It’s the week of almost-too-much-color here - emerald green grass, rainbow tulips, flowering crabs and plums and Eastern redbud and lilac and dandelions….like chocolate torte or poetry - a little often goes a long way. Simplifying can be a life-giving expression of spirituality.
Enjoy that too much color! It's still dust dry here, so the flowers and green are few and far between, but any at all is a wonderful sign of resilience.
As for simplifying, I am feeling very good about learning to pay attention to and honor what I need, a skill I expect we all need practice with. Blessings to you!
Thanks for reading my offerings, Nancy! I think of this work as one way to add to what Quakers call "The Ocean of Light and Love" in this world, and it seems like right now, we need all the light and love we can find. Blessings!
I love "song dogs" and seeing your lovely wildflower friends. Bealtaine blessings, I celebrate on the cross-quarter day (May 4 this year), but why not the entire month as our ancestors did? xo
Beltane blessings to you, Carmine! I used to celebrate on the exact cross-quarter days, but then I thought about the fact that the Celtic calendar and the modern Gregorian calendar are not exactly in alignment culturally or spiritually, so I've decided to take over the "modern" holidays and repatriate them to the old ones. As you say, why not celebrate the entire month? <3
I love the wildflowers. When we travelled to Utah and the Grand Canyon last summer, I took so many pictures of the amazing and unusual to me wildflowers. Perky Sue is such a great name! I celebrate with you the flowering of the spiritual self in this new way.
That sounds like a truly magical trip, and I hope it felt that way. I love the deserts of North America (and have written four books about them, which is testament to that love), but the cold deserts of the higher elevations are my most steadfast love, like this prairie here, drought-burnt as it is right now. And thank you for that lovely way of expressing what I am doing with this Year of Spiritual Thinking!
A state of continual awe isn't easy to maintain, but when we can be that open, I think it enriches and deepens our relationship with everyday life, too.
Susan..I so admire your courage in opening up to share yourself and your spirituality..I have not gotten there yet. I've always been the "woowoo" one of the family but get tongue tied and at a loss to explain my deep spirituality so that people understand or want to discuss, without boring them or making things...awkward. So, I talk plants, animals, sunsets, soil, gardening. I'll keep trying, and being grateful for those things around me that feed my soul. Thank you for showing the way. (The phlox is blooming through the snow this morning !)
I think what changed things for me, Barbara, is realizing that I don't have to be an expert, or have all of the answers, or be able to convince anyone else. I just need to be me and share what I believe, not in service of convincing anyone else. Just to say, "Here's what I am thinking about and experiencing. Perhaps it will be useful to you." I think it's that attitude of sharing a gift--an isn't this wonderful moment--that others can use or not, whatever they will, that helps me open up without anxiety or fear of what others will think.
And that you for that image of the phlox blooming through the snow. Just knowing that somewhere spring full of plenty and wetness helps me weather this spring of no moisture at all.
"...a focus on creating harmony within and without so as not to obstruct the flow and tangle the pattern, all the while having fun." What a beautiful metaphor!
I have always loved desert wildflowers. They do bring a ray of hope and a promise for the future.
Their resilience always astonishes me. It's the driest spring I can remember here, and still there are wildflowers. Such a gift!
Happy Beltane!
Thanks, Janisse! To you too, with all the fullness of the season.
It’s the week of almost-too-much-color here - emerald green grass, rainbow tulips, flowering crabs and plums and Eastern redbud and lilac and dandelions….like chocolate torte or poetry - a little often goes a long way. Simplifying can be a life-giving expression of spirituality.
Enjoy that too much color! It's still dust dry here, so the flowers and green are few and far between, but any at all is a wonderful sign of resilience.
As for simplifying, I am feeling very good about learning to pay attention to and honor what I need, a skill I expect we all need practice with. Blessings to you!
Lovely photos of lovely flowers.
Thanks, Karen!
I'm rewiring my sense of primroses and desert wildflowers. Happy May Day.
I like that, Jill! Happy May Day and Beltane to you.
Luminous words, Susan. They resonate deeply. Thank you.
So very grateful. 🌸🙌🏼💜
What a lovely compliment, Barbara. Thank you, and many blessings to you.
Belated Happy Beltane and May Day! The flowers are beautiful, as are your explorations of the land and spirituality.
Thank you so much, Jenny. I'm glad the post and photos spoke to you.
Thank you again for your photos and your ponderings. Reading these is a positive way to begin the day.
Thanks for reading my offerings, Nancy! I think of this work as one way to add to what Quakers call "The Ocean of Light and Love" in this world, and it seems like right now, we need all the light and love we can find. Blessings!
Indeed we do! These little offerings from you are definitely of light and love.
I love "song dogs" and seeing your lovely wildflower friends. Bealtaine blessings, I celebrate on the cross-quarter day (May 4 this year), but why not the entire month as our ancestors did? xo
Beltane blessings to you, Carmine! I used to celebrate on the exact cross-quarter days, but then I thought about the fact that the Celtic calendar and the modern Gregorian calendar are not exactly in alignment culturally or spiritually, so I've decided to take over the "modern" holidays and repatriate them to the old ones. As you say, why not celebrate the entire month? <3
Lovely sibilance and equally lovely photos... Thank you for sharing these with us, dear Susan. XOXO
Thank you for taking the time to read, Liz! xoxo to you.
I love the wildflowers. When we travelled to Utah and the Grand Canyon last summer, I took so many pictures of the amazing and unusual to me wildflowers. Perky Sue is such a great name! I celebrate with you the flowering of the spiritual self in this new way.
That sounds like a truly magical trip, and I hope it felt that way. I love the deserts of North America (and have written four books about them, which is testament to that love), but the cold deserts of the higher elevations are my most steadfast love, like this prairie here, drought-burnt as it is right now. And thank you for that lovely way of expressing what I am doing with this Year of Spiritual Thinking!
It really did. I had never traveled to Utah or Arizona and New Mexico, so I remained in a state of continual awe through out the trip. You're welcome!
A state of continual awe isn't easy to maintain, but when we can be that open, I think it enriches and deepens our relationship with everyday life, too.
Yes!
Susan..I so admire your courage in opening up to share yourself and your spirituality..I have not gotten there yet. I've always been the "woowoo" one of the family but get tongue tied and at a loss to explain my deep spirituality so that people understand or want to discuss, without boring them or making things...awkward. So, I talk plants, animals, sunsets, soil, gardening. I'll keep trying, and being grateful for those things around me that feed my soul. Thank you for showing the way. (The phlox is blooming through the snow this morning !)
I think what changed things for me, Barbara, is realizing that I don't have to be an expert, or have all of the answers, or be able to convince anyone else. I just need to be me and share what I believe, not in service of convincing anyone else. Just to say, "Here's what I am thinking about and experiencing. Perhaps it will be useful to you." I think it's that attitude of sharing a gift--an isn't this wonderful moment--that others can use or not, whatever they will, that helps me open up without anxiety or fear of what others will think.
And that you for that image of the phlox blooming through the snow. Just knowing that somewhere spring full of plenty and wetness helps me weather this spring of no moisture at all.
"...a focus on creating harmony within and without so as not to obstruct the flow and tangle the pattern, all the while having fun." What a beautiful metaphor!
Thank you for reading this piece, Sydney and for noticing that metaphor! Blessings to you.