I got me a new macro lens!

A little road trip to points  northeast to replenish the spirit with a change of scenery….I have always wanted to visit here, so I have brought you with me!… this drive was all the more poignant, as the artist who created this place, Stephen Huneck took his life a year ago… his legacy of love for all things four footed will live on in this place that he and his wife Gwen created and called ‘Dog Mountain’.  It is a place for both our solace and joy, to honor our forever connections to our fur companions.  (The colored scraps on the wall are all notes written  by visitors to canine loves that are no longer with us on this earth walk, but who live forever in our hearts!)….namaste….enjoy!

I read somewhere once that the quality of one’s life is directly affected by what you choose to attend to.(this article )in particular really got me thinking..I have always been way more deeply preoccupied with the mysteries of life than cleaning my room ( those who know me well, can attest to that! ) . I live in a world of curiousity and mystery, definitely not one of the electric bill and car maintenance. I am not saying that I don’t take care of this stuff, just as much as the next person, but it’s definitely not what I choose to ‘attend to’…..

As I was photographing these wasp nests (doesn’t the  b & w play up the textures so beautifully?) a  woman walked by with her dogs and said ” wow! How long has that been there? “… my response… ” oh , its been here since last summer …I was hoping that the starkness of winter would allow me to get a good shot of them…”   One way  of moving throughout the world is not better than the other, they are  just different. Because we can consciously choose what we attend to, we can  have an effect on the quality and depth ( or lack thereof) of our lives. My world  is one of innuendo, metaphor and mystery… perhaps too much at times. I have been this way since I was a little thing, really, but I would not trade it for anything.        

For the last year, the winds of change have been whispering in my ear…whispering I say, because I am still not sure exactly what they are saying…when I pay close attention though , I believe I am being asked to honor my feelings of the need to create on a larger scale, simplify aspects of my everyday life, and take stock once again, of my strengths, and find more ways to love my weaknesses. It all still sounds quite amorphous to me in ways…but I am leaning into the winds, hoping that they will ultimately blow me in the direction of some deeper truths…..  I am in a place of simply listening…and attending….

what have you been attending to?

wishing you peace and beauty on this gorgeous day…namaste xx K

I am not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day…for a myriad of reasons…(it would take a LARGE pot o’ tea and an hour of your time for me to explain)….but , I AM a huge fan of LOVE….the  365 day a year kind! So, I am  offering up an opportunity to spread it around, in honor of St. Valentines…..this is an unusual giveaway, in the bloggy scheme of things, because what I am giving away (with the help of Heifer International ) is  an opportunity to win something to pay it forward….globally.

So, amigas and amigos, tell me your thoughts about letting others know, REALLY know that you love them?….how do you best express it?.. is there anything you ‘do’?….I will choose a winner  ( except I reckon in this case we are all winners) and send the gift of a bee hive in your name. And , to express my gratitude for your presence on these fine electronic pages, I will send to you a  giant handful of my homemade beeswax tea light candles, scented w/ sandalwood , cinnamon and patchouli, plus a few other little treats to sweeten the deal…

This one is just for fun…I mean, how many creative ways can we let others know we love them? And hopefully, it is stuff that we do and say  all of the other 364 days a year…in my book, that is really what counts….

(note: our bees are all buttoned up and sleeping for the winter…their sincerest apologies for looking a tad ‘un photogenic’:)….. they asked me to please not let you forget that they love us by pollinating what we grow so we can have food

I am so looking forward to hearing your thoughts!…xx K

I had a post prepared for you, but the day has sort of gotten away from me….found this on pinterest  via a friends’ board…it is just mesmerizing….I actually was writing a bit about the flow of life….and this man’s art could not be more apropos..sculpture that ‘breathes’….magical!..enjoy! xx

May you find peace, may you know love, may  you see beauty…(particularly when they appear to be playing hide and seek with you!)….for these are your truest walking companions in this life. Within deep truth lives power and possibility. This I know for sure…

Feliz Ano Nuevo, 

All yours, xo kerin

Well, we finally got our first dusting of snow around here…. as life takes a bit of an inward turn, you need some warming up after venturing into the woods….a bowl of this, some vegan green chile cornbread plus a furry  friend….life is  good!…the only thing that makes this better is some friends to share it with..(oh, and Henry says to tell you that his nose really isn’t that big! )

Favourite vegan chili recipe ( thank you Mark Bittman) !

2 T olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 bell peppers, any colour , cored , seeded , chopped

2 T minced garlic ( I do about 6 cloves, but I like a lot!)

3 T tomato paste

2 to 4 dried ancho ( or other kind) hot peppers ( soaked, de seeded, chopped)

3 c. tomatoes chopped whole ( about 1 1/2 pounds, canned is ok too)

1 qt. vegetable stock

2 T chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 c bulghur

2 to 3 cups beans

scallions for garnish

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Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion, garlic, peppers. Cook, stirring, for about 5 min. Add tomato paste and stir. Cook another two. Add stock, tomatoes, chili powder, dried chiles, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then take down to a simmer and simmer for 30 min. Stir in the bulgur and simmer for another 10 min. Turn off the heat and let sit for another 15 min. so the bulgur becomes tender.  Add  canned kidney beans, or black beans or whatever you like. Garnish as you like ( scallions, daiya cheese ) .  Keeps well in the fridge, covered for about 3 days, or freeze extra ( this makes a big pot!)

Salut! ( if anyone is interested in the cornbread recipe, drop me an email and I will send it to you)

Boo!