Integration. Home.
Unpacking, knitting, sorting, sharing
First, thank you so much for all of the connection and comments around last week’s post, Ode to Demi Goddess. I feel your love and my heart is soothed by our collective grief and celebration of our four-legged beloved family.
I’m back home in Las Vegas, New Mexico after my two month book tour; it is strange and wonderful to unpack. I can actually put things out on the counters! The Airstream will be stationary until next spring, tucked into the driveway of my house in town next to the cemetery.
It always takes me a few days to settle after travel; and my truck, Airstream, and body traveled over 10,000 miles in 60 days, from the southwest across and up the east coast, then across to the southwest again before heading up the west coast and back down. We’ve done an infinity sign of travel.
And now the massive sorting begins. Unpacking, cleaning, releasing, and moving things from my house and shed into the Airstream and up onto the land. As I’ve been vacuuming my office I know I’m releasing and breathing in the last of my doggie Demi Goddess: this was the room where she sat on her little bed under my desk as I wrote or taught online. Here is a clump of white soft fur from her undercoat, hidden under the rug. I haven’t yet washed her dog bowls. As I walk to the mailbox I miss her enthusiastic joy: are we going for a walk? do you have the frisbee?
I’ve been looking at border collie puppies, which may come into my life in the spring. We’ll see. For now I’m integrating the loss of part of my heart.
Along with settling back home and catching up on all the things, I also did live webinars this week on Unconditional Leadership and Living the Warrior Goddess Way. We have two replays this weekend if you missed them; you can still sign up at: https://warriorgoddess.com/leadership-webinar-series/
My friend Sarah and I made a pact from the road: that we would focus on creative projects rather than scrolling, and check in with each other every Friday about how we are doing. Having this weekly check in with Sarah to keep me honest has been a blessing: I’m rewiring myself to reach for my knitting instead of for my phone. And I’ve almost finished the scarf I started at the beginning of the summer. Yes!
Today I’ll drive out of Las Vegas heading south on the frontage road, then turn west across the freeway towards the Santa Fe National Forest and the Sangre de Cristo mountains. I’ll travel on asphalt, gravel, and then dirt roads for about 1/2 hour to Warrior Heart Ranch.
For the fall work party we are planning to finish our first A-frame cabin (putting the metal roofing on, sanding and staining the floors, and figuring out how to close the two ends with a front door and a back door that opens fully to the view of Hermit’s Peak. What a tremendous gift to built a little sacred home space out of our burnt trees. More pics to come!
I have a really funny story to share with you from my time on the road, but I don’t have the energy to write it today. But I will next week, promise!
For today, here is a poem:
How Would You Live Then?
What if a hundred rose-breasted grosbeaks
flew in circles around your head? What if
the mockingbird came into the house with you and
became your advisor? What if
the bees filled your walls with honey and all
you needed to do was ask them and they would fill
the bowl? What if the brook slid downhill just
past your bedroom window so you could listen
to its slow prayers as you fell asleep? What if
the stars began to shout their names, or to run
this way and that way above the clouds? What if
you painted a picture of a tree, and the leaves
began to rustle, and a bird cheerfully sang
from its painted branches? What if you suddenly say that the silver of water was brighter than the silver
of money? What if you finally saw
that the sunflowers, turning toward the sun all day
and every day – who knows how, but they do it – were
more precious, more meaningful than gold?
~Mary Oliver
‘Blue Iris: Poems and Essays’
Grateful for your stories and knitting and home ❤️
Wow I love the way you paint words in my mind. You are awesome, thank you for sharing.
Yours in Love,Light & Laughter,
Cyndy