Flowers are opening, chanting in unison

Don't you sometimes feel as though your emotions and thought processes can only be depicted as such? [see above]


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I was going to dedicate an entire blog post to final thoughts on my Euro adventure....then I realized that I'd never have "final" thoughts on it -- it's truly an ongoing experience. What I had there will continuously fill me with bright inspiration, a feeling of groundedness, and pure joy. And these are things I always carry with me.

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I'm writing in the midst of a Vermont rainstorm and loving it. The air quality is such that I am transported back to childhood and memories of forest adventures, playing Cops and Robbers with the neighborhood kids, rolling down grassy hills, hiking with my family, swimming in the lake, giggling with friends, whittling sticks by the fire, and camping all come to life. And still, these are the things that are most important to me (maybe minus the Cops and Robbers...maybe...). The element of play in one's life, I believe, can be the most healing of all.

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Speaking of healing, I am looking into the possibility of attending an Ayurveda school to become a practitioner. I've always (especially more recently) intuitively practiced Ayurvedic philosophies/methods without even technically knowing about the system. When I happened upon an Ayurveda book in my parents house (stuff like this happens when you have cool parents), I began reading it and I could almost feel something click.

I've known for a while now that I want to go into a profession that helps to guide people their unique path to self-healing; whole healing. Ayurveda (a 5,000 year old Indian system of "medicine") re-connects people with the Earth (via food, our most direct relationship to Mother Nature), incorporates yoga practice (physically, mentally), using herbs as medicine, and generally emphasizes overall lifestyle balance. The science promotes prevention and encourages maintaining health by paying close attention to balance in one's life through a clear/open mind, eating the right food for your personal dosha (type/constitution), lifestyle and herbs.

Very, very cool.....and so natural. I have much, much more to learn and it's all very exciting and feels so right. (!)

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Oh, made this last night:








'twas:

Rice noodles lightly tossed in a homemade peanut/ginger/garlic sauce, topped with lightly stir-fried veggies, drizzled in a homemade coconut/red curry/avocado sauce, garnished with crushed peanuts and scallions. OH, it was good.

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Lots to share...





When ideas have sex

At TEDGlobal 2010, author Matt Ridley shows how, throughout history, the engine of human progress has been the meeting and mating of ideas to make new ideas. It’s not important how clever individuals are, he says; what really matters is how smart the collective brain is.




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Love this stop motion video...

The PEN Story

They shot 60,000 pictures, developed 9,600 prints and then again shot over 1,800 pictures. And apparently without any post production...what?!





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Wow, forgot how much I love The Selby. Now I recall why the internet used to suck me in for hours at a time....


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Bookshelf Porn! Ahhhhh, amazing! An entire site dedicated to bookshelves. Thank you to whatever nerdy genius came up with this...it's glorious


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Speaking of bookshelves...


Design*Sponge has a great Sneak Peak on book storage! It's giving me some pretty cool ideas. One of my many, many goals is to make my own bookshelf (oh, and a table!)

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hehe




Hipster Fashion Cycle Infographic designed by Emily Miethner

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Gotta love flowcharts

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Ok, I have some lovely hand-painted cards by my side here and it's time to write in them and send them to various places around the world!



<3

...bright star


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[excerpt from one of my all-time favorites]

Song of Myself

By Walt Whitman


1

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.

My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their
parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.

Creeds and schools in abeyance,
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy.




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Do you know that we are infinite?








<3

On the black rock is where I spend my time/ Writing a memory or writing a rhyme

Dig in, dig in!

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Hi Friends...

I hope this finds you well, happy, full of sunlight and joy.

Ah, even though it's intangible cyberspace into which I write, it's actually quite grounding to get back to my blog.

I write from Frankfurt, Germany. I found a great little bookstore and polished off Short Cuts, by Raymond Carver (oh, I missed you, Raymond!) and purchased T.C. Boyle's Talk Talk and Jonathan Tropper's This is Where I Leave You. Excited! I have spent the last 3 weeks lazily working my way through Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God , which was a thought-provoking and beautiful novel, but it was one of those books that was a bit of a chore to get through. I absolutely see why it holds such a prominent position within the African-American literary canon, but I think I wasn't in the "correct" state of mind to be reading it. Therefore, super excited to dig into these new, delicious novels! Yum, yum, yum....nothin' more tasty than a good story.

I'm a sleepy, sleepy, girl right now (even though it's only 6:30pm) so this post will be a short one (plus, I apparently only get 30 min. of free internet here...strange, no?), but I wanted to spill some words onto a "page" and get it out there. It's nice to unload thoughts/emotions/questions/answers/random bits from the mind into a notebook, ear, or in this case, keyboard.

So, phase three is complete! Hard to believe... My experience at the German farm was an interesting one. Not interesting in the sense that the work was varied and gratifying, but more in an "um, what?" kind of way. I just barely departed this morning, so I don't think I've have enough time removed from the environment to truly reflect upon it and process my mixed musings on the topic. The farm's backdrop was beautiful-- long, lean trees came together to form mystical forests full of lush green life, dashing deer, slimy slugs, vibrant butterflies, vicious nettle (AH!), and leaves whispering in the cool daytime zephyr. Winding paths led to open meadows of magic, and hunters' hides provided cozy shelter from both sun and rain. So, why was the experience "interesting", you ask? Well, whereas both Italy and France were totally organized and kept me busy with full days of fun, new, multifarious projects, our "manager" in Germany has little to no direction as far as projects went, and we were often left with only a couple of hours of garden work and a few haphazard tasks here and there (examples to come). No regrets, I am glad I went onward to Germany and completed my initial goal, but the experience was a bit of a bummer as far as organic farming goes...but I think that the level of greatness of the other two farms evens it out and makes me not mind so much. PLUS, every cloud has a silver lining, does it not?

Fortunately, I was not the only volunteer there and I am tremendously grateful, in particular, for one of my fellow volunteers. A pure heart and effervescent soul, he made the time worth it and I was reminded, yet again, of how amazing some people can be and how simple it is to attract these people when you, yourself, are in the proper state of being. It's a very special gift when you meet someone who inspires you to be the best version of yourself. A lifelong friend, for sure. More to come on that overall theme.

I think my time with Mr. Internet it about to let up here.....but already being away from that somewhat strange farm atmosphere, I am feeling light, grounded, whole, and eager to explore Warsaw with the lovely Ms. Magda!

As this Euro farming adventure comes to a close, I am naturally launched into a state of deep reflection. I think I will need a bit of time to allow this quiet storm of bits and pieces to settle before I can write anything concrete/rounded about my experience. But for now, the key themes of my summer have been gratitude, openness, love, life, light, connection, laughter, purity, curiosity, appreciation, and trust.

I've said it before and gosh darn it, I'll say it again: I'm a lucky, lucky girl! Sometimes I nearly go weak at the knees and break down just overflowing with such gratitude for the life I live, the opportunities I've been granted, and the people I breathe in along the way. To be human is a beautiful thing....always.

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Glimpses of Their Eyes Were Watching God...

"Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place"

"She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree ... soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her. She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage! She had been summoned to behold a revelation."

"Most humans didn’t love one another nohow, and this mislove ... was so strong that even common blood couldn’t overcome it all the time. She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around. But she had been set in the market-place to sell. Been set for still-bait. When God had made The Man, he made him out of stuff that sung all the time and glittered al over. Then after that some angels got jealous and chipped him into millions of pieces, but still he glittered and hummed. So they beat him down to nothing but sparks but each little spark had a shine and a song. So they covered each one over with mud. And the lonesomeness in the sparks make them hunt for one another, but the mud is deaf and dumb. Like all the other tumbling mud-balls, Janie had tried to show her shine. "

"Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. ... For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men.

Now, women forget all those things they don’t want to remember and remember everything they don’t want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly."

"Love ain't somethin' lak uh grindstone dat's de same thing everywhere and do de same thing tuh everything it touch. Love is lak de sea. It's uh movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore."

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Check it out: The Inspiration Pad (!)

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Ok, will write more when I get a chance. Time for a long shower and a sweet, sweet slumber before tomorrow's adventure kicks off.

Namaste to all

<3

We should insist while there is still time

Hello from Toulouse! I arrived in the city around noon and went right to my hotel to drop off my gigantic backpack. I asked the woman if there was a good grocery store and/or bank close by and she said "oh yes! Everything may be closed, but try anyway..." so she gave me a little map, told me it was about 5 km and that I should get there in no time.

I am learning that the European concept of time is...off. I followed the map, but still ended up going in a huge loop around the entire city. So after about 2 hours of walking around (major highways, etc....a little sketchy), I finally found the correct road and popped into a pharmacy to buy some soap and ask about the grocery store. I got a "oh, yes, the grocery store...it is very simple. Only 3 km to the left".

After about 40 more min. of walking and 3 surprise roundabouts to navigate, I made it! The bank was closed (ah, siesta time) with no indication of when it would open again, but I got some groceries for lunch and dinner at the market and then headed back.

I'm a bit sleepy now, so I plan to blog, catch a "kip" and then see where the night takes me. I have an early morning tomorrow...Germany here I come!

A bit of reflection upon Blars:

One thing I keep neglecting to mention is the "Triangle Noir", of which Blars is part of. The Black Triangle is an area in France where there is little to no light pollution (and perhaps the least air pollution in all of Europe). This means that the evening/night skies were absolutely stunning. I have never seen so many stars shine so brightly. And the sunsets/sunrises looked like they were taken from some watercolor book. Ohhh, it was so beautiful.

Speaking of things that seem unreal, yesterday I rode the good ol' trusty bike to Saint Circ LaPopie...aka: Fairytale Land. Seriously, look at it:




...and once you're inside this majestic village, every corner you turn reveals something new and equally magical. It's a tiny artist community and there are a bunch of little shops and galleries, all run by the actual artist. I found a shop called "La Chouette" (the owl) where they had carvings/mini sculptures of countless owls (I got a mini one!), other animals, Buddhas, earrings, headbands, etc. Very cool. I was awe-struck and am so glad I had the chance to visit this mystical pocket of enchantment (weird bike gears and all!). To give you a little window into what I saw:




and...




oh, and...



If you ever happen to be in Southwest France, this place is a must visit! [the link I provided above has a great video and even includes a bit off footage from the prehistoric cave I visited last week]

From weeding the garden, to making jam, from baking cake to joining the local knitting group for a night (adorable, by the way...and I left with a good foundation of knitting knowledge, needles, and a spool of multi-colored wool), France has been good to me. I felt pretty relaxed the entire time and it was a nice period of self-reflection. Lindsay and David were such gracious hosts and I will definitely keep in touch with them.

Both Italy and France have proved to be pure delight...let's see what Germany brings! I can only hope for more of the same...

I know there are about 3 other volunteers there and in my fantasy world they are awesome English-speaking (or at least decent English skills, since my German language skills are nonexistent) travelers who become lifelong friends. Will know soon!

Just as a head's up, I don't think I will have much internet access in Germany. Blog posts may be sparse, or even held off until I am back in the states. We'll see...

Hmmm, well, I feel this nap setting in, so I am going to take advantage. Again, I leave a country happy, healthy, and in various ways a more wholesome, grounded human being. Thank you, thank you for these gifts, Universe!

<3

Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love

Part of my morning walk to "Les Trois Fonts"

[title of this post from Walt Whitman's poem, "America"]


Happy 4th of July, fellow Americans! When I suggested to Lindsay and David (both Brits) that we celebrate, they agreed with zest and we began planning the meal. I told them that Americans typically BBQ outdoors for the holiday, so Lindsay said she'd prepare lamb and pork marinated in a gourmet mustard sauce. I told her this meal was already far too many notches above the American norm, but stepped in and said I would bake my favorite cream cheese pound cake for dessert.  L and D's eyes instantly doubled both in size and brightness...so, it's a go. The cake must be extra good, too, after this morning's conversation:

Lindsay: So, on this day America celebrates their independence from what?
Me: oh....Great Britain...
Lindsay: Well then. We shouldn't be celebrating at all, should we?!

[insert awkward giggle by me...followed by silence]

SO, a delish pound cake it shall be!

I type now from the unfinished part of their home, next to some honey extraction equipment (and, of course, wax in my teeth from sucking on fresh honey...so good!) and the little oven with my cake(s) in front of me. More to come about that in a little bit...

I should also let you know that due to unfortunate family circumstances, my dear friend had to go back to the states on June 28th. My heart and positive energy/thoughts are with her and her family during this rough time. And, as far as things go for me: the rest of this Euro journey shall be done solo!

Anyway, today is a great day for me for many reasons...it was a day that proved to me I can conquer just about anything!

Early in the morning, I popped a bike into the van and Lindsay drove me to Pech Merle, an incredible prehistoric cave with original drawings, etc. Anyway, the plan was for her to drop me off there, and for me to "just ride right back" after. Both L/D claimed it was a nice little 15km ride, but as the van worked it's way down, down, down into the valley and through the winding roads, I noticed the clock go from 10am to 10:36am in no time. Ok, so...it'd be a long trek uphill on the way back. No problem...

She dropped me off at the cave and I joined the next little tour group. It was all in French and I actually understood, yay! The tour was about 50 min. long and took us through one of the coolest natural structures I have ever experienced. From big, vast, open areas of cave to little tunnels, we saw original drawings of bison, horses, hand stencils, naked women (of course...even back then!), and even a big fish. I was pretty much in awe the whole time, plus the 55 degree air was a delightful contrast to the 95 degrees outside.

The tour wrapped up and I headed off to unlock my bike. I decided to visit the closest village, Cabrerets, about 5km downhill some more, for a croissant and coffee while I took it all in. I found a very quaint patisserie and got a buttery croissant and frothy cafe latte and enjoyed every second of both while I sat next to a babbling creek and watched a guy fly fishing.

Ensuite (and then), the journey really began. I looked at the map David gave me (what a joke! I'm talking real, hardcore map....the kind that true explorers use. I wanted a hand-drawn something or other with a few basic, obvious lines and arrows). Anyway, I realized that another rather large-ish city was just 10km East of Cabrerets, so I decided to venture that way and then make it back to Blars from there.

I will spare the countless [funny in retrospect] details, but this "little adventure" ended up lasting 3.5 hours! First, there is zero signage around here because it is so rural, so I had to go with my gut. Now, my gut in general is not so direction-oriented...especially not in a foreign pastoral setting. But, my guardian angels were awake and actively working as I pedaled along. I did make it to the other city. Oh, and by "city", I mean a cluster of about 10 little houses and a post office resting atop a very, very, steep hill.

I'll take this time to also mention that the bike gears were so messed up that every time I pedaled uphill (it was fine on flat land or downhill) the chain would buckle and there would be no tension...and it would create this loud, almost crashing sound. The entire way back to Blars (which I now know was 17km at that point) was very much uphill. Up mountain, really.

So, in the 95 degree still air, I half rode, half walked my bike up, up, up, forever! At one point I was riding, looking around for a sign (anything!), and my front wheel got stuck in a pothole, flung me off the bike and about 4cm from an electric fence. As I laid on my back in the tall grass, frighteningly close to an electric fence, with sweat pouring down my face...I thought to myself "well, at least I am in the midst of a beautiful setting...I can stay here the night if I need to". But, the adrenalin took over, I got up, and continued up a narrow road that felt right.

Long story short, I eventually saw the "Blars" sign and actually rejoiced. I wonder if anybody saw this, it must have been hilarious: I flew my sweaty hands up in the air, flung my head back and looked up as I screamed "Thank You Universe!" Ah, it was amazing! I made it back to Lindsay and David's, half expecting a welcoming parade, some fireworks, or at least a pat on the back...but they both looked at me and said "oh, hello! Lovely ride, eh?" HA! I agreed that it was a lovely ride and spared them the drama of my trip...I did mention the utterly useless chain on the bike (therefore rendering the bike useless uphill...) and they both scrunch their faces and go "oh ya...that's right...that bike is busted, huh?". Ohhhh....I was just so grateful to be back!

The ride really was fun though, and I am very proud of myself for making it back in tip top condition! I then tumbled into their swimming pool and spent a good 20 min. cooling off and reflecting.

Then the prep. for the cream cheese pound cake began! Now, I am not one who bakes all of the time, and I definitely need a recipe when it comes to baked goods (cooking I am great at winging/experimenting with whatever is available...baking is like a science, though). Of the things the recipe called for, here are the things Lindsay did not have:

cream cheese (note: this is a "cream cheese" pound cake)
whole wheat pastry flour
buttermilk
vanilla extract
sugar (what?!)
an oven with a temp. gauge (correct, it's an oven that is either on or off...no way to determine the temperature)
baking soda

So...if you check out the link I posted above (click on "my favorite pound cake recipe", from my fave foodie publication, Eating Well Magazine), or if you've ever baked any kind of cake in your life, you'll notice that the majority of the necessary ingredients were not available to me. BUT, L and D were so excited about it, that I decided to make it work...somehow.

So here's what I, Ms. Novice Baker, did: substituted ricotta cheese for cream cheese, normal flour for w.w. pastry flour (obviously), made my own buttermilk out of milk and raspberry vinegar, made vanilla extract from real vanilla bark (I know, I know), took sugar cubes (they have them for coffee/tea) and felt like a cave woman (appropriate after this morning) as I sat on the floor of their kitchen and pounded away at 2 cups of sugar cubes and slowly but surely turned cubes into granulated sugar. For baking soda I used some weird thing they have called "leverage chemical" (chemical leverage...sounds super sketchy, but really no other option at that point), and as far as the oven goes? Well, I am in front of it right now (oh, and the oven has no temperature gauge), checking it about every 10-15 min.

I am oh so proud to say that the batter tasted absolutely delicious and the cakes are baking beautifully! Yes, both the bike ride and pound cake are little things, but these are obstacles conquered that make me proud.

So that was my day! Oh, and I helped with extracting the honey. I could write pages and pages about that, but I'll hold...as my comp. battery is about to say goodbye, as is my will to do anything other than stare at the water with an ice cold glass of water in my hand.

To give you a little update: I will be leaving Blars on July 10th and then onward to Germany (about 40km away from Frankfurt) for a fortnight (fortnight= 2 weeks. Lesson from L/D and a word I intend to weave into my current lexicon. Along with "kip", their word for "nap". I definitely over-used that word the day they taught it to me)....and from Germany to Warsaw for a few days to visit a dear friend....then back to the states at the tail end of July.

From there.....only wonderful things! I am missing my high-spirited, lovely, fun, insightful travel buddy, but I am excited about the rest of my journey and I am sure that going solo will invite new experiences and reflection.

Again, happy Independence Day, Americans.....and go watch some beautiful fireworks!

<3