SLOW is fast

 

SNOW walk

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said

"Speak to us of children"

Your children are not your children
They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself
They come through you but not from you
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you

You may give them your love but not your thoughts
For they have their own thoughts
You may house their bodies but not their souls
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow

Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams
You may strive to be like them
But seek not to make them like you
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday

You are the bows from which your children
As living arrows are sent forth
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite
And he bends you with his might

That his arrows may go swift and far
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness
For even as he loves the arrow that flies
So he loves also the bow that is stable

- Kahlil Gibran

CLARITY dawns on a 2-hour snow walk with Berniedoodle in the shimmering frigidity of Jack Frost’s first hello.  PRIORITIZING then follows when we return to our hectic family homes with a peek of that new found peace and a slightly slower pace. 

The infuriation remains - “I hate latkes ! I want steak ! I hate my homework ! Why does Patrick get so many pillows ? I hate toothpaste. I want more toothpaste !” - but is received with humor. The next morning is equal parts torture - “I wish this jacket was THAT color with THIS pattern ! How should I know which gloves fit me ? There was breakfast ? Biscuits and bacon ? Why didn’t you tell me !!?? What do you mean it’s time to go ???” And so we must SNOW WALK again the following day. 

BIG house love

 

UTKATA KONASANA - GODESS POSE

Utkata - fierce, powerful

A house that swallows up all of your stuff !! Guest rooms that are just guest rooms - with empty closets !! An EXTRA laundry room with bare cabinets and clear counters !! Car storage for your in-laws’ SUV. En-suite bathrooms, drink fridges, everything in its place and … more empty storage!!!… Spoiled ? YES ! Big houses may be out of fashion, but at this stage in life, the McMansion is so my style !!! 😉

Work work work work work

Work work work work work - Some weeks are just like that.

A minute is long

If you need more of the most precious commodity, ASK the universe to    slow    time    down    .

 

Atonement

Atone : at one.

Utthita Parsvakonasana

 

Utthita Parsvakonasana  ; click to let the experts do the talking.

As the leaves change seemingly in the span of a few hours, so too are we more vibrant than ever only to SHED the very next moment. Not too comfortable is it??

Utthita Parsvakonasana - to stretch this open can feel inconvenient, painful, and the broad spectrum in between. This extended side angle gal dons an apron for she is disagreeable as of late from her endless responsibilities, including those in the cuisine. And from bygone pain returning to haunt her and… and… 

The point just past the glory of Autumn color.

Crisp, stunning, fortified on the outside; unsure, weary, mal à l’aise on the inside. Breathe into the shape of this asana. We are not expected to hold Utthita Parsvakonasana forever - this too shall pass. 

Seasons change

Michaelmas time, Michaelmas time!
Time is turning under the plough,
Under the stars, under the signs,
The ploughman toils with deep furrowed brow.
He turns his thoughts against the cold,
Buries his fears 'neath the Earth's deep mould.
Frost, like fire, burns white on the blade,
Of his iron share that red fire made.

Michaelmas time, Michaelmas time!
Time is bending over the scales,
Over the bread, over the wine,
The ploughman bows his head at the rail.
He turns his thoughts towrads the flame,
Raises his eyes to the thanksgiven grain.
Stars, like spears, gleam over the tower,
Of the house of God in Michael's hour.

Michaelmas time, Michaelmas time!
Time is changing the guard of the world.
Deep in his heart, dauntless in mind,
The ploughman guards against time growing old.
He stands and studies the star-patterned sky,
Fixes each spark in his wishing-well eyes.
Stars, like seeds, strewn over the land
And under the plough by Michael's hand.

Grandma so sweetly saved a dress I gave away - luckily to her - at least 20 years ago. My daughter wears it here to her Harvest Faire where she danced and sang the above song as a willful, courageous and wise queen: the attributes we must gather like nuts as we enter into Autumn and Winter.  

Purging is an all seasons favorite. Perhaps even my most favorite. But, beware! What they say in nearly every ‘letting it go’ style scripture - that ‘you’ll never miss a single item’ - is so not true!! I’ve had many many many missteps (as in, over donating again and again). That is the fee for tidiness and circulation of energy. These little “oopsies, I really wish I still had that,” are the price of admission for fresh beginnings, SPACE and sometimes, new things. 

Autumn Equinox 2020, 2021& 2022

Yes - you’ll want the cashmere !

 

Silly little travel notes.

Similar to my affinity for purging and organizing, packing is a passion. I scribble little notes on how I did: what worked, what didn’t; refine, refine, refine. Sometimes I even refer to these notes ;) EG: “Yes - you DO need wool socks and warm hats for Telluride in September! & Cashmere leggings for outdoor morning yoga.”  

Shower Cap Smoothie Party!! must have : SHARPIE 💘!!

Here are the Notes from 4-days, 3-nights in San Diego, California :

Originally written in a small Ooly notebook with ink -

- SHARPIE - to differentiate kids’ identical acquisitions such as airport gum and stuffies, hotel notepads, pens, shower caps etc. Label family members’ plastic water cups/bottles to reuse, and, of course, hotel room keys!! Label anything and everything to cut down on the screaming. And Mommy doesn’t want to share because yes, her objects are the ones in their proper place. All this without wasting (Mabel’s)Labels. Use those beforehand for all that you pack.

- TOTES - compressible, cute, matching. For day tips, shopping outings, kids’ overnights. Also, makes you look like more of  a local (to be shopping bag free). Hide smaller fancier purse inside for when that’s smart.

- SHAWL - a big cozy wool shawl is a sweater and a BLANKIE for snuggling the world over without nary a raised brow. Warmth for the whole family, but especially for mommy. Bring a more compact wool/silk scarf in addendum. Seems redundant? Not so - very versatile, takes little space, one-size-fits-all.

I also stalk the WEATHER for weeks before my voyage. I try to learn the climate by adding the location to my phone’s weather list. Analyzing the timed arc of lows to highs and patterns of precipitation. EG: It will be nippy and socked-in at café on the Pacific cliffs, room temp and sunny for the cove visit with the seals, then brisk once again at the shores après surf snack. 

Into the home elevator and going down …😉

I am just as thorough with trips for my husband and/or children that I’m not embarking upon because I’m still the one packing. You teach your children how to pack properly by SHOWING them, not by having them do it themselves and hoping for the best. IT’S A SUPERPOWER TO BE WELL PREPARED! And it is a life-long learning process that requires actual real-life experience. It is a loving gesture to help your family in this way. 

Rest in the arms of God

“…detach from the opinions and prizes of the world, and rest in the arms of God.”

- Marianne Williamson

To rest in the arms of God; in downright opposition of how I have been intellectually doing life for the previous two decades. The Truth hidden - from little me, at least - in plain sight. Luckily our Spirit always resides here and look how beautiful this existence is regardless of our silly superficial surface selves!

It’s irrefutable and indisputable (to this parent) that (our) children are God. It took the experience of creating, birthing, holding babies - at least 4 times! - for me to finally ask “if this is true, and they are God, then what am I?” 

Boys. Brothers. Babies. Buddhas.

Cherie

 

“WHERE’S THE BOOK TO SHOW ME HOW TO DO THIS ???!!!” I lament loudly and frequently. With four young children to care for every minute of every waking and sleeping hour, ‘no such thing as a free lunch’ has become ‘no such thing as finishing a thought’. Motherhood is always on duty. Perhaps this illustrated diary is an attempt at a version of ‘that book’? There’s no right way to DO THIS, of course. But there is one tailored Astrid way to BE THIS .

Fashion makes it all so much more amusing. My closet is my sanctuary. 

On turning 40

 

Turning 40 is going nude rather than getting glam. Stripped down, not gussied up. We can still bling, but while baring it all. Stepping into this next chapter unconcealed — unconcerned !!

Bathed in love : On the Summer’s Eve of 40 with 4th and final bébé alongside lifelong friends who share childlike verve and zest for life. 

Call me a Dreamer

When visions of sugar plums - fashion and fun! - dance in your head.

 

A quick skip to San Diego, California after a decade away.

LISTENING - the lost art of truly listening is a rare skill and therefore a precious commodity. It takes practice. The word LISTEN is rooted in slava “splendor, honor,” and kleos “make famous”; behold - such considerate gifts to give your fellow orator!