Lavender Cows for Peace

My mother used to tell me the purple cow poem. Very rarely, she would make purple cows — grape juice with vanilla ice cream. Her daddy used to make them for her. Wow, that was an association I hadn’t made for a while.

I don’t know what made me think to rhyme, but there it was — and there was I revamping and revamping so it (mostly) scanned… and the words matched the tenor of the poem — and they rhymed.

It’s an interesting exercise, now and again. but don’t hold me to it. And there was a bonus extra line in it, because it seemed to require it.

But all of us, whether purple or lavender, should be working for Peace. And we should giggle when and where we can. Keep your eyes open for purple cows.

Making Peace with Halloween Costumes

I guess I used to like dressing up for Halloween. I must have, right? I liked playing dress-up and make-believe. When I was a little girl, there were outfits my mom sewed to wear, and that was fun. Maybe it’s simply because it made her happy — but i suspect i got my make-believe gene from her.

But at some point, the novelty left me. I mean, if you treat it right, you get to play dress up every day. I confess, there are a lot of days I do. These days I pretty much avoid dressing up for Halloween like the plague. If I have to do something, I’ll wear my jammies and take a stuffy toy. Might as well be comfortable — at least physically.

And for me, this is a turning of the year that I like a lot. It’s about the ancestors and who I become with my dna. It’s an opportunity to look at myself in the mirror. Conceiving of and then stuffing myself into some clever outfit takes away from that.

And so I don’t. And don’t tell me Halloween is for the kids… Of course it is, but it’s also about the adults. Look at any fb feed. What are you going to be for Halloween. I guess I’ll be a back-up singer in comfortable shoes. I can make Peace with that!

Breakfast Peace

Mmmm. Breakfast. It’s a great thing. Part of the reason its great is that it moves around the calendar. What’s breakfast in the Summer is not breakfast in the Winter. Well, at least usually.

Today it was leftover pizza — which means lunch better be a salad. oopsie.

I like breakfast and not just because it’s good for you. I like it because there are so many ways to enjoy it! And you just get out of bed and get to eat. How’s that for an unearned prize! Sleep. Then eat. Yes!

It’s a Peaceful meal… (and I’ve already a lot of people respond to the email I sent out! What do you eat that brings you Breakfast Peace?)

Peace of the Turning Season

Last night we had our second frost — and this was a real one. It’s time, no getting away from it, and it makes it clear which way the weather is heading.

People, both farmers and gardeners scrambled around getting in the last crop.

Now it’s time to turn within. It’s time for some reflection and contemplation. It’s time to ask forgiveness and offer it. Slow down. Figure things out a bit.

Enjoy the new season. Stop worrying about it’s getting colder. The seasons each have something to teach us. And the speed that days are flying by, how will we notice we even have a winter? How can it be the end of October already?

But enjoy the ending of Fall and the beginning of Winter. Life has something to offer every second! Find your Peace where you are. Live in the season. Who knows what magic is waiting for you!

Peace and Kindness

I’m working hard at my swimming. Part of it is that it’s the only exercise I really enjoy, so i can work at being/staying in shape. Part of it is that it’s such a pleasure for me. It changes my mood and takes me completely away from whatever I’m poking at with my mind. I don’t think about anything but my pull or my kick and my breath. It’s pretty great!

And I get in my little Taurus rut… we do like routine, we Taureans. So, must swim now, becomes part of the track in my head. Which is great. Because aside from swimming, I’d rather read a book!

But once I start swimming I get a bit fixated on the goal.

Yesterday, oh, so early in the morning, I was hustling to get to the early swim and I encountered an old friend who needed to talk. I took a deep breath and let it out and just talked with him. It had been an age since I saw him, and a lot was happening in his life. It was time to catch up.

But swimming, I thought. A friend, I reminded myself. And we had a delightful chat. I only had 20 minutes to swim. That was fine. I also had 20 minutes of being a friend. Fewer meters, more friendship. Our hearts get exercised in so many ways. I love that this beautiful web reminded me of the connections that are important to make. Kindness and caring matters. They bring us Peace. They offer it to others. Peace be with us all.

Pumpkin Berry Peace

I like learning something that I always thought was true is really something else altogether.

Well, okay, I admit it’s less fun when I realize my truths were just stereotypes, but I’m working on rooting them out.

But like finding out that a pumpkin is a fruit, closely related to a berry. It doesn’t have much impact in my life, but I think it’s delightful and weird.

And it’s a great reminder that life is not always what I think. And Peace is much larger and has room for so much we don’t know… Peace of the Pumpkin Berry to you, My friends. It certainly seems to be in season!

The Quiet Fall Fogs of Peace

When the land and the water are still warm and the nights begin to get cooler, mornings are often drenched in fog.

Fog is such a quiet, beautiful gift. It muffles the world and reminds us of the importance of Silence.

Also in a deep fog, it’s a good idea not to blunder around aimlessly. It’s hard to know where you’re going. So sit still and wait for the fog to pass.

Enjoy the Silence. Enjoy the Beauty. Enjoy the Peace. Happy Sunday, Everyone!

Our River Needs Peace

Yesterday there was a gasoline spill on one of the Susquehanna’s beautiful tributaries. The Loyalsock creek is where some of each of my beloved’s ashes have been scattered.

The river cannot absorb the 55,000 gallons that are flowing downstream, fouling our drinking water, soiling our streams.

Today, at 4 pm. I’m going down to the river to pray. I’ll be on the Lewisburg bridge. Please join me. Bring autumn leaves to throw in the river with your silent prayers. Nothing big, nothing political… We’ll stand in sad silence and then go home to figure out what we do next.

Let our blood run at the same speed as our beautiful river. Let our tears fall, and our prayers rain down.

The River gives us Peace so often. Let us offer her our Peace. Let there be Peace on the River. Let us stand in support. Let us make it so.

Making Peace with Life

No one’s life is easy. Some people’s lives are more difficult than others’. Some creatures’ lives are more difficult than others.

Animals, because they’re pretty good about being in the present, deal with what’s in front of them. They don’t expect extraordinary things of people who aren’t capable of extraordinary things. They don’t expect beyond the possible, the real.

It’s a good lesson to learn. A friend of mine, Notty Bumbo, wrote a great piece the other day about dealing with pain and disability and how the story of exceptionalism disregards the every day efforts of getting out of bed when the pain is (more than usually) overwhelming. Some days those efforts are a bridge too far. So you wait and hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

Most of us don’t have a great understanding of physical suffering. We’re lucky that we don’t have to. But let us call upon ourselves to be kind and supportive and aware. Let us seek the Peace that everyone needs.

Closets Full of Fun and Peace

Closets have always been a playground for me. My mother was an artist with color with paints and she was an artist with color with clothes. I was a lucky girl. In addition to color, she made me skirts that twirl, an enjoyable part of being a girl — or at least I thought so.

The cut of my clothes and I had a bit of an adversarial relationship when my body changed. Menopause. Cancer and Hysterectomy. Aging. It took me a while to find my sea legs and flattering styles. I’ve always been an edgy dresser. It was easy as a skinny woman. What did that look like on a round woman? slowly, slowly… and luckily the clothes have changed. More women were asking that question!

Color and I had some disagreements because for years I felt I was always grieving.

There were times when both of those dissatisfactions overlapped. My closet wasn’t as fun — but I always loved great cloth! I got that from both Sam and Betty. Sam was a textile chemist.

But, I’ve once again come to terms with my body. This is who I am. I’m now swimming, so who I am is stronger. I like that. And I’m having fun with clothes again. Culling a bunch. Slowly adding some quality. And settling in for the ride (in my fun turquoise capris and white cowl neck sweater!)

Off to write. Glad I found the closet Peace again. Hope you do too! Have fun with your clothes… most of the time you have to wear them. Here’s a hint… Tell people when they look good… It’s a lovely, silly, easy way to offer people the Peace of the day.

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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