle with 1/4 c. crystalized ginger. Let stand 1 hour before serving.

Bon Appetite, December 2005
Realized after typing that you can find the recipe at epicurious.com.

second of the final three!

This weekend's show Handmade Holiday Craft Show is by far one of my favorites. There's such a good energy this close to the holiday break. Folks are generally cheerful and appreciative of the creative spirit in the room. Fun times. Come on over if you're in RVA and we'll share in the spirit together.

Appreciation

Catching up on a little color love from Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, which carries Silver Tree Art in the gallery shop! Blog entry from October 2009.

my dearest of friends

Lately I've been attempting to articulate the blessings of kindred spirits in life. I will let you know when those words come forth into a guest post on another blog, but until then, I'll celebrate my friend Black Betty. My friend BB has been a close friend since the 7th grade. She's the longest running friendship of my life, and will be until I die. Black Betty wrote a beautiful blog entry celebrating our friendship, see below. She's family. She and her family came to my home in VA over Thanksgiving for a day & night. What joy. She used her amazing skills to take photos of our family and some of me (as seen above). She's been a light in the dark over the last 20 years. I love you, huh. Thank you for celebrating our friendship, BB. My love goes to you as well.

See her work and the work of her business partner & creative spirit at frick frack foto!

From Black Betty's Blog:

Reverendartistmother and I have been friends for over twenty years now. She was the first friend I had when we moved to the Jackson area.

Since we were in 7th grade, I could see the artistic talent in her. She always had the cool handwriting, the cute graphics, the best ideas about decorating…and an easy way of showing herself artistically, either through tangible works or audible expression. She was soothing and easy going. It was like being hypnotized when she talked to you, but you should never think she was a pushover. Those eyes told another story; they had fire behind them. She could lure you in or push you out…all without a notice of ungraceful demeanor. She could tell you off and keep smiling, and I LOVED it. She was my quiet soul that ALWAYS stood in my corner.

Over the last fifteen years, we have lived our relationship long distance. Between school, jobs, families, kids, we have been separated longer than we have been together, but that hasn’t kept us from remaining friends. I have watched her develop her talents in ways I never dreamed of. She is a truly amazing woman, friend, artist, wife, daughter, mother…

I now have the honor of hanging HER artwork on the walls of my new house. It brings tears to my eyes when I think back to 8th grade and us swapping notes…looking at each other’s handwriting and trying to mimic it so the teacher wouldn’t know who was who. It brings joy to my heart to know that she is living her dream. She is actually doing what we all wish we could do. These pieces of art allow me to look into her soul and be close to her every day. She is always with me. Her spirit lives in my home and with my children…watching over them as she watched over me so many years ago.

I love you, girl and to depths that you will never know. I don't think there are enough words available to express how proud I am of you. May God continue to use your hands, mind, and body as an outlet from His soul…Amen.

a stop on the journey

The Necklace Project is a new journey which i'll be participating. In a nutshell, each month the necklace will be sent along to a new set of hands. Each pair of hands will add a charm, made or dedicated by the individual who has received it. Each will wear it, journey with it, and record the journey. What fun. I'm tickled to be among so many other creative women who will be a part of this journey. You can follow along on the blog: In the Wish Studio, a fairly new favorite of mine. There's more to the story. Read about The Necklace Project as well as many other insightful, thought provoking articles on the Wish Studio blog.

art every day month

while i was a little loose in the way i recorded my art this past month, art every day month was fun. i had hoped to set aside more time to create art in a new way, i found myself doing what i do every day. intentionally living the creative life. that's the point, i think. for the time & space to create, breathe deeply, and center on the sacred: i am thankful. i am rich. i am whole.

carving with my tools. 11.29

thanksgiving day. 11.26
final stitches to a year long project. 11.15
the art of the everyday. appreciating the leaves outside. 11.10

called to awareness

for those who suffer in silence. for those who advocate.

for those who wait.

for the new life homes. for children and adults alike.

for men and for women.

for those who hope. for a cure. for a moment of sheer joy.

for an end to suffering. for an end to silence.

for one to listen. for one who will sit and hold a hand.

peace. love. peace.