Update and a Quick and Easy No Sew T-Shirt Alteration Project!

So life is still feeling pretty scary and unpredictable as the problems in Japan escalate and the plume wafts our way and Geologists predict massive earthquakes off the west coast, *BUT* I'm still trying to focus on the good vibes and hope for the best here. I really hope and believe that this is the beginning of a massive transformation in human history, and for the good. It might seem horrible to say, but I really think this mega-disaster is going to snap peoples heads around to see just the magnitude of the harm we've done to the planet and to ourselves, and that there will be those of us that learn how to grow from this and do things to make some major changes in this world for the better. I believe we can save ourselves from ourselves. I really do.I think peoples survival instinct is way too strong to continue the collective killing of ourselves. I think we want to live. I know I do. So anyway, I'm trying to keep myself occupied with "mundane", normal things. Well, more than occupying myself, I'm trying to take some enjoyment out of these things, because I think one of the main lessons we can get out of this is not to take *anything* for granted! And so I made this here blog... ;)

I've been going through all my clothing this morning, tossing things out that I haven't worn in 2 or 3 years, or since the one time I impulsively grabbed them from the free clothing store I used to work at at my old school. I do this about every few months or so, and the amount of clothing I still have from this is slightly out of control. My old job isn't the ONLY cause of this clothes hording.... the amazing free boxes and thrift stores around here are also part if it... but it really was the main source of the problem for quite some time. I would often walk out of that place with a trash bag full of clothes a couple times a week! Which is okay really, because I don't have to ever buy clothing for myself again unless I absolutely want to! Which is really quite spectacular.

Other than despising most pants, I really have something against t-shirts that look like t-shirts. So I spent a good amount of my morning also looking into ideas for re-purposing some of these tees of mine that I would otherwise love to wear, except for the fact that their tees.  I already alter every t-shirt I get by cutting the neck out of them immediately before ever wearing them... in fact, I don't think I own one a single t-shirt that I haven't cut the neck out of, (except for a MST3K tee that I just can't bring myself to hack up. Don't know why. But it functions strictly as a work shirt only, as it just seems entirely too frumpy to me) I just feel like I'm suffocating with things that close to my neck. There is no way I will ever own a turtle neck! I do however have about a billion scarves, so go figure. Anywho, the other problem with t-shirts, and the point of this blog, is that oftentimes they're *way too big*!  So the point of this blog is to show you how to alter a t-shirt that's way too big for you, into something unique and flattering, that actually fits! So here goes...

Step One: Get a way too big t-shirt. Easy enough, eh?

Step two: Cut off the arms and the neck. Well keep the arms if you want to, but the neck has to go! It's completely useless! ;)

Step Three:  Fold the t-shirt in half to find the middle, then cut down the middle of the shirt, in the back.

Step Four: Cut strips into both sides of the back of the shirt that you just cut down the middle, in equal sizes. Tip: The narrower the strip, the less flesh will show through, so size of the strip is totally up to preference.

Step Five: Tie the strips together to get this effect...

You may not want to wear 4 or 5 slips underneath, like I did here ;), but either way, you should quite enjoy the rather corsetty effect of this t-shirt tying technique! :)

 The front will end up looking rather cleavy, which I'm partial to, but if you're not crazy about it, just don't cut so much out of the neck. This isn't the greatest pic, but hopefully you get the idea.

And notice the headband thingy? T-shirt sleeve! If said shirt is long sleeved, arm warmer! Sweater sleeves make the greatest arm and leg warmers ever! And I'm sure you could easily make the t-shirt corset into a sweater corset. You can also cut the tops off of tanks, t-shirts and sweaters and use the bottom half as a skirt! All no-sew! Which is my favorite part... :) Enjoy! And thanks for reading!

Fear or Love?

Haven't felt much like taking pictures lately. I've been feeling very consumed with what's been happening in Japan... very alert and very fearful. I already have problems with anxiety, so my nerves have been through the roof the past week or so. It was so very sad to hear what happened in Japan with the tsunami's, and later, what was happening to their nuclear power plants, but full on panic mode hit when I saw a map of the possible reach of the effects of the now 3 reactors melting down. Much more than fearing for my own life, I fear for the life of my child and those I love. The poles have shifted and the world's in chaos! The 2012 prophecies mark the end of our way of life, and the beginning of a new one, according to some. For most of my life I have known that the way our world is "governed" is wrong, and for much of my adult life I have openly opposed it. Capitalism... Civilization... These things will be the end of us, unless we put an end to them. And now more than ever, it's becoming more and more apparent that the end is nigh... But the end to what? It's very easy to get caught up in fear. Change is scary, and change is most definitely coming. I think the scariest thing about change is feeling like you have no control over the outcome. I think many times in my life, I have felt like I had little control over the outcome, having lived through many hard experiences as a child that I didn't have any control over. That's the difference between being a survivor and a victim, coming out of trauma feeling like you still have control over your life, and I have admittedly struggled with that most of my adult life. It is getting easier all the time... Life seems bright and hopeful again, and has for the past few years. Bad things happen, but you learn how to deal with them and move on. You allow room for the beautiful things, when you stop dwelling on the horrible. This can be much harder to do when you broaden your scope to the world around you. So, as I've done in the past when focusing a lot of my energy on "activism", which can in turn, put much of your focus on the negative, I've decided to remove myself from it as much as I can, and focus on the positive... As much as I can. So for now, I've decided to ignore the news about the possible nuclear meltdown/end of the world, and just live my life with as much love and compassion, and APPRECIATION as I can! Appreciation for every last minute of it. Below are some messages of love and compassion from various places that are helping me to cope in these drastically changing times. I want to have some control over what is happening in my life, and the only thing I can change is my perception. The only thing I can really change is me. And I can only hope that that change somehow has an effect on the rest of the world. I want to believe this marks the end of fear, the end to power and corruption, and the beginning of a new era of love and compassion... I choose *love*.

Thich Nhat Hanh: Message to Friends in Japan

Dear friends in Japan,   As we contemplate the great number of people who have died in this tragedy, we may feel very strongly that we ourselves, in some part or manner, also have died.   The pain of one part of humankind is the pain of the whole of humankind. And the human species and the planet Earth are one body. What happens to one part of the body happens to the whole body.   An event such as this reminds us of the impermanent nature of our lives. It helps us remember that what's most important is to love each other, to be there for each other, and to treasure each moment we have that we are alive. This is the best that we can do for those who have died: we can live in such a way that they continue, beautifully, in us.   Here in France and at our practice centers all over the world, our brothers and sisters will continue to chant for you, sending you the energy of peace, healing and protection. Our prayers are with you.   Thich Nhat Hanh

By: Thich Nhat Hanh

By Catalyst Yogi on February 18, 2011
Mayan Calendar Predictions for 2012 from a Yogi's Perspective

There have been plenty of doomsday predictions surrounding the mysterious Mayan Calendar. Hollywood jumped on board with a 2012 movie linking Mayan calendar prophecies with a catastrophic end of the world. The Mayans tells us that the world will not end – it will be transformed.

The Mayan Calendar is not really a calendar per se but a measurement of the evolution of consciousness. It is depicted as a pyramid that has been divided into 9 steps, levels or waves. Each wave of consciousness contains a focus – what we are learning so that we can progress to the next wave of consciousness.

Here are the 9 Waves of Consciousness with start date and purpose:

1. Cellular - started 16 Billion Year Ago – Action/Reaction
2. Mammalian – 820 millions years ago – Stimulus/Response
3. Familial – started 41 million years ago – Individual
4. Tribal – 2 million year ago – the Mind
5. Cultural – 102,000 years ago – Reason
6. National – 3,115 BC – Law
7. Planetary – 1755 AD – Power
8. Galactic – Jan 4, 1999 – Ethics
9. Unity – March 9, 2011 – Co-creation

In addition each wave is then divided into 13 equal segments that are called days and nights . 1st day, 1st night, 2nd day, 2nd night etc. These days and night describe how quickly change comes to us. For instance, in the time of the Cellular Wave, change would happen at a rate of every 1.2 billion years. The rate of change of the days and nights increase with each progression of new waves of consciousness.

If we go back to the Planetary Wave from 1755 – 1999, dramatic changes in consciousness happened every 20 years. During this wave of consciousness we were learning about power – power was collected and held by few people in the world. Two important markers during this cycle were the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and when corporations were granted by the law the rights of an individual person and therefore not held accountable for their actions.

Since 1999, a great change in consciousness has happened every year. Think of the person you were in 1999? Who were your friends? What were you doing? You are probably a radically different person today. The Galactic Wave (Jan, 4 1999 – March 9, 2011) is about Ethics - everything coming into integrity. Anything not in integrity must go. We are seeing this expressed as citizens of the Middle East tear down corrupt governments. All the secrets and lies are coming to the surface with Wikileaks. Religions, corporations, and public figures are being exposed wherever there is hypocrisy. This cycle is also about the advancement of technology which has played a major role in disseminating information around the globe.

This is why it feels as though time is speeding up. It is actually creation and consciousness that is speeding up with more happening, more being born, in less time.

Starting in March 9th, 2011 we begin the Unity Wave of Consciousness where great change happens every 18 days! Hold on to your turbans – it’s going to be a fast ride. This is the time when we transcend duality – us and them, good and bad into Unity Consciousness. We are moving from living from our mind and ego and dropping into our hearts to remember who we are and why we are on this planet.

There are some differences in opinion when this new Golden Age officially begins – some say October 28, 2011 or November 11, 2011 or December 21, 2012. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. I think we can all agree that a great shift is upon us and it is here NOW.

WHIRLING RAINBOW PROPHESY

To the Navajo and the Hopi, the Swirling or Whirling Rainbow Woman is the bringer of friendly rains that nurture the Three Sisters -- Corn, Squash and Beans -- during the summer so that people will be fed. Many times an image of the Whirling Rainbow is  created in Sand  Painting, an ancient Sacred Healing Art performed by the Medicine Clans of those Nations.

The Whirling Rainbow Woman comes from all Four Directions and curves like a swastika covering all directions. The outside of the Sacred Circle is protected by another Whirling Rainbow Woman bending her body in the space below creating a cup-shape to catch the rain and protect the circle. Without the Rain, the Three Sisters will die and the People will not be fed. 

The Whirling Rainbow is the promise of peace among all Nations and all people. The Rainbow Race stresses equality and opposes the idea of a superior race that would control or conquer other races. The Rainbow Race brings peace through the understanding that all races are one. The unity of all colors, all creeds working together for the good of the whole, is the idea that is embodied in the Whirling Rainbow. When all pathways to wholeness are respected by all cultures, the prophecy of the Whirling Rainbow will be completed. 

When I lived in Mexico and worked with the Grandmothers, the Dreamtime Buffalo Society, or Sisterhood, had many prophecies derived from Seers and Dreamers that had come down through the ages.  The prophecy of the Whirling Rainbow was very specific.  When the Time of the White Buffalo approaches, the third generation of the White Eyes' children will grow their hair and speak of love as the healer of the Children of the Earth. 

These children will seek new ways of understanding themselves and others. They will wear feathers and beads and paint their faces. They will seek the Elders of the Red Race and drink of their wisdom. These white-eyed children will be a sign that the Ancestors are returning in white bodies, but they are Red on the inside. They will learn to walk the Earth Mother in balance again and  reform the idea of the white chiefs. These children will be tested as they were when they were Red ancestors by unnatural substances like firewater to see if they can remain on the Sacred Path. 

The generation of Flower Children have moved through this part of the prophecy and some have remained on the Sacred Path. Others were lost for a while and are now returning to the natural way of being. Some were disillusioned and have forgotten the high ideals that gave them life when their hearts were young, but others still are waking up and quickening into remembering.

Grandmother Cisi would look at me with her obsidian eyes piercing my soul when she spoke of the Whirling Rainbow Prophecy, and I would feel my heart skip a beat and then fill with promise and love. She would tell me about the return of the Buffalo to Turtle Island and how the herds would once again be numerous. After the time when the Buffalo returned, the generation following the Flower Children would see the dawning of the Fifth World of Peace.

Grandmother Cisi called the beginning of this Fifth World the wobbly pony that on being born would try to use his legs. She said that the wobble would be felt by the the Earth Mother and the changes would occur in the soil and the waters. Inside the Children of the Earth, the wobble would create rolling emotions and feelings that would bring the quickening and the remembering. Colorful dreams would be brought into the Sleep time and Dreamtime dreams of these newborn Warriors of the Rainbow and they would begin to learn how to Walk in Balance. The changes in our Earth Mother would create fear in her children, which would later lead to the understanding and unity of Our Planet--One People.  

Grandmother Berta would giggle when we came to this part of the prophecy because my eyes would be round as saucers and I could not sit still. Grandmother Berta would urge Grandmother Cisi to stop for the day and leave me hanging on the edge of the cliff just to tease me. Cisi would finally begin again and slap my knee to make me pay attention to the rhythm of the prophecy because my mind would be spinning with probabilities and my own projections. I wanted to ask so many questions about how, when, where, and why. I wanted to know details, details . I was twenty-two and very impatient, but I kept silent so she would The Whirling Rainbow will appear in the form of a Sun Dog to those who are ready to see. The Sun Dog is a full Rainbow Circle around the sun that has bright white lights at the Four Directions. The Sun Dog is a rare natural phenomenon that was named by Native Americans. The name is now used by scientists all over the world. Many Sun Dogs will be seen around the time of the White Buffalo, which will be the Sky Language sign that the Secret and Sacred Teachings are to be shared with all races. Enough of the Children of Earth will be awakened to carry the responsibility of the teachings and the healing process will begin in full swing.  

Grandmother Berta would smile with a faraway look in her eyes, knowing that she would be on the Blue Road when the time of the White Buffalo came. Grandmother Cisi would also be in the Other Side Camp, but both promised they would be assisting me in bringing out the things they had taught me when the time was   right. 

Both Grandmothers spoke of the change in feelings the Children of the Earth would have during the wobble or healing process as the Whirling Rainbows permeated their dreams. They said, "Many will remember their purpose for being on this Earth Walk and will learn to develop their gifts to assist the whole of humanity. Truth will shatter the bonds of separation and goodness will prevail. Some details of Earth changes will come into the dreams of those who are being warned to move where they will be safe. Others will be told that their talents will be needed in areas where the changes occur. Everyone will have to trust their personal vision and follow their hearts in order to assist the whole. Each person will be able to use their gifts with joy and share equally in the bounty created by all those working together. The other teachings of the prophecy of the Whirling Rainbow will be released at a later time when more have awakened to the potential they carry.  

In our Seneca Tradition, Grandmother Twylah has taught us many uses for the Whirling Rainbow of Peace. When we are having difficulty in any situation, we visualize the Rainbow of Peace encircling the situation, the people involved, and the disharmony. Then we twinkle our eyes with joy, sending our inner-peace to the situation. In using this technique and following it with ceremony, we place our intention inside the Whirling Rainbow of Peace. 

Our intention follows the Iroquois Peace Confederacy Tradition that uses the Twelve Cycles of Truth to bring peace. The Twelve Cycles of Truth are:

Learning Truth	Observing Truth	Loving Truth	Working Truth
Honoring Truth	Hearing Truth	Serving Truth	Walking Truth
Accepting Truth	Presenting Truth	Living Truth	Grateful for Truth

When we invite total truth into our Sacred Space, we shatter the bonds of separation and illusion that create discord. The Whirling Rainbow of Peace destroys the lies that made the Children of the Earth mistrust one another and replaces the illusion of separation with the truth of unity.

When the Whirling Rainbow Woman of the Navaho and Hopi brings the cleansing regenerative rains to the Earth Mother, her children are also cleansed and healed. When the Rainbow of Peace of the Seneca encircles each person's sacred space, all will walk in truth respecting the Sacred Space of others and harmony of living on Earth will be restored. These Knowing Systems are the teachings of the Warriors of the Rainbow who are Sisters and Brothers uniting the Fifth World and working for Peace.  

Chickens In The Tub Gone Wild!

This is a video my daughter Isabelle and my partner Justin made while I was at work yesterday, as a homeschooling project. I was asked to say that part at the beginning when I got home, but not told why. I think it's brilliant! Plus, you get to see some really cute chicks! Check it out...

Backyard Foraging: Usnea + Signs of Spring

Took a walk around the yard today, as I  was extremely happy about the sun finally being out for once, and because things are starting to spring up all over the yard, which I'm also super excited about! I took lots of pictures of everything that had been popping up, as well as ended up gathering some Usnea to tincture. Read on...

Found some wild onions that Justin ended up throwing in some soup he made tonight... A great source of Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium!

(best soup EVER by the way. thanks baby!)

These tiny little wild violets have actually been out for over a month or more and they are quite beautiful for their size!

The Yarrow is springing back to life and I can NOT wait for the gorgeous white blossoms!

Birch! <3 What more to say?

Breathtaking Crocus'!

Plum Blossoms!!! There are SO many buds getting ready to explode! There's going to be TONS of plums this year! Can't wait for fresh plums and jam, and pie, and, and, and....

I have no idea what these guys are, but I can't wait to find out! I love the way they're starting to unfurl...

The next few pics are just of my favorite spots around the yard... Smurf huts, log paths, and little red lanterns...

And finally, I paid a visit to my favorite tree friends, the Hawthorn, and decided to pull off some of the dead branches that to me seemed to be weighing them down. They didn't fruit last year, and I am talking to them and tending to them however I can, to encourage them to provide me some flowers and fruit this year. In the process, I discovered that a lot of what I pulled off was pretty heavily covered in Usnea, so I started collecting...

I had a little helper by the name of Kitten Ocifer!

One of the younger Hawthorns was a bit unhappy about me picking at it, and gave me a little love bite.

It was well worth the finished product though! One of the first tinctures I've made in a few months now, and it feels good. As you can see, I left a bit of the Hawthorn bark that came off with the Usnea, as an added bonus to the medicine.

Hawthorn Usnea! <3 <3 <3

Thanks to my handsome partners question below, I've decided to include some information on the plants I'm talking about using in this blog, including Usnea and Hawthorn. According to Kiva Rose, Usnea's great for "rebalancing bacteria and eradicating infection throughout the mucus membranes, from mouth to lungs to gut to urinary tract and on." She goes on to say that, "The energetics of Usnea are cooling and drying, and it is broadly indicated for nearly any infection (especially those of the mucus membranes) with symptoms of heat, or heat with moisture. It seems to have the strongest, quickest effect on the lungs and bladder and is often used for infections associated with those organs. Even very serious infections such as pneumonia can respond very well to a strong Usnea tincture." And also that, since it's a cooling drying herb, it's best not to use on someone who's already very cool and dry by nature. You can read the whole article here if you are so inclined. I was personally researching cures for boils and cysts, when I found several suggestions for Usnea as an aid for this on several websites and within some of my books, so I will let you know what level of success I have with this particular usage for it. I also read pine pitch salve, and plantain (which I'm thinking to combine) which I'd like to  make sometime soon as well, and will let you know how that works out also.

Hawthorn, which is the tree where most of the Usnea I collected came from, is considered sacred in some mythology, and a tree of the Fae Folk. It is best known for it's effects on the Heart (think "Heart-thorn". I do), and is very grounding and healing in that respect. A friend recently went through some pretty traumatic health ordeals and was in the hospital and rehab for several months. One of the complications of everything that she was going through was an increased heart rate, for which they put her on some sort of blood pressure meds, which she was having an adverse reaction to. She started taking Hawthorn tincture, and her heart rate started to slowly decline into the "normal" range after several days of use. For more information about Hawthorn, check out Herbalist Darcey Blue's lovely monograph about it here. It's a lovely tree, which I have much affection towards!

Hope you found the information informative! ;) Take care!

New Blog, and a Year in Photos...

Decided that instead of revamping my old blog that I would create a completely new one! I may still use the old blog, but the past year has brought so many new things into my life that it only feels right to start anew with this blog representing the new me, and our adventures in this next chapter. I'll start with this first post chronicling the entire past year in photos. Pour some tea or coffee and relax as I guide you through our year...

Justin and I met almost exactly a year ago, March 12th, at a St. Paddy's day show at Sam Bond's. It was a Pogues cover band (KMRIA), and this pic was taken from the bench I was standing on when Justin introduced himself to me and kissed me on the hand. <3

He sent me a text the next day that said, "some people are just born beautiful". I was hooked! This is us a couple months later... 

This was also the first year I got to explore Bend at all, after 5 years of living here. We stayed in a yurt, which was also a first, and had way too much fun... I'd really like to make it back this Summer. It reminded me a lot of New Mexico, which I miss terribly, so would really love to explore this area more.

This pic is of Justin and I in Bend, exploring the plant life. See?? Looks a lot like NM!

Myself, Heather and Lori having the way too much fun. ;)

Next we went camping for my birthday at Hobo Camp on the Row River, up past Dorena. It was a breathtakingly beautiful place with woods, a river, and waterfalls. It was a completely magical time, and definitely going down as one of my fondest memories to date. 

The magic campsite right on the river...

kids, friends and guitars... good times!

The gorgeous Row...

Heather and Michele, soaking in the rays, and basking in the soothing sounds of the roaring river...

Hobo Falls! Completely awe-inspiring!

In July, Justin's mom and daughter came out all the way from Tennessee, and it was a fun-filled couple weeks spent mostly out in Dorena, where Justin's sister and Grandma live, right on the Row. Here's a pic of Just, and his near-grown daughter. It sure was so great to meet you Aiko! You're so much fun!

We also got to spend a couple days at the Coast, with Justin and his family, which was just such a blast. Justin's mom rented a house right on the beach, with some awesome tide-pools to witness in the wee hours!

We found a Sea Faerie!

This photo Justin took of me is one of my favorites of all time. It really captures the feel of the place to me. <3

Fairly soon thereafter was the Faerieworlds Celebration, which was a completely magical time. Lots more photos of the events can be found on my Facebook but this photo of the altar at the main stage, with Woodland playing in the background, was definitely one of my favorites...

 Here's one of Isabelly all decked out in her faerie garb. Didn't take long for her to lose the wings and the parasol and give 'em to me to lug around all day though. ;)

And here's me in my cat-faerie get-up... ;)

Here's Justin in his Pan outfit. It was so convincing, we got stopped fairly regularly by folks wanting to nab his picture. They're out there on the internets somewhere... There was even a lady that wanted to specifically take a pic of his belly (it is a wonderful belly, but I thought I was the only one to appreciate it as much), and another lady came up to him and told him he was the real thing (Fey)... Yes, indeedy!

 And here's one of the lovely Joey and her beautiful girls... I made the wings for everyone. It was a labor of love. <3

This woman was breathtaking! Quite possibly my favorite costume of the entire event.

This is Nymbol and his maker. He and his kiddo's all hand-made their puppets, and put an a pretty amazing show for us all. 

This was definitely my second favorite costume. I just love her colors and her style. She IS most definitely a the real thing also...

And the winners for best group outfits go to these guys! They've actually inspired many ideas for this years costume for me, as they are just so lovely in their naturalness...

This is one of the last photos of Isabelle and I taken in our townhouse in Eugene. This was right before we headed out to the Eugene Celebration. Oregon is so amazing with all it's festivals and celebrations! I feel pretty darned blessed to live in such a beautiful, diverse place. 

For example, these amazing B-Boys! Ouch?

And a Eugene icon, the Further bus. Ken Kesey and his family have made a huge impact on this community, supporting arts and community efforts...

Earth DecenDance put on an amazing fire show at the Celebration... There were performers on nearly every street corner, and such amazing vendors. There is just so much talent in our community!

Much of the rest of the Summer was filled with lots of little river trips, and camping adventures... I cannot wait til the weather is warm enough again for this! I have to admit that the winters here are pretty hard on me. Instead of getting used to them, they seem to get harder. The reward is during those 6 months of the year when it's amazingly gorgeous, and your surrounded by immense green-beauty all around...

In October, we moved out of the townhouse in Eugene, where Isabelle and I had lived for exactly 2 years, and we got a little place out in the country, close to our friends Jack and Joey. I will probably move my blog post about the process of getting this place over from my other blog just so you can know how much effort we put into making this place ours. We are now starting to turn this place into a real homestead, with the chicken yard finished, a coop going up this week, and a greenhouse next. Justin has lots of plans drawn up for the gardens that you can see on his blog that should hopefully be happening really soon also. The sedentary-ness of the winter (which has been in FULL effect! lol) is about to be over and big time. There are so many huge plans in the works for this place! I'm so excited!

Also, I have started on the path to Herbal learnin'! Near the end of last year, I started many tinctures, syrups and salves. One of the most prolific was the Elderberry elixir I made. It's helped me already, several times this year, and should be enough to last me til they're ready to harvest again next year! <3 Elderberry!

My salves cooling!

My Herb Shelf! Justin is going to be putting up some more of these for me hopefully soon. :D

Here is my Isabelly and her friends on a bike ride on our country road! I love this pic...

Oh, and when we moved in we added another member to the family, "Ocie"! She is one of the 5 kittens I fostered from 4 weeks old til 4 months. She was the only one left at the adoption place after about a month, so I took her back! Yes, I am turning into the crazy cat lady! :D

Isn't she just so cute and sweet though???

Another AMAZING thing that happened this year was a long awaited trip to New Mexico!! Home of my heart! I do love the Pacific NW for so many reasons, but New Mexico has long felt like my true home, which this trip further solidified for me. It is the plan that in the next 8-10 years, to be able to buy a chunk of land and move out there. Until then, I hope to be able to return sooner than every 5 years or so! These photos could and should probably be a post unto themselves, but this is the year in photos, so I'm keeping it on here.

 There are again, many more photos on my FB, as it really is a most enchanting and beautiful place. I have lived all over it, from Pecos to Truth or Consequences, but I really fell most deeply in love with the area that is Catron County. It's one of the biggest and least populated counties in all the country, which is probably part of the draw for me, well that and it's intense beauty. Don't you ever just watch movies like "Jeremiah Johnson" and wish to know what it would've felt like to wander this land long before we "civilized" it?? Well, New Mexico provides for you a bit of a taste of that. I'm sure there are other places in this country I've yet to see that do the same, like Montana and Alaska, but NM pulls on my spirit more than any place I've seen thus far, and I miss it terribly...

This is the cabin on my Dad and Stepmom's land that we stayed in. It is also the cabin they lived in for nearly 2 years while they built their current house. It's one room with minimal electricity and no indoor plumbing. I miss it!

A morning visitor, the Raven... got to see him and his kind nearly everywhere I went on this trip...

My folks own 10 acres of land backed by BLM land, with my Stepmom's folks 10 acres on one side, and her folks friends 10 acres on the other. There are some neighbor houses to see from some areas of the properties, if you try real hard, but other than that, it's an oasis in a sea of Scrub Oaks and Junipers. I  totally fell in love with these trees and probably took more photos of them than might be considered normal, but I just love the way they grow in response to their often harsh environment. They are dwarfs compared to our towering firs and oaks of the NW, but they can grow OUT almost as tall, forming amazing acrobatic feats of twists and turns, making them a most magnificent natural work of art.

My Dad and Rolly... <3<3

My Dad and Justin... Two peas in a pod <3<3

My folks cat Tigger. He's been around for I don't know how long, and here he's trying to fill his water bowl with his Jedi powers...

My Stepmom's parents got to make it down in time for Thanksgiving and to see us, which was a really nice treat. They are such lovely people...

Another wonderful gift of getting to go back to NM was the opportunity to make a trek out to the Anima Center again.

I love the people and the place there so much! Ever since my first trip out there several years ago, I have felt very tied to the place, as it is completely magical and intense. Or as Loba here said, "it's like New Mexico, on steroids"! Exactly. You can NOT come away from that place without being completely transformed. Every time!  

SO much love for this woman!

This is the gorgeous wood stove in her lovin' kitchen! The food she prepares is some of the best, if not THE best, I have ever eaten! Incorporating wild foods into everything she makes, as well as lots of love and intention, makes it the delicious art that it is. 

You might not be able to tell it, but there's a lovin' kitchen over there, up and behind those rocks. This was taken seated by the lovely San Fransisco River, by which they dwell...

Said River...

Looking up at the Ponderosa's near my cabin...

Said cabin! The "Goddess Lodge"...

View inside the "Goddess Lodge"...

View of the Cliffs near the Anima Center...

Cougar? tracks I spotted on my hike out...

S/he seemed to be following these... Javelina? tracks...

And finally, when I was near to where I parked my car, I spotted a flock of Wild Turkey scaling the cliffs...

Do you see him? It's blursula, I know, but he's there...

We also got to witness the "Festival of the Cranes", a yearly celebration at the Bosque Del Apache Wildlife Sanctuary near where my folks used to live in San Antonio, NM. This is where THOUSANDS of Sandhill Cranes and Blue Herons, Geese, etc. flock to every year in route to warmer climes. As proof of our human impact on the planet and it's inhabitants, the turn-out this year was record lows. Sad. Just look at these magnificent creatures... Sad to think they could be leaving us.

We should be ashamed...

New Mexico sunsets are some of the most brilliant I've ever seen...

Here's Isabelly with her Emma and Grandpa, hammin' it up at the Bosque...

Moonrise over the Bosque...

We also took a day hike out behind the VLA (Very Large Array), after a little picnic. The one and only pic of the gang, and everyone looks bewildered except for Izzy. heehee!

 There were so many wonderful rock formations in this Canyon... What was it called again, Terri??

Crone Rock....

Camel Rock...

Turtle Head...

Skull Rock? or Grayskull? ;)

George Washington Rock?

Oak Grove...

Fox Scat!

Here's what we saw on the way out... 

Also got to drive up to Albuquerque to see an old friend all too briefly... <3

The rest of the Winter pretty much went like this...

Yule...

Isabelle made Ugly Dolls for everyone, the owl she made for Angela being my favorite...

Here she is modeling the new Wildcrafting Basket I got at a White Elephant party...

Here's Justin modeling a miniature version of himself and looking harrier and harrier all the time. I love it!

All the amazing presents I got this Holiday... I am blessed!

Heather, Michele and Grace on a country walk near our house... <3

Then... SNOW!!! Finally! The rest of the country was blanketed in it, getting sick of it, and I just wanted something to finally stick for once! Here's our Heavenly Bamboo off the front porch covered in it... <3

 The view from the corner of the backyard...

And that's all folks! It's March again, and the start of another new era for me. The first couple of months of 2011 have been pretty bumpy, but I'm hopeful for things looking up soon what with the change in the season and all the new things blooming more and more all around us. Thank you all for reading! Looking back like this, and compiling all the years memories this way, has made me realize what a great blessing this past year has been, which is exactly what I needed right now. It's my hope that this blog will be more of a real blog than my last one and I will be better about chronicling the important events of my life as they happen, instead of saving them all up for the end of the year. ;) Look for lots more homesteading and wildcrafting photos as they happen, as well as recording the festivals and things that happen all around us here in Oregon, as they're soon upon us.

Much love!

~Amanda Lynn