Squam: Where to begin?

Seriously, where to begin? I feel as though it will take me days, months, maybe even years to sum up all that Squam was and is and will be in my life. But I've got to start somewhere and this is as good a place as any.


I lay there
melting into laughter,
splintered wood under my back,
breathing cold dark air.
A star slid across the sky
and I thought,
this is it
this is life
as it's meant to be lived.
Here.
Now.
Blanketed by the Milky Way
and the love of good women
who never fail
to teach me
touch me
surround me with love;
heal me.

I closed my eyes
and those stars,
that lake,
the faces of those women
burned bright beneath my eyelids,
their imprint solid--
a night sky I can carry home
with the acorns in my pocket.

Somebody loved

Been very quiet here lately. All I can say is I'm reveling in a bit of silence. The boys have gone back to school and summer is ending. It's sweet sorrow for me every year. While I so enjoy watching them grow and change, it's hard to let go of another season, especially summer--my very favorite. I want to savor these days of September and give myself permission to be sad that they are growing up, spreading their wings, needing me a little less every day.

But I'm changing and growing too. You're never too old to spread your wings. And you're never too old for marshmallows. Especially in September.

I'm really really loving this song.

art house co-op

I cannot believe I'm leaving for Italy on Friday! I can barely stand to write the word "Italy" for fear that somehow my lucky bubble will burst. I really am so blessed to get the opportunity to return to this beautiful, magical, inspiring country exactly one year from my last visit. . . . But before I go I wanted to share this cool project from art house co-op in Atlanta, GA. I've participated in past projects with the gallery, but this one is their bread-and-butter and it's in the 4th installment.

It's called the Sketchbook Project and it's a library of sketchbooks from all over the world. Each person who participates receives a sketchbook to fill with their art. The book is then returned to the gallery and will become part of a permanent collection, or library, that will tour other galleries across the United States. Visitors will be able to check out the sketchbooks, just like a real library book, and then check out the art inside. Pretty awesome!

Check it out here.
And then sign up and join us!

I'll be working on my sketchbook while I'm in Italy, for sure.

Ciao!