the best way to spread Christmas cheer...

yup, our gingerbread house has a door.

Pictures are courtesy of my new friend Sarah.

cookie dough, icing, food coloring, sprinkles & good friends reminded me why I love this season

But why I really love this season is because it is socially acceptable/encouraged/just plain okay to do the following...

• Listen to Christmas carols all day, everyday
• Proceed to turn up the radio & sing along when "All I want for Christmas is you" by Mariah Carey comes on, every time. 
• Stay in, with a warm beverage & wool socks and watch those movies you love
• Re-watch the movies you love over and over again
• Bake cookies just to smother them with icing & eat immediately
• Tell someone you think they are lovely
• Build your first gingerbread house at age 22
• Smile at everyone you see
• Quote Elf when you feel like it
• Decorate your home with tacky lights, place a large inflatable snow globe on your lawn surrounded by North Pole characters 
• Drink more red wine than usual because it makes you warm
• Become rather giddy at the sight of Santa
• Pray a lot & hope that we all experience the true meaning of Christmas  

a missing camera..

I am unable to locate my camera, I am hesitant to say it is lost because that sounds rather permanent.  So as of now we will say it is just missing, even though it has been "missing" for two months.  As to why I have not posted!  While my followers are few, and I am sure you are not fretting for my lack of posts, this project was really something for my own self.  A small but rather lofty goal for me.  I do greatly appreciate you, friends & family who do peek now and again- your willingness to share in the glimpses of my life means more than words can say.  So thank you.


Despite being camera-less, I decided to write.  


I want to write because it is has been far too long and I am beginning to wonder if this is how an artist would feel, whose empty canvas has been sitting in view and remains blank, a canvas that is simply waiting to come to life.  Whether or not I have the photos to prove it, beauty has unfolded around me each and everyday.  Some days I am just reluctant to see it.  


Makes me think of this quote.."It is not what you look at that matters it's what you see." Thoreau 


We can have our eyes open, viewing the place and people around us and still not be seeing.  

Portland, Maine.  Really quite a lovely place.

Highlights of the past two months include the photo above and below.

Thank God for Sisters.  There ain't nothing better.

This Thanksgiving I visited a friend in Maine.  While I missed seeing my own family for the holiday I loved experiencing it through the lens of someone else.  It is funny how when you start passing around the food & wine,  and laughter bounces off the walls, someone else's family starts to look a lot like your own.  

I went on a lovely hike with a new friend.  As we explored where the trails seemed to lead we hadn't a clue where it would end up.  At one point we landed here.  An area dense with trees and rich in Autumn colors.  It felt like FernGully.  We didn't stop and refer to our map, iphone, or gps when we didn't know which turn to make.  We just walked and shared stories and listened to the sounds of nature.   I like hearing the sound your feet make when walking along a path covered in leaves.   Somehow that openness to what could be and letting go led us exactly where we hoped.  An overlook that let us be close to the sky (forecast had called for rain) and marvel over God's brush stroke of colors.  

If JMU were a house, I think it would be this one.  Funny how even though I am no longer there, I see it in all places and things.  Highlights of this week....

• watching a theatrical performance of the Giving Tree outside under the sun- it is my favorite book.
• feeling entirely uncomfortable having to talk to complete strangers about where they shop for food and if it is difficult to access fresh fruits and vegetables & in return feeling just fine by the fourth person.  One mans response has stuck with me, when asked if he thinks community gardens are a good thing.."Yeah, they give kids something to do, gets them off play-station and the TV and learning real work."   
• Realizing that the strange rash/stain/bizarre discoloration on my hands is not some disease rather from taking the leaves off of parsnips.  Who knew?
• Joining in on a cooking demo for women in a shelter and witnessing her first taste of zucchini and spinach.  She went from, you gotta be kidding me- there is no way I am eating this, let alone going to like this to mmm good. When mixed in a delightful vegetable lasagna she loved it and even came back for seconds. 

Our farmers' markets would not last without the help of volunteers.  

It takes many hands to create such an inviting gathering space for the community to enjoy.  

Thank you:)

Sometimes it is nice to be near the water to feel small.  

Today marks my 8th week in New haven, if I had to choose the 8 best moments/experiences thus far they would be...

Kindness experienced from total strangers

Sweet taste of concord grapes [it is like a juice box exploded in your mouth]

Buying my first bike

Riding my first bike to work

Creating relationships with some of the hardest working people in the world- farmers

Having more time.  More time to think. to write. to read. to daydream. to listen

Making mistakes everyday & learning from them

Living simply

Grand Central Station

Three takeaways from my weekend in New York...

Family is a beautiful thing, it hardly ever makes sense but when you are among it, you can't help feel the love

Certain friendships just keep getting sweeter 

When you go to the city that never sleeps, sometimes it is fun to join and do the same

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,718387,00.html

I did not take this photo, it is courtesy of an interesting article I read while at work.  The article was about a word we hear often.  Hunger.  I had to take a moment and say a thank you for my food.  I am thankful for my hearty breakfast this morning...two slices of whole wheat bread, one tomato sliced, one organic free range egg & a slice of fresh connecticut sheep's milk cheese. 


Had to praise something else, a beautiful encounter with a woman named Joy...
I walked into this thrift store and was greeted by a warm Jamaican woman.  As we started talking I suppose she noticed the tired look in my eyes and said "Honey, you tired? Come on and sit down now, yeah? Here take this chair.  I have been alone all day.  Come talk to me."

So I sat down with her and asked about her life.  Being a lover of questions, I asked why she left Jamaica.  She had just shared how beautiful it was and how the markets sold fresh fruit everyday.

She got quiet, looked away for a moment, her eyes got watery & said "After they killed my son, and my husband died, I knew it was time to go."

Although, instead of going on and being upset, I broke in and told her how I was inspired by her strength.  She looked at me and said.."Honey, I don't know what you believe, but I love God and it is Him who has gotten me here, God is so good.  And we have to continue doing things to the best of our ability.  That is what my mother told me.  What ever you do, do your best and be honest always."

Praise Joy!

I attended an art exhibition downtown friday evening.  Vacant buildings were full of chatter and vibrant works of creative expression.  Outside there was music and hula hooping.

Today, I was able to be one among a community of artists.  Neighborhood residents gathered at their garden and we painted a mural on the wall.  Everyone brought a home cooked meal to share.  A nice woman from mexico slowly went through each dish with me, sweetly explaining all the ingredients.  It was delightful. 

I do believe art is best when shared.  

Fall has arrived.  I really enjoy fall because it lets you know it is here through a change in the wind.  Suddenly everything feels just a bit different and the air is crisp and fresh.  I love how the seasons slowly change and nature willingly adapts.
These leaves have changed from dark green to vibrant red and orange.  Yet these leaves are not in any hurry to change and they don't feel silly to be standing out among the sea of green.  It is quite beautiful how the area of red has seemed to move through the tree and inspire a few others to change color as well, even leaves they are not directly touching.  Suppose they feel it too.

If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Thank you to my sister for sharing this quote.

Today was one of those really lovely days.  The days when the sun is just perfect, the sky is radiantly blue and a breeze passes so graciously as if it is giving you a gentle hug.  I walked to get a cup of coffee and passed this wall.  The facade is worn and trash looms along the edges.
But then as I continued walking, I turned my head and saw something else.

I saw this wall.  Someone had taken much time and energy to paint this beautiful mural and plant shrubs where trash could have been.
It got me thinking.
Maybe when we reach a wall, we don't have to feel the urge to tear it down.  Rather simply take this wall and turn it into something good, something like this piece of art.  And then when we walk by we don't just see the wall anymore.  We see something completely different and new, something strikingly beautiful.  Thank you artists.

One could easily say this jar is nearly empty.  

I say it is nearly full.  

Call it foolish optimism, yet I call it belief in ones ability to do more, much more than you might have thought you could. 

One of our farmers was kind enough to invite volunteers over for a potluck.  

We shared food among acres of animals & vegetables.  

I liked the cows best.  

After dinner we joined Peter in feeding the cow and collecting milk.

Talk about fresh.

I grabbed for my peach in my bag to serve as my snack for the day.
There was a large brown spot but the rest looked just as a peach should.
I grabbed a spoon to dig out the seemingly inedible part.

This is what was left.  Looks similar to something we all have, doesn't it?
Simple reminder... seek and do what is in your heart.

I really like Thursdays at CitySeed

Farmers deliver boxes of fresh produce to the office.  

We then load up the fruits and vegetables on our trusty wagon.  

Old faithful.  Sometimes the wheel falls off, so we have to tape em' up!

We head to Casa Otonal, an independent home for elderly, and are greeted by the residents.

30 of them were able to walk away with a bag of broccoli, corn, eggplant, apples & plums

just a little garden is all it takes.

Sunflowers will always take my breath away.

So my attempt to take a photo a day is in the works, I might have slacked on a few..
Here are some highlights of the past three weeks serving in New Haven:)

Old building turned apartment lofts, turned perfect space for a non-profit.

Beautiful Guilford.

There is nothing better than reuniting with lifelong friends and creating new relationships.  

I spent the holiday weekend in Guilford where I was greeted by some familiar faces I have so missed.  

I was lucky enough to meet some wonderful people and hear their stories.  One piece of advice that I learned from this weekend.  

When you are in the presence of talented people.  Host a talent show.  We did on Friday.  It was just lovely.  

Thanks for sharing your gifts with me:)

So many tomatoes.

One of the best things about working for a non-profit responsible 
for setting up the farmers markets is that food is everywhere.

I have loved trying/cooking with seasonal produce.

I sliced this connecticut grown tomato for lunch.  Delicious!

What to do with leftover eggplant?  Dress him up of course.  

I have to give credit to my new friend Sophie for this one:)

Day 1. On the Road

No looking back.  Okay..maybe I did a little.