Currently listening : Labyrinth: From The Original Soundtrack Of The Jim Henson Film By David Bowie Release date: 2007-05-21

With all the anxiety about the election and things flying at citizens from every angle, mail, Internet ads on our favorite sites, phone calls, signs, etc….  I decided to take a page out of Thich Nhat Hanh's poetry book, namely the cuckoo telephone.  Every time one of these things interrupt your life, use it as a reminder to perform mindful/deep breathing.

It is amazing how relaxing, just a trip to Leesburg has become.

Cuckoo Telephone
By Thich Nhat Hanh

The cuckoos have not missed their appointment.
Rolling hills are growing warm.
The telephone is ringing loudly from hill to hill.
The gentle Spring rain permeates the soil of my soul.
A seed that has lain deeply in the Earth for many years
just smiles.

You just came for a visit.
Your travel bag is half full of moonlight.
The spinach leaf is calling for the seed of the basilicum.
There is more green than red now.
The vegetation is luxurious.
The bell is calling.
Our feet kiss the Earth.
Our eyes embrace the Sky.
We walk in mindfulness.

Ten thousand lives can be seen in a single instant.
This is still Springtime,
when everything is manifesting itself
so rapidly.
The snow is green.
And the sunshine is falling like the rain.

Notes:
Every time I leave Plum village for a Spring teaching tour, I remind my friends that when Spring comes, the sound of the cuckoos is my telephone call. And as we always practice telephone meditation in Plum Village, practicing conscious breathing when the telephone bell rings, my friends always stop and breathe deeply when they hear the cuckoos.

A friend who visits you without some moonlight in his or her traveling bag is too busy.  When you see such a friend, ask him or her, "Do you have enough moonlight in your bag?"  That would be a bell of mindfulness.

As you look at the luxurious vegetation in spring you know the snow that fell in the Winter is part of what you see.  You can see the snow that wears a green coat.  It was the sunshine that helped bring the ocean water up to the sky in the form of clouds, so the sunshine can be seen in the rain or the snow that is falling.  Since the snow is falling , you see the sunshine fall as well.
Page 196 Call Me by My True Names By Thich Nhat Hanh

Brightest Blessings

Bacon Wrapped Dates

1 package of Favorite Bacon
30 Whole pitted Dates

Precook Bacon in microwave until about half done.  Cut bacon strips in half so that each strip is 6 inches long.  Roll partially cooked bacon around date and hold with toothpick. 

Cook on baking sheet for 15 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  Makes wonderful hors d'oeuvres.

Currently reading : Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, Book 4) By Stephen King

45 years ago on August 28th Martin Luther King, Jr stood atop the steps at the Lincoln Memorial to give his I HAVE A DREAM speech…but on that same day…  45 years later…  a part of that DREAM has become reality…   and some people are truly being recognized for "the content of their character" rather than the "color of their skin"… 

Did MLK think in 45 years time America would have progressed far enough for us to nominate an African American man for president?  Would he have expected our current Secretary of State to be a female American of African decent?  I hope Dr. King is happy with our progress and I hope that we will move forward faster recognizing all people as equal and worthy.

40 years ago Dr. King Jr. gave his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech, it was his last public speech.  It ends as follows:
"Well, I don't know what will happen now.  We've got some difficult days ahead.  But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.
And I don't mind.
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life.  Longevity has its place.  But I'm not concerned about that now.  I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain.  And I've looked over.  And I've seen the Promised Land.  I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
And so I'm happy, tonight.
I'm not worried about anything.
I'm not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!"

I end with the hymn How Beautiful, Our Spacious Skies.  This is Miriam Theresa Winter's version of "America the Beautiful" entitled, "How Beautiful Our Spacious Skies".
How beautiful for spacious skies, our amber waves of grain; our purple mountains as they rise above the fruited plain.
America! America! God's gracious gifts abound, and more and more we're grateful for life's bounty all around.
Indigenous and immigrant, our daughters and our sons; O may we never rest content till all are truly one.
America! America! God grant that we may be a sisterhood and brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
How beautiful, sincere lament, the wisdom born of tears, the courage called for to repent the bloodshed through the years.
America! America! God grant that we may be a nation blessed with none oppressed, true land of liberty.
How beautiful, two continents, and islands in the sea that dream of peace, non-violence, all people living free.
Americas! Americas! God grant that we may be a hemisphere where people here all live in harmony.

Not only does this hymn celebrate an America that we hope to someday see but a whole hemisphere of peace and freedom.  Somehow, I think this hymn envisions Dr. King's "Promised Land"

Currently reading : A Quaker Book of Wisdom: Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service, and Common Sense (Large Print) By Robert Lawrence Smith

On Monday, I choose to sit on my porch and meditate.  Meditate on the world around me, watching the main street of town happen and let everything be "as it should be".  I was being a naturalist so to speak, observing the world around me without judgement and just allowing to all be, just as it is.  After some time, my attention was drawn by a mockingbird.  I'm a great lover of mockingbird.  So I watched it as it alighted upon the sidewalk across the street, and began raising its wings which causes its shadow to grow and often caused insects to spring.  The bird pounced and I though it had found something pretty big.  It turned out that the mockingbird had decided to go after a small snake sunning itself on the sidewalk. 

I wanted to jump out of my seat, particularly when the snake made a mad dash for the street to get away from the angry bird.  I  thought to myself how I could grab the snake and bring it in for my boys to see, having an impromptu science lesson.  But instead I stayed the impulse and reminded myself that I was there only to observe and "everything is as it should be". 

So I continued to observe.  The snake, thankfully, turned back into the grass and I watched as the mockingbird pursued it into the bushes,  ultimately, landing on a branch and scolding the snake from above. 

I was quite proud of myself for suppressing my urge to interfear and allowing everything to take its own course.  I was given a gift by the Earth for just sitting, and maintaining my original intention.

Art: From Within Creation by Farid DeLa Ossa Arrieta

Currently reading : The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, Book 3) By Stephen King Release date: 2003-09-02

Just finished up Deathly Hollows about 10 minutes ago.  Can't wait to read the New Book come Decemer and see the New Movie in November

Oh and I saw Lost Boys 2: The Tribe last night, don't waste 2 hours of your life,  Corey Feldman is the only redeeming part of the film and ups the cheese factor with his still awesome Edgar Frogg character, there are a couple laughs out of the fact that you have Vampires acting like guys in a dorm, in the way young men who were immortal would play jokes on each other.

xoxo

Currently listening : Herb Albert & the Tijuanna Brass Greatest Hits By Herb Albert

I was working on this before leaving but I touched it up and started repainting the front of the barn to make it ready for the next large barn sign.  ( I'm thinking double distilfinks on the door so when it opens they seperate)

Might Oak Unity Hex (6 foot in diameter)

Here are my smaller hex signs.  [3 Moon Hexs becuse of mutiple requests.] I think I like the Double Horse Hex best but wasn't expecting too.  I'm quite happy with quite a few.

But all feels right with the word; I perpetually have paint streaks on my forearms not unlike one may have defensive wounds having been attacked.

Kittens are doing well but I can't seem to get a decent picture of them but they look just like the "whenever you masturbate God kills a kitten" kitten.

kisses

Currently reading : Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) By J.K. Rowling Release date: 2006-07-25

Kisses My Poppets,

Kara

Currently reading : Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha By Tara Brach Release date: 2004-11-23

Well obviously things have happened, nothing huge, but a good amount of life.  Still haven't totally kicked this damnable ear infection. 

Have the new hex carved in and started painting it today.  The colors are so wonderful. 

Saw emma's revolution Saturday. They were wonderful. Got an awesome new Tank top too!!

Been spending time with my written journals, thinking, contemplating, trying to make myself a better person.

Currently reading : Persuasion (Penguin Classics) By Jane Austen Release date: 2003-04-29

Got some cute pics of the kids and the flora around the house.

Started on a new hex sign for the front of the house, my first distelfinks.  Pics to come soon.

Currently watching : Bride and Prejudice Release date: 2005-07-05

It makes me happy

Currently reading : Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha By Tara Brach Release date: 2004-11-23

Made myself 3 new simple spinners today they are a bit lite but they have really made a difference in my quality of yarn and thickness.

I've turned my 3 skeins into balls and they can be spun together.

Finished the dragon in the needlepoint that S has claimed.  He wants the original quote I was going to use "Not all those...
" I'll start that tomorrow using my Gold embroidery thread.

Tonight at Esoterica after spinning I bought a tiny Shiva Linga stone and a set of mediation Ting Shas.  Since starting the meditation group I've gotten used to the bells opening me up to the meditative state. Maybe these will encourage me to sit more at home on my own.