red leaves & geese

first photo on the crescent beach is for sweet Marie Cameron / berry time / beach glass / a lobster boat leaving the harbour / from the deck of the newly renovated & restored Lobster factory/ Thinker's Lodge Dining Hall / autumn asters are everywhere / the crescent beach / golden rod / Thinker's Lodge & Dining Hall / selfie in the window's of the former Lobster Factory

Sometimes you hear a voice through the door calling you, As a fish out of water hears the waves ... Come back. Come back. This turning toward what you deeply love saves you. Rumi

Time keeps marching forward, faster almost than I can stand. How is it that it's October this week ? suddenly it seems I'm seeing brilliant red leaves and seeing and hearing the beautifully haunting sight & sound of huge flocks of Canada geese flying in formation high in the sky. I don't feel ready ... ready for what I ask myself. I forgot I only need to be ready for this moment, now.

It's looking like Lunenburg has won the "destination" prize. I may be moving before year's end to an apartment a rental while Doug, Betty & Sam stay behind to finish the second floor painting etc for selling. I could be living in my new home by December 1 ... yikes ! I best do a workback ;-)

magic, grace & power

yet another walk through beautiful meadows and onto the crescent beach + requisite studio door high tide(s) chart ;-)

Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

new navigational

back on the crescent beach - the lobster boats hummed out of the harbour this early morning - spring is finally here

Longing, felt fully, carries us to belonging.
Tara Brach  

I've been careening through life these last few weeks, few months ... it's been difficult to turn off those feelings of overwhelmedness, the feeling that my creative life (who am I kidding - my life life because it truly is all one) has become like a runaway race car, careening crazily at top speed, all over the road, into the ditch and back out a few times. Me with my hands gripping the steering wheel (?) and hanging on for dear life. One crazy, big, fabulous, scary project rushing into the next one - no pit stops, no rest stops, no time to really think. No time to catch my breath.

But Hey ! it's all good isn't it ? shouldn't it be ? isn't this exactly what I wished for ? isn't this exactly what I've been working so hard to achieve ? isn't this what I want ? ... uh ... hmmm ... erggh ... I think so.

I'm of two minds over this situation, which is no surprise as I'm of two minds about most of life's situations 'cause I'm a died in the wool fence sitter. There's a huge part of me that says to myself daily hey girlfriend ! wow ! you've become kinda popular, dare I say successful, desired, wanted and that feeling/thought is amazing and thrilling no question. It makes me feel happy and tremendously grateful. I'm also proud of myself because I've worked hard, deliberately and intentionally to get to the place I'm at today. In fact I'm exactly where I wanted to be, maybe even a little bit ahead of where I hoped to be.

A desire is anything but frivolous. It is the interface between you and that which is greater than you. No desire is meaningless or inconsequential. If it pulls you, even a little bit, it will take everyone higher. Desire is where the Divine lives, inside the inspiration of your desire. Every desire is of profound importance with huge consequences, and deserves your attention.
Mama Gena 

But ... there's another voice, that stressed out, rushed, panicked, wants to have more control voice that keeps whispering to the mad passionate creative empire building voice pardon moi ... but is this really how you want to feel ? In my spare time (insert exaggerated wink here) and while I work I soak up everything I can about personal and spiritual growth, either reading or listening to audio books and/or youtube chats (Danielle Laporte, Gabby Bernstein, Beth Nicholls, Brené Brown, Eckhart Tolle .... and on). We're a society that propels ourselves forward with our to-dos, our goals and dreams - I know I have my hand up high waving from the front row on this one - but I've been noticing two common, new to me, themes keep cropping up in all the lessons and learning I've been paying attention to. That instead of focusing on the what, the where, the who in relation to our dreams and goals ... why not try instead to instead focus on the HOW do I want to feel ? and does this line up with my VALUES ?

The HOW and the VALUES - these 2  words are sticking with me as I move forward in my quest to steer this big ship called Susan's life into brand new creative + directions. HOW do I want to feel ? and does this line up with my VALUES ? (projects, places, relationship, etc). I'm feeling confident that I've stumbled upon two most excellent new navigational tools. & Oh my dear Rumi xoxo

What you seek is seeking you.
Rumi

the beach is back 2

Just back from my morning power walk on the beach, the ice is now officially gone & sweet Bee leaves today & I'll miss her

Be steady and well-ordered in your life 
so that you can be fierce and original in your work.

Gustave Flaubert

Working non-stop a go-go, almost*, on the project, ya know the one I mentioned a week or so ago, the big (literally - it's 12' x 5'), very scary, extremely thrilling, dreamy, jagged steep mountain project.

*I am making sure I take the time every day to have R & R breaks (ritual and rejuvenation, rest and relaxation, recharging & reminders). Reminding myself - that I can do this, that I do deserve this amazing creative opportunity, that I will do my best, I always do ... & finally, reminding myself that there's a pretty darn good chance that I'm gonna kick ass ;-)

I couldn't resist - I was a mad, crazed teenaged Elton John fan, he was the soundtrack of my youth -  from fav album Caribou

the beach is back 1

Hooray the crescent beach is back - so happy & filled with gratitude that one of best friends is 9 year old Sweet Billie Bee ;-)

The sun shines not on us but in us. 

The rivers flow not past, but through us. 

Thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing. The trees wave and the flowers bloom in our bodies as well as our souls, and every bird song, wind song, and tremendous storm song of the rocks in the heart of the mountains is our song, our very own, and sings our love.

John Muir

Raining cats & dogs here this early morning. My friend Sweet Bee, who's visiting from British Columbia (the other side of Canada) 'til Friday and I have been on many beach combing adventures lately - lucky me ! Nature truly is my medicine, my religion, my biggest thrill ... my favourite thing.

Must watch ! absolutely incredible time lapse nature short films by Louie Schwartzberg here + a fantastic interview with him (& Oprah) on Super Soul Sunday here.